"Read less. Sleep more."
Ethan took one look at the dark circles beneath Hermione's eyes and immediately knew she must have stayed awake half the night studying for their very first class.
"This is magic," he continued honestly. "You don't need to treat it like advanced mathematics."
For once, Ethan genuinely meant every word.
He himself hadn't seriously studied any of those horrifying theoretical models either.
There were two things in the world guaranteed to drive people insane the deeper they investigated them.
Cthulhu.
And mathematics.
"But Transfiguration follows extremely strict theories and formulas," Hermione insisted stubbornly.
"Miss Granger," Ethan said patiently, "we're literally studying magic."
Honestly, Ethan still wanted to ask McGonagall about the souls inside transformed creatures. He simply had no useful advice for Hermione because magic itself was fundamentally irrational.
The first requirement for casting a spell successfully was believing it would succeed.
As for all those terrifying theoretical structures?
Most adult wizards probably ignored them too unless they planned to research or create entirely new magic after graduation.
Which explained why Hogwarts students transformed into zombies every exam season.
"To cast magic successfully," Ethan said, "you first need confidence that the spell will work."
"But if nobody has successfully cast it before," Hermione argued immediately, "then how can anyone believe it will work?"
"Ethan!" Ron suddenly interrupted while leaning through the classroom doorway. "Class ended ages ago. Harry and I are heading back to the common room. I brought wizard chess."
Then he glanced suspiciously toward Hermione.
"You've already explained enough."
Hermione's cheeks instantly turned bright red.
"You two go ahead," Ethan replied honestly. "I actually want to ask Professor McGonagall something."
Since Ethan genuinely seemed occupied, Harry and Ron eventually left together.
First-year schedules remained wonderfully relaxed. After Transfiguration, they only had Herbology before dinner.
Edward had been completely right.
Hogwarts barely resembled proper school at all.
Especially since most magical subjects required surprisingly little effort if a student merely wanted passing grades.
"Do you really have a question for Professor McGonagall?" Hermione asked suspiciously once the classroom emptied.
Then her cheeks reddened again.
"Or are you planning to laugh about me with your friends?"
Ethan looked genuinely confused.
"Why would I mock you?"
He raised an eyebrow.
"For outperforming ninety-nine percent of the class? Any troll stupid enough to mock that should feel honoured to exist in your presence."
Hermione immediately burst out laughing despite herself.
Then she quickly tried regaining composure.
"So what exactly are you asking Professor McGonagall?"
"I want to know whether transformed creatures count as alive or dead," Ethan answered while packing away his books. "Aren't you curious too?"
Hermione froze.
"…Actually, yes."
She immediately straightened.
"Then I'm coming too."
Ethan glanced at her thoughtfully.
Under normal circumstances, this would probably mark the beginning of some long-running childhood romance full of rivalry, banter, hidden feelings, and emotional tension stretching across seven years.
Unfortunately, Ethan was half Dementor.
His emotional range remained severely questionable.
He possessed kindness, curiosity, hunger, and occasional amusement.
Romantic attraction?
Not really.
Especially not toward eleven-year-olds.
Besides, Ethan felt absolutely certain Hermione would flee screaming the instant she learned his true identity.
People barely tolerated werewolves.
Dementors ranked considerably lower on society's popularity scale.
At least werewolves only transformed once per month.
Dementors rarely transformed into humans outside fairy tales.
And those fairy tales probably ended badly.
Professor McGonagall's office sat along the second-floor corridor near a large window overlooking the Quidditch pitch.
Ethan knocked politely.
"Enter."
McGonagall's voice sounded softer than during class, though it still carried the same stern professionalism.
Inside, fire crackled warmly within the fireplace, filling the office with comforting heat.
McGonagall herself sat behind a desk covered in parchment while preparing future lesson plans.
When she looked up and saw Ethan and Hermione together, a faint smile immediately appeared on her usually severe face.
Clearly, she appreciated diligent students.
"Mr Norton. Miss Granger."
She folded her hands neatly.
"Have you encountered difficulties in your studies? I'm always pleased to assist hardworking students."
"Professor," Ethan began carefully, "during class today, I noticed something while watching your Transfiguration."
McGonagall immediately misunderstood.
"If you're asking whether first-years may attempt advanced living Transfiguration," she said sternly, "the answer is absolutely not."
Hermione visibly shrank.
"Animating living creatures is third-year material at minimum, and even then it remains highly restricted. Transfiguration is extraordinarily dangerous."
Her eyes sharpened.
"Do not become overconfident merely because you succeeded once today, Mr Norton."
"That's not actually my question," Ethan corrected politely.
McGonagall paused.
Ethan continued calmly.
"When you transformed the desk into a pig… was it truly alive?"
Hermione instantly pulled out parchment and a quill.
The speed nearly frightened Ethan.
"Interesting," McGonagall admitted after several seconds of silence. "Very interesting."
She leaned back thoughtfully.
"That question already has an established answer, though it isn't covered in your introductory textbooks."
Both children immediately focused harder.
"Transfiguration," McGonagall explained, "can alter the form and structure of objects through magic. However, it still obeys several fundamental laws known collectively as Gamp's Basic Laws of Transfiguration."
Ethan listened carefully.
"Your question," she continued, "touches directly upon one of Gamp's Five Principal Exceptions."
She folded her hands together.
"Living creatures cannot be permanently created through Transfiguration."
"For example," McGonagall explained patiently, "a button may become a beetle. A desk may become a pig. However, these transformations are temporary."
"Once the sustaining magic dissipates, the object returns to its original form."
Hermione wrote furiously.
"Even if transformed creatures appear alive," McGonagall continued, "their existence depends entirely upon the wizard's magic."
"They possess imitation life."
"They are not truly alive."
Ethan slowly narrowed his eyes.
So the "Soul Strength" he observed earlier…
Wasn't actually a soul.
It was magical power imitating one.
Then another thought appeared immediately afterward.
If he absorbed that imitation soul…
Would it still increase his soul integrity?
....
Join my P@treon FOR FREE and get 5 advanced chapters.
Paid members can get upto 60+ chapters ahead of the public release.
Link : [email protected]/thebookaddict