Disclaimer: I don't own anything. This is not meant to infringe upon copyrights.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans. Kyle gave one to Ron and ate one himself, leaving the rest in Ginny's hands.
The girl, holding the box, pondered for a moment before trotting over to Kyle, asking him to help her sort out the beans, at least the ones that smelled like dragon dung.
Kyle understood Ginny's request, but then decisively declined.
Young people always want to try something new.
Besides, what was Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans ad all about? Every bite is a new adventure; that's the essence of Every Flavour Beans.
Without the surprise, would they still be Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans? No, they're just jelly beans.
So it wasn't really his laziness; it was all for Ginny's own good.
After playing in the open space for a while longer, Mrs. Weasley's familiar voice finally rang from the direction of the Burrow. Dinner was ready.
The hungry crowd dropped their sticks and began to walk back in groups.
Kyle walked in front, followed closely by Ron. He'd barely taken two steps when the twins suddenly rushed over, pushing him away.
Caught off guard, Ron nearly fell headfirst into the nearby goblin hole, infuriating him. He glared at Fred and George, his face threatening to bite them if they didn't apologize.
Ron might have been serious, but unfortunately, his attack was doomed to failure. Ferrell and George were completely focused on Kyle, never once glancing at Ron, and naturally had no idea what he was thinking.
Even if they knew, they probably wouldn't care. They'd been bullying their younger brother for years, and they knew the routine.
Despite Ron's fury, he wouldn't have rushed forward unless he didn't want a beating. A few days later, a few saved snacks would have resolved the matter perfectly.
Then, they could be a harmonious family, brothers and sisters alike.
So, the most important thing now was to resolve Kyle's situation.
The twins considered the incident in Diagon Alley the biggest stain on their lives, and they'd been desperate to get even. However, Kyle hadn't left the house in the past few days, giving them no chance for revenge.
But going to his house would seem overly contrived and would likely arouse Kyle's suspicion. So Fred and George had to temporarily suppress their urge for revenge. They needed the right opportunity.
For example, right now.
With Chris and Kyle in the room, dinner was a bit crowded, so Mrs. Weasley had set up the dining table in the courtyard.
As Kyle settled into his usual seat, Fred suddenly exchanged a glance and quickly sat down beside him.
George, unsure of his plans, quickly sat down beside him, their uncanny rapport.
"Huh?" Kyle was surprised to see this; it was the first time he'd seen the twins sitting apart.
Then, Kyle raised an eyebrow slightly. "You're not here for good."
The twins were so obvious; if he hadn't noticed something was wrong, he'd be remarkably slow.
Unaware of their intentions, Kyle remained calm and continued to help Mrs. Weasley arrange the plates.
Soft, crispy bread, tender roast potatoes, fragrant roast chicken, golden fried chicken nuggets, juicy veal steaks…
Though they were all old friends, the meal was certainly sumptuous.
Of course, Kyle hadn't expected anything special here; he simply hoped the Hogwarts house-elves would surprise him.
He wasn't expecting Chinese, but French would be fine, even Italian or pizza would be fine.
Once the last plate was brought to the table, everyone took their seats, and dinner officially began.
Kyle was extremely cautious, fearing he might accidentally eat something strange.
He didn't want to be publicly humiliated.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Under Kyle's vigilance, nothing happened.
The twins were just like usual, eating and cracking jokes to everyone's amusement, showing no signs of abnormality.
That was until halfway through dinner, when the table was at its most lively.
After Fred finished a joke about Slytherin's greasy-haired troll, something suddenly struck him. He turned and said, "Hey, George, Kyle's going to Hogwarts tomorrow. Should we give him some help? Like, tell him about the Sorting precautions? It's a dangerous thing, after all."
George understood instantly and, after a moment of pretentious contemplation (actually struggling to swallow his steak), agreed, "I don't think that's necessary, Fred. We should trust Kyle. He's formidable. It's just a full-grown troll; Kyle can definitely defeat it and pass the Sorting."
"I think you're right, George," Fred nodded seriously. "And even someone as proud as Kyle Chopper wouldn't appreciate our advice. He wouldn't even want to call us seniors."
Fred's plan was simple: before Kyle even started school, he'd use the Sorting to give him a good scare. If he could keep him awake for a night, all the better.
Furthermore, given the circumstances, not only would this prank not be stopped, but it would even have support from the crowd—perfect for the occasion.
Fred looked at Kyle with a smug look; he was determined to avenge Diagon Alley.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As Fred had anticipated, their conversation instantly piqued the interest of the nearby adults, who all joined in.
Sorting first years had always been a staple of the British wizarding world, a topic they had relentlessly used, deceiving generation after generation of young wizards.
This time, it seemed, it was Kyle's turn.
"Dear, don't believe them," Mrs. Weasley said, taking the initiative. After giving the twins a "stern" reprimand, she turned to Kyle and said, "It's not that scary. It's just a test by a group of ghosts. It's not dangerous at all."
"Molly, how could you lie to a child?" Mr. Weasley, not to be outdone, tried to keep a straight face and glared at his wife. "Kyle is a great kid. We can tell him the truth. I'm sure he can tame a hippogriff all on his own."
"A hippogriff? Isn't that a dragon?"
Chris paused for a moment, then said firmly to Kyle, "Son, trust your father. It's definitely a dragon. And I think it's the Hungarian Horntail this year."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Yes, I can."
"I believe you, Dad."
Kyle nodded like a machine, agreeing with everyone who said something, changing his expression at the right time.
Mrs. Weasley was relieved.
Mr. Weasley was determined.
His father was hesitant.
The wizarding world is pathetic. What entertainment do they have? Quidditch, tricking kids, and the like. That's all they have for fun. Just play along if you can. It's just a show, not a big deal.
Now everyone is happy, how wonderful!
Everyone at the table was so happy, they didn't notice two helpless figures shivering in the corner.
[End of the chapter]