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Vison gathered the students in a clearing beside the Black Lake.
"Do you think he'll teach better than Professor Kettleburn?" one of the Weasley twins whispered to his brother.
"Idiot!" the other rolled his eyes, clearly exasperated. "We haven't even taken Professor Kettleburn's class yet!"
"Oh... right. We're only in our third year."
"..."
Vison chose to ignore the two buffoonish redheads.
Clapping his hands sharply, he got everyone's attention. "First of all," Vison smiled at the gathered students, "I have a few rules. One: no one approaches the magical creature I'm about to summon unless I give permission. Two: put away your wands. We won't need them today, and using one rashly will only get you into unnecessary trouble."
Though the students began whispering, they obeyed, tucking their wands back into their robes.
Vison nodded in approval. Then he raised a finger to his lips and let out a sharp, clear whistle.
At once, the bright sky above seemed to shudder. Dark clouds swirled in from every direction, blotting out the sun. Even the giant squid in the lake lifted its head, disturbed by the sudden change.
Before the students could react, a streak of white lightning ripped through the sky, followed by a deep, rolling thunderclap that made many flinch.
"Professor!" someone yelped. "It's going to rain!"
But before anyone could scatter, a figure burst through the clouds—a great creature with mismatched colors that swooped down from the heavens.
The students froze in awe as Laiyi, the Thunderbird, circled above them before landing gracefully beside Vison. It folded its twin pairs of wings neatly and lowered its head.
Vison stroked the creature's neck with a gentle smile. "Who can tell me what magical creature this is?"
It was an easy question—few creatures in the world had two pairs of wings.
"Thunderbird, Professor!" a student blurted out.
Vison's eyes flicked over. Hufflepuff.
"Hufflepuff gets five points," he said, nodding. "But next time, Mr., please remember to raise your hand first."
Whispers and murmurs rippled through the students.
"Quiet," Vison commanded, stepping forward and bringing Laiyi closer to them. "Everyone, meet the focus of today's lesson: the Thunderbird. This is Laiyi. She's still a newborn, so she can be a little mischievous. But her temper... well, it's probably better than some of yours."
The class chuckled, their excitement mounting. A Thunderbird! Even those who didn't know much about them knew they were ranked on par with dragons—rare, powerful, and dangerous.
In the front row, Fred Weasley couldn't hide his eagerness. He crept a few steps closer, hand extended towards Laiyi.
The Thunderbird tilted its head, letting out a soft warning cry.
And then—
"Boom!"
A bolt of lightning struck the ground right beside Fred, leaving a smoking black mark and the faint scent of burning.
"Merlin's beard!" Fred yelped, stumbling back and falling on his rear with a pale face.
The other students shrieked and jumped back.
Vison arched an eyebrow, watching calmly. "Very good, Mr. Weasley. Seems you completely ignored my instructions. You've now experienced Laiyi's warning system firsthand."
Fred gulped, still trembling as he eyed the majestic bird—who stood there unbothered, wings tucked and head high.
Of course, Vison had made sure Laiyi wouldn't actually harm anyone. That lightning bolt was controlled. Had it been real... well, his teaching career would have ended before dinner.
Letting his gaze sweep over the students, Vison's eyes lingered on Fred for a beat before addressing the class again. "Thunderbirds are creatures extremely sensitive to danger. To approach one, you must suppress every hint of malice—be it in your thoughts, your emotions, your posture, or even your breathing. Many magical beasts are the same. The first step in dealing with them is to restrain your inner hostility."
A tall student cautiously raised his hand. "Professor, how exactly do we do that?"
Vison smiled, recognizing the Hufflepuff boy who had correctly named Laiyi. "Good question, Mr...?"
"Cedric Diggory, Professor," the boy replied.
"Excellent, Mr. Diggory. Please step forward."
Cedric hesitated but obeyed, walking up to stand between Vison and the Thunderbird, glancing nervously at the huge creature and back at his classmates.
Vison placed a reassuring hand on Cedric's shoulder and handed him a honey nougat—swiped, as always, from Dumbledore's stash. "Relax, Mr. Diggory. Your task is simple: offer Laiyi this candy and earn her trust."
Cedric swallowed hard. He believed Vison wouldn't let him get hurt, but the crackling lightning from earlier still made his pulse quicken.
Vison regarded the boy thoughtfully. Cedric Diggory... an excellent student—brave, kind, and just. A pity, really, that in another timeline, his life ended too soon. And a Hufflepuff, no less, which made Vison even more inclined to help him.
"Remember," Vison continued, addressing both Cedric and the class, "malice isn't just in your thoughts. It shows in your heartbeat, your breath, even in how you hold yourself. Laiyi can sense it all."
Cedric nodded, focusing as he extended his hand toward kiana the candy balanced on his open palm.
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