In the morning, Ariana felt that today would be a truly beautiful day. She had escaped her monotonous, boring past life and reunited with her long-lost relatives. On top of that, with Tom's help, she had successfully gained admission to Hogwarts. Most importantly, besides Herbology class this afternoon, Gryffindor and Hufflepuff had a joint class tonight!
For Ariana, who wasn't in the same house as Tom, joint classes were the only time she could see him outside of meals and free time. Each of these classes was a rare opportunity worth looking forward to—or so she thought.
In the afternoon, Herbology class with the gentle Professor Sprout lived up to her expectations, giving Ariana the illusion that all classes could be this enjoyable. But by evening, that delightful fantasy was shattered.
Tonight's class was Professor Binns' History of Magic.
If the Young Wizards were asked to vote for the most dreaded class, excluding Slytherin, nearly all students would cast their vote for Snape's Potions class. But if Potions were excluded, and setting aside the Defense Against the Dark Arts classes with their unpredictable teaching quality, every student in all four houses would likely agree on History of Magic.
What should have been a grand and fascinating subject had been reduced to a lullaby by Professor Binns' monotonous lecture style—especially in an evening slot. After a full day of rigorous study, the physically and mentally exhausted Young Wizards were all struggling to stay awake.
Hannah's head nodded rhythmically as her quill drew endless, meaningless waves across the parchment. In the distance, Harry and Ron had slumped over their desks, heads together, breathing evenly in near-sleep.
Even Ariana, a ghost who technically didn't need sleep, found her eyelids growing heavier under the flat, soporific tone of Professor Binns. Unlike Snape, Binns didn't notice new students. He didn't bother reviewing previous lessons but simply continued from where he had left off.
So boring… Ariana thought. This Professor isn't even as interesting as the short stories in The Quibbler.
Meanwhile, Tom lay sprawled on his desk, chin resting on his paws, tail lazily flicking behind him. Observing the nearly asleep classmates, an idea sparked in his mind.
"(￣ω￣) Is there a way to make this class a bit more interesting?" he mused.
Looking at Hannah, who was sound asleep, and Hermione, whose eyes were glazing over, Tom formulated a plan. On the platform, Professor Binns continued, oblivious:
"During the Goblin Rebellions, the rebels used a fire-breathing Copper Pot as a weapon. This weapon was later known as the 'cauldron,' and this period of history was dubbed the 'Hot Pot Offensive' by later generations."
A moment in history that should have been fascinating sounded unbearably dull in Binns' lifeless recitation.
Wait… Professor Binns doesn't seem to care what students do in class, right?
Tom's ears twitched. He looked up at the professor, reached into thin air, and pulled out a Copper Pot. Next, he wrote a few words on a piece of paper and stuck it to the pot:
[cauldron – Replica Version]
Taking a deep breath, Tom aimed at the Copper Pot.
Whoosh!
Golden, crackling flames erupted from the pot, splashing in all directions. Startled, the Young Wizards froze—but quickly realized the sparks looked fiery without generating any actual heat.
"Wow!" they gasped, their sleepiness instantly vanishing.
Tom glanced at Professor Binns. As expected, the professor didn't react. Confident, Tom pulled out several sheets of paper and skillfully folded them with his paws. Within seconds, two rows of tiny figures appeared: Origami Goblins with pointed ears on one side, and Origami Wizards holding thin paper wands on the other.
Above the Goblins' heads, transparent bubbles appeared with tiny, moving lines of text:
"Down with Wizard tyranny! Magic belongs to the Goblins!"
"For our treasures! For our freedom! Charge!"
The Origami Wizards' bubbles read:
"Exterminate the heretical Goblins! Stop the rebellion of magical creatures!"
"Wands belong to Wizards! And besides, we paid for those treasures!"
Hannah, who had been woken up at some point, burst into laughter, quickly covering her mouth but unable to suppress her shaking shoulders.
Even Hermione, initially conflicted between proper behavior and curiosity, turned her attention to Tom's miniature performance. She watched, torn between "This must be against school rules" and "But this is really interesting."
Meanwhile, Professor Binns continued reading as if nothing was happening:
"Later, to seize the treasures hidden in Gringotts, the Goblins attempted to use the cauldron to break through the lines."
At the right moment, the Origami Goblins in Tom's miniature theater struggled to push the Copper Pot:
"One, two, three, push!"
Of course, the Copper Pot didn't move—the paper Goblins were far too weak to budge a real pot. Exhausted, the little figures slumped over in defeat.
Professor Binns droned on:
"Due to the timely relocation by the Wizards, the Goblins' offensive ultimately yielded nothing. Some records suggest that their failure was caused by building the Copper Pot too massive; after the dragons pulling it were struck down, they could no longer move the giant cauldron."
He paused, as if in thought.
"Of course, this is merely anecdotal. Next, we will continue with the later stages of the Goblin Rebellions."
Yet no one in the class heard the rest.
"Wait… did the Professor just… sync up with Tom's performance?!" Harry whispered, wide-eyed.
Laughter exploded throughout the classroom like a contagious spark. Even Hermione, usually the model student, had to lower her head, shoulders shaking as she tried to suppress her amusement.
By the next class, although Professor Binns continued in his hypnotic, monotone voice, the classroom atmosphere had changed completely. Students were no longer drowsy. Some giggled quietly, some imitated Tom with origami plays, and others drew comic-like scenes of the Goblin Rebellions in their parchments.
Even Hermione, in a small act of defiance against her usual self-discipline, passed a note to Tom:
[Although I shouldn't, I have to admit, this is the most interesting History of Magic class I've ever attended.]
Tom blinked, drew a tiny Copper Pot on the back of the note, and passed it back.
The History of Magic lecture continued, but now a special spark had quietly emerged amidst the dry recitation. When the bell finally rang, many Young Wizards found themselves wanting more—a remarkable first in Hogwarts' history.
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