In the Little Greenhouse, shadows on the ground twisted and swirled like a vortex. Moments later, Robert emerged from within the shadowy maelstrom. His body was already coated in a thick layer of shadow magic, which relentlessly corroded his flesh and blood. Yet, thanks to his Legendary Life ability, the damaged tissue immediately regenerated, repeating the painful cycle over and over.
Initially, the process was agonizing. Pain and itching alternated endlessly, keeping Robert on edge. Over time, though, he became accustomed to it, even numb, his focus entirely absorbed by the Transfiguration progress displayed on his system panel. The bronze hue of his Transfiguration mastery had grown significantly richer over the past two days.
Still, Robert furrowed his brows. The Shadow Shuttle exercises had been repeated nearly ten times, but his mastery of Tollerman Transformation hadn't improved beyond its current level. He realized that no matter how intently he studied the changes in magical properties during the Shadow Shuttle, Transfiguration remained stagnant.
"It seems the bottleneck lies elsewhere," he murmured, eyes flicking toward his Magic Perception Enhancement ability. Its golden glow was impressive, but it was still far from reaching Platinum. Robert sighed. "Magic Perception is still stuck. Until it improves, my Transfiguration progress will be limited. It's like a swimmer with clumsy limbs—they may manage at first, but their flaws prevent true mastery."
Scanning his system panel, Robert noticed that most of his Charms had stagnated at Platinum level, only recently nudged forward by progress in Transfiguration. With Magic Perception holding him back, his magical growth might plateau for a while. A major breakthrough would require a qualitative leap—Magic Perception reaching Platinum level, followed by patient accumulation of magical strength.
Considering his current resources, even with five Trolls continuously producing Goldfish Vine, it would take until at least the end of the school year to reach that point. Robert frowned briefly, then relaxed. He reminded himself that his improvement over the past two days had been extraordinary. "Compared to other second- or third-year Hogwarts students, my mastery is exceptional," he thought. "For now, it's enough. The threat of the Two-Faced Man is temporarily gone. The only real concern on campus is the Philosopher's Stone, which I have no intention of pursuing."
Robert's thoughts turned to Lord Voldemort. "If he gets the Stone, so be it. In the original plot, the consequences fall to Dumbledore. The current Dumbledore is at his prime, hasn't worn the Resurrection Stone ring, and isn't cursed by Dark Arts. Even a half-dead Voldemort would struggle. I only need to keep the Blood Poison as a contingency."
His plan for the coming period became clear: avoid the Philosopher's Stone, focus on planting and accumulating rewards, and read more to build theoretical knowledge. Even if his magical growth stalled temporarily, the knowledge would lay a foundation for a future breakthrough.
With a deep breath, Robert stopped relying on the Specter to carry him through the Shadow Shuttle. The rush of life-filled blood cleaned his body, washing away the corrosive shadow magic and leaving an unprecedented sense of ease. After two days of constant tension and pain, he allowed himself to relax. "Let's enjoy class today," he thought. "It's Transfiguration, so I can learn and enjoy it. Double happiness!"
Heading toward the Transfiguration classroom, Robert ran into the Savior Trio. They had initially believed he was being bullied by Snape and felt sympathy after learning about Nicolas Flamel and the Philosopher's Stone. Noticing their haggard expressions, Robert couldn't help but click his tongue. During his three weeks in detention, they had been guarding against Snape nightly, taking turns on watch—without the benefit of Legendary Life.
Hermione looked particularly exhausted, dark circles under her eyes. "What's wrong, Hermione?" Robert asked. She shot him a resentful glance but walked into the classroom clutching her textbook. Harry yawned, explaining that today was the last official Transfiguration class of the semester. Hermione had stayed up late studying even while watching Snape, making it her final chance to reclaim first place.
Robert smiled wryly. Harry then recounted their investigation into Snape, confirming that he had plotted to steal the Philosopher's Stone. Quirrell, usually timid, had prevented Snape's plan from succeeding, proving effective in his role as Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor. Robert remained silent but intrigued.
The class bell rang, and everyone hurried into the room. Robert took his seat among the Hufflepuffs, while McGonagall addressed the class. "This is your last real Transfiguration class. Each student will perform a spell in front of the class for assessment. Exceptional students may even be exempted from the final exam."
The students groaned; they had assumed the painful lessons were over. McGonagall smiled faintly. "Hogwarts tradition ensures each generation experiences the same challenges. You will suffer as those before you did."
The first Hufflepuff called was Hannah Abbott. Flustered but encouraged by Robert's earlier guidance, she focused on her spell. A match in front of her transformed into a sparkling silver needle—a simple yet successful Transfiguration. Overjoyed, she encouraged her classmates to believe in themselves. Slowly, nearly half the Hufflepuffs successfully performed the spell, with others close behind.
Professor McGonagall looked on with surprise and growing admiration. Never had she seen such progress in Hufflepuff students. Observing Robert's influence, she realized his presence and guidance had inspired them, creating a virtuous cycle of confidence and skill improvement.
Next came the Gryffindors. Observing the same unusual transformation of matches, their expressions sank; McGonagall's demeanor had turned serious. Hermione, exhausted from three weeks of guarding Snape and practicing Transfiguration, took a deep breath. She performed a flawless Tollerman Transformation, turning her match into a silver needle with hollow carvings, then into a ball of flame shifting from blue to orange-yellow to blazing white. McGonagall's joy was evident.
"Beautiful Tollerman Transformation! Your mastery is exceptional. Fifteen points to Gryffindor!" she declared. Hermione, relieved, realized her hard work had paid off, finally reclaiming her place at the top. She stole a glance at Robert, noting his admiration and calm demeanor, which left her slightly uneasy.
Finally, it was Robert's turn. The classroom fell silent. He stepped forward, ready to demonstrate the results of his rigorous training, the Shadow Shuttle, and his extraordinary understanding of Transfiguration. The room seemed to hold its breath as he prepared, every eye fixed on the Hufflepuff who had inspired a wave of unexpected excellence.
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