"I was practicing Transfiguration magic…" Vizette explained somewhat awkwardly, "and I just happened to see the disguise process of the Devil's Snare, and then I suddenly had an inspiration."
Professor McGonagall was both amused and exasperated. "Practicing Transfiguration magic? You have no idea how worried Professor Sprout and I were when we saw a whole bunch of Devil's Snares appear in the greenhouse!"
"Professor McGonagall, Professor Sprout, I'm so sorry… I didn't explain beforehand." Vizette lowered his head, his voice somewhat somber.
"It's not your fault…" Noticing Vizette's downcast tone, Professor McGonagall pursed her lips with a hint of pity. "It's because we were too concerned."
She deliberately changed the subject, not delving into what had just happened. "You mean, you can transform a Christmas cactus into a Devil's Snare, is that right?"
"Yes!" Vizette nodded repeatedly, his eyes seemingly shining. "I read the book you recommended, 'A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration,' and then, combined with what I've seen and heard recently, I did it…"
He eagerly raised his wand and cast a spell on the distant Christmas cactus, "Tendrus!!"
After about ten seconds, the Christmas cactus, which had been swaying gently, changed color, taking on a deep, dark green hue, and began to writhe like a Devil's Snare, before lunging at Vizette again.
Professor McGonagall and the others instinctively reached for their wands, only to be stunned by what they saw.
The Devil's Snare clustered around Vizette's feet, forming a vine platform that lifted him into the air.
He raised his wand high and waved it like an orchestra conductor.
Under his command, the vines climbed up from his feet, covering his body completely and forming an impenetrable vine armor.
With a flick of the hand holding the wand, the vine armor on the sleeve transformed into vines, which gathered into a cone shape and pierced straight forward, exploding with a series of cracking sounds.
"Minerva…" Sprout leaned closer to Professor McGonagall, "You're going to… teach this to the current first-year students?"
"Of course I didn't teach that!" Professor McGonagall was less serious than usual, her face flushed with excitement. "He figured it out himself!"
"I only had one suggestion to help him... I told him to borrow a copy of 'A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration' from Irma Pince. Who knew he would actually do that!"
As the professor of Transfiguration magic, she knew better than Sprout just how astonishing the Transfiguration magic that Vizette was performing was.
Hogwarts offers many magical subjects, among which Transfiguration is the most rigorous.
In her Transfiguration class, Professor McGonagall follows a progression from easy to difficult, guiding students step-by-step to reveal the mysteries of Transfiguration.
For example, it would be quite impressive if freshmen could turn a match into a needle, a piece of iron into a file, or even a feather into a fan, demonstrating their mastery of the magic of transforming small objects.
This is basic intraspecific metamorphosis, mainly focusing on transformations between various non-living things.
As their skill level increases, students need to learn how to use magic to transform living things into one another.
Fourth-year students will learn these advanced techniques, and it will not involve the transformation of magical creatures into each other.
The shapeshifting magic that Vizette was using at this moment was not only high-level shapeshifting within the same species, but also involved the mutual transformation of magical creatures.
All magical creatures possess a certain level of magical resistance.
A first-year wizard trying to cast shapeshifting spells on magical creatures seems like a pipe dream.
Moreover, Vizette had no one to guide him; he was entirely self-taught, relying solely on his observations of Christmas cacti and Devil's Snares, as well as his understanding of the "A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration"...
Professor McGonagall never imagined that such a fantastical thing would actually happen—and that it would be even more outrageous than the fantastical thing itself.
Moreover, based on what Vizette just said, Professor McGonagall had reason to believe that his understanding of magic had begun to take shape.
This is an ancient concept of magic, something that cannot be inspired by others and can only be constructed by oneself.
Only by having one's own understanding of magic can one go further on the path of magic and appreciate more of its wonders.
The earlier one's understanding of magic begins to sprout, the more likely one is to leave a mark on the history of magic;
For example, Duel Champion Alberta Tusser, Giant Hunter Gifford Ordon, Sea Serpent Slayer Grammor Perks...
Vizette waved his wand again, and the Devil's Snare slowly contracted, returning to its previous shape as a Christmas cactus.
He landed on the ground and pointed at the Christmas cactus excitedly, saying, "Professor McGonagall, this is the transformation magic technique I've mastered!"
"Absolutely brilliant!" Sprout said with a smile, clapping enthusiastically.
Professor McGonagall focused her attention on the Christmas cactus, "The Christmas cactus hasn't changed..."
Sprout asked in confusion, "Minerva, what do you mean the Christmas cactus hasn't changed?"
Over the years, she had been engrossed in herbalism, so naturally she couldn't immediately grasp the deeper meaning behind Professor McGonagall's words.
"Yes!" Vizette nodded repeatedly, saying with great pride, "The essence hasn't changed! I've simply applied magic to its outer layer!"
He looked at the Christmas cactus swaying gently in the distance, trying hard to find specific words to explain everything he had done.
"It's like wearing a different outfit... The person is still the same person, but by changing into a different outfit, you can change other people's impression of that person!"
"I dressed the Christmas cactus in a Devil's Snare! So it became a Devil's Snare! But as long as you remove the clothes, it can be a Christmas cactus again!"
"Vizette, I understand what you mean!" Professor McGonagall took a deep breath, trying to calm her voice. "You are undoubtedly the most gifted student I have ever encountered!"
Vizette blushed and stammered, "There's still so much I need to learn... and Professor Sprout is willing to help me too..."
"And I was lucky enough to learn about Devil's Snare today, and also learned about the connection between Christmas cactus and Devil's Snare."
"Yes!" Professor McGonagall nodded, responding with a sigh, "We are incredibly lucky!"
Talent is something that can't be forced, and it's perfectly reasonable for Vizette to say that he's "lucky enough."
However, what is most admirable about Vizette is his ability to utilize this "luck" and continuously learn and improve.
Vizette tucked the pages back into his notebook, intending to tell the two professors that he was going to the auditorium for dinner.
After working hard for most of the day, his stomach was growling loudly.
He canceled the blessing of the Guardian Meditation Method and the Eye of Magic, and everything in the world returned to its most familiar state.
But the next moment, he felt the world spinning, and even the two professors in front of him seemed to be spinning as well.
Before Vizette could even think, he fell to the ground.
In the moments before he lost consciousness, he only heard Professor McGonagall and Sprout's exclamations, and felt a soft cushion against his back…
...
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