The old man and the young wizard exchanged lighthearted words before moving on to the formal teaching.
Dumbledore first assessed Ivan's current level of magic and found that Ivan had already mastered most of the spells from the standard textbook ahead of time, which left him thoroughly impressed.
"When I was your age, I hadn't learned nearly as much magic as you have," Dumbledore remarked with a sigh, then asked, "So, Ivan, what do you think magic truly is?"
What is magic?
Excluding the idealistic aspects, Ivan's understanding could be summarized in one simple sentence: "It's the realization of one's wishes."
"Yes, a wish come true," Dumbledore agreed, not withholding any of his knowledge. He demonstrated a silent and wandless spell, transforming a candlestick into a lifelike owl.
Ivan activated his magic eye and spiritual vision to carefully observe the owl. He saw the magic aura radiating from it and noticed the traces of magic intricately woven into the creature's body.
It was so delicate and complete that it was nearly indistinguishable from a real owl.
"Amazing," Ivan muttered. Although he had always known how powerful Dumbledore was, seeing it firsthand still left him in awe of the old wizard's mastery over magic.
This was Transfiguration—magic that required the integration of thought, will, and magical energy.
In Ivan's view, Transfiguration was a branch of magic with a very low entry point but an incredibly high ceiling. Many types of magic involved some element of Transfiguration.
"This is the limit of Transfiguration that I can reach," Dumbledore said, looking at Ivan. "Do you understand what I mean?"
"Well..."
Ivan asked, "Because it's fake after all, right?"
"Yes," Dumbledore smiled and nodded, clearly optimistic about Ivan's understanding.
In his approach to Ivan, Dumbledore adopted a strategy entirely different from how he treated Voldemort, using trust and sincerity. The old man held nothing back and explained openly, "The foundation of Transfiguration is the alteration of form."
Form, as he explained, refers to the appearance but lacks true function or essence.
"Beyond that lies the transformation of essence," Dumbledore continued. For instance, turning a stone into a clock where, with sustained magic, the clock functions like a real one.
"At an even higher level of Transfiguration, the mind is involved," he added, referring to objects that, once transformed, have their own thoughts. Examples of this include the Sorting Hat or Weasly's flying car. "Take the paintings around us," Dumbledore gestured to the portraits of former headmasters hanging on the surrounding walls, "Magic portraits that can talk and have self-awareness are also products of Transfiguration."
Dumbledore explained that the three stages above weren't difficult concepts for someone like Ivan. The only real difference was how much time Ivan would need to fully master them.
"As for what comes after that..." Dumbledore paused, giving Ivan a careful glance. "Minerva told me that you can change your appearance?"
"Yes, the book says it's called Metamorphmagus' Metamorphosis ability, a natural magical ability," Ivan confirmed.
Suddenly, Ivan realized, "You mean, Metamorphosis is a higher form of Transfiguration?"
"Exactly!"
Before Dumbledore spoke, Ivan had already understood that the fourth level was different from the previous three levels: "When I change my appearance, it's a real transformation. It doesn't require magic to maintain it."
This also meant that if Ivan didn't choose to revert to his original form, he could live his entire life in someone else's appearance.
"You're very sharp, Ivan."
Dumbledore complimented him.
"As you've figured out, Metamorphosis and Animagus Transformation both involve complete, lasting changes. Unlike this owl I transformed, which is bound by a time limit, permanent changes don't require ongoing magic."
In a similar way, when a wizard uses Animagus Transformation, they can stay in the animal form indefinitely.
More than that, Dumbledore gave Professor McGonagall as an example. After she transforms into a cat, catnip has the same effect on her as it does on real cats.
'Something to note' Ivan chuckled in his mind.
From a biological standpoint, the Animagus transformation alters a person into a complete animal, even down to the genetic level.
"Unfortunately, except for Animagus, wizards have never been able to master the true meaning of Transfiguration."
"Except..."
Dumbledore hesitated, and Ivan immediately guessed what he meant.
"The Philosopher's Stone?"
"..."
Dumbledore was a bit surprised, not expecting Ivan to figure it out so quickly. His initial plan was to gradually pique Ivan's curiosity through the lesson, hoping to get him involved in Harry Potter's upcoming adventure.
Of course, Dumbledore would never truly involve Ivan in the dangerous part of the Philosopher's Stone events, as Ivan was far too advanced for the challenges set up on the third floor.
To Ivan, the traps were no more than child's play. Dumbledore's only hope was that Ivan could give Harry a bit of support or perhaps keep an eye on him if needed.
However, that plan seemed to be falling apart before it even began.
Dumbledore continued, "The Philosopher's Stone, created by Nicolas Flamel, can turn any material into gold and produce the Elixir of Life, granting immortality."
The Philosopher's Stone, also known as the Fifth Element, represented the pinnacle of alchemy.
The ability to turn ordinary stones into gold was a permanent transfiguration at the material level—something modern wizards had yet to achieve.
As the conversation followed this thread, Dumbledore began teaching Ivan the fundamentals of magic. These were not just basic lessons but core principles drawn from Dumbledore's own experiences and insights over the years.
Ivan listened intently, even though they were called "basics." He understood that this knowledge, coming from one of the greatest wizards of all time, was priceless.
Through Dumbledore's explanations, Ivan deepened his understanding of the principles behind how wizards cast spells, which in turn refined his own abilities.
His level of wandless spellcasting improved significantly as a result.
Ivan was particularly curious about the boundaries of magic and asked, "Professor, is there anything beyond permanent transformation?"
"Hmm..." Dumbledore pondered for a moment, not giving an immediate answer. He cautioned Ivan not to dive too deeply into this: "In the wizarding world, there exists a problem that even the greatest wizards cannot overcome—the concept of magical transformation."
"Magical transformation?" Ivan repeated, not entirely grasping what Dumbledore meant. "What do you mean by magical transformation?"
"Fawkes."
Dumbledore called over the dozing phoenix Fawkes, who landed on the desk singing a sweet song.
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"Ivan, do you know the essential difference between magical creatures and wizards?"
Ivan thought for a moment and replied, "Well... magical creatures can be used as materials for alchemy and potions. But wizards, no matter if it's their blood, hair, or bones, are no different from Muggles."
"Yes, wizards and Muggles are fundamentally the same."
This wasn't the kind of statement one would hear in the wizarding world, and Dumbledore wouldn't make such comments in public.
However, in this private conversation, he felt comfortable sharing it, knowing Ivan likely understood it as well.
Ivan nodded but was still puzzled.
"But wizards have magic, while Muggles don't."
"The key difference isn't simply having magic, but rather, understanding magic," Dumbledore said, giving Ivan a knowing smile.
"Understanding magic?" Ivan was still perplexed.
"Yes," Dumbledore continued. "What do you think magic really is, Ivan? What is it made of, and what form does it take?"
Ivan paused, considering the question. In other fantasy worlds—like Warcraft, Dungeons & Dragons, or similar realms—he might have said that magic is a form of energy or perhaps an elemental force that flows through the world, like an aura or mana. But this was Harry Potter, where magic didn't quite follow the same rules.
Finally, Ivan answered.
"It's indescribable... Magic is ethereal," Ivan said thoughtfully.
"You can't see it or touch it, but wizards can channel it, turning it into power that allows them to make their wishes come true."
"Yes, invisible and immensely powerful," Dumbledore agreed. "We can only witness the manifestations of magic, but we can't truly explore magic itself."
This leads to a higher level of Transfiguration beyond permanent transformation—magical transformation.
Magical transformation refers to the transformation of magical objects, or even living magical creatures. Wizards, however, are incapable of this.
While wizards can transform metals, plants, and animals, they cannot transform 'magic' itself.
"If the day ever comes when you, Ivan, can transform a stone or even a mere ball of air into a fire-breathing dragon that can not only exist forever but also reproduce, you will no longer be considered a wizard. Instead, you would be called a god."
Even Merlin, or the four founders of Hogwarts from a thousand years ago, couldn't achieve such a feat.
"I understand," Ivan nodded, taking Dumbledore's earlier warning to heart. "I won't meddle with those dangerous powers until I receive your approval."
Magical transformation essentially involves the creation of new materials and life, which is a divine realm.
For now, Ivan understood that it was enough to simply be aware of such a level of magic. Delving into it without proper understanding could result in irreversible damage—too dangerous to pursue carelessly.
Moreover, Ivan still trusted Dumbledore.
Outside of the complex plans surrounding Harry Potter, Dumbledore's character and wisdom were nearly impeccable.
Ivan didn't believe that, even with his system, he could just do whatever he wanted without caution.
"Thank you, professor."
It was getting late, so Ivan bid Dumbledore good night before making his way back to the Gryffindor common room.
The next morning, Gryffindor had Charms class together with Ravenclaw. Their teacher, Professor Flitwick, had some goblin blood, which required him to stand on a stack of books to reach the top of his desk.
Flitwick was incredibly approachable. As he called roll, he also took the time to chat with each student, quickly becoming familiar with all the young wizards.
After that, Professor Flitwick began the day's lesson.
He started by explaining some simple theoretical foundations of charms. Ivan could tell that Flitwick was a very skilled teacher.
Many complicated theories suddenly seemed easy to understand when he explained them.
Throughout the entire lesson, Flitwick's clear and detailed explanations benefited Ivan greatly. Many of his previous doubts were resolved during this class.
In the middle of the lecture, Flitwick posed a few questions on basic charm theory.
Hermione, with her quick responses, managed to outdo the Ravenclaw students and earn 3 house points for Gryffindor, which made the little witch incredibly happy.
"As expected of the Charms professor at Hogwarts," Ivan remarked to Hermione during the break. "Professor Flitwick's mastery of spells is clearly top-notch."
"Yeah!!" Hermione agreed enthusiastically, her eyes brimming with excitement and a thirst for knowledge.
"Um, Ivan..."
Neville, sitting on the other side of Ivan, scratched his head. "I... I didn't understand."
Unlike the two academic wizards, Neville felt as if he had been listening to a foreign language during Flitwick's lecture.
"Actually, we're the same," Ronald admitted, and Harry nodded in agreement.
The three of them hadn't understood much—not because Professor Flitwick wasn't clear, but simply because this style of teaching didn't suit them.
How to put it?
Some people excel at explanations, but when it comes to practical execution, they struggle.
Harry, on the other hand, was a person of action.
After observing for two days, Ivan realized that Harry was the type who relied more on "hands-on experience" than theory.
In short, Harry didn't need to hear complicated explanations. Just give him the spell and the wand, and his natural abilities would likely shine through and surprise everyone.
As for Ronald and Neville.. Ehm* their situations were different.
Ronald was more of an average student in the wizarding world. While he had potential, it was difficult to see him achieving extraordinary things in the future.
Neville, on the other hand, had a talent that was in no way inferior to Harry's.
The only problem with Neville was his lack of self-confidence.
As is well-known, magic in this world is deeply connected to one's thoughts, emotions, and willpower.
In Ivan's understanding, thinking influenced how quickly one could learn spells, mind determined the strength of the magic, and willpower governed how well one could control it.
Hermione has an exceptionally high thinking attribute, which allows her to grasp most spells instantly.
However, due to her relatively low mental attribute, it's difficult for her to cast powerful spells, and this is her major shortcoming.
Neville, on the other hand, is very slow—his thinking could almost be considered negative.
So no matter how high his mental or willpower attributes might be, he struggles to learn spells initially.
'The first step is hard for Neville, but once he gets going, everything else will be much easier,' Ivan thought to himself. 'If Neville can master just one spell, his performance might rival Harry's.'
Harry, however, has an incredibly high mental attribute and an astonishingly strong willpower, but his thinking is another story entirely.
Each attribute affects more than one aspect of magic.
For instance, thinking includes factors like memory, calculation, analysis, and reaction speed.
So, even if two people have the same level of thinking, their performance might differ depending on how the attribute is distributed.
For Hermione, her thinking is distributed roughly 5:4:1 across these aspects.
Her reaction speed is slightly above average but not extraordinary.
Harry, on the other hand, has a severely unbalanced thinking attribute, with nearly all of it focused on reaction speed—an astonishing ratio of 1:1:8.
In Ivan's terms, Harry is a natural-born combat wizard.
In battle, it would take three Hermiones to even stand a chance against one Harry, even if Harry only knew how to cast a simple Disarming Charm.
Of course, Ivan's system of point distribution focuses on maxing out all aspects of an attribute.
Once he upgrades his thinking, all related aspects—memory, calculation, and reaction speed—will reach optimal levels.
In terms of numbers, Ivan's data would be a balanced 10:10:10.
Yes, Ivan's total isn't just 10—it's a full 30.
The advantage of being in a "cheat mode" is obvious.
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