Chapter 8: Mr. Weasley's Ambitions

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The adults' usual attempts to deceive Kyle certainly wouldn't work, but they didn't leave empty-handed; at least they managed to frighten Ron and Ginny significantly.

Ron, in particular, had been quite interested at the beginning of the conversation. He eagerly listened, hoping to gather some experience for the upcoming school year.

However, the more he heard, the worse his expression became.

A troll, ghosts, and Hippogriffs were one thing; although outrageous, as long as he could just turn and run, he might have a chance of survival. After all, Hogwarts' professors were no pushovers.

But what about dragons?

Those were magical creatures of a XXXXX level! Even an adult wizard might not survive an encounter, let alone an eleven-year-old wizard. By the time the professors finished their incantations, he'd probably already been reduced to ashes by a single sneeze.

Was this really school?

Ron felt utterly defeated, even contemplating running away from home. He didn't want to go to Hogwarts anymore; he truly wanted to avoid it. All he wanted was to stay alive.

Ginny wasn't doing much better.

Her small face was pale, and her once-beautiful red hair looked much duller.

"What's wrong, Ginny?"

Seeing this, Kyle, who sat across from her, asked with concern, "Why aren't you eating? Are you feeling unwell?"

"No, not at all," Ginny replied, clearly reluctant to admit to her family that she was scared. Seeing Kyle looking at her, she quickly shook her head. "I just ate too much."

A nine-year-old girl doesn't have a large appetite to begin with, and after eating nearly half a box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, Ginny had indeed eaten quite a bit.

She was probably about 80% full, just at that stage where it didn't matter whether she ate more or not. However, the sudden topic of the Sorting Ceremony had completely erased her remaining appetite.

"Oh, I see. That's a shame."

Kyle didn't dwell on it. He simply stood up, calmly picked up the untouched roasted fish in front of Ginny, and placed it on his plate.

Roasted fish, unlike other foods, loses its flavor if left too long, which would be a waste. It was better for him to eat it.

It's worth mentioning that Mrs. Weasley's roasted fish was exceptional; it was one of her prized skills.

However, because she had to care for such a large family, deboning fish was quite a hassle, so typically, they only got to enjoy her cooking on special occasions.

Of course, part of the reason was that fish was relatively expensive in the wizarding world.

Regardless, Kyle had been craving it for a long time and wasn't about to watch this delicious dish go to waste.

Ginny understood this but didn't stop him.

She had initially intended to savor the roasted fish slowly at the end, but after learning she would face a dragon in two years, she had lost all desire to eat. All she could do was watch with regret as Kyle devoured the fish that belonged to her.

In the end, she simply turned away, choosing not to see.

Meanwhile, Fred and George both sighed in unison.

They had been eyeing that roasted fish for quite some time as well, but unfortunately, Kyle was too quick; they hadn't even had a chance to grab it.

Reluctantly, the twins shifted their attention to Ron.

Unfortunately, Ron didn't share Ginny's restraint; his roasted fish had long turned into bones, and he had cleaned it so thoroughly that a Flobberworm could slip right off.

"What's wrong, Ron? Are you scared of dragons?" Fred squinted his eyes, attempting to disguise his true intentions while also showing rare concern for Ron's current state. He kindly patted Ron's shoulder, trying to comfort him. "Don't worry; dragons are only around for one year. By the time you start school, they'll probably have a different magical creature for the Sorting Ceremony."

"I think it'll be spiders," George chimed in immediately. "I've seen them in the Forbidden Forest, and they're about the same size as goblins. Maybe Hagrid is preparing them for the Sorting Ceremony."

"No!"

Ron's expression went from bad to worse as panic rose rapidly in his eyes. Instinctively, he dropped his utensils and screamed as he ran back to the Burrow.

It was clear that Ron was genuinely terrified. He didn't even notice how mischievous the twins looked while he was fleeing. However, the twins weren't entirely without consequences.

"George, why were you in the Forbidden Forest?"

Mrs. Weasley keenly identified the crux of the issue, glaring seriously at the twins. "I don't remember Hogwarts allowing first-years to go into the Forbidden Forest."

"Mom, I can explain…"

Fred and George tried to run, but as second-years, they were no match for Mrs. Weasley and were quickly caught.

What followed was the familiar scene of a mother reprimanding her children.

Although this scene had played out countless times over the past eleven years, Kyle still found it entertaining, and it even improved his appetite.

He had no doubt that the twins had ventured into the Forbidden Forest; however, the claim about spiders was probably just a story to scare Ron. It was unexpected that they had accidentally hit the mark.

After all, Acromantulas in the Forbidden Forest were not harmless little creatures. If they had truly encountered one, they would likely have made their home there by now.

Furthermore, Kyle remembered that the Acromantula's lair was deep in the Forbidden Forest, so Fred and George wouldn't have been able to venture that far.

The twins were not Harry Potter; they enjoyed pranks, not courting death.

About twenty minutes later, dinner was coming to an end. Despite the small interruptions, it had been a pleasant evening overall.

At least Kyle was happy.

After tidying up the table, Percy headed upstairs to study.

Meanwhile, Ron, caught trying to sneak away with a small bundle, had replaced the twins' role and was now being chased around the yard by Mrs. Weasley.

Mr. Weasley and Chris had moved to another spot to continue their conversation.

"Chris, you were too over-the-top just now."

In the Burrow, Mr. Weasley lamented, "It's just a Sorting Ceremony; how could there possibly be dragons? Little Kyle is smart enough to know we're joking."

"No, Arthur, you're mistaken. This plan was doomed to fail from the start."

Chris shook his head, somewhat helpless. "Kyle has been spending at least two months a year with Professor Scamander since he was three years old. Do you really think he'd be afraid of trolls and Hippogriffs?

Besides, Arthur, have you forgotten that Kyle's last name is Jorba?"

"Uh…" Mr. Weasley froze momentarily, scratching his head awkwardly. "Are you saying he, like you, can communicate with magical creatures?"

"Of course," Chris nodded. "So he's unlikely to be afraid of Hippogriffs. It's probably only dragons that would make him feel nervous."

Mr. Weasley glanced at Chris, enviously saying, "What a wonderful ability! If only I could communicate with Muggle objects."

"???"

Chris was momentarily at a loss for words, chuckling awkwardly. "It's not as exaggerated as you think; this talent is limited to magical creatures. Ordinary animals like mice, toads, and owls don't fall under that; you have to rely on experience to guess their meanings."

Chris's point was clear: even if Mr. Weasley somehow used some bizarre magic to change his last name to Jorba, he would only be able to have a few conversations with things like Portkey Powder or the Golden Snitch.

As for toasters or cars… he should give up on that idea; it was impossible—don't even think about it!

(End of Chapter)