Chapter 47: Mental and Physical Wellbeing of Teenage Wizards
Chapter 47: Mental and Physical Wellbeing of Teenage Wizards
News of what happened in the Dark Arts Defense class spread quickly, but it didn't spark as much interest as one might expect.
In another class, a first-year student accidentally injuring a professor might have caused quite a stir. For instance, on the very first day of school during Charms class, a mishap became a tale that was still being retold with relish.
But when it came to Dark Arts Defense, well, it was a different story.
You see, their previous professor had been a deeply hidden Dark Wizard. One day, someone discovered his secret, and he was taken away by the Aurors right in the middle of a lesson.
And the professor before that? He was a Potions enthusiast who loved experimenting with bizarre potion recipes. One day, he shared his latest creation with his students—a panacea that he claimed could rival the Elixir of Life. It would, he said, solve all their problems with just one sip.
And then... nothing happened.
To prove the efficacy of his potion, he had taken a mouthful right there in class. Now, he lay in St. Mungo's, still recuperating.
Compared to that, Professor Oren's little incident was hardly worth mentioning.
And so, the first weekend at Hogwarts arrived quietly.
Kyle slept in, only waking up just before nine o'clock when Cedric knocked on his door.
"What's the rush this morning?"
After a leisurely morning routine, Kyle stretched out on the sofa in the common room.
"Do you call this early?" Cedric shook his head in disbelief as he handed Kyle a meat pie he had just fetched from the kitchen.
It was a delicious combination of potatoes, beef, and onions.
As Kyle ate, Cedric continued, "The Quidditch tryouts start today. I'm heading over soon to give it a shot. Want to come? Together, we'd be sure to win the Quidditch Cup this year."
"I'll pass," Kyle shook his head. "First-year students aren't allowed on the House teams, it's a rule."
Ever since yesterday's Flying class, Kyle had given up on the idea of joining the Quidditch team.
Diana had strictly forbidden him from buying a broomstick in his first year, so if he joined the team now, he'd have to make do with the ancient brooms provided by the school... and that was a hard no for Kyle.
Those brooms were too old, lacking even the most basic essential features. For example, the most important one—the Levitation Charm etched into the broom handle—was missing.
This feature had been standard on all brooms since 1930 because that year's Quidditch World Cup final had lasted a full seven days. Afterward, a total of eleven players from the two competing teams had to retire for the same reason.
Hence, the Levitation Charm became a necessary addition to all brooms.
The brooms at school, however, were clearly from before 1930.
Those antiques might be fun for a short ride, but prolonged use could potentially affect the mental and physical health of teenage wizards.
Kyle couldn't bring himself to use them, but Cedric...
Kyle patted him on the shoulder and said sincerely, "If you make the team, I suggest you save up for a new broom."
Cedric nodded. "You're right. The school brooms are too slow. But if I do make the team, my dad will probably get me a Cleansweep Seven."
"Then you'll be all set," Kyle agreed.
Although the Cleansweep Seven was a model from a decade ago, it had all the necessary features and would suffice for the House team.
"Oh, and one more thing," Cedric said, pulling out two maps. "I've finished the Gryffindor and Slytherin maps. What's our next move? Should we start promoting them ourselves?"
"Mhm, I was thinking the same thing," Cedric nodded. "For Gryffindor, we can ask the Weasley brothers; they're likely to help us out. But what about Slytherin? Do you know anyone from there?"
Kyle shook his head.
As it happened, Slytherin was the house he knew the least about, as their paths rarely crossed.
"That's a problem," Cedric sighed. "I don't know anyone either."
Having earned his first bucket of gold, Cedric was highly motivated and didn't want to give up on Slytherin, the biggest market.
For this purpose, he had specially modified the Slytherin map, using the finest parchment and adding a golden border.
The design perfectly matched their taste.
Of course, the price would be adjusted accordingly—you get what you pay for, after all.
The only issue now was how to sell these maps. Relying solely on the two of them from Hufflepuff might not convince many Slytherins to buy them.
Moreover, if Snape found out about this, it could spell trouble. Given his personality, he would likely confiscate the maps and deduct twenty points from Hufflepuff.
They pondered the situation and concluded that finding a middleman was the best solution.
After further discussion, they still didn't have a solid plan.
Cedric considered asking the Weasley brothers if they knew anyone from Slytherin.
Although Kyle thought the chances were slim, they didn't have a better option at the moment, so they decided to give it a try.
As it approached ten o'clock, the pair left the Hufflepuff common room together.
Cedric was off to the Quidditch pitch for the House team tryouts, while Kyle was headed to the library to return a book.
He had finished reading The Wind-swept Balladeer the night before and intended to borrow another one.
Since they weren't going in the same direction, they parted ways near the Great Hall.
"Good luck with making the Quidditch team," Kyle said with a smile.
"Don't worry!" Cedric confidently gave him a thumbs-up. "I'll definitely make it."
And with that, they went their separate ways.
...
Inside the library, Madam Pince took the book from Kyle and inspected it before handing him the one he wanted to borrow:
"You know the rules."
"Of course, no damaging the books," Kyle smiled. "I know."
"Good."
After getting the book he wanted, Kyle didn't return to his dormitory but instead found a spot in the library to start reading.
Comprehensive Guide to Magical Plants of Asia
This was a book about medicinal herbs, and Kyle quickly skimmed through the pages until he found what he was looking for.
"ZG Biting Kale, an extremely dangerous and aggressive plant, first discovered in..."
Kyle took out a piece of parchment he had prepared earlier and used the Copying Charm to transcribe the content. After that, he left the library.
However, he didn't return this particular book just yet, intending to finish reading it first. Who knew, maybe Professor Sprout would introduce some new species next time.
It would be a hassle to borrow it again.
(End of Chapter)
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