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Chapter 63: Why Return to Hogwarts?
Chapter 63: Why Return to Hogwarts?
"Rest assured, Cedric is fine. Madam Pomfrey said he'll be discharged tomorrow morning."
Upon returning to the Hufflepuff common room, Kyle immediately shared this good news.
The badgers hadn't gone anywhere else after leaving the hospital wing, and the Quidditch players were there too, though they didn't look too pleased.
The seeker, Cedric, having to leave the game due to injury, was a huge blow to the team's morale. Although a substitute player took over as chaser, they still lost, 60 to 220, a full 160-point deficit.
It was a relief that Cedric's condition wasn't serious, and that was some consolation.
The beater, Jazel, breathed a sigh of relief. "In that case, he'll make it just in time for afternoon practice."
Jazel was in his seventh year, and his greatest wish was to bring the Quidditch Cup back to Hufflepuff before he graduated.
"Damn it!" Captain Harris angrily punched the wall. "We can't just let this go."
"Yeah, we need some answers." Someone spoke up indignantly. "That Slytherin player dared to attack our seeker so blatantly. It's like he doesn't respect you as captain at all, and I can't just swallow that!"
"Captain," someone whispered. "I heard that some Slytherin team members will be going to Hogsmeade tomorrow. What if we..."
"Shut up, Ongley." Harris glared at him. "Remember, don't lay a hand on any Slytherin players. I'll handle this."
...
Kyle, who was not far away, turned to look at Harris after hearing his words.
This captain was quite level-headed.
It was indeed unwise to openly pick a fight with Slytherin at the moment.
Currently, Hufflepuff was only about ten points behind Slytherin in the House standings, a very narrow gap. If Snape got wind of an opportunity, he certainly wouldn't hesitate to deduct a hundred points from Hufflepuff.
Of course, if losing a hundred points meant they could teach the Slytherins a lesson, it might be worth it. Hufflepuff wouldn't mind that.
But the real concern was the possibility of failing to teach them a lesson and still losing the points—that would be annoying.
And that possibility was not small.
Kyle suspected that a certain professor was likely keeping a close eye on them. Perhaps even the news of the Slytherin players' trip to Hogsmeade was leaked by that professor.
Kyle shook his head and stopped listening. He called over to Mikkel and Ryan, and the three of them returned to their dormitory.
"Kyle, why didn't you talk about it out there?" Mikkel had been discussing Quidditch with the others and was a little reluctant to be called away by Kyle.
He looked at the poster of the Wimbourne Wasps on Kyle's bed and said wistfully, "I just realized how interesting Quidditch is. It's a shame first-years aren't allowed to join the team. I'm definitely signing up next year. What about you guys?"
After speaking, Mikkel closed his eyes, imagining himself riding a broomstick and soaring across the Quidditch pitch. He caught the Golden Snitch, and all around him was the deafening roar of the crowd, everyone shouting his name.
That feeling was incredible...
"Wake up now, you can sleep later!"
Just then, a cold voice mercilessly pulled him out of his beautiful dream.
"Let's talk about Quidditch next year. You have more important things to focus on right now."
Kyle waited for Mikkel to open his eyes and then handed him a bottle of blue potion. "Mikkel, it's time for your medicine.
"Sixty days ago?" Kyle clarified, "You're supposed to drink it once every two months, you know that."
"It's already been two months? That fast?!" Mikkel still found it hard to believe.
The disgusting taste of the potion was truly memorable, and the experience felt like it had happened just yesterday.
"Umm, did you forget?" Ryan quietly reminded him from the side, "Halloween just passed a couple of days ago."
Upon hearing this, Mikkel quickly accepted reality.
Indeed, Halloween had come and gone, marking the passage of two months.
"Fine, you're right." Mikkel said with an evasive gaze, "But I have something else to do right now, just put it on the table for now, and I'll drink it when I get back tonight."
"Alright, then don't forget." Kyle placed the Demon-Suppressing Potion on the table.
Mikkel visibly relaxed upon seeing this and said, "Don't worry, I definitely won't forget. I'm heading to the library to finish my homework now, see you guys later."
As he turned to leave, Kyle silently drew his wand behind him.
"Immobulus."
The tip of his wand shot out a thick rope that tightly bound Mikkel.
"What are you doing?! Stop!"
Mikkel struggled with all his might, but it was all in vain, and he could only watch helplessly as Kyle approached with the potion in hand.
"Don't come over here! Stay back!"
"I'm sorry, but I have no choice." Kyle came to his side and said sincerely, "This is a task given to me by Headmaster Dumbledore, and I must complete it."
"I'm fine now, really."
Mikkel felt he still had a chance to turn things around and quickly said, "Even Professor Sprout said I've been making great progress, and there definitely won't be any more accidents like before."
"That was the Lumos spell, we're already learning the Levitation spell now."
"Then I won't use my wand!" Mikkel continued to struggle, "Surely I can do it without my wand, right?"
Kyle shook his head.
Learning a spell without a wand was like playing Quidditch without a broom—impossible.
Kyle gave a subtle signal, and Ryan immediately understood, rolling up his sleeves and moving in.
With their combined efforts, they smoothly administered the Demon-Suppressing Potion without wasting a drop.
Ryan held the now-empty bottle and asked curiously, "So, what exactly is this?"
"It's a Demon-Suppressing Potion, a very precious magical potion."
"Precious?"
"Yes."
Kyle thought for a moment before continuing, "Let me put it this way. If we weren't in Hogwarts, this potion would cost at least fifty Galleons to purchase, and that would be for the lowest quality version."
"Fifty Galleons?!"
Ryan swallowed, impressed. His wand had only cost seven Galleons, and yet this single bottle of potion could buy seven wands?
"But, that bottle from earlier was personally brewed by Professor Snape." Kyle continued, "For a master potion maker like him, if his work were sold in Diagon Alley, the price would at least double, so we're talking about a hundred Galleons."
This time, even Mikkel, who was lying on the ground like a beached fish, sat up upon hearing this number.
He had just drunk something worth a hundred Galleons?
Mikkel smacked his lips, a slight aftertaste lingering.
(End of Chapter)
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