Chapter 143: Compensation from the Ministry
Chapter 143: Compensation from the Ministry
Finally, the train came to a stop at Hogsmeade Platform, and everyone alighted, creating a chaotic scene. Owls hooted, cats meowed, and even toads joined in the commotion, croaking loudly on the small platform.
Just then, a lion-shaped firework burst open in the sky, instantly capturing everyone's attention.
"Bang!"
Another firework trailed a long tail of flames as it soared into the sky.
At that moment, the young wizards noticed Fred, who was setting off the fireworks.
Under everyone's gaze, Fred calmly wrapped a piece of parchment with golden edges around a Firework Rocket and then lit it.
"Bang!"
"Bang!"
"Bang..."
Ten Firework Rockets exploded one after another, displaying lions, badgers, and even fire dragons... They ran and leaped in the sky, lasting for a long time before dissipating.
"Is this Hogwarts' welcome ceremony?" some of the first-year students exclaimed excitedly.
They didn't know what was happening and thought that Hogwarts was welcoming them with fireworks.
It had to be said that these fireworks were indeed beautiful, and seeing those flickering animals in the sky eased their previous tension.
However, others felt differently.
"Look, Zabini," Malfoy said with a hint of triumph to a few first-year students beside him. "I told you before that Kyle would destroy those maps, but you didn't believe me, hah..."
He let out a strange laugh, as if mocking their previous self-assured words.
Beside them, a boy with a few freckles frowned and stiffened his neck, saying, "Who knows if this is real or not? Maybe they used a Transfiguration Spell."
"Impossible!" Malfoy scoffed. "I trust Kyle. He received the School Special Contribution Award and isn't that kind of person."
"Who knows." The freckled boy shrugged and said, "Don't forget that those people are all second-year students. This kind of thing would be easy for them."
The two argued, and neither could convince the other.
Just then, the tallest Crabbe among them suddenly noticed something and caught a piece of parchment fragment that was falling from the sky.
"Draco, look at this."
Malfoy, who was arguing with Zabini, turned around and his eyes lit up instantly.
"Aha!"
Excitedly, he grabbed the parchment fragment and pointed to the remaining golden patterns on it. "Look at this. This is real gold. Do you still think it's a Transfiguration Spell?
And..."
He even brought his face close to a dark spot on the fragment and took a deep breath.
"I accidentally burned a hole in my family's Unicorn Tail Hair Rug, and the smell was exactly the same as this."
"This..." Zabini's face turned red, as if he had been slapped hard.
Seeing his expression, Malfoy became even more triumphant. He tilted his head back and said, "I know, you must not be able to afford a twenty-Galleon map, that's why you didn't believe me.
It's okay. I've inquired, and they still have a few Sickle maps. You should be able to afford those, right?"
"Who can't afford it!"
Zabini suddenly became furious. He could accept being wrong, but he couldn't bear being mocked by Malfoy like this.
It was just twenty Galleons; could he not afford it? Who did he think he was looking down on!
"Wait, I'll buy the most expensive map from him."
Zabini stiffened his neck and said, "It's definitely better than yours!"
"Tsk, that's impossible," Malfoy scoffed, giving him a disdainful glance. "I bought the most expensive one, and Kyle promised me that my number is among the first. Even if yours is the same, you can only line up behind me."
"You... Humph!"
Zabini felt a tightness in his chest and glared at Malfoy before turning away.
Malfoy, however, didn't seem to care and watched him leave with an air of victory.
Just then, a light appeared above their heads.
"First-year students! First-year students, come over here. Harry, are you alright?"
Hagrid's massive figure appeared on the platform, just like last year, and he took away all the new students.
As for Kyle and the others, they headed towards the other side of the platform. As second-year students, they needed to take the carriages to Hogwarts.
On a rough and muddy path, over a hundred empty carriages were parked.
The carriages were pulled by Thestrals, though most people couldn't see them.
Kyle couldn't see them either.
There was one chance before, with the werewolf at St. Mungo's, but his vitality was too strong, and he was eventually saved by the healers.
Clearly, a half-dead person couldn't see Thestrals.
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Kyle walked up to a carriage and, relying on his instincts, patted the bony head of the Thestral.
The Thestral gently nuzzled Kyle in response.
Once they were seated in the carriage, the Thestral began its journey towards Hogwarts Castle.
The carriage interior had a faint musty and straw-like smell, reminiscent of a long-unused broom closet.
The carriage approached two magnificent iron gates, each with a stone pillar on either side, topped by winged boars.
These boars weren't magical creatures; their image originated from a dream of Rowena Ravenclaw.
In her dream, she was brought to the edge of the Black Lake by a flying boar, and that's when Hogwarts came to be.
After passing through the gates, the carriage accelerated towards the castle. Through the window, they could clearly see the turrets and towers getting closer.
Finally, the carriage came to a halt.
The young witches and wizards disembarked, discussing their magical experience while climbing the stone steps towards the oak doors of the castle.
In the spacious and dimly lit entrance hall, torches burned, and on the right, the doors to the Great Hall stood open. They needed to enter the Great Hall before the arrival of the first-year students.
Kyle followed the crowd inside.
After two months, he genuinely missed this place and felt a surge of warmth as he glanced at the enchanted ceiling.
The weather was pleasant today, with clear skies and bright stars.
As Kyle reached the Hufflepuff table, he heard a voice calling out, "Kyle, can you come over here?"
Kyle looked up in surprise and saw Professor Sprout, the Head of Hufflepuff, waving at him.
"I'm coming, Professor," Kyle replied hastily and made his way through the crowd towards her.
"Is there something you need, Professor?" Kyle asked.
Professor Sprout smiled and said, "The Ministry sent some things here recently as compensation for the Forbidden Forest incident from two months ago."
"I think those are meant for you," Professor Sprout said with a smile.
...
(End of Chapter)
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