Chapter 168: Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration
The special spell contained within the crystal ball established an imperceptible link with Dylan.
If it weren't for Dylan's inherent sensitivity to spells, which had reached a very high level of magical perception through continuous study and attribute points gained from system rewards, he might not have even noticed this magical connection and fluctuation.
"It's somewhat similar to the Fidelius Charm; it must be some ancient contractual magic and quite powerful, too."
As Dylan pondered, the old goblin's expression momentarily flickered.
"Mr. Dylan, I must inform you that the spell is about to take effect. My memories of your manor, including those of anyone else who knows about your manor, will be completely erased as our transaction concludes."
Dylan blinked and nodded slightly. "Okay."
Watching the crystal ball continuously shimmer, Dylan suddenly asked the old goblin, "By the way, this room should be able to block out others' prying eyes, right?"
The old goblin nodded. "Yes."
"So, what if someone suddenly used an Unforgivable Curse on us in here?"
The old goblin seemed surprised by the question.
His expression became even more bewildered and distant, as if some memory was being stripped from his mind by the crystal ball's glow.
"Rest assured, no one will use an Unforgivable Curse on us in here—unless they want to be jointly wanted by Gringotts and the Ministry of Magic."
Dylan raised an eyebrow. "So you mean, even if we were attacked, there's nothing we could do?"
The old goblin chuckled. "No one will break in, and even if someone did, they certainly wouldn't get out."
Dylan narrowed his eyes. "They can only be discovered if they break out?"
The old goblin nodded slightly. "But there are only two of us here. Who would use an Unforgivable Curse? So, rest assured"
Dylan remained silent, his eyes merely shifting slightly as a cold glint flashed.
In an instant, a subtle yet powerful magical energy burst forth from around him.
He hadn't even waved his wand, his lips remained sealed, and no incantation was uttered.
Yet, he cast a chilling spell the Imperius Curse!
The old goblin sitting opposite him, his fawning expression still lingering, instantly changed complexion as he was touched by this magical force.
Just as he was about to resist, his body froze uncontrollably.
Dylan's eyes, covered by the spell, were cold and devoid of emotion, fixed on the old goblin.
"You…"
It had to be said, goblin magic truly had its merits.
Amidst fierce resistance, he could still utter a single word while under Dylan's control.
However, in the next second, the old goblin's facial muscles began to relax, his expression gradually becoming fixed, and he sat rigidly, looking vacant.
Dylan tilted his head. "How much money do you have on you?"
"Ninety-eight thousand Galleons."
"Oh, really?"
Dylan's interest was piqued. "I suddenly feel that just acquiring one property isn't enough. I wonder if I could trouble you to pay for me? I'd like to buy a few more houses."
The old goblin opened his mouth dully. "Of course, no problem."
He began mechanically drafting contracts, simultaneously pulling out his ninety thousand-plus Galleons.
Dylan casually asked, "Why do you carry so much money with you?"
The old goblin replied, "It's a bonus I just received today."
Dylan raised an eyebrow. "That's quite a bonus."
He controlled the old goblin, having him fill out contracts for five properties.
Less than a hundred thousand Galleons, yet it bought five houses, clearly indicating the properties wouldn't be of particularly high quality.
One was even so dilapidated it couldn't be directly inhabited.
This house was in a Muggle community.
It was also the cheapest.
In addition, there was another one in a wizarding settlement, and this property was the most expensive among the five.
The properties were located in different areas.
Dylan planned to use all these properties as his backup safe houses.
—He always felt that just one manor wasn't secure enough.
"If only I had Howl's Moving Castle, drifting around, but with just opening a door, I could reach any destination I wanted. That would be a truly secure safe house."
Dylan waited for the old goblin to prepare all the property contracts, then clicked his tongue.
"I wonder if the achievement system will offer such a reward."
Dylan silently repeated this sentence in his mind three times.
The result, of course, was nothing.
With a slight hum, the old goblin had already filled out the contracts. After Dylan signed his name, he placed the corresponding Galleons on each contract and then stamped them.
Soon, five more crystal balls appeared.
At this moment, Dylan could clearly feel the old goblin's gaze become even more confused.
The contractual magic within the crystal balls seemed like a mist, entering the old goblin's mind.
Dylan, who was controlling the old goblin with the Imperius Curse, also noticed that some of the goblin's memories were being devoured by this mist.
If he were to act at this moment and dispel that magical mist, he could preserve this part of the old goblin's memory.
But why would he do that?
Instead of dispelling the mists, Dylan used his magic to surround them, comprehending the operating rules of this ancient spell.
Only after all the contracts were signed did Dylan retract his magic.
The old goblin's expression flickered again.
There were six crystal balls on the table, yet the old goblin paid them no mind and simply gathered them all up.
Dylan had altered the old goblin's memory.
He made him believe that he, relying on his substantial wealth, had directly acquired five more properties.
The old goblin still wore a fawning expression, his mouth stretched to his ears, revealing a set of yellowish, pointed teeth.
He looked up, his tiny, green-bean-sized eyes sparkling with excitement, and his thin, raspy voice echoed across from Dylan.
"Sir, you are truly a man of foresight, acquiring six properties at once. To be honest, it's been a long time since I've seen such a wealthy and distinguished guest as yourself."
The old goblin chuckled. "Your generosity has brought me a substantial commission. I must convey my sincerest gratitude to you."
Dylan smiled and waved his hand. "No need to thank me. Of course, if you're willing to return that commission to me…"
The old goblin stood up. "Oh, sir, our transaction is concluded. Finally, as per regulations, I must say to you—"
"Choose Gringotts, whether it's rare treasures or top-tier properties, we can provide what you desire! Safety and quality are impeccable, ensuring you have no worries whatsoever!"
"Sir, please follow me."
The old goblin walked towards the door, held it open for Dylan, and bowed, waiting for him to leave.
Dylan smiled indifferently.
That small commission, after all, was earned with the other party's own money.
Dylan wouldn't go so far as to deprive someone of the chance to earn their own money
As a kind person, Dylan couldn't bring himself to do such a thing.
Therefore, under the old goblin's respectful escort, after leaving the VIP room, he was even personally seen off at the main entrance of Gringotts.
"Is it that late already?"
He looked up, and the moonlight was already streaming down.
"I asked him to pick out a few more properties for me, but it seems he just picked ones he couldn't afford with his own money."
Dylan pouted.
The contract signing took very little time; Dylan spent most of it on choosing which properties to buy.
Finally, after his careful selection, and combining it with the old goblin's meager ninety-eight thousand Galleons, he finalized the locations of the other five properties.
"Hmm, today's mission, perfectly accomplished."
Now that the houses were acquired, only he knew the exact locations of his six properties.
Therefore, Dylan wasn't in a hurry to visit them in person; he could do so tomorrow.
It was a good opportunity for him to plan tonight, after getting home, how to arrange his six properties.
Should they all be converted into backup safe houses, or should he choose one like the manor he initially planned to buy—to be his future residence?
And for his Karlsars identity, would he also need to arrange a property for him?
If he acquired more followers in the future, he might need them to do some things for him.
Like collecting Galleons.
He would, after all, need a place to summon his followers.
Dylan took a leisurely car ride home.
He originally expected to be greeted with the same warm scene as yesterday.
However, when he opened the door…
He found it cold and quiet.
Dylan walked into his house.
He didn't see his parents at all.
Passing the dining table, Dylan saw a note held down by a candlestick.
Pursing his lips, Dylan walked over and picked up the note. His mother's handwriting greeted him.
"Honey, your dad and I went out to play~ We might not be back tonight. If you come home and are hungry, go to the kitchen for something to eat. I've already prepared it for you~ Don't play too late, get some rest early."
The note was signed: "Maeve, your loving Mom."
Dylan sighed helplessly.
"I just came back yesterday, no, I just came back and stayed one night. I was only out for one day, and they're already gone again?"
Dylan went to his bedroom.
He huffily went to his desk.
With a lift of his hand, a crystal ball hovered in his palm.
This wasn't a Gringotts contract crystal ball.
It was the crystal ball Dylan used for divination.
At this moment, the sphere in his palm was emitting a soft, faint blue glow.
"I'd like to see when you're going to create a little brother or sister for me!"
As Dylan gazed, the crystal ball's interior gradually became filled with layers of mist, hazy and unclear.
As his magic continuously poured in, the mist slowly dispersed, and a scene began to emerge.
Dylan's figure was somewhat blurry, but he could see that only his parents were sitting on the living room sofa with him.
Other than that, there was no sign of a new family member joining.
Upon receiving this answer, Dylan slowly withdrew his magic, a complex emotion flickering in his eyes.
He wasn't entirely sure how he felt about having a younger sibling.
It was fine if he did, and fine if he didn't.
However, it genuinely surprised Dylan that his parents hadn't conceived before he graduated.
Were they really getting too old?
Was his dad's "tadpole quality" declining?
Dylan clicked his tongue.
"Perhaps I should research potions in this area; they might sell very well."
Dylan tidied up a bit, then lay on his bed.
He looked at his achievement page.
[Achievement]: So Many Properties!
[Description]: Who said I only have one house? I have two, three, four, five, six!
[Requirement]: Own five or more properties.
[Achievement Reward]: Max-level Spell Gift Pack (Household Edition)
[Note]: The gift pack contains ten spells.
Dylan raised an eyebrow.
This achievement reward quite surprised him.
It was actually a Spell Gift Pack!
When he first obtained the system, the Newbie Gift Pack he opened rewarded him with the three Unforgivable Curses.
And this large gift pack contained a full ten spells!
Unfortunately, it was only a "Household Edition."
If it had been a "Dark Arts Edition"…
Dylan couldn't even imagine how profitable that would have been!
However, even a Household Edition was still pretty good.
After all, he basically spent most of his time researching Dark Arts or more advanced magic.
As for household spells, Dylan had only dipped his toes in.
According to his previous learning philosophy, no matter how proficient he became, he would at least learn everything once.
This meant he knew quite a few household spells, though his proficiency wasn't too low, but not high either.
Now, with ten max-level household spells, Dylan could make up for some of his deficiencies in this area.
At the same time, with one max-level spell, he could extrapolate and connect with other household spells.
In that case, even if the gift pack only rewarded him with ten spells, Dylan's understanding of other household spells would undoubtedly deepen, further increasing his proficiency.
Dylan stared at the system panel before him, where a large gift box, wrapped in golden threads and inlaid with gems, floated.
Dylan raised his hand and opened the box.
Instantly, the gift pack exploded, and spells transformed into golden fragments, swirling out.
They moved like living beings, traversing and intertwining in the air.
The next moment, Dylan felt his mind sharply jolt, and he found himself in a messy room.
Dylan raised his wand and quickly cast a spell, waving his arm in the air.
Magic diffused from him as its center. The thick dust on the floor was swept up, gathering in mid-air, then floated out through the door crack, out of the house.
The scattered papers and debris also automatically returned to their places, and the dirty floor became as clean as new.
Another flash.
Dylan raised his wand again.
A nearby broken wooden chair, under the effect of the spell, had its severed legs automatically reattached, and its cracks healed instantly.
—Even the surface scratches gradually disappeared.
Next, looking at the weeds growing in the corner of the wall, Dylan pointed his wand.
Those weeds quickly withered, turning into powder and dissipating into the air.
"Squeak!"
Suddenly, a rustling sound emerged.
A rat suddenly darted out from behind a sofa.
Dylan quickly raised his wand high.
In a flash of light, the rat's panicked scurrying became unsteady. After several turns around the room, it bolted towards the door.
It soon vanished from Dylan's sight.
In addition, some cockroaches in the room also fell down, as if being chased by some terrifying creature, fleeing haphazardly out of the house.
After dealing with the pests.
Dylan circled his wand around the entire room.
In an instant, exquisite murals appeared on the walls inside the house.
Colorful lights flowed within the room.
The previously plain curtains became vibrant and colorful, and delicate tassels swayed gently in the breeze.
Uniquely shaped chandeliers slowly descended from the ceiling, their soft light illuminating every corner of the room.
The house, which had been incredibly messy just moments ago, was now completely transformed.
He walked into the kitchen.
Some unprocessed ingredients were laid out on the cutting board.
Picking up a potato, Dylan murmured, "Peel and destem."
As his wand rotated, the potato's skin and "eyes" instantly peeled off automatically, falling into the nearby trash can.
Then, Dylan placed the potato on the cutting board.
His wand pointed again.
"Slice evenly."
Under the spell's effect, the potato was transformed into uniformly thin potato slices in the blink of an eye, neatly arranged on the cutting board.
Finally, as he cast another spell, hot oil heated up in a nearby pan, and the potato slices went in. In a short while, they turned into golden, crispy potato chips.
Scene after scene flashed before Dylan's eyes.
Until Dylan opened his eyes again.
The system's prompts also rang out consecutively.
Dylan glanced at them.
These ten household spells were:
Scourgify, Reparo, Weed Removal Charm, Decorating Charm, Pest Repellent Charm, Quick Peel Charm, Slice Charm, Heat Pot Oil Charm, Quick Fry Charm, and Deep Fry Charm.
Clearly, the system also classified cooking spells as household spells.
"Mrs. Weasley taught me a few food spells, but I never expected to max them out with one go."
Many dishes at Hogwarts feasts were made according to recipes left by Helga Hufflepuff, one of Hogwarts' founders.
Food spells weren't simply about conjuring food out of thin air using magic.
In fact, food was the first of the five principal exceptions to Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration.
Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration states that wizards can transfigure objects or create some things, but there are five principal exceptions.
First Exception: Food.
—Wizards cannot conjure delicious food out of thin air, but if they know where food is, they can summon it.
Also, if a wizard has some food on hand, they can cast spells to change or multiply it.
Second Exception: Magical Items.
Transfiguration cannot create magical items.
For example, self-inking quills, self-stirring cauldrons, etc.
These things exist, but they cannot be directly transfigured into existence.
Furthermore, the currency circulated among wizards—Galleons—cannot be conjured out of thin air either.
Third Exception: Cannot Change Quantity or Essence.
That is, one cannot change the quantity or essence of an object through magic. For example, things created by a Duplication Charm are merely worthless copies.
Turning a stone into bread means that what you eat is still essentially a stone.
Fourth Exception: Cannot Revive the Dead.
Magic cannot bring deceased creatures back to life.
Fifth Exception: Cannot Create from Nothing.
Unless it's something prepared beforehand.
Otherwise, things conjured out of thin air will disappear shortly after.
In short, wizards cannot conjure delicacies out of thin air, nor can they turn other things into food.
Therefore, food spells are not spells that transfigure food, but rather spells that cook food.
Just as Dylan saw in the illusion, after preparing the ingredients, one only needs to wave a wand.
One doesn't even need to loudly utter an incantation, and a sumptuous meal can quickly appear on the table.
Of course, in Dylan's view, this so-called Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration is true to some extent, but it doesn't mean that what the law forbids cannot be achieved through other means.
Just as Dylan can directly summon milk tea, cola, etc., with a Summoning Charm.
The Summoning Charm is a branch of Transfiguration, yet not entirely equivalent to Transfiguration.
Therefore, if Transfiguration cannot directly conjure food, what does that have to do with the Summoning Charm?
Of course, Dylan's ability to conjure milk tea is indeed based on existing physical components.
For example, milk and tea.
So, this law, in essence, still limits many things.
That is certain.
But even if Dylan prepared milk and tea, it was only a tiny amount. The concept of "creating from nothing" is essentially the same as "cannot change quantity or essence."
Yet Dylan could still, with these few drops of milk and tea, create an almost endless supply of milk tea.
Why is this?
Of course, it's idealism!
Dylan wanted to drink milk tea, and with that strong desire, the spell naturally appeared in his hand.
And converting lead into gold, while not directly achievable through Transfiguration, could still be accomplished through Transfiguration combined with various other methods, such as creating the Philosopher's Stone, which could both grant immortality and convert base metals into gold.
Therefore, the limitations of the law are not necessarily absolute; they are merely general and establish certain norms, rather than being an unchangeable rule.
As long as one dares to delve into it, one can always find a way to break the law.
....
For 70 advanced chapters:
Get advanced chapters ahead of everyone else.
👉 Join now: patreon.com/Chaos_God