"Prepare yourself, Soren Whitlock…"
Jacqueline leaned forward, eyes sparkling with mischief.
"Alright, Soren. First question…"
Soren braced himself.
"What is the name of the magical law that forbids underage students from performing magic outside Hogwarts?"
Soren's eyes widened.
"Oh—uh—The… Underage Sorcery Protection… something?"
Jacqueline smirked. "Incorrect."
One of the Gobstones shot upward—
SPLAT!
A foul-smelling green liquid splashed across Soren's cheek.
"BLUGH! That is disgusting!"
Jacqueline burst into laughter.
"It's the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery, genius!"
Soren wiped his face, glaring playfully.
"Fine. My turn."
Jacqueline straightened, confident. "Ask away."
Soren thought for a moment… then grinned.
"How many staircases are in Hogwarts?"
Jacqueline's smile froze. "Uh… seventy?"
Soren shook his head slowly. "Wrong."
"Wait—WAIT— I meant—!"
Too late.
SPLAT!
A brownish Gobstone squirted right into her hair.
"AGHHHHH—IT SMELLS LIKE OLD BOOTS!"
Soren laughed so hard he fell backwards. "That's what you get for trying to trick me!"
Jacqueline wiped her hair, pouting, "I hate Gobstones. And I hate staircases. And I hate YOU."
But she was smiling.
---
Penny Haywood and Cassie Alcott appeared at the courtyard steps, curious.
"What's going on here? We heard screaming."
Jacqueline pointed at Soren with an accusing finger. "He made me get sprayed!"
"You tricked me first!"
Cassie giggled. "Are you two playing Gobstones?"
Soren nodded. "Yeah. Want to join?"
Penny set her books down, excited. "I've always wanted to try! Though… I've also heard it's disgusting."
Jacqueline sighed, wringing her hair. "It is disgusting."
Cassie sat beside them cheerfully. "Then it sounds fun!"
Penny laughed. "Alright. Who's asking the next question?"
Jacqueline pointed at Soren dramatically. "He is. And I swear if I get sprayed again, I'm hexing him."
Soren lifted another Gobstone with a wicked grin. "Ladies… prepare yourselves. And since you arrived just now, I will ask you first."
"So Cassie, is it okay to ask you first?"
Cassie straightened, confident. "I'm ready, you can ask me."
Soren grinned, hearing this, and smiled mischievously, "What's the exact number of kittens Professor McGonagall owned when she was eleven?"
Cassie blinked. "W–WHAT?! How am I supposed to—"
SPLAT!
A Gobstone blasted her right in the nose.
Cassie coughed, face dripping with foul green liquid.
"EW—SOR—EN!"
The others burst into laughter.
Cassie wiped her face and glared daggers at him. "My question now. What is the name of our potions textbook?"
Soren didn't even blink. "Magical Drafts and Potions."
Cassie slumped in disappointment. "Ugh. That's correct."
She shot him a wrongful glare.
Penny stepped forward next, determined.
"Alright, Soren. Let's see how you answer my questions."
Soren smiled confidently. "Ask away."
"What's the curing charm for minor skin burns?"
"Episkey."
Penny's eyes widened. "H-how did you know that so fast?!"
Soren shrugged. "My mother uses it all the time when I get burned in the kitchen."
Penny groaned. "Fine… now your turn to ask."
Soren smiled wickedly. "Okay, Penny. What is the legal lifespan of a Flobberworm during a full moon?"
"What—?"
SPLAT!
A thick brown liquid splashed across Penny's robes.
Penny squealed and slapped her hands over her face.
"SOREN WHITLOCK!! WHY are your questions so weird?!"
Jacqueline cracked her knuckles dramatically.
"Alright. My turn. Let's see if you can answer this, Whitlock."
She leaned forward.
"How many secret passages lead out of Hogwarts?"
Soren answered instantly. "Seven."
Jacqueline deflated again. "Ugh. Correct."
Soren leaned forward with an evil grin. "My question now."
Jacqueline braced herself. "What is the average temperature of a kneazle's tail fluff?"
Jacqueline stared at him. "That's not even a real—!"
SPLAT!
A spray of foul-smelling gunk splattered across her face and hair.
Jacqueline screamed in frustration. "WHYYYY!!"
---
All three girls wiped their faces in frustration and turned toward Soren…
Giving him three deathly, murderous glares.
Soren gulped. "…I get the feeling none of you liked my questions."
"Soren Whitlock—your brain is BROKEN."
"No one asks about Flobberworm moon lifespans."
"Or McGonagall's childhood kittens!"
Soren raised his hands defensively.
"You didn't say they had to be NORMAL questions!"
All three girls advanced slowly.
Penny said in a dangerous tone, "Next round… we're teaming up."
Followed by Cassie, "Against YOU."
Jacqueline was also not behind, "Prepare to suffer, Whitlock."
Soren laughed nervously. "Okay asked?"
Jacqueline crossed her arms. "Alright, Whitlock… new rule."
Penny leaned forward with a wicked grin. "Forget questions."
Cassie lifted a Gobstone threateningly. "We're playing real Gobstones."
Soren blinked. "…What? Why—"
He never finished the sentence.
SPLAT!
A Gobstone flew straight at him and exploded foul-smelling liquid all over his robes.
"WHAT THE FUCK YOU ARE—?!"
But before he could recover—
SPLAT! SPLAT! SPLAT!
Three more projectiles hit him.
Jacqueline wagged a finger at him.
"It's Hogwarts. Maintain your language. No slang."
Soren stood there dripping, smelling like rotten dragon dung and despair.
Ten minutes later, Soren stumbled out of the Clocktower bathroom, hair still damp, robe fresh, face full of betrayal.
"You three are CHEATERS."
Penny snickered as she walked past him, still wringing the Gobstone filth from her hair, "Look who's talking."
Jacqueline stuck her tongue out before heading into the bathroom, "Says the boy who weaponizes weird questions."
Cassie added while following, "Revenge delivered."
Soren rolled his eyes dramatically. "I will remember this. And I SWEAR—one day I will take my revenge. In Gobstones."
From inside the bathroom, all three girls mocked in unison, "Yeah, yeah—keep dreaming!"
Soren changed into another clean robe, muttering under his breath. "Why am I friends with them again…?"
---
A few minutes later, the girls returned—clean, fresh-robed, and smelling significantly better.
Penny plopped down next to Soren, "Well… I think Gobstones was fun."
Jacqueline nodded, still smiling, "It was fun. Except for the part where it ruined my hair."
Cassie stretched her arms behind her head, "Totally worth it."
Soren glared at all three of them.
Jacqueline reached out and gently held his face, turning it toward her. "Oh, don't hold a grudge.
It was all in good fun, Soren."
Soren tried not to smile. Tried very hard. "…Whatever."
Penny hopped to her feet, full of new energy. "Okay! Let's go back to the Clocktower Courtyard. Maybe there's something else happening there!"
The others agreed.
Soren stood up last, still grumbling, but secretly enjoying himself.
Together, the four walked back toward the courtyard—laughing, teasing, and already feeling like a little found family.
When Soren, Jacqueline, Cassie, and Penny reached the Clocktower Courtyard again, they found a crowd of students gathered in a tense circle.
Soren frowned. "What happened?"
Cassie tugged his sleeve. "Don't know. Let's push through."
They squeezed between the students, and the moment they reached the center, Soren's anger ignited.
Merula Snyde stood there, arms crossed, wand out, towering over Ben Copper, who was trembling badly.
"You mudblood… Admit it. I am the most powerful witch at Hogwarts."
Ben didn't speak. He could barely breathe.
Before Merula could continue her bullying—
Soren stepped forward and stood between them. "That's enough, Merula."
Merula's eyes narrowed into slits. "Why are you interfering in my matters?"
Soren stared at her down. "Because I will stand against every injustice."
Merula let out a cold laugh.
"Didn't you learn your lesson? You're looking surprisingly well after wrestling with Devil's Snare."
Soren clenched his fists.
Jacqueline stepped beside him.
Cassie glared.
Ben hid behind Soren, shaking.
Merula smirked again at him, "While you were off playing with plants… I've been doing a little research about your sister."
Soren stiffened. "Why were you researching my sister?"
Merula's expression turned deadly serious. "Because you're a danger to Hogwarts.
Just like her. And none of us will be safe until you're both gone."
Cassie gasped. "What are you talking about, Merula?!"
Merula raised her chin proudly, savoring the attention of the crowd.
"Soren's sister wasn't just searching for imaginary vaults. She was blamed for endangering the entire school."
Penny immediately stepped forward.
"Merula, stop! That's a lie!"
Merula ignored her.
Her voice hardened. "People said she was even seen with Voldemort."
Penny screamed. "You can't say that name! It's He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named!"
Merula shrugged casually. "I say what I want."
Soren stepped forward, furiously, "You're lying about my sister! She had nothing to do with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named!"
Merula smirked, enjoying every second of Soren's anger. "No wonder the professors were talking about you before the feast."
Soren froze. "…What?"
Merula leaned forward, whispering loudly enough for the entire crowd to hear, "They're wondering if you work for the Dark Lord too."
The courtyard fell into absolute silence.
Ben gasped.
Jacqueline's eyes widened. Penny stepped in front of Soren protectively. Cassie's face turned furious.
And Soren—
He laughed.
A calm, sharp, cutting laugh.
Everyone froze.
Even Merula looked confused.
Soren stepped toward her slowly, voice steady and cold.
"Look who's talking. The girl whose own family has a history of serving He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named."
Hearing it, Merula became angry. "You don't know anything about me!"
Soren's eyes hardened. "No, Merula. I know everything."
The crowd leaned in.
"I know your parents are locked up in Azkaban."
Merula's face went pale. Ben's jaw dropped.
"And why? Because they were loyal pets to the Dark Lord during the Wizarding War."
Merula clenched her fists, trembling.
Soren stepped closer.
"So don't you dare point your finger at me—or my sister."
Merula's breath hitched. Her pride, her ego, her mask—cracking.
But Soren wasn't finished. His voice dropped another bomb, "You're also just a little girl
terrified that if I catch you doing something bad,
I'll spank your bottom like the naughty brat you are."
The courtyard erupted with gasps.
Merula's face turned red, then white, then red again.
Merula screamed in anger, "Afraid?! YOU THINK I'M AFRAID OF YOU?!"
She ripped her wand from her robes.
"FLIPENDO!"
A blast of magical force hit Soren square in the chest.
WHAM!
Soren flew backwards and hit the ground hard. Students cried out. Jacqueline rushed toward him.
"SOREN!"
Penny glared at Merula, horrified. "That was unprovoked! You attacked him!"
Cassie looked ready to hex Merula on the spot.
But Merula didn't care. She didn't apologize. She didn't even hesitate.
She just smirked, chin lifted in arrogance, and walked away, pushing through the crowd like nothing had happened.
The courtyard remained frozen, silent, stunned.
Soren lay on the ground, breath knocked from his lungs, but his pride fully intact.
Because he had won the argument. He had struck where it hurt most. And Merula Snyde knew it.