Chapter 78: A New Addition to the Garden
Chapter 78: A New Addition to the Garden
In the afternoon, Kyle paid a visit to Hagrid's cabin.
"Kyle, what brings you here?" Hagrid greeted him warmly and offered a plate of rock-cakes, saying, "Thank you for the gift. I love it."
The fire dragon models were placed on the only table in the cabin, and Hagrid had even taken the trouble to erect a small fence around the table to prevent them from falling off.
It was a thoughtful gesture.
Kyle shook his head instead of taking the rock-cakes. "Hagrid, I couldn't eat another bite right now."
"That's understandable," Hagrid said, not offended as he took a bite from a rock-cake himself. "What brings you here? Just so you know, I won't be taking you into the Forbidden Forest."
"I'm not here about the forest," Kyle said. "I wanted to ask if you know any wizard with the surname Prince."
"Prince?" Hagrid said, then paused as if trying to recall. He slapped his forehead. "Sorry, Kyle. I think I'm coming down with something. My head feels fuzzy, and I can't seem to remember things clearly these days.
Oh, right... Professor Sprout wanted me to see her after the feast."
Hagrid suddenly stood up, looking flustered. "Apologies, Kyle, but I need to head to the hospital wing. I'll write to you if I remember anything."
"Alright," Kyle sighed, a little disappointed, and followed Hagrid out of the cabin.
It seemed that he would have to wait for Chris to finish his work and then write to ask if he knew anything.
Aside from Hagrid, Kyle didn't plan on questioning the other professors about this matter.
Professor McGonagall and the others were tight-lipped, and if this "Prince" was indeed connected to Snape, they would never reveal anything even if they knew the truth.
...
Back in the castle after his visit to Hagrid's, Kyle found himself with nothing to do and so made his way to the library once more. He continued reading the hardcover book he had borrowed that morning.
It was a biography of a dueling master, recounting the legendary life of a true master.
According to the book, this master had never lost a duel since he first started. He held the record of two hundred consecutive victories and had been the dueling champion for eleven consecutive terms—a record that remained unbroken to this day.
Even in Professor Flitwick's youth, his longest winning streak was only a hundred and fifteen.
However, the master's skill in writing his biography fell short of his dueling prowess. Complex magical theories that ought to be explained step by step were rushed through with brief, vague sentences.
It was like solving a math problem without showing any of the steps to reach the answer.
But this master was different; he didn't even bother to provide the steps and simply threw out the answer.
The content was useful, but not by much.
Additionally, while he did offer many tips on casting spells in a teaching tone, his explanations lacked clarity.
"When facing a moving opponent, give your wrist a slight twist at the right moment."
"To increase the range of your spell, lift your wand slightly upward, but be careful not to lift it too high, or you'll miss. Just go with your instinct."
"If you feel lost during a duel, ask your wand; it will guide you on your next move."
...
What constitutes the right moment?
What does going with your instinct mean?
Kyle found these statements perplexing, but he couldn't bring himself to dismiss them entirely. He could only try to interpret the intended meaning and then head to the Room of Requirement to practice repeatedly.
The day before term started, Kyle went to return the book to the library.
Madame Pince inspected the book as usual before filing it away, ensuring there were no issues.
Just as Kyle was about to turn to the nearby shelves to find another book, a cold voice suddenly came from behind him.
"I suggest you stop borrowing biographies like this."
"What?" Kyle turned around, puzzled.
Madame Pince, sitting in her chair, flipped through the hardcover book expressionlessly. "The content of this book is not complicated, but you've taken two whole weeks to read it. It's obvious that it doesn't suit you."
Kyle was a little surprised. This was the first time Madame Pince had ever taken the initiative to speak to a young wizard, and moreover, on a topic unrelated to her work.
Coming back to his senses, Kyle asked hurriedly, "Do you mean that my foundation is too weak?"
"No, your foundation in magic is good. Judging from your borrowing history, you've even surpassed many third-year students."
Madame Pince raised her eyes slightly. "But to understand the biography of a legendary wizard, you need life experience."
Kyle clicked his tongue in acknowledgment. He couldn't refute that.
As a first-year student, aside from his encounters with magical creatures, he didn't have much life experience.
"If you really want to learn something, don't waste time on this type of biography."
Madame Pince extended her hand and pointed to a bookshelf in the distance. "I suggest you take a look over there."
Kyle didn't hesitate for long. As soon as Madame Pince finished speaking, he began walking in the direction she had indicated.
Since Madame Pince had gone to the trouble of giving him advice, he might as well take a look first before deciding.
Besides, he hadn't planned on what to borrow this time anyway. Perhaps he would find something interesting there.
...
As it turned out, it was wise to listen to others' advice.
Five minutes later, Kyle returned with a thick book in his arms.
The Evolution of Magic: A Historical Perspective
A fleeting expression crossed Madame Pince's face, but it quickly returned to its usual neutrality.
After issuing a borrowing slip for the book, Kyle didn't choose to stay in the library. Instead, he returned to his dormitory to put the book away, intending to read it later in the evening.
Today was the last day of the holidays, and he had some other things to take care of.
Kyle first made a trip to the Room of Requirement. As soon as he entered, a group of fluffy little creatures surrounded him.
Five Moonstruck Beasts stared at him with their round, wide eyes.
Kyle patted each of their heads gently and asked, "Why aren't you sleeping during the day?"
One of the Moonstruck Beasts tilted its head and made a "goo-goo" sound.
"Are you afraid that someone will come here, so you dare not sleep?" Kyle smiled and said, "Rest assured, besides me, no one else will come here."
Hearing Kyle's reassurance, the Moonstruck Beasts returned to the small cave that had been built for them in the Room of Requirement.
(End of Chapter)
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