It was an otherwise ordinary morning.
As the owls swooped into the Great Hall like they always did, everyone's attention was immediately drawn to a long, narrow package carried by six long-eared owls.
Sherlock glanced up at it, then looked away.
Harry, like everyone else, was curious to know what was inside.
Ron, however, was too busy shoveling food into his mouth to notice.
Just as Harry was about to ask Sherlock about it, the owls descended, and the package landed right in front of him—knocking a piece of his bacon to the floor.
Harry stared at it in shock.
"What's this?"
Even Ron froze mid-bite. He reached out to open it, only for Sherlock to say calmly, "If I were you, I wouldn't touch that."
Ron immediately pulled his hand back.
Almost as if to prove Sherlock right, another owl swooped in right after the first flock departed, dropping a letter squarely on top of the package.
Harry picked up the letter and was about to tear it open when Ron stopped him.
He looked at Sherlock. "Is it safe to open?"
Harry gave an exasperated smile.
Ron was clearly overcompensating at this point.
"Go ahead," Sherlock said. "I believe it's a gift from Professor McGonagall."
At those words, Harry no longer cared how Sherlock had figured it out.
With trembling hands, he opened the letter. There were only a few lines:
[Do not open the parcel at the table. Inside is your new broomstick—a Nimbus 2000. I don't want everyone knowing you've received it, or they'll all want one too.]
[Oliver Wood will meet you at the Quidditch pitch tonight at 7 p.m. for your first training session.]
[By the way, Mr. Holmes's package is included as well. Please remember to give it to him.]
"Sherlock, Professor McGonagall says your parcel was delivered along with mine."
Harry handed the letter to Sherlock and Ron, doing his best to suppress the excitement bubbling up inside him.
Sherlock raised an eyebrow.
While he had already deduced that McGonagall had sent Harry a gift based on the package's size and weight, he hadn't expected her to include his own mail too.
"A Nimbus 2000!" Ron gasped enviously. "I've never even touched one."
"You can touch this one as much as you like," Harry grinned, then turned to Sherlock. "What's in yours?"
"A violin from home."
Sherlock's voice was calm, but Harry and Ron nearly jumped out of their seats.
"You what now? Σ(っ°Д°;)っ"
"You can play the violin?!"
He was already brilliant, could box, fence… and now violin too?
Was there anything he couldn't do?
Sherlock didn't answer directly. Instead, he asked, "By the way—do you find violin music annoying?"
Harry shook his head immediately. "Not at all."
After all, living at the Dursleys' had exposed him to all kinds of noise. Aunt Petunia's pounding on the cupboard door alone was enough to make anyone immune—never mind Uncle Vernon's yelling or Dudley's tantrums.
Ron hesitated. "Well, it depends on whether it's played well. If it is, it's beautiful music… but if it's not—"
"Then there's no issue," Sherlock cut in before he could finish.
Harry and Ron exchanged looks.
That confident, huh?
The three of them chatted for a bit before quickly leaving. Mainly, Harry and Ron wanted to find somewhere quiet to open the package properly.
They had barely walked a few steps when Sherlock suddenly stopped and turned to glance behind him.
"Sherlock? What is it?"
Harry couldn't help but ask.
Sherlock withdrew his gaze. "Nothing. Let's go."
He had noticed they were being followed, but after a brief moment of thought, he decided it wasn't worth his attention.
They'd fail anyway.
Ever since the owls had dropped off the package, Draco Malfoy had been watching Harry closely.
Just like everyone else, he was itching to know what was inside.
The moment he saw the trio leaving, he grabbed Crabbe and Goyle and began tailing them.
When Harry finally opened the package, Malfoy nearly exploded with excitement.
Everyone knew first-years weren't allowed to bring broomsticks to school.
Before term started, he had tried everything to sneak his own broom in, but none of it worked.
And now here was his golden chance—no way was he letting it slip by.
From his perspective, Snape already had it out for Harry. With this kind of violation, wouldn't he jump at the chance to punish him?
Expulsion might be unlikely, but detention was all but guaranteed!
Sure, Sherlock was impressive—but even he couldn't talk his way out of this one with such clear evidence.
What Malfoy didn't expect was that the moment he told Professor Snape, the man who usually favored him actually yelled at him.
"Mr. Malfoy, I strongly suggest you mind your own business!"
Malfoy was dumbfounded.
What just happened?
This plan failed—and Sherlock hadn't even had to step in?
What he didn't know was that the broom had come directly from Professor McGonagall.
Sherlock's earlier words had made a lasting impact on her—she was tired of being seen as a passive authority figure.
Combined with Oliver Wood's desperate pleading, McGonagall had dipped into her own pocket to buy Harry the newest model of broomstick: the Nimbus 2000.
Just to be safe, she had already informed the other professors ahead of time—including Snape.
So when Malfoy came running in all smug and self-righteous, Snape simply thought he was an idiot.
Malfoy returned empty-handed. Crabbe and Goyle, still clueless, hurried over to meet him.
By now, Harry and Ron had already admired both the Nimbus and the violin and were preparing to head off.
Naturally, Crabbe and Goyle tried to block their way.
But they hesitated, afraid Sherlock would beat them up again.
Then Malfoy returned—and the pair immediately grinned menacingly.
Potter, you're finished now!
And yet…
"Let them go."
"…What?"
Crabbe and Goyle almost thought they'd misheard. Crabbe even said,
"But Draco, he's carrying a broomstick! The Nimbus 2000! You said—"
"I said let them go!" Malfoy snarled, his voice low and furious.
Even without an explanation from Sherlock, Harry and Ron immediately understood what must've happened.
Watching Malfoy's confused and frustrated expression, Harry barely managed to hold back a laugh.
Ron, however, didn't hesitate to seize the moment and mock him mercilessly.
"Hey Malfoy, your Comet 260 is decent… but it's not even in the same league as a Nimbus."
Malfoy, submissive in front of Sherlock but aggressive when facing Ron, lashed out.
"Shut it, Weasley! You can't even afford half a broomstick! I bet you and your brothers would have to gather twigs one by one just to piece one together!"
"What did you say?! Say that again if you dare!"
Sherlock watched the argument with a shake of his head.
Childish.
But then again… maybe this was how eleven-year-olds were supposed to act.
Compared to them, he was the abnormal one.
Just then, Hermione appeared, and Sherlock also spotted Professor Flitwick nearby. That meant this scuffle wasn't going anywhere.
Without another word, he left the group and followed Hermione.
It was time for flying lessons.
And that marked the third thing taking up Sherlock's time lately.
To his surprise, Hermione's talent for flying exceeded all expectations.
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