Hogsmeade Village

"What astonishing talent. It was as if he had been born for magic."

In the Headmaster's Office on the eighth floor of Hogwarts Castle, Dumbledore stood by the window, watching the small figure by the distant Black Lake, unable to help sighing.

Snape lowered his eyes. "It's hard to believe he's a young wizard who has only just entered the Magical World. He still has a long time to grow."

Dumbledore turned around and looked at Snape seriously. "Severus, I'd like you to be his teacher."

"What do you want me to teach him?"

"Anything is fine. The important thing is not letting him go down the wrong path." Dumbledore spread his hands. "You wouldn't want to see another Grindelwald stirring up trouble in the Magical World ten or twenty years from now, would you?"

Snape shook his head slightly. "When it comes to raising children for you, I think Professor Sprout or Professor Flitwick might be better at it than I am."

Dumbledore beamed. "But I think he gets along with you better. Didn't the two of you have a lovely chat while dining in the Great Hall that day?"

At Dumbledore's words, Snape's face darkened.

He recalled his first meeting with Kyle in the Great Hall that day. Snape swore that Kyle was the most talkative little brat he had ever met.

During that meal, Kyle had prattled on nonstop from beginning to end, while Snape listened to his rambling with a blank expression.

Snape would rather stay in his cold underground office, keeping company with wonderful cauldrons that simmered gently and gave off fragrant aromas, than face a little brat like Kyle.

"I refuse."

"Very well, Severus. I respect your choice." Dumbledore sighed. "Then I can only ask our Dark Arts Defence Professor. If he teaches well, perhaps I'll have to consider retaining him in the position next school year..."

"Wait!" Snape's face grew even darker.

The smile on Dumbledore's face deepened. "Have you changed your mind?"

Snape clenched his fists. "I have no choice, do I?"

Dumbledore blinked mischievously. "I never forced you."

Snape dearly wanted to pull out his wand and fire a Sectumsempra at the shameless old man before him. If he had been able to beat him, he might really have done it.

The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. With a sweep of his black robes, he left the Headmaster's Office without looking back.

Kyle stayed by the Black Lake for the entire morning, not returning to the castle until the sun hung high overhead.

When he appeared at the entrance to the Great Hall, George and Fred immediately greeted him enthusiastically.

"So, have you thought about it? Our proposal?" It was impossible to tell whether George or Fred was speaking.

Kyle sat down at the Gryffindor table. "What proposal?"

"Going to Potions with us, of course."

Kyle was still preoccupied with figuring out how to form a proper Rasengan. How could he have the mind to attend class with them? Besides, he had not even bought a cauldron...

Oh, no, he had bought one. But it was not for brewing potions—it was for cooking hot pot.

So he waved a hand. "No, I have things to do."

George and Fred were slightly disappointed.

"Fine, then. How about playing video games tonight?"

"I think shooting is more interesting."

Kyle cut off the two as they argued over whether video games or shooting were more fun. "Say, shouldn't you two, as senior veterans who have spent more than a year at Hogwarts, show a newcomer like me around the castle?"

The Weasley Twins exchanged a glance and nodded.

"We can explore the castle tonight. For now, we'll take you somewhere more fun. We don't have classes this afternoon anyway."

"You bought us beer last time. This time, it's our turn to treat you."

Kyle's eyes immediately lit up when he heard that the brothers were treating him to drinks.

"I still remember how you drank me under the table last time. I'm definitely getting even this time."

There was no need to guess. That had to be George.

Kyle raised an eyebrow provocatively. "I can't say much about anything else, but when it comes to drinking, even the two of you together can't outdrink me."

What a joke. In his previous life, before his teeth had even fully grown in, the elders in his family had fed him alcohol with chopsticks many times.

After being reincarnated into this life, although he had lost his former ability to chug an entire bottle of vodka without changing expression, tolerance was something that could be built up quickly.

When he had been wandering around, there had been no guardian to keep an eye on him. America's laws banning underage drinking were practically nonexistent to him.

As for George and Fred, those two weaklings were probably kept under strict control at home and had never had the chance to build up their tolerance.

How could two people who turned red after just a few bottles of beer, and even collapsed on the sofa to drunkenly make fools of themselves, possibly be his match?

The corridor on the fifth floor of Hogwarts Castle was empty. Only the three troublemakers, fresh from lunch, had gathered there.

George and Fred moved aside a mirror, revealing a secret passage hidden behind it.

"This passage leads directly to Hogsmeade Village next to Hogwarts," George introduced.

Seeing the blank look on Kyle's face, Fred explained, "Hogsmeade Village is a wizarding village. There are lots of shops there, and most importantly, there are bars."

So the brothers were planning to take him to a bar?

Would the alcohol sold in wizard bars be different from that sold by Muggles? Kyle was genuinely looking forward to it.

The three crawled through the opening into the passage. Once they had moved the mirror back into place, the tunnel was pitch-black.

"Lumos." George raised his wand.

After walking through the passage for several dozen minutes, George, who was in front, suddenly stopped. "We're here."

Before him was a trapdoor. After climbing out, Kyle found himself standing on an empty little road.

A shop at the intersection had a rusty bracket above its door, from which hung a battered wooden sign painted with a severed pig's head.

"This is the bar?" Kyle was still more than ten steps from the entrance when he caught a strong whiff of mutton.

Thick grime covered several bay windows, leaving barely any outside light able to enter the bar. Kyle could just make out several sets of crude wooden tables and chairs inside the dim establishment.

Kyle pinched his nose in disgust.

Of all the bars Kyle had ever seen, none could compare to this one in terms of filth. He declared the Hog's Head Bar the undisputed champion.

He had no idea whether the Magical World had a food and drug administration, but if it did, this bar's hygiene would absolutely fail inspection.

"I think we should find somewhere else."

"I'm afraid that won't work. The Hog's Head Bar is the only bar in Hogsmeade that sells alcoholic drinks to underage wizards," Fred answered.

George turned to look at him as if he were an idiot. "Can't you just buy the alcohol and drink it somewhere else?"

Holding their breath, the group entered the bar.