Chapter 8: Mr. Weasley's Ambition
Chapter 8: Mr. Weasley's Ambition
The adults' usual attempts to deceive Kyle were futile, but they did manage to scare Ron and Ginny, who were sitting nearby.
Ron, in particular, had been quite interested in the topic and was listening eagerly, hoping to gain some experience for the upcoming school year. However, as the conversation progressed, his expression grew increasingly grim.
Giants, ghosts, and griffins were one thing, but fire dragons? These were xxxxx-level magical creatures; even a fully-grown wizard might not survive an encounter, let alone an eleven-year-old. By the time the professors finished casting their spells, he'd probably be blown to ashes by a single sneeze.
Was this what school was like?
Ron's heart sank, and for a moment, he even considered running away from home. He didn't want to go to Hogwarts anymore; he just wanted to survive.
Ginny, sitting next to him, wasn't faring much better. Her face had turned deathly pale, and her once vibrant red hair now looked dull.
"What's wrong, Ginny?" Kyle asked with concern, noticing her reaction. "Why aren't you eating? Are you feeling unwell?"
"No, I'm fine," Ginny quickly replied, not wanting to admit her fear in front of her family. She shook her head at Kyle's questioning gaze and added, "I'm just full, that's all."
As a nine-year-old girl, Ginny didn't have a big appetite, and after eating half a box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans earlier, she was indeed quite full.
She was about eighty percent full, at the point where she could either eat more or stop, but the sudden talk about the Sorting Ceremony had completely killed her appetite.
"Oh, that's a shame," Kyle said, standing up and calmly taking the untouched grilled fish from Ginny's plate and putting it on his own.
Grilled fish was different from other foods; its taste deteriorated quickly over time, and it would be a waste to let it go uneaten. Besides, Mrs. Weasley was exceptionally skilled at grilling fish, a talent she rarely showcased due to the time-consuming task of deboning the fish and the need to care for her large family. It was only on special occasions that the family got to enjoy her delicious grilled fish.
Of course, the high price of fish might also be a contributing factor to its rarity.
Regardless, Kyle had been craving this dish for a long time and couldn't bear to see it go to waste.
Ginny, understanding his desire, didn't stop him. She had originally planned to save the grilled fish for last to savor it, but upon learning that she would be facing a fire dragon in two years, she had lost all appetite. She could only watch with a pained expression as Kyle devoured the fish that had been meant for her. In the end, she turned her head away, out of sight, out of mind.
Meanwhile, Fred and George, sitting next to them, sighed in unison. They, too, had been eyeing the grilled fish, but Kyle's swift action left them without a chance to make a move.
The disappointed twins then turned their attention to Ron.
Unfortunately, Ron didn't have Ginny's habit of saving food, and his grilled fish was already reduced to bones, picked clean enough that even a Flobberworm could slip and slide.
"What's wrong, Ron? Are you afraid of the fire dragon?" Fred asked, feigning concern while trying to hide his true intentions. He patted Ron's shoulder reassuringly and said, "Don't worry, the fire dragon is only there for a year. By the time you start school, it will probably be replaced with another magical creature."
"I think it'll be spiders," George added immediately. "I've seen them in the Forbidden Forest, and they're about the size of gnomes. Maybe Hagrid is preparing them for the Sorting Ceremony."
"No!"
Ron was completely flustered, his eyes widening with panic. Instinctively, he dropped his cutlery and ran back to the Burrow, screaming.
It was clear that Ron was genuinely terrified, and he didn't even notice the mischievous grins on the twins' faces as they ran.
However, the twins' prank didn't come without consequences.
"George, why were you in the Forbidden Forest?" Mrs. Weasley asked, her eyes narrowing as she noticed the twins. "I don't recall Hogwarts allowing first-years to go there."
"Mom, I can explain..." Fred and George tried to run, but as second-years, they were no match for Mrs. Weasley. They were quickly caught.
The familiar scene of motherly discipline ensued.
Although this had happened countless times before, Kyle still watched with great interest, and his appetite improved significantly.
Kyle didn't doubt that the twins had been to the Forbidden Forest, but he suspected that the spider story was made up to scare Ron and happened to be accidentally true.
After all, the Eight-Eyed Spider in the Forbidden Forest was not a harmless creature, and if they had encountered it, they would likely have settled down in the forest by now.
Kyle remembered that the spider's nest was deep in the forest, and Fred and George couldn't have run that far.
The twins weren't Harry Potter; they enjoyed pranks, not risking their lives.
About twenty minutes later, dinner was almost over, and despite a minor incident, it was a pleasant evening for both parties.
At the very least, Kyle was happy.
After a quick cleanup, Percy went upstairs to study.
Ron, with his small bundle, was caught trying to run away from home, taking the twins' place as Mrs. Weasley chased him around the yard.
Meanwhile, Mr. Weasley and Chris changed locations to continue their conversation.
"Chris, you overdid it earlier," Mr. Weasley said regretfully in the Burrow. "It's just the Sorting Hat, how could there be a fire dragon? Kyle is smart; he must have known we were tricking him."
"You're wrong, Arthur," Chris shook his head. "This plan was doomed from the start."
"Arthur, you forgot that Kyle shares the same surname as me," Chris added, sounding a bit helpless. "Do you think he'd be afraid of giants or griffins? And since he's a Jopab like me, he can communicate with magical creatures."
"Oh..." Mr. Weasley was momentarily stunned, scratching his head awkwardly. "So, he can talk to magical creatures like you? That's amazing!"
"It's not that exaggerated," Chris chuckled, feeling a bit embarrassed. "This ability is limited to magical creatures, like mice, toads, and owls. I can't communicate with ordinary animals like Floo Powder or the Golden Snitch. I can only guess their intentions based on experience."
Chris's meaning was clear. Even if Mr. Weasley used some strange magic to change his surname to Jopab, he could only communicate with magical creatures like Floo Powder or the Golden Snitch.
As for communicating with a toaster or a car... it's impossible, so don't even think about it!
(End of Chapter)
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