> [Spell Card: Transfiguration]
> Level: 1
> Mana Cost: 2 ~ ∞
> Effect: Lock onto a target beforehand and clearly visualize the form to be transformed into. Release a colorless beam that alters the shape or appearance of the hit target. The larger the mass, the more complex the structure, and the stronger the Magic Resistance (Field) of the object or creature, the more Mana is consumed. Under equal conditions, inanimate objects are easier to transform.
> Transformation Library: Needle (Unlimited)
> Damage: 2 ~ ∞
> Note: Regular Transfiguration does not cause damage; excess damage only extends the duration of the transformation. Dangerous Transfigurations, such as the Vanishing Spell (which turns the target into nothingness), deal damage equal to the target's Magic + Health.
> Effective Range: 20m (Damage decays by 1 point per meter beyond 20m).
> Note: Damage is equal to the Mana consumed. E.g., ignoring mass and structure: A target with Magic 3 requires a Transfiguration spell with a Mana cost greater than 3 to be transformed. If the spell's damage is 4 but the target is 21m away (decay -1), the transformation will fail.
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[Magic Book Level: 2 (1000/500 EXP)]
This was the Transfiguration Spell Card. Vanishing Spells, Switching Spells—they all fell under the umbrella of "Transfiguration," making this a multi-purpose card.
It rivaled the god-tier [Boggart] card in utility.
In class, Basil relied on this Spell Card to show off, turning his matchstick into a needle even before Hermione.
He earned praise and a head pat from Professor Cat-Lady.
Unfortunately, Seamus suddenly causing an explosion brought his happy head-patting time to an abrupt end.
However, this wasn't without its benefits.
No longer distracted by head pats, Basil recalled the details of his casting and noticed a difference.
He had previously realized that casting magic was like throwing a punch: Magic (Mana) was the fist itself (which doesn't get consumed), but the process of punching consumed stamina.
But with the Transfiguration Spell, the ethereal power of the mind replaced part of the physical stamina consumption.
Maybe Rational Spells consume Mental Energy, while Emotional Spells consume Stamina?
Before casting, the clear image of the needle he visualized in his mind vanished the instant the spell was fired.
It felt like the mental image was ammunition that had been spent.
To cast again, he had to re-visualize it.
Although re-visualizing was faster since he had done it once...
And the image would automatically surface when he thought of the concept of "needle"...
It was still too troublesome.
Unless he cast via the [Magic Book] (which just consumed System Mana), simply relying on his wizard 'Magic' wasn't enough.
But that was just his thought before the other classes started.
That afternoon was Charms.
The diminutive Professor Flitwick surprised Basil with his appearance first.
He didn't have the white hair from the early movies. Instead, he looked like his later movie version: wearing a suit, with black hair combed neatly.
The content of the lesson shocked Basil, who had self-studied several spells.
Some key points weren't mentioned in the books at all.
Professor Flitwick explained the concept of a Charm: altering the inherent properties of the target.
All Charms required injecting one's own feelings into the spell to change the target's nature.
Take the Levitation Charm.
When casting, besides standard pronunciation and precise wand movement, it was best to cultivate a "floaty" feeling in one's heart.
To use a Wuxia metaphor: the sword move must be accurate, the name shouted clearly, but you also need the corresponding "Sword Intent."
Take the Wand-Lighting Charm (Lumos) they learned in this lesson.
The key to casting was actually imagining a point of fluorescent light in your mind and letting it fire out with the spell.
The intonation of Lumos—where to be soft, where to be heavy, where to be slow, where to be fast...
The flicker of the wand...
Actually didn't matter as much.
If you achieved those two physical aspects perfectly, you could succeed.
But only by finding the corresponding "Intent" was it a true Charm.
A perfect "Sword Technique" with both form and spirit.
Harry and the others didn't feel much about Flitwick's speech.
Hermione just dutifully wrote it down in her notes.
Because Professor Flitwick only mentioned this concept in passing.
For the rest of the lesson, Flitwick focused entirely on pronunciation and wand movement accuracy.
He emphasized the importance of the incantation as a psychological anchor—a limiter that constrained the spell's power.
This was why young wizards with naturally high magic power didn't accidentally turn a simple Lumos into a blinding flashbang.
Harry and the others easily mastered Lumos by following these two points.
But Basil was different.
With his [Magic Book], even though he hadn't crafted Lumos into a card yet, parts of the spell data appeared during the pre-casting phase.
The [Magic Book] noted the spell's Mana Cost as 2.
However, when he tried casting with the more direct 'System Mana' (which decreased upon use) while imagining the point of light...
The consumed 'System Mana' was only 1.
So, whether it's Rational or Emotional spells, they both actually require mental energy to be added?
For wizards without 'System Mana' (like Harry):
Their Magic stat is basically Spell Power, Magic Resistance, and Mana Pool all rolled into one indivisible unit.
If a beginner has too much Magic, a simple Stunning Spell could kill someone.
Only with proficiency—meaning high cultivation of magic—can they master the "weight" of the punch when using stamina or mental energy to swing that Magic fist.
This is why the first lesson in Charms is Lumos.
It gives weak wizards confidence when they succeed.
It teaches strong wizards to subconsciously adjust their output.
In class, Basil actually noticed that Harry's pronunciation and wand movement weren't standard.
Harry seemed to be brute-forcing the spell's success purely through his superior Magic stat (Magic: 10).
Basil suspected his own initial self-study success was due to the same reason.
This was the advantage of long-lineage pure-blood wizards (or powerful half-bloods).
Low-Magic wizards had to painstakingly correct their accents and gestures to cast successfully.
High-Magic wizards could just mumble and wave their wands vaguely and still get results.
However, this was only true in the early stages.
For advanced spells in later years, even High-Magic wizards needed solid foundations.
By then, the Low-Magic wizards would have grown in age and practice, increasing their Magic stat.
With their solid foundation, they would find advanced classes just as manageable.
But the High-Magic wizards who relied on talent would have to unlearn the bad habits they formed in their early years to progress.
It's like he was "just a little bit off" in everything, which accumulated to being terrible at everything.
Wait... could this be another reason why Slytherins tend to be burly?
Born with high Magic.
Accustomed to using physical stamina to "swing the Magic fist," ignoring mental foundations.
Constantly exercising their stamina leads to maintaining a robust physique (plus genetics).
Then, in upper years, they suddenly find themselves falling behind Muggle-borns or half-bloods who built better habits, leading to frustration.
Combined with their [Dark Arts Proficiency], they turn to Dark Magic—which relies mostly on malice/emotion and less on strict structure—to regain confidence.
And since Dark Magic corrupts the personality...
Is this why Slytherin produces so many Dark Wizards?
Conversely, wizards good at Transfiguration rarely become Dark Wizards.
Is it because Transfiguration requires mental discipline from the very start?
A High-Magic wizard with bad habits can use mental energy to compensate in Transfiguration without fixing their bad habits, thus keeping up with progress...
And therefore, not falling into the arms of Dark Magic.
Crazy. Truly crazy.
These are things you can't realize without actually transmigrating to this world, becoming a young wizard, and going through the education system.
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