Chapter 79: It's All Your Fault
Chapter 79: It's All Your Fault
As Kyle gazed at the five Mooncalf creatures before him, his thoughts drifted back to the events of the previous night.
The day before, he had been practicing spells in the Room of Requirement, losing track of time. By the time he left, it was already late into the night.
Feeling a bit irritable due to the repetitive motions and slow progress, Kyle decided to take a walk outside to clear his mind before bed. He made his way out of the castle through the secret passage hidden behind a tapestry on the first floor.
Initially, he had only intended to visit the Quidditch pitch, but as he became engrossed in his thoughts, he unknowingly strayed off course. It wasn't until he looked up that Kyle realized he had wandered close to the Mooncalf creatures' lair.
Perhaps it was fate.
Now that he was there, he couldn't very well return empty-handed.
The five Mooncalf creatures that Kyle had led astray from the Forbidden Forest were a relatively easy catch, thanks to his experience.
Mooncalves were known for their gentle nature, and although they had shyly hidden in their cave when they first saw Kyle, they soon poked their heads out one by one as Kyle began to twist and turn his body in the moonlight, mimicking their unique dance.
Encouraged by their curiosity, Kyle danced with more enthusiasm.
This technique had been taught to him by Newt, and by imitating the Mooncalf's dance, he was able to gain their trust in a short amount of time.
As a beginner, Kyle's effectiveness could only be considered average. In comparison, if Newt were to perform the dance, he could charm an entire herd of female Mooncalves.
It was almost ridiculous.
However, the dance moves were quite embarrassing, and Kyle would never have attempted it if it weren't for the late hour and the absence of any onlookers.
Absolutely never!
After Kyle finished his brief performance, the Mooncalves had gradually accepted him, and they cautiously emerged from their cave.
Kyle fed them some herb leaves to further endear himself to them.
Perhaps due to their frequent interactions with Hagrid, the Mooncalves from the Forbidden Forest displayed little wariness. Tempted by Kyle's promise of an endless supply of white leaf stems, the five little gluttons couldn't resist approaching him.
Initially, Kyle had only planned to take two of them, but as he looked into their big, watery eyes, he felt that leaving any of them behind wouldn't be right. So, he ended up taking all five.
After all, what were a few herb leaves here and there? He could easily afford to feed them.
The entire process went smoothly, and the Mooncalves quietly followed him out of the Forbidden Forest without making a sound, thanks to his reminders.
The only tricky part was bringing them back to the Room of Requirement.
As his Invisibility Cloak could only hide one Mooncalf at a time, Kyle had to make five separate trips through the secret passage behind the tapestry to bring them all in.
By the time he brought the last Mooncalf into the Room of Requirement, it was already dawn.
Kyle's legs were shaking, and he plopped down on the ground, panting heavily. It took him a while to catch his breath and recover.
However, it was all worth it. With these five Mooncalves, his problems with acquiring plant fertilizer were now completely solved.
Kyle was pleased with the condition of the five little creatures. Although they seemed a bit fearful, it was a normal reaction, and as long as they didn't demand to be returned to the forest, he was content.
He figured that after they stayed a little longer, they would become accustomed to their new surroundings.
...
After leaving the Room of Requirement, Kyle headed to the kitchen to pack some food before making his way to Hagrid's hut.
Hagrid's cold hadn't improved, and he looked listless and weak.
"I brought you some roasted pies and sausages," Kyle said, placing the food on a shelf.
"I've never had a cold before."
Hagrid handed the water to Kyle as he complained, "Yesterday, Poppy made me drink a whole barrel of potion, and it tasted awful."
"There's not much that can be done about that when you're sick," Kyle said as he took a sip of water. "How are you feeling now? Any better?"
Hagrid shook his head. "Worse, actually."
The day before, he had just felt a slight headache, but after drinking the potion, his whole body started to feel uncomfortable, and he lacked energy for anything.
This feeling was very distressing for Hagrid.
Kyle looked at him with a puzzled expression and asked, "Did Madam Pomfrey not give you a Stimulating Potion?"
The Stimulating Potion was the go-to remedy for colds at the school infirmary, and it was what Cedric and Ryan had taken when they had caught colds earlier that semester.
Although it caused white smoke to come out of one's ears, it didn't leave one feeling listless and weak like Hagrid was now.
After all, students still had classes to attend, and they needed their energy.
"Stimulating Potion? No," Hagrid said after a moment's thought. "Poppy said that one wasn't suitable for me. She gave me a different potion, but I don't know what it was."
Kyle's eyes widened as he realized something.
Indeed, given Hagrid's large build, a regular Stimulating Potion or cold remedy probably wouldn't have much of an effect on him.
With this thought, Kyle's gaze turned back to Hagrid, and he suddenly felt that he had seen this drunken-like state before.
It was about a year ago when one of Newt's beasts, a poisonous horned beast, had caught a cold. After Newt gave it a specially brewed potion, the large beast seemed to be in a similar state.
This...
Kyle pressed his lips together, feeling as though he had stumbled upon something extraordinary.
...
As expected, the train arrived on time, reaching Hogwarts just before the evening feast.
The entire castle was once again filled with lively chatter and laughter.
Fred and George, upon returning to the castle, immediately sought out Kyle.
"Why didn't you tell us you weren't going home for the holidays!" Fred said through gritted teeth. "Mom didn't see you, and she took her anger out on us!"
"She thought we were bullying you," George added angrily. "She gave us the cold shoulder for the entire break."
"Do you know what we've been through these past two weeks?"
Fred continued to complain, his voice filled with grievance. "On Christmas day, Ron got to enjoy delicious turkey and sausages, while George and I were stuck with dry sandwiches!"
"This is all your fault!"
The two boys glared at Kyle, cornering him against the wall with no intention of letting him leave until he provided an explanation.
"I did tell you, the day before we left," Kyle said, raising his hands above his head in a defensive gesture. "You were on the fifth-floor corridor, examining an armor at the time."
"The day before we left?"
"The fifth floor?"
Fred and George's expressions suddenly turned a bit sheepish.
They recalled that they had indeed been on the fifth floor the day before departing and that they had seen Kyle there.
However, at that moment, they had just discovered a clue to the password for the Marauder's Map behind the suit of armor, so they hadn't paid attention to what Kyle had said.
The two boys exchanged a glance, seemingly having reached a silent agreement.
"This is still your fault! Why didn't you write to us!"
"We had to eat sandwiches for two weeks, and we won't let that slide!"
......
(End of Chapter)
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