Kyle boarded the train, only to find that most of the first few carriages were already full. He couldn't help it—he had boarded late, and it was hard to find an empty seat by this time. With a sigh, he used the Floating Charm to lift his luggage and made his way toward the back of the train, hoping for better luck. Eventually, he found a relatively spacious compartment near the end.
Inside, there was only one other boy, about his age. Although the boy wasn't quite as handsome as Kyle, he was certainly better-looking than the Weasley twins.
"Knock, knock..." Kyle rapped lightly on the door and asked politely, "Hello, may I sit here? All the other seats are taken."
"Of course, go ahead and sit down," the boy replied quickly.
"Thanks."
After entering the compartment, Kyle placed his luggage on the shelf, then turned to introduce himself, extending his hand. "Hello, I'm Kyle Chopper, a new student this year."
The boy seemed distracted and didn't respond right away. When he finally snapped out of his thoughts, he reached out to shake Kyle's hand. "Oh... sorry, Cedric Diggory, second year at Hogwarts."
Cedric? Kyle was a bit taken aback. He hadn't expected to meet such a well-known figure as soon as he boarded the train. Cedric Diggory—the future Triwizard champion and one of Hogwarts' brightest students. No wonder he looked so handsome.
Kyle recalled that their families both lived near the village of St. Catchpole, but for various reasons, the two had never crossed paths. Not even once. Kyle had tried to meet him a few times in the past, but the Diggory family had always kept their doors closed. Eventually, Kyle had given up. How strange that their first meeting would happen on the Hogwarts Express.
However, it was clear that Cedric had something on his mind, so Kyle didn't push the conversation any further. After their brief exchange, Kyle pulled out The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1 that he'd bought from Flourish and Blotts and began reading. Cedric, meanwhile, continued staring off into space.
Outside the train window, a light drizzle began to fall without warning. It was typical of the weather here—rain that came suddenly and without notice. Kyle glanced at the rain but quickly returned to his book, unfazed. He was used to it, and in fact, he rather enjoyed reading in this kind of weather.
Under Kyle's influence, Cedric seemed to snap out of his daze and pulled out a book of his own. Kyle glanced at the title—The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection. It was common for Hogwarts students to preview their Defence Against the Dark Arts lessons on the train, especially since no one ever knew how long the professor for that subject would stick around. Better to be prepared in case the teacher quit halfway through the term.
For a while, the only sound in the compartment was the soft rustling of parchment pages turning, a peaceful contrast to the noise and bustle outside in the corridor. But the quiet didn't last long.
Cedric had barely turned two pages when the compartment door slid open again.
"Finally, I've found you, Kyle."
"We saved you a seat, but you stood us up and made us wait like idiots."
"I think you owe us an apology."
Fred and George Weasley stood leaning against the doorframe, interrogating Kyle one after the other. They both looked rather annoyed, as if Kyle had committed some great offense.
"I can apologize," Kyle said, calmly closing his book, "but only if you swear on your Dungbombs that what you just said is true."
Fred's expression instantly shifted from anger to confusion. "Well, can I swear on the headmaster's name?"
George was equally perplexed. "Or Professor McGonagall's name, maybe?"
"No!" Kyle shook his head firmly. "It has to be on your Dungbombs."
...
"Oh, George, I think Kyle was riding the Hogwarts Express for the first time and didn't know his way around. That's why he couldn't find us," Fred said, his tone mockingly sympathetic.
"Yes, Fred, we can't blame him for that. We should've been more aware of what was happening outside," George replied with exaggerated seriousness.
The twins exchanged a quick glance, silently agreeing to drop their previous accusations, and squeezed into the compartment as if nothing had happened. As they settled in, their eyes inevitably landed on Cedric.
Fred flashed a mischievous grin and said, "Well, look who it is... though I can't seem to remember why."
George raised an eyebrow, catching on. "Oh, of course! It's our dear Cedric Diggory, the shining beacon of Hufflepuff—The Brightest Light of Hogwarts."
As soon as the words left their mouths, Cedric's face flushed a deep red. The embarrassing titles made him want to disappear into the floor. But, unfortunately, he couldn't deny them. After all, the nicknames "Good Boy" and "Light of Hogwarts" had been circulating all summer—thanks to his father's endless bragging—and had become notorious within the Ministry of Magic, spreading even to families like the Weasleys.
During the holiday, nearly half of Cedric's letters had been signed off with "Light of Hogwarts," sent as teasing notes by friends and colleagues alike. The other half came from classmates from Muggle families who were blissfully unaware of the nickname.
He had chosen this corner compartment in the hopes of hiding from the ridicule, but fate had other plans—and he had been discovered by the worst people possible.
"Please, just leave me alone!" Cedric pleaded, folding his hands as if in prayer. "I'll even lend you my homework."
As he spoke, he placed a neat stack of parchment on the table.
The twins were tempted to keep teasing him, but Cedric's offer was too good to pass up. This was, after all, the top student's homework—something they couldn't ignore.
George straightened up, adopting a more serious tone as he quickly scooped up the parchment. "Cedric, what are you talking about? We were just kidding. We'd never laugh at you."
Fred nodded in agreement. "Exactly. Don't worry, we wouldn't dream of making fun of you over something like this."
...
With that, Fred and George left the compartment, beaming as if they'd just struck gold.
Once they were gone, Cedric let out a long sigh of relief. He looked at Kyle with a sheepish expression. "I'm sorry, I..."
"I should be the one apologizing," Kyle interrupted. "They came to see me. If it weren't for that, you wouldn't have been discovered."
Cedric shook his head with a rueful smile. "It would've happened sooner or later."
Though he could hide on the train for a while, he knew there was no avoiding it once they reached Hogwarts. Eventually, he'd have to face the teasing head-on. But, in a strange way, the Weasley twins' sudden appearance had given Cedric an idea for how to handle the situation.
Homework.
As the top student in his year, Cedric's summer homework was highly coveted, as the twins' reaction had just proven. If he offered his homework to his classmates, it might be enough to keep both Hufflepuff and Gryffindor quiet. If he could manage to keep those two houses in check, he'd have solved 80% of the problem.
As for Ravenclaw and Slytherin, Cedric reasoned that their more reserved nature meant they were unlikely to get involved in this kind of teasing—at least, not most of them. Even if a few decided to join in, it wouldn't be too difficult to handle.
If his own house didn't stir up trouble, and if he could keep Gryffindor's notorious pranksters at bay, the whole issue would likely blow over in a few days.
Three days, tops, Cedric thought to himself, feeling a sense of relief wash over him. With that plan in mind, he suddenly didn't feel quite so bad.
-------
Once Cedric's worries were behind him, his mood lightened considerably. He put down his book and, with a newfound cheerfulness, struck up a conversation with Kyle. "Hey, can I call you Kyle?"
"Of course," Kyle nodded. "Actually, my father works in the Department for the Control and Management of Magical Creatures, just like your father. They're colleagues."
"Your father?" Cedric's eyes widened in surprise. He hesitated for a moment before asking, "Is it... Mr. Chris Chopper?"
"Yes, that's him," Kyle confirmed.
Cedric's face lit up with realization. "Your last name is Chopper, and you know the Weasley twins… Oh! I should have figured it out—we're neighbors!"
With this revelation, the two boys quickly grew comfortable with one another, their conversation flowing naturally, as if they were old friends catching up after a long time apart—even though they had only just met.
After a moment, Cedric's curiosity seemed to get the better of him. "By the way, Kyle," he began, his voice tinged with excitement as something came to mind, "I remember trying to visit you once, but you weren't home. My father mentioned that you'd been studying under Mr. Scamander since you were young, and that you were going to do great things in the future. Is that true? Did you really learn from Mr. Scamander?"
Cedric's curiosity was palpable. After all, this was Scamander. There were many well-known figures in the wizarding world, but most of them were famous only within their own countries—textbook authors, Order of Merlin recipients, and the like. These figures might be recognized at Hogwarts, but go to a place like Ilvermorny or Castelobruxo, and few would know their names.
Only a select few wizards were truly famous across the entire magical world, with their portraits printed on Chocolate Frog cards while they were still alive. Scamander was one of those rare individuals.
It was Cedric's first time hearing about someone being so close to such a legendary figure, and his curiosity was understandable.
...
On the other side, Kyle was staring at Cedric in disbelief. He had also tried visiting me, and I wasn't home? The coincidence was almost too much to believe.
And Mr. Diggory—wasn't he in the same department as Chris? How had he come up with such a wild story? Where did he hear that Kyle had been with Newt Scamander all this time?
Rubbing his head, Kyle thought for a moment before explaining, "Well, it's true that I have a bright future ahead," he said with a grin, "but as for Newt Scamander… my father was actually his student. I've only been to his place a few times to hang out."
Kyle's thoughts drifted to Newt. Unlike Dumbledore, Newt had a serious case of social anxiety. In his younger years, it hadn't been as bad. Though he was reserved and preferred solitude, he still managed to make a few friends, help defeat Grindelwald, and take on a couple of students to share his knowledge of magical creatures.
But ever since Grindelwald's imprisonment in the high-security tower of Nurmengard, Newt had withdrawn from public life. He devoted himself entirely to his magical creatures, and over the past 30 years, he had hardly spoken to strangers. His social anxiety only deepened as time passed.
Kyle couldn't imagine Newt becoming a teacher, much less lecturing young wizards every day and grading their homework like a professor at Hogwarts. That just wasn't him. Newt was well aware that his personality wasn't suited for teaching. In his mind, a proper teacher needed to be someone like Dumbledore.
Chris, Kyle's father, had been Newt's last formal student, and although many had tried to follow in Chris's footsteps over the years—some even asking Dumbledore to intervene as a mediator—Newt refused every request. He was convinced that teaching would only do the students a disservice, and despite others' willingness to overlook his quirks, he couldn't get over the hurdle of his own self-doubt.
Kyle's visits to Newt's home had started by chance. Both Chris and Diana were incredibly busy at the time and needed someone to watch over their young son. It was around then that Newt's wife, Tina, learned about their predicament and offered to take care of Kyle.
Tina had been eager to help out, and perhaps also, in a way, to find something to occupy herself. Living with Newt, who preferred the company of magical creatures to people, could be quite isolating. If she hadn't found some way to engage herself, she might have gone stir-crazy long ago.
Kyle had just turned six at the time, a notoriously energetic age in Tina's experience. She had hoped Kyle might even help draw Newt out of his shell a bit, much like their grandson had when he was that age—talking non-stop and driving Newt slightly mad with questions.
Kyle didn't disappoint. While he wasn't a troublemaker, he was incredibly curious, especially when surrounded by so many fascinating magical creatures. He couldn't help but ask endless questions, which, to Tina's surprise, Newt patiently answered. Even though Newt rarely initiated conversations, whenever Kyle asked something about magical creatures, he would respond earnestly.
Before long, Newt was talking more than usual, though only because Kyle's questions gave him something meaningful to focus on. This arrangement satisfied everyone: Newt got to share his knowledge, Tina found purpose in managing the household, and Kyle had an extraordinary education in magical creatures.
And even after Chris and Diana's work schedules became less hectic, Kyle continued to visit the Scamanders every year, if only for a short time.
...
Of course, Kyle had no intention of sharing any of the real details with Cedric. After all, Newt Scamander's reputation as a reclusive Master of Magical Creatures was far more impressive than the truth of him being a socially awkward older man. It was better to leave that image intact. So, after offering a brief explanation, Kyle decided to steer the conversation away from any further discussion that might expose the reality of his visits to Newt's home.
"By the way, Cedric," Kyle said, changing the subject smoothly, "what do you think of the Hogwarts professors? Are they easygoing? You know, this is my first time going to school, so I don't know much. What if I accidentally make one angry? Could I get expelled?"
Cedric, completely unaware of Kyle's earlier deflections, smiled reassuringly. "Oh, you don't have to worry about that. The professors are generally quite nice... well, most of them," he added with a slight grin. "Even the strictest ones won't expel you unless you do something that really breaks the school rules."
Cedric's expression grew more serious as he mentioned breaking rules, and his mouth opened slightly, as if he wanted to say more but wasn't sure how to put it into words.
Sensing what was on Cedric's mind, Kyle quickly waved his hand to dismiss any concerns. "Don't worry, I'm not a Weasley—I'm not going to break any rules."
Cedric let out a sigh of relief, looking slightly embarrassed. "Sorry... that wasn't what I meant."
"It's okay, I get it," Kyle reassured him.
The topic of Hogwarts piqued Cedric's interest, and he began sharing more about the school and its professors. He explained that the Defence Against the Dark Arts professor seemed to change every year, so no one took that class too seriously in terms of long-term expectations. Then there was the Transfiguration professor, who had a reputation for being strict but fair—and who, apparently, had an obsession with turning into a cat, which amused the students endlessly. But the most notorious of all was the Potions professor, who had a habit of deducting points from students for the most trivial of reasons, including not washing their hair properly.
Kyle listened attentively, but most of what Cedric told him was information he had already picked up from other sources. Nothing Cedric said was particularly new, though hearing it from a current student made it feel more real.
Still, Kyle felt relieved that Hogwarts, while daunting, seemed manageable. The way Cedric described the professors painted a picture of a school that, despite its challenges, was welcoming enough—unless you happened to cross paths with a certain Potions master, of course.
-------
For Kyle, who was used to traveling by airplane or high-speed trains, the journey on the Hogwarts Express, a vintage steam train, was turning into quite the ordeal. At first, the excitement of riding the legendary train and the aura of Hogwarts helped keep his spirits high, but after a few hours, the novelty wore off, and the train's limitations became glaringly obvious.
It was slow—really slow. Kyle figured the train could barely reach 80 kilometers per hour, which didn't even compare to modern cars. The ride wasn't smooth either. After a while, Kyle felt nauseous, as if his breakfast might make a return appearance. Reading to pass the time became impossible.
Thankfully, Cedric's presence made the trip more bearable. Cedric was chatty, and once the conversation about professors had wrapped up, Kyle asked him about other aspects of Hogwarts. Cedric eagerly answered every question, even volunteering to share funny stories and pointing out some quirky portraits Kyle would encounter at school. A lot of what Cedric shared was new to Kyle, and his curiosity was piqued.
In return for Cedric's company, Kyle offered to pay for snacks for the rest of the trip—biscuits, chocolate frogs, cauldron cakes, the works.
Cedric happily accepted, and they enjoyed the food together. However, one topic made Kyle silently shake his head in disbelief—Cedric, like many other wizards, couldn't resist teasing about how students were sorted into houses.
"You've got to catch a Golden Snitch in the Great Hall within ten minutes to get sorted," Cedric said with a straight face.
Kyle pulled the corners of his mouth into a polite smile and decided not to respond. At least Quidditch is more believable than dragons, he thought. Cedric's mischievous sense of humor was on full display.
"By the way, Kyle, have you thought about which house you'd like to be in?" Cedric asked, popping a Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Bean into his mouth. "I hope you'll get into Hufflepuff, but a clever wizard like you might be more suited for Ravenclaw."
Before Cedric could finish his sentence, his face contorted in disgust. "Oh no… ox liver," he muttered, barely managing to swallow the offending bean.
Kyle chuckled, taking a flavored bean for himself. "I've thought about it, but I don't have a strong preference for any particular house," he said casually. "And I'm not great at finding balls, so I'm not sure I could catch the Golden Snitch in ten minutes. I'd just be happy if any house would take me."
Hmm... black pepper steak, Kyle thought after chewing the bean. Not bad.
"Don't worry," Cedric laughed. "You'll manage just fine. It's really not that hard."
Just as they were chatting, the compartment door slid open. Both Kyle and Cedric turned their heads, expecting to see Fred or George, but instead, it was another Weasley—Percy.
Percy stepped into the compartment, his usual air of seriousness about him. "Kyle, Fred told me you were here. Ah, you must be Cedric Diggory. I'm Percy Weasley, nice to meet you."
Cedric, slightly puzzled by Percy's formal introduction on the Hogwarts Express of all places, nodded politely. "Yes, it's nice to meet you too, Percy Weasley," he replied, though he clearly felt like they were at some kind of official event rather than on a school train.
Kyle had to suppress a laugh at the awkwardness of the situation. He waited for Percy and Cedric to finish their polite small talk before asking, "Percy, what can I do for you?"
Although Kyle knew all the Weasley children fairly well, he and Percy didn't interact as much. But Percy wouldn't seek him out for no reason.
"I'm sorry to bother you, but I do have something on my mind," Percy began, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a scruffy, old rat. "Scabbers hasn't been himself lately, so I wanted to ask if you still have some of that rat tonic you gave him before. I'd like to buy some, if possible."
"Rat tonic?" Kyle looked at the mangy rat in Percy's hand, missing a front paw, and smiled, narrowing his eyes. "Of course I have it. Just a moment."
Kyle rummaged through his suitcase and pulled out a small bottle filled with red liquid. He handed it over to Percy. "You know the drill—three drops once a week. This should last a while."
"Thank you," Percy said, accepting the bottle eagerly. He hesitated for a moment, then pulled out three silver Sickles from his pocket, his face turning red as he offered them to Kyle. "I know this might not be enough, but it's all I have right now. I'll pay you back the rest as soon as possible."
Kyle waved off the concern, taking just one Sickle and pushing the others back toward Percy. "One is more than enough. It's just rat tonic, nothing special. How could it be so expensive?"
Percy looked down at the single Sickle in his hand, his face flushing even more as he alternated between gratitude and embarrassment. After a long pause, he sighed softly. "Thank you, Kyle."
"It's just a normal transaction," Kyle replied casually.
"No, I understand," Percy said with a bitter smile. "If it were just an ordinary rat tonic, it wouldn't have kept Scabbers alive for eleven years. This must be something special from Mr. Scamander. Only someone as skilled as him could keep a common field rat alive for this long. If this tonic were on the market, it'd probably sell for at least ten Galleons."
Kyle inwardly grimaced. He really wanted to tell Percy that Scabbers' longevity had nothing to do with the rat tonic, and that the concoction wasn't worth anywhere near ten Galleons. In fact, it wasn't even made by Newt Scamander—it was his own creation, and a relatively simple one at that. But revealing too much could raise unwanted questions, especially about Scabbers' true identity as Peter Pettigrew. Kyle had no desire to attract attention from Dumbledore or anyone else just yet.
Still, he hadn't been entirely idle when it came to Percy's pet. Aside from providing the tonic, Kyle had once warned Percy that rats exposed to too much magical energy would eventually be rejected by their own kind. Percy, initially skeptical, had believed the advice once Kyle attributed it to Scamander, and had since adopted it as gospel. Percy clearly cared deeply for Scabbers. He'd even built a special little den for the rat in his room and avoided handling him too often. Unless he had no choice—like today—Scabbers was usually allowed to roam freely.
Noticing Kyle's silence, Percy decided not to linger. "Anyway, thank you, Kyle. If you ever have any academic questions, feel free to ask me. And after graduation, I'll repay you with more supplies."
With that, Percy hurried out of the compartment, leaving Kyle and Cedric sitting in awkward silence. Eventually, Cedric broke the ice.
"So... can you still get rat tonic from Mr. Scamander?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
Kyle shrugged, not making a big deal of it. "I make it myself. Not just rat tonic, either—pretty much all types of pet tonics. It's not hard, just a bit of a hassle, so most people don't bother learning how."