Hermione recalled how, in their very first Charms lesson, someone had asked Professor Flitwick if they could change the color of the Wand-Lighting Charm to make it glow red. Professor Flitwick had replied that it wasn't possible; altering the color would change the charm's nature entirely, making it a new spell altogether.
It seemed impossible that Kyle, just a second-year student, could have created a new charm. Yet here he was, casually doing things even Flitwick had deemed unfeasible. Hermione's gaze drifted over to the Hufflepuff table, where Kyle was laughing and chatting with his friends.
Is it really true that there are such big differences between wizards? she thought, feeling a small pang of discouragement.
The feast soon began, but Hermione was so absorbed in her thoughts that she hardly noticed what she was eating. At one point, she even came close to putting a candle into her mouth, mistaking it for food—fortunately, Harry noticed in time and nudged her back to reality.
...
After a sumptuous dinner, the next morning arrived, and everyone packed their bags for the train ride back to King's Cross Station. Mikel and Ryan left as well, making Kyle the only one staying behind in the Hufflepuff dormitory for Christmas.
The sudden silence after the usual morning bustle felt strange and uncomfortable for him. With the castle so empty, Kyle skipped breakfast in the Great Hall, choosing instead to grab a quick bite in the kitchen and eat in the common room.
When Kanna entered the common room, she found Kyle intently studying a small stone.
"What are you up to so early in the morning?" she asked, leaning over with curiosity.
Kyle was waving his wand over a white pebble on the table, and with each motion, tiny pieces chipped off.
"Are you… carving the stone?" Kanna asked, puzzled.
"Something like that," Kyle replied, his focus fixed on the pebble.
Kanna watched for a moment but couldn't discern what he was trying to carve. The pebble looked irregular and rough, like a random pile of chipped rocks.
So, Kyle isn't perfect at everything, she thought with a little satisfaction. She patted his shoulder in a consoling gesture and left the room, trying to stifle her laughter. As much as she wanted to stay and watch him struggle, she had to finish her homework. The workload for second-year students was much heavier than before, and with only three days left, time was running short.
Meanwhile, Kyle was entirely absorbed in shaping the stone, unaware that Kanna had left. With careful precision, he ground away the last few excess bits, then held it up to inspect it in the sunlight.
"Perfect, it's done!" he exclaimed, brushing off the stone dust before tapping the pebble with his wand. In an instant, it transformed into a brilliant, translucent red, glittering in the sunlight like a ruby.
Kyle stood up, flexing his wrists with satisfaction. "What do you think? Isn't it beautiful…?" He looked around, only then noticing that Kanna was no longer in the room. "Already gone off to do homework?"
Shrugging, Kyle headed back to his dormitory to grab his suitcase. Since he hadn't bothered to secure the entrance to the hidden passage inside it the last time he opened it, the moment he cracked the suitcase lid, a fluffy black shape leapt out, disappearing in the blink of an eye.
But Kyle remained calm. He took out the ruby he'd just enchanted and shook it lightly, silently counting down in his head.
"One… two…"
Before he reached three, Kyle felt his arm grow heavier as a small, fluffy creature perched itself on his arm, its eyes glued to the ruby in his hand. This the Niffler Kyle had brought with him from Newt's.
Knowing full well a Niffler's love for shiny things—and its propensity for theft—Kyle had kept it safely locked away to prevent it from raiding Hogwarts. Now, with the castle nearly empty for the holiday, he was finally letting it roam free for a bit.
Over the months, it had grown considerably, his fur darkening to a rich black, and he was now about the size of a small, polished Bludger.
Kyle tried to lift it off his arm, but the Niffler clung tightly, its short little legs waving insistently toward the ruby.
"Pretty fast, aren't you? No wonder Newt had to chase after you every day," Kyle chuckled, scratching it under the chin. "So, do you like it?"
The Niffler nodded excitedly, pointing his tiny paw at the ruby, his eyes pleading.
"You've got good taste! Take a nice, long look if you want."
At this, it froze momentarily before letting out a howl and struggling with all his might, the sound a mix of disappointment and frustration.
"Whoa, calm down! I never said I was giving it to you," Kyle said, raising an eyebrow. "You've got some nerve. This is the Philosopher's Stone—I still need it. You can only look."
…Well, it was a magically conjured stone he'd just called the Philosopher's Stone for fun—nothing wrong with that, right?
But the Niffler didn't care. All it saw was the sparkliest treasure it had ever laid eyes on. It quickly rummaged in its pouch, pulling out an assortment of tiny trinkets: a button, a broken shard of glass, a few shiny candy wrappers, a couple of Knuts, and… a golden Galleon.
"Ah, so that's where my missing Galleon went," Kyle chuckled, gently rubbing its head. He'd noticed it missing a few days ago but hadn't realized the little thief had snatched it.
And the button—it was the exact type the House-elf had sewn onto the Troll's clothes. How in Merlin's name did it even get that?
With a reluctant look, the Niffler extended the items to Kyle, offering them as a trade. Kyle laughed. "Oh, so you're trying to bargain with me?"
It nodded eagerly.
"Sorry, but I'm not interested. This is the Philosopher's Stone, after all—no small trinkets will do."
The Niffler squeaked in protest, struggling in Kyle's grip, but Kyle only shook his head, finally setting the little creature down on the floor. It darted away, only to rush back and hop onto Kyle's arm once more.
Kyle tossed him off again, and once again, it bounded back with determination. Amused, Kyle eventually tied a rope to a small rock and began "fishing" for the Niffler in the dormitory. To his surprise, this impromptu game turned out to be more entertaining than any regular fishing.