After letting go of his worries, Cedric became noticeably more cheerful. He stopped reading and took the initiative to chat with Kyle. "Hello, can I call you Kyle?" he asked.
"Of course," Kyle nodded. "Actually, my father works at the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, just like your dad."
"Your father?" Cedric looked surprised for a moment and then asked uncertainly, "Is it Mr. Chris Chopper?"
"Yes," Kyle confirmed.
Cedric suddenly understood. "Your last name is Chopper, and you know the Weasley brothers... I should have figured it out sooner—we're neighbors!"
This realization quickly brought the two closer. It felt as though they were old friends, even though they had only just met.
"Oh, Kyle," Cedric said, recalling something. "I remember visiting you before, but you weren't home. My father mentioned that you'd been studying with Mr. Scamander from a young age and that you were destined to achieve great things. Is that true? Have you really been learning from Mr. Scamander?"
Cedric was extremely curious—after all, it was Newt Scamander they were talking about.
Though there are many famous figures in the British magical world, most are only known within their own country. For example, textbook authors or novelists who have received a Third Class Order of Merlin might have some recognition at Hogwarts, but beyond that—at places like Ilvermorny or Beauxbatons—they are virtually unknown.
Only a few wizards are known throughout the entire magical world, with their portraits featured on Chocolate Frog cards even while they're alive. Newt Scamander was one of those few.
It was Cedric's first time being this close to a legendary figure, and his curiosity was palpable.
On the other hand, Kyle was looking at Cedric in disbelief. Had Cedric really tried to visit him when he wasn't home? That seemed too much of a coincidence.
And Mr. Diggory—wasn't he in the same office as Chris? Where did he get the idea that Kyle had been apprenticed to Newt?
Kyle rubbed his forehead, a bit exasperated, then explained, "Well, it's true that my father thinks I'll do well, but he was the one who studied under Newt Scamander, not me. I just visited sometimes."
Newt Scamander was different from someone like Dumbledore. He had severe social anxiety. It wasn't as bad when he was younger; he still managed to make friends, fight against the Dark Lord, and even take on a few students to teach them about magical creatures.
But after Grindelwald's imprisonment in Nurmengard, Newt withdrew from social activities, focusing entirely on magical creatures. In the past three decades, he had almost completely stopped talking to strangers, and his social anxiety had only deepened.
Expecting Newt to act like a Hogwarts professor, lecturing a young wizard daily and reviewing their homework? That was out of the question.
Newt knew well that he wasn't suited to teaching. To him, a professor should be like Dumbledore. Thus, Chris was his last formal student.
Over the years, many others had hoped to learn from Newt, and even asked Dumbledore to persuade him. But Newt declined every time.
He didn't want to misguide anyone, and even if the student didn't mind, Newt couldn't accept it himself.
Kyle initially started visiting Newt because his parents, Chris and Diana, were too busy with work to care for him. At that time, Newt's wife Tina heard about the situation and offered to take Kyle in.
This arrangement not only helped Chris and Diana but also gave Tina something to do.
Looking after a quiet husband who was always preoccupied with magical creatures could drive anyone mad if they didn't find some way to stay busy. Plus, Kyle was six years old—Tina knew from experience that kids that age could be a handful. Maybe spending time with Kyle would help alleviate Newt's social anxiety.
And Kyle did not disappoint Tina. Though he wasn't a troublemaker, he was very curious. Seeing so many magical creatures for the first time, he couldn't help but ask questions.
Since those questions were all about magical creatures, Newt, while not very talkative, always answered sincerely when asked.
As a result, Newt ended up speaking more than usual—and he didn't seem to mind it.
Overall, the arrangement worked well for everyone. Even when Chris and Diana became less busy later, Kyle continued to visit Newt regularly.
Of course, Kyle didn't plan to share all these details with Cedric. After all, he still wanted to maintain Newt's mystique. A reclusive legendary expert in magical creatures sounded far more impressive than a socially anxious elderly man.
So, after a brief explanation, Kyle steered the conversation away from the topic. Revealing too much could ruin the illusion, and the way things were now was just right.
"By the way, Cedric, what do you think of the professors at Hogwarts? Are they easy to get along with?" Kyle asked, glancing at the book "Dark Power: A Guide to Self-Defense" next to Cedric. "You know, it's my first time at the school, and I don't know much. What if I accidentally upset a professor? Could I get expelled?"
Cedric laughed and replied, "You don't need to worry about that. The professors are all quite nice... well, most of them. Even the strictest professor won't expel you easily unless you do something that seriously breaks the school rules."
When he said this, Cedric's expression grew serious, as if he wanted to warn Kyle about something but didn't know how to begin.
Seeing Cedric's hesitation, Kyle guessed his thoughts and quickly reassured him, "Don't worry, my last name isn't Weasley. I'm not going to break any school rules."
Hearing this, Cedric finally relaxed. "Sorry... that's not what I meant."
Kyle shook his head. "It's fine, I understand."
With that, Cedric became more enthusiastic about sharing his knowledge of Hogwarts with Kyle. He talked about everything from the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor who only stays for a year, to the Transfiguration professor with a fondness for turning into a cat, and even the Potions professor known for his dislike of clean hair.
Most of it matched what Kyle already knew, without any surprising revelations.
(End of this chapter)