". ."Less reading, more sleep."
Cohen, observing the dark circles under Hermione's eyes, knew at a glance that the young woman had done a tremendous amount of homework to keep up with her first class.
"It's called magic, so there's really no need to get so hung up on it..."
Cohen was speaking the truth. He himself hadn't studied those theoretical models. There were two things in the world that were indescribable and drove people mad the more they studied them—Cthulhu and mathematics.
"But Transfiguration has very standardized formulas and theories—" Hermione persisted.
"Miss Granger, we're studying magic."
Cohen was still thinking about asking Professor McGonagall about the Transfiguration of "living creatures." He didn't have any tips to help Hermione. Magic was primarily a matter of the mind; the first requirement for a spell to work was the wizard's belief in it.
As for those complex theoretical aspects—most wizards probably wouldn't devote much time to them until they reached adulthood and graduated. Only those who aspired to create and improve magic would delve into the principles of magic.
Consequently, during exam week at Hogwarts, a swarm of young wizards would spawn throughout the castle, eager to memorize their lessons.
"To successfully cast magic, you first have to believe it can be cast successfully."
"But if you've never successfully cast it, how can you believe it will work?" Hermione still felt that Cohen's words were an excuse.
"Cohen, class is over. Let's hurry back to the common room—I brought wizard chess, and the three of us can take turns playing," Ron urged, noticing that Cohen hadn't yet put away his textbooks. "You've explained enough—"
Ron's words were clearly directed at Hermione, for as soon as he finished speaking, Hermione's cheeks flushed as red as apples.
"You two should go back first. I have a question for Professor McGonagall," Cohen told Harry and Ron truthfully.
Seeing that Cohen was busy, the two of them had no choice but to go back to the dormitory together.
First-year classes weren't long. After their morning Transfiguration class, they only had one Herbology class left before dinner.
Edward was right. Hogwarts was almost like learning through play—especially since magic didn't require much time investment, especially if the young wizard's goal was to pass the final exam.
"Do you really have a question for Professor McGonagall?" Hermione asked suspiciously, "Or..."
Her cheeks flushed even redder.
"Are you going to join your friends in teasing me—"
"Why tease you?" Cohen raised an eyebrow. "Tease you for being ahead of 99% of the class in Transfiguration? Those trolls must be the proudest creatures in the world, because they're so poorly educated."
"Puff—"
Hermione laughed at Cohen's amusement, but quickly regained control.
"So what's your question for Professor McGonagall?"
"About whether the transformed object is considered dead or alive after transforming it into a living one." Cohen stuffed his textbook into his bag and stood up from his chair. "Aren't you curious?"
"Curious? I want to come too," Hermione said unwillingly.
Based on Cohen's current observations and predictions, normally at this point, he and Hermione would have begun a marathon of competition, secret affection, playful banter, and lingering romance that had been going on since first year.
Unfortunately, he was a Dementor with only a few emotions, only kindness, and a stunted development. He had no feelings for either humans or little girls.
Furthermore, Cohen was certain that when his identity was revealed to Hermione, the little girl would hide away—just like when she first discovered Lupin was a werewolf.
Dementors were actually even more unpopular than werewolves. After all, werewolves only transformed into wolves one night a month, while Dementors only transformed into humans in fairy tales—or perhaps there were no such fairy tales at all.
"Knock, knock, knock—"
Cohen and Hermione knocked on the wooden door of Professor McGonagall's office, a small study off the second-floor corridor.
"Come in,"
Professor McGonagall's voice was much softer than in class, but still had a very official tone.
Inside the study, a roaring fireplace burned, sparks crackling and dancing on the wood.
From the window on the other side, one could see the Quidditch pitch, a game Professor McGonagall had always loved.
"Mr. Norton, Miss Granger."
Professor McGonagall was preparing her lesson plan for the next class. She looked up and saw the two students who had performed best in the class. She thought they were facing some academic difficulties, and a smile appeared on her usually pursed lips.
"Have you encountered any difficulties in your studies? I am happy to answer questions for studious little wizards."
"Professor, in class just now, I saw you turn the table into a living thing." Cohen simply changed his question, omitting the "soul" part. After all, Professor McGonagall and Dumbledore had discussed Cohen's life experience, so he should not express his curiosity and desire for "soul" so early.
"Turning dead things into living things is knowledge you can only learn in the third grade, and it is limited to the biological transformation of some small objects. Transfiguration is dangerous and complicated. I don't want you to try these things too early. It will be very dangerous." Professor McGonagall thought Cohen wanted to learn how to turn the podium into a pig. She reminded Cohen sternly, "Even if you succeed in the first transformation practice, don't be too ambitious, Mr. Norton."
"My problem is not here, Professor McGonagall." Cohen corrected, "I don't have such a strong desire to try the spells in the upper grades. It's just that after seeing the podium turned into a pig, I thought of a question, that is, by transforming dead things, can you give them life? Or, during the transformation, is the transformed target 'alive'?"
Hermione on the side listened very hard to the conversation between Cohen and McGonagall. She even took out parchment and quill, and lay on the table to write down the questions and answers.
"It's a good thing to think for yourself before you act rashly," Professor McGonagall said, acknowledging Cohen's well-founded curiosity. "Actually, this question already has a standard answer, though it's not in your Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration."
"Transfiguration can magically transform various substances, but it also follows a set of basic laws—Gamp's Basic Laws of Transfiguration. Mr. Cohen, your question happens to be one of the five exceptions to Gamp's Basic Laws of Transfiguration."
"Living and inanimate objects cannot be permanently transformed through Transfiguration."
Professor McGonagall, noticing that the two students in front of her were listening intently, continued her explanation with some relief.
"For example, we can transform a button into a beetle and a podium into a pig, but they can't move forever. Once the enchantment dissipates, they will return to their original form."
"Even if those transformed 'creatures' have a breath of life, they are still essentially inanimate matter. It is the wizard's magic that constitutes their 'life.'"
So... the [Soul Strength] that Cohen saw in the transformed podium... was actually McGonagall's magic?
If I absorb the "soul" composed of magic power...
can I still increase the integrity of the soul?
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(End of this chapter)