After walking down from Ravenclaw Tower together, Scott and Eddie went their separate ways.
Eddie set off full of ambition on his journey as an underground merchant, while Scott carried his books to the second floor of the main part of Hogwarts Castle.
Professor McGonagall’s office was located beside the second-floor corridor, so the Transfiguration Club she organised was held nearby in a small classroom on the other side of the corridor.
“Scott!”
As Scott walked along the corridor, he heard someone call his name.
He turned around and saw Cedric coming up the stairs.
“Good evening, Cedric.”
Scott stopped.
“Good evening.”
Cedric quickly walked over.
“I was wondering whether I could ask you for some advice.” He looked slightly hesitant.
“Since our first Charms lesson this term, I’ve tried many times to do what you and Professor Flitwick spoke about, sensing magic, but unfortunately, I haven’t made much progress.”
Sensing magic?
Scott looked at him in surprise.
Cedric gave him a shy smile, and his face turned slightly red.
“Of course, it doesn’t matter if it’s inconvenient for you to explain.” Seemingly afraid of putting Scott in a difficult position, he hurriedly added this.
“It’s not inconvenient.” Scott shook his head.
“Could I ask how much you are able to do at the moment?”
“Of course.” Cedric became happier.
“At present, I can only sense fluctuations in another person’s magic at close range, especially while they are casting a spell.”
He frowned slightly.
“But I can’t tell how one person’s magic differs from another’s.”
Scott thought for a while after hearing this.
He did not know how to explain it to Cedric.
Most of the reason he could sense magic so clearly was because of his natural talent.
After thinking, he decided to tell Cedric the truth.
“I’m sorry, Cedric.
I can’t clearly explain how to sense magic.
It isn’t like a spell.
There is no fixed incantation or wand movement.
This sort of perception is like sight or hearing.
We slowly learn to use it naturally after birth, almost by instinct.”
“It’s all right, Scott.
Perhaps I simply haven’t studied magic deeply enough.”
Although Cedric looked somewhat disappointed, he still thanked him.
“Thank you for telling me this.
It has given me something to think about.”
Seeing Cedric thank him so sincerely, Scott could not help sighing inwardly.
No wonder the Sorting Hat had placed him in Hufflepuff.
“There’s no need to thank me, Cedric.”
Scott felt a little embarrassed, so he decided to explain more.
“Although I can’t clearly describe this ability, I can tell you about some methods that might strengthen your perception.
They might help you.”
“Really?” Cedric was delighted.
“I don’t know how to thank you, Scott!”
Scott smiled.
“There’s no need.
It is only a possibility.
I found this method by chance, but I’m not sure whether it will work for you.”
“Telling me the method you found is already the greatest help,” Cedric said gratefully.
“All right.
I discovered it while studying Transfiguration more deeply,” Scott said.
Cedric immediately began listening carefully.
“As you know, truly advanced Transfiguration does more than change an object’s appearance.
After achieving that first step, we want to change the object’s actual material as well.”
Scott began explaining how he had found the method.
“During the last school year, I collected many objects made from different materials.
Different kinds of wood, different metals, more complicated objects, and even some animals.
I kept trying to sense them with magic.”
“Is that the training method you mentioned?” Cedric understood what Scott meant.
He was also quite talented in Transfiguration and had done similar exercises.
“That was where I began.”
At this point, Scott could not help complaining.
“Speaking of that, I wasted a great deal of effort at first.
At the time, I didn’t understand that magic and Muggle science were completely different.”
“Later, I realised that magic itself is the foundation of everything magical.”
“I didn’t need to memorise which elements those different materials were made from, or think about complicated things like molecules and atoms.”
Cedric looked confused, but Scott continued.
“I only needed to make my magic remember the feeling.
Different objects feel different when sensed through magic.
When using Transfiguration, I only need to follow the feeling stored in that memory to successfully change their material.”
Cedric understood this part and quickly nodded.
Scott suddenly found it amusing and stopped speaking.
He seemed to have forgotten that Cedric knew nothing about science.
There was no point explaining those things to him.
When Scott had first begun learning magic, he had not yet changed his way of thinking. Read this novel at g.com for the best experience.
He had instinctively tried to treat magic through scientific reasoning, which naturally led him in the completely wrong direction.
“I’m sure you have done similar exercises, but perhaps you should begin as I did, with the simplest materials.
“For example, a piece of willow wood or a piece of refined iron.
I collected many different materials.
I repeatedly held them in my hands, touched them with my magic, and sensed the differences between them.
“I also kept trying to transform them, feeling the difference between the material I had created through Transfiguration and the natural material, then adjusting it little by little.
“That was roughly how I began.
Afterwards, you only need to slowly increase the difficulty according to your own progress.” Scott thought again and found nothing else to add.
“In any case, during that process, my perception of magic naturally became clearer.”
“I see.” Cedric looked thoughtful.
He regarded Scott with some admiration.
“It seems you truly worked harder than I did, Scott.”
“I only did it because I was interested.” Scott did not think much of it.
“But the process might be extremely tedious for someone who isn’t interested.”
“That’s all right.
I’m interested as well.” Cedric smiled.
“It seems I should begin collecting different materials.”
He thanked Scott seriously once again.
“In any case, I’m grateful that you told me all this, Scott.”
“There’s no need.
We still don’t know whether it will help you.”
Scott patted him on the shoulder.
“Don’t blame me if you try it and find that it doesn’t work.”
“Of course I won’t!” Cedric said seriously.
“Even if it doesn’t help me sense magic, it will at least help improve my Transfiguration, won’t it?”
Scott nodded.
“Gentlemen.”
At that moment, the classroom door beside them opened.
Professor McGonagall stepped out and stood in the doorway.
“I believe our Transfiguration Club meeting has already begun.” She pressed her lips together sternly.
“I wonder why the two gentlemen everyone has been waiting for are still standing outside the club instead of coming in?”
(End of Chapter)
…
T/N :
Feed me Power Stones to keep me motivated.
This translation is pure volunteer work, so every bit of support helps me continue.