A successful magic experiment!
A perfect hypothesis verification!
At this moment.
Ian has already confirmed his thoughts.
The essence of Transfiguration indeed differs slightly from other magic.
Professor McGonagall was not wrong.
Transfiguration is special among many magics.
If the spell of magic such as [Avada Kedavra], [Fire-Making Spell], [Fire God's Path] is seen as paths that brilliant wizards have explored and discovered for themselves.
Then the path that the spell of Transfiguration points to actually belongs to a domain jointly explored by ancient and modern wizards, which also allowed Ian to witness a broader world.
"The fog before my eyes has completely dissipated, with no more obstacles in the path ahead. Now, all I need to do is keep striving, then reach the scenery I envisage."
Ian's personal panel showed an increase of six points in [Transfiguration] skill level, which is no less impressive compared to some of his other unique magical talents.
Such a talent is indeed extraordinary; it turns out Ian's Transfiguration talent had never been subpar; he just hadn't found the right direction.
To explore the mysteries on the path of Transfiguration, one needs to truly possess the perspective a wizard should have, understanding that wizards impose rules on matter rather than merely distorting it.
Other little wizards may never fully understand this in their lifetime, but after all, they can also complete the transformation of objects according to the professor's teachings without considering as many factors as Ian.
Of course, such Transfiguration is akin to rote learning, where one knows the how but not the why. The reason why most wizards' transfigurations are superficial lies in this.
"Turning objects into living creatures is the best test of one's Transfiguration level..." Ian thought of Professor McGonagall's Transfiguration club, where it's said the entry requirement is to transform into a lifelike creature.
He was moved.
He raised his magic wand ready to give it a try.
In the Owlery, the owls, which possessed considerable intelligence, saw Ian pull out that burning stick again and scattered like rats and roaches.
Well, they are birds, after all.
"Vera Verto!"
A few strands of straw crazily wove together under the drive of magic, their colors starting to change. After an intense transformation, a lifelike mouse appeared in front of Ian.
Very realistic.
But Ian always felt it lacked certain traits—it's quite different from the leopard Professor McGonagall transformed from the podium, not as vivid as a real living creature.
In other words.
Life wasn't truly bestowed on the creation. The mouse Ian transformed was dumb and unresponsive, and even the way it moved felt odd to the owls in the shed.
What kind of stupid mouse is this?
A cluster of owls in the distance tilted their heads in confusion.
"Indeed, transfiguring living creatures is much more difficult."
Ian wasn't discouraged; this was merely Level 3 [Transfiguration]. Once he could advance to Level 5 and gain [Extraordinary Traits], the skill would certainly undergo a qualitative change.
"It's getting late; if I don't go and eat now, I'd be starving by the afternoon." Ian glanced at the large clock on the tower outside the window, then withdrew his [Impact] spell.
Thus, the silly mouse turned back into straw, resembling the spiky dead mouse from Diablo, with its spikes "devolving" back into straw.
"Hurry up and eat while it's hot."
Ian suggested to the owls as he quickly ran out of the shed... Before he reached the spiral staircase, he saw a wizard with a stern demeanor walking toward him.
Ronnie Ehrlich.
This year's Defense Against the Dark Arts class professor at Hogwarts.
"Professor Ehrich."
Ian politely greeted the valiant teacher.
Regardless of whether Hogwarts will remember this professor next year, at least this year, he would allow Ian to open his eyes and witness the effect of Voldemort's curse firsthand.
Putting himself in the game.
How can this not be considered as another form of attentive teaching in Defense Against the Dark Arts?
"Hmm."
Professor Ronnie Ehrlich nodded slightly, maintaining a lofty demeanor as he passed by Ian. He clearly wasn't much of a talker, and Ian thought this professor might be the one with autism.
With lunch on his mind, Ian jogged toward the stairs, not noticing that after passing by, Ronnie Ehrlich stopped and watched him for a long time.
Only after Ian's voice faded around the corner did Ronnie Ehrlich turn away and head toward the Owlery, pulling a letter from his robe.
"Singer Stationery Shop in Austria."
Ronnie Ehrlich handed the letter to an owl, its seal adorned with an eerie pattern resembling some kind of magic rune-inhibited restraint.
After instructing the destination, Ronnie Ehrlich brought out some high-end pet snacks. After the owl feasted on them heartily, it flew out of the window at full speed with the letter.
Watching the owl fly beyond the perimeter of Hogwarts, becoming an indistinguishable dot on the horizon, Ronnie Ehrlich finally redirected his gaze and prepared to leave.
"Hmm?"
As he was leaving the windowsill, he suddenly noticed the dead mouse in the corner—the owls hadn't eaten it, and it lay quietly there, its body bristling with straw.
"Hmm..."
Ronnie Ehrlich crouched down, unbothered, picking up the dead mouse for a closer look. The straw pierced through from within the mouse's body.
Could soft straw be this sharp?
"Transfiguration, is it."
The professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts murmured softly, his mind brimming with knowledge, as if he could see what had happened not long ago, discerning the cause of the mouse's death.
"Interesting."
Ronnie Ehrlich crouched by the window of the shed, looking up at the long corridor outside, where he had previously brushed past Ian.
His eyes were filled with surprise, some enthusiasm, and a kind of... sudden comprehension-like excitement.
...
Ian was among the last batch of little wizards to catch lunch.
After eating and drinking to his fill.
He did not, like other students from different houses, return to the dormitories for a nap, nor did he, like the Ravenclaws, head back to the common room to review the afternoon's lessons.
The Hogwarts library had always been a place Ian longed to visit. It holds the most extensive collection in the wizarding world of Europe, brimming with the wisdom summarized by countless masters throughout the ages.
Even though Dumbledore had moved most of the books from the Forbidden Book Area into his Headmaster's Office, the remaining books were still enough for most wizards to take a lifetime to learn.
Thousands of bookshelves.
Including but not limited to magical history, magic theory, magical creatures, magical potions, magic spells, with special sections like the Forbidden Book Area and Invisible Book Area.
Numerous narrow aisles filled with bookshelves, their sheer volume daunting to the average student. Tall shelves prompted Ian to use a ladder to search for his desired books.
"From Cat to Owl: Practical Guide to Transfiguration".
"The Taboos and Risks of Transfiguration".
"Transfiguration and Telepathy".
...
A stack of Transfiguration-related books was piled on the table, blocking Ian from view as he sat in the chair. This wasn't originally Ian's intended subject of study in the library.
But considering how useful Professor McGonagall's teachings were, Ian was now greatly interested in Transfiguration.
Once you delve into different spells and effects in the Transfiguration domain, you can find an interesting fact: all knowledge about Transfiguration is essentially technique. They differ slightly from the "Law" that others explored and established, and the spells of Transfiguration are primarily to reduce the difficulty of casting.
With minimal [Impact], achieve more tangible effects; from the spell [Vera Verto], it's not hard to see that technique-oriented spells can be applied to different transformations.
The direction it points to isn't confined to a result confirmed by predecessors.
In fact, the main direction Transfiguration points to is one of limitless possibilities, where desires manifest reality, where Ian stands on the path explored by predecessors, seeing the grander scenery—a Great Wishing Technique!
The prerogative of a Creator!