Chapter 310: A Day Trip with Gryffindor
"The most important thing about Transfiguration is that your belief must be strong, and you must have a clear understanding of your target," Kyle said.
In the Room of Requirement, he transformed a table into a small, half-meter-tall stone statue, then controlled it to slice the apple in front of him cleanly in half. A short distance away, Hermione diligently took down his words, adding even more detailed notes.
In truth, Kyle had originally planned to check on the Venomous Tentacula in the greenhouse, but he couldn't very well admit that in front of Hermione. Instead, he had come up with the excuse of practicing Transfiguration. What he hadn't anticipated was that Hermione was nothing like Harry or Ron; as a bookworm with a boundless curiosity, she wasn't content with a passing remark.
She had already witnessed Kyle's Transfiguration abilities at the Duelling Club, which had given her a firsthand impression of just how advanced he was. Whether driven by curiosity or by her desire to keep the Polyjuice Potion project under wraps, Hermione insisted on tagging along to observe his practice. Her determination was impossible to dismiss.
Resigned to keep up appearances, Kyle had no choice but to spend over half an hour performing Transfiguration in an empty room.
"It's not as difficult as you think," Kyle said, picking up half of the apple from the floor. He took a bite and handed the other half to Hermione. "I suggest you try to perceive the structure of objects around you on a deeper level. Not just with your eyes, but with magic."
Hermione took a bite of the apple, pondering his advice. "Like the stone statues you conjured?"
"Start with something simpler—like an apple, a table, or a pair of slippers," Kyle said, shaking his head. "Those statues are complex magical constructs and even include elements of ancient alchemy. It's difficult to understand their structure with magic alone... at least, I can't do it yet. Actually, I didn't transform a stone statue, but rather enchanted armor that resembles one."
After his explanation, Hermione took a closer look and noticed that the "stone statue" did indeed have subtle gaps, much like armor, though they were well-disguised and easily missed without careful inspection.
"Did you learn all this in the Transfiguration Club?" Hermione asked, intrigued. "I heard from Fred and George that you joined Professor McGonagall's Transfiguration Club. What's it like... is it similar to the Duelling Club?"
"It's much smaller and only for students in their third year and up," Kyle explained. "Professor McGonagall teaches us advanced techniques that aren't on the regular exam syllabus, so it's more like an advanced Transfiguration class. But I can't give away too much—it would spoil the surprise, and Professor McGonagall insists on secrecy."