Chapter 53: Hagrid's Letter
Chapter 53: Hagrid's Letter
The sale of the maps proved to be a successful endeavor. The young witches and wizards benefited from the convenience, the professors were in better moods due to the absence of late students, and Kyle and his friends made a small fortune. It was a win-win situation for all.
If there was anyone unhappy about this turn of events, it would probably be Filch.
With Fred and George's newfound financial freedom, the corridors were often filled with the putrid scent of their stink bombs.
Filch was driven to the brink of madness, desperately trying to catch the twins in the act. He might as well have shadowed them all day.
However, Fred and George always managed to find a way to shake him off.
Autumn and Connor also became quite familiar with Kyle due to this endeavor, especially Connor. She no longer avoided sitting near him in class.
Perhaps she had grown accustomed to his presence, as her social anxiety didn't seem as severe as before. At the very least, after receiving bonus points from the professors, she could now calmly reply with a 'thank you' like the others.
The curriculum at Hogwarts for first-years was relatively relaxed, with only three classes per day under normal circumstances.
However, if you factored in homework, it became an entirely different matter.
The young students had to spend all their free time in the library just to barely complete the assignments, which were often several feet long.
And they couldn't even resort to using a larger font size to lengthen their papers, as one clever student had tried. Not only did Professor McGonagall deduct five points from that student, but she also doubled his workload, resulting in him sporting dark circles under his eyes for a long time afterward.
It was only when Professor McGonagall feared he might collapse in class that she finally lifted the punishment.
But since then, no one dared to try such tricks again.
However, there were always exceptions to the rule.
While others found the assignments nightmarish, Kyle thought they were a breeze.
It was just a matter of writing essays, something he had plenty of experience with. And since plagiarism wasn't an issue for first-years, he could write however he wanted.
He could borrow from a few related books, add in some superfluous sentences of his own, and then conclude.
Within twenty minutes, a perfect assignment was born, and the professors even praised him for his extensive reading.
Well, except for one Potions professor who shall remain unnamed.
For some reason, Kyle felt that Snape was increasingly displeased with him, often finding reasons to deduct points.
But there was little Kyle could do about it except try to avoid Snape and, after each deduction, buy a bottle of Potter's Instant Shine Shampoo, planning to anonymously send him a whole case when he had enough.
On Halloween, Kyle, as usual, sat in the library reading until it was almost time for the feast. Then, holding the unfinished Great Duel Masters he had borrowed, he approached Madam Pince.
"How many days this time?" Madam Pince asked without looking up.
"One day," Kyle replied.
"Hmm."
As Kyle frequently borrowed books, Madam Pince had a decent impression of him. She simply noted down his name and the due date before returning to her work.
Due to the Halloween celebration, the Great Hall had been decorated with colorful ornaments earlier in the day.
Carved pumpkins of various shapes floated in the air, instantly setting the festive mood.
A thousand bats fluttered along the walls and ceiling, and even above the tables, a large cloud of bats swirled.
As it wasn't quite time for the feast yet, the Great Hall buzzed with activity, with almost half the students gathered around the Gryffindor table.
Unfortunately, no one took him up on his offer.
Even Professor Sprout, usually the most amiable, politely refused his proffered Cockroach Clusters.
"You went to the library again?"
As Kyle took his seat at the Hufflepuff table, Cedric leaned over and asked, "A book on dueling...what's that for?"
"It's for my Charms homework," Kyle replied, handing the book to Cedric. "I need to make up for the points Snape deducted. Practical applications of basic spells are exactly what Professor Flitwick loves to see."
Cedric was aware of Kyle's recent troubles with Snape and gave him a sympathetic look. "So, did you find anything useful?"
"Don't mention it," Kyle sighed. "Apparently, no wizard in their right mind would use an unlocking charm during a duel."
Cedric pressed his lips together tightly to keep from laughing out loud. He had assumed Kyle was practicing the Floating Charm, only to find out it was an unlocking charm.
Forget dueling masters; even first-year students wouldn't use an unlocking charm in a fight.
At this thought, he pressed his lips together even more tightly.
Kyle gave Cedric a suspicious glance, his intuition telling him that his friend was thinking something impolite. But before he could say anything, an owl landed beside them.
It extended its claw and dropped a piece of parchment onto Kyle's plate.
"For me?" Kyle asked curiously, opening the note. The handwriting was messy and scrawled, but he could still make out the words.
Dear Kyle Jooba,
I've collected some Mooncalves' manure. If you're free on Friday (I recall you don't have classes then)
, would you mind stopping by?
Hagrid.
After reading the note, Kyle was visibly taken aback. He never expected Hagrid to invite him to his hut voluntarily.
Noticing Kyle staring at the note in a daze, Cedric, who had already sneaked in a few laughs, asked curiously, "Who's the letter from?"
"Hagrid," Kyle replied.
Cedric thought for a moment and asked, "The one who takes care of the keys near the Forbidden Forest?"
"Yeah, that's him," Kyle confirmed.
"What does he want with you? Do you know him?"
"He said he's collected some Mooncalves' manure. I went to him once before to get fertilizer for my ornamental plants," Kyle explained.
"Can you take me with you when you go?" Cedric asked. "I'm quite curious about that place."
"Sure, why not?"
Kyle took out his quill and added to the bottom of the note: "Okay, tomorrow afternoon I'll come by with my friend."
He fed the owl some nuts before sending it back on its way.
Soon after, the feast began.
Being Halloween, the spread was much more lavish than usual, featuring not only a whole roasted beef that filled the air with a mouthwatering aroma but also pumpkin pies and caramel apples.
An assortment of candies was also on offer, and Kyle was relieved to see no Cockroach Clusters among them, indicating that the headmaster's peculiar hobby hadn't extended to the kitchen.
...
(End of Chapter)
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