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Chapter 109: Special Contribution Award for School
Chapter 109: Special Contribution Award for School
Despite Kyle's repeated assurances that he was fine, Professor McGonagall insisted on sending him to the school hospital.
Even though Madam Pomfrey didn't find any injuries on Kyle, after hearing about what had transpired, she insisted that he spend the night there.
After Professor McGonagall left, Madam Pomfrey took out a bottle from the cabinet and poured a large cup of light blue potion for Kyle.
"Drink it!" she said.
Kyle, lying on the hospital bed, made a bitter face and said, "No, that's alright, Madam Pomfrey."
The potions at the school hospital were effective, no doubt, but they also tasted awful.
Cedric had once drunk a stimulant potion when he had a cold, and according to him, it tasted like pot-scouring water left out in the sun for three days. It took immense willpower just to swallow it down.
Kyle had no desire to drink pot-scouring water.
Moreover, his worst injury was a tooth mark on his arm, which certainly didn't require drinking any potion.
But Madam Pomfrey wouldn't listen. She stood there, sternly saying, "This potion will help you quickly restore your energy and strength. You must finish it, or you're not leaving this hospital!"
Hearing that he couldn't leave the hospital, Kyle's face fell.
The school hospital was the place with the most authority in Hogwarts. Even Dumbledore had to listen to Madam Pomfrey and wouldn't dare to disagree with her.
If Madam Pomfrey didn't allow Kyle to leave, then he truly couldn't—no matter who came to his aid.
Kyle picked up the cup and resignedly drank the potion.
"Clink, clink, clink..."
The taste was indeed not great, but it was better than the stimulant potion—more like pot-scouring water left in the sun for a day.
After Kyle finished the potion, Madam Pomfrey left.
Kyle lay in bed, not sure if it was because he was too tired or the effect of the potion, but he felt his eyelids growing heavy, and he soon fell asleep.
He didn't know how long he had slept when he began to wake up groggily, sensing a constant rustling sound in his ear.
It sounded like someone was eating something.
Hmm, eating?
The thought suddenly made him feel a bit hungry... and this feeling became more and more pronounced.
Kyle struggled to lift his eyelids. The sunlight was a bit dazzling, and it took a while for him to adjust.
Before him was the ceiling of the school hospital, and... Albus Dumbledore's beaming face.
"Good afternoon, Kyle," Dumbledore mumbled, seemingly chewing on something, with a box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans open beside him.
As he became more aware, Kyle quickly understood the situation before him.
The greatest white wizard, the headmaster of Hogwarts, was sneaking his snacks!
"There really wasn't any more space on the table," Dumbledore seemed to guess what Kyle was thinking and said with a smile, "And I suggest you don't eat from this box. I've eaten three beans, and they were all bad flavors. I think they must have mixed up the boxes."
"Headmaster, you can try that golden brown one," Kyle said subconsciously, then turned to look at the table. Various snacks were piled up like a small mountain.
And it wasn't just one table; some genius had moved the table from the next bed, and it, too, was piled with snacks.
"These are all gifts from your friends. I suspect they must have bought out Honeydukes," Dumbledore said with a smile, popping the bean Kyle mentioned into his mouth.
"Three more hours and it would have been a full day," Dumbledore replied.
Kyle sat up in bed, rubbing his stiff neck. He couldn't believe he had slept for so long—it was already the afternoon of the next day. No wonder he felt hungry... Wait, the next day?!
"Headmaster, the Quidditch match!" Kyle exclaimed.
"I'm afraid you missed it," Dumbledore said. "But Gryffindor won, and they thought a Quidditch Cup would help speed up your recovery. They played with great spirit."
"Damn Orion!" Kyle pounded his pillow in frustration. He had been looking forward to that match the most.
"Speaking of Orion... Kyle, do you know why he wanted to cause you trouble?"
"He said it was because of my father," Kyle answered.
"But as far as I know," Dumbledore said, his blue eyes twinkling, "Twelve years ago, if it weren't for Chris, Orion would have died at the hands of the Death Eaters. Your father saved his life."
"That's impossible," Kyle said firmly. "If my father had saved Orion, then why would he turn on me like that? He was truly trying to kill me. If the centaurs hadn't arrived in time, he might have even used the Killing Curse on me."
"It is rather perplexing," Dumbledore said softly. "I suppose only Orion knows the real reason. But he's fled, and it won't be easy to capture a wandering bard."
"A wandering bard?"
"Yes," Dumbledore explained. "After that narrow escape, he left for France and began traveling the world as a wandering bard. As for when he started smuggling magical creatures, I have no idea."
"Then why did he come to Hogwarts?" Kyle asked, confused. "Was it just to kill me?"
"Of course not, child," Dumbledore shook his head. "I learned that the Ministry of Magic received an anonymous tip-off in mid-August, detailing the smugglers' route. Now, I suspect that tip came from Orion, which is why he applied for the Defense Against the Dark Arts position two months in advance. But I don't understand his motive either. Perhaps he wanted to use Hogwarts as a hideout, or maybe he needed money, or some other reason. Wandering bards are always so enigmatic."
After hearing Dumbledore's explanation, Kyle felt even more confused about Orion. All he could do was plant more Biting Kale and give Orion a thorough plant bath the next time they met.
Nevertheless, he had almost died at Orion's hands, and this was the first time he had been bested so thoroughly.
Kyle had already made up his mind—a hundred Biting Kale plants would be Orion's payback gift.
"Now, let's change the subject to something more cheerful," Dumbledore said, his tone lightening. "Because of your calmness in the face of danger, successfully using your broomstick to get Connor Prince out of the Forbidden Forest, and your brave decision to face the two Dark Wizards alone to buy her time, we have unanimously decided to award you the Special Contribution Award for School."
...
(End of Chapter)
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