Under Professor McGonagall's stern demeanor, all the young wizards were too intimidated to even breathe loudly, each of them behaving with utmost seriousness.
Dylan, meanwhile, tucked the book he had been reading into his backpack inside the desk drawer and placed *A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration* in front of him.
Regarding Transfiguration, the proficiency level shown by his system was: Transfiguration Spell (3/10). This was the result of his diligent study over a long period. Unlike the Levitation Charm, which he had mastered to Level 3 with just a bit of practice, Transfiguration was far more challenging. This proved that Professor McGonagall's warnings were not unfounded. Transfiguration was indeed one of the most dangerous spells taught at Hogwarts.
Transfiguration was divided into two categories: inanimate object transfiguration and living being transfiguration. Transforming inanimate objects was relatively straightforward, with the worst outcome being the loss of materials. However, when it came to living beings, even the slightest mistake could cost a life. It was akin to performing surgery—Transfiguration, in a way, could be seen as conducting experiments on living beings. If something went wrong during the process, the subject could suffer severe consequences.
Take, for example, the Animagus transformation. While it might seem like simply turning oneself into an animal, if the caster's self-awareness were to fade during the transformation, they might never return to their human form. After all, if one's consciousness became blurred and they began to believe they were truly an animal, how could they possibly revert to being human?
Moreover, Transfiguration wasn't just limited to inanimate objects and living beings. The scope of Transfiguration was vast, which was also why it was so difficult to master.
Professor McGonagall's lecture covered exactly what Dylan wanted to know. Although his proficiency was only at Level 3, it was enough for him to understand the essence of what she was teaching. However, the other young wizards weren't as fortunate. They could only frantically take notes, trying to capture every bit of knowledge Professor McGonagall imparted.
By the end of the class, Dylan felt he had gained a lot. Many of the other students, however, breathed a sigh of relief.
"Indeed, even though the books provide detailed explanations of Transfiguration, truly understanding it without a teacher's guidance is difficult. Self-study often leads to many mistakes," Dylan acknowledged, giving credit to Professor McGonagall's teaching abilities. He realized that even mastering the transfiguration of inanimate objects was no easy feat.
"I can only transform simple, non-complex objects for a short period. I still need more practice," he thought.
During the class, since Dylan was already capable of transfiguring objects—and even achieving more complex transformations than what Professor McGonagall had asked for—she generously awarded him house points. Hermione also earned five points for Gryffindor by successfully performing a transfiguration. The other students, however, struggled to cast the spell. By the end of the class, some had only managed to make their objects twitch slightly.
"Merlin, this is so hard," Harry and Ron muttered after spending the entire class failing to turn their matchsticks into metal.
After class, Dylan packed up his things and immediately approached Professor McGonagall, handing her his notebook.
"Professor, I have a few questions I'd like to ask you," he said.
Professor McGonagall, who had always appreciated Dylan's diligence and intelligence, nodded. "Come to my office."
As they walked out of the classroom, Professor McGonagall took Dylan's notebook and flipped through it. Seeing the neat, densely packed notes, her eyes gleamed with approval.
"Professor, I often come across conflicting theories in different books about the same spell," Dylan said once they were in her office. "I'm not sure which one to consider correct when such conflicts arise."
Professor McGonagall shook her head. "The conflicts you perceive are simply a result of not yet fully understanding the essence of the spell. Every experienced wizard develops their own interpretation of a spell. The differences you see don't mean one interpretation is wrong. No matter which approach you follow, the fundamental nature of the spell remains unchanged. It only affects your casting speed, the amount of magic used, and the power and effect of the spell. As you practice, you'll naturally develop your own understanding."
Dylan blinked. So, magic was somewhat like mathematical formulas. The formula itself remained the same, but the way one solved the problem could vary.
"Your notes contain many of your own interpretations from your readings," Professor McGonagall remarked as she flipped through Dylan's notebook. Dylan felt a slight embarrassment. These notes were from his holiday studies, and some of his interpretations probably seemed childish to a professor like McGonagall.
"I imagine many of my interpretations are incorrect," he admitted.
"Who said that?" Professor McGonagall's gaze shifted from the notebook to Dylan. "Your ideas are quite... unconventional. Many of your thoughts are very creative, which is remarkable."
Professor McGonagall didn't hold back her praise. In her eyes, Dylan's ability to develop such diverse ideas about various spells through self-study was a sign of an exceptional young wizard. She could see the traces of youthful yet imaginative thinking in his notes. With proper guidance, Dylan had the potential to become a wizard who could rival, or even surpass, her own abilities.
"You can take this notebook back for now. I assume you've taken your class notes in your textbook?" she asked.
Dylan nodded.
"Then leave your textbook here. I'll annotate your notes, and you can collect it before the next class."
Dylan's eyes widened in surprise. He hadn't expected Professor McGonagall to personally annotate his notes.
"Really? Wouldn't that be too much trouble for you?" he asked.
"Not at all. Some of the content and questions in your notes are quite intriguing to me, so I'd like to take a closer look," Professor McGonagall replied, taking Dylan's textbook. "The initial stages of understanding magic often give rise to many imaginative ideas. They may seem naive or incorrect, but that doesn't mean they lack value. Once you've fully mastered the content of this book, revisiting these notes might give you new insights."
Dylan nodded in understanding. "Thank you for your guidance, Professor McGonagall."
"Do you have any other questions?"
"Yes, about the structure of matter..."
(End of Chapter)