In my world, the different human subspecies appeared when aliens arrived and decided to play around with human DNA. Gorgons appeared when they tried to mix magic in the mix.

To make it short:

Petrification works by diffusing the particle responsible for magic into the object or living being, bonding them to the atoms(through magic) and stopping them from moving.

My question is, how can it work without sending everything into absolute zero? If the particles make the atoms to move together in the same direction, keeping them moving yet still in relation to each other? Any other ideas on how you could petrificate someone by manipulating their atoms, no transmutation necessary?

To be clear, the creature or objects atoms remains of the same type and should return to the same state prior to the event.(to avoid any catastrophic events when un-petrifying).