Love, Reason and Horns

Soisen was eating in the Great Dining Hall, letting her mind wander as she finished waking up. They didn't have any classes today and Snape was due back this afternoon, so he intended to talk to him.

-Why are you in such a good mood this morning? -asked Ginny, who was sitting in front of him as he buttered a piece of toast. Next to him, Luna was gazing with fascination at a bunch of grapes and the other members of the Galegold household were painting a scene of indescribable harmony.

Because of Soisen's friendly attitude, the help he provided to all the first years, how he defended them from bullies and that there weren't too many people in his house, they all got along very well and became fast friends. The prefects in the other houses didn't do their duties as well and that earned Soisen their respect as well. Even a bit of hidden admiration.

Also, the fact that the inevitable feud of Percy and Ron confronting Ginny for breaking family tradition finally happened, meant that Ginny will need to cling more than ever on the trustworthy people around her. The Weasley twins and Soisen acted as buffers for both sides. While Fred and George took it upon themselves to teach Percy and Ron a lesson for being insensitive loudmouths, it was Soisen who along with Luna comforted the tearful Ginny.

He rarely argued this hard with anyone in his family and being blamed for the situation didn't make it any more bearable. In the end, Soisen even wrote to Mr. Weasley to explain what had happened and both Percy and Ron received Howlers the next day.

Only then did they start to behave themselves.

As a result of the situation, a fine crack seemed to be realized in the relationship Ginny had with her two older brothers, while she became much closer to the twins, Luna and Soisen.

An unexpected friendship born out of tragedy, one that even Soisen had not expected to establish.

-Oh, I remembered something very pleasant," Soisen answered her honestly.

It was a detail he had missed until now. Given that he had to go to Beauxbatons after Christmas?

He wouldn't have to put up with Lockhart's valentine!

In fact, she didn't pay much attention to last year's Valentine's Day because she was too young and preferred to spend the day doing something productive. He only remembered that the order for heart-shaped, rose-scented magic soaps skyrocketed during those dates.

And after reading Lily's letter this year, she felt a strong revulsion for Amortentia....

How could something so dangerous not be strongly restricted?

She had plans to leave a stern warning before she left, hanging in the common room so that her juniors would be very careful with that love potion. He would leave instructions on how he could check if a food was adulterated, how to counteract perfumes with traces of the potion, etc.

In fact, why not create an antidote? Soisen's eyes lit up at the sudden inspiration.

He could call it a Filter of Reason. He just needed it to act not only to eliminate those effects, but once ingested its properties would last for several days as an additional safety measure. That way, if someone were to give him Amortentia the day after drinking Filter of Reason, he would still be unaffected by its effects.

Snape would no doubt gladly help him create such a potion for before he had to leave, and he could prepare a large cauldron of the same potion to be handed out preemptively to teachers, making sure he could administer it to those he suspected were being tampered with.

Perhaps Soisen would earn bad looks from the young women in love by creating such a potion, but if they had to resort to something so fake that it only generates obsession and not true love, they clearly had a problem.

-What is it about? -asked the young Weasley girl intrigued.

-Well, I told you I'll have to go to Beauxbatons after Christmas. I understand that the wood nymphs there have a very nice song. The food at Hogwarts is good, but I think nourishing our spirits should also be important.

-Is that why you suggested we all have a hobby? -Delphi asked from his side.

Yes, Soisen suggested to each member of his House to pursue some kind of hobby. It could be painting, tending plants, composing music, cooking, knitting, reading, etc.

Luna, for example, began writing short stories and Ginny demonstrated a knack for painting landscapes without using a shred of magic, just with brush and a palette of colors.

She even learned to make her own colors by combining pigments in new ways!

Hogwarts can put a lot of pressure with their education and fostering an additional talent that gives peace of mind was certainly a great idea. That Soisen would provide them with basic tools to get them started with their hobby was certainly motivating.

What no one expected, not even Soisen, was that this would become one of the various traditions of House Galegold in the future.

-You can say that," Soisen laughed.

-Do you think you could bring me a blue-eyed Hofurin horn when you return from Beauxbatons? -Luna asked in her sleepy tone as she looked away from the grapes, "I understand they only live near large concentrations of beautiful young girls, feeding on the eyelashes they drop. Their horns are transparent as crystal and shine like dew during the night of the new moon.

-How can I meet one, what do they look like and how can I get hold of their horn? -Soisen didn't know if Luna's creature was one of the real ones recorded in the future or one of her creations, but if she had the time, she had no problem trying. Who knows, it could be fun and all.

-They like to spy on wood nymphs as they sunbathe in the morning. They look like yellow-skinned fairies with two little horns poking out of their shoulders and purple-blue wings. Just give them a spoonful of tangerine marmalade and they will happily shed their horns for you instantly," Luna explained generously without feeling the need to hide this important information.

-Anything else I should know?

-They like to move in groups of three, so you'll need three spoonfuls of tangerine marmalade if you want them to agree to shed their horns, as they are very social. I just want a set to make me some earrings.

-What properties do their horns have?

Luna looked around carefully and crouched down while lowering the tone of her voice so that only Soisen could hear it.

-They clear the mind, increase strength passively over time and increase your affinity for some magics, but each pair of Hofurin horns is different and only work if both from the same source are present.

-I see, I can't promise you anything Luna, but I'll try.

The little witch smiled and reached into her pocket, pulling out a jar of homemade tangerine jam. Even accustomed to her unexpected turns, no one expected that.

-Take it, it's the least I can do for bothering you. You'll need it if you find them, and you can eat something delicious if you don't," said Luna as she held out the jar.

Soisen took it unconsciously and from the temperature of the jar along with the faint aroma still lingering, he could be sure that the jam had been made recently. Almost certainly by the witch herself.

Could it be that Luna really does have some prophetic gifts?