Hogwarts: This holy light is righteously evil

Although he had successfully transformed in the previous lesson, he did not rush to control it this time. Instead, he closed his eyes and sketched the target's appearance in his mind.

A needle.

Very slender.

It is also very exquisite.

And it's so light and airy.

Once he identified his target, he slowly activated his consciousness and, with the help of magic, began to knead the match in his hand little by little.

As he manipulated it with his mind, the matches on the table gradually changed.

The originally short and sturdy firewood was gradually stretched and thinned, and the sharp edges were gradually smoothed out, becoming softer.

The red match head and stick slowly faded away under the influence of magic.

Instead, it had a bright luster unique to metal, which shimmered slightly with silver light under the classroom lights, becoming more and more like the image of the silver needle in his mind.

Puni didn't stop; he remained focused on manipulating the magic, refining the details of the silver needle bit by bit.

He deliberately slowed down the pace, pinching the needle tip to be thinner and sharper, ensuring it could easily penetrate the fabric. He also carefully shaped a small hole at the end of the needle, just big enough to pass through a thin thread. He even used subtle magic to outline patterns on the surface of the needle.

It was the mistletoe pattern he had seen in his family's ancient books, with delicate lines that wrapped around the needle, adding a touch of elegance.

The students around him had already stopped practicing and were all focused on Puni's desk, whispering and exclaiming in surprise.

Marcos stood beside Puni, watching the silver needle gradually take shape, and couldn't help but admire, "My God, did you really need to make a match so exquisite, Puni? The transformation is so smooth."

As soon as Marcos finished speaking, Professor McGonagall, who was patrolling the classroom, came over. She leaned down to look at the silver needles on Puni's desk, a hint of approval flashing in her eyes. She nodded slightly and said to Marcos, "You're right. That was indeed an excellent spell, far beyond what a first-year student should be capable of."

Professor McGonagall knew very well that transfiguration magic was never a simple incantation; it required three things: sufficient caution, ample patience, and a rich imagination.

Puni's performance perfectly embodies these three points.

Unlike other freshmen who hurriedly recited incantations and rushed into action, he first closed his eyes to conceive and clarify his goal, which was a manifestation of his caution.

During the spellcasting process, he proceeded step by step steadily and surely, without rushing for quick results, refining the details little by little. Even when it was already in its initial stages, he did not do it perfunctorily, which is a manifestation of his patience.

At this moment, Puni still did not stop casting spells; he was perfecting the mistletoe pattern on the needle.

Professor McGonagall bent down again to examine the needle more closely.

When he saw that it was mistletoe pattern, his admiration deepened.

This seemingly inconspicuous pattern is the finishing touch to the entire transformation process, making this silver needle, which was originally just an everyday item, more ornamental and unique, and no longer monotonous.

"To generate such intricate patterns on a deformed object through one's own will is the power of imagination and a unique advantage of wizards."

Professor McGonagall spoke softly, then straightened up, gently picked up the now-formed silver needle, and raised her voice to announce to the class: "Mr. Penny Lestrange has successfully transformed a match into a silver needle. The casting process was standardized and the details were perfect—Ravenclaw Academy adds five points!"

The students all looked up, their eyes fixed on the silver needles in Professor McGonagall's hand.

Professor McGonagall ignored the students' chatter. She gripped the silver needles in her hand and softly chanted the incantation: "Grow bigger quickly!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the tiny silver needle, under the influence of magic, quickly lengthened and thickened, transforming in the blink of an eye into a finely carved awl about the length of a palm, with the mistletoe pattern on the needle's body also enlarging.

She held up the awl, gesturing to the whole class, and affirmed, "Look, everyone, this is an extremely successful transformation magic! Puni not only successfully turned the match into a silver needle, but also carved exquisite patterns on the needle. Both its shape and details are impeccable and worthy of everyone's study."

Roger strode over to Puni, patted him hard on the shoulder, his face full of helplessness and admiration: "You're amazing! To achieve this on your first spellcasting attempt, you're practically leaving us no chance of survival. I suddenly feel so much pressure!"

Professor McGonagall smiled and uttered the incantation "Stop the spell," and the awl instantly reverted to its original tiny silver needle form. She handed the needle back to Puni: "Very well done. Keep up this focus and caution, and you will achieve great things in Transfiguration."

"Thank you for your compliment." Puni took the silver needle, then suddenly remembered a question and looked up at Professor McGonagall. "Professor McGonagall, I have a question for you—this needle looks metallic now, but is it essentially wood, or has it already turned into metal?"

He had been curious about this for a long time.

Professor McGonagall smiled with satisfaction upon hearing this, pleased with Puni's thought: "That's a very good question, very insightful. In fact, you've only changed the appearance of the match, not its essence, so it's still wood, just looking exactly like metal."

Puni nodded, then pressed on, "Then, if we use transformation magic, can we change its nature and turn it into a real silver needle made of metal?"

"Of course it can be done." Professor McGonagall's tone gradually became serious as she patiently explained to him, "But I don't recommend that you try this operation lightly. The danger of shapeshifting magic lies precisely in its alteration of the essence."

She paused, then continued, "For inanimate objects, changing their nature might simply make them more robust and practical, without posing much danger."

"But what if you use this magic on yourself, trying to change your very essence? Once you change your essence, can you still be considered your original self?"

"For example, if you want to have a body of steel, you must also turn your essence into steel. At that time, your original self-awareness will be gradually lost, and you will eventually lose your true self."

Puni listened attentively, glancing down at the silver needle in his hand.

The surrounding students also quieted down and listened attentively to Professor McGonagall's explanation.

"Can one lose their essence?" Puni frowned slightly.

He looked down at the silver needle in his hand, which appeared to be metal but was actually still made of wood.

Will the holy light protect me from being lost?

Professor McGonagall took in the expression on Puni's face, assuming he was still shaken, and slowly nodded, patiently explaining further: "That's right, once the essence is changed, one can easily lose one's way if one is not careful."