Hogwarts Hermitober

Impulse first met Xisuma through Zed’s flying incident. He had heard of the man but never really spoke with him besides asking how Zed was doing.

That was until Joe introduced his selfmade Muggle pinball machine, which quickly turned into a game night. Xisuma was one of the people that was there without fail, just like himself and the rest of ZIT. But even then they had not spoken much.

But just after Christmas an unfortunate thing happened. Apparently people had still not forgotten about his mother. Yes, he sometimes got letters telling him that he was just like his mother and that he was never going to get far, and as far as he knew Skizz got them too. He just did not pay any attention to them and burned them immediately.

This time it went a bit differently.

Someone had put some sort of pus in the letter and it was seeping onto his hands. Skizz looked up alarmed at his cry of pain and quickly went over to him. This allerted a few others, among which Tango and Zed, of course, but also their Headboy and fellow Hufflepuff; Xisuma.

Xisuma had heard him cry out and went to check what was going on, but as soon as he saw the pus and the blisters already forming on his hands he sprung into action.

“Impulse, Skizz, come with me. We gotta get you to the Hospital wing,” he said calmly and Skizz helped Impulse get up from the table and away from the pus that was still flowing from the letter and onto the table.

Professor Sprout had also seen what had happened and had run towards them, but as soon as she saw that X had everything handled she slowed down. She nodded at X and then removed the pus off the table.

“What a foul trick, who in their right mind sends this to a fourteen year old,” they heard her curse as they walked away.

Luckily the Hospital wing was not too far away from the Great Hall, because Impulse really was in pain and his hand was only getting worse. Skizz had to support him because his knees nearly gave out from beneath him and X ran ahead to call for Madam Pomfrey.

Madam Pomfrey came out as soon as she heard Xisuma call for her and when she saw the state Impulse was in, she quickly ordered Xisuma to go and grab some stuff while she took him to a hospital bed. He came out with some potions and salves and began applying them on Impulse’s hands.

“I’m so unbelievably mad right now,” the elder said furiously but his hands remained soft and calm. Impulse could already feel the effects of whatever substance the Headboy had put on his arm and sighed in relief when he felt the burning sensation going away. “Who in their right mind would do something like that to a student, no less a third year!”

Skizz was basically vibrating with anger on the chair next to him.

“Someone who’s still pissed off at our mother,” he said and Madam Pomfrey fed Impulse a potion as he still could not move his hand. “We get angry letters sometimes, apparently people think we take after our mother and that we are just as mad.”

Madam Pomfrey audibly gasped. “They wouldn’t do that! That is unacceptable, you can’t be held responsible for your mothers actions!” X looked a bit like a lost puppy, as a Muggleborn he had never heard of this and so Impulse explained it to him.

“Our mother was who they like to call the ‘Mad’ Black. She kind of meddled with things she should not have to make herself more beautiful and died because of it.” X now also gasped.

“Oh my gosh, my condolences!” He quickly brought it out.

“Don’t worry about it,” Skizz waved it away, “It has been a few years since and it’s not like she was the best of mothers anyway.”

“But still,” X exclaimed, “You should not get blamed for something like that! The audacity of some people!”

From that moment on Xisuma stuck with them, making sure that no one bothered them again and cheering them up when they were in a bad headspace.

X was great. And this being his last year at Hogwarts… he had to do something for him!

And so Impulse contacted the entire studygroup, who had dubbed themselves ‘the Hermits’ and Skizz because he is an honorary Hermit.

He got all of their responses within three days and they decided to hold a meeting in team ZIT’s headquarters, which might have not been the greatest idea but there was no way X would find them there. Or any teachers for that matter, because a party like this one would most certainly be illegal.
“Hello everyone, glad you could all make it this evening,” Impulse began, “As you all know I am planning to throw a party in honour of X, because of all the amazing things he has done for us!” A few people cheered at that.

“So I was thinking that we could all do something together to show how much we appreciate him. I have made a list of things that we could do, add to that if you wish, and write your names next to them to show what you will be doing. That way everyone will have had input in this and we can make it the best party Hogwarts has ever seen!”

“Starting off, has anybody got any ideas as of right now?” Joe raised his hand at that.

“We could all dress up as Xisuma, that could be the dress code.”

“I like where you’re going there,” Skizz nodded, “Maybe we can like… make costumes of magical creatures that look like X. That could be fun,” lots of people nodded.

“I can help with that!” Jevin butted in, “If everyone gives me a list of what they want their costume to be, I would be able to make them.”

“That would be a lot of work though,” Doc countered and Jevin nodded in agreement.

“Yes, but if I have a few people to help me I will be able to manage it. Maybe you and Skizz? Skizz knows his magical creatures so we could cut out all of the research for that and you know all the glitches Doc. That is if you want to?” Doc and Skizz smiled at each other and shook their heads.

“Of course we would like to help you buddeh!”

From there on the tasks were divided, making sure that no one was left behind and that the perfect people were at the jobs they were most cut out for.

Like, indeed, Jevin, Skizz and Doc. The three of them had banded together and started making progress immediately. All of the participants had filled in a list of what they wanted their costumes to look like, so they could start immediately. They had to make a total of twenty five costumes in the span of three weeks. No biggie, not at all.

But with a duplication glitch Doc had found quite early on and with Skizz’s creature expertise they were able to make great strides and even finished two days before the actual party while not neglecting their school work in the slightest.

Meanwhile team ZIT and the Buttercups were tasked with decorating the games room, which proved to be quite difficult as they could only start three days before the actual party and had to constantly cast a glamour on it in case X walked in while they were not there.

It was… chaotic to say the least, but they worked well together in the end. Except they had run into a bit of a problem; there was not enough room for everything they had planned and they were third and fourth years, which meant that they had not yet learned how to do such charms as you only learn about those in the sixth year.

That is where the girls came in; Cleo, Stress, Gem and Pearl did a wonderful job expanding the place and adding a bit more flower power in the mix as well, making their games room unrecognisable but in a good way.

In the meantime Etho, Bdubs and Keralis were in charge of the music department and set up magical speakers throughout the now extended room. Etho had made some tunes with enchanted noteblocks, Bdubs had asked for some music back home (magical as well as Muggle) and Keralis had someone make some tracks featuring Xisuma’s voice (nononono as well as Hermit Gang) which added a much more personal touch.

Oh, how badly did Keralis want to see Sheshwammy’s face at those gems!

Ren, False and Hypno were in charge of food. Ren had been down in the kitchen quite a few times and showed the others how to get in. They ordered some of Xisuma’s favourites for that night and asked if the House elves could help them get it all in the room in time for the party, which they were more than happy to do.

Besides being in charge of the food, Hypno was also tasked with trying to See how and when Xisuma would be here. Which was quite a task as the Head Boy was a total scatter brain and switched his decisions left, right and centre.

Impulse himself joined forces with Joe to make sure all the games were set up and moved to places where people had enough room to play them. This was now a lot easier with Cleo’s expansion charms and they were able to move a couple more games in, mainly Muggle ones as Xisuma was a Muggleborn.

Most of the games Impulse had never heard of, but Joe seemed to be a bit of an expert on that field and explained the rules to him of each of them. This led him to the conclusion that Muggles were kind of weird, who in their right mind makes a game that makes you stretch your body in such weird angles and what was Twister for a name anyway. Muggles were masochists, he decided.

Beef, Wels and Xb, in the meantime, searched the entire castle for one ghost in particular. Someone X was really fond of.

I’m guessing you all know where that leads us…

They found him in the astronomy tower, watching over the Hogwarts grounds and easily convinced him to come at the night of the party as a surprise guest for Xisuma.

The day of the party Hypno finally got a clear vision about Xisuma’s whereabouts and how he was led towards the games room, which was Iskall’s and Cub’s task.

The two would find him in the busy library, unable to focus, and convince him to take a break in the games room, which he would agree to.

The plan was set.

After dinner the Hermits quickly went to the games room, pulled on their costumes, find the room decorated beautifully as well as some new games and lots of food waiting for them that were kept warm with the House elves heating charms. Now all they could do was wait and hope for the outcome Hypno had Seen.

It did not take long for Stress’s patronus to come running in the games room; a red panda that spoke hushed but quickly.

“We’re on our way, five minutes,” and it disappeared. Immediately it was chaos, people ran around everywhere in order to fix some little things that did not need to be fixed but did so anyway because they needed to do something.

“Stop it!” Impulse shouted at the top of his voice and everyone stopped to look at him. “We have everything in place, we just need to keep quiet in order to surprise him, okay?” they nodded at him and went back to their previous positions.

And they did not have to wait long, because soon after Xisuma went in, still looking at Iskall and Cub behind him talking about something work related. When the guy turned around his eyes went wide with shock.

“Surprise!” (Read it in the Grian voice)

The poor man had to hold himself on Iskall’s shoulder to stabilise himself from the shock.

“I- hwa… hi?” X brought out as he looked around the room to find the Hermits with creature costumes with his face on them, his favourite food and snacks and lots of Muggle games. Beside that, the room was beautifully decorated with different shades of purple, his favourite colour, and filled with all sorts of herbs and plants, making the room smell delightful.

“I hope I’m not too late,” came a voice from behind him and Xisuma spun around.

“Hello son,” smiled the ghost of TinFoil Chef and X could not help but let a couple of tears fall.

“You did this all for me guys?” he sniffed, smiling, “It’s amazing. I love you all.”

The night continued with a couple more tears and above all; lots of laughter.

This was not goodbye, not really. It was just the start of something new and when all was set and done, he and his Hermits would always stay in contact.