When Professor Malin asked if he had any more questions, Herman's mind raced, recalling his previous encounter with Cerberus.
The Goblin short sword under his control could cut through skin and fur, while his own Transfiguration poker flying sword could only shave the fur off the other person; the difference was quite significant.
He hesitated for a moment before speaking, "Professor, I have another question. How can I make alchemical items, like short swords, sharper? Or how can I make items that Transfiguration by Transfiguration sharper, so that the crafted items can assist in the casting of Transfiguration and make the Transfiguration items sharper?"
Marlene raised her eyelids and glanced at him, a hint of impatience in her eyes. "The most important thing for a wizard is his own strength; alchemy is just an external force. Instead of focusing on figuring out how to sharpen your sword, you should hone your magic skills first. That's far more useful than borrowing alchemical items."
After saying that, she paused, perhaps realizing her tone was a bit harsh, and added, "The basic things you asked about are all in the introductory book I gave you earlier; just look it up when you get back."
Herman, embarrassed by her words, nodded and prepared to take his leave.
Just as he turned around, Marlene suddenly called out to him, "Wait a minute."
Herman turned around and saw her leaning back in her chair, her gaze fixed on him. Her expression softened slightly. "I've heard other professors mention you too. They say you have good talent. Keep up the good work, and you should be able to become a good wizard."
Herman paused for a moment, then quickly thanked her. He hadn't expected Marlene to follow up with such a comment; perhaps he had been too harsh earlier, and he felt embarrassed, but in any case, being praised was never a bad thing.
Marlene added, "I've heard that there are quite a few talented students in your class this year."
Her tone was more amiable than before, probably trying to ease the tension left by her earlier criticism.
Herman nodded, thinking he could join in the conversation, " Neville of Gryffindor, he's the Son of the Champion, and he truly lives up to his reputation for talent. And then there's Hugo, who's incredibly hardworking and learns things exceptionally quickly."
Marlene nodded. " The Son of the Champion, Longbottom, is indeed quite famous. I've met his parents."
After she finished speaking, she asked again, "Besides him, what about the others?"
Herman was taken aback by her question. He realized that he hadn't really paid attention to his other classmates. Apart from Harry and Draco next to him, he couldn't even remember all the other students' names.
Marlene then asked, "Do you have any exceptionally talented students in Slytherin?"
Herman immediately thought of Harry: "There is one, Harry! She's incredibly talented, much more so than me."
Upon hearing the name, Marlene's lips twitched slightly. " Harry Potter? I think I've heard that name before."
Herman's tone was flat, but Herman felt that her saying "heard of" might not be from any legitimate source.
Herman's mind flashed back to the photo on Sirius Black's wanted poster. He wondered if Marlene had also seen those issues of the newspaper, or perhaps she had heard the story of the wizard killer's sidekick.
But Marlene didn't press the matter further. Instead, she changed the subject. "I like talented young wizards. I've always wanted to find an apprentice who can focus on studying Alchemy. If you have the chance, could you ask them for help? If any are interested, you can have them come and try to find me."
Herman readily agreed, "No problem, Professor Malin."
Helping out with something like this doesn't take much effort, and although Professor Malin was a bit aloof today, she seems like a very genuine person.
Marlene smiled at Herman; it was a faint smile, but it was certainly more pleasant than her previous expressionless face.
"Besides Alchemy, I also have some knowledge of other forms of magic. Feel free to ask me any questions. While I may not be as proficient as Flitwick or McGonagall, I'm more than capable of teaching first-year wizards."
Herman was struck by her words, and a question suddenly popped into his head.
He had originally planned to ask Flitwick or McGonagall, but since a professor was sitting right in front of him, he might as well ask him.
"Professor, I experienced magical bursts a few times when I was a child. I couldn't control them at all back then, but I gradually learned to use them as something like a superpower."
I've recently noticed that it seems somewhat similar to the magical flow trajectory of Levitation Charm and Transfiguration —it's that feeling of magic moving outward along a fixed path.
After listening, Marlene's gaze lingered on his face for a moment, as if this was a question worth her attention.
"A burst of magical power is the most common manifestation of ability among young wizards."
This usually occurs when there are significant emotional fluctuations or when physical development cannot keep up with the growth of magical power.
Your magic is finding its own outlet and flowing outwards. The various strange phenomena you see—floating, Transfiguration, flames, and objects disappearing—are all attempts by it to express itself in some way.
She paused for a moment, "In a way, it's a gift from heaven. Not everyone can stabilize the effects of a burst of magic into a reproducible ability without training."
You mentioned that its trajectory is similar to that of the Levitation Charm and Transfiguration, indicating that your body has memorized a certain spellcasting path. Although you don't know its name or the corresponding incantation, your instincts have already found it before you even begin.
Herman stood by the table, listening intently, mentally reviewing the words. He felt they sounded familiar, as if Dumbledore said them to him once before, though Dumbledore shorter.
Marlene continued, "Your situation is not uncommon in history. Some wizards are born with the ability to communicate with animals, and some can levitate objects before they can speak. You belong to the type of natural spellcaster; although you don't know the incantations, your body already does."
Her tone softened. "Since you've discovered it's related to Levitation Charm and Transfiguration, then practice those two skills diligently. Magic is something that generations of people have developed through observation and trial and error. Your 'superpower' technique might just be some ancient spellcasting method. Practice more, think more, and one day you'll be able to make it your own."
After she finished speaking, she raised her hand, and the parts on the surrounding control panel seemed to be guided, detaching from the table and spinning around Marlene before falling back onto the table.
The parts clattered together and rolled a few times on the table before coming to a stop.
Marlene lowered her hand and looked at Herman: "When I was a child, the first time my magic erupted, it made everything around me fly. At that time, I didn't know it was magic. Later, I learned magic and became more proficient in this ability."
She paused for a moment, "You just said you wanted to rely on external things to enhance your strength, why not first master these innate skills? That's the true power that belongs to you."
Herman didn't speak, but simply nodded, indicating that he had kept Marlene's words in mind.
He stood there for a moment, making sure Marlene had nothing more to say, then said, "Thank you, Professor. I'll go back to my book now."
Marlene didn't look at him again, leaned back in her chair, and resumed her previous indifferent demeanor.