Hogwarts Wasteland: The Witch from the Borderlands

When the three arrived at the Transformation Classroom, there were already quite a few people sitting there.

Because of the decrease in the number of students, most courses are now taught together by all four colleges, which greatly reduces the teaching workload for professors.

Hermione saw Draco sitting in the corner of the classroom, surrounded by the Slytherin children. His face was still a little pale, but it wasn't too bad anymore. Hermione glanced at him, and he quickly looked away, pretending to chat with someone else.

The three found seats and discovered a rather fierce-looking tabby cat crouching on the podium. A long scar ran from its shoulder blade down to its lower back, and it was scanning all the students with a stern gaze.

Just as the sharp-tongued Ron was about to make a critical comment about the cat, Harry and Hermione covered his mouth together: "That's Professor McGonagall," they said expressionlessly.

Although Harry had mentioned this during his wand-making tutorial, Hermione still found it amazing when she first saw it. It was different from the disguise magic of the Borderlands; it was a complete transformation. However, with her superhuman senses, she was still able to recognize it.

"Didn't your parents tell you about the professor's abilities?" Hermione looked at Ron's dumbfounded expression and couldn't help but admire the Weasleys' tight-lipped nature. Of course, they might just want to see their youngest son make a fool of himself.

At this moment, all the students had finally arrived, and the tabby cat on the table leaped down, transforming into Professor McGonagall.

"Very keen insight, Miss Granger. I'm already looking forward to your performance in Divination class." To maintain the vice-principal's authority, Professor McGonagall appeared more serious than before, forcing a slight smile before turning to face everyone.

After scanning the room, she was pleased that everyone was awestruck by his transformation: "As you can see, I am an Animagus, one of the last few Animagus certified while the Ministry of Magic still existed."

"Decades ago, transforming oneself into an animal was an extremely dangerous act, and only a few wizards with a high level of mastery of transfiguration were allowed to attempt it." She paced around the classroom.

"Now, although it is difficult, we hope that every young wizard can master this magic as much as possible when they take the final wizarding exam in the 7th year. This will greatly help you as you enter this dangerous world. Of course, even if you do not master it, it will not prevent you from graduating."

If one can transform into an animal, even if captured, one can easily slip away or infiltrate enemy camps to do some shady business. Things without magical fluctuations generally don't attract much attention.

She scanned everyone, her tone suddenly turning stern: "But this doesn't mean that the discipline of Transfiguration has become simple!"

"On the contrary, because of the higher graduation requirements, you will have to undertake many dangerous endeavors while still in school." She took a deep breath. "Nobody wants their children to suffer, but if it means entrusting their fate to a darker outside world, we would rather our children take risks right under our noses!"

She strode back to the podium: "Transfiguration is a dangerous subject."

She tapped the table with her wand, and it instantly turned into a puddle of fine black powder: "Even the slightest mistake can turn the target into black powder powerful enough to blow the entire building to smithereens!"

To everyone's horror, the black powder began to burn, but before everything was completely beyond repair, McGonagall transformed it back into a complete table.

"Be careful and cautious, but also be willing to try. This is not just the attitude you should have towards all subjects at Hogwarts, not just Transfiguration."

She scanned everyone: "Now we'll start distributing textbooks. Each person will only receive one set. If any is damaged or lost, you'll have to work odd jobs in Malfoy to earn money for reprinting. I think the missed lessons will be enough for you to repeat a year."

As she spoke, she opened the small cloth bag at her waist, and stacks of textbooks that had already been sorted flew out and landed precisely on each student's desk.

"Take out the first book, 'Beginner's Guide to Transformation,' and you can go back and read the rest at your leisure."

Hermione opened the book with great interest, finally able to formally experience the magic of this world. Compared to the destructive magic of the Borderlands, the life hacks of this world seemed particularly interesting, and the application of Transfiguration was exceptionally wide. She had heard that not only McGonagall, but also the strongest white wizard she had never seen before—Headmaster Dumbledore—was a master of Transfiguration.

"The essence of magic is determination. For young wizards, the most important learning goal at this stage is to accurately channel their willpower," Professor McGonagall said.

"The application of transfiguration is precisely the process by which wizards use their own will to change everything in the world."

"But changes in all things in the world don't happen overnight. Before we formally learn Transfiguration, we must first learn—" She paused, tapped the blackboard, and a few lines of text appeared: "Gamp's Basic Transfiguration Laws."

As if suddenly remembering something, she added, "Are there any illiterate freshmen this year? If so, you can come to me after class, and I will arrange for a professor to give you extra lessons."

This was necessary because in the postwar world, many Muggle parents were unable to teach their children to read and write; they were already grateful if their children could speak fluently.

Fortunately, this year's Muggle kids have all received some level of family education, which has saved them a lot of trouble.

The first half of the class was spent on these theories. Harry and Ron had heard some of the basic concepts in the book at home, so they found it difficult to concentrate. Only Hermione listened attentively and occasionally took notes in the book.

In the second half of the class, McGonagall had everyone take out their wands. Looking at Harry's heavy shackles, even she couldn't help but twitch her lips.

"In recent years, theoretical innovations have shown that spellcasting with a wand is no longer limited to waving the wand itself." She walked among the students: "The wand is merely an extension of the wizard's will, used to help the wizard to cast spells more focused and accurately. In fact, as long as you hold your own wand, casting spells with your hand is just as effective."

McGonagall handed her wand to her left hand and with an elegant wave of her right, she transformed a curtain into a shower of butterflies: "Look closely, I didn't use any advanced wandless spellcasting techniques. I still relied on the wand, but I hid it behind my back."

"If you're in the wild, you can also try this trick to scare some laymen and make them mistake you for a great wizard."

"Now, touch your wands with one hand, and follow my demonstration with the other. As for which hand to choose, that's entirely up to you."

Hermione gripped her wand in her left hand and began to try casting a spell with her right.

The borderlands do not have this technology; instead, they attach spells to weapons in the form of soul combat techniques. Both methods have their advantages.

She saw Harry holding the flail in his right hand and casting a spell with his left, clearly preparing to go all the way with the splitting.

Hermione is very talented; it's unclear whether it's due to the body she has in this world or a gift from the Faded Ones.

She was the only one who mastered the spellcasting technique in class and successfully turned a bullet casing into a feather pen holder.

Professor McGonagall awarded Gryffindor 3 points for this. Of the remaining students, Harry could only manage to turn the bullet casings into wood, and the professor had to advise him to put the flail on the ground, as holding it up for too long would take up a lot of energy. As for Ron and Draco, they were slightly less skilled, only managing to slightly deform the bullet casings.