The three boys stepped into the classroom just as the lesson was about to begin.
"I swear those stairs were deliberately trying to make us late!" Ron muttered, rubbing his still-red nose as he entered first. He glanced at the empty podium and let out a relieved sigh. "At least we're not too late. The professor isn't here yet."
Harry shot Adrian a grateful look. "Thank goodness we left early, or we definitely would have been late."
"Actually, I think the professor is already here," Adrian said quietly, his eyes fixed on the tabby cat perched on the podium. He quickly found his seat, leaving his roommates looking confused.
Harry and Ron exchanged puzzled glances until they sat down and watched the tabby cat leap gracefully from the stage. Mid-air, its body twisted and transformed until Professor McGonagall stood before them, straightening her emerald robes.
Both boys stared in amazement. Now they understood Adrian's cryptic comment, though they couldn't figure out how he'd known the cat was their professor.
Professor McGonagall raised an eyebrow at Adrian's knowing expression but simply nodded approvingly before addressing the class.
"Before we begin, understand that Transfiguration is among the most complex and dangerous subjects you will study at Hogwarts," she announced, her voice stern and commanding. "Anyone planning to treat my classroom as a playground may leave now and save us all the trouble."
To emphasize her point, she casually waved her wand and transformed the wooden podium into a snorting pig, then back again with fluid precision. The first-years gasped appropriately.
Adrian watched from the front row, genuinely impressed despite knowing what to expect. The seamless transformation of dead wood into living flesh reminded him that magic wasn't just party tricks, it was the power to rewrite reality on a whim.
After explaining the theory behind Transfiguration, Professor McGonagall distributed matches to each student. Their task: transform the match into a silver needle.
As she began her detailed explanation of the spell mechanics, Adrian heard the now-familiar chime in his mind.
[Ding!]
[You listened carefully to the professor's explanation. The content was moderately challenging. Your Transfiguration proficiency has slightly improved!]
He mentally accessed his information panel, noting the new addition:
[Transfiguration Spell Level 0 (6/100)]
At least the system was consistent. But after spending half the class practicing the same spell repeatedly, Adrian's initial optimism began to wane.
"Mr. Blackwood!"
Professor McGonagall's sharp voice cut through the classroom's frustrated muttering, drawing every eye to Adrian's desk. She had been making her rounds, observing students either waving their wands frantically or staring at stubbornly unchanged matches with growing despair.
The professor had already praised Hermione for her impressive progress, her match had taken on a distinctly needle-like appearance. This small success had softened McGonagall's stern expression slightly.
Now she fixed Adrian with a disapproving stare.
"I believe I mentioned that spellcasting requires focus, Mr. Blackwood. Mindless repetition won't compensate for lack of concentration."
"You need to visualize the end result clearly. What should this silver needle look like? How should it feel in your hand?"
"Yes, Professor McGonagall. I understand," Adrian replied politely. Under her watchful gaze, he focused intently and traced the wand movement with deliberate precision.
The match trembled on the wooden desk, responding to his magic like metal shavings drawn to a magnet. For a moment, it began to lengthen and narrow, actually resembling something needle-like. Then, as if his concentration had snapped like an overstretched rubber band, it reverted to its original form with an almost mocking little pop.
Professor McGonagall nodded curtly, apparently this was the expected result for most first-years, and moved on to terrorize other students.
"Well, that was humbling," Adrian muttered under his breath.
The initial rush of proficiency gains had slowed to a crawl, and he wasn't earning points with every attempt anymore. It seemed the system reflected actual skill development rather than just rewarding practice time. Of course it couldn't be that simple.
A sharp poke in his ribs interrupted his brooding. Harry was practically vibrating with excitement, pointing at his desk.
"Adrian! Look what I managed!" Harry's voice carried across half the classroom.
Adrian glanced over and saw two objects that bore a passing resemblance to needles, pointed, somewhat shiny, and definitely not matches anymore.
"That's brilliant, Harry. You're a natural," Adrian said, and meant it. For a first attempt, it was genuinely impressive work.
Harry beamed. "I can hardly believe it worked! Living with the Dursleys, I was terrified I wouldn't be able to do magic at all. They made it sound like I was some kind of freak accident."
The relief in his voice was unmistakable. Adrian felt a pang of sympathy for what Harry had endured, but wasn't surprised by his quick progress. The Sorting Hat didn't praise students' magical potential lightly, and Harry would eventually master a corporeal Patronus at thirteen, hardly the work of a mediocre wizard.
Not that I'm jealous, Adrian told himself firmly. Not everyone can be naturally gifted.
A quick glance around the classroom confirmed that most students were struggling as much as he was, which provided some comfort. Then Professor McGonagall's voice rang out again.
"Excellent work, Miss Granger! As you can see, Miss Granger has successfully transformed her match into a proper silver needle. Five points to Gryffindor!"
A few rows away, Professor McGonagall held up a perfect needle that gleamed under the classroom's magical lighting. Hermione sat straighter, chin raised proudly as she accepted the mixture of admiration and envy from her classmates.
Adrian stared at the flawless transfiguration and felt his fragile confidence crumble entirely. Right. So much for everyone being at my level.
"Damn it" Ron grumbled, glaring at his own failed attempt. "I was so close! If I'd had just a few more minutes, that should've been me getting praised."
Adrian glanced at Ron's desk, where a blackened, twisted piece of wood bore no resemblance to either a match or a needle. Sure you were, Ron.
Still, Adrian couldn't claim to be doing any better. In fact, he might be doing worse.
So much for the protagonist power-up, he thought wryly. What happened to the massive talent boost from soul transmigration? The enhanced mental capacity? All those convenient plot devices from every isekai story ever written?
The Sorting Hat's assessment of his magical abilities was looking more accurate by the minute.
Of course, Adrian suspected his wand compatibility issues weren't helping. If magic was like electricity flowing through circuits, then his wand was currently experiencing regular short-circuits. No wonder his spells kept failing at crucial moments.
Unfortunately, he couldn't exactly stroll into Diagon Alley for a new wand without raising uncomfortable questions. He'd have to make do with his current equipment for the foreseeable future.
By the time class ended, Adrian had made one small discovery. By channeling magic through his wand erratically, he could produce a thin beam that seemed to cancel unstable transfigurations, returning them to their original state. It wasn't particularly useful except for the occasional prank, but at least it was something.
As Professor McGonagall dismissed the class, another system notification chimed in his mind.
[Ding! After persistent effort, Transfiguration class has concluded. Continue working diligently.]
[Overall performance evaluation: Average]
[Evaluator: Minerva McGonagall]
[Reward: 5 Grade Points]
Grade points? Adrian blinked in surprise. I can earn rewards just for attending class?
He quickly accessed his system panel and found a new exchange option had appeared:
[Study Genius Experience Card: Greatly increases learning efficiency for one hour.]
[Cost: 100 Grade Points.]
Adrian stared at the price and felt his enthusiasm deflate like a punctured balloon. Five points per class, and he needed a hundred for one hour of enhanced learning? At this rate, it would take him a month of perfect attendance to afford a single boost.
Well, he thought, I suppose there are worse problems than being forced to study hard.
The next class was History of Magic with Professor Binns, who possessed the remarkable ability to make even the most dramatic magical conflicts sound like grocery lists. Adrian spent the entire period trying to stay awake while the ghostly professor droned about goblin rebellions with all the passion of someone reading a phone book.
Despite his best efforts to engage, he received another "Average" evaluation and five points. Apparently, staying conscious was achievement enough in Binns' class.
[Ding!]
[History of Magic class completed!]
[Overall performance evaluation: Average]
[Evaluator: Professor Binns]
[Reward: 5 Grade Points]
Charms proved more challenging. Professor Flitwick explained the fundamentals of channeling magic through objects, essential groundwork for the Wingardium Leviosa spell they'd learn later. But Adrian's wand compatibility problems made every attempt an exercise in frustration. He managed to accidentally destroy three practice feathers and came dangerously close to singeing Neville's eyebrows.
His performance earned him a "Poor" evaluation and only two academic points, barely better than Neville's.
[Ding!]
[Charms class completed with minimal success.]
[Overall performance evaluation: Poor]
[Evaluator: Filius Flitwick]
[Reward: 2 Grade Points]
Meanwhile, Hermione mastered the basic technique in three attempts, because of course she did.
The one bright spot was his exploration progress. After several days of mapping Hogwarts' corridors and discovering hidden passages, he'd reached 30% completion on his exploration task. Each percentage point earned him two academic points, giving him a total of sixty additional points.
[Exploration Progress Update: Hogwarts Castle 30% Complete]
[Reward: 60 Grade Points]
It was far more efficient than classroom performance, and infinitely more interesting than listening to Professor Binns recite dates like he was auctioning off historical events.
Finally, Adrian had a realistic path to earning his first Study Genius card. Now he just had to decide whether one hour of enhanced learning was worth nearly two weeks of exploration and mediocre grades.