The Headmaster's office fell silent for a moment. Leonardo's answer made Dumbledore nod gently.
"You're a dedicated student, Leonardo. By the way, have you encountered any learning problems recently?"
Leo thought about it. What he'd mainly been studying recently was Transfiguration—specifically, biological fusion Transfiguration. He'd already mastered simple biological characteristic fusion, but fusion transformation from skeleton and flesh to organs and limbs—the more fundamental and minute the transformation, the harder it was. He was indeed still lacking in this area.
He'd originally planned to consult Professor McGonagall about this, but since Dumbledore had brought it up first, and Dumbledore was also a renowned Transfiguration master, having taught Transfiguration at Hogwarts for decades before becoming Headmaster...
"Headmaster, I've been studying Transfiguration recently, specifically the principles of biological transformation..."
As Leo posed his question, Dumbledore initially assumed he was struggling with the inanimate-to-animate transformation stage. Even though this student possessed exceptional talent in Transfiguration—the Sorting Hat had proclaimed him a once-in-a-millennium prodigy—he'd only formally begun studying magic after arriving at Hogwarts. His prior foundation was limited, so encountering difficulties with advanced concepts was perfectly natural.
"Headmaster, I've already mastered inanimate-to-animate transformation, but..."
As Leonardo spoke, he pulled a small hoe from his pocket and pointed his wand at it. The hoe immediately twisted into a green turtle.
Dumbledore was about to commend the fluidity of Leo's spellwork when Leonardo tapped his wand again, and the turtle seamlessly transformed into a small white rabbit.
Now, Dumbledore was genuinely surprised. Layered transfiguration? This was no simple technique. Performing multiple successive transformations on the same object exponentially increased the difficulty with each layer!
'He's going to ask me about the theory behind layering transfigurations,' Dumbledore assumed. But instead, Leonardo applied yet another transformation to the rabbit. And he didn't stop there. Leonardo continued layering transfigurations, one after another, until he had completed a full nine layers, then finally paused.
Then Leonardo cast one final transfiguration. Unlike the previous transformations, this one progressed far more slowly, the magic visibly straining. When it finished, a strange chimeric creature bearing traits from multiple species materialized on Dumbledore's desk.
Seeing this existence, Dumbledore couldn't help adjusting his half-moon spectacles. After quite a while, he finally spoke. "This transformation layering—did you learn it from Professor McGonagall?"
But Leo shook his head. "No, I read about it in books and picked it up after a few practice attempts."
"You learned this from books as well?"
Leonardo looked at Dumbledore with a puzzled expression. "Yes, Headmaster. I didn't get it wrong, did I? The spell execution feels perfectly smooth. By the way, why did you say 'as well'?"
"Ah, well, I spoke with your Head of House, Professor Flitwick, some time ago. He mentioned that when you first arrived at Hogwarts, you'd already mastered several advanced spells. Since you're Muggle-born, we assumed you must have taught yourself magic by reading."
With Dumbledore's explanation, Leo understood. So that's how it was. No wonder when he previously chatted with Professor Flitwick and said he'd self-taught those spells from books, the professor was so dumbfounded. That time, he even forgot to give him refreshments.
Leo still thought Professor Flitwick's treats were the best. Dumbledore's office had plenty of sweets too, but they all seemed to be just as sugary as each other.
"You're indeed a very talented child, and so studious too. Continue—what about Transfiguration did you want to ask?"
Leonardo nodded, pointing at that bizarre creature on the desk that shouldn't exist in this world. "Headmaster, regarding the fusion of different biological characteristics..."
While speaking, Leo used his wand to transform the creature on the table. Initially, Dumbledore's expression remained normal, but after Leonardo gradually discussed more detailed internal biological characteristic changes, Dumbledore's bright blue eyes also showed gravity.
In Transfiguration, layering multiple transformations and selectively preserving different traits to fuse them together was an advanced technique. But it wasn't actually practical in real application—more of a flashy demonstration of skill than anything useful.
Any wizard capable of this technique could simply transform multiple objects simultaneously, creating far greater versatility in combat. Biological fusion alone was both time-consuming and unstable. Moreover, a wizard with such precise control could execute other transfigurations that would respond far more adaptively to any situation.
"You've asked an excellent question, Leonardo. Biological fusion..." Dumbledore proceeded to explain both the limitations and potential applications of this advanced technique.
Leonardo had been thinking about this for quite some time. He had the Chimaera Manual to guide him, which documented countless experiments and theoretical frameworks. In attempting more comprehensive biological fusion, Leo wasn't starting from nothing. He was standing on the shoulders of giants.
The Chimaera Manual's author, that ancient wizard, may have been eccentric, but his extraordinary talent and extensive research were undeniable. His groundwork had already laid a solid foundation for further exploration.
Moreover, thanks to his exceptional aptitude for Transfiguration, Leonardo possessed an instinct about deeper, more complete biological fusion: It could work.
The entirely new creatures he might create wouldn't necessarily possess the innate magical abilities of true magical beasts, but they would certainly far surpass ordinary animals in capability. This represented genuine research, a profound exploration of Transfiguration's fundamental nature—the essential journey he needed to undertake to truly master the discipline.
If he didn't dare attempt it even with predecessors pointing the way, how could he pioneer and innovate, how could he discover Transfiguration's new directions?
"Thank you, Professor. I understand what you said. I also have some..." Leo shared some of his experimental results and ideas from this period with Dumbledore, while citing some techniques from the Chimaera Manual to make his ideas seem more feasible.
Dumbledore maintained abundant patience, listening to Leonardo's narration, occasionally asking questions or offering suggestions. And the more Dumbledore conversed with Leo, the more amazed he became.
This student possessed not only extraordinary talent but, more importantly, the discipline to apply genuine effort. What truly impressed Dumbledore, however, was Leonardo's passion for pursuing knowledge and his unwavering determination to understand it deeply.
As their discussion continued, Dumbledore moved beyond mere verbal instruction. After their exchange of ideas, he drew out the Elder Wand and began demonstrating the theories they'd explored.
The afternoon session stretched far longer than usual. The venerable headmaster and his gifted young student conducted numerous Transfiguration experiments throughout the Headmaster's office. It was during these hours that Dumbledore truly witnessed Leonardo's extraordinary capacity for learning.
As time passed, Dumbledore found himself reflecting on the Sorting Hat's prophetic words: "Guide Leo properly, and Hogwarts will be great again..."