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Chapter 352: Respecting Every Witch and Wizard's Aesthetic
Chapter 352: Respecting Every Witch and Wizard's Aesthetic
After leaving Flourish and Blotts, Kyle purchased a few other items before joining Harry and the others at the Magical Menagerie.
Hermione, who had previously talked about getting an owl, ended up buying a chubby ginger cat named Crookshanks.
To be honest, this cat was incredibly ugly. Its face looked as if someone had stepped on it while it slept, leaving it flat and squished.
Coupled with its long fur, it was nearly impossible to make out any features when viewed from the side—it looked utterly flat.
Perhaps witches and wizards had differing tastes; to others, it might resemble a cardboard box with fur, but Hermione adored it and found it more beautiful than any cat she had ever seen.
To each their own, as they say…
Adhering to the principle of respecting different aesthetics, Kyle refrained from objecting and merely nodded in agreement.
Harry, beside him, did the same.
As for Ron, he wasn't in the mood.
The shop assistant hadn't offered any helpful solutions for his rat, and upon realizing Ron didn't intend to get a new pet, they half-heartedly recommended a Strengthening Solution for rodents.
"Do you guys think this will work?" Ron asked on their way back, holding his rat in one hand and the potion in the other. "I think it's way worse than the tonic Kyle gave me before."
"Get rid of it," Kyle advised. "It's basically sugar water with a bit of amaranth juice. I could whip up a bucketful in no time. By the way, how much did you pay for it?"
"It was expensive..." Ron said with a bitter expression. "Two sickles!"
"You're easily parted with your money," Kyle shrugged. "They'd still make a profit even if they sold it for two Knuts."
Ron's face fell further.
Unfortunately, since he had already fed Scabbers a mouthful of the potion in the shop, returning it was out of the question.
Looking at the listless Scabbers, he asked, "Can I buy more tonic from you in the future?"
"Of course, anytime, and you don't need to pay for it," Kyle replied.
Kyle noticed that when Ron held Scabbers in his hand, Crookshanks, the ginger cat, merely glanced lazily at the rat before turning its squashed face away, continuing to swing its tail and showing absolutely no interest.
When the group returned to the Leaky Cauldron, they found Mr. Weasley sitting at the bar, reading the Daily Prophet.
"Harry, Kyle!" He looked up and smiled. "You're all here. How have you been these past few days?"
"Very well, thank you," Harry replied.
"Great," Kyle said as he sat down next to him.
"I heard from Charlie that you were a great help," Mr. Weasley said, looking Kyle up and down. "It's a good thing you weren't hurt. Molly has been complaining that they shouldn't have let a child get involved in something so dangerous."
"It wasn't as dangerous as you might think," Kyle laughed. "Mr. Scamander and my dad were there, and when the fire dragons approached, I just had to stand behind them."
"That's true," Mr. Weasley agreed.
"Wait, dangerous? Fire dragons?" Ron frowned. "What are you talking about? Did Kyle encounter fire dragons in Romania?"
Hermione and Harry were equally curious.
"More than one, actually..." Mr. Weasley recounted what he knew.
After all, the matter in Romania had concluded, and there was no need for continued secrecy.
The group listened in awe as he described the battle involving dozens of fire dragons, experts in magical creatures from various countries, and the poachers who had started it all.
Hermione had thought her trip to France was exciting, but compared to Kyle's adventures, it suddenly seemed rather dull and uneventful.
"Over a dozen magical creature experts..." she marveled. "I wish I could have gone to Romania too."
"No can do," Mr. Weasley shook his head as he put down the Daily Prophet. "The reserve was closed to tourists at the time. Even if you went, it wouldn't have made a difference; you could have only wandered around the nearby gathering place."
"Speaking of the gathering place..." Kyle said as he opened his leather bag and took out the gifts he had prepared earlier.
For Mr. Weasley, he had chosen a dragon wood wand.
The previous year, Mr. Weasley had nearly gotten into trouble at Flourish and Blotts due to the lack of a close-combat weapon, so Kyle deliberately picked this sturdy and heavy wood that could be used to bash an opponent's head during a fight, causing damage comparable to a Stunning Spell.
"This is fantastic!" Mr. Weasley exclaimed.
The three friends immediately pinned them to their robes after expressing their thanks.
At that moment, Harry noticed the photo of Sirius Black in the newspaper, his eyes seemingly glaring right at him.
"They haven't caught him yet?"
"No," Mr. Weasley said, his expression turning solemn as he set down his wand. "The Ministry has pulled us all off our regular duties to focus on capturing him, but so far, there's been no progress."
"Is there a reward if we catch him?" Ron asked.
"Don't be ridiculous, Ron," Mr. Weasley said, his voice tense. "Black isn't going to be caught by a thirteen-year-old wizard, so don't go looking for trouble."
Just then, Mrs. Weasley walked into the bar, her arms laden with packages, followed by Fred and George, Percy, who had just become the Head Boy, and the youngest Weasley, Ginny.
"Hi, Kyle!"
"It's been a while!"
Fred and George made a beeline for Kyle, shaking his hand vigorously. "It's fantastic to see you, mate."
"Marvelous," Kyle replied.
Percy frowned at their exuberance.
"That's enough, you two," Mrs. Weasley said. "Stop mimicking Percy."
She stepped forward and gave Kyle a warm hug. "It's wonderful to see you, dear."
"It's good to see you too, Mrs. Weasley," Kyle replied.
"So, where are our presents?" At that moment, two pairs of hands reached out expectantly.
"What presents?" Kyle raised an eyebrow.
"Don't play dumb," Fred said confidently. "We spotted Dad's wand the moment we walked in."
"And Ron's badge," George added. "They didn't have those when they came in."
Kyle laughed and produced the gifts he had prepared for them, as well as for Mrs. Weasley, Percy, and Ginny.
However, when he gave the gift to Percy, he acted a bit too solemnly, even shaking Kyle's hand with exaggerated formality. "I am deeply grateful. I am truly honored."
His tone and demeanor were almost identical to that of the Romanian Ministry of Magic official who had given them the keys.
Fred and George mimicked Percy's exaggerated expressions behind his back, pulling faces.
Mrs. Weasley scolded them for their antics.
...
That evening, the Weasley family decided to stay at the Leaky Cauldron instead of returning to their usual residence.
Mr. Weasley had wanted Kyle to stay as well, but he politely refused.
"I ran into Chris before coming here," Mr. Weasley said. "He agreed that it would be fine for you to stay here for the night."
"But I haven't packed my things yet," Kyle said. "I don't have any of my books or homework with me."
Of course, Kyle wasn't telling the truth about the homework; his luggage had been packed and ready ever since two years ago.
He simply didn't want to be under constant surveillance.
Ever since they had arrived, Kyle had noticed someone lurking in the corner, occasionally glancing their way.
There was also a patron at the bar who had been reading the same page of the newspaper for half an hour without turning it.
And just a few minutes ago, an old witch drinking mead had been replaced by a middle-aged witch sitting in the same spot, drinking the same drink.
If Kyle's suspicions were correct, these individuals were all Aurors assigned to protect Harry.
This included Mr. Weasley, who had a different task at hand... to escort Harry to King's Cross Station in a more discreet manner the following day.
Kyle definitely did not want to be watched by so many Aurors; the thought alone made him uncomfortable.
Mrs. Weasley didn't press the issue further when Kyle mentioned his books and homework, but she insisted that he not return alone and waited for Chris to arrive.
And so, they waited the entire day.
It wasn't until after dinner that Chris finally returned from the Ministry.
"It's a shame, Arthur," Chris said, putting an arm around Kyle's shoulders. "I would've loved to join you for a drink, but there are too many reports to write, and the Ministry is pressing for them..."
"I understand," Mr. Weasley said, giving a subtle wink. "And I can't drink anyway."
"Yes, that's true..."
Chris sighed. "Well, I'll see you at the Ministry tomorrow, then."
With that, he and Kyle left the Leaky Cauldron.
(End of Chapter)
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