Transfiguration

The next day, Li Wei's owl alarm clock did not ring.

Li Wei had checked the timetable yesterday. Perhaps because there was Astronomy at night, the first class for all four houses started relatively late today.

Still, Li Wei got up early as he had yesterday.

Having experienced the power of the Spell Shop and the Spell Training Ground, he now craved credits even more!

His roommates were sleeping soundly, so Li Wei quietly left the dormitory with Nami.

In the Great Hall, those sitting at the long tables of the four houses and eating breakfast were all upperclassmen.

The only exception was a figure with bushy brown hair, eating breakfast while occasionally glancing toward the Ravenclaw table.

"Li Wei, over here!" Hermione spotted Li Wei and called out loudly to him.

Seeing that Hermione was there, Li Wei did not sit at the Ravenclaw table. Instead, he went straight over and sat beside her.

"Why did you come over here?"

The amused looks from everyone at the Gryffindor table made Hermione's little face flush, and she could not help trying to chase him away.

"What's wrong with me sitting here?"

"The Gryffindor upperclassmen are so warm and hospitable. They definitely wouldn't chase me away!"

Li Wei said with a sunny smile. With the Giant Physique talent, his skin was extraordinarily thick.

Now that he had put it that way, what could the Gryffindors say? Besides, they had not wanted to chase him away in the first place.

"Welcome! Welcome!"

"Welcome Mr. Ravenclaw's Notebook to the Gryffindor long table!"

What Li Wei had not expected was that not only did Gryffindor not chase him away, but the Weasley Twins even gave him an outrageously enthusiastic welcome.

The nickname Professor Snape had given him yesterday had spread through all four houses in just one day. Even third-years like the Weasley Twins knew it.

Li Wei played along, rising to his feet and bowing to everyone around him like a clown imitating a gentleman, expressing his thanks.

Li Wei did not ignore the cue to perform, and the Gryffindor atmosphere instantly became even livelier!

Sitting at the center of all the merriment, Li Wei could not help sighing inwardly. Gryffindor's atmosphere was always this bustling and cheerful!

As Li Wei ate breakfast from the Gryffindor table, he turned and asked the blushing Hermione:

"Class starts late this morning. After breakfast, are we still going to the library to study?"

Hermione was never careless when it came to studying. Though her face was still red, she nodded at Li Wei's question.

After breakfast, the two once again headed to the library beneath Gryffindor's looks of awe at the top students.

It was the same routine as yesterday. Only when class was about to begin did they part ways in the library and head to their respective classrooms.

Ravenclaw's first class today was the Transfiguration Li Wei had long been looking forward to, and they were taking it with Hufflepuff.

By the time Li Wei reached the classroom, students from both houses had almost all arrived.

He even deliberately glanced at the podium, but did not see that tabby cat with square markings around her eyes, leaving him somewhat disappointed.

Perhaps because this was not the first class of the term, Professor McGonagall had not transformed into her Animagus form and crouched on the podium to observe them.

What a shame. I thought I could use this to trigger a new MOD!

"Meow~"

Just as Li Wei was feeling disappointed, he suddenly heard a cat's meow. He leaned over his desk to look and saw the tabby cat he had been eagerly awaiting walk in from outside the classroom.

Mist drifted before his eyes, followed by a system notification:

[Animagus detected. Magical Transformation MOD loading...]

[Loading complete. Congratulations, host, you have obtained the Magical Transformation MOD!]

Professor McGonagall, you really are my wonderful teacher!

Li Wei thanked her sincerely in his heart.

He did not immediately check what the MOD did. Instead, he listened to the less well-informed young wizards in the classroom shouting in alarm:

"Where did that kitten come from? Catch it!"

"So cute!"

"I saw a purple cat in the castle yesterday. It was adorable too!"

"Wait, I think I heard that..."

The tabby cat Professor McGonagall had transformed into paced around the classroom, observing the students from both houses.

When she came near Li Wei, she looked up and saw him smiling brightly at her, one finger lightly tapping the corner of his own eye.

Professor McGonagall nodded at Li Wei, knowing that he had recognized her.

After the tabby cat reached the podium, no one saw what happened, but Professor McGonagall suddenly appeared before the entire class.

"Chatter, chatter, chatter! Talk, talk, talk! What is there to talk about!"

"With all this time, can't you preview your lessons or memorize some key points?!"

"I walked around the entire floor earlier, and our class was the noisiest in the whole school!"

Professor McGonagall opened with the same classic triple reprimand from a teacher.

Her stern gaze swept across the class through her square glasses, and every young wizard fell silent beneath her scrutiny.

"Mr. Lee Wickens," Professor McGonagall called Li Wei's name, signaling for him to answer:

"You seemed to recognize me just now?"

"Tell us, what magic did I use? It would be best if you could explain what effects this magic can achieve, and what terrifying consequences failure might bring."

Hearing Professor McGonagall call on him, Li Wei hurriedly answered in earnest:

"Professor, what you just used should have been one of the highest achievements of Transfiguration: the Animagus form."

"If a wizard can successfully master this magic, they can permanently acquire an animal form. In other words, they can transform into an animal anytime and anywhere."

"Among the wizards with registered Animagus forms at the Ministry of Magic, only seven Transfiguration masters have accomplished this. You are one of them."

"However," Li Wei's tone shifted as he spoke of the severe consequences of failed transformations:

"The process of learning Animagus transformation is extremely complicated and difficult. Many steps require luck to complete!"

"Once the transformation fails, one may mutate into some kind of monster and never be able to return to human form."

"Even if one successfully transforms into an animal, if they cannot withstand the impact of the beast's instincts and recover their human consciousness, they will completely become a beast and likewise never transform back into human form."

"Therefore, when learning Animagus transformation, without a companion highly skilled in Transfiguration to supervise and assist nearby, the chance of failure is extremely high!

Please do not try it lightly, because it may cost you your identity as a human!"

"There is one more point to note: wizards cannot transform into magical creatures. Everyone who has tried to become a magical creature through Animagus transformation has failed!"

After answering, Li Wei looked at Professor McGonagall with eager anticipation.

Professor McGonagall did not disappoint him. She gave him an approving smile and praised him:

"A thorough, correct, and cautionary answer, Mr. Lee Wickens. Ravenclaw earns ten points for your answer!"

After awarding the points, Professor McGonagall looked at the young wizards below the podium and warned them sternly:

"Having heard Mr. Wickens's words, I think you should understand one thing:

Transfiguration is the most complex and most dangerous magic among the subjects you will study at Hogwarts.

If anyone dares to fool around in my class, I will send them out and never allow them back in! I have warned you."

As she spoke, Professor McGonagall waved her wand and transformed the podium before her into a sheep.

With another wave of her wand, she transformed the sheep back.

The sight made every student, Li Wei included, stare with shining eyes, wishing they could try it immediately.

But Professor McGonagall's next lesson showed them what it meant for a journey of a thousand miles to begin with a single step.

Under Professor McGonagall's control, the chalk wrote a series of lengthy and tedious theories across the blackboard.

As for the section on Gamp's Fundamental Law of Transfiguration, Professor McGonagall required everyone to memorize it. Next class, she would have each of them recite it once.

"Anyone who cannot recite it will leave me no choice but to help them remember through detention lines!"

Professor McGonagall warned. The gleam flashing across her lenses was like the cold glint of a blade!

Near the end of class, Professor McGonagall finally handed each of them a matchstick, explaining that the practical exercise for the lesson was to transform the matchstick into a needle.

"Vera Verto!"

Li Wei placed the matchstick on the desk, spoke the incantation, and waved his wand.

As if shedding a layer of skin, the matchstick changed with the sweep of his wand into a gleaming silver needle with an eye.

To increase the difficulty, Li Wei also added several patterns to the silver needle. However, he was dissatisfied because the patterns were disorderly and incomplete.

Even so, Li Wei's outstanding performance caught Professor McGonagall's attention.

She picked up the silver needle Li Wei had transformed, showed it to the students in the classroom, and awarded him points:

"Excellent Transfiguration. Ravenclaw earns five points!"

"Mr. Li Wei, could you share your Transfiguration insights with everyone for reference?"

Faced with Professor McGonagall's request, Li Wei naturally agreed gladly and shared his experience without reservation:

"I think that if you want to transform one object into another, you must first understand the object you want to transform it into well enough, or rather, have enough imagination."

"Only when you can vividly and specifically picture the thing you want to create in your mind, and firmly believe that you can do it, will you have the foundation for successful Transfiguration."

Professor McGonagall nodded. From these words alone, she could tell that Li Wei was an exceptionally promising talent for Transfiguration.

Seeing Professor McGonagall nod in approval, Li Wei continued:

"So do not doubt whether you can succeed. Steel your will, make up your mind, and transform it the moment you decide to. Any wavering or hesitation may cause the Transfiguration to fail."

"Of course, I am not saying that you should become overconfident. Never recklessly attempt transformations beyond your abilities, or you may very well harm both others and yourself."

There was one last thing Li Wei did not say: his Transfiguration mainly relied on talent!