Ron knew Kyle was popular at school, but he never imagined he'd actually be friends with someone like Malfoy. It was a bit hard to stomach.
Kyle noticed Ron's look of bewilderment and knew exactly what he was thinking, but he didn't care. Malfoy's feud with Harry and Ron didn't concern him; he was a Hufflepuff, after all. Besides, his mother Diana had graduated from Slytherin—why should he hate the house?
Kyle glanced at Ron and shrugged. "What's so strange about it? Salazar Slytherin and Godric Gryffindor were once best friends, just like you and Potter. What—if Potter had been sorted into Slytherin, would you have stopped talking to him?"
"Of course not!" Ron said quickly. "But… that's different…"
"That's just your opinion," Kyle replied, a slight frown crossing his face. "Don't forget, I'm a Hufflepuff, and we get along with every house. Oh, and another thing—half of your new wand was funded by a Slytherin. If that bothers you, I can always write to Mrs. Weasley and ask her to send you Charlie's old wand instead."
Ron's mouth twitched. He felt Kyle was wrong, but he couldn't find a way to argue back. Hufflepuffs did indeed get along with everyone. Even Ravenclaw, who'd been given zero points in the last competition, only stayed distant for a couple of weeks before they made up.
And the wand? That was even harder to argue. It was his only new possession this year, and he wasn't about to give it up.
Without looking back at Ron, Kyle turned and walked with Kanna toward the Hufflepuff common room, calling to Hagrid as he passed, "Hagrid, we'll head back. See you later."
"Go on ahead," Hagrid replied with a grin. "Tonight's feast won't disappoint." Then, turning to Harry, he added, "Sorry, but I've got to go too—Professor McGonagall's waiting for me to help set up the last Christmas tree."
After Kyle, Kanna, and Hagrid left, Ron let out a long sigh. "Did I… just sound like an idiot?"
Harry and Hermione exchanged glances before both shook their heads.
Ron's reaction wasn't unusual—they'd been just as surprised when they learned Kyle and Malfoy were on friendly terms. They just hadn't said anything about it.
"Kyle actually helped us out back there," Harry said quietly. "I noticed Snape was standing not far behind us the whole time, just waiting for us to clash with Malfoy so he could dock points."
Ron quickly glanced around, but apart from a few students heading to the Great Hall, there was no sign of Snape.
"Trust me, he was there," Harry insisted. "He was right behind us, around the corner. Ask Hermione if you don't believe me!"
"Yes, Harry's right," Hermione nodded absently. Given that the path from the dungeons led directly to the Great Hall, it wasn't unusual to see Snape there.
"Never mind that," Hermione said with a frown. "Aren't you curious? What was that thing Kyle gave Malfoy that cost a hundred Galleons?"
"Wait, what?" Ron's eyes widened in disbelief. "A hundred Galleons?"
He had been too preoccupied with other thoughts to pay attention earlier.
"Yes, a hundred Galleons," Harry added, also remembering the detail. "The Malfoys must be rolling in gold."
Though Harry had inherited a sizable fortune from his family's vault, he had never spent that much in one go. So far, his biggest expense had been seven Galleons for his wand.
"Merlin's beard…" Ron murmured, suddenly feeling weak in the knees. A hundred Galleons... he'd never even seen what ten Galleons looked like all at once. Maybe he understood Kyle a bit better now.
Harry glanced at his watch. "There's still some time before the feast begins, right?"
"Thirteen minutes, to be precise," said Hermione, eyeing him skeptically. "You're not thinking of…"
"Aren't you curious what that thing actually is?" Harry whispered. "The Quidditch Pitch isn't that far away—we should have time to check it out."
Without hesitation, Ron was already on his feet. "What are we waiting for…?" He darted out of the castle doors, racing toward the Quidditch Pitch, with Harry and Hermione close on his heels.
The three reached the pitch in record time but, not wanting Malfoy to see them, crouched near the entrance to sneak a peek inside. After ten minutes, they hurried back to the castle, just in time for the Christmas feast.
The Great Hall was splendidly decked out, with wreaths of mistletoe and holly draped along the walls. The twelve Christmas trees sparkled with all kinds of ornaments: shimmering icicles, twinkling snowflakes, candles, golden baubles, and boxes containing tiny enchanted surprises. Oddly enough, one of the trees even had a ghost as a decoration. Familiar ghostly faces floated among the branches, including Nearly Headless Nick and the Fat Friar, who warmly greeted every student passing by.
Under normal circumstances, Harry would have been enchanted by these unique decorations, but now he barely glanced at them. Hermione and Ron were equally distracted, and the trio hurried to the Gryffindor table.
The moment they sat down, Harry whispered, "Did you see that snake? It was spitting fireworks and must have been ten feet long—how does it do that when it's only the size of a fist?"
"I don't know, Harry," Ron said, shaking his head. "All I know is that Malfoy actually paid a hundred Galleons for a toy…"
"I've told you a thousand times—it's not a toy!" Hermione snapped, giving Ron a sharp look.
"It's a magical object that combines the Engorgement Charm, the Bluebell Flames Charm, and advanced Transfiguration!"
"Okay, fine… a magical toy," Ron muttered under his breath.
No matter what Hermione said, it didn't change the fact that this was nothing more than a showy gadget. A hundred Galleons for a toy… the world had to be mad. Or maybe it was just Malfoy who was mad.
Hermione heard Ron's grumbling but chose to ignore him. She fidgeted absently, scratching her head. The entire way back, she'd been wondering how the Bluebell Flames Charm could change color like that. But as far as she knew, it was impossible. She'd never read anything like it in any of her books.