"It's blue, I guess, but probably not as blue, we're not all about House spirit like you guys. Lots of light, lots of books." 

"Books! Oh, maybe we can go there in addition to the library."

"Sure, I can probably let you in. Have you seen the teacher anywhere? On the way here, maybe? I didn't think they would be late, but it's the first day." 

"No, I haven't, huh. Wow, it's only a minute until class starts, I hope she's okay."

"She's a professor."

"Right, right, you're right." 

Right on time, the cat that was sitting on the professor's desk jumps off the table and turns into a human. Several students gasp.

McGonagall is -- strict. She spends the first few minutes discussing discipline, and the next few lecturing on safety. "I expect excellence from my students," she says, strolling around the room, "and if you happen to not perform as well, it will simply be because your talent do not happen to rest in my field -- and not for lack of trying."

After theory work they get to spend the last fifteen minutes of class trying to turn matchsticks into needles. 

Well, it's not for lack of trying. 

His matchsticks get sharper and pointer but the material doesn't change 

Naomi's managed to get hers to turn a vague dull grey color.

"Ugh. There must be something we're missing, but I don't know what it is."

"I think you just have to know how matchsticks are and how needles are? And then figure out the differences? That's what the book says."

"When I'm older I'm going to write a textbook that gives specific directions so no one else has to put up with this."

"When I'm older, I'm going to invent something for Transfiguration, so not everyone has to learn if they don't want."

"And you're smart, so I bet you could do it."

"Your write the books, I'll change the field, and Josh can...uh, what can Josh do?" 

"He can sell them! Slytherins are good at business, right?"

"I don't know if Josh is, he seems kind of goofy."

Chris prods at his matchsticks some more, but they remain stabby and not steely.

Naomi is not having better luck.

Chris gets increasingly anxious as they reach the end of their second period. 

This does not improve his spellwork. 

Naomi ... doesn't notice. She's focused on her own spellwork. 

At the end of class she has a very metallic but still stubbornly squarish matchstick. 

"Ugh," she huffs. "That was harder than I expected. What do you have next?"

"Charms. See you at the library." 

"Yep!" 

And Naomi is headed to Defense. She's one of the first people there and grabs a seat in one of the middle rows. 

Her boatmate enters a bit later, in a gaggle of other first years.

When he sees her, he excuses himself and makes his way to her.

"Hey. I'm Derek. We rode the boat together."

"Really? Oh, no, I didn't notice! Gosh, I'm sorry. My name's Naomi, nice to meet you."

"Derek. Derek Rowle. I'm a Hufflepuff."

"Cool! I'm a Gryffindor. Wow, does everyone have two double periods the first day?"