Chapter 904: Kyle's Frustration
Chapter 904: Kyle's Frustration
The Christmas atmosphere in France was not much different from that of Britain, with both places buzzing with excitement and cheer.
If one had to point out a difference, it would be that the festive spirit in Britain this year seemed somewhat subdued.
Due to the Death Eaters and Voldemort's influence, most people chose to stay indoors during the holidays, avoiding the streets that were fraught with potential encounters with dark wizards.
This was evident in the number of students remaining at Hogwarts for the holidays.
Almost all students opted to spend Christmas at school, with only a handful of Slytherins returning home, filling up just two compartments.
However, in France, there were no such concerns.
From early morning, the shopping street saw a steady increase in foot traffic, with adult witches and wizards mingling with students returning from their holidays at Beauxbatons.
These groups of people gathered in clusters, making the entire street seem lively and bustling.
Kyle, with nothing better to do, decided to take a stroll and purchased some souvenirs unique to France.
The massive Christmas tree in the middle of the street, which had been bare the day before, now sparkled with gift boxes wrapped in golden paper.
According to Bathsheba, these gifts were free for anyone to take, and rumor had it that there were even hidden prizes—rare and valuable items.
Kyle, being there already, decided to participate.
He shamelessly grabbed eight gift boxes, stopping only when he could no longer carry any more, reluctantly parting with the gifts.
He paid no mind to Bathsheba's disdainful gaze.
After all, what if he opened a hidden prize? It would be worth the effort.
Kyle couldn't even wait to return to the store and immediately opened the boxes on the street.
A pair of scissors for trimming broom bristles... It was the simplest design, but at least it was usable.
Dried bat wings... Perfect for brewing potions, which he could deliver to Conna later.
Beetle eyes, also for Conna.
Kyle continued opening boxes...
Rat tails, dried leeches, and three colorful ribbons for wrapping gifts...
Well, the eight gift boxes amounted to about ten Knuts in total, with the scissors alone worth five...
"This year's Christmas is so boring," Kyle muttered, his expressionless face betraying his disappointment.
No wonder they let people take whatever they wanted... These items were even less impressive than the colorful ribbons and firecrackers from Hogwarts, not worth picking up even if they were lying on the street.
Kyle suspected that this was just a ploy by the French shops to clear out their stockpiles.
Bathsheba seemed to have anticipated this outcome.
Both the Huntress and Bill had only taken one gift each. She had opened a roll of magical tape, priced similarly to the scissors.
Bill had the most valuable item among the three of them—an entire pineapple worth a staggering twenty Knuts.
Kyle smirked and glanced thoughtfully at the top of the Christmas tree.
"Do you think the hidden prizes are up there?" he asked.
"You're overthinking it," Bathsheba replied. "The ones at the top are just for decoration, serving only an aesthetic purpose. The real gifts are within easy reach, and they're constantly replenished."
As she spoke, she grabbed another box from the tree.
Where there had been an empty space, a new gift box appeared, as if the tree had borne fruit.
"Why don't you take a few more?" Bathsheba urged, "There's no limit to the gifts you can take. Who knows, you might get something valuable."
"No, I'll leave them for those who are meant to have them," Kyle declined firmly.
Beetle eyes were five Knuts a spoonful, about twenty-five in total. He had just opened one, worth a fifth of a Knut, and the colorful ribbons were of similar value.
These items wouldn't even amount to a Galleon if he spent the entire day opening them.
He certainly wasn't going to waste his time on that.
If there was a real chance to make money, French witches and wizards would have flocked to the tree, leaving none for him.
Bathsheba was just trying to have a laugh at his expense.
After strolling the street for a while longer, Bill and Bathsheba decided to go elsewhere. Kyle, not wanting to be a third wheel, returned to the Potion Shop alone.
Preparing potions for the dragon seemed to be a tedious task, as it wasn't until late afternoon that Conna emerged from the basement with a bottle of red potion in hand.
"It's done!" She handed the potion to Kyle. "Where's Bathsheba?"
"She's probably eloped with Bill," Kyle joked.
"Impossible," Conna said, but she suspected they had gone elsewhere.
The last time Kyle was here, Bathsheba had taken them on a tour of France, and Bill Weasley was even more likely to be on her itinerary.
"Never mind them," Kyle said, slipping the potion into his pocket. "May I invite you to dinner?" He extended his hand. "You must be hungry after working so hard."
Conna realized she was indeed hungry when Kyle mentioned food. She glanced at the sky outside and was surprised to see that it was already dusk.
She had gone downstairs in the morning, and now it was almost evening, yet she hadn't noticed the passing of time, thinking only a few hours had gone by.
"Alright, I accept your invitation," Conna said with a smile, placing her hand in Kyle's.
The two left the shop hand in hand.
Even though it was already dusk, the shopping street was even more crowded, with most people gathered around the Christmas tree. Here, it was surprisingly quiet.
The massive Christmas tree was now illuminated, more beautiful than during the day, visible from a distance.
"How about some French cuisine?" Kyle suggested. "I remember Nicoleme recommending a French restaurant near his mansion. I didn't have time to visit then, but we can go now."
"Whatever you say," Conna agreed with a smile.
She wasn't picky about food as long as it filled her stomach, but if Nicoleme had recommended it, it must be good.
Kyle was delighted that the 'light bulb' Bathsheba would likely return to her mansion for the night, meaning he could stay at the Potion Shop...
Not that he had any other intentions; he just needed a place to spend the night.
Kyle's lips curled upwards slightly, feeling pleased with this year's Christmas.
"What are you smiling about?" Conna looked at Kyle, her intuition telling her that something was amiss.
"Nothing, just thinking about something happy," Kyle replied.
"Is that so?"
"Of course," Kyle assured her.
"By the way," Conna asked as if suddenly remembering something, "do you have a Concealment Charm box? We need to deliver a large batch of potions to Beauxbatons, and having a suitable container would save us some trips."
"Then you've come to the right person," Kyle said.
"A larger one, please," Conna added.
"Don't worry, no problem." He took out his leather case and retrieved another box from inside.
He had made quite a few of these during his practice with the Concealment Charm, and this one was the largest. He had used it to pack his luggage when he was in school, and it had been empty since he graduated.
"Didn't Beauxbatons provide you with a container when they placed the order?" Kyle asked as he handed the box to Conna.
"No," Conna replied.
"How stingy," Kyle muttered. "The Alchemy class shouldn't be lacking in these, right?"
"I don't know, maybe they forgot," Conna said casually.
Kyle didn't seem to mind.
"Then let's get going...Ouch!"
Before Kyle could finish his sentence, a large fire-red bird suddenly landed on his shoulder and pecked his ear with its hard beak.
"Fawkes?" Kyle looked at the phoenix in surprise, feeling the warmth on his shoulder.
"What are you doing here?"
Fawkes opened his beak, and a piece of parchment fell out.
Kyle instinctively caught it and took a glance.
Just a glance, and his face darkened.
The message was simple: Dumbledore wanted to see him.
It was Christmas today!
Who in their right mind would work on Christmas and risk being hung from a lamppost?!
"Impossible!" Kyle blurted out to Fawkes, "Tell Dumbledore that I must spend Christmas in France this year, and no one can stop me, not even Merlin!"
Fawkes tilted his head.
He had been forcefully awakened from his branch by Dumbledore for overtime work, and in his daze, he hadn't heard Kyle's words properly.
When he heard the word "go back," his wings started to catch fire.
Kyle was stunned.
"I'm telling you to go back, not to take me back!"
He frantically tried to remove Fawkes, who was eager to return to his sleep, from his shoulder.
The Disapparating spell was interrupted, and the flames on the phoenix began to gradually extinguish.
"Pfft!" Conna couldn't help but laugh out loud.
At this point, if she still didn't understand Kyle's plan, she'd be a fool.
Is the youngest member of the Extraordinary Potioneers' Association a fool? Of course not, and she didn't object.
However...she glanced at the piece of parchment that Kyle had thrown away, sighed softly, and then stepped forward, tiptoeing...
Kyle felt his lips go soft, and his hands instinctively paused in their movement.
With this pause, the flames that were almost extinguished ignited once more.
It was like setting off fireworks, and Kyle and Fawkes simultaneously vanished from the street, leaving behind a trail of fire that slowly descended, igniting the parchment on the ground.
Conna stood in place, a faint smile still on her lips.
Dealing with Kyle? Too easy.
She looked around to ensure that the commotion hadn't attracted the attention of others before turning and returning to the potion shop.
...
Meanwhile, Kyle, who had been forcibly pulled back to Hogwarts, felt the lingering softness on his lips and took a deep breath.
"You better have a good explanation for this," he said, eyeing Dumbledore with an unfriendly gaze.
"If it's just a trivial matter, don't blame me for not holding back when I strike!"
Dumbledore blinked, puzzled by Kyle's anger.
He looked at the phoenix, but Fawkes had already flown back to his branch to sleep.
"Oh, Kyle, I don't know what happened," Dumbledore said, "but if beating me, a centenarian, would make you feel better, I don't mind."
"Ha!" Kyle scoffed.
Beating Dumbledore...he would need the strength to do that.
"Of course, I wouldn't bully a centenarian," Kyle said. "But I'll plant a hundred Mandrakes in Nurmengard, make them work in shifts, and have them sing a symphony for a month.
"Oh, and I'll also fill the entire Nurmengard tower with dragon dung!"
Dumbledore's face instantly changed, his lips twitching unnaturally.
Grindelwald might not be afraid of the noise from Mandrakes, but filling the tower with dragon dung...he would surely go mad.
"Fine, the returning Hogwarts Express was attacked by Death Eaters," Dumbledore said, speaking faster than he ever had before.
"Impossible," Kyle's first reaction was to shake his head.
"To put it bluntly, the passengers on that train are second-generation Death Eaters. How could they possibly attack their own children?"
Dumbledore's lips began to twitch again.
Well, even he had to admit that Slytherin's composition had become somewhat complex, comprising not only second-generation Death Eaters but also prospective Death Eaters who idolized Voldemort.
However, they hadn't done anything outrageous, and their identities were still that of students.
If the Chairman heard what Kyle had just said, his Ancient Runes Professor position might be in jeopardy.
Wait, wasn't he also a Chairman?
Never mind, it wasn't important.
Dumbledore shook his head and continued, "But this is the truth. Not only did the Death Eaters appear, but the train almost overturned on the platform, and the Aurors had to intervene."
Kyle furrowed his brows.
"But the return train left yesterday, didn't it?"
"Yes, that's right," Dumbledore said. "The Aurors have been investigating, and they've only just uncovered the truth today."
"The truth?" Kyle said. "So, the Death Eaters wanted to turn on their own?"
"Of course not. Someone saved them," Dumbledore stated.
"Who?" Kyle's tone remained sharp. "...Someone who loves to meddle."
Dumbledore pretended not to hear the latter part and calmly replied, "Draco Malfoy."
"Who?" Kyle thought he misheard.
"Draco Malfoy," Dumbledore repeated. "A name you're certainly not unfamiliar with, right?"
It was more than just familiar; it was too well-known.
Kyle rubbed his forehead. "Alright, Professor, what's going on here?"
"Draco Malfoy, a Death Eater himself, saved a group of young Death Eaters during the attack on the Hogwarts Express by Death Eaters."
"Not even in Professor Lockhart's books could you find such absurdity!"
"Only you would still call him Professor Lockhart, Kyle," Dumbledore said with a smile.
"I did learn something useful from him," Kyle said. "But Professor, that's not the point, is it?"
"Indeed," Dumbledore said, dropping the joke.
"According to the Aurors, the Death Eaters attacked the Hogwarts Express yesterday as it was about to arrive at Platform 9. However, the Aurors received the message five minutes earlier and rushed to the scene."
"And the one who sent this message was Draco Malfoy."
Kyle still felt something was off, as if he were listening to another chapter of 'The Tales of Beedle the Bard'.
"Additionally, before the Aurors arrived, Draco also appeared on the Hogwarts Express and fought fiercely against the Death Eaters..."
"Hold on, Professor, hold on," Kyle interrupted Dumbledore. "Let me get this straight. You're saying Draco Malfoy fought the Death Eaters, right?"
"Yes, you heard correctly," Dumbledore nodded.
"Alright, continue," Kyle said with a smile. "After you're done, I'll head to Diagon Alley to buy dragon dung... enough to fill the Nurmengard Tower, which might require an advance booking."
Draco Malfoy fighting the Death Eaters was as absurd as Hagrid eating a Dragon-Roasted Dragon.
Dumbledore had brought him back from France for this?
"Don't be so hasty. The story isn't over yet. Have a glass of lemonade first," Dumbledore advised, tapping the table to have a house-elf bring a glass of fresh lemonade.
Kyle was capable of such mischievous deeds, so it was no wonder he was anxious.
Grindelwald had made a mistake, but he had already been punished, and the punishment didn't warrant this.
"Let me guess," Kyle took a sip of lemonade. "Draco Malfoy wants to return to Hogwarts?"
"Absolutely correct," Dumbledore said.
"What a coincidence. Just as the Aurors discovered that Draco was the messenger, Lucius and Narcissa brought him to the Ministry of Magic, hoping the Aurors would protect him."
"Meanwhile, Tom appeared and, right at the entrance of the Ministry, used the Cruciatus Curse to punish them in front of everyone. Lucius and Narcissa's screams echoed throughout the Ministry."
"That's it?" Kyle asked.
"Tom also tried to break into the Ministry to kill Draco, but I stopped him," Dumbledore said. "After that, he took Lucius and Narcissa away, and Draco, having narrowly escaped, was placed under the protection of the Aurors."
Kyle finished his lemonade and then asked, "What's the Ministry's take on this?"
"Most people think it's a great opportunity," Dumbledore said. "They want to help Draco Malfoy and use this to persuade more Death Eaters to switch sides."
Kyle had no interest in listening further. He stood up and said, "Professor, the Christmas feast should be starting soon, right?"
"Oh, it's already begun," Dumbledore paused before saying, "Do you want to go and eat?"
"I'm a bit hungry," Kyle glanced at Dumbledore. "I was supposed to have a French dinner tonight."
"I believe the Hogwarts Christmas feast is also quite bountiful," Dumbledore smiled.
"Can it compare?" Kyle sighed.
The person accompanying him for dinner in France was Conna, but here, it was just an old man.
It was a huge difference.
As they walked towards the Great Hall, Dumbledore couldn't help but ask, "Kyle, I'd like to hear your thoughts on this matter."
"Thoughts?" Kyle pondered. "It's a touching scene. If adapted into a play, it would surely make a fortune."
"A play... you mean it's all fake?"
"Of course."
Kyle spread his hands. "The Malfoy family betrayed the Dark Lord and was caught, but the Dark Lord only used the Cruciatus Curse to punish them instead of killing them."
"Professor, does that make sense?"
Dumbledore paused, giving Kyle a meaningful look.
He indeed preferred conversing with Kyle; their thoughts were always surprisingly aligned, and his decision to bring Kyle here was spot-on.
"Let me explain."
Kyle wasn't sure what Dumbledore was thinking, but he reached out and pushed open the side door leading to the Great Hall.
"If all this is true, Lucius and Narcissa would never have made it to the Ministry alive."
...
(End of Chapter)
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