Chapter 65

“Mr. Green, you did exceptionally well!”

Madame Hooch strode toward Wizard Sean with agile grace, hands on her hips, her smile still sharp-edged.

“You’ve mastered many flying techniques, but hovering, turning, and circling are all basic maneuvers—today, we’ll practice something different.”

A light breeze swept across the Quidditch pitch, flattening the grass in one direction.

Wizard Sean stumbled off his broom, steadied firmly by Madame Hooch’s hand:

“Good. Rest for a moment. Next, you’ll face ‘it.’”

Madame Hooch waved her wand, and a wooden frame emerged from the broom shed, filled with golf balls.

Wizard Sean watched as Madame Hooch tossed one upward—it shot high and fast, as if enchanted, lingering suspended in midair.

The tall witch who had stood beside her moments before had vanished; Wizard Sean silently pulled a vial of potion from his bag and drank it down—gulping, gulping—he saw nothing.

Wizard Sean placed the empty vial in his bag; Professor Snape’s potion tasted like fruit juice, nothing like the thick, bitter sludge described in the textbook.

The potion recipe Wizard Sean dared not deviate from, in Professor Snape’s hands, became a Boggart targeting Wizard Sean himself.

Wizard Sean would see terrifying explosions of potions.

And Professor Snape would merely sneer: “Riddikulus.”

Madame Hooch noticed this naturally, raising an eyebrow, studying the young wizard with renewed interest.

At this moment, Wizard Sean’s flying proficiency had reached:

【Flying Skills: Beginner (190/270)】

【Advancement: Skilled Flying Skills, unlock Skilled Flying Title】

Wizard Sean thought:

The new title will unlock in just a few days.

In the air.

The golf balls behaved like a weakened version of the Quaffle.

A charm had been placed on them—if not caught, they sank slowly toward the ground, as if underwater.

Wizard Sean had to catch them midair.

This was undoubtedly difficult,

but not overwhelmingly so.

Wind howled past Wizard Sean’s ears as his figure sliced through the blue sky like a falcon.

His speed now neared the broom’s absolute limit; the broom groaned repeatedly as if about to break, yet Wizard Sean remained utterly calm.

For it wasn’t just the old broom that had reached its limit.

“Remarkable talent!”

Madame Hooch watched as the young wizard snatched the golf ball, embracing the clouds as he glided down from the azure sky.

In just three tries, he had gone from bewildered to catching them with perfect ease.

“Mr. Green, you’re destined to become a Seeker star.”

Madame Hooch gazed at Wizard Sean for a long time, her eyes complex.

Such a fine boy—why didn’t he love Quidditch?

【Nearly seventy percent of early fouls occurred among Seekers, with countless underhanded tactics: “burning the opponent’s broom tail,” “bludgering the opponent’s broom,” “axe-attacking the opponent”—these were merely appetizers.】

The passage from “Quidditch Through the Ages” surfaced in Wizard Sean’s mind; if there were a rattle here, it would be Wizard Sean’s head.

“Next week, I will administer your flying test,”

Madame Hooch said, sighing as she planted her hands on her hips before leaving,

“First-year students get only one test opportunity—so remember to bring a new broom.

As for the Comet 160… it should still be in the broom shed.”

With that, Madame Hooch departed, leaving Wizard Sean confused and troubled.

Where could he find a Firebolt 1500?

In the afternoon classroom, not a single Ravenclaw dared speak,

for this was Transfiguration class.

Professor Minerva McGonagall for the third time unconsciously glanced at Wizard Sean,

who sat utterly focused, waving his wand as a mouse transformed into a snuffbox, then reverted.

Until Wizard Sean turned pale and began flipping through “Intermediate Transfiguration.”

The book borrowed from Hogwarts Library cost two Jin Jin Jialong; its difference from “Beginner’s Making Guide to Transfiguration” was this—the central bead in the gold pattern had changed from red to green.

It detailed many transfigurations: for instance, how to turn a teapot into a turtle.

The key lay in whether the turtle’s tail emitted steam, or whether its shell still bore willow-patterned markings.

Or turning slippers into white rabbits—the key was whether the rabbit’s ears remained intact.

These transfigurations all emphasized turning a “lifeless object” into a “living one.”

Professor McGonagall’s post-class answer confirmed Wizard Sean’s theory.

“Beginner transfiguration allows transformation between non-sentient objects;

Intermediate transfiguration allows transformation between sentient and non-sentient objects;

Advanced transfiguration involves transformation between two sentient objects—such as turning a turtle into a rabbit…”

Professor McGonagall seemed pleased with Wizard Sean’s question; curiosity about the nature of magic always helped wizards advance further.

“Mr. Green, remember—the more advanced the transfiguration, the greater the power required. Do not attempt it casually.”

She looked at Wizard Sean and handed him a set of notes.

After carefully reading them, Wizard Sean naturally drew his wand and began practicing.

He stared intently at the teapot, imagining the attributes a turtle should possess, following the professor’s notes.

Transfiguration was a dangerous branch of magic; practicing before the professor was clearly safer.

That way, even if Wizard Sean turned himself into a badger, the professor could quickly help him.

In fact, the original text once mentioned a young wizard accidentally turning his friend into a badger.

According to Professor McGonagall, if the reversal charm wasn’t cast swiftly, the boy might remain a badger for life.

The fireplace in the office crackled merrily; outside, the Quidditch pitch echoed with noise, and in the hallway, young wizards played Wizard’s Chess, occasional cries of “Aha!” or “Get off!” ringing out.

Inside, Wizard Sean had pushed himself to exhaustion; in his hand, a small emerald-green turtle crawled, steam puffing from its tail base.

In the office, Wizard Sean had trained himself to exhaustion; in his hand, a small emerald-green turtle crawled, emitting steam from the base of its tail.

【You practiced an in-depth Intermediate Transfiguration at apprentice level. Proficiency +50】

【You performed a single in-depth Intermediate Transfiguration at apprentice standard, proficiency +50】

“In-depth Intermediate Transfiguration” must mean turning a “lifeless object” into a “living one.”

Even at apprentice level, this transfiguration granted +50 proficiency…

Even at apprentice standard, this level of Transfiguration grants +50 proficiency…

After reverting the turtle, Wizard Sean looked at Professor McGonagall with anticipation, ignoring his pallid face.

“Very good, Mr. Green. Significant progress.”

Professor McGonagall’s voice carried warmth, yet her brows dipped almost imperceptibly.

Wizard Sean didn’t notice—he quietly tidied the office, then softly closed the door and stepped out.

Wizard Sean didn’t notice; he simply quietly tidied the office, gently closed the door, and walked out.

【Transfiguration: Beginner (800/900)】

He pondered Transfiguration knowledge, oblivious to the surrounding students’ chatter.

Professor McGonagall stood by the door, gazing long at his back—as if she had watched him leave countless nights.

“Minerva, you have high hopes for that boy?”

A steady voice spoke; the old wizard with long white beard appeared beside her without warning.

“There are no accidents in this world, Albus,”

Professor McGonagall’s eyes softened completely, yet carried a faint trace of pride and sorrow,

“If that child must find something, he will find it.”

“If the child must find something, he will find it.”