Hogwarts: Harry Returns from Azeroth

Chapter 40. Shaman's Bottom Line and Professor McGonagall's Experiment

"Are you okay?" Harry said, looking at Percy who had just finished a fight and walked to his side, "Sorry."

"Oh my God, don't apologize, Harry, please don't apologize," Percy sighed, "I didn't think it was a big deal at first, but as soon as you apologized I felt it was very... weird."

Harry immediately laughed. Indeed, it would be ironic for him, the winner, to apologize - as if he was apologizing for hitting too hard.

"That's really impressive, Harry," Percy said to Harry seriously, "Whether it's Transfiguration or dueling performance, if you're interested in dueling, you might as well ask Professor Flitwick for advice. He was a dueling champion when he was young."

"That sounds interesting," Harry said seriously, "I'll go ask for advice."

Harry quite likes this kind of duel. It feels like he is in an arena. It can relieve his itchy hands and prevent him from being too relaxed in this peaceful world.

Amid the regretful voices of a group of students, the Transfiguration Club's class for the day finally came to an end.

Harry watched Professor McGonagall see the last student off from the office, then waved her wand. Within seconds, the office was back to its original appearance, with a few books and papers handed in by students on the table.

"Sit down, Harry," said Professor McGonagall, "and let us talk about your problem."

"Okay, Professor." Harry sat down, thinking about where to start for Professor McGonagall, "... before I became a wizard, I became a shaman, Professor."

Harry had previously explained his innate magic to Professor McGonagall, but after a change of mindset, he decided to confront her.

Harry talked a lot, from the existence of the astral world and the unique perspective of shamans, to what the world looks like after he unfolds the astral world perspective, to the animism respected by shamans and the professional ethics that require him to respect and protect those spirits, etc.

Harry's explanation was very detailed and thorough, because he had to make Professor McGonagall understand the difficulties he was facing and how these difficulties came about. Only in this way could the problem be finally solved.

"That is to say, your shamanic spells can only be cast by asking for the help of elements and the spirits of all things, right?" Professor McGonagall probably understood. "No wonder you said in class before that Transfiguration, a spell that uses one's own will to change external objects, makes you feel uncomfortable. This is indeed a difference in concepts."

"Yes, that's right." Harry nodded and said, "Maybe you think I'm just being pretentious, but in fact this principle is very important for a shaman. A shaman who crosses this line will easily go astray."

As long as he wanted, Harry could forcibly control the elements or all spirits to achieve his own goals. He could do so at any time, but he would never do so.

Harry would only use the elements and the power of all spirits with an equal attitude. Sometimes he would even be rejected, but he would not get angry or feel humiliated.

Many times, the difference between humans and animals is just that line, and if you give in one step on that line, there will be countless steps of concessions.

Some things cannot be started.

Especially in a world full of ill-intentioned conspirators, demonic temptations, and even the whispers of ancient gods, only by sticking to one's bottom line can one ensure the integrity of one's soul and personality.

"Oh, Harry, I certainly don't think so." Professor McGonagall looked at Harry with a kind look, "Everyone who has a bottom line is worthy of respect, not to mention that your bottom line is very...just."

After hesitating for a moment, Professor McGonagall chose to use the word justice to describe the bottom line that Harry mentioned.

Just and kind.

"I have to admit that everything you describe is something I have never heard of before," Professor McGonagall said honestly, and made a joke at the same time, "If this is what the Shaman Club you applied for teaches, even I would want to study it seriously as a student."

"Then I welcome you very much, Professor." Harry also laughed. "By the way, if you don't perform well, I won't deduct points from Gryffindor."

Professor McGonagall was amused and she smiled.

"I think I'm probably past the age where I'll be deducted points," Professor McGonagall said humorously, "Okay, no more jokes, Harry, I noticed that you're constantly borrowing books from the library, so what part of Transfiguration have you read?"

"I haven't studied it in depth, Professor," Harry said sincerely. "Time is limited. In order to understand the magical world more quickly and comprehensively, I have read a wide variety of books, and I have only studied Transfiguration until I encountered this problem."

"Before solving this problem, I don't think I should go beyond its existence and study the deeper level of Transfiguration. That could easily lead to danger."

"This is a very mature and correct idea," Professor McGonagall praised. "To be honest, I should let those daring and reckless guys learn from your attitude towards unfamiliar magic and unknown knowledge."

It’s not Harry’s fault for being too cautious. After all, in Azeroth, those who are not cautious when facing power basically don’t live long and die in a very miserable way.

"I can answer this for you, Harry," Professor McGonagall said seriously, "If you continue to learn more about Transfiguration, you will find that in senior courses, you will begin to learn the essence and theoretical knowledge of Transfiguration, rather than simply learning how to turn one thing into another."

"In Transfiguration, there is a basic principle that no one can violate, and that is Gamp's Basic Law of Transfiguration," Professor McGonagall continued. "This law describes the five major restrictions of Transfiguration. The first is that wizards cannot conjure food out of thin air. However, if food already exists, they can use Transfiguration to increase or decrease it, or to undergo other changes."

"Is this change permanent?" Harry asked. "If it is permanent, then wizards will have unlimited food."

"It sounds incredible, doesn't it?" Professor McGonagall smiled. "But I must tell you, Harry, it is indeed permanent - but almost no wizard would do this. Isn't it good to eat fresh food?"

"I know you find it hard to believe, but magic exists in this way. It is beyond people's imagination and makes the impossible possible." Professor McGonagall became serious. "But the second point I am going to say is very important, that is, living things and dead things cannot be permanently transformed."

"Wizards can indeed transform objects into animals or other items, but this change that transcends life and death is temporary. When your magic dissipates, the object will return to its original state." "Then if you turn a cat... okay, a dog into a chair and then smash it, can it still be alive?" Harry gave an example, and then after being glared at by Professor McGonagall, he changed the protagonist of the example to a dog.

"If you can restore the chair fragments into a single chair before the magic used for the Transfiguration wears off, the dog will still be alive," Professor McGonagall replied.

"What if there's a piece missing?"

“Then the dog would be missing a part.”

"It sounds like magic isn't omnipotent. I mean, magic can't completely make the impossible possible." Harry laughed. "In some places it's really beyond my imagination, but in other places it has corresponding limitations."

"Magic is not omnipotent, Harry," Professor McGonagall sighed and said, "If magic was omnipotent, then wizards wouldn't have so many regrets... Let's talk about Transfiguration. The third rule of Gamp's basic law of Transfiguration is that wizards cannot create magical items, such as the automatic cauldron or automatic quill pen you saw in Diagon Alley."

"The fourth is that you cannot change the number of objects, that is, you cannot turn one object into multiple objects, but if the two objects are connected, they can be transformed as a whole - if you turn a person wearing clothes into a dog, then when he changes back, the clothes still exist independently and will not always exist on the dog's body."

Professor McGonagall spoke quickly.

"In addition, the last and most important thing is that Transfiguration can never create something out of nothing, or create new things out of thin air," Professor McGonagall said seriously, "You may have heard or seen some spells from seniors, such as 'flocks of birds' or 'flowers blooming'."

"Spells like these don't mean that they can actually conjure up birds or flowers out of thin air. They are essentially a summoning spell that summons birds or flowers from other places when casting the spell, and then keeps them or sends them away."

"I see," Harry nodded, "Then according to the basic rules of Transfiguration, if a spiritual object is transformed, then as long as it is not destroyed before the magic dissipates, it will not suffer any physical damage."

"Then during this transformation, its spirit won't be distorted or contaminated by the magic power used in the casting of the spell...?"

"The best way to answer your question is to put it into practice," Professor McGonagall said, looking around her office. "From your perspective as a shaman, Harry, is there anything in my office that has spirits?"

"Yes, professor, and there are quite a lot of them, like the hairpin on your head," Harry replied.

Professor McGonagall was stunned. She reached out and took the hairpin off her head, then shook her hair and let it fall loose.

"You mean it?"

"Yes," Harry nodded, staring at the hairpin in Professor McGonagall's hand and said, "It's a very strong light, very soft, very warm, and full of blessings... May I ask? What is it--?"

"…It was a gift from my late husband," Professor McGonagall said softly, rubbing the hairpin with her fingers, with a complicated expression.

"I'm sorry, Professor," Harry understood.

Generally speaking, the relics of the deceased or the gifts given away can mostly produce spirits.

"It's okay." Professor McGonagall's breathing became rapid. "According to what you said before, it is a spirit? It's my husband. He——"

"I'm sorry, Professor," Harry interrupted Professor McGonagall and said directly, "The spirits generated by gifts like this given by the deceased during his lifetime are generally only generated by the recipient's long-term use and the memory of the deceased when seeing the gift. In other words, it actually has nothing to do with your husband."

"...Okay." Professor McGonagall took a deep breath.

And Harry...Harry was beginning to wonder if he had been speaking a little too bluntly.

"How about we try something else, Professor?" Harry said sincerely, "The wall clock over there will do. Its spirit is full of a sense of history."

This is the magic of Hogwarts. You can find old objects full of historical charm everywhere. Harry likes to stroll in the castle and look for those ancient spirits when he relaxes on weekdays.

"No need, take this," Professor McGonagall said simply. She waved her wand, and then her hair was automatically tied up with a rope, and she returned to her capable look.

"I'm not a shaman, and I don't know what the astral world you're talking about looks like, so you have to use your unique perspective to see it, Harry." Professor McGonagall pointed her wand at the hairpin on the table and said, "I'll count to three: three, two, one."

As the countdown ended, the hairpin on the table suddenly turned into a cat. It was orange, furry, and a little fat. It first stretched out its claws to sharpen the student paper next to it, leaving a few deep scratches, then it arched its body and stretched, then squatted on the table and licked its fur. It was very well-behaved.

"Harry?" Professor McGonagall whispered, "From your perspective, has the spirit... has its spirit changed?"

It was hard to tell if it was his illusion, but Harry did hear a hint of... barely detectable panic in Professor McGonagall's voice.

But it's a pity.

"...changed, Professor," Harry said regretfully, "Although it still has the same characteristics as before, its spirit has indeed become more lively, more active, and full of curiosity - just like a real cat."

The atmosphere in the office became a little quiet for a moment and no one spoke.

Harry was indeed feeling regretful, because in his eyes, this meant transforming objects with spirits. Whether it was a dead object becoming a dead object or a dead object becoming a living object, it was a distortion of the original spirit. It was using one's own will to forcibly distort and dominate the spirit of things, which was also against the shamanic practice.

(End of this chapter)