Chapter 269: Different Treatment
Chapter 269: Different Treatment
The door to the underground classroom opened and closed, leaving only Professor McGonagall and her two problematic students in the room.
Her chest heaved as she glared at them like an angry eagle.
Finally, it was Ron who broke the silence.
"Professor, was that... a phoenix we just saw?"
"Yes, it was a phoenix!" Professor McGonagall seemed reluctant to say more and simply nodded, dismissing the topic.
"You should visit the school hospital, Weasley. Your eye is swollen."
"I'm fine," Ron quickly covered his eye. "Professor, did Headmaster Dumbledore say that the Sorting Ceremony is over?"
"Yes, it just concluded," she replied.
"Then where's my sister?" Ron asked anxiously.
"She's in Gryffindor as well."
Upon hearing Professor McGonagall's response, Ron exclaimed happily, "Oh, that's wonderful!"
Although he hadn't witnessed it himself, the result was still pleasing.
However, the mention of Gryffindor seemed to remind Harry of something. He quickly spoke up, "Professor, since we arrived at school before term started, Gryffindor shouldn't be docked points, right?"
Professor McGonagall gave him a stern look, but Harry noticed that her lips were no longer pressed into such a thin line.
...
...As it turned out, Harry's words had some effect.
Professor McGonagall did not deduct points from Gryffindor.
Although they were confined to the underground classroom and had to take their meals there, it was still much better than what Harry had expected.
As she had to return to the banquet, Professor McGonagall soon left as well.
Once the door closed behind her, Ron let out a long, low whistle.
"We're lucky..." He grabbed one of the sandwiches Professor McGonagall had sent over. "Being confined here is still much better than being expelled, and at least we didn't lose any points."
"I agree," said Harry, taking a sandwich as well.
"By the way, how's your wand?"
"This isn't my wand," Ron mumbled through a mouthful of chicken and ham.
He pulled out a black stickleback made of rubber from his pocket. "This is a trick wand Fred and George made. They probably wanted to prank me, so they switched my wand with this one."
"It's a good thing they did," Harry said with a laugh.
"Yeah... It almost snapped in half when I crashed into that tree," Ron said, putting the stickleback back into his pocket with a sense of relief.
"But we should be more careful from now on."
Harry took a sip of pumpkin juice. "I really wish we could go to the banquet..."
"Professor McGonagall doesn't want us to show off," Ron said wisely. "She doesn't want people to think that arriving at school in a flying car is something to be proud of."
"But Kael gets to go to the banquet..."
"That's different," Ron shrugged. "He was brought to school by a phoenix, so of course, he has something to brag about. If it were me, I'd brag about it for a whole year... Anyone would."
"Are phoenixes rare?" Harry asked.
"You could say they're extremely rare, even more so than fire dragons," Ron said, picking up his second sandwich. "Many people never get to see them in their lifetime. I've only seen one myself, during that Quidditch match that got interrupted, remember?"
Harry nodded...
Of course, he remembered, and the memory was a vivid one.
As the two discussed phoenixes, Kael was also brought to the Great Hall by Dumbledore.
As soon as he entered, he eagerly made his way towards the Hufflepuff table.
It was just interspersed with some low buzzing whispers.
But Kyle didn't care about that and went straight to the Hufflepuff table.
Cedric had saved him a seat.
As soon as Kyle sat down, he asked eagerly, "Did you also ride in that flying car like Potter?"
"What flying car," Kyle said distractedly. "I wish I had."
"That's no joke," Connor frowned. "That car crashed into the Whomping Willow outside the castle. They say they were nearly flattened."
There are never any secrets at Hogwarts. In the time it took to sort the students, Harry and Ron's exploits had become common knowledge.
"It's all the same..." Kyle muttered. "Whether it's the Whomping Willow or being turned into a Bludger..."
"What's a Bludger...?" Cedric scratched his head, not understanding what Kyle meant.
"Since you didn't ride in that car... how did you get here? Fred and George said you weren't home on the first day of term."
"It was Fawkes," Kyle explained. "Dumbledore's phoenix, he brought me back to Hogwarts from Dorset."
Then Kyle briefly explained what had happened when he encountered Newt, leaving those around him stunned.
What a guy, a suddenly visiting phoenix, a birthing Boomslang, and then being carried back to school by the phoenix's Disapparition... Kyle's experiences over the past two days had been more exciting than theirs over two years.
"A phoenix..." Cedric marveled. "That must have been amazing..."
Mick and Ryan beside him nodded in agreement, also eager to get close to such a legendary magical creature.
"Believe me, you wouldn't enjoy it at all," Kyle waved his hand, speaking seriously.
He still felt uncomfortable, and facing a table full of delicious food didn't improve his appetite. He only ate a bit of pie and ordered a glass of double-strength lemon lemonade.
However, the lemonade made by the house-elves was sour enough, but not bitter... The effect was slightly lacking.
Seeing his state, Cedric didn't mention the phoenix again. Instead, he took out a piece of parchment and said, "We received the letters you sent during the holidays. This is the new map we made on the train using your method."
There was a hint of excitement in his voice, "It was much more troublesome than simply copying last year's, but it's very popular... We've already had fifty first-years place orders with us.
However, those higher-priced customized maps will need to be done by you since we don't have experience in that."
"How many do you need?" Kyle asked.
"Twenty-five," Cedric replied with a smile. "A lot more people bought these maps this year, and they all chose us."
Another batch of galleons would be coming his way, and Kyle's mood finally improved a little.
He turned to look at the head table and saw that Professor McGonagall had returned and was talking to Gilderoy Lockhart, who was dressed flamboyantly.
However, she looked stern, and her lips were tightly pressed together, appearing less than pleased.
...
(End of Chapter)
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