Chapter 206

When emerging from the Forbidden Forest, the snow on the ground lay thick and solid, covering the entire grassy area connected to the Quidditch pitch.

Amid the vast white expanse, Wizard Sean did not feel dullness, but rather a deep calm.

The fire in the Transfiguration office warmed and melted the snow scattered over Wizard Sean’s body; the tabby cat sat atop a high chair, gazing at Wizard Sean with unparalleled gentleness.

Even with her perception through the form of the magical creature Catly, she could only sense profound closeness and goodwill.

This was a young wizard even owls were willing to perch upon for a little longer.

When Wizard Sean’s fire lizard scurried wildly, the tabby cat leapt into the air and transformed into a tall witch.

“Mr. Green, I believe the time has come. Come with me.”

The professor, clad in a black robe, stepped out of the Transfiguration office first.

Wizard Sean, dressed in the same black robe, followed behind her; the wind and snow fell, coating their robes in the same white.

Training on the Quidditch pitch was never interrupted by weather; Ravenclaw and Gryffindor Quidditch teams had trained the most recently.

Wood had nearly come to blows with Roger over training eligibility lately.

Now, the tension between Ravenclaw and Gryffindor was thick with hostility.

Professor McGonagall’s target did not appear to be the Quidditch pitch itself, but she halted her steps beneath several stone statues at its edge.

In fact, stone statues were common throughout Hogwarts.

Two boar statues stood atop the entrance gate, and within the castle were statues of the one-eyed witch and others.

Yet the place most open and filled with statues was undoubtedly near the Quidditch pitch.

Seeing these statues, Wizard Sean roughly understood what the professor intended to explain.

“For elements possessing clear imagery and symbolic magical creatures, magical transfiguration seems not difficult.”

Professor McGonagall said softly,

“But for elements that seemingly lack magic, wizards find it exceedingly hard to harness them.”

Wizard Sean listened intently; he understood this point.

Just as his transfiguration from “object” to “magic” allowed him to skillfully use the magical elements of fire lizards, fire crabs, or snowmen, transforming a fireplace itself proved far more difficult.

To this day, he could only make a small portion of the fireplace hop and jump.

“Magic seems to favor certain elements, but it is precisely those elements magic does not favor that truly test a wizard’s true skill in Transfiguration.”

Professor McGonagall waved her wand, and the stone statue stirred to life.

The knight statue swung its sword twice through the snow, then bowed before Wizard Sean.

Wizard Sean curiously placed his hand on the sword’s hilt; it felt icy, and soon it was covered in frost.

“The key lies in constructing your magical circuit. Try it now, child.”

Professor McGonagall added gently, then looked at Wizard Sean with quiet expectation.

What she did not mention was that constructing a wizard’s own magical circuit was a formidable challenge.

Wizard Sean waved his wand; the massive statue lifted its arm slightly—and then nothing more happened.

Wizard Sean fell into thought. He realized that magical creatures indeed provided concrete forms for elements.

Take the fire lizard: wizards clearly understood how magic flowed within it, how it moved, and most importantly, they were certain that fire could come alive in this form.

【Clear imagery, firm belief, sufficient will】.

These key points emphasized in Transfiguration were largely fulfilled by a single fire lizard.

So how could he make the statue move?

He pondered this question throughout his Transfiguration practice the next day.

——Of course, imagine the statue as a living magical creature, and all you need to do is construct the flow of magic through it.

The knight statue trembled again as Wizard Sean waved his wand.

Wizard Sean failed again.

Constructing a magical circuit from nothing was still too difficult.

Professor McGonagall watched him without blinking, unmoved even by the noise from the Quidditch pitch.

It was rare to see a young wizard struggle so…

Building one’s own magical circuit was a vital process—it made the wizard believe they could achieve it. Professor McGonagall waited patiently as Wizard Sean practiced.

For gifted wizards, this process still lasted at least two or three months.

In the days that followed, Wizard Sean trained relentlessly—and fortunately:

【You practiced an Advanced Transfiguration at the Entry-level standard. Proficiency +10】

【You practiced an Advanced Transfiguration at the Entry-level standard. Proficiency +10】

【You practiced an Advanced Transfiguration at the Skilled standard. Proficiency +30】

Inspiration fades quickly, but the interface could crystallize it.

Wizard Sean constantly compared his progress, and his improvement accelerated rapidly.

When exhausted, Wizard Sean would curl into a black cat.

The exhaustion belonged to the wizard Wizard Sean—not the black cat.

In black cat form, Wizard Sean focused on mastering his body; now he could slip through the crack in the Transfiguration office door.

It was a gloomy, tense Tuesday.

Tomorrow was the Quidditch match between Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff.

Training on the Quidditch pitch was fully booked, but outside the pitch—

【You practiced an Advanced Transfiguration at the Expert standard. Proficiency +1000】

The stone pier responded to Wizard Sean’s will, shifting slightly; though merely a one-meter-tall stone pier, it was enough to stir Wizard Sean’s excitement.

“Incredible progress, child!”

Professor McGonagall stood in the snow; after her usual surprise, she could not help but feel pride.

At that moment, Wizard Sean, sensing his magic was nearly depleted, had already transformed into a black cat.

A notebook automatically slipped from his neck and floated upward:

【Yes, Professor】

“An interesting invention…”

Professor McGonagall had never expected to witness this.

The feather pen wrote on the floating notebook, while the black cat sitting in the snow nodded slightly.

When the writing faded, the notebook floated back to the black cat’s neck, becoming a small pendant.

Professor McGonagall only then noticed her own wrist—had the boy given her a necklace yesterday?

【It automatically detaches during transformation and reattaches to the wizard afterward】

Wizard Sean explained with the spirit of a craftsman.

In the snow, a cat describing its own invention—Professor McGonagall could barely suppress her smile.

The atmosphere at the pitch’s edge was light, but inside the pitch, it was entirely different.

“Defeat Hufflepuff, then crush Gryffindor!”

Roger stood on a chair in the Ravenclaw locker room, punching the air.

“For the first time in seven years, we’ll send Ravenclaw into total ruin! We’ll give everything to make Professor McGonagall take notice!”

Wood, in the nearby Gryffindor locker room, raised his arms and shouted in triumph.