What happened in the Defence Against the Dark Arts class spread like wildfire, but to everyone's surprise, it didn't stir much interest. Normally, a freshman injuring a professor would be the talk of the school for days. For instance, people were still gossiping about the mishap during the first day of Charms class. But when it came to Defence Against the Dark Arts? Not so much.
To put it in perspective: their previous professor had been a dark wizard with powers so well concealed that he was only discovered and taken away by Aurors during a lesson. The professor before that was obsessed with potions, constantly experimenting with bizarre concoctions. In one infamous class, he presented his latest creation, the All-Knowing Potion, boasting that it could rival the Love Potion and solve all problems with just one sip. And then... there was no "then." He drank it in front of everyone, and he's still lying in St. Mungo's Hospital.
Compared to those incidents, Professor Oren's little mishap barely seemed worth mentioning.
And so, the first weekend at Hogwarts arrived quietly.
Kyle, having enjoyed a lazy morning, slept until nearly 9 o'clock, only to be awakened by Cedric pounding on his door.
"What do you want to wake me up so early for?" Kyle groaned after washing up and flopping onto a sofa in the common room, stretching comfortably.
"Early?" Cedric raised an eyebrow in disbelief, handing him a warm pie fresh from the kitchen. "Lunch will be served soon!"
Kyle took a bite of the pie, savoring the taste of beef, potatoes, and onions. It was delicious. While Kyle ate, Cedric continued, "The Quidditch tryouts start today, and I'm heading over to try out. What about you? Want to come along? We can totally win the Quidditch Cup this year."
"I'll pass," Kyle replied, shaking his head. "First-year students aren't allowed on the school team. It's a rule."
Kyle had abandoned the idea of joining the Quidditch team after flying class the previous day. Since his mother Diana had forbidden him from buying a broom during his first year, he'd be stuck using one of the school's ancient brooms, and that just didn't sit well with him.
The school brooms were terribly outdated, lacking even the most essential functions. For example, the crucial Lifting Charm, which was engraved on broom handles after the 1930 Quidditch World Cup final—a match that lasted seven days. Following that ordeal, eleven players were forced into early retirement for the same reason. The addition of the Lifting Charm became a necessity after that, but the school's brooms clearly predated 1930.
Riding those old brooms occasionally was fine, but relying on them long-term? That could seriously affect the physical and mental well-being of young wizards. Kyle simply couldn't accept that. As for Cedric...
Kyle patted Cedric on the shoulder and said seriously, "If you make the team, I suggest you save up for a new broom."
Cedric nodded. "Yeah, the school brooms are way too slow. But if I make the team, my dad could probably get me a Cleansweep."
"That should work," Kyle agreed.
The Cleansweep VII was about a decade old, but it had all the necessary features and was still a solid choice for the school team.
"Oh, by the way," Cedric added, pulling out two maps, "I've finished the Gryffindor and Slytherin maps. What's our next step? Should we advertise ourselves, or look for partners?"
"Let's find partners," Kyle said after thinking for a moment. "If we advertise ourselves, it'll take too long and won't be efficient."
"That's what I was thinking," Cedric nodded. "We could ask the Weasley twins from Gryffindor for help. They'd probably be up for it. But what about Slytherin? Do you know anyone there?"
Kyle shook his head. Coincidentally, Slytherin was the house he knew the least about, and he'd had very few interactions with any of its students.
"That's a problem," Cedric sighed. "I don't know anyone either."
Having recently earned his first bit of gold, Cedric was in an excellent mood and didn't want to lose Slytherin as a potential market. He had even gone out of his way to make the Slytherin map extra special, using high-quality parchment and adding a gold border to appeal to their taste. Naturally, the price for this map would be a little higher—quality came at a cost, after all.
The only issue now was how to sell them. If they relied solely on themselves, two Hufflepuffs, it was unlikely they'd make many sales in Slytherin. Worse yet, if Snape found out about their little business venture, he would likely confiscate the maps and deduct points from Hufflepuff.
After thinking it over, they concluded they'd need a middleman.
They discussed the matter for a while but didn't come up with a solid solution. Cedric suggested asking the Weasley twins if they knew anyone in Slytherin. Kyle was skeptical, but since they didn't have any better ideas, it was worth a shot.
When it was close to ten o'clock, the two left the Hufflepuff common room together. Cedric headed off to the Quidditch Pitch for the tryouts, while Kyle made his way to the library to return a book. He had finished reading The Troubadour in the Wind the night before and was planning to borrow something new.
As they parted near the Great Hall, Kyle smiled and said, "Good luck with the Quidditch tryouts. Hope you make the team."
"Don't worry!" Cedric replied with confidence, flashing a thumbs-up. "I've got this."
And with that, they went their separate ways.
In the library, Madam Pince carefully inspected the book Kyle returned, ensuring it was in pristine condition before handing him the new one he had requested.
"The usual rules apply—you know them," she said in her strict, no-nonsense tone.
"Of course, no damaging the books," Kyle replied with a chuckle. "I know."
"Good," she responded, satisfied.
After receiving the book, A Detailed Explanation of Magical Plants in Asia, Kyle decided not to head straight back to the dormitory. Instead, he found a quiet spot in the library to read. The book, focused on herbal medicine, was a detailed reference on various magical plants native to Asia. Kyle scanned the pages quickly, searching for something specific.
Soon, he found what he was looking for: "Chinese Chomping Cabbage, an extremely dangerous and aggressive plant, was first discovered…"
He pulled out a piece of parchment and, using the Doubling Charm, neatly copied down the relevant information. Satisfied with his notes, Kyle packed up his things and left the library.
However, rather than returning the book immediately, Kyle decided to hold onto it for a little while longer. He figured it might come in handy again, especially if Professor Sprout introduced any new plant species in class. It would be a hassle to have to borrow the book again later.