Hogwarts Study Panel

Chapter 565, Section 563: Focusing on One Point (4k)

November.

It's snowing in Scotland.

Thick, gray snowflakes danced in the sky, sealing every window, making the castle much darker than usual during the day.

"That's fine,"

Dumbledore said to the young wizard before him,

"Your first lesson will begin now."

Sheen stopped feeding Mr. Phoenix, found a seat, and waited for the old wizard to put down the steaming purple teacup in his hand.

"So, where do you think transfiguration, or magic, came from?"

Dumbledore blinked, turned slightly to the side, and his purple robes rustled on the ground.

"If possible, I hope you can answer me in one sentence."

"The wizard's belief."

Sheen did not hesitate.

"A good answer, but not good enough."

Dumbledore said meaningfully, and as he raised his hand, a book flew over from the bookshelf next to Mr. Phoenix.

Sheehan saw Dumbledore open the Wizarding Chronicle.

“Wizards establish order deep within themselves, and thus, the power of belief finds its foundation…”

Dumbledore read it fluently.
"This is the best explanation I've heard in nearly a hundred years, but it's not good enough. For a wizard who has to complete all the magic courses at Hogwarts, it's already quite good; but for some wizards, they should be able to do better."

The book was gently closed, and a black wand with knot-like protrusions on its surface flew into Dumbledore's hand.

Seeing that Sheehan was staring intently at it, Dumbledore even had time to crack a joke:

"The Death Wand, the Staff of Fate, or the Elder Wand... call it whatever you like. Many people covet it, but I never expected you to be among them."

The jet-black magic wand was thrown into Sheen's hand, and Sheen trembled.

Then, something strange happened.

The instant Sheen instinctively caught the wand, he felt an instinctive disgust.

Sheen couldn't tell if it was Ravenclaw's disgust or something else... He looked at his wand.

“Oh, your wand doesn’t seem to like it. Looks like if you want the Elder Wand, I’m not the only one you’ll have to deal with…”

Dumbledore said cheerfully,

"But that's not our focus today."

The Elder Wand returned to Dumbledore's hands.

Dumbledore pointed his wand at the window.

Outside the window, snowflakes continued to dance in the air.

Sheen saw a cat gliding lightly across the lawn, leaving a shallow groove in the fine, powdery snow.

Its beard and the fur on its head were wet and frozen.

Above it, the Forbidden Forest looked as if it had been enchanted, with every tree shimmering silver.

Then, the cat flew up.

It flew higher and higher, past a window that had been transformed into a door, past the ear of a little black-haired wizard, and finally transformed into a magnificent fire dragon. The fire dragon breathed fire, which then turned into colorful sequins. With a "bang," the sequins burst into ribbons in front of Sheen.

Sheen's eyes widened in surprise.

Even he couldn't decipher the type of transfiguration magic used in it.

"I've always wanted to do this..."

Dumbledore stroked the cat's head. Yes, it had been transformed back into its original form, and quite angrily bit Dumbledore before hiding behind the young wizard.

"Hmm...it seems it likes you more than it likes me."

Dumbledore said calmly.

Sheehan remained silent, believing that the cat rascal probably didn't like Dumbledore.

"Is this... the Transfiguration you're going to teach me...?"

Sheen asked, a little excited.

"No."

Dumbledore happily denied it.

Sheen was disappointed.

"But it's something you have to learn."

Dumbledore changed his tune.

A light shone in Sheen's eyes again.

"I heard from Minerva that you've learned a new spell?"

Dumbledore looked at the young wizard with a relaxed expression.

"With the will of the wizard—the elements are activated."

Sheen raised his wand.

The principal's office underwent a dramatic change in just a few minutes.

Phoenix Fox's nest has been transformed into a nest made of herbs, the bookshelves into wooden figures, and even the teacups have become ceramic soldiers patrolling around.

[You have gained the favor of the magical creature Phoenix (Fox) using your expertise; Favorability +10]

[Phoenix Focus: Slightly Approachable (Entry-Level) (99/300)]

Oh?
Is there an unexpected surprise?

Sheen was somewhat surprised.

"That's fantastic!"

Dumbledore smiled and clapped his hands gently.

"But it was too reckless."

Somewhat exhausted, Sheen sat in his chair, listening intently to Dumbledore's words.

"As we mentioned, the emergence of wizarding magic stemmed from belief. But between emergence and mastery, oh, you know, they cannot be equated."

Dumbledore's eyes were deep.

"The horror of black magic lies in its need for extraordinary power, or rather, uncontrolled power. Wizards have endowed black magic with all sorts of cruel imaginations, such as controlling the dead to bring death or destroy everything."

Sheen was able to clearly recognize that these three types of dark magic were Infernal, Avada Kedavra, and Fiendfire.

"Then you can imagine..."

"The power of transfiguration lies in control; the wizard controls everything."

Sheen said.

"Yes and no."

Dumbledore tapped his fingers on the table.

"What do you think is the first thing a wizard should master?"

"The order of belief".

Sheen seemed to be deep in thought.

A look of satisfaction flashed in Dumbledore's eyes:
"Go on."

"If the power of polymorph comes from the wizard's absolute control over reality, or rather, the wizard's alteration of reality."

Therefore, the first step a wizard should take control of is the power of order within their own heart. It's not enough for a wizard to believe they can cast spells and change reality…

If possible, wizards should believe that their magic should produce concrete changes. For example…

Sheen's speech quickened; it was as if he had found what he had been searching for.

"A wizard should trust himself; how long can he alter the environment?"

Wizards should trust themselves and how much they can change their environment—”

Sheen said excitedly.

The principle is very simple.

And it's surprising that Sheen himself hasn't grasped it even after all this time.

While magic may possess limitless power, a wizard's normal capacity to wield power is still somewhat limited.

By defining the order of belief, the wizard is like someone who has grasped the gates of magic.

In the past, magic was rampant and unrestrained, which naturally resulted in a great deal of waste.

Now that the time and scope of magic are restricted, magic is like a compressed and constricted stream of water, which naturally produces a greater effect.

Sheen prefers to call it:

Focus on one point, and reach the pinnacle.

"That concludes today's lesson."

Dumbledore stood up.

“Next, I hope you can change…” Dumbledore glanced at the exhausted young wizard, the meaning of which was self-evident.

"I understand."

Sheen felt her face getting hot.

So, one of the reasons he often felt weak was because he didn't have a good enough grasp of magic?
Sheen thought about something deeper.

There is no such thing as a wizard's magical power increasing with age in the magical world, nor is there any concept of automatically becoming stronger with age.

However, wizards do indeed become stronger as they age, at least from childhood to adulthood.

So what exactly does the wizard gain from all of this?

Sheen had always thought that perhaps the foundation of his magic had become more stable as his body matured, or perhaps his knowledge and experience had accumulated.

Now it seems that one has a higher level of mastery over magic?

The profundity and vastness of magic always reveal themselves unexpectedly.

This is also one of the sources of Sheen's inexhaustible motivation to learn magic.

"The Hogwarts Library has a lot of interesting books... 'The Origins of Transfiguration' and 'The Transfiguration Handbook' can both be matched with the notebook in your hand. Oh, by the way, I'm glad you chose my notebook."

Dumbledore sat down in a chair, smiling as he spoke.

Sheen's eyes shone even brighter.

He had been studying Dumbledore's notes for a long time, but he was still helpless against the obscure knowledge contained within.

Now, with the guidance and analysis of the true master, Sheen felt that the road ahead was clear.

Can I try it now?

Sheen asked cautiously.

Headmaster Dumbledore had just told him that get out of class was over, but he couldn't wait to try it out.

“Of course. However, we're also hosting a welcome party for Professor Slughorn later, and he'd like one of our teaching assistants to attend…”

Sheen nodded hesitantly. In fact, after gaining a deeper understanding of shapeshifting magic, he didn't want to go out anymore.

But now, Sheen took a deep breath:

"With the will of the wizard—the elements are activated."

The principal's office has undergone another major change.

The walls were moving, the wooden planks were warping, and even the fireplace was jumping out.

Sheen kept reminding himself that he should only transform for ten seconds and only target the space in front of him.

[You have practiced a special transformation spell (Elemental Activation) to expert standards. Matter Transformation Proficiency +50, Magic Transformation Proficiency +50]

It worked!
Sheen was thrilled to realize that his shapeshifting magic had undergone a fundamental change.

In the past, he was like a switch, only needing to control the appearance and disappearance of magic.

But now, he needs to control the entire magical river, directing the direction of the water and every wave.

At the same time, he also achieved his first [Expert] level Transfiguration practice standard.

"Oh……"

Dumbledore watched quietly, involuntarily murmuring to himself.

His comprehension speed is quite good; even compared to him, he's only slightly behind.

This transformation magic technique is naturally difficult, otherwise it wouldn't have appeared in that notebook.

The difficulty lies in the fact that for most wizards, being able to use magic, especially complex polymorphism, is already extremely difficult, let alone to exert absolute control over it.

Especially for advanced transformation spells like Polymorph, wizards need to add their own created magic circuits:
—These magical circuits are enough for a wizard to study.

Not to mention controlling every single magic circuit.

Or it could be multiple transformations, where the wizard needs to control each transformation.

Now, wizards not only have to do all of the above, but also have to control them precisely.

The difficulty is not simply one plus one.

"Let's take a break, there's a dinner waiting for us."

Dumbledore said with a smile.

……

Before we knew it, it was evening.

Sheehan followed Headmaster Dumbledore downstairs to the Great Hall, where a thirteen-person dining table was set up at the head table.

Almost all the professors were present, including Professor Binns.

It sat in the chair, and the little wizard suspected it might actually fall off.

Professor Snape sat there with a cold expression, while Professor McGonagall chatted and laughed with Professor Terra.

Professors Flitwick, Sprout, and Sinister sat together, sharing desserts.

Professor Keredy Bubbaji, who studies Muggle, and Professor Bascida Babling, who studies ancient runes, both appeared. The two seemed to know each other well and sat together.

As for Hagrid, he was all alone.

There's not enough room.

Even Mrs. Rolanda Hodge came; Sheehan had heard she'd been very busy lately because of the Quidditch World Cup.

She also kept recommending that Sheehan try out for the Scottish national team, even though he hadn't graduated yet.

"It's so nice to see you at night, child."

As Sheen sat down, Professor Sprout winked at him.

Good evening, Professor Sprout.

Sheen said.

Just then, the auditorium doors opened again, and Professor Trelawney glided toward them as if she were on wheels.

Today, she wore a green dress covered in metallic sequins.

"Sybil, this is truly a delightful surprise!"

"Dumbledore said."

“I was looking at the crystal ball just now, Headmaster.”

Professor Trelawney spoke in her most ethereal voice,
"To my surprise, I saw myself abandoning my solitary meal to join your gathering."

How could I refuse the hint of fate? I hurriedly descended from my tower, begging your forgiveness for being late..."

"Of course, of course,"

Dumbledore's eyes gleamed.

"I'll get you a chair—"

Sure enough, he conjured a chair out of thin air with his wand.

It spun for a few seconds before landing with a "thud" between Snape and McGonagall.

However, Professor Trelawney did not sit down. Her large eyes darted around the table, and she suddenly let out a low scream.

"I dare not, Principal! If I sit at the table, there will be thirteen people! That's the worst luck! Don't forget, whenever thirteen people eat together, the first one to stand up will definitely be the first to die!"

“We have fourteen, Sybil.”

Professor McGonagall said impatiently,

"Sit down, the roast chicken is as cold as a rock."

Professor Trelawney hesitated for a moment, looked at Professor Binns, and then slowly sat down in the empty chair.

She closed her eyes and pressed her lips tightly together, as if waiting for lightning to strike the dining table.

Professor McGonagall plunged a large spoon into the nearest soup bowl.

Where is our new professor?

Professor Trelawney asked.

"You probably already know who it is, Sybil?"

Professor McGonagall raised her eyebrows and asked.

Professor Trelawney gave Professor McGonagall a cold look.

“Of course I know, Minerva.”

She said calmly,
“But we don’t flaunt our omniscience. I often pretend to be blind to avoid making others nervous.”

"That speaks volumes."

Professor McGonagall said scathingly.

Professor Trelawney's voice suddenly became less ethereal.

“I saw…”

Before she could finish speaking, a chubby figure appeared at the entrance of the auditorium.

The young wizards were also drawn to the opened door.

The man at the door was wearing a velvet coat and had bald hair and a large, silvery-white beard like a walrus.

(End of this chapter)