After Flying Class ended, the Hufflepuff badgers crowded around Kyle like he was the center of the universe, escorting him toward the Great Hall.
At the entrance to the dining hall, Kyle ran into the Chinese-British witch he hadn't seen in a while — Cho Chang.
"Hi, Kyle!" Cho waved at him with a bright smile. "I was in class on the second floor earlier, and I still saw how incredible you were in Flying lessons."
"Did you? I thought I did pretty well," Kyle replied, raising an eyebrow smugly.
"Pretty well? Your flying talent is practically unheard of. Next year you'll definitely pass Hufflepuff's house team tryouts. I'm looking forward to facing you on the pitch."
Second-year Cho was also exceptionally gifted at Quidditch. She had been one of the very few in her year who managed to make the broomstick leap into their hand on the first try with a simple "Up!"
If nothing unexpected happened, she would soon pass Ravenclaw's upcoming house team selections and join the squad.
Kyle flashed her a grin. "When that time comes, I won't go easy on you."
Just then, one of Kyle's acquaintances walked past.
"Kyle, your performance in Flying Class just now was—" Cedric started, but the words died in his throat the moment he spotted Cho talking to Kyle.
His face instantly turned scarlet. He stammered out the rest of the sentence. "I… I heard all about it…"
Kyle's gaze darted back and forth between Cho and Cedric, instantly picking up on what was happening.
He poked Cedric in the ribs with a finger. "Oho? Getting shy on me? Let me see that blush!"
Catching the odd look Cho sent his way, Cedric awkwardly looked away, swatting Kyle's hand aside. "Quit it. …Who's this?"
"Cho Chang, second-year Ravenclaw," Kyle said, pulling his hand back. "Cho, this is Cedric Diggory. In Hufflepuff, his looks rank just below mine."
Cho burst out laughing.
Cedric and Cho's first meeting, thanks to Cedric being painfully shy, ended on a rather awkward note — exactly as one might expect.
During lunch, Cedric begged Kyle at least eleven separate times to be his wingman.
Yes, the guy universally acknowledged as Hufflepuff's second-most-handsome had fallen head over heels for Cho at first sight.
On the twelfth time Cedric breathed her name, Kyle viciously shoved an enormous chicken leg into his mouth. "Shut it! I'm trying to figure out how to help you!"
Nearby, little Hannah quietly let out a sigh of relief when she heard Kyle was planning to help Cedric pursue Cho.
Just moments ago, when they'd bumped into Cho at the entrance and Cho had acted so familiar with Kyle, the blonde loli's heart had instantly knotted up with worry.
Cho was stunning — with that strong, enchanting East-Asian exotic charm and skin far smoother than the average Western girl's. Compared to her, Hannah didn't feel the slightest bit confident.
Luckily, from the way Kyle was acting now, it was clear he wasn't interested in Cho that way.
Truth be told, Hannah's anxiety was completely unnecessary.
Deep down, Kyle's sense of beauty was still rooted in his past-life mainland Chinese tastes, and British aesthetics were simply… different.
The Cho that Cedric found breathtakingly beautiful was, in Kyle's eyes, just "meh." She didn't come close to catching his interest.
That afternoon, during the Gryffindor-Slytherin Flying lesson, Neville — predictably — had an accident.
Like Kyle, he had shot into the air on his broomstick before Madam Hooch even blew her whistle.
Unfortunately, his Quidditch talent was nowhere near Kyle's level.
Clumsy Neville essentially had zero broom-riding ability — poor reflexes, terrible coordination… the whole package.
In the end, Neville broke his wrist, his brand-new Remembrall fell to the ground nearby, and it was promptly snatched up by Malfoy.
With Kyle not present, Draco had no natural predator to keep him in check and immediately got cocky.
He planned to hide Neville's Remembrall somewhere high where Neville would never find it. After Madam Hooch took Neville to the hospital wing, Draco hopped on his broom and soared upward.
Out of loyalty to his friend, Harry took off after him.
The two of them engaged in a fierce mid-air dogfight above Hogwarts, ending with Harry successfully seizing the Remembrall and winning the skirmish.
Of course, the entire scene was witnessed by Professor McGonagall, who had been grading papers in her office.
As a result, Harry — still utterly confused — was exceptionally recruited as Gryffindor's new Seeker.
Wanting to keep Harry as a secret weapon, Professor McGonagall and Gryffindor Quidditch captain Oliver Wood decided to keep the matter quiet for now.
Harry, however, the moment he became Gryffindor's newest Seeker, couldn't wait to tell his best mate Ron.
And Ron, being Ron, had a mouth the size of the Great Hall.
By dinnertime, practically every Gryffindor knew that Harry Potter was their house team's new Seeker.
Word had even spread to quite a few Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs who overheard the excited chatter.
Only the Slytherins remained blissfully unaware.
Right before dinner began, Draco swaggered over to the Gryffindor table and sneered at Harry.
"Enjoying your last meal, Potter? When are you catching the train back to the Muggles?"
He still thought Professor McGonagall had dragged Harry away that afternoon to punish him severely.
"Now that you're back on the ground with your little friends around you, you're feeling brave again, aren't you?"
Harry, who had learned a few fighting tricks from Kyle at lunch, replied coldly.
Of course, Crabbe and Goyle could hardly be called "little."
But with the entire staff table full of professors watching, the two goons didn't dare make a move. They just glowered and cracked their knuckles menacingly.
"Tell you what," Malfoy said, "I'm willing to duel you one-on-one anytime."
He glanced toward the Hufflepuff table — Kyle still hadn't shown up for dinner — and that gave him a surge of courage.
"Tonight, if you're up for it. A proper wizard's duel. Wands only — no contact. What's wrong? Never heard of a wizard's duel before?"
"Of course he has," Ron suddenly piped up, twisting around. "I'm his second. Who's yours?"
Malfoy sized up Crabbe and Goyle.
"Crabbe," he said. "Midnight, then? We'll meet you in the trophy room — it's never locked."
After Malfoy stalked off, identical wicked grins spread across Harry and Ron's faces.
The stuff they'd learned from Kyle at lunch was going to come in handy tonight, after all.
But before that, Harry had one question he needed answered.
"What exactly is a wizard's duel?"
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