A Lesson in Humility

The third-year students discussed the events of Hagrid's class during lunchtime, while the students at Hogwarts finally learned the origin of the strange rainbow.

The question on everyone's mind was: how did he do it?

It should be noted that currently only the students of Beauxbatons, her academic staff and her family knew of her ability to generate illusions. It would be no fun to spoil the surprise, so he explained the principle of refraction of light in water droplets and fooled everyone with an ingenious use of the Aguamenti spell.

Although Luna seemed more interested in believing that she had discovered a new power of the hippogriffs to bring joy to the world.

Soisen shrugged and ate his salad with garlic croutons, he was in the mood for something more spicy today after the excitement of the flight. Which was interesting, because he really wasn't much of a fan of broom flying and since learning and modifying the battle transition, he didn't need it anymore.

But for some reason, letting Buckbeak take him flying really amused him. Maybe it's because he didn't have to worry about controlling the flight and just had to enjoy the experience.

Malfoy had an expression as if someone had slapped him in front of everyone as a fellow Slytherin, whose name Soisen couldn't remember, helped him remove the thorns from his face with small tweezers.

Should I tell her that there's an easy potion to brew that fixes that painlessly and quickly?

...

Nah, who knows if he's using this event to hit on her. He seems to be being very careful.

He wasn't going to blow his chance, it wasn't that bad.

Wasn't he?

...

-What's going on at the Gryffindor table? -Ginny asked as she noticed a commotion near them, having already proudly assumed her identity as a Galegold house student.

Soisen looked away from the salad to see what event happened next, as it should be soon when Seamus Finnigan came running in with a copy of The Prophet shouting that they saw Sirius Black in a village near Hogwarts, though he never managed to remember which village in question.

Strange, he didn't see Seamus anywhere.

-Isn't that your brother, Ginny? -Polmacers, one of the new first-year students, asked, "And the one next to him must be Potter," he added.

-I think they're arguing over a package Harry received," commented Luna, who was watching the scene through a hole in her French toast, "But I don't see why they're arguing with Hermione.

Soisen connected the dots immediately.

Third year. Package. Hermione.

If she wasn't mistaken, Harry should have received a new broom with no return address and Hermione was worried about that, as perhaps it was Sirius sending a cursed object and she wanted Professor McGonagall to requisition it for close examination.

A valid concern indeed, but the two quidditch idiots seemed unable to conceive that something related to their favorite sport could have been tampered with malicious intent by someone who wouldn't even deign to leave their name on an anonymous gift.

Now, Soisen had a serious doubt because the information in his head seemed a bit fuzzy.

Shouldn't the package have arrived after the Dementor attack on the Quidditch pitch? By then, Potter's broom should have been destroyed by the Boxing Willow.

Or is that one of the butterfly effects of his actions?

As expected, when the head of the lion house came over to see what the fuss was about, Hermione didn't hold back and told her her concerns, resulting in the temporary seizure of the broom. It was only when McGonagall left, that Harry directed an angry look at Hermione and Ron even added several hurtful words, which caused Hermione to leave in tears.

Fortunately, instead of running to the toilets for a possible troll attack, she ran into Sylvia on her escape and after giving the idiot duo a death glare, she took her to comfort her at the table at home.

-They've seen Black! -Seamus burst in at that moment, holding the newspaper in his hand, but Soisen paid no attention to him and was thinking of other things. His gaze slowly shifted to the Weasley twins, who, as their eyes met, greeted him cheerfully.

He walked over to them and they whispered so no one would hear them. Ten minutes later, Soisen handed them some sickles as well as a marble and the twins left with a smile anyone would recognize.

How about playing a harmless little prank on Potter and Ron to teach them a lesson in humility?

The marble he gave the twins is made of polished salt crystal and contains small coordinates to make it easier for him to know where to project the illusion. Too bad it can barely withstand thirty minutes before it disintegrates and scatters in the wind, leaving no trace but a faint smell of burnt salt.

The twins only needed to accomplish two things. Put the marble under Ron's mattress and make sure the other roommates were not present during the prank. That is, they needed Neville and company to suffer a classic Weasley prank that would keep them out of the dormitory for the night.

...Later that same night....

-I still can't believe Hermione wasn't able to shut her big mouth," Ron complained. "That was the latest model! Who's going to waste time and money making a move like that? I'm telling you, Harry. That girl's a weirdo.

Harry nodded absently as he lay down on his bed.

-Where are the others? -He asked as he realized it was just the two of them in the bedroom.

-My brothers played pranks on the others and you'll have to spend the night with Madam Pomfrey until all the feathers fall out of their bodies," laughed Ron.

...In Soisen's room...

-I suppose they should be in bed by now," he said to himself as he stared at the geared clock from which purple smoke was billowing. He opened the Marauders' Map and after folding a few pages, confirmed that they were both alone in the dormitory, in their respective beds.

-I've had all day to think of the perfect lesson for both of them, inspired by one of our upcoming lessons no less - fortunately for Potter and Ron, it wasn't vindictive at all. Not in the least.

-It's time to go out and play, Pennywise.