After sitting down at the Hufflepuff table, Kael inexplicably felt a sense of relief.
Before the sorting, he always felt unsettled, but now that everything was settled, he had finally become a true member of Hogwarts.
This feeling was amazing.
Kael leaned on the table, propped his chin with his left hand, leisurely watching the ongoing sorting and waiting for the feast to begin.
Due to the lengthy sorting earlier, many people in the auditorium were curiously observing Kael at this moment.
Among them were many witches who looked at Kael and Cedric laughing and chatting together, then turned their heads to see their classmates, almost biting through their molars.
Damn it, why are all the handsome ones sorted into Hufflepuff? This is unfair!
...
Beside the Gryffindor table, Fred and George were also almost biting through their own molars.
"Why did Kael get into Hufflepuff!" Fred lamented, pounding his thigh, "Now our meticulously prepared welcoming ceremony can't be used!"
"Don't mention it, Fred, let me think for a moment," George scratched his head beside him, "Seriously, even if Kael went to Slytherin I could accept it, but Hufflepuff... How's that even possible!"
"Yeah!" Fred nodded, "Kael, loyal? Kind? Was the Sorting Hat confused?"
As Fred and George simultaneously fell into silence, a new student who had just been sorted into Gryffindor happened to sit down nearby.
The next second...
"Ah!"
A scream resounded through the auditorium, immediately drawing everyone's attention.
The new Gryffindor student jumped up like a startled Wiggentree Frog, leaping about three feet into the air, then started running around, clutching his behind.
He wailed as he ran.
Everyone finally saw clearly that there was a round thing stuck behind him.
About the size of a Bludger from Quidditch, a big mouth full of sharp teeth was clamped tightly on the new student's bottom.
"Wait, why does that ball look familiar?" Fred, who was watching, suddenly remembered something and turned to George, "George, didn't you put away the Chomping Ball?"
George froze for a moment, "No, I thought you already put it away."
The two exchanged glances, then simultaneously looked at the empty spot where the new student had just sat.
Undoubtedly, it was empty.
"Oh, damn." Fred ran a regretful hand through his hair, "That was all our savings."
The Chomping Ball was a new prank item Fred and George bought at a high price from Zonko's Joke Shop, can disguise itself as an ordinary seat cushion and placed anywhere.
It was just a bit pricey, needing three Galleons, which was no small amount for Fred and George.
But knowing that today was Kael's sorting, they gritted their teeth, used all their savings, and bought it, preparing to give their young schoolmate an unforgettable surprise.
To avoid any clues being discovered, they had even set everything up well in advance while Kael was wearing the Sorting Hat, placing the cushion on the empty seat beside them.
If Kael had been sorted into Gryffindor, they could have easily led him to the trap location.
And even if he was sorted into another house, it didn't matter; it was just a cushion, easy to retrieve.
Everything was so perfect.
Unfortunately, plans couldn't keep up with unexpected changes, who would have thought Kael would be sorted into what they believed was the least likely Hufflepuff, and being stunned, they didn't retrieve the "cushion" in time.
Resulting in the current scene.
"Fred, do you think we can get the Chomping Ball back?" George watched the new student's back with bleeding heart.
That was three Galleons, worth a whole box of Dungbombs, how could they not feel the sting.
Fred watched Professor McGonagall approaching the new student, sighing resignedly, "I think we probably won't get it back."
After saying that, both of them let out a sigh in unison.
Elsewhere, Professor McGonagall had already reached the new student, she first casually removed the Chomping Ball, then checked the young wizard over.
No injuries, nor any damage to the robes, just standard magical pranks.
With such familiar tactics and tools, there was no need to guess, Professor McGonagall directly locked onto the culprits, glaring at the twins.
However, since the sorting wasn't over yet, she couldn't say too much, leaving with only a "Gryffindor, twenty points off," before turning back to the podium.
The new student, thoroughly frightened, was even more cautious after being brought back by Percy, checking thrice over, not daring to sit until he was sure.
Not far away, Kael watched Fred and George with troubled expressions, openly mocking them as he slowly extended a single finger at them.
Kael could swear on Ron's integrity that the biting ball earlier was a hundred percent prepared for him by those two.
Now that they had been caught by Professor McGonagall, it was only right to say that evil begets evil.
"No way George, Kael is being too arrogant." Fred's face was flushed with anger.
While others didn't know what that gesture meant, he sure did.
In the past eleven years, every time Kael mocked them, he would extend a finger, so Kael's meaning was clear to him.
"Don't worry, Fred, as long as Kael is at Hogwarts, we'll have another chance."
Just like Fred, George was equally infuriated, even his ears turned red.
But the problem was they really had no way out with Kael at the moment, and they didn't dare to cause trouble under Professor McGonagall's deathly glare, so they returned a finger to Kael in retaliation.
Out of sight, out of mind.
The two temporarily suppressed their desire for revenge, turned their heads, trying to avoid looking at Kael's infuriating face.
And facing their actions, Kael didn't care.
They were just two red-haired losers' final resistance, he wouldn't take it to heart.
Moreover, Kael also knew that Fred and George wouldn't let it go; they were probably already plotting how to recover now.
But so what.
In the past eleven years, he almost never lost in the war with the Weasley twins.
The few defeats were because he was too young at the time, and due to Charlie shamelessly using his seniority against him, they managed to win a round.
Now Charlie was too busy with graduation and Quidditch to pay attention to them.
Without Charlie, who could the twins rely on?
Ron?
If that's the case, dealing with them would be even easier.
So indeed, with a glorious record, Kael was fearless.
...