After-Class Questions

Professor McGonagall praised Li Wei's answer lavishly, but she did not award him any points.

Li Wei did not mind either. In this Transfiguration class alone, he had already deducted fifteen points from Ravenclaw. He ought to be satisfied.

As soon as he sat down, he saw Hannah from Hufflepuff secretly giving him a thumbs-up, praising his performance just now.

Perhaps it was because of Li Wei's experience sharing, or perhaps because Ravenclaw students possessed excellent learning ability.

By the time Transfiguration class was nearly over, three or four Ravenclaw students had completed the matchstick transformation. Even one Hufflepuff student had turned a matchstick into a silver needle.

Although some of the silver needles they had transfigured lacked eyes, while others still had wooden portions, they were nowhere near Li Wei's. Even Hermione's were better than theirs.

Still, Professor McGonagall awarded each of them three points and praised the progress they had made.

This was what set Professor McGonagall apart from Professor Snape—despite being strict, she was different from him.

She treated every student in all four houses fairly and encouraged every student to improve.

"All right! Gentlemen, ladies, this lesson is over. See you next class!"

McGonagall returned to the podium and assigned a mountain of homework to the students still struggling with their matchsticks.

"Everyone is to hand in an essay of no fewer than one foot when you return.

It should review today's lesson and summarize, analyze, and explain your understanding of Transfiguration."

"Especially Gamp's Fundamental Law of Transfiguration. Next class, I expect everyone to recite it and write it from memory. No one is getting out of it!"

"And tonight at eight o'clock is the Astronomy class for the entire year!

It will be held on the Hogwarts rooftop. I do not want to hear that anyone was late or absent!"

"Did you hear me?!"

Professor McGonagall truly deserved her reputation as Gryffindor's lioness and Hogwarts's deputy headmistress. At her final sharp shout, Li Wei noticed that some of the young wizards were trembling in fright.

"Yes," the young wizards answered weakly and unevenly, making Professor McGonagall sigh inwardly.

Professor McGonagall gave Li Wei one final look. Understanding her meaning, Li Wei remained in his seat, turning down Michael and Anthony's invitation to leave together.

Only after all the students had left did Professor McGonagall transfigure a chair and sit beneath the podium, asking warmly and concernedly about Li Wei's recent circumstances.

"Have you been doing well in Diagon Alley, Li Wei? Is there anything here you are not used to? If you have any difficulties, you can tell me."

Professor McGonagall's concerned gaze and words warmed Li Wei's heart. He shook his head, revealing a relaxed smile as he said with satisfaction,

"Please rest assured. Even though I work in Diagon Alley, the shop owners take very good care of me. I have not run into any difficulties."

"Professor McGonagall, you were absolutely right back then. There is no better magical school than Hogwarts!"

"Every minute and every second I spend here has been incomparably happy. Sometimes it feels like a wonderful dream, and I am afraid I will suddenly wake up from it!"

"That is good," Professor McGonagall said, nodding. Looking at Li Wei's sunny, contented smile, she could barely recognize him as the pitiful orphanage child whose temperament had once carried a hint of gloom.

Yet the child still did not have a place to belong—or, rather, a home. McGonagall hesitated to speak. She still very much wanted to take Li Wei in.

However, after the lesson from before school started, Professor McGonagall did not rashly bring it up.

Professor McGonagall fell silent, but Li Wei took advantage of their time alone to ask a question.

"Professor, I have actually always had a question."

"Gamp's Fundamental Law says that because Transfiguration is not permanent, turning non-food into food and eating it can produce extremely terrifying consequences."

"But what if a Dark wizard deliberately did that?"

"I mean, is there any spell that can help me distinguish transfigured objects from ordinary items?"

Hearing Li Wei's question, Professor McGonagall nodded in satisfaction and replied,

"To think of that, Li Wei, you have already fully recognized the dangers of Transfiguration!"

"Of course there is a way to distinguish transfigured objects from ordinary items. It is the Reversal Charm, a spell specifically used to undo Transfiguration and turn transfigured objects back."

Upon hearing this, Li Wei immediately looked delighted. Knowing that he was about to gain something again, he hurriedly asked, "Then Professor, can you teach me?"

"Of course. The Reversal Charm is not some dangerous spell. It merely undoes Transfiguration."

Professor McGonagall naturally would not keep it to herself. Signaling Li Wei to watch and learn carefully, she stood up, pointed her wand at the chair she had transfigured, and recited the incantation.

"Revert!"

Her wand traced a counterclockwise circle, and with a whoosh, the chair turned back into the piece of chalk Professor McGonagall had casually tossed aside earlier.

"Have you learned it, Li Wei? Would you like me to demonstrate it again?"

With a wave of her wand, Professor McGonagall turned the chalk back into a chair and patiently asked Li Wei.

"Thank you, Professor, but I think I can give it a try!"

Holding the Elderwood Phoenix Feather Wand, Li Wei stepped out from his seat. He had been carefully studying Professor McGonagall's casting all along, and with his E-rank talent for spells, he had indeed learned the Reversal Charm with ease.

"Then give it a try," Professor McGonagall said, making room for him and explaining the key points.

"Unlike Transfiguration, you must erase the image of this chair from your mind and convince yourself that what you see is not a chair, but a mass of magic."

"At the same time, you must firmly believe and resolve to disperse the magic maintaining the chair's transformation. Finally, there is the incantation, 'Revert!' and the motion of your wand. Remember to..."

Professor McGonagall's teaching was truly the essence of instruction. With only a few pointers from her, the Reversal Charm proficiency on Li Wei's wizard panel rose like a rocket.

"Revert!"

Li Wei swung his wand counterclockwise and shouted the incantation. The chair immediately collapsed as though it had shrunk, on the verge of turning back into chalk.

But then, perhaps because Li Wei's magic was not as powerful as Professor McGonagall's, the chair maintained its form after collapsing. It merely showed faint traces of chalk.

"It is all right, Li Wei. You already did wonderfully!"

"It is a pity this is not class, or I would absolutely award ten points for your excellent spell!"

Seeing that Li Wei had failed to reverse the transformation, Professor McGonagall immediately encouraged him. Then she resumed teaching, pointing at the chalk marks on the chair.

"Look, Li Wei. This is the danger of Transfiguration. Even with a relatively safe spell like the Reversal Charm, if the casting fails, it can end up like this."

"Imagine if what you had reversed just now was not a piece of chalk, but a person!"

Hearing this, Li Wei's expression immediately turned serious, and a trace of lingering fear appeared on his face. Would that person not end up fused together with the chair?

Could a person even survive that?

"It seems you have taken it to heart, child. Good. Cast it once more!"

Noticing the change in Li Wei's expression, Professor McGonagall nodded in satisfaction and gestured for him to cast the Reversal Charm again.

"Revert!"

Li Wei swung his wand again. This time, the chair vanished, and a piece of chalk appeared in its place!