Professor McGonagall raised her hand to interrupt Hermione's recitation:
"The answers in the book are standard, but I'm asking for your understanding. When you cast magic, what do you perceive? Is it coverage, replacement, or a kind of... exchange?"
Upon hearing this, Hermione frowned and fell into deep thought, her gaze falling on the silver needles on the table, clearly trying to combine the theory with the tactile sensations of casting a spell.
Without prompting, Professor McGonagall turned to Draco and gave him an instruction. "Show me. Just like you did in class."
Draco immediately drew his wand, raised his finger slightly, aimed it at the match on the table, and chanted a spell.
With a flash of silver light, the originally slender matchstick instantly transformed into three Winky silver needles, neatly arranged on the velvet tabletop.
Professor McGonagall nodded slightly, but her expression remained serious.
She reached out and picked up a needle, examining it closely.
"Not bad magic output. Now, pick up one of the needles and feel it carefully."
"Tell me, are its hardness, toughness, and needle tip sharpness exactly the same?"
After a moment of surprise, Draco instinctively asked, "Professor, is it supposed to be like this?"
Professor McGonagall was clearly taken aback by Draco's question and asked in surprise, "You can do that?"
"These three needles are of different types!"
Draco picked up a sewing needle at random, then pointed to two other needles that resembled embroidery needles and probes, respectively.
"Of course, it's easier to become completely different, to become exactly the same, isn't that simpler?"
Professor McGonagall was speechless for a moment.
She looked at the three needles, which were similar in shape but different in texture. After a moment of silence, she raised her hand and tapped them with her wand, turning them back into matches.
Professor McGonagall said to him in a deep voice, "Let's start again. This time, I need three needles with exactly the same properties."
Draco shrugged and swung his wand again, this time with more even control of the magic, transforming the three matches into identical silver needles simultaneously.
The luster, the thickness, and even the sharpness of the needle tip are all perfectly accurate.
Professor McGonagall picked up the three needles and compared them one by one, repeatedly rubbing the needles with her fingertips.
After a long pause, finding no fault whatsoever, he finally spoke slowly, "Very good. Since you've managed to do this, let's move on to the next step."
Professor McGonagall paused, then her gaze became even more stern:
"Now, forget the three needles. Your new task is to turn this match into a needle."
"But I demand that this needle surpass any of the ones you just conjured in terms of hardness, luster, and perfect geometric symmetry."
After speaking, she turned to Hermione, who was still deep in thought, and said softly, " Miss Granger, once you've thought it through, you can try explaining your understanding."
Before Hermione could answer, Draco had already raised his wand again and said calmly, "Professor, that's enough."
Professor McGonagall was stunned, clearly not expecting Draco to finish so quickly. She quickly turned around and picked up the newly transformed silver needle from the table.
The needle has the luster of fine pure silver, gleaming with a warm yet sharp light under the lamp. Its straight body and geometric lines are almost obsessively perfect.
When pressed with your fingertips, you can feel a hardness far exceeding that of ordinary silver needles, yet it retains its resilience.
She checked it several times, and finally could only nod. "Very good."
As soon as she finished speaking, she added another match to the table:
"Now, not all at once, I want you to turn them into needles one by one."
"After completing the first one, wait one second, then change to the second one without affecting its shape, and so on."
After replying "okay," Draco began practicing under Professor McGonagall's watchful eye.
With a light tap of the wand, the first matchstick transformed into a silver needle, followed a second later. The movements were fluid and effortless, without the slightest pause.
Five seconds later, the two silver needles lay steadily on the table, their shape and texture completely identical, without any interference between them.
Professor McGonagall fell completely silent. She stared at the silver needles on the table, then looked at Draco, her serious eyes now showing disbelief.
She had thought she had simply discovered a student with potential, but Draco's talent and control far exceeded her expectations.
Even when she practiced back then, she couldn't achieve such a fast and consistent speed.
After a long pause, Professor McGonagall finally spoke, her voice tinged with a mixture of helplessness and relief:
That concludes your tutoring session for today. We'll move on to more complex topics next time.
"Professor, can I rest now?"
Draco asked in a somewhat lighthearted tone.
Nodding, Professor McGonagall turned her gaze to Hermione, who had finally sorted out her thoughts and was about to speak, "Go."
Draco sat down comfortably in an armchair, occasionally glancing at Professor McGonagall's special instruction to Hermione.
Hermione was earnestly explaining her understanding of the essence of magic and the "exchange" of objects.
Professor McGonagall nodded in guidance from time to time.
No one expected that dealing with Professor McGonagall's private tutoring would be so easy; Draco found the extra after-school time not so difficult after all.
I hadn't been comfortably leaning back in the armchair for long when a thought suddenly popped into my head.
Professor Flitwick said that today is the day to evaluate the results of his Banishing Charm practice!
Draco sat bolt upright, a thin layer of sweat breaking out on his back, and he knew inwardly that something was wrong.
I almost stood Professor Flitwick up!
While Professor McGonagall was patiently instructing Hermione on how to adjust her magical output, she took advantage of the moment.
Draco tiptoed to the desk and lowered his voice:
"Professor, I'll head out now. I almost forgot Professor Flitwick also needed my help to evaluate the spell; if I'm any later, I'll miss it."
Professor McGonagall, who was intently watching Hermione wave her wand, didn't even look up when she heard this, but simply nodded slightly. "Go ahead, be careful."
Draco turned to look at Hermione, who was still intently listening to the instruction. Hermione's gaze was fixed on Professor McGonagall's wand, and she didn't even notice Draco approaching.
" Hermione," Draco called softly, "We'll meet in the third-floor restroom after tutoring."
Hermione glanced at Draco, her eyes still brimming with eagerness for knowledge about Transfiguration, and casually replied, "Okay."
Her tone was somewhat nonchalant; clearly, at this moment, nothing was more important to her than receiving Professor McGonagall's exclusive guidance.
Draco smiled, said nothing more, turned and strode out of Professor McGonagall's office.
The door closed gently behind me, and the wind in the corridor carried the unique coolness of the castle.
Draco quickened his pace and headed straight for Professor Flitwick's office.
Walking down the corridor, Professor Flitwick's office was not far ahead, with a string of small silver bells hanging above the door, making a crisp sound when the wind blew.
He knocked on the door, and immediately Professor Flitwick's gentle yet somewhat excited voice came from inside. "Come in, my dear child!"