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In fact, the difficulty level Vison set for this test varied from person to person.
Because every student's personality, temperament, and appearance were different, the challenge of restraining their own malice naturally varied as well.
For example, most students in Hufflepuff were known for being friendly and patient — a natural advantage when dealing with magical creatures.
As a typical Hufflepuff, this test didn't trouble Cedric at all. When he approached Laiyi step by step, the Thunderbird barely showed any sign of wariness and smoothly accepted the candy from his hand.
"Very good, Mr. Diggory, five more points to Hufflepuff," Vison nodded in satisfaction, clapping and offering praise.
"Just call me Cedric, Professor," Cedric replied happily.
At first, he had been nervous — after all, Thunderbirds were described in books as dangerous creatures. But everything went far smoother than he expected.
Next, Vison had the other students take turns trying to feed Laiyi different foods. Cedric's success seemed to encourage them, and they began to approach the Thunderbird one by one.
However, for some students, this process wasn't so simple.
Take, for instance, a certain Gryffindor student who was nearly struck by lightning earlier.
Fred's initial rash attempt made Laiyi extra wary. Every step Fred took forward, Laiyi retreated a step back. In the end, Fred could only scratch his head in frustration and look at Vison, feeling rather embarrassed.
"Eliminate your distracting thoughts, Mr. Weasley," Vison advised. "Here's a little suggestion: imagine you have the brain of a Troll — things will go much smoother."
"Act like an idiot, Weasley," joked a nearby student with a laugh. "Abandon your brain, you don't need it anymore."
Fred rolled his eyes and muttered back, "Thanks for the reminder."
But despite his grumbling, he followed their advice. His eyes went dull almost instantly — it turned out he had a talent for playing the fool.
This time, when he approached Laiyi again, the Thunderbird didn't retreat. After staring at him for a few seconds, Laiyi finally stretched out its sharp beak and carefully took the food from Fred's hand.
Fred let out a long breath of relief.
In truth, most magical creatures are drawn to people with pure hearts. That's why Vison's suggestion for students to empty their minds worked so effectively.
By the end of class, almost everyone managed to approach Laiyi without trouble.
Some students even got close enough to touch its shimmering feathers.
Then, Laiyi gently flapped its wings — and a single feather fell from its body, landing right beside Cedric.
"Huh?"
The students turned toward the fallen feather in surprise, especially Cedric, who instinctively bent down to pick it up carefully.
"Professor? Is this...?" he asked, looking uncertainly at Vison.
Vison glanced at the feather, smiled slightly, and announced loudly, "Congratulations, Cedric. This is Laiyi's first tail feather to shed. The fact that it chose to let you pick it up shows that it approves of you very much."
The students gasped and cast envious glances at Cedric.
Even though they didn't fully understand the feather's significance, they knew instinctively it was a rare and valuable magical material — perhaps as precious as a phoenix feather.
Cedric, clearly aware of the feather's worth, was overwhelmed. And it wasn't just any feather — it was Laiyi's very first.
"Thank you, Laiyi," he murmured sincerely.
Laiyi let out a soft call in response.
Then, flapping its wings, Laiyi transformed into a streak of light and soared into the sky, vanishing into the clouds.
The students stood there, staring up at the sky, exchanging amazed glances.
But only Vison knew the truth: Laiyi had simply been fed too much and needed to find a quiet place to digest.
"Alright, today's class ends here," Vison clapped to get their attention. "I hope you've gained something today. Remember — magical creatures can sense emotions and thoughts. Only by calming your mind can you approach them safely. The Thunderbird especially."
Then, he added with a pause, "Now, about the homework..."
The students, still giddy from their encounter with the Thunderbird, suddenly froze at the word "homework."
It seemed no matter the era or the school, homework was equally despised.
"Relax," Vison smiled and waved his hand, pausing for dramatic effect. "There's no homework this time."
For a moment, the class fell silent — then erupted into cheers.
"But—" Vison dragged out the word, interrupting their celebration, "I need each of you to pick a few magical creatures you're interested in, write them on parchment, and hand them in before next class."
The cheering subsided, replaced by muttering.
Cedric, still gazing happily at the Thunderbird tail feather in his hand, looked up at Vison and asked curiously, "Professor, the creatures we write down — will you bring them in for us to see?"
The students immediately fell silent, their attention sharpened.
Vison's smile deepened. "Of course," he announced.
Instantly, the classroom burst back into excited chatter.
"What should I pick? Fred!" George grinned and waved a fist. "How about a dragon? I've only seen photos from Charlie — I want to see a real one!"
"A dragon? Are you mad? Do you want Professor Vison to end up in Azkaban?" Fred rolled his eyes. "I say an Acromantula is better. Little Ronny would love that..."
"I want to see a Demiguise! They say its fur can be woven into an invisibility cloak..."
Listening to their chaotic discussion, Vison's smile stiffened a little.
These students — they had no good intentions.
He cleared his throat and quickly added, "Only magical creatures rated 'XXX' level and below!"
The announcement cooled the students' enthusiasm a little.
Though somewhat disappointed, they still excitedly discussed their options.
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