The Headmaster's office fell quiet for a moment.
Lucien's response earned a gentle nod from Dumbledore.
"Lucien, you're a fine young wizard who truly loves learning," Dumbledore said warmly. "By the way, have you run into any challenges with your studies lately?"
Lucien thought for a second. Lately, he'd been diving deep into Transfiguration—specifically, biological fusion Transfiguration. He'd gotten the hang of basic feature blending, but the more intricate stuff, like fusing bones, flesh, organs, and limbs, was trickier. The finer the details, the tougher it got, and he knew he still had a ways to go.
He'd planned to ask Professor McGonagall for help, but since Dumbledore—himself a renowned Transfiguration master and former Hogwarts professor of the subject—was asking, why not take the chance?
"Headmaster, I've been working on Transfiguration, particularly biological transformations…" Lucien began.
Dumbledore listened, initially assuming Lucien was stuck on the step of turning inanimate objects into living ones. After all, despite the Sorting Hat calling Lucien's talent a once-in-a-millennium gift, he'd only started studying magic formally at Hogwarts. With such a short background, hitting a snag on a complex topic was no surprise.
"Headmaster, I've already mastered turning inanimate objects into living ones, but…" Lucien continued. He pulled a small garden hoe from his pocket and tapped it with his wand.
The hoe twisted and morphed seamlessly into a green turtle.
Dumbledore was about to praise the smooth execution when Lucien flicked his wand again, and the turtle transformed into a small white rabbit.
Now that caught Dumbledore off guard.
Layered Transfiguration?
That was no beginner's trick. Each additional transformation on the same object exponentially increased the difficulty.
Just as Dumbledore thought Lucien might ask about stacking more transformations, the boy cast another spell on the rabbit. And he didn't stop there—Lucien layered a staggering nine transformations before pausing.
Then, with a final spell, noticeably slower and more laborious, a bizarre creature appeared on Dumbledore's desk, blending traits from multiple animals.
Dumbledore adjusted his half-moon spectacles, staring at it for a long moment before speaking. "This… layered Transfiguration. Did you learn it from Professor McGonagall?"
Lucien shook his head. "No, sir. I read about it in a book and practiced a few times until I got it."
"You learned this from a book?" Dumbledore asked, incredulous.
Lucien glanced at him, puzzled. "Yes, Headmaster. I don't think I got it wrong—it felt pretty smooth. But why did you say 'again'?"
"Well…" Dumbledore added another sugar cube to his tea. "I was chatting with your Head of House, Professor Flitwick, recently. He mentioned you'd mastered some impressive spells right after starting school, despite coming from a Muggle family. We figured you must've taught yourself through books."
That clicked for Lucien. No wonder Flitwick had looked so stunned when he'd casually mentioned learning spells from books. He'd even forgotten to offer Lucien those little cakes that time.
Flitwick's tea snacks were way better than the overly sweet treats on Dumbledore's desk, which, despite their variety, were all cloyingly sugary.
Dumbledore chuckled. "Lucien, you're a remarkably gifted and diligent student. So, what exactly did you want to ask about Transfiguration?"
Lucien nodded, gesturing to the odd, unnatural creature on the desk. "Headmaster, it's about fusing different biological traits…"
As Lucien explained, diving into the nitty-gritty of internal biological changes, Dumbledore's bright blue eyes grew serious. In Transfiguration, layering multiple transformations to selectively retain and blend traits was an advanced technique—but not particularly practical. It was mostly for show, since a wizard skilled enough to pull it off could conjure multiple objects at once, offering more flexibility in real-world scenarios.
Fusing creatures was slow and unstable. With that kind of control, you'd be better off casting other, more versatile Transfiguration spells.
"Lucien, that's an excellent question. Biological fusion…" Dumbledore began, laying out the technique's limits and possibilities.
Lucien had already thought it through. He had the Chimera Codex to guide him, packed with experiments and theories. He wasn't starting from scratch—he was standing on the shoulders of giants. The ancient wizard who wrote the Codex might've seemed unhinged, but his brilliance and dedication were undeniable. His work had paved a wide path for Lucien.
Maybe it was his SSS-tier Transfiguration talent, but Lucien had a gut feeling about deep, thorough biological fusion: it was possible. The resulting creature might not have the magical abilities of true magical beasts, but it could far surpass ordinary animals.
This was a bold experiment, a true test of Transfiguration mastery—a necessary step to perfecting the art. If he didn't dare try even with the Codex's guidance, how could he push the boundaries of Transfiguration and forge new paths?
"Thank you, Headmaster. I understand what you're saying, and I've got some ideas…" Lucien shared his recent experiments and theories, citing parts of the Chimera Codex to make his ideas sound more feasible.
Dumbledore listened patiently, occasionally asking questions or offering suggestions. The more they talked, the more impressed he became. Lucien wasn't just insanely talented—he was willing to put in the work. What truly struck Dumbledore, though, was Lucien's burning passion for knowledge and his unwavering determination.
As their discussion deepened, Dumbledore stopped at mere words. He drew his unique elder wand and began testing Lucien's ideas in practice.
Their afternoon tea stretched long, the old wizard and young student running countless Transfiguration experiments in the Headmaster's office. Dumbledore got a front-row seat to Lucien's terrifying learning speed.
As time slipped by, Dumbledore couldn't help but recall the Sorting Hat's words: "Nurture Lucien well, and Hogwarts will be great again…"