On the other hand, by the time Kyle left the Hospital Wing, class had already ended, so he didn't go back to the Charms classroom. Instead, he headed straight to the library.
Professor Dumbledore had just recommended two books to him, saying they would be very helpful for casting basic spells and were well suited to first-year students. So Kyle decided to borrow them and see what they were like.
The library was on the second floor and easy to find. He only had to climb one flight of stairs.
"Two books? No!" Madam Pince, the librarian, eyed Kyle critically while holding a feather duster. "Unless you have a note from a professor, you can only borrow one book at a time."
"In that case, I'll borrow Travels with Ghouls." Kyle didn't dwell on it and quickly named a book.
To his surprise, the moment he heard the words Travels with Ghouls, Madam Pince's face twisted with utter distaste, as if she'd heard some vile swear word.
"Another Lockhart book," Madam Pince muttered under her breath.
She didn't like Gilderoy Lockhart as an author. Or rather, she didn't like his extremely self-centered style of writing, which she thought was just an attempt to show off.
If that were all, it wouldn't have been a big deal. Plenty of biographies were like that, and you could still read them if you put up with it.
But for some reason, whenever she read Lockhart's books, she always felt as though something were missing from the story, leaving many parts disjointed.
It wasn't a serious problem, and it didn't interfere with reading, but Madam Pince found it extremely irritating. Even just thinking about it made her feel uncomfortable.
As a result, her opinion of Kyle took a sharp dive, too. After a brief silence, she said stiffly, "Travels with Ghouls has been checked out. If you put your name down now, you might get it in about two years."
"Two years... I'll pass." Kyle shook his head. "What about The Bard in the Wind?"
"That one's available." Madam Pince's expression softened a little. She told Kyle to wait there, then headed straight for a nearby row of bookshelves.
While she was gone, Kyle curiously studied the famous librarian from the side.
Madam Pince was a thin, elderly woman who looked like an underfed vulture. The young wizards reading wherever she walked didn't dare make a sound.
One young wizard seemed so nervous that he couldn't hold back a sneeze. Madam Pince promptly kicked him out of the library.
Kyle clicked his tongue. No wonder she was rumored to be Filch's longtime companion. They really did seem well suited to each other. They were both equally strict about rules, and they both hated students.
A little while later, Madam Pince returned and handed Kyle a thick hardcover book and a slip of paper.
"You must return this within a week. If you're late, or if you damage the book, don't expect to borrow anything else from here anytime soon."
"I'll remember that."
Since the first-years only had one class in the morning, Kyle went straight back to the common room after leaving the library, ready to find somewhere comfortable to read his book.
But the moment he stepped through the barrel entrance, he was surrounded.
Nearly all the Hufflepuff first-years were waiting for him in the common room.
"How is Mikel, Kyle?" Ryan rushed over first and asked anxiously. "Is he all right? We wanted to visit him in the Hospital Wing, but Madam Pomfrey kicked us out as soon as we went in."
The other young wizards nodded. They had suffered quite a bit because of the accident in Charms, but they were still very worried about Mikel.
That was probably Hufflepuff for you.
"Don't worry." Kyle patted Ryan on the shoulder and smiled. "Professor Dumbledore checked on him. He said Mikel can leave tomorrow after he takes his potion."
"That's good, that's good." Ryan visibly relaxed. After a moment, he asked, "Has Mikel woken up? Did he say what he wants to eat? We can't bring it to him right now, but we can get it ready in advance and give it to him when he's discharged. He'll be really happy."
The other young wizards agreed with Ryan. They generously brought out the things they treasured most.
"I've got raspberry preserves!"
"I've got fudge!"
"How about biscuits? My mum made them herself, and they're delicious."
"I think he'd want Licorice Candy..."
For a moment, even Kyle was moved by their deep friendship. Under the expectant gazes of the others, he spoke solemnly. "Mikel didn't say what he wants to eat, but I think the thing he wants most right now isn't these snacks. It's not to fall behind in his studies!"
"Not fall behind in his studies?" Ryan scratched his head, not understanding what Kyle meant.
"Exactly," Kyle said seriously. "You saw it too. Mikel had an accident because he was anxious after failing to cast a spell. That's right, isn't it?"
"It is." Ryan nodded.
He'd been focused on his own wand at the time, so he didn't know how that blinding 'flashbang' had appeared. But as he saw it, everyone had been practicing spells, and Mikel was no exception. So what Kyle said made sense.
"Exactly," Kyle said earnestly. "Mikel's such a competitive person. He definitely wouldn't want to miss two whole classes while everyone else was learning.
"So what we need to do is pay close attention in Transfiguration Class this afternoon and History of Magic tomorrow morning, write down everything the professors teach, and organize it into notes for Mikel. I'm sure he'll be moved to tears."
The vast Hufflepuff Common Room fell silent. The young badgers looked at one another, but no one spoke.
They found it hard to believe anyone would prefer studying to snacks. But after thinking over what Kyle had said... they couldn't find a flaw in his reasoning.
It was clear, logical, and made perfect sense.
Maybe... Mikel really did love magic.
The young badgers thought this over and soon convinced themselves.
Then someone volunteered. Some offered to take notes, while others agreed to organize them afterward...
A few who hadn't managed to claim a task still wanted to help. After huddling together to discuss it, they soon thought of something Kyle had overlooked.
Homework!
At Hogwarts, homework was essential in every subject. Its importance went without saying.
So they decided to tell Mikel about the homework for every class. And that wasn't all: they would also tell the professors in class that Mikel was an excellent Hufflepuff who still cared about his studies, even while staying in the Hospital Wing, and wouldn't slack off or skip his homework.
Before you continue