"Wizards can't simply make food appear out of thin air or transform just anything into food," Professor McGonagall said. "If we could, no one would ever go hungry. Even if you transformed an object to look and taste like food, it wouldn't provide any nutrition and would likely cause indigestion if eaten."
Professor McGonagall ignored the two students' whispered chatter and continued, "However, if you already have food, magic can make it larger or transform its appearance. For example, at the Welcoming Feast, the plates weren't magically filled by conjuring. Instead, the house-elves in the kitchens prepared the food, and it was transported to the plates using a relocation spell."
Even Hermione was intrigued by this explanation. She'd always assumed the food appeared by magic, not knowing the house-elves prepared and transferred it. Hermione had thought of house-elves as chefs and employees at Hogwarts, not realizing they were treated more like servants.
McGonagall continued, "Another rule is that transformations between living and non-living things are temporary. For instance, we can turn a button into a beetle, but it won't stay that way indefinitely. Once the magic fades, the beetle will turn back into a button."
"And even if the transformed beetle seems alive, it's still a button in its essence. If you tried to feed it to a bird, it wouldn't nourish the bird but could choke it," she said, making the class chuckle nervously.
This led to another principle of magic: transfiguration cannot create magical objects, like enchanted quills, self-stirring cauldrons, or wizarding currency like Galleons. McGonagall explained, "The currency used by wizards is specially enchanted by goblins to resist tarnishing, endure over time, and even recognize and count itself."
Taking a breath, Professor McGonagall went on, "There's also a limit to quantity. Transfiguration can't increase the number of objects. For example, you can't turn one table into two deer or three feathers into a shovel."
"But there is an exception to this rule," she continued. "If objects are physically connected as a single 'whole,' they can undergo 'total transfiguration.' In such cases, when they're reverted, they'll maintain their original arrangement. If I were to transform Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley into a wild deer while they were wearing clothes, the clothes wouldn't fuse with their fur; they'd remain separate when transformed back."
Upon hearing this, Harry and Ron shared a worried look, silently promising themselves never to be late to Transfiguration class.
"And most importantly," McGonagall said, "transfiguration cannot create something out of nothing. You may see older students conjuring flocks of birds or bouquets of flowers with a wave of their wand, but these are not true transformations."
She clarified, "Such spells summon only temporary projections or illusions that disappear over time, or the conjured items are hidden props drawn from somewhere else."
Ivan listened carefully, piecing together his thoughts on these exceptions to Transfiguration. As Professor McGonagall invited questions, Ivan raised his hand. In just a few days, his sharp mind had made an impression on his peers, who were now used to seeing him ask insightful questions.
"Professor," he began, "you mentioned transforming between living and non-living things. If we turn a beetle into a button, how does it stay alive? Wouldn't it need air and food to survive?"
This was a question few students had thought to ask, and they turned curious eyes toward McGonagall.
She nodded, impressed. "That's an excellent question, Ivan. Magic is heavily influenced by the wizard's intent. When you transform a beetle into a button, your intent isn't to kill it but to change its form. The magic involved preserves the beetle's life by pausing its need for air, food, and water. When the button reverts to a beetle, the creature resumes life as if no time has passed."
Ivan nodded thoughtfully, summarizing his understanding: 'Magic responds to intent, preserving life even in transformed states.'
"Then, Professor," he asked, "if a transformed object is broken or damaged, does it return to its original form? Or is there a boundary where it remains in the altered state?"
Professor McGonagall thought for a moment, then demonstrated by turning a piece of parchment on her desk into a small owl. The owl fluttered its wings and flew a short distance before she cast a light spell that caused it to shed a few feathers.
The owl gave a startled squawk, recovered, and continued flying around the room.
Ivan observed closely. "Even though it lost some feathers, the owl form remained stable."
McGonagall nodded. "Yes. This is like transforming water into wine; if a few drops spill, it's still wine. The rule about quantity applies only to the original transformation."
Then, with a swift flick of her wand, McGonagall made the owl dissolve into paper scraps, which scattered across her desk. The fallen feathers vanished as well, returning to their original form.
The class gasped in awe, realizing the power and precision required in Transfiguration. Some students even made mental notes never to annoy Professor McGonagall.
Once more, Ivan raised his hand. "Professor, could you demonstrate transforming an object into a plant?"
With a small smile, she transformed another piece of parchment, which grew instantly into a vine stretching toward the ceiling. It even sprouted green leaves as it grew. Ivan cast a minor spell on the vine, causing it to break in half, with green sap dripping from the cut.
However, the remaining portion of the vine continued growing undisturbed by the separation.
McGonagall, noticing Ivan's fascination, was pleased by his keen eye for detail and thoughtful questions. "Transfiguration, as you see, is a blend of art and precision," she said, guiding the students through one of magic's most intricate forms.
Through this display, the class not only gained a deeper respect for Transfiguration but also a sense of wonder at the complexities of magic itself.
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