Next Morning — Hufflepuff Dorms
Keith woke as sunlight filtered through the enchanted window of Cedric Runcandel's old room. The air felt slightly different—charged.
A soft chime echoed in his mind.
System Notice:
Host has signed in at a Special Location: Hufflepuff Dorms (Runcandel Room)
Rewards: Complete Knowledge of Herbology
Keith smiled.
"Raphael."
His ultimate skill activated, and in a breath, every herb, every magical plant, every growing condition and advanced spellwork related to Herbology filled his mind like a perfect library.
To the Great Hall
Keith, Rias, Helena, and Susan walked together toward the Great Hall. The chatter inside was lively.
Keith's eyes scanned the tables:
Ravenclaw: Hermione was animatedly chatting with Penelope Clearwater and a few first-year Ravenclaws. Slytherin: Daphne and Cassandra sat elegantly, quietly eating but occasionally glancing around with their usual composed expressions. Slytherin (elsewhere): Draco was desperately trying to brag about his broom skills, trying to recover some dignity after yesterday's "incident." Gryffindor: Ron—who had quickly glued himself to Neville—was loudly bragging about being friends with "The Boy Who Lived," even though Neville looked embarrassed.
Keith didn't care about any of that.
He and his small group reached the Hufflepuff table.
Cedric smiled warmly. "Morning, Keith."
Tonks grinned mischievously, ready to tease.
Keith beat her to it.
"Tonks, when you turn your hair pink, you look so adorable that I feel like taking you with me and spoiling you rotten."
Tonks froze.
Then her hair instantly turned pink.
Then bright red.
Then pink again.
Her face matched it.
Cedric burst into laughter; Rias smirked; Helena giggled; Susan blushed for Tonks.
Tonks sputtered, "K-Keith! You— you can't just say stuff like that in the morning!"
Keith only sipped pumpkin juice calmly.
Transfiguration Class
After breakfast, Keith, Susan, Rias, and Helena walked together to the Transfiguration classroom.
Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw shared the first-year session. Hermione instantly waved when she saw Keith.
"Good morning, Keith!"
"Morning, Hermione."
They sat near her.
On the professor's desk sat a tabby cat.
Susan and Helena both whispered:
"She's so cute…"
They almost moved to pet her.
Keith sent a telepathic warning:
"Stop. That's Professor McGonagall."
Both froze and immediately sat back down, straight as boards.
Hannah Abbott, however, did not get the memo. She walked confidently to the cat with treats.
The cat did not take them.
A few students giggled.
Then the class quieted as the cat leapt off the desk—and transformed mid-air into Professor McGonagall.
Half the girls who tried to feed her turned red.
Professor McGonagall began the lesson, teaching the fundamentals of basic transfiguration.
Finally:
"Your first task: turn a matchstick into a needle."
The Students Attempt
Hermione tried immediately.
Rias tried calmly.
Susan and Helena focused intensely.
Hermione managed a partial transformation—the matchstick became silver-colored but still wooden.
Susan and Helena achieved nothing but sparks.
Rias, however, finished her transfiguration smoothly, her matchstick becoming a clean, polished needle.
Professor McGonagall nodded sharply.
"Excellent work, Miss Runcandel. Twenty points to Hufflepuff."
Keith's Turn
Keith casually spun the matchstick between his fingers, almost bored.
Then he lifted his wand.
Students around him gasped softly—not because of the spell, but because his wand radiated an elegant, ancient beauty.
With a single flick, the matchstick became a perfect needle.
Then, with an artistic motion, he carved a tiny, detailed statue of Rias on top of the needle's head using transfiguration micro-control.
Rias's entire face flushed red.
The surrounding students whispered:
"That control…"
"He carved with transfiguration?"
"What kind of monster talent is that?"
Professor McGonagall stared, genuinely impressed.
"Another twenty points to Hufflepuff! Mr. Runcandel… that was advanced-level precision."
Then she did something she almost never did for first-years.
"Mr. Runcandel, would you mind teaching your classmates the correct approach?"
Keith nodded politely and stepped up to the front.
Keith Teaches
With Raphael assisting his understanding, he broke down the theory so simply that even the slowest students could follow.
He used gestures, visual explanations, and simplified magical theory until everything clicked.
By the end of the class:
Ninety-five percent of Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw successfully transformed their matchsticks.
McGonagall looked at Keith like she was staring at the reincarnation of Merlin.
Hermione stared at him like she had discovered a new hero.
Rias looked at him like he was the only person in her world.
And by the time they left the classroom…
Keith's fame had exploded.
People whispered everywhere he walked:
"Is that the Runcandel?"
"He taught half the class in one day!"
"He's so handsome—did you see him smile?"
"He made McGonagall impressed…"