Did they come to get scammed?

POV Nine-year-old Lumina:

Lumina silently sat in her chair, a clock ticking in the background of a small but well-furnished office. Rustic shelves adorned the walls, brimming with a multitude of books and neatly stacked papers.

Behind a substantial desk, an aging man with a receding hairline occupied a plush leather chair. His welcoming smile radiated an aura of kindness that caused Lumina's spine to involuntarily quiver, sensing the disingenuousness concealed behind his amiable facade. "So," he began in a calming tone, "please enlighten me. Why do you persist in causing harm to the other children?"

She wanted to shout she didn't do it and that it was the shadows and flames punishing those who despised her in her stead, but she couldn't, as she knew that would only seal her fate.

Silent, she remained, with only the steady ticking of the clock hanging upon the wall providing a semblance of solace in the stifling silence. The weight of incriminating evidence stacked against her left her devoid of words, realization dawning that no explanation could absolve her from the accusations leveled upon her.

'No one ever believes me.'

The man smiled and scribbled into the paper lying on his desk.

"So, what are the voices you hear saying? Do you also see the figure you talk with?"

"Huh? I don't hear any voices, and I don't see any shadows."

"Well, then why did the caretaker and other children hear you talking in the middle of the night with no one in your room?"

Lumina could only sigh as she knew no one would believe her anyway. From the moment she was brought here, she was screwed up. She could try lying or even telling the truth, but they all condemned her and made their own picture.

'Nothing I say will get me out of here. Should I use my power on him? Set his office on fire or levitate objects?' An idea flashed through her mind, but she quickly dismissed it, not knowing its potential consequences.

'At best, it would get the attention of the Ministry of Magic, and that would be bad with my trying to remain unnoticed for as long as possible.' That was still the better scenario; alternatively, if some religious lunatics got their hands on her, her fate would likely be even worse.

'Bringing attention to my powers before entering Hogwarts would be a gamble, either saving me from this situation or making it even worse.' Once she entered the school, she would be protected, but before that, there were simply too many risks involved.

It was one thing to use her magic accidentally without intention and use it with full awareness against a muggle, even as a child.

Ultimately, she only remained silently sitting, staring at the floor as she refused to show her powers.

'If I am here, there are potentially also enemies of my daddy.' Her father warned her, and she took it to heart.

'In the end, it can't be so bad here... at least compared to the orphanage.'

Still, she wanted to affirm it, "Can I go back?"

The man just smiled, "No, it will be better if you stay with us for some time. Don't worry, we will take care of you."

Back in the present:

Lumina stared with annoyance at the legendary golden trio that attracted all the world's trouble towards them like a giant magnet. 'Alone, I am sure I could scam any of them. However, together they are compensating for the characters' flaws and the others.'

Their accusatory glances only fueled her contempt, reminiscent of the times she was unjustly accused of every small accident.

"Get out! I didn't take his soul. Why would I even need it?"

Hermione yelled, her voice echoing through the dark staircase behind her, "You are a demon—you can't be trusted!"

"Come on, even if I were a demon, that would make you humans cows. So why would I slay a young and healthy cow instead of milking it for years?"

Lumina leaned forward, and the darkness deepened, causing all three to retreat under her stern gaze, charged with her infernal powers. She felt and tasted their fear and frustration, making them even more alluring. She wanted to savor and toy with them.

The air turned hotter, and an unnatural silence fell upon the empty dark corridors, the atmosphere becoming oppressive and heavy.

She internally shook her head and pushed back the dark thoughts. Instead, an innocent smile appeared on her face, and all the darkness and demonic aura disappeared. 'There might be a way to scam them.'

"You know what... I am a fair person. So, if I theoretically took his soul, there might be a way for you to buy it back. What do you think? Do you want to work to pay for the debt of your friend that isn't even real?"

As the heavy atmosphere vanished, the savior in glasses regained all his courage, "Stop this! We can report you, and you will be in trouble!"

"Hahaha, even if anyone believed you, what would they do? Punish me, kill me? No matter what, they wouldn't get his soul back. So think carefully about if you want to go down this path."