Trick 10: Making children laugh!

Ace followed behind Minerva looking around at the stone brick walls, asking in shock "Is this a Castle? How backwards are you guys here? Do you have Wifi? Do you have indoor plumbing? Do I have to wear a robe like you? Can I not? Robes make me super hot and they're super uncomfortable."

Minerva's lips twitched and she ignored him, saying "This is Hogwarts, I shall be teaching you magic, naturally you shall follow me to all classes as an assistant of sorts. Your official position will be something of a Professor's assistant."

Ace looked around and walked with his hands behind his back next to Minerva, asking "Do I have to wear a robe though?" Minerva paused before saying curtly, "Yes." Ace frowned, looking at her as he complained "But really, I'm not suitable for robes. If I could just wear a suit that would be much more-"

Minerva stopped and glared at him, "MR. BRAND. I would appreciate it if you behaved yourself in an appropriate manner. I am responsible for your actions on these grounds and I shall not tolerate any tomfoolery! Do I make myself clear!?"

Ace was startled and swallowed, "Uhm… Yes, Ma'am… But I-" Minerva scowled at him, "Should you wish to search our records in peace, you'll do well to follow my rules!" Ace frowned and retorted "But that's-" Minerva flung her sleeve, continuing along as she continued "Naturally, I shall not impede your research into what we agreed upon. However, that doesn't mean that you can act as though you are the most important person around."

Ace followed along silently and she snorted "When on these grounds, you'll do good to behave in a humble manner. There are far more wizards and witches much more proficient in magic than you even among the students! Perhaps you might learn a thing or two from them!"

Ace licked his lips and opened his mouth before closing it a few times, finally sighing in the end. Minerva's eyes twitched and she turned to him, "What is it." Ace hesitated before revealing "It's just… About the robes, really, I wouldn't be caught dead in one of them, please."

Minerva closed her eyes and took a deep breath suppressing the impulse to transfigure Ace into a spoon…

A while later

Ace was standing at the top of a staircase next to Minerva. He had his arms crossed as he looked at Minerva with a depressed face. She ignored him and he said "Do I-" Minerva cut him off saying, "Yes."

Ace pouted and turned to the bottom of the staircase, checking his watch as he sighed.

He was wearing a robe on top of a suit, the only problem was that the robe was thick and stuffy. He wasn't exactly comfortable…

Just as he was about to ask, a gaggle of children walked up the stairs talking to each other.

Ace crossed his arms again, looking at the kids with a slightly bored expression. He suddenly thought, 'Didn't I come here to find out about the Eye… What am I doing right now…' he looked at Minerva, who instantly started speaking "Welcome to Hogwarts. Shortly, you'll pass through these doors and join your classmates. But before you take your seats, you must be sorted into your houses."

She looked at all the kids and continued "There are Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Gryffindor, and Slytherin. While you're here, your house will be like your family. Your triumphs will earn you points. Any rule-breaking will lose you points. At the end of the year the House with the most points will win the house cup."

Ace looked at Harry and smiled slightly, nodding as Harry looked at him happily. Ace looked down at the ground to see a frog, he was confused as to why a frog was here… Just as he was in his thoughts, a little boy shouted "Trevor!"

He rushed up and picked up the frog, slowly raising his head to meet Minerva's eyes. He swallowed and stepped back as Ace had an uncontrollable smile on his face, coughing with a hand covering his mouth.

Minerva glared at him slightly before continuing "The Sorting Ceremony shall begin momentarily." as she turned to Ace, adding "Watch them, please." before walking away.

Ace was stunned and said "Wha- Me?!" but he was ignored… He turned back to see dozens of eyes staring right at him. He burst into a cold sweat, muttering "This is like a nightmare, right?"

One little girl looked up at him and said "Can you do magic? I was told that all Professors are the most exceptional Witches and Wizards." Ace replied with a nervous chuckle, "Well, I'm just an Intern. They don't even pay me so…"

Another child looked at his friend and asked "What's an intern?" the friend frowned and replied "Sounds important…"

Another kid asked excitedly "Can you do some magic for us??"

A bunch of other kids cheered and looked at Ace eagerly, he licked his lips and said "Well, I left my cards in my other pants…" as he patted the robe.

The kids pouted and looked as though they were about to cry. Ace's hairs stood on end and he grabbed the air, flicking his hands violently, saying "Which one, should be.. These pants?"

As pants appeared in his hands. The kids froze and gasped "Wow! Cool!" some laughed "Teacher! Your pants are gone!"

Ace looked down and comically large oversized underwear boxers with pink hearts were there. The kids laughed and Ace coughed, "Well, I never." as he ripped the boxers off, revealing pants underneath.

He held the boxers in his right hand with his other pants in his left as he said "Hmm… These boxers are so heavy… Bruce?!" as he shook his hand, the Boxers turning into Bruce!

Bruce purred in Ace's hand as the children gawked at the magic performance.

Ace put Bruce on his head and he magically turned into a top hat as Ace said "You sit tight Bruce, don't hop away… Where are they…" He finally pulled on the pants pocket, turning the pants into a briefcase before taking out a deck of cards.

He fanned the cards and smiled at the children "Pick a card, please."

The children stared at him in awe, little stars in their eyes, unable to even comprehend what kind of magic they just witnessed.

Ace coughed and fanned Harry, saying "You there, the boy with the glasses, pick a card please." Harry smacked his lips, slowly picking a card.

Ace covered his eyes, saying "Show everyone, go on." all the kids huddled up, craning their necks to see the card. Harry raised the card and flipped it to show everyone.

Ace stretched out the deck, saying "Okay, put it back." Harry put the card back and everyone watched as Ace threw the cards in the air! They gasped as the cards turned to flames and disappeared into thin air!

Ace looked at the air and hummed to himself before grabbing the empty air. He flipped his hand and said confidently, "Is this your card?" Harry and the other kids were stupid, laughing "There's no card here!"

Ace looked at his hand and frowned "Are you blind? Must be fog on your glasses, my boy." as he took Harry's glasses and exhaled on them, wiping them down before clicking his tongue, saying "No wonder you can't see, boy." before showing everyone the glasses.

The kids were blown away in awe as the lenses of Harry's glasses had 2 little Ace of Diamonds inside them!

Harry was stunned and grabbed his glasses, turning them over constantly, saying in shock "How is that possible!?" Ace curled his lips and covered them with a finger, saying "Everything is possible with Magic."

He grabbed his top hat, crushing it into a ball before stretching it out into Bruce again and holding him as he stepped on the briefcase, making it disappear.

Ace winked at Harry and turned around, stroking Bruce as he walked away.

Minerva looked at him as he passed by her. He snorted and smirked smugly as he walked into the hall.