Chương 53: Chapter 53: Hagrid’s Letter
Selling the map had undoubtedly been a success. The young wizards were thrilled, the professors were pleased because no one was late to class anymore, and Kyle and his friends had made a tidy sum. If anyone was unhappy, it was probably Filch.
Ever since Fred and George became wealthy, the smell of Dungbombs often filled the corridors. Filch was furious and determined to catch the twins in the act, following them around all day. But Fred and George always found clever ways to lose him, leaving him more frustrated than ever.
Meanwhile, Cho and Kanna got to know Kyle better through all of this, especially Kanna. She no longer hid from Kyle in class, and her social anxiety seemed to have improved. Now, when she earned extra points from a professor, she could even manage a "thank you," just like everyone else.
Hogwarts' first-year curriculum remained relatively light, with usually only three classes a day. But if you counted the homework, it was a different story. The young wizards had to spend all their spare time in the library just to finish the feet-long essays assigned to them. And they had to be careful not to increase the font size—anyone who tried that trick learned a harsh lesson. The last student who attempted it not only lost five points, courtesy of Professor McGonagall, but also saw his workload doubled, earning him a black eye from the resulting sleepless nights. In the end, McGonagall canceled the punishment out of fear that the student might collapse from exhaustion, but since then, no one dared to play that game again.
Well, almost no one.
While homework was a nightmare for most students, it was a breeze for Kyle. To him, writing essays was easy. And since there was no plagiarism check for first-years, he could write almost anything. He would borrow a few sentences from relevant books, add in a few more for good measure, and then summarize everything neatly. In less than twenty minutes, he would have a polished essay, earning praise from professors for his "extensive reading."
Except for one professor. In Potions class, Professor Snape—who preferred not to be named—seemed to grow more displeased with Kyle by the day. Snape always found reasons to deduct points from him. Kyle could do nothing about it, so he tried to avoid Snape as much as possible. After each point deduction, he would buy a bottle of Sleekeazy's Hair Potion, planning to one day send an entire case to Snape anonymously.
On Halloween, Kyle was sitting in the library as usual, engrossed in a book. It wasn't until dinner was about to start that he brought the unfinished book, The Great Duel Masters, to Madam Pince.
"How many days this time?" Madam Pince muttered without looking up.
"One day," Kyle replied.
"Mm-hm," she murmured.
Madam Pince remembered Kyle well, since he borrowed books frequently. After a brief note of his name and the time, she handed the book over.
Since it was Halloween, the Great Hall had been decorated with colorful adornments earlier that day. Pumpkins carved into all sorts of shapes floated above the hall, creating a festive atmosphere. A thousand bats flapped against the walls and ceiling, and a large cloud of them hovered over the dining tables.
When Kyle entered, it was still early, but the hall was buzzing with excitement. Nearly half the students had gathered around the Gryffindor table, where Fred and George were putting on a show. Each wearing a pumpkin head, they imitated the signature move of the Headless Hunt, drawing laughter from the crowd.
Even the professors didn't stop them, enjoying the spectacle as much as the students. Dumbledore, always in good spirits, even pulled out sweets and tried to trade them with the other professors. Unfortunately for him, no one seemed interested. Even the ever-polite Professor Sprout declined the Cockroach Clusters he offered with a smile.
"You were in the library again?" Cedric poked his head over as Kyle sat down at the Hufflepuff table. "Books on duels... what are you reading that for?"
"Charms homework," Kyle replied, handing the book to Cedric. "I need to make up for the points I lost in Potions class. Professor Flitwick loves to see practical applications of basic spells."
Cedric, aware that Snape had been targeting Kyle recently, gave him a sympathetic look. "So, did you learn anything useful?"
"Forget it," Kyle sighed. "Obviously, no wizard would use the Unlocking Charm in a duel."
Cedric bit his lip to keep from laughing out loud. He had thought Kyle might have used something like the Floating Charm in class, but the Unlocking Charm? That was just too much. Even first-year students knew better than to try that in a duel.
His mouth tightened further, trying to suppress the laughter.
Kyle shot him a suspicious look, sensing that Cedric was probably thinking something rude. But before he could say anything, an owl landed nearby, extending its talon and dropping a note onto Kyle's tray.
"For me?" Kyle muttered, opening the note curiously. The handwriting was messy, but he could still make out the words:
Dear Kyle Chopper,
I've collected some Mooncalf manure. If you have time, could you come by on Friday (I don't think you have class that afternoon).
Hagrid.
Kyle blinked, surprised. He hadn't expected Hagrid to invite him to his cabin. Still holding the note, he stared blankly ahead.
By this time, Cedric had stopped laughing and asked curiously, "Who sent you a letter?"
"Hagrid," Kyle said.
Cedric thought for a moment. "Th Keeper of Keys in the Forbidden Forest?"
"Yes," Kyle confirmed.
"What does he want with you? Did you know him before?"
"The letter says he's collected some Mooncalf manure," Kyle explained. "I visited him once when I needed fertilizer for a couple of ornamental plants I was growing."
"Can I come with you?" Cedric asked, intrigued. "I've always been curious about his place."
"Sure, why not?" Kyle shrugged. "It's no big deal."
He took out the quill he always carried and scribbled on the back of the note: Okay, I'll come by tomorrow afternoon with my friend. He fed the owl a few nuts and watched it fly away.
After that, the dinner began. Since it was Halloween, the feast was more elaborate than usual. There was a whole aromatic roast beef leg, pumpkin pie, caramel apples, and a variety of sweets. Kyle scanned the selection and was relieved to see there were no Cockroach Clusters—thankfully, the headmaster's peculiar tastes hadn't reached the kitchen yet.
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