"It doesn't matter who it is, Miss Prince."
Snape's expression remained unchanged as he frowned. "Irregular cut marks might improve the effect in some potions, but this is just a boils potion. Doing it here is a complete waste of time. However, given your serious attitude... five points to Hufflepuff."
The entire class froze in shock, eyes wide in disbelief. Some Hufflepuff students even patted their ears, as if doubting their own hearing.
It was only halfway through the lesson, but everyone had already witnessed firsthand the infamous cruelty of the Potions professor. As the prefects had warned, in Snape's class, the only students who earned extra points were the Slytherins. The other houses merely hoped to escape without losing any.
Take the two Slytherins who had nearly blown up the classroom earlier. While Snape had furiously assigned them detention in the dungeon, he hadn't deducted a single point from their house. And yet... here they were, hearing him award points to Kanna—a Hufflepuff.
Snape actually gave her five points?!
The shock was palpable. This incident would surely become the talk of the entire school.
If Hufflepuff was stunned, Slytherin was outright indignant. The Slytherins exchanged resentful glances, almost on the verge of crying out in frustration.
Why? they wondered. They were the ones who typically earned extra points. Why should a Hufflepuff benefit now?
Their head of house had changed. He hadn't been like this before.
But Snape, indifferent to the turmoil around him, simply placed the porcupine quill back on the table. "Don't do anything like this again," he said coolly.
"Yes, yes... Professor," Kanna mumbled meekly.
Snape nodded before turning his gaze toward Kyle. His expression twisted into one of instant disgust.
"Look at the others, and then look at you. It's taken you this long to cut a single quill, and you can't even manage that properly. What a waste of time. Five points from Hufflepuff!"
Kyle was left speechless. "..."
What just happened? Who did I offend? He had been cutting slowly, sure, but five points deducted for that?
Where's the justice in this school? Is there any humanity left?!
Snape's blatant double standards were maddening, and it seemed that no one at Hogwarts would intervene. Even the other students in the classroom didn't seem too concerned about Kyle's plight. Most let out a collective sigh of relief, while the Slytherins hugged each other in joy.
He's back.
This was the Snape they knew. The professor who had just awarded points to Kanna had to have been some sort of impostor. Maybe, just maybe, Professor Dumbledore himself hadn't wanted Slytherin to win the House Cup for the sixth year in a row and had secretly controlled Snape with the Imperius Curse.
That damned old honeybee!
The Slytherins comforted themselves with this thought.
...
After that, Snape rarely ventured near Kyle's workbench again. It wasn't until the end of class that he began his usual inspection of the potions brewed by the students. As expected, Kyle and Kanna's Boil Cure Potion was a resounding success. Pink smoke gently wafted from their cauldron, and even Snape, with his famously critical eye, couldn't find a single flaw.
"Five points to Hufflepuff," Snape muttered, glancing at Kyle with disdain before walking away.
Though he had quickly reclaimed those five points earlier in class, the fact that Snape had awarded points to Hufflepuff twice in one lesson caused a stir at Hogwarts. By dinner, the news had spread like wildfire, and once again, Kanna became the topic of conversation.
This time, it wasn't just a few first-years gossiping about the remarkable events in Transfiguration class—nearly the entire school was buzzing with curiosity. Who was this first-year witch who had managed to catch Snape's attention in such a dramatic way?
As Kyle sat down to dinner, Fred and George Weasley risked detention by sneaking over to the Hufflepuff table, looking far worse for wear. Dark circles under their eyes, they struggled to hold their cutlery steady, their hands shaking as they attempted to cut into their pork chops.
"Thank goodness, Kyle, you've finally come out of that cursed common room," Fred greeted him, looking exhausted.
Kyle took in the twins' haggard appearances with concern. "What's wrong with you two? You're young, but you still need to be careful. If you keep going at this pace, your bodies won't hold up."
George groaned, "You have no idea how bad this detention was. Do you know how thick that book was? It was 15 inches tall—taller than a wand! And McGonagall wants us to copy the entire thing in a week. I swear she's trying to kill us."
Fred gave his brother a pat on the shoulder. "At least, until we finish copying that wretched book, McGonagall won't let us die of exhaustion."
Kyle wisely chose not to ask what might happen after they finished the task.
Suddenly, George slapped his forehead. "Oh, right! You distracted me. I almost forgot why we came over." He scanned the Hufflepuff table. "So, who's the hero named Kanna? Introduce us—I'm waiting for her autograph."
Fred nodded eagerly. "Yeah, yeah. A Hufflepuff who can actually score ten points from Snape is practically a miracle."
George grinned. "Dumbledore should give her a special contribution award for curing Snape's bias. That's a far greater achievement than anything written in that stupid book."
Kyle shook his head with a shrug. "If you're looking for Kanna, you'll be disappointed. She didn't come to the Great Hall for dinner today."
George raised his eyebrows in surprise. "She's not eating?"
"Not in the hall," Kyle explained, giving him a strange look. "Don't forget, our common room is next to the kitchen. She can get whatever she wants whenever she feels like it."
"Oh, right!" George said, slapping his forehead again. "How could I forget that? There's so much swirling around in my head right now—it's messing with my brain."
Fred sighed, shaking his head. "Guess we're not getting any autographs today. Shame we've got detention again tonight. Waiting in the kitchen would've been a good idea otherwise."
Kyle opened his mouth to suggest that Kanna probably wouldn't want to give them autographs anyway, but he thought better of it and stayed quiet.
With their hopes dashed, Fred and George quickly stuffed a few more bites of food into their mouths before heading out. On their way, they filled their pockets with baked potatoes, muttering something about needing them after their grueling detention.
Kyle, puzzled, asked why they didn't just go to the kitchen later for something warm.
Fred shot him a pained look. "Two in the morning..." he said mournfully, "It'll be a miracle if we can even walk back to the dormitory alive!"
/////
The third day of Hogwarts was likely the most anticipated day of the year for new Hufflepuff students. Not only was it a Friday, but it also featured the classes they were most excited about.
In the morning, they had Herbology with Professor Sprout, and in the afternoon, Defence Against the Dark Arts and Flying lessons. Early that morning, the students gathered outside the greenhouse along with Gryffindor.
"Good morning, students, and welcome to Herbology class," greeted Pomona Sprout, the Herbology professor.
She was a short, gray-haired witch, and because she spent most of her time in the greenhouse tending to the plants, her clothes were always covered in dust. Compared to the high-ranking headmaster, Professor Sprout looked more like a humble gardener. But she didn't mind. Standing at the entrance to the greenhouse, she carefully surveyed the young wizards before her.
"Before we enter the greenhouse, I need to tell you something very important. First of all, the plants grown in the greenhouse are all magical and often dangerous. Even the common Dittany has sharp thorns, so do not touch any plants without my permission.
Also, once inside, no loud noises or shouting. I've recently received some new plants that are still acclimating to their environment. Loud sounds might upset them. Do you all understand?"
"Yes!" everyone replied in unison.
"Very good," Professor Sprout nodded.
Once inside, she arranged everyone on the left side of the greenhouse, leaving the right side completely empty. In fact, even without her doing so, none of the students would have ventured over there.
"Professor, what are those things?!" a first-year Gryffindor asked, his face pale with fear as he stared at the strange yellow plants on the opposite side.
By Merlin's beard! It was the first time he had seen cabbages with sharp teeth, and their mouths were nearly as big as his head. Just thinking about getting bitten made him shuffle further back.
"Chomping Cabbages," Professor Sprout said with a casual air. "You'd best keep your distance. But don't be too nervous. They might look frightening, but they're well-behaved as long as you don't provoke them. And in a few days, they'll be moved to a larger greenhouse, so you won't see them next time you come to class."
"All right, let's get started," she clapped her hands. "Turn to page one in your books. Today, we'll be learning about Dittany. Does anyone know what Dittany is...?"
If you ignored the terrifying Chomping Cabbages, the Herbology class was practically perfect. Professor Sprout's deep knowledge of magical plants, combined with her clear explanations and real-life examples, made it easy for the students to learn.
By the end of the lesson, nearly everyone could answer her questions flawlessly, which pleased Professor Sprout immensely. She awarded three points to each House and handed out fresh Dittany leaves to all the students.
Dittany leaves, as Kyle knew, were like the magical world's version of a "band-aid." He'd used them many times before, and they worked wonders. After cleaning a wound and applying the leaf, the injury would usually heal by the next day.
Of course, Dittany leaves were only suitable for minor cuts and scrapes from daily life. For more serious injuries, Dittany essential oil was required.
After class, everyone walked out of the greenhouse together. Mikel spotted Kyle in the crowd and quickly ran up to him, curiosity shining in his eyes.
"What were you picking up just now?" Mikel asked.
"What do you mean?" Kyle looked at him suspiciously. "I was just loosening the soil for the Dittany."
"I saw everything," Mikel said firmly. "You ran across the room when Professor Sprout turned around to get a shovel, and you picked something up from under those flower pots."
"Oh, that!" Kyle said, realizing what Mikel was talking about. "It's nothing. The professor dropped a bag of fertilizer, so I went to pick it up."
"A bag of fertilizer?" Mikel looked at him skeptically, clearly not convinced. The bag had looked small and light, not at all like something that would have fallen so far. It didn't even seem round enough to roll.
"Well, maybe I accidentally kicked it over. I was pretty shocked when I found it," Kyle replied with an exaggerated look of fear. "Those Chomping Cabbages are terrifying. Honestly, if I wasn't worried about losing points from Professor Sprout, I wouldn't have gone near them."
"Is that so?" Mikel's doubts began to fade as he listened to Kyle. Nodding, he said, "Those Chomping Cabbages do look scary. I definitely wouldn't have gone over there if I were you."
"Who's to say?" Kyle shrugged. "By the way, did Professor Sprout mention when she'd teach you to control your magic?"
"Well, she told me to meet her on Saturday and Sunday mornings," Mikel said, his voice tinged with frustration. "It's the first weekend at Hogwarts, and I've got to go to class..."
"There's nothing you can do about it," Kyle said, giving him a sympathetic pat on the shoulder. "You can't keep taking the Magic Suppressing Potion."
At the mention of the potion, Mikel shuddered and quickly shook his head. "You're right, I'd rather give up weekends forever than drink that stuff again."
"Exactly."
When they reached the castle, Kyle told Mikel and Ryan to head back to their dormitory without him. Claiming he was going to the library, he instead made his way straight to the eighth floor. There, he found the tapestry depicting a troll beating up Barnabas the Barmy, the wizard who had foolishly tried to teach six trolls how to dance ballet. Judging by the artwork, the trolls had certainly given him a rough time.
Satisfied he was in the right place, Kyle took a deep breath and walked back and forth in front of the tapestry three times, mentally repeating, I need a greenhouse for farming.
On his third pass, a circular archway appeared on the wall across from the tapestry. Without hesitation, Kyle grabbed the brass handle and pushed open the door.
A wave of earthy fragrance greeted him, and though he had been prepared for what might lie ahead, the sight still took his breath away. The room was enormous, almost as big as the Great Hall, with rich soil beneath his feet and a bright sun overhead. Kyle figured it was all some kind of charm.
Curious, he whispered, "I need rain."
Immediately, a downpour began inside the room, yet the rain fell only on the soil. The magical water seemed to avoid Kyle entirely, leaving him completely dry.
"This is incredible," Kyle said, truly amazed. It was, without a doubt, the Room of Requirement.
Using it for storage? What a waste.
/////
It felt like finding a long-lost toy. Kyle was having the time of his life in the Room of Requirement, experimenting with its magic. With just a flick of his fingers, he turned the gentle rain into a fierce blizzard, and with another flick, he conjured hailstones the size of eggs. The power to alter his surroundings with a wave of his hand was exhilarating.
After indulging in the magical weather changes for a while, Kyle suddenly remembered he had actual work to do. Reluctantly, he changed the room back to a sunny, serene atmosphere. Never mind, there'll be plenty of time for this later, he thought.
Squatting down on the ground, Kyle carefully pulled two fava bean-sized seeds out of his pocket, handling them as if they were made of glass. They were incredibly precious, and, more importantly, they weren't even his. They had come from the herbology class, where he had... picked them up. Really, he had just picked them up.
Earlier that day, during Herbology, a Gryffindor student had been so excited after successfully answering one of Professor Sprout's questions that he accidentally flung the shovel he was holding straight at the Chomping Cabbage on the other side of the classroom. Predictably, the Cabbage had reduced the shovel to a mangled piece of metal in seconds, and the student had been docked a point for his blunder.
That would have been the end of it, but Kyle noticed something curious. After spitting out the remains of the destroyed shovel, the Chomping Cabbage had spat out two small seeds. Professor Sprout, busy fetching another shovel at the time, hadn't seen a thing.
As a good Hufflepuff, Kyle naturally wanted to help his Head of House, so he'd picked the seeds up for her. But, distracted by the lesson on Dittany, he had completely forgotten about them... until now.
Kyle dug two small holes in the soil, just the right size for the seeds, and gently placed them inside. After covering them with a thin layer of soil, he stood up and nodded, feeling satisfied with his work.
"Very good," he muttered to himself. "I'll keep them here for now, and I'll take them to Professor Sprout next time we have class."
...
After leaving the Room of Requirement, Kyle returned to the common room before heading to the Defence Against the Dark Arts class with the other Hufflepuff first-years for their afternoon lesson. The atmosphere on the way to the classroom was charged with excitement.
It was hard to tell whether they were more eager about the lesson itself or curious about the legendary "One-year Professor".
The Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom, located on the second floor, greeted them with a surprise. When they pushed open the door, they noticed that all the desks had been pushed to the walls, leaving the room feeling oddly empty.
"One Year Professor" Oren, their teacher, was already present, standing behind the lectern and fiddling with a cage that was partially covered. Kyle, upon seeing the setup, was a little surprised. He hadn't expected their Defence Against the Dark Arts professor to be a realist like Lupin, preparing practical lessons from day one.
"Good afternoon, everyone," Professor Oren greeted them warmly once everyone had gathered inside. "Put away your books. We won't need them—not just for today, but for every lesson in the future."
That single sentence won the favor of many young wizards. What could be more delightful than not needing to bring books to class? And not having to bring them to any class? Professor Oren had managed to do both.
"This professor must be great!" one of the students exclaimed. "He's definitely going to get re-elected!"
"I hope you're right, Mr. Borg," Professor Oren replied with a smile, "but sadly, I can't give Gryffindor extra points for that."
He continued, "In my opinion, theoretical knowledge is the easiest part of this course, and you can learn that on your own, so there's no need to waste valuable class time on it. Instead, I'd rather focus on teaching you how to protect yourself in dangerous situations—whether it's from dark magic or a dangerous Magical Creature. Either could cost you your life."
The room grew a little tense, as the seriousness of the subject settled in. Sensing this, Professor Oren added, "But it's too early for you to learn about dark magic, and the headmaster wouldn't allow it anyway. So we'll start with something simpler: Magical Creatures."
With that, Professor Oren gently nudged the cage, and a low buzzing noise came from inside. The cloth covering it began to tremble, as though whatever was inside might burst out at any moment. Some of the students standing closest to the cage instinctively backed away, startled.
"Don't worry," Professor Oren said reassuringly. "This little guy may be dangerous, but as long as I'm here, you won't be harmed. Just stay calm and pay close attention to every word I say."
With that, he removed the cloth, revealing the creature inside: a tiny, blue insect, about an inch in size. The buzzing noise came from its rapidly flapping wings, which were situated on top of its head, making it look like it was wearing a little bamboo dragonfly. As it hovered in place, its body rotated slightly, giving it a rather cute appearance.
Katie Bell couldn't help but laugh. "Professor, it doesn't seem as dangerous as you said."
To her, it was hard to believe this tiny creature posed any real threat. It was so small, she figured she wouldn't even need a wand to swat it away.
"Really?" Professor Oren raised an eyebrow, smiling. "I hope you'll feel the same way later, Miss Bell."
He turned to the rest of the class. "Now, does anyone know what it is? The first person to name it will earn five points for their house."
In the midst of the murmuring crowd, Mikel caught a faint whisper, like the name of the creature. Motivated by the chance for bonus points, he blurted out, "Billywig!"
"Excellent, Mr. Mikel!" Professor Oren said, clearly pleased. "Five points for Hufflepuff!"
"That's right, this is a Billywig, a level XXX Magical Creature," Professor Oren explained. "Take a close look. It has a long, thin stinger at the base of its body. Anyone stung by a Billywig will feel dizzy at first, and then they'll begin to float. If someone is stung multiple times, they may even float uncontrollably for several days."
He turned back to Katie Bell. "Now, Miss Bell, do you still think it's not dangerous?"
Katie shrugged, saying nothing, but the skeptical look on her face made it clear she wasn't entirely convinced.
At this point, another student eagerly asked, "So, Professor, is this lesson going to be about how to deal with this Billywig?"
"Not quite," Professor Oren replied with a smile. "First, you need to learn the proper spells for dealing with it. I won't let you face any magical creatures in combat until I'm sure you're ready."