Chapter 2[Edit]

The Hogwarts Transfiguration classroom, located in one of the castle's towers, was spacious and well-lit thanks to tall windows that let in natural light. The walls of the room were decorated with numerous illustrations depicting the various stages of transfiguration, intended to inspire students and remind them of the power of this form of magic.

In the center of the room were long, solid wooden desks, arranged in neat rows. Each desk was wide enough to accommodate two students who could work together on tasks. The desks were equipped with special mats that protected the wooden surfaces from accidental spells and alchemical accidents.

The laboratory tables, located at the front of the classroom, were higher than the desks and stocked with a variety of transfiguration equipment, from simple matches and needles to more complex objects. Each table also had ink and parchment on which students could record their observations and the results of their experiments.

In the corner of the room stood a large, massive fireplace, which not only warmed the room on colder days but also provided a place where Professor McGonagall could demonstrate more complex transfigurations. Above the fireplace hung a portrait of Albus Dumbledore, who often looked down on the students with a gentle smile. This was annoying to Nero, as it was a show of power by the Headmaster of Hogwarts. It was common knowledge that the people in the portraits could travel between paintings and presumably report unusual phenomena to the living Headmaster.

Professor McGonagall's desk was on a raised platform, from where she could easily observe the entire class. It was neatly organized, with parchments, inkwells, and quills neatly arranged. There was also a small stack of Transfiguration books on the desk, which the professor often used as reference materials during lessons.

On one wall hung a large blackboard, on which Professor McGonagall wrote spell formulas and notes for lessons. This blackboard was also used to demonstrate the theoretical aspects of Transfiguration, helping students understand complex concepts.

A variety of display cases dotted the room, showcasing successful Transfigurations from simple everyday objects to intricate magical artifacts. These exhibits served as inspiration and goals for students in their exercises.

It was currently 09:59, and most students were seated. Nero glanced around as he settled into the last row next to a random Slytherin student. He paid little attention to him, though the sight of a low-born representing their house in the school Quidditch competition made him feel uneasy.

Ignoring the Slytherin beside him, Nero observed his peers. A certain blond head stood out among the Slytherins—Malfoy.

"By Merlin, those two idiots are rumored to be having quite the affair with Malfoy."

"Khhhh..."

His desk mate stifled a laugh, joined by others nearby. Nero thought he heard the blond mutter something about his father under his breath.

On the Gryffindor side, two key figures were missing. The bushy-haired Mudblood was absorbed in her textbook, seemingly valuing theory over practical Transfiguration skills.

"...The flow of mana into the wand must be precisely condensed... Sigh..."

"Granger, do you always have to read aloud? Not everyone wants to hear your monotone."

Seated in the last bench on the left, Nero had a wide gap between him and the Gryffindors on the opposite side of the room. Hermione, in the third row on the right near the empty space, clearly heard Nero's comment. She turned with visible irritation to look at the black-haired Slytherin in the back row.

Their eyes met, and Hermione regarded him with a frown.

"I'm sorry if it bothers you, Blackheard, but some of us want to master the material well."

Nero smiled smugly, his mind brimming not only with the system but also with superior knowledge of spellcasting and mana manipulation. Theory was now overshadowed by his desire to prove his superiority over Granger.

Nero: "Really? Maybe instead of reading aloud, try to understand what you're reading. Unless it's too challenging for you. After all, your rat always ends up as some twisted animal-object hybrid. Perhaps Muggles actually drink and eat from animal skulls. Who would have thought? It explains why you don't even know what a glass looks like, Granger."

Hermione frowned, struggling to maintain her composure as Nero's cutting words struck a nerve.

"I understand perfectly well what I'm reading. Maybe you should focus on your own lessons instead of criticizing others."

Nero shrugged dismissively, still regarding her with disdain.

"Understanding theory is one thing; putting it into practice is another. Not everyone has the talent for both."

Hermione straightened, ready to defend her approach.

"Practice complements theory. That's why I read aloud—it helps me remember and understand spells better."

Nero shook his head condescendingly.

"Reading aloud won't make you better. It's a waste of time. Practical exercises, like the ones I focus on, are what count. But I suppose not everyone can excel in that."

Hermione couldn't hold back any longer.

"You may be talented, Nero, but without hard work and understanding the theory, you won't get far. Talent isn't everything."

Nero smirked.

"That may be true, Granger, but you're the one struggling with Transfiguration, not me. Perhaps it's time to reconsider your study methods?"

Hermione met his gaze with determination.

: "You may have turned a lizard into a goblet, Nero, but that doesn't mean you're superior. We're all here to learn, each with our own methods."

In the last Transfiguration lesson, Nero had nearly transfigured a lizard into a goblet. Fortunately, Hermione hadn't noticed that his goblet was made of transparent scales rather than crystal. It might have looked like crystal from a distance, but the professor could discern the difference. Fortunately, the professor hadn't announced it to the whole class, giving Nero some leverage.

Nero shrugged.

"Well, clearly your methods don't suit me. But good luck, Granger. Perhaps one day you'll catch up to my level."

Ignoring his final comment, Hermione returned her focus to her textbook. For her, results mattered more than words.

As the lesson began to unfold, Nero found himself chuckling once more. He couldn't wait for the practical part of the lesson to showcase his newly acquired abilities.

Just then, the classroom doors burst open, and Harry and Ron rushed in, gasping for breath. Professor McGonagall, already at the front of the room, regarded them sternly.

"Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley, could you please explain why you're late to my lesson?"

Ron, still catching his breath, spoke up first.

"Sorry, Professor. We got lost... I mean, we had trouble finding... uh, we couldn't find our books."

Harry, also breathless, added quickly.

"Yes, Professor. And Flint was causing a disturbance in the hallway again. We had to get past him, which delayed us."

Professor McGonagall stared at them coldly, arms crossed.

"Flint causes a commotion every day, Mr. Potter. I've already addressed this with the Headmaster. However, that's not a sufficient reason for being late to class. Your textbooks should also be in order. Do you have them?"

Ron and Harry exchanged a glance, then glanced down at their bags. Unfortunately, Harry didn't find the required textbook in his schoolbag. However, to his relief, Ron located his copy among the pile of other items.

"Yes, Professor," Ron replied, holding up the textbook like a trophy, a sight that almost prompted Nero to laugh at the absurdity of the situation.

"Very well. Consider this your final warning. Another late arrival will result in detention. Now, please take your seats and join the rest of the class."

Harry and Ron quickly settled into their seats, avoiding the curious gazes of their classmates as McGonagall resumed her lesson.

"As I was saying, today we will be practicing transforming animals into objects. This will be the final lesson dedicated to this topic, so I expect everyone to pay close attention."

Hermione, seated in front of the two renowned Gryffindors, looked back at them with a faint smile.

"You could have come up with a better excuse, you know."

Ron sighed.

"Yeah, you're right. But let's not push our luck with McGonagall."

Harry nodded, eager to move past the awkward start to their day.

"Yeah, it's not worth the risk. McGonagall doesn't take detention lightly."

The lesson commenced shortly after, beginning with a review of the Vera Verto spell—a specialized incantation used for transforming small creatures into inanimate objects. It was a potent spell, albeit restricted to creatures under one meter in height. However, as the theory continued, there were hints at a more advanced spell capable of transmuting larger creatures.

When the Ministry of Magic banned the teaching of the Vera Verto spell, access was restricted to families possessing an ancestral scroll. Nero knew only one family with such access—the Blacks.

Notorious for their dark history, Bellatrix Black, an infamous supporter of Voldemort, was rumored to have used Vera Verto to transform numerous Muggles into twisted torture objects. However, her misuse of dark magic exacerbated her madness, as reported in a Daily Prophet article Nero had read a year prior. This led to her abandonment of the spell.

The Vera Verto spell itself required precise manipulation of magical energy from wand to core. For smaller objects, adjustments were minimal, but timing these adjustments correctly posed a significant challenge.

Previously, Nero had relied on a deceptive technique to achieve satisfactory results with less effort. By intuitively sensing and maintaining the right level of magical power, he could attain an "A" on spell tests, though not perfect transfiguration.

This method was taught by Slytherin prefects to ensure every house member could meet the minimum standard for Vera Verto, boosting Slytherin's prestige compared to other houses. Now, nearly every Slytherin in Nero's year could produce a nearly perfect goblet, with few exceptions.

As the theoretical portion of the lesson concluded, practical transfiguration began. Nero received a cage containing a crystal lizard from Professor McGonagall. Intent on registering the Vera Verto spell in his system, Nero cast the spell at his desk, not aiming to transfigure the lizard but to activate the spell's recognition.

[-------------]

Name: Neron Blackheard

Rase: Pure-blood wizard

Skill:

-Levitation Spell(100/100) [+/-] (Wandless Magic required for evolution)

-Weaker anthropomorphization spell(100/100) [+/-] (Wandless Magic required for evolution)

PS:99999999...

[-------------]

At this point, Nero realized something intriguing about his newfound abilities. The system he used to register spells seemed to operate on a different or closely related magical system. Having mastered the Vera Verto spell to its fullest extent, Nero discovered he no longer needed to recite the spell aloud. Instead, his focus on mana manipulation and visualization became paramount, similar to how he approached the levitation spell without needing wand movements.

Having reached this pinnacle, Nero found himself capable not only of transmuting small creatures into objects but also reversing the process—an ability that typically required a separate spell. Now, it came effortlessly to him.

With a clear understanding of the intricate art of this peculiar spell, Nero decided to create something that would not only elevate his standing in the class but also serve as a perfect decoration for his dormitory.

After some time, Professor McGonagall approached the last row where students were concluding their transfiguration attempts. As she reached Nero's desk, her eyes widened in astonishment. There sat a flawless crystal goblet, unlike any she had seen from other students. Crafted from black glass, it featured an intricately engraved giant snake coiled around its stem.

"Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention please."

The entire class turned to face Professor McGonagall, who pointed directly at Nero's goblet.

"I want you all to look at Mr. Nero's work. What he has accomplished here is a masterpiece of transfiguration. Even though it has only been a week since our last lesson, see what can be achieved with dedicated study outside of class."

McGonagall seemed to attribute Nero's sudden mastery to his extra efforts in his dormitory. Technically, practicing transfiguration outside of class was against school regulations, but this detail seemed to escape the professor's notice in that moment.

Meanwhile, on the Gryffindor side, a mix of confusion, jealousy, and envy filled the air.

The familiar trio—Hermione, Harry, and Ron—gazed at the goblet with disbelief and envy, Hermione in particular.

"How did he manage that? I've never seen anything like it."

"That slimy snake, it's just not fair."

Nero, wearing an expression of smug satisfaction, met Professor McGonagall's gaze confidently.

"Thank you, Professor. I tried to pay homage to our school by using the Slytherin symbols," he said, tearing his gaze away from the professor for a brief moment to glance at Hermione, who was watching from behind and blushed with anger in a matter of seconds.

Professor McGonagall nodded in appreciation.

"Not only did you pay homage to Slytherin, but you also demonstrated extraordinary precision and skill. Engraving a crystal goblet is an extremely difficult task, and you did it with excellence. Your work shows that you have a natural talent for transfiguration."

Hermione, unable to resist, raised her hand.

"Professor McGonagall, how is it possible that Nero's cup is made of black glass and not ordinary crystal like ours?"

"This is precisely what shows the advancement of Mr. Nero's transmutation. He not only transformed a lizard into a cup, but also changed the material from which it is made, which is a task at a much higher level than ordinary transmutation."

"Perhaps you would like to answer that question, Mr. Blackheard."

"Of course, Professor. To create a different type of material during the transmutation process, one must understand the shape and deeper structure of the substance into which the creature is to be transformed. This requires knowledge, but also experience, because understanding the magical resonance that a given material emits is crucial. Without a mental sense of the resonance of the magical material, knowledge alone is insufficient."

"And the patterns are a matter of proper manipulation of mana during the transformation."

"Thank you for that answer, Mr. Blackheard. Twenty points for Slytherin. Now, please help your classmates if you'd like, and the rest of you, please continue your attempts. In the next lesson, each of you will have to perform transfigurations for a grade."

Nero smiled with superiority as he looked at the bushy-haired witch from the third bench, who was constantly staring at the newly created cup.

Nero: "Maybe you should spend more time on practical exercises, Granger. Theory isn't everything. Haha..."

The narcissism in Nero's voice caught the professor's attention, unfortunately.

"Mr. Blackheard, although your skills are impressive, remember that humility is just as important as talent. Now, let's all get back to work. Congratulations again, Nero. Your work will be distinguished."

Nero nodded, still smiling with satisfaction. The students returned to their attempts at transfiguring small animals into goblets, now even more determined to improve their skills.

However, Nero, having some free time since he didn't feel like helping anyone learn, decided to think about how to obtain wandless magic. Unfortunately, he didn't have the right book to learn it. With advanced knowledge of the levitation spell in his head, he came up with an idea on how to try to obtain the desired ability. Today, though, he still had a potions class waiting for him before he could go to his private room in the dormitory to develop this skill.