Chapter 206: Piertotum Locomotor... Mini
Leaving the Forbidden Forest, the ground was blanketed in a thick layer of snow, covering the entire meadow connected to the Quidditch pitch.
Amidst the vast whiteness, Sean didn't feel dreary, but rather serene.
The fire in the Transfiguration office melted the stray snow on Sean's fur. The tabby cat sat on a high chair, looking at him with an incredibly gentle gaze.
Even perceiving him through the form of a Kneazle, she could only sense a deep affinity and goodwill.
This was a young wizard on whose shoulder even owls were willing to linger.
While Sean's fire salamanders scurried about, the tabby cat leaped down, transforming into a tall witch.
"Mr. Green, I think it is time. Follow me."
The professor, dressed in black robes, led the way out of the Transfiguration office.
Sean, wearing similar black robes, followed behind. The wind and snow swirled around them, dusting their robes in matching white.
Training on the Quidditch pitch was never halted by the weather. The Ravenclaw and Gryffindor Quidditch teams had been practicing the most recently.
Wood had nearly gotten into a fistfight with Roger over booking the pitch.
The tension between Ravenclaw and Gryffindor was palpable.
Professor McGonagall's destination, however, wasn't the pitch itself, but several stone statues at its edge.
Stone statues were everywhere at Hogwarts. Two boar statues guarded the entrance gates, and inside the castle, there were statues like the one of the One-Eyed Witch.
But the most open area with numerous statues was undoubtedly near the Quidditch pitch.
Seeing these statues, Sean roughly understood what the Professor was going to teach.
"For elements with specific imagery and magical creature symbolism, magical transformation does not seem difficult," Professor McGonagall said gently.
"But for elements that do not seem to possess inherent magic, wizards often struggle to find ways to utilize them."
Sean listened intently. He understood this well.
Just like his "Object to Magic" Transfiguration, he could effectively utilize the magical elements of fire salamanders, fire crabs, or snowmen to complete transformations. But when he tried to truly animate a fireplace, it proved extremely difficult.
So far, he could only make a small part of the fireplace run and jump.
"Magic seems to favour those elements, but for the parts magic does not favour... that is where a wizard's true strength in Transfiguration is tested."
Professor McGonagall waved her wand, and a statue instantly sprang to life.
The knight statue waved its sword twice in the snow, then bowed before Sean.
Curious, Sean placed his hand on the hilt. It felt cold to the touch and was soon covered in frost.
"The key lies in constructing your magical circuit. You may try now, child."
Professor McGonagall continued gently, looking at Sean with expectation.
What she didn't mention was that constructing a wizard's own magical circuit was a daunting challenge.
Sean waved his wand. The giant stone statue raised its arm slightly, and then... nothing else happened.
Sean fell into deep thought. Magical creatures indeed provided a concrete form for the elements.
Take a fire salamander, for example. A wizard knew exactly how magic flowed within it and how it should move. More importantly, the wizard believed that fire could come alive in that form.
Clear imagery, firm belief, sufficient will.
A fire salamander satisfied most of these key points of Transfiguration.
So how should he animate a stone statue?
Even while practicing Transfiguration the next day, Sean pondered this question.
Imagine the statue as an existing magical creature. What he needed to do was construct the flow of magic for this creature.
The knight statue trembled again with the wave of his wand.
Sean failed again.
Constructing a magical circuit from scratch was still too difficult.
Professor McGonagall watched him unblinkingly. Even the noise from the Quidditch pitch didn't distract her.
It was rare to see the young wizard struggling...
Constructing one's own magical circuit was a vital process; it made the wizard believe they could do it. So, Professor McGonagall waited patiently for Sean to practice.
For talented wizards, this process would typically last at least two or three months.
Sean practiced hard in the days that followed. Fortunately:
[You have practiced an Advanced Transfiguration to the Novice standard. Proficiency +10]
[You have practiced an Advanced Transfiguration to the Novice standard. Proficiency +10]
[You have practiced an Advanced Transfiguration to the Adept standard. Proficiency +30]
Inspiration was fleeting, but the Panel visualized it.
Sean constantly compared his attempts and improved rapidly.
When exhausted from practice, Sean would shrink into a black cat.
The exhaustion belonged to Wizard Sean, not the black cat.
In his black cat form, Sean focused on training his body control. He could now squeeze through the crack under the Transfiguration office door.
It was a gloomy and tense Tuesday.
Tomorrow was the Ravenclaw vs. Hufflepuff Quidditch match.
The Quidditch pitch was fully booked for training. Outside the pitch...
[You have practiced an Advanced Transfiguration to the Expert standard. Proficiency +1000]
A stone gargoyle moved according to Sean's will. Although it was only a meter tall, it was enough to exhilarate Sean.
"Unbelievable progress! Child!"
Professor McGonagall stood in the snow. After her initial surprise, she couldn't help but feel proud.
Sensing his magic was depleting, Sean transformed into a black cat.
A notebook automatically detached from his neck and floated up:
[Yes, Professor.]
"An interesting invention..."
Professor McGonagall clearly hadn't expected to see this.
A Quick-Quotes Quill wrote on the floating notebook while the black cat sat in the snow beside it, nodding slightly.
When the writing faded, the items floated back to the black cat's neck, turning into a small pendant.
Professor McGonagall belatedly looked at her own wrist. Was the gift the child gave me yesterday a necklace?
[It automatically detaches during transformation and reattaches to the wizard afterward.]
Sean explained with the spirit of a craftsman.
In the snow, a cat introducing his invention—no matter how she looked at it, Professor McGonagall struggled to suppress a smile.
The atmosphere on the edge of the pitch was lighthearted, but inside, it was entirely different.
"Beat Hufflepuff, then crush Gryffindor!"
Roger stood on a bench in the Ravenclaw changing room, pumping his fist.
"For the first time in seven years, we'll smash Ravenclaw! We'll give it everything and make Professor McGonagall proud!"
Wood shouted in the Gryffindor changing room nearby, raising his arms high.
(End of Chapter)
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