The next day, Kyle had to join the new students of Gryffindor House and head to the second floor of the castle for History of Magic.
There wasn't much to say about this class. As the most boring subject at Hogwarts, it had Kyle dozing off the whole time.
He'd never imagined a class could be this boring.
Professor Cuthbert Binns, a ghost, didn't give his usual lecture to put the students in their place, nor did he encourage any classroom interaction.
After his milky-white body passed through the wall and entered the classroom, he simply began reading from a book—and he used the same monotone from start to finish.
Kyle lasted only ten minutes before he couldn't take it anymore.
It felt as though countless bees were buzzing around his head, making so much noise that he couldn't understand a word Professor Binns was saying.
He glanced around.
The little Gryffindor lions had given up completely. They were sprawled over their desks in every which way, drooling, grinding their teeth, talking in their sleep... They were sleeping like babies.
Hufflepuff was doing a little better, especially the badgers assigned to take notes in History of Magic. Thanks to Mikel, their fierce sense of responsibility had raised their determination and endurance to unprecedented heights.
Even when faced with Professor Binns's very own hypnotizer, they did their best to stay awake and write down every name and date.
Though it didn't do them any good.
Professor Binns was simply reading from the textbook, without changing a single word from beginning to end.
Once the little badgers realized that, they couldn't hold out anymore. They put away their parchment and went to sleep!
If there was any class at Hogwarts that young wizards found even more unbearable than boring History of Magic, it was probably Potions Class that afternoon.
History of Magic was a tiny bit more boring, but at least they could catch up on some sleep. As long as they didn't snore too loudly, Professor Binns wouldn't say anything.
Potions Class was different. It was pure torture.
And thanks to one professor's undisguised favoritism, no one outside Slytherin liked Potions Class.
Gryffindor suffered the most.
The other houses merely missed out on points. Gryffindor was the only one that lost points every time, for one reason or another.
Those reasons included, but weren't limited to, taking notes too slowly, not looking at the book during class, and looking at the book instead of the professor...
It had to be said: Snape had played an absolutely crucial role in Gryffindor's long-standing reign at the bottom of the House Points standings.
That was why Fred and George were so eager to get him sent to the Hospital Wing.
They really hated him!
That afternoon, Hufflepuff finally had its first Potions Class, and it was with Slytherin.
After their Prefects had warned them over and over, the young wizards left the common room early and arrived in the underground classroom more than ten minutes ahead of time.
Everyone except Kyle... Dumbledore had summoned him to the Hospital Wing.
"Kyle, you're finally here!"
When Mikel saw Kyle, he looked as if he'd seen a beacon of hope and said urgently, "You're here to get me discharged, right? You have to be here to get me discharged!
"Good heavens, you have no idea what I've been through. This place is no place for a human being.
"That nurse strapped me to the bed and wouldn't let me move. She wouldn't even let me eat snacks.
"Then a greasy-haired man came in and made me drink some weird potion. I didn't want to take it, so he forced it down my throat with his wand. Ugh... It tasted worse than shit!"
Uh...
Kyle looked at Madam Pomfrey, whose chest was heaving, then at Snape, who stood in the doorway on the verge of exploding.
He realized he'd underestimated Mikel. Calling the Hospital Wing no place for a human being right in front of Madam Pomfrey, and calling Snape a greasy-haired weirdo... Was the Sorting Hat drunk? Shouldn't someone like him have been sorted into Gryffindor?
Without a moment's hesitation, Kyle acted on instinct: he shut his mouth, lowered his head, hurried over to Dumbledore, and tried to make himself as inconspicuous as possible.
The picture of an honest, well-behaved student.jpg
Who was Kyle? He didn't know him. He was just an ordinary passerby.
The atmosphere in the Hospital Wing instantly dropped to freezing.
But Mikel didn't notice anything was wrong. He kept rambling about what he'd been through over the past two days. It wasn't until he felt thirsty and turned to get some water that he saw Madam Pomfrey smiling at him.
"Yikes~~"
Mikel let out a strange cry, immediately pulled the blanket over his head, and pretended to be dead.
"Ahem... This terrible weather. Why is it so cold already in September?" Dumbledore rubbed his arms, breaking the strange silence.
He looked at Kyle and said, "As you can see, Mr. Drake has taken the Magic Suppressant Potion, so he can be discharged now. Afterward, I'll have Professor... Sprout help him learn to control his magic.
"But Kyle, the professors don't have much time. For Mr. Drake, the help of a friend is more important."
"I understand, Professor Dumbledore," Kyle said seriously. "I promise what happened in Charms Class won't happen again."
In fact, even if Dumbledore hadn't said anything, Kyle wouldn't have stood by and done nothing.
Mikel was his roommate, after all. They were brothers, closer than family. How could he watch Mikel become a Squib from repeatedly exhausting his magic?
Hogwarts didn't need a second caretaker.
"Don't be so serious, Kyle." Dumbledore winked. "Our Potions professor is quite trustworthy. As long as Mr. Drake takes the Magic Suppressant Potion on time, he won't exhaust his magic again.
"You might just need to prepare some extra sweets for him. I recommend Cockroach Cluster."
Kyle said nothing, because he noticed Snape's expression had grown even worse.
"All right, take Mr. Drake back with you," Dumbledore said. "You have class soon, don't you? Don't be late."
"Wait, Headmaster."
Madam Pomfrey suddenly spoke up. "This young wizard's treatment isn't finished. He'll have to wait a little longer."
Dumbledore hesitated. "But..."
"I said it isn't finished!" Madam Pomfrey said with a smile. "Don't worry, it'll be quick. It's just a little checkup. It won't make them late for class."
"Then I'll leave him in your capable hands, Poppy."
Dumbledore nodded quickly and strode out of the Hospital Wing.
Snape, standing by the door, gave a cold snort and left as well.
Kyle actually wanted to leave too, but he still had to take Mikel back with him, so he could only wait in the corridor for the time being.
Before long, a desperate wail suddenly came from the Hospital Wing.
"I don't want to drink th— Ugh... It's worse than that Blue Potion... Ugh... Help... Ugh..."
In the corridor, Kyle listened to Mikel's desperate cries for help, feeling utterly miserable.
He wanted to help, but there was nothing he could do. Even Dumbledore had run away. What could a frail first-year wizard like him possibly do?
So Kyle quietly closed the door to the Hospital Wing.
As soon as the door shut, the corridor fell silent.
Good. Now he didn't feel so bad.
Before you continue