“Professor McGonagall, do you have time to answer a few questions for me?”
After class, Ethan rushed towards Professor McGonagall.
This summer, compared to Charms, Ethan's progress in Transfiguration had been much slower. He was stuck on the second step, transforming inanimate objects into animals.
“Of course!”
Professor McGonagall nodded with a smile.
Before entering Hogwarts, Professor McGonagall had said that Ethan could ask her if he had any questions. This was not a joke, even though Ethan wasn't in Gryffindor.
“Come with me, we’ll talk in my office!”
She led Ethan away. In her opinion, Ethan's level was not on par with these young witches and wizards, and the questions he asked were certainly not something that should be taught at this stage.
For these young witches and wizards who hadn't even grasped the basics, learning more advanced knowledge wouldn't be of any use. It would only make them think more and still fail to Transfigure.
It was simply too competitive!
The moment Ethan approached Professor McGonagall, Cassandra's eyes were fixed on him.
She hadn't expected Ethan to seek extra help from the professor after already achieving a small goal in Transfiguration.
He was basically leaving no room for others. This kind of person just deserved to die!
She had known from the first time she met Ethan that he was driven, and he had inadvertently made her more driven as well.
After all, what normal young witch or wizard would buy all the textbooks they'd need until graduation before even entering Hogwarts?
She couldn't compete, she couldn't compete at all. She wondered if this guy was learning while he was supposed to be sleeping, sacrificing his life to be competitive. Thinking about this, Cassandra felt a wave of despair.
But she quickly rallied. She strode towards the classroom door. There were no more classes this morning. The library was calling. Thanks to completing Transfiguration, she and Ethan didn't have any homework.
She was the pride of Slytherin, she couldn't just give up.
Hermione looked down at her match, which had undergone a change in material. It was now an iron match. Then she looked at Ethan, who was following Professor McGonagall, and Cassandra, who was leaving.
She quickly stuffed the iron match into her pocket and hurried towards the Gryffindor common room. She had to succeed with her Transfiguration today.
The other young witches and wizards didn't think too much about it. British education was all about happy learning. They were all still discussing how to do their homework.
The wizarding world also had homework. Near the end of the class, Professor McGonagall assigned a one-foot (just over thirty centimeters) Transfiguration essay, due in the next Transfiguration class.
…
“Professor McGonagall, let me show you first!”
In her office, Ethan took out a button. As he pointed his wand at the button, it transformed into a small, exquisite beetle.
From the outside, the beetle that Ethan had Transfigured was indistinguishable from a real one, whether it was the eight legs below, the pattern on the back shell, or the antennae on its head. Everything was flawless.
But it didn't move. According to the theory in “Intermediate Transfiguration,” it should have been possible, but no matter what Ethan did, it didn't work.
Inanimate to inanimate, inanimate to animal, animal to animal, the Transfiguration of magical creatures and Charms, and finally mythical creatures. These were the stages that Ethan thought of.
Knowing that the upper limit of Transfiguration was extremely high, initially, Ethan focused on Transfiguration besides Occlumency, but his progress was limited to “Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration,” the first stage.
He hadn't asked the three in Diagon Alley, but those three didn't even understand it themselves.
He had no choice but to put Transfiguration aside and turn to Charms.
“That's a very good Transfiguration, even better than mine when I was your age.”
Professor McGonagall picked up the beetle and examined it before saying. It was lacking nothing, but it was only a single step away.
“It's still a matter of perception. When you perform the Transfiguration, you're not transforming into a living thing, you're transforming into the living thing that you imagine. It's as if it’s already a living thing. That's what you need to…”
Although Professor McGonagall was vague in her explanation, Ethan understood something.
This was still about consciousness. Subjective consciousness in Transfiguration, believing that it was you who had given it the ability to transform and life, often resulted in only a form without substance. Only subconscious, deeply rooted belief that this was the creature you wanted to transform into could lead to success.
But would that really not turn you into a schizophrenic?
Ethan then took out “Intermediate Transfiguration.” The problems he had encountered, he had recorded in this book, and many parts included his own insights.
Professor McGonagall took it directly, flipping through the pages and answering the questions.
“This is very well written, with your own insights, although there are still some problems.
Here, leave it with me. When I have time, I'll help you answer them. I’ll put a sticky note inside.”
There was no way she could explain it all in a short time. She would have to go teach the third-year witches and wizards later. For now, this was the only solution.
Her Transfiguration Club was for witches and wizards who had participated in the O.W.L. exams after their fifth year, had excellent grades in Transfiguration, and were interested in it. Ethan was only in his first year, and even if he had a talent, it wasn’t suitable.
Hogwarts hadn't produced a Transfiguration Master since her time. She was very hopeful that Ethan could be the next one, so she would not be stingy with her knowledge.
“Thank you, Professor!”
Ethan was overjoyed. This would require a lot of her personal time.
“I looked at it. Some of your ideas are quite novel, and I hadn't considered them before. It's a benefit for me as well. I also recommend that you subscribe to the “Transfiguration Today” magazine. It costs five Galleons a year, and it will be helpful to you.”
Inspiration that had not been systematically learned was often very bold and novel, though it also had many problems. But it had also given Professor McGonagall a new direction to think about.
Ethan asked a few more questions that he couldn't figure out. It was almost time for class, so Ethan got up to leave.
As he left the office, Ethan was very satisfied. Just from the few questions Professor McGonagall had answered, it was enough to help his Transfiguration continue to move forward.
【Thank you to the boss, Filu Wu Ma, for your monthly tickets! Thank you!】