Chapter 293: There’s a Story Here

Kyle wasn't particularly surprised that Dumbledore had brought the Vanishing Cabinet to Hogwarts, but the timing was intriguing. Everyone knew that Professor Dumbledore was awarded the Order of Merlin, First Class, for defeating Grindelwald in 1945—the same year Grindelwald was imprisoned in Nurmengard's High Tower. That it was during this time that Dumbledore discarded the Vanishing Cabinet… well, there had to be a story behind that decision.

Of course, Kyle knew better than to speculate about the headmaster's history, at least not around Harry. After all, Harry's knack for letting things slip rivaled Hagrid's, and one wrong word could lead to all kinds of trouble.

"So, you're saying this cabinet was broken before?" Kyle asked, steering the conversation back.

"Yes," said Nick. "Peeves used to hide in it whenever Filch was after him. If it were working, I suspect Peeves would've already vanished to the other side by now."

"I see…" Kyle nodded, noticing a few old cracks in the cabinet's surface. The damage looked ancient, making it unlikely that any part of it had just recently fallen apart.

"What's going to happen with the Vanishing Cabinet now?"

"Oh, just leave it here," Nick replied nonchalantly. "No one really comes to this classroom. I imagine Peeves will move it back to the utility room eventually."

Kyle nodded thoughtfully, and they left the room together. Harry glanced over at Nick, who was still holding that transparent reply letter in his hand. Maybe Nick felt indebted to Harry for helping him with the whole Peeves ordeal.

"I wish I could do something to help with the Headless Hunt," Harry said.

"No need," Nick said with a shrug, slipping the letter back into his shirt. "I've decided to form my own hunting team. One day, they'll regret turning me away."

The image of Nick twirling his head popped back into Harry's mind, and he quickly shook his head, forcing himself to banish the unsettling image. "Well… good luck with that."

"Thank you, Harry," said Nick. "Actually, I do have one request, if it's not too much to ask…"

"What is it?" Harry asked.

"It would mean a lot if you could come to my Deathday Party," Nick said hopefully. "It's on Halloween Eve, and I'll be announcing my hunting team in front of all my friends. It would be an honor to have you there."

"I'll be there," Harry replied eagerly. "Mind if I bring a few others?"

"If you mean Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger, of course! They're quite popular among the ghosts," Nick said, turning to Kyle with a hopeful look.

"Sorry, Sir Poppington," Kyle replied, sounding genuinely regretful. "I'd love to witness the formation of your hunting team, but I promised Cedric I'd join him at the Skeleton Dance Troupe performance."

"Oh, naturally…" Nick said, forcing a smile. "You made a promise, and it's only right to keep it. My invitation was last-minute, anyway. But… did Dumbledore really manage to get the Skeleton Dance Troupe this year?"

"Professor McGonagall mentioned it the other day, so I think it's set," Kyle confirmed.

"Oh, why did it have to be this year!" Nearly Headless Nick lamented, tugging at his hat in frustration. "I've adored their performances for over two centuries… and from what I hear, the Bloody Baron says they've recently perfected some new routines that are just spectacular. Why this year of all years!"

Nearly Headless Nick spun in mid-air a few times, clearly caught up in his daydream. "Do you think the Skeleton Dance Troupe might be persuaded to stop by my Deathday Party after the Halloween show?"

"I suppose… they might," Kyle said, though he sounded uncertain. While skeletons and ghosts had similarities, they were still distinct, and it was hard to say if skeletons would be interested in the ghostly affairs of a Deathday Party.

"Oh, I hope they would," Nick said wistfully, staring out the window. "A skeleton dance troupe and Harry Potter—both at my Deathday Party! It would be unforgettable!"

The corridor soon led them to a set of stairs, where their paths diverged. Kyle and Harry headed off toward their respective common rooms, and Nick floated away, likely in search of Peeves.

By the time Kyle arrived in the Hufflepuff common room, it was close to curfew, yet many students were still gathered, busily finishing up assignments. This sort of group study session was practically a Hufflepuff tradition. Near the window, Kyle found Cedric and Kanna, who looked up as he approached.

"Deathday Party?" Cedric said with relief. "Glad you turned that invitation down. I doubt it's an event the living would enjoy."

"Have you ever been to one?" Kanna asked, intrigued.

"No," Cedric admitted, shaking his head. "But I did see some House-elves earlier, carrying food out of the kitchen. Apparently, it's meant for the ghost party and has to be left to rot or get moldy beforehand."

Kanna's nose wrinkled. "I can't imagine the House-elves allowing that sort of thing in the kitchen. They keep everything spotless!"

"That's why they took it outside," Cedric replied with a shrug. "Imagine if they brought it into the Halloween feast! Not exactly appetizing."

"That's why I declined," Kyle said. "But Harry Potter seemed surprisingly eager to go."

Cedric clicked his tongue, shaking his head in disbelief. "Harry Potter… No wonder he defeated You-Know-Who. The guy's not like the rest of us; no normal person would want to attend a ghost party. Should we warn him?"

"No point—Potter's already agreed," Kyle replied. "Didn't even hesitate."

"Well, that settles that…"

Rain poured down heavily outside, the sky dark and stormy. But inside, the Hufflepuff common room was warm and lively, with students chatting, playing wizard chess, and helping each other with homework. Kyle, meanwhile, shared his unusual experience in front of the library with Cedric and Kanna, which quickly distracted them from any talk of ghosts.

"You're saying that walking past the library made you smarter?" Cedric's jaw dropped in disbelief. "That can't be possible! I've walked by there dozens of times, and if that were true, I'd have noticed by now."

Kanna seemed skeptical too. "If it were that easy, Professor Snape would have mentioned it by now—and nobody would need to attend class. We'd all just line up in front of the library each day!"

"I know it sounds ridiculous," Kyle admitted quietly, "but it felt real. I'm not making this up."

"Maybe it's just because you've been so tired lately," Cedric suggested, still doubtful. "It could've been some kind of hallucination."

"Or," Kanna chimed in, "it might be that you had a sudden breakthrough with something you'd been stuck on. That happened to me once—I'd been struggling to perfect the Draught of Living Death, but one day while I was lifting my cauldron, it just clicked, and I knew exactly what I'd been doing wrong."

She figured Kyle's experience might be similar to her sudden realization with potion brewing.

"Maybe…" Kyle said, feeling a bit less certain now. He decided he would try walking by the library again in the next few days. If nothing happened, well… then he'd have to accept it was just a strange fluke.