Sean opened a book nearly half the size of the table, Hogwarts: A Short History. One page listed the seven core subjects at Hogwarts. They were Transfiguration, Charms, Potions, Herbology, Defense Against the Dark Arts, History of Magic, and Astronomy.
They were also mandatory subjects at Hogwarts. The question was how to reach an Outstanding grade. Sean found a reference point in the top student of the trio, Hermione Granger.
If he remembered correctly, she had earned nine O and one E in the O.W.L., the Ordinary Wizarding Level Examinations. Her grades were always stable, so comparing himself to her would show the level he needed. Was it hard?
Of course it was hard. His magical talent was poor, and aside from History of Magic, most subjects demanded raw ability. But was it impossible?
If he had help like this and still failed, he might as well give up completely. He muttered, "Just grind it out." While putting away his luggage, Sean thought for a few seconds.
"Then I'll start with Transfiguration."
He sat down on the cushioned seat, returned the history book, and took out Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration. The brown-red book with gold trim explained the rules and techniques of Transfiguration in detail. It was a textbook for first and second year students at Hogwarts.
The most classic example was turning a matchstick into a needle. If he could reach that level within a month, Sean felt that an Outstanding would be easy. He read the instructions line by line, memorizing every sentence.
He planned to memorize the entire two hundred page book before trying Transfiguration in practice. The reason was simple, because Hermione Granger had memorized all her books when she first learned magic and achieved excellent results. That meant memorization worked.
The road to success was right there, so why not copy it. His talent was not enough, so effort had to make up the difference. There was also another reason, since these books had cost him eleven Galleon, and the pain pushed him to absorb knowledge with fierce focus.
Without noticing the time, he had roughly memorized all the books he bought. This one was already past page one hundred eighty, and he would finish it today before starting practical Transfiguration. Even with his average grades in his previous life, Sean could not help but sigh.
Poverty really made people capable of anything.
Steam filled the station as the train waited, and Sean stayed buried in his book. A young witch entered the compartment without him noticing. She spoke up after a moment.
"Excuse me, is anyone else coming here?"
A bushy-haired brown-haired girl pushed the door open and raised her chin at Sean. He answered without looking up.
"No."
He kept memorizing the book. If half a year in the orphanage had taught him anything, it was focus, because children like weeds who could not control their own fate had to learn to grow on their own. After that short reply, he did not speak again.
The train rumbled into motion, and the compartment slowly filled until there were three people inside. Sean showed no reaction at all. Outside the window, the scenery spread like an oil painting.
Curving rivers stretched into the distance, waves of wheat rolled one after another, and farmhouses with cattle appeared before being hidden by dark green hills. Hermione Granger read her book, sometimes glancing at the view, and sometimes at the quiet young wizard across from her.
His hair was fluffy on both sides, his lashes long, and his whole posture calm. More importantly, something about him felt familiar. A black-haired boy spoke in a low voice.
"He really looks like my cat. I know a wizard can't be a cat, but he really does."
The boy scratched his head in embarrassment, but the girl beside him quickly agreed. Hermione Granger nodded hard and met his eyes, clearly excited to be understood.
"Justin, that description is so accurate."
Justin's eyes lit up, and the two of them began whispering together. Sean stayed focused on his book, unaware that he had become the topic of discussion. The train swayed steadily, and the window carried scene after scene like a canvas.
The compartment held only the low whispers of Hermione Granger and Justin, and the soft sound of turning pages. At last, Sean finished the final paragraph. He let out a long breath and rubbed his sore eyes.
"I'm not missing anything now."
His eyes brightened as he put the book down. He took a matchstick from his Robes and filled his mind with its shape, structure, and traits. Memories of Transfiguration from his past life lined up with his current knowledge.
"Transfiguration."
He whispered the spell in one smooth breath. The matchstick did not change much, but Sean smiled anyway.
You practiced basic Transfiguration once at an introductory standard. Proficiency plus three.
"Did he just say something? And what is he doing?" Justin whispered to Hermione Granger, confusion written all over his face.
"It looks like Transfiguration. No, wait. The book says it's dangerous, and if you get it wrong, terrible things can happen."
Hermione Granger clutched the edge of her robes and frowned, ready to stop Sean. Before she could speak, the panel sounded again.
You practiced basic Transfiguration once at a skilled standard. Proficiency plus ten. You practiced basic Transfiguration once at a skilled standard. Proficiency plus ten.
Sean kept trying, growing more familiar each time. It was a feeling he had never had before, as if magic itself had become easier. A thought flashed through his mind.
Could I be a Transfiguration genius?
You practiced basic Transfiguration once at a skilled standard. Proficiency plus ten. Basic Transfiguration unlocked. New Transfiguration field title unlocked. Please check. One wizard talent unlocked. Please check.
As the panel sounds rang out, Sean narrowed his eyes slightly. Scholarship fragments, plus one.
At that moment, an uneasy voice cut in. Hermione Granger spoke loudly, her tone sharp and serious.
"You can't use dangerous Transfiguration here. You can't control it."
As soon as she finished speaking, the matchstick trembled. In the young witch's widened eyes, it slowly turned into a needle, its silver tip catching the light. The air froze for a moment, and Hermione Granger's words stuck in her throat.
"Merlin… I've seen this example in a book. Did he succeed?" Justin stared in disbelief and whispered to himself.
Sean looked up and met the gaze of Hermione Granger, whose ears had turned faintly pink, and Justin leaning in close. He spoke with honest confusion.
"Sorry, could you say that again? I didn't hear you."
Huh?
Why is it Hermione Granger?
What a coincidence.
On the train, Sean's voice mixed with the rushing sound of the wind. Outside the window, the wide fields had slipped away at some point, and the sunlight broke into patches as the train entered a stretch of Yew Grove.
Hermione Granger's ears slowly flushed a light red as she opened her mouth to speak, but her mind went blank for a moment. That hesitation only made Sean more puzzled.
"Oh! She just said that you actually know Transfiguration. That's really incredible!"
A new voice joined in, and it turned out to be Justin, who quickly answered in place of Hermione Granger. He pointed at the Silver Needle on the table, drawing both Sean and Hermione Granger's attention to it. "How did you do it? Hermione Granger said this is a very difficult kind of magic."
After saying that, he looked a little uneasy, silently hoping the young wizard across from him would not take it as an insult.
"The incantation is Transfiguration, with a break between Trans and figura," Sean said calmly. "The stress is on fi, and more importantly, when you swing the Wand from left to right, the movement has to be quick with no pause."
He reviewed his own practice in his mind, picking out what might matter most, which was always how he studied. "And of course, you need a clear image in your head of what you want the object to become. You can find that on page five of the Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration."