The day before the holidays, the grades were finally released, and Kyle, with a perfect score, was unchallenged at the top of his year. This result ca as a shock to many who had always assud Kyle's performance had been subpar. In fact, even Kyle himself was stunned. Had Snape really awarded him a perfect score again?
Kyle had previously believed that the perfect score Snape gave him last year was a one-off, likely because he had saved Kanna from Oren. Family ties, after all, could explain such gratitude. But this year? Was it because he'd saved Harry? That didn't quite add up—Harry wasn't that important to Snape... well, maybe Harry was, in a strange way. Kyle still couldn't make sense of it.
Surely, it wasn't that Snape had suddenly turned over a new leaf and decided to be a decent teacher. That notion seed absurd. Kyle would sooner believe that Voldemort was secretly working for a Muggle Intelligence Agency—that, at least, sounded more reasonable.
Yet there were others who thought this outco was entirely predictable. Fred and George had declared in the common room with exaggerated confidence:
"That's the funniest joke I've heard all year."
"Honestly, I'd sooner believe our little brother Ron could be made prefect than that Kyle would ever fail an exam."
Kanna was similarly unwavering. She didn't believe Professor McGonagall had been shaking her head because Kyle had supposedly failed, but rather that there must be so other explanation—and she was right.
So younger students, consud by doubt, even mustered the courage to ask Professor McGonagall directly, only to be reprimanded. She told them she was rely a bit disappointed that the gap between Kyle and the other students was so vast. Of course, that was only her official line. No one really knew what McGonagall was truly thinking.
In any case, the school year was finally over. A notice prohibiting the use of magic over the holidays was handed out to everyone, and soon after, students either took a carriage or boarded a ferry to leave Hogwarts and catch the train back to King's Cross.
...
"Hermione, you didn't really have to compete with Kyle," Harry said, looking at her sympathetically in the train compartnt as she scowled in frustration. "After all, he's the youngest recipient of the Order of rlin. You did really well, and you're still top of the year..."
"But I didn't get full marks!" Hermione snapped, tugging at her tangled hair in frustration.
"You only lost a few points in Potions," Harry said, glancing around and lowering his voice. "It's Snape... no matter how perfect your potion is, if you're not a Slytherin, he'll find sothing to take points off for."
"But Kyle isn't a Slytherin either," Hermione retorted, frowning. "And he still got full marks, so it's not impossible. I must've ssed sothing up... Maybe I heated it too long? The book says twenty seconds, but I forgot it also takes ti to extinguish the fla. And those Valerian stems, too—I think I picked two that were too long..."
As Hermione ticulously reviewed every step of the Forgetfulness Potion in her mind, her expression grew more intense with each imagined mistake.
anwhile, Harry and Ron exchanged increasingly uneasy glances. They hadn't planned on spending the start of their holidays talking about grades, exams, and especially not the Potions exam.
Ron, growing visibly irritable, turned away and stared into the corridor, hoping for a distraction.
Just then, Kyle happened to pass by their compartnt, followed by a crowd of younger students, chattering eagerly and clearly impressed. The corridor was filled with murmurs and excited whispers about Kyle, still basking in the glow of his recent Order of rlin award.
"That's incredible..." Ron muttered under his breath. If I could get the Order of rlin and all top marks, Mum would be... "Oh no!"
Ron's face suddenly turned pale as a thought struck him. Alard, Harry looked over. "What's wrong? Are you hungry? I've got so snacks..."
"No, Harry!" Ron said, his expression grim. "Do you rember what I told you? Kyle lives next door to us!"
"Yeah, I rember." There was a trace of envy in Harry's voice. The idea of living near friends and classmates in a magical village was, to him, the ultimate dream.
"Mum must have heard already..." Ron's voice wavered. "I'm done for."
He had thought his grades were decent—he'd passed, hadn't he? But now, next to Kyle's spotless report card, his marks suddenly seed... well, unimpressive. And then there was Percy, too. His brother had topped fifth year, and his next-door neighbor had topped second year. Ron could already see the sumr unfolding in front of him.
Last year, Fred and George's shouts had been loud enough to drive the garden gnos away, and he'd given their bellowing the nickna The Weasley Choir—good for scaring off gnos. But this year... he might be joining in the chorus.
As Ron sat there lanting, Harry silently reached over and patted him on the shoulder, his earlier envy evaporating. Maybe having a high-achieving neighbor wasn't as ideal as he'd thought. Besides, he didn't have to worry about that. The Dursleys couldn't have cared less about his grades, so even if he returned with all zeroes, he'd be spared the lectures. Actually, they'd probably be pleased if he got zeroes—they might even give him an extra piece of dry bread that Dudley had left over for breakfast.
Having no one to compare himself to, and no one who cared about his grades, was probably the only perk of living with the Dursleys.
Harry wanted to laugh at the thought, but the feeling sat uncomfortably in his chest. Next to him, Hermione finally stopped analyzing the exam. She looked over at Ron, whose face was clouded with worry, and opened her mouth to say sothing, but held back. Truthfully, she couldn't quite understand his disappointnt and wasn't sure how to reassure him.
"If only I could be like Kyle..." Ron sighed wistfully.
...
anwhile, in a compartnt not far from Harry and his friends, Kyle was glancing around nervously. "Are you sure we're in the clear? No one followed us... right?"
"It's all good!" Cedric reassured him, sticking his head out into the corridor for a quick check. Once he was certain no one was around, he slipped back in, pulling the door shut and securing it with a Imperturbable Charm from his wand.
"Phew... finally lost them," Kyle muttered, exhaling in relief as he pulled off his Cloak of Invisibility.
Who would have thought he wouldn't need the cloak for sneaking around the castle at night, but that it'd co in handy on the train ho instead? The crowds had been just a bit too eager this ti. Without the cloak, he might still be surrounded by admirers, each more enthusiastic than the last.
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