Thick Of It

The Great Hall was bathed in flickering light from the enchanted ceiling, lightning illuminating the faces of eager students and the ominous shadows cast by the floating candles. As the Hogwarts Choir sang their eerie tune, I couldn't help but notice the thematic foreshadowing. "Something wicked this way comes?" I thought. A bit on the nose, isn't it?

My attention shifted as Dumbledore approached the podium. He had a way of commanding the room without effort, like he already knew the ending to the story and was letting us in on it bit by bit.

"Professor Lupin," Dumbledore announced, introducing the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. I clapped along with the others, though my eyes lingered on the man standing unassumingly at the staff table. He looked tired— someone carrying too much history on his shoulders. Defense Against the Dark Arts always seems to attract the cursed ones .

Then came the announcement about Hagrid. It wasn't entirely surprising; Dumbledore was loyal to those he trusted. Still, the line about "remaining limbs" almost made me choke on my pumpkin juice. Poor Hagrid, I thought, stifling a grin. At least the man's got enthusiasm. He'll need it with some of the creatures he's bound to introduce.

And then, the mood shifted. Dumbledore mentioned the dementors, and a noticeable chill crept through the hall. Students murmured, and even the bravest faces faltered. M

Dementors at Hogwarts. A calculated risk. The Ministry didn't trust Dumbledore enough to let him handle Sirius Black alone, clearly. But putting creatures like that in a school full of children? That wasn't caution; that was desperation.

Dumbledore's warning confirmed my suspicions: "They will not distinguish between the one they hunt and the one who gets in their way." Chilling words. And true. The Ministry was essentially unleashing wolves into the pasture to guard the sheep.

I glanced toward Harry at the Gryffindor table. He was listening intently, though his expression was a mix of unease and determination. He's starting to piece it together too, I thought. Black wasn't just any fugitive. He was tied to Harry in ways that hadn't yet been fully explained.

And then Dumbledore gave us that gem of wisdom, waving his hand theatrically as a candle flickered out and relit. "Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light."

Classic Dumbledore, I thought with a faint smile. A mix of inspiration and enigma. But happiness won't be much of a shield , when trouble decide to come hunting.

As the feast began, the chatter of students filled the hall again . 

It was well past midnight, the dormitory silent except for the faint rustle of someone turning in their sleep. I had been comfortably sprawled out in bed, halfway through a particularly pleasant dream involving broomstick stunts and endless pumpkin juice, when it happened.

Ding!

My eyes snapped open. Oh, it's time, I thought, heart racing in excitement. My gacha had gone live again. Sleep was for mortals. I reached for the winow , my mind already buzzing with anticipation.

let roll it .

Roll 1: Gastly.

A purple haze materialized, coalescing into the familiar mischievous grin of Gastly.

"A Pokémon? Really?!" I marveled. And not just any Pokémon, but Gastly! The perfect companion for pranks and haunting my least favorite people. Sorry, Malfoy."

But then a thought crossed my mind. Wait… dementors. They'd probably see Gastly as a floating snack. I'll have to keep him hidden for now.

Roll 2: Assassin's Creed Hidden Weapon.

Jason summoned it .

I stared as the sleek, retractable blade appeared in my hand.

"Boyhood dream fulfilled," I whispered, a grin creeping onto my face. "Every kid's fantasy—instant badassery at the flick of a wrist. Ezio Auditore would be proud."

I tested the mechanism, marveling at its precision. The glint of the blade in the moonlight was almost poetic.

Roll 3: Dora the Explorer Map (Unfilled).

A blank piece of parchment fluttered out.

"Brilliant," I deadpanned. "A map that does nothing unless I explore. I've essentially got the magical equivalent of homework." I sighed but tucked it away. It could be fun… eventually.

Roll 4: Duck.

A soft quack drew my attention to the most mundane of all possibilities. A literal duck waddled out of nowhere and looked up at me expectantly.

"Fantastic," I muttered. "Out of all mythical beasts, I get Duck here."

The duck quacked indignantly. I decided to name him daffy the duck.

Roll 5: Jessica Rabbit Nude Photo.

I froze, staring at the picture.

"Well… this is… unexpected." I coughed, quickly stashing the photo. "Some things require immediate… examination."

Making my way to the bathroom, I returned a while later, feeling somewhat sweaty but… relaxed.

Roll 6: Trunk Drip Clothes.

"My rizz is about to go intercontinental," I said, smirking. 

Roll 7: Bara Bara no Mi (No Sea Weakness).

My eyes widened in disbelief.

"The Chop-Chop Fruit? The devil fruit of the great Buggy-sama?"

I burst out laughing. "I'll be untouchable in duels! No sword can harm me now." Visions of limbs flying mid-combat filled my head. "And no sea weakness? Perfection."

Roll 8: Dora the Explorer Map (Again).

Another blank map.

"Brilliant, just brilliant. Now I've got two bits of magical homework. This better lead me somewhere epic."

Roll 9: Hawkeye Aim Training Guide.

I thumbed through the manual that appeared.

"Tips and tricks, eh? Would've preferred skill aim like Hawkeye, but fine, I'll train. Let's see anyone dodge my spells now."

Roll 10: Neon Healing.

I squinted at the information.

"Healing… with neon lights? What am I supposed to do with this in 1980?" I groaned, rubbing my temple. "Looks like I'll have to revolutionize neon advertising before this becomes remotely useful. At least I'll corner the market."

As the rolls concluded, I lay back, staring at the ceiling. Gastly floated beside me, occasionally letting out a mischievous cackle, while Sir Quacksalot had made himself at home on my desk.

"Another successful gacha," I muttered. "Jessica Rabbit photo being the top prize , that thought better stay in my head."

And with that, I drifted back to sleep, dreaming of chaos I'd unleash with my hidden blade.

The morning buzz in the Great Hall was lively, filled with the chatter of students diving into their breakfasts and discussing their schedules. Jason approached the Gryffindor table, spotting Harry, Ron, and Hermione deep in conversation, or rather, a spirited debate.

Jason: [sitting down beside them] "Morning. What's the big discussion today?"

Ron: [rolling his eyes] "Subjects, mate. Me and Harry have got ours sorted, but Hermione here is having a crisis over picking everything."

Hermione: [huffing] "It's not a crisis, Ron! I just believe every subject is valuable. Magical theory, the history of our world, practical application—how can you two just... skip over that?"

Ron: [grinning] "Easy. I like living life, Hermione. You know, experiencing things. This year's bound to be full of excitement anyway, just you watch."

Hermione: [groaning] "Ron, you're incorrigible."

Jason: [smirking] "For what it's worth, Hermione, I'm with you on this one."

Hermione: [brightening] "See, Ron? Jason gets it. What subjects did you take, Jason?"

Jason: "Arithmancy and Ancient Runes. You know, the fun stuff."

Harry: [chuckling] "Of course, Jason's taking the hard path. Why am I not surprised?"

Ron: [mocking disbelief] "Fun stuff? That sounds like torture. Mate, why do you lot do this to yourselves?"

Hermione: "Because some of us have goals, Ron. Jobs. Aspirations. Unlike you, who seems content with coasting through life."

Ron: [leaning back smugly] "What's wrong with that? I'm living the dream—no job stress, no deadlines. Just me, my rat, and a simple life. That's what I call winning."

Hermione: [throwing up her hands] "Honestly, you're impossible!"

Jason: [grinning] "You've got to give it to him, though. Ron makes a compelling argument. But I'd rather make a breakthrough, sell it, and live my version of the simple life—retired and sipping Butterbeer by the Black Lake."

Harry: "I could get on board with that. The less I think about the future, the better. I've got... enough going on."

Ron: [grinning triumphantly] "See? Even Harry's on my side. Looks like you're the odd one out, Hermione."

Hermione: [spluttering] "You—you... Ron Weasley, you're impossible!"

Harry: [grinning] "And that's the first time I've seen Ron leave Hermione speechless."

Jason: [laughing] "Alright, alright, let's not gang up on Hermione. Chasing dreams is noble, Ron, even if it's not for everyone."

Hermione: [smiling gratefully at Jason] "Exactly. Thank you, Jason. At least someone understands."

Jason: [shrugging] "And if you're stuck on what to take, Hermione, why not consult Professor McGonagall? She's your head of house—she'll have some advice."

Hermione: [thoughtful] "You're right. I'll do that after breakfast."

Ron: [snorting] "Oh, I'm sure she'll love hearing you want to take every subject. You might break her, Hermione."

Jason: [grinning] "If anyone can handle Hermione's academic enthusiasm, it's McGonagall. She's probably got a plan for this exact scenario."

The group burst out laughing as Hermione shot Ron a glare. The Great Hall's atmosphere felt a little lighter with the Gryffindor table's banter echoing through the air, and Jason, for once, found himself enjoying the moment rather than strategizing.