**Chapter 66: A Duel of Transfiguration Spells with Professor McGonagall**

"Well, I think we should get some sleep. We've got a lot of classes tomorrow, don't we?" 

With that, Ron quickly turned over and pulled the blanket halfway over his head. 

Dylan shook his head but didn't say anything more. 

Neville and Seamus, meanwhile, giggled softly. 

The night passed without further conversation. 

By the next day, Ron was avoiding Dylan. 

Dylan paid him no mind. After finishing his classes, he made his way to Professor McGonagall's office. 

He was feeling a little nervous. 

Today, he planned to ask Professor McGonagall if she would engage in a practical duel of Transfiguration spells with him. 

However, he wasn't sure how she would react to his request. 

For a while, he stood hesitantly at the door, pacing back and forth, unable to bring himself to enter. 

But then, the door suddenly swung open on its own. 

"Come in," came Professor McGonagall's crisp voice. 

Dylan was startled. Before his brain could fully process what was happening, his legs had already carried him through the doorway. 

Professor McGonagall was seated behind her large oak desk, her gaze sharp and slightly curious behind her spectacles. 

"Why didn't you knock?" 

Dylan cleared his throat and grinned awkwardly. "I was just thinking about something, so I stood outside for a bit." 

Professor McGonagall didn't press further. She nodded lightly and motioned for Dylan to take out his notebook. She began explaining the finer details of the spells and answered his questions one by one. 

As they neared the end of the session, Professor McGonagall looked at Dylan with a gentle expression. 

"You already have a very deep understanding of Transfiguration. What I can do now is guide you in the right direction and help you refine your spellcasting, including secondary shaping." 

Dylan nodded, feeling a surge of determination. 

Finally, he gathered his courage, looked up, and blurted out, "Professor McGonagall, since I've built a solid foundation in the theory of Transfiguration, I was wondering…" 

"Could we have a practical duel of Transfiguration spells? We could cast spells at each other." 

Afraid that Professor McGonagall might misunderstand, Dylan quickly added, "I just want to test what I've learned. Of course, I also hope to gain more from dueling with you." 

Professor McGonagall's eyes widened slightly. Her quill paused mid-air, and a look of surprise flashed across her face. 

However, it wasn't that she disapproved of Dylan's suggestion. It was just rare for a student to propose a practical duel with a professor. 

After a brief silence, Professor McGonagall's lips curved into a smile. Instead of rejecting the idea, she looked at Dylan with approval. 

"Dylan, your courage and drive are very much in the spirit of Gryffindor. I'm pleased to see these qualities in you." 

With that, Professor McGonagall stood up, gracefully moved around her desk, and walked to the center of the spacious office. She raised her wand. 

"Come on, then. Let's see what you've got." 

To Dylan's surprise, Professor McGonagall's response wasn't as stern as he had expected. Instead, she had agreed without hesitation. 

Dylan's heart leapt with joy. 

He quickly stood up as well. 

Seeing Professor McGonagall standing calmly, watching him patiently, Dylan realized she was letting him make the first move. 

He took a deep breath and decided not to aim a Transfiguration spell directly at her right away. Instead, he focused on the paperweight on her desk, waved his wand, and clearly enunciated, "Transfiguration Shift!" 

A beam of pink light shot from the tip of his wand and struck the paperweight. 

In an instant, the paperweight transformed into a nimble squirrel, its bushy tail swishing as it darted toward Professor McGonagall. 

"Squeak! Squeak!" 

Dylan's plan was to use Transfiguration on another object first, then see if it could indirectly attack Professor McGonagall, potentially triggering the completion of a special task. 

But after a moment, he received no notification from the system. 

"A squirrel can't hurt anyone," Professor McGonagall remarked calmly, a hint of approval in her eyes. She flicked her wand and murmured, "Form Reconstruction!" 

A soft green light flew toward the squirrel. In a flash, the squirrel was enveloped in the glow and transformed into an exquisite crystal brooch, which landed gently in Professor McGonagall's hand, refracting colorful light. 

Dylan's eyes narrowed. 

Unlike duels with offensive spells, Transfiguration battles didn't have the same dramatic visual impact. 

But transforming an object that had already been transfigured by someone else required completely overpowering their magical influence and erasing it entirely. 

The fact that Professor McGonagall had effortlessly turned his living squirrel into a brooch showed just how far her mastery of Transfiguration surpassed his. 

Dylan didn't let up. His gaze fell on an umbrella in the corner, and he waved his wand again. "Property Transformation!" 

The umbrella instantly morphed into a hissing cobra, its triangular head raised high as it slithered rapidly toward Professor McGonagall, its menacing hiss sending chills down the spine. 

"Well done. Transforming objects with similar properties increases the success rate and improves the results," Professor McGonagall said with a slight smile. She sidestepped gracefully and traced an elegant arc in the air with her wand. "Reverse Incantation!" 

A silver light, sharp as a blade, flashed through the air. 

As the magic enveloped the cobra, the snake Dylan had conjured reverted to its original form—a plain umbrella. 

It fell to the floor with a soft *thud*, the metal frame clinking against the wood. 

Dylan's eyes narrowed. It was time to step things up. 

He called out a warning, "Watch out, Professor McGonagall!" 

Pointing his wand directly at her, Dylan shouted with all his might, "Vera Verto!" 

A powerful surge of pink magical energy erupted from his wand, roaring like a gust of wind as it hurtled toward Professor McGonagall. 

"Give it your all," Professor McGonagall said with a laugh. "But remember, a spell isn't stronger just because you shout louder." 

She held her wand horizontally in front of her. "Vera Verto!" 

The light from Professor McGonagall's wand was more concentrated and potent than Dylan's vibrant pink beam. It surged forward like a dragon ready to strike, colliding head-on with Dylan's spell. 

The two beams of magic clashed in mid-air, filling the office with a dazzling glow. 

The intense magical energy rippled outward like a shockwave. 

Professor McGonagall stood firm, her posture unwavering, while Dylan began to falter under the pressure. He staggered backward, struggling to maintain his stance. 

He tightened his grip on his wand, trying to push more power into his spell. 

But in the next moment… 

Dylan's spell was gradually overwhelmed by Professor McGonagall's magic. Finally, her power completely engulfed his. 

Suddenly, a round, pink, pudgy little pig appeared. 

"Oink? Oink!" 

(End of Chapter)