Chapter 503: Uncomprehending, But Respectful
Chapter 503: Uncomprehending, But Respectful
As Kyle left the room and returned to the Common Room, the sudden surge of noise nearly knocked him flat on his back.
Before Kyle could even take a step, a dozen hands pulled him into the room... If not for the limited space at the entrance, there would have been even more people.
"Snap, snap, snap..."
Dozens of colorful ribbons burst open in the Common Room, and everyone from Hufflepuff was screaming and cheering.
"Welcome, Hogwarts Champion!" someone shouted.
It was Fred and George, who had somehow managed to sneak in, and they were excitedly preparing to open the second ribbon.
"You're something else," Cedric squeezed through the crowd, "Professor Sprout was here earlier, and she was so excited that she was jumping around. It's the first time I've seen her so enthusiastic."
"We've prepared some food..." Fred said, "and we were just waiting for you. Honestly, having the kitchen right next door is so convenient."
"And Butterbeer..." George added, "The house-elves in the kitchen only needed five minutes to get three huge barrels of it from Hogsmeade."
Then, Kyle was pulled by a group of people to a table that had been pushed together.
The table was filled with various delicacies, almost as lavish as a banquet, and next to it were three Butterbeer barrels as tall as Kyle himself, enough to last the entire night for everyone.
Kyle really wanted to say that he was full from the banquet and wasn't hungry at all, but no one was listening to him.
They surrounded him, constantly shoving Butterbeer into his hands, and everyone wanted to know what the first task of the Triwizard Tournament would be.
"I don't know either," Kyle said, "They didn't tell me anything. The only thing I know is that the competition will start on November 30th."
But there were too many people around, and some might not have heard him, so Kyle had to repeatedly explain it over and over again. It was the first time he realized that Hufflepuff's Common Room could fit so many people.
Two hours later, Fred and George left, leaning on each other's shoulders, and Kyle finally managed to break free from the crowd and hurried back to his dormitory.
He was genuinely unable to drink any more.
...
It was unknown how long their celebration lasted, but when Kyle woke up on Sunday morning, there were only a few people left in the Common Room.
The previously messy tables and floors had been cleaned spotless, not a crumb of cookie left behind.
"You're awake, do you want something to eat?" Cona opened a tray on the table, which had a few slices of bread, some sliced ham, and a pitcher of pumpkin juice.
"Breakfast time is over, but I just got this from the kitchen."
"Thanks," Kyle said.
He stuffed the bread and ham into his mouth but didn't touch the pumpkin juice... It looked too much like Butterbeer, and just looking at it made his stomach churn.
"Do you want to go for a walk?" Kyle decided to go outside to avoid being surrounded again.
"Sure," Cona replied.
The two of them walked through the oak door, down the Entrance Hall, and out into the grounds beyond the castle.
Durmstrang's ghost ship was docked on the Black Lake, rocking gently with the waves, and Kyle wondered if they would be able to get any rest at all that night.
"Where are you headed?" Cona asked.
"How about we go to Hagrid's?" Kyle suggested after some thought, "It's been a while since we last visited his hut."
"Good idea."
The two of them strolled leisurely across the grass, heading towards the edge of the Forbidden Forest.
As they approached Hagrid's hut, located at the forest's edge, Cona suddenly asked, "Do you smell that?"
"It's like alcohol..." Kyle said, looking around. He quickly identified the source of the alcohol.
Not far from the hut, there was a temporary enclosure, and Hagrid was moving large barrels into it.
At that moment, Hagrid had also just turned around and saw Kyle and Cona approaching.
"Finally, you're here," he said with feigned annoyance. "I thought you youngsters had forgotten where I lived."
"Of course not, we've just been busy," Kyle replied. "You know, fifth year is O.W.L. year, and we have tons of homework."
"It's rare to hear you complaining about homework," Hagrid said with a smile. "By the way, congratulations on becoming a Champion. I knew it would be you."
"Thank you," Kyle said. "What are you doing here?"
Hagrid pointed to the Thestrals in the paddock, "I'm preparing breakfast for these horses. They only drink pure malt whisky, which I bought early this morning in Hogsmeade."
But it's all worth it... They're so beautiful, aren't they?"
"Yeah..." Kyle leaned on the fence, his eyes fixed on the Thestrals inside without blinking.
Hagrid was right; these creatures were indeed stunning, but they belonged to Beauxbatons Academy, and there weren't many of them...
Kyle shook his head and stopped looking.
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At this moment, Hagrid also carried the last wooden barrel inside and opened it, releasing a strong aroma of alcohol.
"This will do," Hagrid said, clapping his hands and stepping out of the paddock. "There's enough whisky for them to drink all day."
"Do they only drink whisky?" Cona asked.
"Of course not," Hagrid replied. "They'll also eat the grass here. By evening, I'll bring some fresh wormwood leaves... That's what Madame Maxime said."
Suddenly, Hagrid laughed for no apparent reason.
"What's wrong?" Cona asked, feeling that Hagrid was acting strangely today.
Especially since his hair seemed to be coated with a large amount of lubricant, making it look greasy and shiny. As for the effect... it was hard to describe, so Cona decided not to comment.
"Nothing, nothing," Hagrid said, his face turning flustered. "Do you want some tea? Come on over."
After saying this, he took a few quick steps and led Kyle and Cona back to the nearby hut.
The place looked similar to when they had visited before, with a massive plank bed, a quilt made of patched-up rags, and a huge wooden table and chairs in front of the fireplace.
Hagrid started making tea, but Kyle noticed a piece of clothing hanging on the wall. It was Hagrid's favorite... and also the ugliest—a shaggy brown overcoat.
Next to it was a yellow and orange striped tie.
This unique fashion sense was something Kyle had never seen anywhere else.
Cona also noticed it, and they exchanged a glance, silently agreeing not to comment.
In fact, they had discussed it before. When Hagrid first became a professor last year, he wore this very outfit. Kyle had suggested more than once that he should get a new set from Fleur's Wizard Robes Shop in Hogsmeade, as the owner had a good eye for fashion and could always match outfits to suit individual styles.
But after all this time, Hagrid's favorite was still this set, which he would bring out on important occasions.
Well, even if they didn't understand his taste, they could still respect it.
And these clothes weren't meant for them to see anyway.
It wasn't easy for Hagrid, standing over three meters tall, to find someone of similar height and build. Fortunately, Madame Maxime from Beauxbatons Academy was one such person, even half a head taller than Hagrid.
As people of the same kind, perhaps they shared a similar aesthetic sense, and that's why they thought this combination looked good... It wasn't impossible.
...
(End of Chapter 505)
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