Disclaimer: I don't own anything. This is not meant to infringe upon copyrights.
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"Detention?"
In Professor McGonagall's office, Kyle said innocently, "But Professor McGonagall, we only sold some things, we didn't break any school rules, did we?"
"It's the headmaster's order,"
Professor McGonagall said sternly. "He thinks you should be spending this time reading books or practicing your wand gestures to prepare for exams, not focusing your energy on other things."
"This... okay, I understand."
Kyle sighed, not arguing anymore.
So what if he gets detention? As long as he doesn't have to give a refund, everything's fine.
After leaving Professor McGonagall's office, the six looked at each other and sighed.
"Take it easy, guys."
Fred and George, with their extensive experience with solitary confinement, were the first to recover.
Fred laughed and said, "At least Professor McGonagall didn't make us get a refund or deduct points from our grades, which is quite rare."
"Yeah," George patted Cedric on the shoulder and said, "And for you guys, experiencing being put in detention isn't bad either."
"Merlin's beard," Fred said with an exaggerated expression, "George, I just realized that everyone here is actually a good student except for the two of us."
"Yeah, Fred, compared to them, we who are often put in detention do feel a bit out of place."
George squeezed out a couple of tears and said, "They won't look down on us, will they?"
"Why don't we hurry back to our studies while there's still time?"
"Let's try to get a few more 'O's' on the final exams."
"That's too difficult, let's get 'E's instead."
The two of them said in unison, with exaggerated expressions, which quickly made everyone else laugh.
Kyle chuckled, "Thanks, but you're overthinking it."
"Yeah," Cedric shrugged, "If a single detention earns you a hundred Galleons, I guarantee I'll be there for Mr. Filch every night."
Cho and Kanna nodded in agreement.
"Yes, that's right."
"Hmm..."
Just as Cedric said, a hundred Galleons made detention seem less unbearable.
"Then just now..." Fred's expression froze, then he huffed, "Well, you guys dared to play me!"
Kyle shook his head, "Don't say that, I was just a little taken aback."
That was the truth; he'd never imagined Dumbledore would detain them for something so trivial.
It wasn't like him.
After walking down the corridor where Professor McGonagall's office was located, they went their separate ways back to their respective houses.
Then, at dinner that evening, they received a note from Professor McGonagall:
"Your detention begins at 11 PM tonight. See Mr. Filch in the foyer.
—Professor McGonagall."
"When did you get put in detention?!" Mikel frowned and said, "Could Professor McGonagall have misplaced the note?"
In his opinion, Kyle was the kind of student who would never break school rules, let alone be put in solitary confinement... How could that be?
Kyle calmly put away the note and said, "It wasn't delivered to the wrong address, it's definitely mine."
"This..." Mikel thought for a moment and said uncertainly, "Could it be that you got caught sneaking out at night... But wasn't that during the Easter holiday?"
Because of the deadline, Kyle was always busy until midnight on the last two days of the Easter holiday before returning to his dormitory.
Mikel and Ryan both knew about it.
Kyle neither admitted nor denied it, but simply patted him on the shoulder earnestly and said, "So, you guys absolutely mustn't go out at night anymore, even during holidays."
Mikel and Ryan shook their heads in unison, seemingly gaining a new understanding of Hogwarts' rules.
These were too strict!
That night at eleven o'clock, Kyle, Cedric, and Kanna arrived at the foyer. Filch was already waiting there, with the Weasley brothers and Cho beside him.
"Come with me," Filch said, lighting a lamp and leading them out.
"I think you'll have to think twice before breaking the rules again, won't you, hmm?"
He glanced at them sideways and said, "But I think work and hardship are the best teachers. It's a shame they abolished those old-fashioned punishments... hanging your wrists and suspending you from the ceiling for days..."
Filch's sinister voice made Cho and Kanna pale with fright, and even Cedric nervously swallowed.
However, Fred and George's expressions didn't change at all; they even turned around and made faces at the others when Filch wasn't looking.
They heard this kind of talk every few days, and their ears were practically calloused.
"We're here."
After walking for a while, they stopped in front of a door. Filch took out his key, opened the door, and said, "Go in. You're responsible for cleaning the prize room.
I really don't understand what Professor McGonagall was thinking, making so many people clean the trophy room... This punishment is far too lenient."
Hearing that it was just cleaning the prize room, Cho and Kanna's faces regained some color.
Everyone entered the room one after another, but when it was Kyle's turn, something unexpected happened.
Filch stopped him and said expressionlessly, "Your punishment isn't here."
Afterward, Mrs. Norris was left there, while Filch took Kyle back to the foyer and left the castle.
The two strode across the dark ground, and this time Filch didn't say anything sarcastic.
Kyle noticed that this path seemed to lead to the Forbidden Forest.
"Is that you, Filch? Hurry up, we need to get going."
Hagrid stood at the door of his hut, waving at them from a distance.
"The Forbidden Forest is dangerous," Filch suddenly said. "You'd better not stray too far from that idiot, or those school rules you've memorized won't save you."
"I know," Kyle nodded.
Filch acted as if he hadn't heard him and continued walking.
"It's about time." Hagrid strode towards them from the darkness, with Tooth following behind.
"Ready, Kyle?"
"He's in your hands, Hagrid," Filch said coldly. "I'll be back at dawn, and hopefully I won't find his remains."
"No need for that," Hagrid frowned at Filch. "You don't need to come pick him up. I'll take Kyle back to the castle."
Filch glared at Hagrid, turned, and walked towards the castle, the lamp swaying as it disappeared into the darkness.
"That annoying guy's finally gone, that old idiot."
Hagrid picked up his giant crossbow and quiver, winked at Kyle, and said, "It's so good to see you… Sorry, I didn't mean your detention was a good thing, but with your help, tonight will probably be much smoother."
Kyle looked at the fully armed Hagrid and asked suspiciously, "What exactly happened in the Forbidden Forest?"
"A unicorn cub was stolen, we have to go to the Forbidden Forest to look for clues."
Hagrid tightened his grip on his giant crossbow, his eyes filled with anger. "If I find out who did it, I'll make sure they pay!"
[End of the chapter]