(21) Crazy Bonus Points!

Ian stared at the matchstick in front of him, recalling Professor McGonagall's key points. Taking a deep breath, he began to try.

He focused intently on the matchstick, imagining every characteristic of a needle in his mind.

Thin and long, silver-white, glinting sharply, flat on one end, pointed on the other...

With these thoughts in mind, Ian lightly waved his wand, channeling his magic like a flowing stream into the matchstick before him. "Needle!"

The matchstick on the desk trembled slightly and, astonishingly, began to transform.

A few seconds later, a silver-white needle lay on the table.

Ian looked at the needle, a grin spreading across his face.

Hahaha! Truly worthy of him! With the Chosen One's buff, he succeeded on his first try.

Though he couldn't yet produce intricate patterns like Professor McGonagall's, this was already impressive for an eleven-year-old wizard.

"Ian, that's amazing!" Harry, sitting beside him, exclaimed in awe when he saw that Ian had indeed turned the matchstick into a needle. "How did you do it?"

Ian was about to answer when Professor McGonagall's voice rang out.

"Ian Potter, for your excellent performance, Slytherin earns five more points."

Hearing the collective gasps from the students around him, Ian kept a humble expression but couldn't help feeling a surge of satisfaction inside.

This was exactly the kind of moment of glory he relished!

"Thank you, Professor. I simply followed the key points you mentioned earlier and gave it a try. I didn't expect it to actually work." Ian stood up, bowed slightly, and said with an innocent, well-behaved look.

Looking at Ian's well-behaved demeanor, Professor McGonagall's smile deepened. She turned to address the rest of the class:

"Ian simply followed the key points I mentioned and succeeded. I believe you all can do it too."

"The first three successful transformations will earn points for their house: second place earns three points, and third place earns one point. Let's begin!"

The class erupted into activity as students eagerly began their attempts. With Ian setting the bar high, everyone was determined to earn points for their respective houses. The classroom filled with the sound of wands waving and spells being cast.

Hermione threw herself into the task with fervor, muttering under her breath, "A needle… thin and long… a needle..."

Ian glanced left and right, a mischievous idea forming.

Why not seize this opportunity to win some favor with their professor and simultaneously appease his little girlfriend?

"Hermione, when performing the transformation, try visualizing the texture and patterns of the needle in your mind. It will help make the transformation smoother," Ian suggested, his voice gentle but firm.

As he spoke, he gestured for Harry and Ron to pay attention too, unofficially inaugurating his "Professor Potter's Mini Lecture."

"You can imagine removing the parts of the matchstick that don't resemble a needle, like sculpting clay and trimming away the excess to shape your object," Ian continued, emphasizing the word "removing."

Hermione visibly reacted, her entire demeanor shifting. Her earlier hesitation with the transformation spell faded, replaced by fluid execution.

Seconds later, Hermione's matchstick transformed into a shiny, silver needle.

"I… I did it!" Hermione exclaimed, staring at the needle in her hand, her voice tinged with disbelief.

Harry and Ron exchanged bewildered looks, blinking at each other in confusion.

They had received the same guidance—so why hadn't it worked for them?

Ian glanced at the silver needle in Hermione's hand, a warm smile spreading across his face. "Our Hermione is amazing," he praised gently.

"Hermione Granger, for your excellent performance, Gryffindor earns three points," Professor McGonagall's voice rang out once again.

The class turned to look at Hermione, their gazes filled with admiration and envy.

The girls from both Gryffindor and Slytherin, in particular, were green with envy that Hermione had the privilege of being personally guided by Ian. Many of them secretly wished the handsome boy would give them the same level of attention.

"Ian, it's all thanks to your guidance," Hermione said, her eyes practically sparkling as she looked at Ian. "You're amazing."

Ian chuckled at Hermione's excitement and gently ruffled her hair. "It's because our Hermione is so smart—just a little nudge, and you got it."

He wasn't lying. His own success in transforming the matchstick on the first try was partly due to his talent and partly thanks to the system's buffs. Hermione, however, was a different story.

Her accomplishment was entirely due to her own diligence and innate intelligence.

Looking at Harry and Ron, Ian couldn't help but compare. One was a pureblood, and the other a half-blood savior, yet they lagged far behind Hermione, a Muggle-born, in magical aptitude.

Ian had only given Hermione a slight nudge, and she grasped the concept almost instantly. It was no wonder that in the original story, even Sirius Black had praised Hermione as "the brightest witch of her age."

Hermione's natural talent for magic was undeniable.

"Professor, since Hermione and I have already completed the task, may we assist the others?" Ian asked, glancing at Professor McGonagall with a polite smile.

Professor McGonagall returned his smile and nodded approvingly. "Of course, you may."

With the professor's permission, Ian and Hermione split up to help their classmates—Ian assisting the Slytherins, and Hermione working with the Gryffindors.

The two began moving between the students, helping them with their questions. Professor McGonagall watched the bustling figure in green moving about the classroom, nodding to herself approvingly.

Humble, courteous, exceptionally bright, and willing to help others—ah, how she wished this child were in Gryffindor.

The Sorting Hat must truly be past its prime!

She distinctly remembered hearing the boy muttering that he wanted to be in Gryffindor during the Sorting Ceremony.

Well, no matter. Her house did have Hermione, another bright and exceptional student. Professor McGonagall silently consoled herself.

Ian, oblivious to Professor McGonagall's thoughts, would have been secretly delighted if he knew. After all, helping these young witches and wizards not only boosted his reputation with the professor and his peers but also showcased his abilities.

This kind of opportunity? Ian wouldn't miss it for the world.

"Miss Cassandra, are you paying attention?" Ian asked helplessly, watching as Cassandra zoned out for the third time in just a short span.

What was going on with her? How had she already drifted off three times?

"Oh?.."

Cassandra snapped out of her thoughts, noticing Ian's exasperated expression. A faint blush flashed across her face as she muttered softly, "Of course, I understood. This lady is very clever, after all."

"Yes, yes, our esteemed young lady is the cleverest of all," Ian replied good-naturedly, his tone indulgent as he gently coaxed, "Then can the young lady demonstrate it for me?"

Cassandra huffed lightly, meeting Ian's amused gaze. She raised her wand and pointed it at the matchstick on her desk, reciting the spell.

A few seconds later, a silver needle appeared in Cassandra's hand.

"See, I did it," Cassandra said proudly, looking at Ian with a smug expression.

Ian glanced at the needle in Cassandra's hand and gave her a thumbs up with a smile. "Well done, young lady."

"Of course," Cassandra replied with a haughty tilt of her chin.

Professor McGonagall observed Cassandra's excellent performance and smiled approvingly. "Slytherin earns one point."

"Thank you, Professor McGonagall." Cassandra gave a polite smile before turning back to Ian. "Well? I didn't embarrass you, did I, 'Professor' Potter?"

"Not at all. The young lady is amazing," Ian replied, chuckling at Cassandra's proud demeanor. He shook his head lightly before moving on to help the other Slytherins.

By the end of the Transfiguration class, two-thirds of the students from both houses had successfully transformed their matches into needles. The remaining third, while not entirely successful, had grasped the basics and would likely succeed with further practice.

Through his efforts to "help others," Ian not only earned the gratitude of his fellow students but also received an additional twenty points from Professor McGonagall as a reward.

Of course, Hermione also earned ten points for her own accomplishments. As for the extra ten points Ian received, they were specifically for his initiative in assisting Hermione from the beginning.

Acknowledging Ian's enthusiastic efforts to help his classmates, Professor McGonagall waved her hand generously and also awarded him the bonus points.