Kyle gave Ron a Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Bean, ate one himself, and handed the rest over to Ginny.
The little girl held the box, thought for a moment, then hurried over to Kyle, asking if he could pick out a few for her, at least removing the ones that taste like dragon dung.
Kyle understood her request perfectly, but he firmly declined.
Young people need to try a little bit of everything, after all.
Besides, what was the slogan for Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans? "Every bite is a new adventure," and that's exactly what made them so special.
Without the element of surprise, are they still Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans? No, they would just be jelly beans.
So it wasn't that he was lazy; it was all for Ginny's own good.
After playing around a bit longer, the familiar voice of Mrs. Weasley called from the direction of the house, announcing that dinner was ready.
Hungry as they were, the group tossed their sticks aside and started heading back.
Kyle led the way, with Ron following closely behind. However, not two steps later, the twins suddenly pushed past him, causing him to almost stumble into a nearby goblin hole. Ron was furious, glaring at Fred and George with a look that said, "If you don't apologize, I'll bite you."
Ron might have been serious, but sadly for him, the twins had no interest in him whatsoever. Their focus was solely on Kyle, and they hadn't even noticed Ron. Even if they had, they wouldn't have cared; bullying their younger brother wasn't new, and they knew the routine by heart.
Ron, though angry, wouldn't do anything to provoke a fight, not unless he wanted to get hit. In a few days, he would have forgotten the whole thing, and a few snacks would smooth things over. In no time, they would be back to being the best of brothers.
But for now, they had bigger plans.
The events that had occurred last time in Diagon Alley were seen by the twins as a stain on their lives, and they were determined to get revenge. Unfortunately, Kyle hadn't been out of the house lately, giving them no opportunity to get even.
But if they made the first move, it might seem too obvious and would raise Kyle's suspicions. So Fred and George had to wait for the right moment—like now.
Because the room was a bit crowded with Chris and Kyle at the table, Mrs. Weasley set up the dining table outside in the yard.
When Kyle instinctively moved to sit in his usual spot, Fred shot him a look and quickly took a seat next to him.
George, though unsure of Fred's plan, knew enough to follow his twin's lead and sat on Kyle's other side.
"Huh?" Kyle was a little surprised. This was the first time he had seen the twins split up.
Raising an eyebrow, he said, "Not up to something, are we?"
With the twins being so obvious, if Kyle didn't notice something was off, it would be a miracle.
But not knowing exactly what they were up to, Kyle played it cool and continued helping Mrs. Weasley set the plates.
Soft, crispy rolls, tender roasted potatoes, fragrant, juicy roast chicken, golden fried chicken chunks, and tender, succulent steaks—though they were old friends, this was undoubtedly a feast by any standard.
Of course, Kyle wasn't hoping for anything extraordinary here. He just hoped the house-elves at Hogwarts would surprise him.
He wasn't asking for Chinese food—French cuisine would do. Even pasta or pizza would be nice.
Once the final plate was brought to the table, everyone sat down, and dinner began in earnest.
Kyle remained particularly cautious, worried he might accidentally eat something strange. The last thing he wanted was to embarrass himself in front of everyone.
…
To Kyle's relief, nothing unusual happened as they ate. The twins were as playful as always, telling jokes that kept everyone laughing, without any hint of trouble.
But halfway through the meal, just when the table was the most lively, Fred suddenly came up with a thought after telling a joke about the Slytherin grease-heads.
He turned to George, "Hey, George, Kyle's going to Hogwarts tomorrow. Shouldn't we help him out? Maybe tell him a few things about the Sorting Ceremony, since it can be a bit dangerous?"
George quickly caught on, pretending to think it over for a moment (though he was really just struggling to swallow a mouthful of steak), before chiming in, "I don't think it's necessary, Fred. We should trust Kyle; he's really strong. One adult-sized troll? Kyle will definitely beat it and pass the Sorting with no problem."
Fred nodded seriously, "You're right, George. Plus, someone as proud as Kyle Jobar probably won't even listen to our advice. He probably won't even call us seniors."
Fred's plan was simple: while Kyle hadn't entered school yet, he would use the Sorting ceremony to give him a little scare. If they could keep him awake all night worrying, even better.
And given the circumstances, this prank was practically perfect. They had the opportunity, and the audience was just right.
Fred shot a triumphant glance at Kyle, knowing the prank was his payback for Diagon Alley.
…
As Fred had predicted, their conversation immediately caught the attention of the nearby adults, who eagerly joined in.
The Sorting ceremony had always been a favorite topic for graduates of the wizarding world, a tradition that had been passed down for generations. It seemed it was now Kyle's turn to be subjected to it.
"Don't listen to them, dear," Mrs. Weasley quickly reassured, scolding the twins before turning to Kyle. "It's not dangerous at all, just a test with some ghosts. Nothing to be afraid of."
"Mo, you can't lie to the kid," Mr. Weasley interjected, attempting to look stern, though his eyes were twinkling. "Kyle is a wonderful boy. We should be honest with him. He can surely handle taming a Hippogriff on his own."
"Hippogriff? I thought it was a dragon?"
Chris blinked, then turned decisively to Kyle. "Son, believe me, it's definitely a dragon. I think it will probably be a Hungarian Horntail this year."
…
"Oh, I see."
"Yes, of course, I can handle it."
"I trust you, Dad."
Kyle nodded along with each person who spoke, matching the appropriate expressions to his responses.
Mrs. Weasley was relieved.
Mr. Weasley was firm.
His own father, however, had some doubts.
The wizarding world had so little entertainment. What could they do? Just Quidditch and pranks on kids, mostly. But it wasn't a big deal; everyone was happy to go along with it and play their part. After all, it wasn't like it was difficult.
At the end of it all, everyone was satisfied. It was all good fun.
…
Meanwhile, in the corner of the table, two helpless figures were shaking with fear, unnoticed by the rest of the group.
(End of Chapter)
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