"In summary, these are the things you should keep in mind. As long as you pay attention to them, you won't lose any points for the house. But even if you slip up and lose some points, it's not a big deal. We Hufflepuffs don't stress over that. As long as everyone's happy at Hogwarts, that's what matters."
Prefect Harris was addressing the group, but Kyle sat at the edge, silent with his head down.
"Kyle, what are you doing here? I've been looking all over for you."
At that moment, Cedric approached, offering a glass of juice. "Fresh orange juice. A glass before bed is the perfect choice."
Kyle didn't respond, nor did he look up. He simply waved Cedric off, signaling that he didn't want any.
"Are you okay? Feeling unwell?"
"No, I'm just a little tired," Kyle said, still avoiding eye contact. "And I don't like drinking before bed. You can offer it to someone else."
Kyle's unusual behavior caught Cedric's attention. He took a couple of steps to the left, but noticed Kyle subtly turning in the opposite direction.
Something was definitely off.
"Alright, I'll offer it to the other first years," Cedric said, moving away before quietly tiptoeing back to Kyle's side. Timing it perfectly, Cedric suddenly lay on the floor to look up at Kyle.
Kyle, lost in thought about returning to the dorm, was startled when a head of messy hair popped up in front of him.
The two locked eyes.
"Kyle, what's with the dark circles under your eyes? How'd they get so big?"
"It's nothing!" Kyle quickly covered his left eye. "I just bumped into a table. It's normal to have a bruise."
"Doesn't look like it. That bruise is too round, almost like someone punched you," Cedric observed, sitting down and stroking his chin.
"Impossible! You're overthinking it!" Kyle replied seriously. "Even if you don't believe me, surely you trust Hufflepuff! This is the friendliest house at Hogwarts—no one here would resort to violence."
"That's true. Maybe you did just fall," Cedric agreed, though still puzzled. If it was an accident, why were the circles so perfectly round?
As Cedric pondered this, Harris wrapped up the meeting.
"From now on, we're all classmates. If you ever need help, don't hesitate to ask. Hufflepuff is like one big, warm family. All the older students, including me, are here to help you. You're probably feeling sleepy now, so let's head to the dormitories. Patty, you'll take care of the girls."
Kyle stood up from the sofa, relieved to leave, and followed the group without saying goodbye to Cedric.
Under Harris's guidance, Kyle soon arrived at his dormitory. Like the common room, it was decorated in warm yellow and black tones. A brass lamp cast a cozy glow on the four-poster beds, and a copper bed warmer hung on the wall, ensuring a perfect sleeping temperature.
Two other boys were assigned to share the dorm with Kyle. One was Mikel Drake, a thin boy with dark hair, and the other was Ryan Baggins, a stockier blond.
Kyle briefly greeted them before climbing into bed.
"This is amazing, isn't it? I'm actually a wizard!" Mikel said excitedly, sitting on his bed. "No one in my family does magic. My dad sells drills, and my mom works at a bank. When I first got my letter, I thought it was a joke. But now, here I am! Hogwarts... it still feels like a dream."
"I'm half-blood," Ryan added. "My dad's a wizard, and my mom's a Muggle. She was shocked when she found out."
"Yeah, people who've never been around magic wouldn't get it," Mikel said. "When a professor named Quirrell showed up at my house, my parents nearly called the cops. He just appeared out of nowhere and said it was... what was it? Teleportation?"
"Apparition," Kyle corrected quietly.
"Right, that! Apparition!" Mikel's eyes suddenly lit up. "Wait a second, I remember you! You're Kyle Chopper, the one who took twenty minutes to be sorted!"
"Yeah, that's me," Kyle replied.
"Why did it take so long? It was longer than everyone else combined!"
"Nothing special," Kyle said thoughtfully. "The Sorting Hat just couldn't decide where to put me."
"Wow, you must be really talented if the hat had to think so hard!" Mikel said in awe.
Kyle just smiled but remained silent. Talented, yes, but not for the reasons Mikel thought. If only he knew the real reason for the Sorting Hat's dilemma.
Mikel, full of energy, continued talking nonstop, jumping from Diagon Alley to Gringotts and then onto choosing a wand. Kyle and Ryan occasionally chimed in, but as the night wore on, Mikel's voice was the only one filling the room. The excitement of the day had worn them out.
Kyle, feeling drowsy after the long journey and a full day of activities, soon drifted off into a deep sleep.
Ryan had already fallen asleep, his side of the room silent for several minutes.
(End of Chapter)
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