Chapter 630: The Informant
Chapter 630: The Informant
The gathering at the Hog's Head Pub lasted longer than Kyle had anticipated. After about two hours, people started to leave one by one.
Leading the way were Fred, George, and their friend Li Jordan, all rushing out as if they had somewhere important to be. They quickly made their way towards Weasley Joke Shop after leaving the pub.
Following them were Colin from Gryffindor, Angelita, Ryan, Mikael, and Justin from Hufflepuff, along with three Ravenclaw boys whose names Kyle couldn't recall.
The onlookers were left stunned, never in their wildest dreams would they have imagined that the least popular pub, Hog's Head, would attract so many customers.
It wasn't until everyone had left that Cedric and his group finally exited the pub.
Through the window of Three Broomsticks, Kyle could clearly see Cedric standing on the main road, looking around angrily as if searching for someone.
"Is he looking for you?" Conna asked quietly, "Didn't you tell him you wouldn't be at Hog's Head today?"
"Oh, I forgot," Kyle replied.
In truth, it was only when he saw the Greengrass sisters at Fashionable Wizard Robe Shop that he realized he should be supporting Fudge and not get too involved in activities that went against the Ministry of Magic.
"Are you going to wait for him here?" Conna asked.
Kyle shook his head, "Never mind, he's probably angry right now. Let's talk about it when we get back to the castle."
He immediately stood up and, while Cedric hadn't noticed them yet, he and Conna made their way through the round tables to the other side of the pub and exited Three Broomsticks.
The two then headed to the clothing store, picked up their ready-made thick robes, and left Hogsmeade.
It wasn't until the evening that Cedric returned to the castle, his hair disheveled and looking more anxious than usual.
Kyle found an opportunity to explain why he hadn't gone to Hog's Head that day.
Although Cedric believed Kyle's explanation, he still seemed a bit displeased.
"Do you know how many people showed up?" he complained in the common room, "Fifty-three! The regular customers thought it was Dumbledore's way of dealing with Hog's Head, and they all ran away!"
"Isn't that a good thing?" Kyle asked, "You don't have to worry about anyone eavesdropping."
"The problem is, I can't teach that many people," Cedric said.
"Fifty-three people, it's almost like a regular class, but I'm not a real professor. What if something goes wrong?"
As he spoke, he couldn't help raising his voice a little, looking at Kyle with a hint of reproach, "I was thinking of having you share some of the burden, but you didn't even show up that day."
"You can find someone else," Kyle suggested.
"I guess that's the only way," Cedric thought for a moment, "What about Hermione? I remember she's always been the top of the class, and she's good at it, too."
"If you want to improve paper scores, Hermione is a good choice," Kyle said, "But the purpose of your self-study in Defense Against the Dark Arts is to improve self-protection abilities, so she might not be the most suitable choice.
"To be honest, Hermione's Defense Against the Dark Arts scores are high, but her charm usage isn't particularly outstanding.
"I think you can consider Harry Potter."
"Potter?" Cedric was a bit surprised.
He wasn't particularly familiar with Harry, aside from knowing he was good at Quidditch, he didn't know much about him.
"That's right," Kyle continued, "Sirius and Moody both said he's talented in Defense Against the Dark Arts, and he's very skilled in both the Disarming Charm and the Iron Body Charm.
"If that's the case, then it's definitely possible," Cedric mused for a moment.
The range of application for the Iron Body Charm and the Disarming Charm is extensive, and they are most effective when facing enemies.
Therefore, if they wanted to self-study Defense Against the Dark Arts, these two spells are a must-learn.
"In that case, I'll go find him tomorrow," Cedric said, still somewhat anxious. "With fifty-three people, I hope it doesn't go wrong..."
...
During the remaining time of the weekend, the castle was always filled with an atmosphere of anticipation, just like when Sirius first arrived at Hogwarts. Everyone was eager to witness his class.
The next morning, Cedric left the Hufflepuff Common Room early and headed to the Great Hall to meet Harry.
Kyle had also wanted to go and observe, but before he even reached the Great Hall, someone suddenly appeared and blocked his path.
Kyle recognized this person, Dennis Creevey from Gryffindor, a member of the Harry Potter Fan Club.
"Kyle..." He seemed to have run all the way, panting as he spoke, "Umbridge wants to see you in her office."
"When?"
"Alright, I understand," Kyle nodded.
After Dennis Creevey left, Kyle looked at the Great Hall, which was just a stone's throw away, and sighed, "If I had known, I would have come earlier. I might have even gotten to eat breakfast."
"Why is Umbridge looking for you at this time?" Conna asked worriedly. "Do you want me to inform Professor Sprout?"
"No need," Kyle said, "I guess she probably knows about what happened in Hogsmeade yesterday."
"How did Umbridge find out so quickly?" Conna immediately thought of something, "There must be a snitch!"
"Last night, Rita said that Zacharias Smith has been questioning Harry's claims about the Dark Lord's resurrection. He also said Cedric was too naive and was being deceived."
"Zacharias?" Kyle naturally knew this person. Like him, Zacharias was a Sixth Year student in Hufflepuff, and they both competed for the position of Chaser in their Second Year.
However, Kyle's performance at that time was too perfect, leaving no chance for others. As a result, all competitors for the Chaser position were eliminated during the selection stage.
It must be said that Zacharias' personality is not very likable. He is arrogant and likes to attract attention by refuting others.
Many believe that Zacharias shouldn't have been sorted into Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw or Slytherin would have been more suitable for him.
So, it's not surprising that he would raise doubts. Kyle didn't find it strange at all. Before this, Zacharias had repeatedly demanded that Harry and Dumbledore provide evidence of Voldemort's resurrection.
"And Terence Boot from Ravenclaw."
Conna mentioned another name, "Rita said he kept laughing, as if he thought the gathering was a comical play."
"The snitch is most likely one of them."
"It's not strange. After all, none of us can guarantee that we won't misjudge or attract someone with ulterior motives."
Kyle said, "Additionally, having over fifty people go to a pub that students rarely visit at the same time will naturally draw attention from others."
"She won't make things difficult for you, will she?" Conna still seemed concerned.
"Don't worry, I have my ways to deal with it," Kyle assured her, "It's better not to involve other professors. Their presence might only complicate matters."
After that, he asked Conna to go to the Great Hall first while he turned and walked towards the stairs.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
