Transfiguration Magic Class

To earn Hufflepuff's favor was a truly wonderful experience.

At breakfast, Wizet could always receive jams of different flavors from his fellow Hufflepuff year-mates.

According to Hannah and the others, these jams were reserved specially for the teachers, and only Hufflepuff had the chance to enjoy them.

Wizet had to admit that these special jams truly each had their own flavor.

Through Magic Eye, he could see the magical symbols contained within them, and those symbols were precisely the source of the flavors.

Around noon, an owl with sleek, glossy feathers flew into the Great Hall.

The owl circled once above the hall, then landed on Wizet's shoulder.

Wizet gently stroked Thor's crest. "Thank you for your hard work. Flying back and forth must be tiring, right?"

"Coo..." Thor rubbed its beak against his cheek, then spread its wings and left the Great Hall again. It was probably planning to return to the Owlery and have a good sleep.

Wizet had just taken down the envelope when his roommates had already turned their heads, curiosity showing in their eyes.

Chris leaned over and looked at the envelope, which had a ring of mistletoe drawn on it. "Who sent this letter? Why is it so fancy?"

"It's definitely Wizet's little sister," Michael said like a keen hound, guessing the correct answer at once.

"It's a letter from her." Wizet opened the envelope. Aside from a short letter, there was also a small bottle and a Dirigible Plum pendant.

"What is this?" His roommates grew even more curious. "A mini carrot made into a pendant? This is the first time I've ever seen such a novel gift!"

Terry asked, "What's in the bottle? Seeds?"

"Dirigible Plum seeds." Wizet nodded, then raised the pendant and introduced it. "This is a Dirigible Plum pendant. It can improve one's ability to accept unusual things."

Anthony frowned. "Dirigible Plum? Improve my ability to accept unusual things? Can it stop me from falling asleep in A History of Magic?"

"Professor Binns's lessons have a special kind of magic," Wizet said with a smile. "If you adapt to his intonation, you'll definitely gain something."

"As for the special effects of Dirigible Plums, Luna told me they vary from person to person. At least for me, Dirigible Plums are remarkably effective."

Terry looked a little eager to try. "Then will you plant these seeds? We can try them too when the time comes!"

Michael immediately teased, "Maybe you'll also need a clever-handed little sister who can help you make pendants..."

Wizet paid no attention to his roommates' bickering. His mind was entirely on Luna's reply.

Luna's reply was very simple, describing her day in a gentle, flowing way.

She had harvested Dirigible Plums in the garden, tasted sweet Chocolate Frogs, painted a picture in her bedroom...

She also mentioned Xenophilius's praise for him, as well as that Dirigible Plum pendant, hoping the pendant could bring him inspiration.

Wizet hung the pendant around his neck. Looking at the rosy-red Dirigible Plum, his thoughts seemed to cross the Scottish Highlands and return to that garden planted full of strange magical plants...

There was another Transfiguration class in the afternoon, and Ravenclaw needed to share the class with Gryffindor.

When Wizet walked into the classroom, he saw quite a few Gryffindors standing by the lectern.

While Professor McGonagall had not yet entered the classroom, they were using every trick they had to tease the tabby cat on the lectern.

They laughed and fooled around, but still failed to stir even the slightest reaction from the tabby cat.

Wizet frowned. Looking at this tabby cat, he felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity, as if he had seen it before.

Very soon, he remembered that when he had faced the Runespoor back then, an identical cat had appeared as well, and that cat had actually been Professor McGonagall in transformed form.

Faced with the cheerful atmosphere among the Gryffindors, his roommates also wanted to go up and join the fun. Wizet hurriedly called them back.

Anthony sat in his seat, still watching that tabby cat. "You don't like cats? That cat's markings are so pretty, especially the black patches around its eyes. They're just like glasses frames!"

Wizet explained, "This isn't an ordinary cat, but..."

Before he could finish explaining, the loud class bell rang.

The tabby cat crouching on the lectern went from stillness into motion, leaping a great step forward and transforming into human form in midair.

"Professor McGonagall."

"Professor McGonagall!" the Gryffindors screamed, returning to their seats at top speed.

They tightened their faces into serious expressions, straightened their sitting postures, and tried to muddle through.

Anthony said with lingering fear, "How did you tell?"

Wizet said in a low voice, "You said it yourself just now. The black patches around its eyes looked like glasses frames. Markings like that are very rare."

Professor McGonagall's expression was stern as she said in a clear voice, "Perhaps in your eyes, Transfiguration is like a cat, something you seem able to tease at will without paying any price."

"However, in truth... this is the most complex and dangerous magic you will come into contact with at school. I do not wish for you to be injured because of it, or even lose your lives."

"Anyone who wants to misbehave in class, I will have them leave here forever! Lest they meet with an accident because of their arrogance. Please keep this firmly in mind!"

Seeing the students nod repeatedly, she finally softened her tone. "As your first Transfiguration lesson, what you most need to master is not incantations, but caution."

"Regard Transfiguration with a cautious attitude. Even if its outward appearance is only a cat, you must still guard against it carefully, to prevent it from turning into the thing you fear most."

"That is all for the warning. Turn A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration to page four. We will first begin by understanding the techniques for casting Transfiguration..."

Transfiguration was indeed a complex subject.

Though Wizet had copied out A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration into a bound volume, he still only half understood its contents.

At a time like this, an outstanding guide was especially important, and Professor McGonagall was exactly such a guide.

Drawing on her own experience, she broke down the textbook's contents, and the once dense, obscure theory of transfiguration no longer seemed quite so difficult to understand.

Half the lesson passed, and after Professor McGonagall had explained the theory from the simple to the complex, they officially moved on to practical work.

She gave every student in the classroom a matchstick, and what the students needed to do was very simple—turn the matchstick into a needle.

After enduring half a lesson of theory, the students could hardly wait to begin practicing.

For a while, the classroom was filled with a noisy jumble of incantations.

Just as Professor McGonagall had said, transfiguration might look as cute as a cat, but in truth it could be extremely difficult—and dangerous.

After a burst of multicolored magical light, the matchsticks in front of some students erupted with loud bangs, instantly exploding into countless sparks that flew in every direction.

Professor McGonagall was quick-eyed and quick-handed; with a wave of her wand, she turned the scattering sparks into little birds.

The little birds let out sweet cries, circled above the classroom once, and then vanished without a trace.

"Concentrate! Be careful!" Professor McGonagall called loudly. "Your target needs to be clearer! Imagine the needle's shape, size, and texture!"

That effortless display of transfiguration greatly increased the students' enthusiasm for practice.

Before long, Professor McGonagall made her way over to Wizet's table during her rounds.

She had noticed from the start that Wizet had not cast the spell right away, but had closed his eyes and begun to visualize.

As if sensing Professor McGonagall's gaze, Wizet opened his eyes.

Through that stretch of visualization, he had constructed a clear enough image. Now he only needed the incantation to assist him.

"Vera Verto!"