Professor McGonagall's voice was always as stern as a headmaster's.
Powerful and steady.
It resonated through the classroom.
All the little wizards were focused attentively.
Ian was still gnawing on a sausage, but he also showed due respect to the professor, bending over to hide under the desk to eat, not being too conspicuous in Professor McGonagall's sight.
Of course.
Professor McGonagall glanced in his direction, but didn't say anything; instead, she surveyed the little wizards around her, then raised her wand and pointed at the beetle.
"Remember, the key lies in the precision of will, not the strength of magic power." She explained as she waved her wand.
Muttering incantations.
As a powerful wizard, at the House Head level, she naturally also knew spellless spellcasting, but for teaching purposes, she deliberately slowed down even the incantation speed.
Trying to keep each syllable absolutely clear. As the magic formed, the beetle gradually turned into an exquisite button amidst a burst of light.
The classroom erupted in a wave of astonishment.
The students all looked enlightened.
Everyone was eager to try, thinking they could surely do it as well, yet when it was their turn to attempt, they obviously encountered quite some challenges.
The Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw students bent their heads to try, and soon the classroom echoed with successive spells. However, even the top students of Ravenclaw frowned—the beetle either shrank a little or turned into a warped piece of metal, nothing like a button.
Although Ravenclaw students were clever, they were at wit's end in the face of this transformation technique, after all, turning a lifeless object into a living one and vice versa involves quite different logic in the utilization of magic power.
The Hufflepuff students had it even worse, their magical gleams flickering unsteadily, with most students' beetles just trembling slightly, never turning into a button.
"It seems everyone is facing some difficulties."
Professor McGonagall paced the classroom, observing the students' performances. Her brows furrowed slightly, then she caught Ian, who was hiding under the desk, up in a loop.
"Where's your beetle?"
Professor McGonagall's eye twitched.
"Here it is."
Ian, still savoring his previous sausage, raised up the new sausage he transformed and hadn't gotten around to eating yet, the aroma constantly wafted into Professor McGonagall's nose.
"..."
Professor McGonagall's expression was quite complicated; although she had seen this truth long ago, hearing the little wizard speak it out still made it hard for her to believe.
For such an outstanding transformation technique genius like Ian.
The older Cat Lady truly admired yet was speechless.
"I need a button!"
She glared fiercely at Ian.
"And! Remember, food transformed through transformation techniques cannot be eaten!" Professor McGonagall figured Ian was presumably just joking around, not intending to eat the transformed food.
But she still sternly reminded him.
Mainly fearing other little wizards might eat it by mistake.
In fact.
Ian shouldn't have transformed food, nor should he have such a high level of transformation technique... Professor McGonagall looked at Ian with a very complicated gaze, while Ian thought Professor McGonagall was urging him.
"Alright."
Ian pulled out his magic wand, and under his adept magical control, the sausage in his hand effortlessly turned into a button, with its surface shimmering with a unique magical gloss, even more exquisite than the one Professor McGonagall transformed. The classroom echoed with waves of astonishment.
"No wonder he's a young professor!"
"Ian is amazing! I knew it wouldn't be difficult for him!"
"Ian is truly a master of transformation techniques!"
...
Some even gave Ian grand titles, which Professor McGonagall, who usually preferred facts, surprisingly didn't correct for once.
The older Cat Lady finally revealed a smile.
Setting aside some headache-inducing areas.
Though Ian wasn't in her Gryffindor College, she truly liked this excellent student. After all, no teacher would dislike an excellent student.
"Very good."
Professor McGonagall gave Ian a deep look.
"Now, Ian, please explain the key points of this magic to everyone." Professor McGonagall put Ian on the podium, even placing him directly on the lectern.
Ian naturally sat down cross-legged.
"Um, you want me to lecture?"
Ian cleared his throat, glancing at his classmates, and spoke orderly: "When performing this transformation technique, you must first focus and steady your magic power into the wand."
"At the same time, you must clearly imagine the shape and details of the button in your mind, so that the power of magic alters the beetle's form as we wish."
"Moreover, the pronunciation of the magic spell is also crucial; it must be accurate and forceful." His voice was clear and confident, and the students nodded thoughtfully.
He paused for a moment.
"Most importantly, everyone must distinguish that we are not killing the beetle, just changing its existence form... don't be overly preoccupied with the difference between lifeless and living things."
"We are wizards, if we want it alive, it is alive, in whatever form 'alive' may be." Ian's explanation clearly consisted of some personal magical insights.
The fellow students listened earnestly, as if they had gained some enlightenment.
Professor McGonagall's eyes twinkled again for a moment.
"Well explained, I am a bit more relieved now, such a version of you, at least after becoming... a professor in the future, won't make Hogwarts too abnormal."
Professor McGonagall's words paused for a moment, but overall seemed to be praising Ian. In the eyes of most little wizards, this was already a very high evaluation.
"Looks like Ian will also teach our next generation in the future."
"What? Ian will also teach my son in the future? Great!"
"That's hilarious, you won't even have a son."
...
Everyone chattered among themselves.
They only stopped when Professor McGonagall skillfully scanned the room sternly.
Everyone resumed their magical practice.
This time, quite a few students succeeded.
It was clear that Ian's guidance was effective, but there were still some students struggling, which is a matter of talent; Professor McGonagall patiently provided one-on-one guidance without any favoritism.
Soon.
The bell rang, marking the end of the class.
After class.
The students packed up their books and left the classroom, just as Ian was about to leave, Professor McGonagall called out to him.
"Ian, hold on, would you stay for a moment?"
Professor McGonagall spoke.
Ian looked at Professor McGonagall with some curiosity and nodded. After the classmates had all left the classroom, Professor McGonagall walked up to Ian, her eyes carrying a deep look.
"Mr. Prince."
Professor McGonagall suddenly used a very formal address.
She hadn't been this serious for a long time.
"I noticed that when you transform, it's as if you possess a unique mastery. I want to verify with you... have you secretly mastered Animagus?"
Her gaze fixed intently on Ian, seemingly searching for an answer from his expression. Ian heard this question, feeling a slight tremor inside, but he quickly calmed down.
This wasn't anything unspeakable.
"Professor, why do you ask this?"
Of course.
Ian wanted to know how Professor McGonagall discerned this. Seeing Ian not refute, Professor McGonagall was now a hundred percent sure of her suspicion.
"You are truly... very bold!"
Professor McGonagall wanted to scold him a bit, but Ian's intact standing there proved that Ian hadn't failed, she could only raise her hand, bite her teeth, and subsequently sigh.
"May I see your Animagus?"
As if suddenly switching tone.
Professor McGonagall's voice suddenly became calm.
"Of course, you can refuse, after all, for a wizard, an Animagus form can certainly be held as a trump card." She did not intend to forcibly require Ian.
"No problem."
Ian had no qualms about it either.
He transformed immediately.
To his surprise.
Originally just expectant-faced Professor McGonagall, her expression froze directly upon seeing his Raven Form, as if witnessing something unbelievable.
"A magical life!?"
She clearly sensed something extraordinary.