Hogwarts: The Exemplary Wizard I Am Chapter 689: Before the Holidays - Novel Cool

Chapter 689: Before the Holidays

Chapter 689: Before the Holidays

The events that transpired at the Ministry of Magic the day before had spread throughout the wizarding world, thanks to the publication of the Prophet.

However, the newspaper made no mention of the prophecy. It merely stated that Voldemort and his Death Eaters had attempted to steal something and wreaked havoc in the atrium.

To many, this signaled a declaration of war against the Ministry, indicating that Voldemort had amassed a substantial following and was prepared to stir up trouble. It also instilled a sense of unease and apprehension.

But all of this had little to do with the students of Hogwarts.

In the afternoon, nearly the entire school was gathered at the Quidditch stadium, eagerly awaiting the most important match of the year.

It was Hufflepuff against Gryffindor, and the overall score between the two teams was separated by a mere twenty points. It was anyone's game, and the winner of this match would claim the Quidditch Cup.

From the start of the game until now, the stands had been filled with nonstop cheers and shouts of encouragement as everyone rooted for their favored team.

"For both teams, this is a match that cannot be lost..."

Lee Jordan's voice rang out from the commentary box, "Whether it's Hufflepuff's Cedric and Ted or Gryffindor's Weasley twins and Angelina, they will all be graduating next year. No one wants to leave Hogwarts with regrets!

"Oh, the Bludger is with Kyle now, and that's not good news for Gryffindor... Angelina is charging towards Kyle... Unfortunately, her Nimbus 2000 can't keep up with his Firebolt..."

For once, Lee Jordan refrained from making jokes or teasing the players. Instead, he maintained a professional demeanor throughout his commentary.

After all, not only the students he mentioned but also himself were in their seventh year. This match held a special significance for him as well.

"Oh, look, Harry's spotted the Snitch!" Despite his hoarse voice from all the shouting, Lee Jordan leaned halfway out of the commentary box and shouted, "It's right across from the Ravenclaw stands, and Cedric has seen it too... They're accelerating now... Who will catch the Golden Snitch? I wish I had a panoramic telescope..."

"Look over there, Kyle has reached the goal post... He's thrown the Quaffle... It's the middle goal post... Can Ginny... Oh, she blocked it! Our stand-in Keeper saved the day!"

As Lee Jordan shouted himself hoarse, Madam Hooch blew her whistle.

The Golden Snitch had been caught.

Harry raised his arm high, and between his fingers, a pair of wings fluttered weakly.

The crowd erupted into a frenzy of cheers and applause.

The game was over.

210:220

Gryffindor had won, and it was their first victory over Hufflepuff in six years, ending their undefeated streak.

The players hugged each other excitedly, with Harry and Ginny at the center of the celebration.

When everyone returned to the pitch, Dumbledore appeared with a beaming smile and presented the glittering Quidditch Cup.

"Congratulations!" he said as he handed the trophy to Cedric.

Indeed, while Gryffindor had won the match, they had also lost.

Because before this match, Hufflepuff had been leading by twenty points, but at the end, they were only ahead by ten.

"It's a shame..." Neville sighed as he watched from the stands, "If only Harry had caught the Snitch when we were seventy points ahead."

"He knew it was impossible." Hermione, who had recently been discharged from the hospital wing, said, "Hufflepuff's Seeker is too good. It wouldn't have made a difference if the game had gone on, and we might have even been overtaken."

"I guess you're right." Neville nodded and joined the others in their cheers.

Nevertheless, they had beaten Hufflepuff at least once.

"To be honest," Cedric said to Kyle in the changing room, "was that last shot intentional?"

"What do you mean?" Kyle asked.

"Of course, I mean the last Quaffle," Cedric said as he carefully folded his team robe, "From such a close distance, I don't believe you could have missed, especially against Ginny, who was just pulled in as a stand-in Keeper."

"Ginny's flying skills aren't bad either," Kyle said, "and you're overestimating me a bit. Even those well-known Chasers in the professional teams can't guarantee they'll make every shot.

"Besides, isn't this a good outcome? Both teams won their respective matches... It's a win-win situation, and everyone's happy."

"You're right about that," Cedric said as he placed his robe into a bag.

By the time they left the changing room, the spectators had all departed, and the once lively stadium now stood silent.

Cedric stood quietly at the entrance, as if he could still hear the echoes of the crowd's cheers.

The other team members approached from the changing room.

"Do you want to stay a little longer?" Kyle asked.

"No need," Cedric replied. He turned and walked away, chatting and laughing with the others as they strolled out of the stadium.

"I can't believe we won the championship six years in a row..."

"Professor Sprout is overjoyed. I've never seen her this happy lately..."

"Professor McGonagall seems pretty pleased too..."

"Yes, this is the best outcome..."

"We should have a banquet to celebrate..."

"It would be great if we could celebrate together with Gryffindor. That would be so much fun."

...

As the team returned to the castle, they suddenly realized that the Gryffindors had already started celebrating. They gathered in small groups, talking and laughing loudly.

Even when the Slytherins deliberately mentioned that Gryffindor had lost the Quidditch Cup, they didn't seem to care, and they greeted Kyle and the others enthusiastically when they saw them.

After putting their brooms back in the dormitory, Kyle went out to the grounds again.

The scorching sun shone fiercely on the ground, but there were still many people on the field, lounging on the grass, chatting, snacking, reading the Prophet, and enjoying the rare peaceful moment.

Some people even waved at Kyle as he walked by, commenting that today's match was the most exciting they had ever seen.

Kyle smiled and acknowledged them, but he didn't take it to heart... People had said the same after the previous matches as well.

Conna was in the library, probably the only person who still needed to study at this time.

Fred and George were also busy preparing for the opening of their shop and hadn't been seen around much lately.

Kyle felt a bit bored, so he decided to return Loewy first.

Hagrid seemed to be deliberately waiting for him, as Kyle had walked quite far from the hut, but just before entering the forest, Hagrid spotted him.

"What are you spacing out for?" Hagrid's loud voice carried from a distance.

"You're going the wrong way, it's over here..."

Kyle had no choice but to turn around and walk towards Hagrid.

"Today's match was fantastic," Hagrid said in the hut, pouring a cup of dandelion juice for Kyle. "I can't think of a better outcome."

"I feel the same way," Kyle said, picking up the cup and taking a sip of the new drink Hagrid had prepared.

It tasted a bit bitter, but Hagrid seemed to have added honey, making it quite pleasant to drink.

"I heard about it..." Hagrid suddenly said, his face turning serious. "I have to say, Kyle, you went too far this time."

Kyle was startled, thinking Hagrid was referring to him sneaking Loewy out. Just as he was about to explain, Hagrid continued: "You've been hiding the fact that you have a Chimaera Cat from me all this time!"

"What? A Chimaera Cat?" Kyle blinked.

"Yes, I heard all about it. The amazing Chimaera Cat saved Harry twice in the Department of Mysteries." Hagrid said with a hint of reproach. "You knew how much I love magical creatures, yet you kept it from me. Was that too much to ask?"

"Or do you think I would tell the Professor or someone else about it?"

"Of course not," Kyle quickly replied. "It's just... well, okay, you're right. I was wrong about that."

Kyle opened the box.

The next second, the Chimaera Cat jumped out. It looked around to ensure there was no danger before curling up next to Kyle and lazily licking its fur.

Hagrid, who had been about to take a sip of his tea, froze with his hand in mid-air, his eyes fixed on the Chimaera Cat, a deep sense of adoration in his gaze.

The Chimaera Cat seemed to sense something and lifted its head to scrutinize Hagrid for a moment before settling back down.

"It's so beautiful, isn't it?" Hagrid casually tossed his cup aside, his eyes fixed on the Chimaera Cat's six legs. "It must be incredibly fast when it runs."

"Mhm." Kyle nodded. "To put it simply, aside from the Firebolt broomstick, the Chimaera Cat is faster than all other brooms."

Hagrid's eyes gleamed with even more fervor.

"Can you leave it in the Forbidden Forest? I can take care of it," he asked.

Before Kyle could answer, a whimpering sound came from the corner near the bed.

Toothless was curled up, his tail tucked between his legs, whimpering as if he wanted to squeeze himself out of the hut.

Toothless had been like this ever since the Chimaera Cat's appearance, but it was understandable. Even among magical beasts, adult Chimaera Cats were considered top-tier, and there was even a specialized Chimaera Cat College in Ilvermorny that selected students who embodied courage and possessed quick reflexes and robust physiques—similar to the values of Gryffindor.

Over ninety-nine percent of dogs would have fainted on the spot if they had to share a small space with a 5X-level magical beast like the Chimaera Cat.

This was probably also related to Toothless' past experiences.

As Hagrid's constant companion, Toothless often ventured into the Forbidden Forest and had seen his fair share of wonders.

Hagrid often said that Toothless was timid, but for an ordinary Neapolitan Mastiff without any magical beast blood, it was natural to feel afraid when facing the centaurs or unicorns in the forest. It was simply instinctual.

If another dog were in Toothless' place, they might not even need to enter the forest; the mere proximity of a mile would be enough to paralyze them with fear.

"Diffindo."

Kyle waved his wand and created a hole in one of the walls, allowing Toothless to scamper out.

"Reparo." Kyle waved his wand again, repairing the hole.

After taking care of that, he continued, "I'm sorry, Hagrid, but the Chimaera Cat can't stay in the Forbidden Forest. I borrowed it from Newt to teach Harry the Occlumency technique, and it will go back during the holidays."

"Is that so?" Hagrid looked a bit disappointed but also somewhat wistful. "Mr. Scamander must have a lot of magical creatures with him."

"Not as many now," Kyle said. "Most of the magical creatures have been returned to their natural habitats. What remains are those that refused to leave, those that are injured and unable to survive in the wild, and their offspring."

But Tina wouldn't allow him to do such things anymore, not for the past twenty years.

"I really wish I could see it..." Hagrid said, still staring at the Chimaera Cat in fascination.

This time, Kyle remained silent.

He could have introduced Hagrid to Newt, but he had no intention of doing so.

It wasn't just because Hagrid often let things slip in front of Harry... Well, that was part of the reason, but the main issue was that they had differing views on certain matters.

Just the fact that Kyle had created the Blast-Ended Skrewt was enough to make it difficult for them to find common ground.

Hagrid also leaned more towards dangerous beasts with fangs and claws, which was another difference between him and Newt.

While Newt's menagerie did include some of these creatures, it mostly consisted of Runespoors and Sniffles, more mundane magical beasts.

Hagrid was aware of this, so he didn't push the matter further. Instead, he got up and stepped outside the hut.

Soon after, Hagrid returned with an assortment of food—chicken ferrets, beef legs, and warthog meat—all prepared for the magical creatures in the Forbidden Forest.

"Come on, take a look and tell me which one you like." Hagrid squatted in front of the Chimaera Cat, asking eagerly.

The Chimaera Cat first glanced at the chicken ferret, still with its feathers on, and pushed it aside with a hint of disdain, as if it couldn't understand why anyone would want to eat such "junk food."

In the end, it chose the beef leg over the wart hog meat, perhaps wanting a change of taste after the sumptuous wart hog feast from the day before.

Kyle stayed in the hut until evening approached, then left for the castle, bidding farewell to Hagrid, who was still reluctant to part with him.

On his way back, Kyle had the nagging feeling that he had forgotten something, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

"Never mind, it's probably not important," Kyle shook his head and continued up the stone steps into the castle.

...

The day before the holidays, everyone was discharged from the hospital wing. Sirius Black, Lupin, and Moody had all accepted Dumbledore's invitation to attend the dinner.

Unlike the silence that greeted them on their first arrival, Moody's entrance into the Great Hall this time was met with loud applause and cheers.

They had all been professors of Defense Against the Dark Arts at one point, and they were among the most popular ones, still held in high regard.

"This feels pretty good," Moody said as he sat down at the teacher's table.

No wonder Dumbledore had stayed at the school all this time, going nowhere else if not for more important tasks. Being a professor at Hogwarts seemed like a pretty good deal.

"I'm glad we could all be together at this time," Dumbledore stood up and gestured towards Sirius and the others, "And we also have a few... old friends with us."

The Great Hall erupted in another round of enthusiastic applause.

"Alright, alright..." Dumbledore waved his hand, "Before we begin our feast, there are a few important announcements to make. Let me think...

"First, I believe you've all read about the recent events at the Ministry of Magic in the newspaper..."

Everyone's eyes instinctively turned to Kyle, as the latest issue of the Prophet had provided a more detailed account of what had transpired at the Ministry.

On the front page was an article about Auror Kingsley Shacklebolt thanking Kyle for his bravery, though he had deliberately omitted any mention of the magical beasts, referring to them simply as reinforcements.

"Yes, it's true."

Dumbledore smiled and said, "Kyle Joba showed remarkable courage and wisdom in the recent battle, and for that, I award Hufflepuff one hundred points."

Cheers erupted from the Hufflepuff long table.

"Additionally..." Dumbledore continued, raising his voice over the din, "...he has been awarded the Hogwarts Special Contribution Award, so another two hundred points to Hufflepuff."

Beside the Great Hall, the Hufflepuff hourglass was nearly filled to the brim with gems.

"With that, the second announcement is no longer a surprise." Dumbledore smiled and said, "Congratulations to Hufflepuff for winning the House Cup this year!"

The cheers grew even louder, as if they were about to bring down the ceiling.

Dumbledore didn't say anything further. He waved his hand, and the golden plates instantly filled with a variety of delicious dishes.

It wasn't until the last bowl of pudding disappeared that Dumbledore stood up again, his expression turning more solemn than before.

"Now that we've had our fill, I must deliver some less pleasant news..." he said slowly, "...I hope that while you enjoy your holidays, you will also pay attention to your safety and avoid going to places where there are few people..."

Dumbledore spoke at length, essentially reminding them to be vigilant about the unusual occurrences taking place around them.

The Great Hall gradually fell silent as everyone understood the weight of his words. Voldemort and his Death Eaters loomed like a heavy burden in everyone's hearts.

Some students even considered staying at school for the holidays, but that was not an option.

Dumbledore and the other professors had their own matters to attend to, and without their protection, the school would be less secure.

...

(End of Chapter)

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