Chapter 27
As the practical lesson began, Professor McGonagall instructed the students to transform a matchstick into a needle. Devero was stunned by his own terrifying talent. Taking Seamus's place, he officially became Hogwarts' "Blasting Mage." He desperately tried to use his magic to alter the matchstick's structure, but due to injecting too much magic at once, the matchstick turned into a fireball that zoomed chaotically around the classroom! The fireball even singed Ron's hair.
The students let out gasps and exclamations. Professor McGonagall, quick as a flash, waved her wand, transforming the fireball into a deflated balloon that fell to the ground. The classroom sighed in relief. Malfoy smirked with glee, thrilled to catch Devero's weakness. "This Frenchman isn't so great at everything, is he?" he muttered, loud enough for Devero to hear but not McGonagall. Devero ignored him.
"Mr. Alexander, can you recite the first and second principles of Transfiguration?" McGonagall asked, cleaning up the mess from the fireball. Her eyes showed surprise at such an incident occurring among her students.
"The first principle is caution. The second is to change only the structure, not the essence, Professor," Devero answered honestly.
"Good. Now, tell me, did you follow the second principle just now?" McGonagall's question cut straight to the core of Devero's mistake.
Frowning, Devero carefully reviewed his actions. He had indeed tried to alter the matchstick's structure, but his magic, enhanced by his meditation practice, far exceeded that of an average young wizard. Following McGonagall's instructions exactly led to an overflow of magic, altering the matchstick's essence. Of course, his current skill level wasn't enough to fully change an object's essence—only to destabilize it, resulting in the fireball chaos.
"Professor, I think I used too much magic, which altered the object's essence or put it into an unstable, agitated state, causing the fireball," Devero explained.
McGonagall nodded slightly, a hint of approval in her eyes. A promising student with clear, logical thinking. "Exactly. Transfiguration is a precise discipline. The first step is learning to control the exact amount of magic you use," she said, handing him a new matchstick.
Devero took it, placing it on the desk to gauge how much magic this transformation required. McGonagall interjected, "I tell students to focus their attention because, at this stage, their magic is limited—some can't even sustain a full Levitation Charm. But you, Devero, are different." Her tone remained stern. "Controlling your magic is typically second-year material, so I'll only guide you briefly today. Understand this: the magic required for Transfiguration depends on the size and structural complexity of both the original and desired objects. Only by grasping this can you truly master the key to Transfiguration magic."
Inspired, Devero thanked her and began closely examining the matchstick and needle, even holding them to feel their properties. Yet, he felt stuck, unable to fully grasp Transfiguration, distracted by the chatter of nearby students discussing the lesson.
Then it hit him—he hadn't tried his meditation technique! It had worked on the train and outside the Great Hall, calming his mind and blocking out external noise. Why not try it in class? Devero began adjusting his breathing as per the meditation method, half-closing his eyes to enter a meditative state. With each deep breath, the surrounding noise faded, and the world grew quiet. His thoughts sharpened, and his magic flowed steadily within him, resonating with his surroundings.
Soon, he re-entered the state he'd felt outside the Great Hall. Everything beyond a one-meter radius around him was shrouded in a hazy mist, a sign of his growing magical perception. But this time, instead of dispelling the mist, he focused his senses and magic on the matchstick in his hand. The mist gradually enveloped his body as he concentrated.