Merry Christmas to everyone. I hope you enjoy your day and may you have an amazing rest of the year.
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Disclaimer: I don't own anything. This is not meant to infringe upon copyrights.
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As expected, the werewolf was taken away by the Ministry of Magic after he was out of danger.
Dean Sassia didn't stop him, and after the Ministry left, she took the healer named Hippocrates back with her.
In the Dean of St. Mungo's office, Dean Sassia calmly asked, "How did it go?"
"Very smoothly," Hippocrates said. "I managed to distract them during the treatment, for about five minutes."
"How much Veritaserum was used..."
"Three drops. With the werewolf's regenerative abilities, the Ministry of Magic definitely wouldn't have noticed," Hippocrates said. "Also, I've asked all the questions you asked me to. That werewolf was always with Greyback, but a month ago he was taken to Knockturn Alley..."
While Dean Sassia and the healer Hippocrates were talking, Kyle was also taken home by Dumbledore.
"That's enough, Kyle,"
Dumbledore said in Ottery St. Catchpole Village. "I have to go to France to see a friend, and I hope he will forgive me for breaking my promise."
When Kyle recovered from the discomfort of Apparition, Dumbledore was gone.
He also noticed that Dumbledore had led him to the vicinity of the Burrow.
"The Headmaster is also directionally challenged? Never heard of that."
Kyle scratched his head, not paying much attention.
Shortly after he returned home, Chris and Diana rushed back.
"We received a letter from Dumbledore."
Chris pulled Kyle close, examining it carefully before asking, "You encountered a werewolf at St. Mungo's?!"
"Yes,"
Kyle replied calmly, having already prepared his explanation. "But Hagrid and Professor Kettleburn were with me at the time, and they quickly dealt with the werewolf."
"But Dumbledore said in his letter that it was you who dealt with the werewolves," Diana drawled. "Did he lie?"
"Well… I felt it wasn't right to just watch, so I helped out a little,"
Kyle said, pinching his little finger to emphasize. "It really was just a little."
Diana raised an eyebrow. "If it was just helping, then why did Sassia apply for the Order of Merlin, Second Class, for you?"
"Maybe Hagrid and Professor Kettleburn didn't need that… so they gave it to me."
Diana clearly didn't believe Kyle's explanation. She squinted and said, "First you were taken to the Forbidden Forest by Oren, who was disguised as a Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, and only a few days later, you encountered werewolves at St. Mungo's… Perhaps Hogwarts isn't right for you.
How about transferring to Beauxbatons? I happen to know Madam Maxim; she should take good care of you for me."
"Ilvermony is also an option," Chris added. "Hilscamander and his wife are professors there. I remember they liked you a lot when you were little."
"Um… transferring schools isn't necessary, is it?" Kyle said nervously. "That's such a hassle."
"It's not a hassle," Diana said. "And there, at least you won't encounter such dangerous things again."
"These are all accidents; it's the same everywhere," Kyle said softly. "Besides, the St. Mungo's incident has nothing to do with Hogwarts, right?"
Diana said calmly. "How can it not be related? Hagrid is the gamekeeper at Hogwarts, and Kettleburn is the professor of Care of Magical Creatures."
"That works?"
Kyle was speechless for a moment, but soon, he suddenly thought of something, and his eyes lit up. "I think it's because of Hagrid… both of these incidents are related to him. He must be really unlucky, which is why I was affected too.
I promise to stay far away from him when school starts again, and everything will be fine."
In any case, he had to shift the blame first.
This tactic did work somewhat; after that, Chris and Diana never mentioned transferring schools again.
However, they also forbade Kyle from running around alone anymore, even to Diagon Alley, where he had to be accompanied by an adult.
Fortunately, Kyle hadn't planned on running around anyway, so he readily agreed.
For a while afterward, to put their minds at ease, Kyle stayed in his room doing his homework.
Perhaps because he had just finished his exams, the Hogwarts professors didn't assign much summer homework, probably around the same amount as during the Easter holidays.
Kyle finished it in just one week, even with Fred and George's interference.
The two brothers seemed to have turned his attic into a secret hideout, coming almost every day. While Kyle did his homework, they would study some strange candy there.
They had used almost all the candy they bought from Hogsmeade before the holidays for this.
When Kyle finished his last History of Magic assignment and went to the attic, he overheard voices inside.
"Fred, the diluted swelling potion only thickened the tongue a little bit, which is not the result we wanted."
"Waaah…waaah…"
"Yeah, this is the closest we could get to success. If it weren't diluted, even a small amount would make the whole mouth swell up."
"…"
Kyle pushed open the door and walked in. When he saw the two of them, he couldn't help but burst out laughing.
"Pfft…"
George was fine; he didn't look any different.
But Fred was different. His face had swollen up a lot, like he had a pineapple stuffed in his mouth. Anyone who didn't know better would think he had been stung by a wasp.
Kyle tried his best not to look at Fred's face and asked, suppressing his laughter, "What exactly are you guys doing?"
"Something that can keep little wizards away from their troubles." George blinked and smiled. "We call it Skiving Candy."
Fred: "Waaah…ah ah ah…"
Kyle tried his best, but he really didn't understand what Fred was saying. He could only look at George and wait for him to translate.
"Fred said this series is sure to be a hit."
After translating, George continued, "We're planning to make a candy that makes your tongue bigger, but the problem is, we can't get the amount of swelling potion right; we can't make it work only on your tongue."
While making the whole head or mouth bigger would also achieve the goal of "skipping class," it would lack the fun.
That's not what the Weasley brothers wanted.
"Have you tried wrinkled figs?"
Kyle thought for a moment and said, "I remember wrinkled figs can neutralize the effects of swelling potion; using that should be more effective than diluting it."
"Oh yeah, how could I forget that…"
George slapped his thigh, making Fred grit his teeth in pain.
"Sorry, Fred, I didn't recognize that was your leg."
George said, immediately getting up and running towards the door, "I'm going to Diagon Alley right now, I'll be right back!"
[End of the chapter]