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Chapter 564: Special Treatment
🕑 Added 2025-03-02 14:11:16 +0000 UTCAt Hogwarts, if you haven’t stayed up all night to finish your homework at least once, you can’t truly call yourself a Hufflepuff—or so Kyle liked to think.
To “fit in,” Kyle spent the entire night frantically writing his Potions homework.
This move surprised those around him. It was the first time they’d seen Kyle join the ranks of the last-minute homework crowd. Some were so baffled that they assumed they’d misremembered the date, thought the holidays weren’t actually over, and promptly abandoned their own work to return to their dormitories for sleep.
Of course, this heroic effort came with a price: three days of confinement.
“Mr. Brown, your confinement begins this Friday. Don’t forget,” said Snape during Potions class, his sharp gaze flicking deliberately in Kyle’s direction.
Although Snape knew Kyle had only finished the assignment the previous night, the content of the homework was flawless. He had reviewed the parchment multiple times but could find no errors.
Still, it was Snape. Letting a rare opportunity pass by would have been out of character.
“Why didn’t you remind him that yesterday was the last day of the holidays?” Snape’s voice dripped with sarcasm as he addressed the class. “Were you pleased to see your classmate punished? Five points from Hufflepuff!”
Kyle blinked, amazed. Even for Snape, this was a stretch.
There had been so many students scrambling to finish their homework last night that the common room was like a revolving door. People were constantly coming and going—finishing their assignments, abandoning them, or joining the fray. How was Kyle supposed to know who had finished and who hadn’t? Was he meant to go around questioning everyone?
The idea was absurd.
Fortunately, Kyle had grown accustomed to Snape’s antics over the years. Five points, after all, was a small price to pay—it was the least Snape had deducted from him in recent memory.
...
After Potions, Care of Magical Creatures was a much-needed respite, with Hagrid bringing an air of enthusiasm to the lesson.
This time, Hagrid had introduced the class to Hippogriffs—creatures he’d been eager to showcase since his first day as a professor but had been persuaded otherwise by Kyle back then.
“Hippogriffs!” Hagrid announced proudly. “But don’t let their beautiful appearance fool you. Hippogriffs are proud creatures. Remember, you must never humiliate them...”
The students gathered, murmuring among themselves.
Kyle found it unlikely anyone needed Hagrid’s warning to take the creatures seriously. The Hippogriffs’ dagger-like claws and sharp beaks were hard to miss, making their potential danger abundantly clear.
Still, for fifth-year students, this level of risk was manageable. After all, Hippogriffs were only rated 3X by the Ministry—a threat, but not an overwhelming one.
Hagrid went on to explain the basics of approaching a Hippogriff and demonstrated the proper bowing technique. Then, he encouraged the students to try it themselves.
When it was Kyle’s turn, however, Hagrid stopped him.
“Come with me, over here,” Hagrid said, leading Kyle to a large gray Hippogriff standing apart from the rest.
“His name’s Buckbeak… a wonderful chap,” Hagrid said, his tone unusually enthusiastic, though tinged with something else—nervousness, perhaps. “Would you like to take a ride on him now?”
Kyle raised an eyebrow. Hagrid’s eagerness felt odd, like there was more to this than met the eye.
“I know this won’t be a problem for you,” Hagrid added when Kyle didn’t immediately respond. “But this time’s different, very different.”
He glanced subtly toward the Beauxbatons carriage, lowering his voice. “Hippogriffs are intelligent creatures. They remember wizards who’ve shown them kindness for years. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
Hagrid gave Kyle a conspiratorial wink. “That’s all I can say. For this lesson, your task is to take Buckbeak for a flight—once, or as many times as you like. There’s some of his favorite food on that shelf over there, which you can feed him as a reward. Good luck!”
Before Kyle could ask more, Hagrid strode off, loudly instructing the other students: “Mr. Dewey, be patient! Don’t rush it! Oh yes, that’s better…”
Once Hagrid was gone, Kanna sidled up to Kyle, curiosity gleaming in her eyes. “What did he mean just now?”
“I think he wants me to get to know the Hippogriff better,” Kyle said after a moment’s thought. “It probably has something to do with the last event of the Triwizard Tournament.”
Kyle had noticed Hagrid glancing nervously at the Beauxbatons carriage during their conversation, as though wary of being caught. If this involved Beauxbatons, it likely tied into the tournament. Besides, Hagrid hadn’t spoken to Madam Maxime since the Yule Ball and had clearly given up on his attempts to impress her with grooming potions.
“So, the third task is Hippogriffs?” Kanna asked, her eyes lighting up.
“It can’t be that simple,” Kyle replied, shaking his head. “The first task involved Matagots and Dragons—no way they’d end the tournament with just a 3X magical creature. That wouldn’t make sense. I think this is just one part of the task.”
“Still,” Kanna said, “every advantage counts when you’re competing for the Goblet of Fire.”
“You’re right,” Kyle agreed.
He turned his attention to Buckbeak, bowing deeply. Almost immediately, Buckbeak returned the gesture, bending his front knee before stepping forward to rub his feathery head against Kyle’s arm.
“Oh, you remember me,” Kyle said with a smile, reaching up to stroke Buckbeak’s head. The feathers felt smooth and stiff—not as soft as an owl’s but still pleasant to the touch.
“You know him?” Kanna asked, surprised by the apparent familiarity between them.
“Sort of. I’ve met him before,” Kyle replied, mounting Buckbeak’s back with practiced ease. “Hagrid’s right—they really are very smart.”
With a powerful sweep of his twelve-foot wings, Buckbeak launched into the air.
Flying on a Hippogriff was nothing like riding a broomstick. Kyle didn’t have to steer or think about maneuvering; Buckbeak handled everything. The only challenge was avoiding the powerful wings flapping on either side, which added a thrilling element to the ride.
After circling the grounds, Buckbeak descended smoothly, and Kyle leapt off just before the Hippogriff landed.
“Well done, Kyle!” Hagrid called out to the class. “Look, someone’s already finished first. Five points for Hufflepuff!”
“How was it?” Kanna asked, her curiosity piqued.
“Much more exciting than the Kelpie,” Kyle said, brushing off his robes, which had been tousled by the wind. “Imagine playing Quidditch on a Hippogriff—now that would be fun! Though I doubt Dumbledore would approve.”
Kanna laughed, shaking her head at the thought of Hippogriffs circling the Quidditch pitch. “I don’t know about the Headmaster, but Professor McGonagall definitely wouldn’t allow it.”
“You’re probably right,” Kyle said with a wistful sigh. “A shame, though. I think it’s worth trying.”
