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Chapter 634: Ron’s Attitude
🕑 Added 2025-03-18 13:16:28 +0000 UTCThe next morning, as people passed through the foyer, they noticed a large notice pinned to the bulletin board by the entrance to the Great Hall.
[Hogwarts High Inquisitor Order]
"In order to regulate school activities, all student organizations, associations, teams, or clubs must be registered with the High Inquisitor (Professor Umbridge)..."
Students on their way to breakfast in the Great Hall gathered around the notice board, discussing the new rule. Confusion spread among them as they wondered why the school had suddenly implemented such a policy, and concern grew over how it might affect their clubs and activities.
Standing outside the crowd, Kyle caught sight of the notice as well.
It seems Umbridge has her own ideas and hasn’t fully adopted my suggestions, he thought.
Still, there had been some adjustments. Initially, she had planned to disband all clubs entirely and then reorganize them from scratch. Now, instead of disbanding, she required them to register. While the difference was largely superficial, this approach would save a significant amount of time.
Beside the notice board, a table had been set up where Filch sat, a stack of parchments in front of him.
"Anyone needing to register should come here! I'll take care of it!" Filch announced loudly, a hint of pride in his voice.
"The leader must write down everyone's names, along with the time and location of their activities. No activity can take place until it’s registered."
In front of Filch, a long line stretched from the bulletin board to the entrance doors. Cedric stood at the front, finishing his registration just as Kyle glanced over. Spotting him, Cedric hurried over.
“They’ve included Quidditch,” Cedric said, emphasizing the words as though they carried extra weight.
“But it’s all right—everyone knows about the Quidditch team. There’s nothing to hide; we just write the names down.”
A short while later, Hermione and Harry arrived in a rush.
"Hey, did you see—"
"The announcement in the entrance hall," Harry cut in.
“Do you think she might know something?” Harry asked in a low voice.
“Probably,” Kyle replied calmly. “But don’t worry—she doesn’t know any specifics. It’ll be fine.”
“Then why did she put up that announcement?” Harry pressed.
“Because it gives her a way to accuse us officially if she catches us again,” Hermione interjected, her tone sharp. “She’s making it clear that anyone gathering without registration will be breaking the rules. But she still has to catch us first.”
Harry exhaled in relief and seemed about to say more when someone suddenly tugged on his arm. It was Ron.
“Let’s go, Harry,” Ron said seriously, his tone urgent. “Don’t say too much—someone might have already reported us.” As he spoke, his gaze flicked toward Kyle, whether intentionally or not.
“Well...” Harry hesitated but allowed Ron to pull him away.
“Sorry, Kyle,” Hermione said, her expression tight with frustration. “Ron’s just like this because of his brother. I’m sure there’s been some sort of misunderstanding.”
“I know,” Kyle replied evenly.
Ever since rumors of his “fight” with the Weasley twins had spread, Kyle had expected this kind of reaction. Only he and the twins knew the truth of the matter, and they had kept it that way for a reason.
It was safer if others, including Hermione, remained unaware. After all, Kyle had overheard Harry and Ron “conspiring noisily” in the corridors on more than one occasion. If they knew the truth, the risk of something slipping out would only increase.
Hermione studied Kyle, who appeared indifferent, and suddenly asked, “You must have some kind of plan, right?”
“Why do you say that?” Kyle replied, his tone casual.
“Because Fred and George haven’t been to the Hospital Wing yet,” Hermione pointed out. “That’s something Madam Pomfrey could fix in no time, but they’d rather walk around with their faces covered every day than go for treatment."
“It’s like... they’re deliberately reminding everyone that they fought with you, and that’s not normal.”
“Who knows...” Kyle said nonchalantly. “Maybe they think it makes them look more attractive.”
“Hurry up, Hermione, we have to go to class later,” Ron’s voice called from not far away.
Hermione frowned. Seeing that Kyle wasn’t going to explain further, she sighed and prepared to leave.
“Oh, by the way,” Cedric said suddenly, as if something had just occurred to him. “You should let Angelina know the announcement applies to the Quidditch team too. She’ll need to register practice sessions, or you might not be able to book the pitch.”
“Okay,” Hermione said, nodding before heading back to the Gryffindor table, where she sat down beside Harry.
“That girl is sharp,” Cedric said with a small smile. “She’s already figured out most of it. Why not just tell her the truth? She was the one who suggested learning Defense Against the Dark Arts on her own. I don’t see why she shouldn’t know.”
“If it were just her, it wouldn’t be a problem,” Kyle said. “But if she knows, she’ll definitely tell Harry and Ron. The fewer people who know, the better.”
“Fair enough,” Cedric agreed, nodding. “But doesn’t Ron’s attitude bother you?”
“It’s not worth worrying about,” Kyle replied with a slight smile. “If anything, the worse his attitude is, the better. It makes it more convincing and helps Umbridge believe we’ve genuinely fallen out.”
“If he knew the truth, he wouldn’t be able to act like he hates you,” Cedric remarked.
“You’re right,” Kyle said as a large flock of owls swept into the Great Hall, bringing their conversation to an end.
Kyle glanced at the Daily Prophet as usual. The front page featured a picture of The Weird Sisters alongside an announcement of their upcoming performance in Cornwall. Another article detailed how a wizard had enchanted an entire Muggle street so the grass grew ten feet tall overnight. Finally, there was the daily crossword puzzle.
The news was trivial—no familiar names or significant events. It suggested that the wizarding world was calm for now. Kyle set the paper aside, glancing up just in time to see Filch handing a thick stack of parchments to Umbridge at the staff table.
“When did she come in?” he asked.
“Just now, a minute ago,” Cedric replied, watching Filch take the parchments back after a brief exchange.
“That’s strange,” Cedric added. “Umbridge seems to have left Filch in charge of everything.”
“There’s nothing strange about it,” Kyle said.
“I mean, isn’t Umbridge always trying to show off?” Cedric pressed. “She loves flaunting her authority in front of students and other professors. This rule, where everyone has to line up and sign, seems like something she’d enjoy. Why leave it to Filch?”
“Maybe she thinks it’s a tedious task,” Kyle suggested. “Her goal has already been achieved. All that’s left is to record names, times, and locations—it doesn’t matter who does it."
“Besides, there are quite a few clubs and organizations at the school—what, fifty or sixty? Keeping track of all of them would be a real chore.”
