Chapter 7: Dinner

Support me and be 20 chapters ahead of webnovel:

patreon.com/Draco_

*****

Kyle gave Ron a Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Bean, ate one himself, and handed the rest over to Ginny. The little girl hugged the box and thought for a moment before running over to Kyle, hoping he could help her pick out the flavors, at least to remove the dragon dung flavor.

Kyle understood Ginny's request very well but firmly declined.

Young people should always try different things.

Besides, what was the advertisement for Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans? Every bite is a new adventure, and that's what makes them special.

Without surprises, they wouldn't be called Bertie Bott's beans; they would just be jellybeans.

So it wasn't that he was being lazy; it was all for Ginny's own good.

After playing for a while longer, the familiar voice of Mrs. Weasley echoed from the direction of the Burrow, announcing that dinner was ready.

Everyone, already starving, dropped their sticks and started to head back in pairs.

Kyle led the way, with Ron following closely behind. However, after just a couple of steps, he was suddenly pushed aside by the twins rushing past.

Caught off guard, Ron nearly tumbled into a nearby goblin hole, which made him quite angry. He glared at Fred and George, his face set in a fierce expression, as if to say that if they didn't apologize, he would charge at them and bite.

Ron might have been serious, but unfortunately, he was destined to get no results. Fred and George's attention had been entirely focused on Kyle, and they hadn't even glanced at Ron, so they had no idea what he was thinking.

Even if they had known, they probably wouldn't have cared. Bullying their younger brother was nothing new for them, and they knew the drill all too well.

Despite Ron's furious demeanor, as long as he didn't want to get hit, he wouldn't make the first move. In a few days, a few saved snacks would perfectly resolve the situation.

At that point, it would be all brotherly love and family harmony again.

So the main focus now was to deal with Kyle.

The incident that occurred in Diagon Alley was seen by the twins as the biggest blemish in their lives, and they had been eager to reclaim their dignity. Unfortunately, Kyle hadn't left the house in days, giving them no chance for revenge.

However, approaching him directly would seem too deliberate and might arouse Kyle's suspicion. So Fred and George had to temporarily suppress their desire for revenge; they needed a suitable opportunity.

Like now.

With Chris and Kyle present, the dining room felt a bit cramped, so Mrs. Weasley set up the dining table in the yard.

As Kyle habitually took his usual seat, Fred suddenly shot him a knowing glance before quickly sitting down beside him.

Although George didn't know what Fred was planning, their incredible synergy led him to sit down on Kyle's other side without hesitation.

"Hmm?" Kyle observed this scene with surprise; it was the first time he had seen the twins sitting apart.

Raising an eyebrow slightly, he remarked, "Something's afoot."

With the twins acting so obviously, it would have been foolish for him not to notice something was up.

However, not knowing their intentions, Kyle chose to play it cool, pretending everything was normal as he helped Mrs. Weasley set the table.

Fluffy, crispy rolls, soft roasted potatoes, aromatic, succulent roast chicken, golden fried chicken pieces, and tender, juicy beef steaks…

Although they were all old friends by now, the meal was undeniably lavish.

Of course, Kyle didn't expect to find anything too exotic here; he just hoped the house-elves at Hogwarts would surprise him a little.

He didn't even demand Chinese food; French cuisine would be fine. Even pasta or pizza would do.

As the last dish was placed on the dining table, everyone settled in, and dinner officially began.

Kyle was especially cautious, afraid he might accidentally eat something strange.

He certainly didn't want to embarrass himself in front of everyone.

...

Under Kyle's vigilance, nothing unusual happened.

The twins, as usual, chatted and told jokes while eating, keeping everyone in good spirits without any odd behavior.

It wasn't until halfway through dinner, at the liveliest moment, that Fred, after finishing a joke about the Slytherin's greasy-haired monster, suddenly seemed to have an idea. He turned to George and said, "Hey, George, Kyle's going to Hogwarts tomorrow. Shouldn't we give him some advice? Like some tips for the Sorting Hat ceremony? After all, it can be dangerous."

George instantly understood, and after pretending to think for a moment (while actually struggling to swallow his steak), he chimed in, "I don't think that's necessary, Fred. We should trust Kyle; he's quite capable. Just a fully-grown troll, after all. Kyle will surely handle it and pass the sorting with ease."

"I think you're right, George," Fred nodded seriously. "And someone as proud as Mr. Kyle Choba would certainly look down on our advice. He probably wouldn't even want to call us seniors."

Fred's plan was simple: while Kyle was still a freshman, he aimed to scare him a little with stories about the Sorting Hat. If he could keep him up all night worrying, that would be perfect.

Given the current setting, this prank wouldn't just go unchallenged; it might even receive outside support, making it all the more fitting.

Fred smirked at Kyle, feeling assured that he would settle the score for what happened in Diagon Alley.

...

As Fred expected, their conversation quickly piqued the interest of the nearby adults, who eagerly joined in.

The Sorting Ceremony had always been a favorite topic among wizarding graduates, and they delighted in using it to trick generation after generation of young witches and wizards.

This time, it seemed Kyle was in the hot seat.

"Dear, don't believe them," Mrs. Weasley was the first to take a stand. After "sternly" reprimanding the twins, she turned to Kyle and said, "It's not that scary; you just have to pass through a group of ghosts. It's not dangerous at all."

"Molly, how can you lie to the child?" Mr. Weasley chimed in, striving to maintain a serious expression as he glared at his wife. "Kyle is a great kid; we should definitely tell him the truth. I believe he can handle a Hippogriff all by himself."

"A Hippogriff? Isn't that a dragon?" Chris blinked in surprise, then firmly told Kyle, "Son, trust your dad; it must be a dragon. And I suspect it will be a Hungarian Horntail this year."

...

"Oh, I see."

"Yeah, I can do it."

"I believe in you, Dad."

Kyle nodded along like a bobblehead, echoing each person's statement and displaying the appropriate expressions.

Mrs. Weasley felt relieved.

Mr. Weasley was resolute.

His own dad was hesitant.

The wizarding world was quite pitiful; what entertainment did they have? Just Quidditch and tricking children. With so little fun to be had, they might as well play along and put on a show; it wasn't a difficult task.

Now everyone seemed satisfied; what could be better?

...

At the table, everyone was enjoying themselves, completely unaware that two helpless figures in the corner were trembling in fear.

(End of Chapter)