Disclaimer: I don't own anything. This is not meant to infringe upon copyrights.
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Meanwhile, since class had already ended when Kyle left the hospital wing, he skipped Charms and headed straight to the library.
Dumbledore had recommended two books to him, saying they would be helpful for basic spells and perfect for new wizards, so Kyle decided to borrow them.
The library was on the second floor and easy to find, just up one flight of stairs.
"Two books? No!" Madam Pince, the librarian, said, sizing Kyle up with a feather duster. "Unless you have a note from the professor, you can only borrow one book at a time."
"If it's one, then 'Running with Ghouls,'" Kyle said without hesitation, quickly naming the book.
But to his surprise, when she heard the words "Running with Ghouls," Madam Pince's face suddenly shifted into a look of deep disdain, as if she had heard some vicious curse word.
"Another Lockhart book," Madam Pince muttered under her breath.
She disliked Gilderoy Lockhart as an author, or rather, her dislike for his overly self-absorbed writing style, which she considered a sham for attention.
If that were all, it wouldn't be a big deal, as many biographies are like that, and she could still read them if she could bear with it.
But for some reason, whenever she read Lockhart's books, she always felt as if something was missing, making them feel disconnected.
While this wasn't a major issue and didn't affect the reading experience, it was still troubling, and every time she thought about it, she felt uneasy.
Consequently, her impression of Kyle plummeted. After a moment's silence, she said sternly, "'Wandering with the Ghouls' is on loan. If you register now, it'll be available in about two years."
"Two years... forget it," Kyle said, shaking his head. "What about 'The Bard in the Wind'?"
"We have it." Madam Pince's expression eased considerably. She asked Kyle to wait while she headed straight for the adjacent bookshelf.
Taking this opportunity, Kyle curiously glanced at the renowned librarian from the side.
Madam Pince was a thin, elderly woman, resembling a malnourished vulture. Wherever she walked, the young wizards and witches reading books dared not even breathe.
One young wizard, seemingly overly nervous, sneezed, and was chased out of the library.
Kyle smacked his lips. No wonder she was Filch's rumored lover; they seemed a perfect match. Not only were they both rule-abiding, but they also shared a dislike for students.
Not long after, Madam Pince returned, handing Kyle a thick, hardcover book and a note.
"You must return it within a week. If you miss the deadline, or if the book is damaged, you will never be able to borrow any books from here again."
"I'll keep that in mind."
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Since first-years only had one class that morning, Kyle went straight back to the common room after leaving the library, intending to find a comfortable place to read the book.
But as soon as he passed through the wooden door, he was surrounded.
Almost all the Hufflepuff first-years gathered in the common room, waiting for Kyle to return.
"How is it, Kyle?" Ryan was the first to rush over, anxiously asking, "Is Mikel okay? We wanted to go to the school hospital to see him, but we were kicked out by Madam Pomfrey as soon as we entered the door."
The other young wizards also nodded. Although they had suffered a lot because of the accident in the Charms class, they were still very concerned about Mikel's condition.
This was probably what Hufflepuff was like.
"Don't worry." Kyle patted Ryan on the shoulder and said with a smile, "Professor Dumbledore has already checked it out and said that he can be discharged after taking the medicine tomorrow."
"That's good, that's good." Ryan was visibly relieved. After a moment's thought, he asked, "Is Mikel awake? Did he say what he wanted to eat? We can't bring it to him right now, but we can prepare it in advance and give it to him when he's discharged. He'll be very happy."
Ryan's words were echoed by the other young wizards, who generously offered their treasured possessions.
"I have raspberry preserves!"
"I have fudge."
"How about cookies? My mom makes them, they're delicious."
"I think he'd like some licorice..."
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For a moment, even Kyle was moved by this strong bond between classmates. Amidst the expectant gazes, he said in a deep voice, "Mikel didn't say what he wanted to eat, but I think what he wants most right now isn't these snacks, but to keep up with his studies!"
"Schools?" Ryan scratched his head, not understanding what Kyle meant.
"Yes," Kyle said seriously. "You should have seen it too. Mikel was stuck on his spell and got anxious, which led to the accident. That's correct, isn't it?"
"Right," Ryan nodded.
Although he was focused on his wand at the time and didn't understand how the blinding "flash bomb" appeared, it seemed to him that everyone was practicing spells, including Mikel, so Kyle's statement was reasonable.
"That's right," Kyle said seriously. "He's such a strong-willed person, he definitely wouldn't want to miss two classes.
So what we need to do now is listen carefully in Transfiguration this afternoon and History of Magic tomorrow morning, write down everything the professor says, and compile a notebook for Mikel. I'm sure he'll be moved to tears."
In the vast Hufflepuff Common Room, the little badgers looked at each other, no one speaking.
They found it hard to believe that someone could dislike snacks and enjoy studying instead. But after thinking carefully about Kyle's words... they couldn't find any flaws.
It was well-organized and logical, and it sounded like there was absolutely no problem at all.
Maybe... Mikel really loves magic.
The little badgers thought so and soon convinced themselves.
Then someone volunteered to step forward, some took the initiative to take on the task of taking notes, and some were responsible for the final sorting...
The remaining few little wizards who didn't grab the task but wanted to help, after discussing for a while, they soon found a task that Kyle had overlooked.
Homework!
At Hogwarts, homework is essential for every course, and its importance is self-evident.
So they decided to pass on the homework for each class to Mikel, and not only that, they also had to tell the professors in class that Mikel was an excellent Hufflepuff, and even if he was admitted to the school hospital, he still cared about his studies and would not be lazy and not do his homework.
[End of the chapter]