The Aftermath — "One Ride Only" (Which Was a Lie)
Lucien stepped off the hoverboard and snapped his fingers lightly.
"It can carry one person safely," he said calmly, "or two if they don't try anything stupid."
That sentence alone doomed the afternoon.
Silence.
Then—
"ME FIRST!" Harry yelled.
Lucien sighed. "Of course."
Turns Begin — Hogwarts Loses Its Mind
Harry stepped onto the board, wobbling slightly.
"Relax," Lucien said. "It responds to balance and intent. Think like you're flying."
The board lifted.
Harry gasped. "WHOA—"
He shot forward, laughing uncontrollably as he looped around the pitch.
"This is BETTER than a broom!"
Katie went next—screaming at first, then laughing as she zoomed past the stands.
Angelina followed, instantly doing sharp turns like a seasoned Chaser.
"Oh this is unfair," she grinned. "I want this in Quidditch."
Clara hesitated—then rode with Katie, clinging to her twin and squealing the entire time.
Daphne and Cassandra were calm, elegant flyers, gliding smoothly through the air like dancers.
Evelyn (Draco) tried it next—stiff at first, then smiling freely in a way very few people had ever seen.
Penelope laughed softly as she rode, hair flowing.
Susan screamed once… then refused to come down.
Tonks was chaos incarnate.
She changed hair color mid-air, stood sideways on the board, then saluted everyone like a lunatic.
"This is a flying skateboard!" she shouted.
"All my muggle cousins would lose their MINDS!"
The muggleborn students watching were stunned.
"It's like a skateboard…"
"No—like a snowboard!"
"Like a broom—but cooler!"
Professors Try It (Against Better Judgment)
Flitwick went first.
He barely touched the board before giggling like a child.
"Oh my—oh my—this is WONDERFUL!"
He did a neat little spin in mid-air and landed perfectly.
Professor Sprout followed, laughing openly.
"I haven't felt this free since my first broom," she said warmly.
Then—
Professor McGonagall stepped forward.
The entire pitch froze.
Lucien blinked. "Professor… are you sure?"
She adjusted her hat. "Mr. Lionhardt. I rode a broom before you were born."
She stepped on.
The board lifted.
McGonagall stiffened—then her eyes widened slightly.
"…Oh."
She flew once around the pitch. Just once.
When she landed, she cleared her throat sharply.
"That was—"
She stopped herself.
"—adequate."
No one believed her.
Then came Dumbledore.
He stepped onto the board, hands folded behind his back.
The board rose gently.
He laughed.
A real laugh.
"My dear boy," he said as he floated effortlessly, "this may be the most delightful thing I've experienced at Hogwarts in decades."
Snape did not try it.
He simply watched Lucien with narrowed eyes and a conflicted expression that screamed concerned genius recognition.
Chaos Ends — McGonagall Strikes Back
As Tonks attempted to convince Susan to try riding upside down—
"ENOUGH."
Professor McGonagall's voice cracked like a whip.
The board immediately returned to Lucien's side.
She turned to face him, eyes sharp.
"Mr. Lionhardt, you have just created an unregulated flying device capable of replacing brooms, breaking necks, and encouraging reckless behavior."
Lucien nodded politely. "Yes, Professor."
She inhaled deeply.
"Effective immediately, there will be strict safety rules."
She began listing them rapidly:
No unsupervised use No use indoors No tricks No racing No Quidditch integration No lending without permission No mass production No selling No 'just one more try'
She paused.
"…And absolutely no letting Miss Tonks ride it again today."
Tonks pouted. "Unfair."
McGonagall glared. "One word more and you'll be cleaning trophy cases for a month."
Tonks zipped her lips.
Dumbledore smiled behind his beard.
"Well," he said cheerfully, "I believe today will be remembered."
Lucien bowed slightly. "Thank you for trying it, Professors."
As the crowd dispersed, whispers followed him everywhere.
He made that.
He flew without a broom.
What else can he do?
Lucien simply walked back with his friends—calm, composed, and completely unaware that Hogwarts had just crossed a line it could never uncross.