Leonard thought for a moment, then posed another question.
"Professor, has anyone ever researched magic that turns Magical Creatures into humans?"
Professor McGonagall visibly froze, her eyes narrowing in suspicion as she looked at Leonard.
"Why would you ask something like that?" she said. "That line of thinking is dangerous."
"I was just wondering… if the Homorphus Charm really exists and can restore a werewolf to human form, wouldn't that essentially be a spell that turns a Magical Creature into a human?" Leonard asked, feigning confusion.
"No. Even if the Homorphus Charm were real, it would not be the same as transforming a Magical Creature into a human," Professor McGonagall said sternly. "Any attempt to turn a creature into a human produces nothing but horrifying monstrosities—without exception."
Seeing that she was becoming agitated, Leonard wisely dropped the subject. He certainly wasn't about to mention that he had already attempted turning an Acromantula into a human.
His instincts told him there was a story—perhaps even an incident—lurking behind her reaction.
Since she wasn't willing to elaborate, Leonard didn't press. Instead, he shifted the topic.
"Professor, Gamp's Law of Transfiguration says food can't be conjured…"
"That's correct. It's one of the most important Sixteen Laws. No matter how delicious conjured food appears, it must never be eaten. During chewing, most conjured food deteriorates, causing the transformation to fail."
Professor McGonagall spoke gravely. "If the food was created from an object that cannot safely be transformed, the result can be dangerous."
Leonard imagined it—someone transforming a table into a slab of grilled meat, and the moment you bite down, the table—
Your head would probably explode right then and there.
…Come to think of it, that was a rather creative assassination method.
Leonard nodded thoughtfully and asked, "What if the transformed item is just an ingredient?"
"The result is the same. It will revert during preparation," McGonagall warned. "So never attempt such foolishness."
"Understood, Professor. Thank you for your explanation." Leonard bowed his head sincerely.
He asked a few minor questions about Transfiguration techniques, then left McGonagall's office.
Walking through the corridor, Leonard mulled over their conversation.
It was clear he wouldn't uncover anything about turning Magical Creatures into human beings from McGonagall—and her opinion likely reflected the stance of the entire wizarding community.
Which meant asking anyone about Claudia would be pointless. He'd have to solve it himself.
Should he check the Restricted Section again? With the new clue about creature-to-human transformation, he might find something useful.
Leonard headed naturally toward the library, but he hadn't gotten far before someone called out.
"Leonard."
He turned and saw Padma standing behind him.
He frowned. "Did you need something, Miss Patil?"
They'd just crossed paths earlier—and not on good terms. For her to approach him again was… questionable.
Leonard didn't believe in the idea of persistent affection. If anything, he thought Padma might be here to cause trouble.
Hearing how he addressed her, a flicker of sadness crossed Padma's face, but she quickly masked it.
"Professor Quirrell wants to see you. He told me to ask you to go to his office," Padma said.
"Professor Quirrell?" Leonard repeated. "Are you sure?"
Why would Quirrell call for him now? He'd been extremely cautious around Quirrell, showing nothing suspicious.
Did Quirrell discover something? Or was this just about lessons?
Leonard looked Padma up and down, and a possibility suddenly clicked.
Padma nodded firmly.
"Did Professor Quirrell say why he wanted to see me?" Leonard asked.
Padma shook her head. "No. He didn't say."
Leonard observed her calm demeanor, then suddenly asked, "And what about the charm I gave you?"
Thinking through it again—aside from the Unicorn-hair charm, Quirrell had no other reason to summon him.
"I threw that thing away, of course." Padma huffed and turned her head. "Did you actually expect me to keep it?"
Her answer, her expression, her tone—nothing seemed off.
But Leonard realized something important: would Padma really volunteer personal details to Quirrell for no reason?
Obviously not. Which made her current state highly suspect.
If he was right, she was already under the Imperius Curse.
The Imperius Curse was the only Unforgivable Curse without direct physical harm, yet it was no less dangerous than the other two.
Its danger lay in its subtlety—silent, without a counter-curse, breakable only through the caster's will or the victim's resistance.
So if someone was under the Imperius Curse, could certain questions force them to reveal it?
Leonard became curious. With such a convenient test subject right in front of him, why not try?
"I see. You threw it away. Then who picked it up?" Leonard asked casually.
"How should I know? Whoever wants it can have it," Padma snapped irritably. "I'm only here to tell you Professor Quirrell wants you. Don't think I'll be coming back to bother you!"
With that, she spun on her heel and left without looking back.
Well then. Reality didn't quite match his expectations.
Watching Padma walk off, Leonard scratched his head in mild disappointment.
"She's definitely under the Imperius Curse," he muttered. "As expected, her memories and personality are unchanged. If I hadn't already been wary of Quirrell, I probably wouldn't have noticed."
It was a shame the Imperius Curse didn't alter personality. Given the awkward tension between him and Padma, she walked off after just a few irritated sentences. Otherwise, he could've conducted more tests on the curse's effects.
Leonard was fascinated by a spell that controlled the mind without affecting personality. His barrage of questions had been designed to see if verbal pressure could disrupt the curse.
For example, when he steered the topic toward Quirrell, he wanted to know whether asking questions that could implicate the caster would cause the victim to slip up.
Unfortunately, Padma's own natural reactions overshadowed everything. Unless the questions touched upon the caster's direct commands, the subject's inherent personality still dominated.
...
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