The gathering at The Hog's Head lasted longer than Kyle had expected—nearly two hours before anyone began to leave.
The first to emerge were Fred, George, and their friend Lee Jordan, who hurried out of the pub and headed straight for Zonko's Joke Shop.
Following them, Colin from Gryffindor, Angelina, Ryan, and Mikel from Hufflepuff, Justin, and three Ravenclaw boys whose names Kyle couldn't even pronounce filtered out.
Their departure drew the attention of bystanders, who seemed stunned by the sheer number of students leaving the least popular pub in Hogsmeade.
Finally, Cedric and the others, who had been among the last to arrive, exited together.
From his vantage point at the window of The Three Broomsticks, Kyle could see Cedric standing on the main road, his expression tense as he scanned the crowd with a frustrated look, as though searching for someone.
"He's not looking for you, is he?" Kanna asked in a low voice. "Did you tell him you weren't going to The Hog's Head today?"
"Well… I forgot," Kyle admitted.
In truth, it wasn't until he'd encountered the Greengrass sisters earlier at Gladrags Wizardwear that he'd realized he ought to avoid activities opposing the Ministry of Magic, given his current alignment with Fudge.
"Are you going to wait for him here?" Kanna asked.
Kyle thought for a moment, then shook his head. "Forget it. He's probably really angry right now. I'll talk to him back at the castle."
Before Cedric could spot them, Kyle and Kanna slipped out of The Three Broomsticks, weaving their way around tables and slipping quietly through the door.
The two returned to Gladrags Wizardwear, where Kyle picked up his finished, thick winter robes. Once done, they left Hogsmeade and headed back to the castle.
Cedric didn't return to Hogwarts until late in the evening. His hair was disheveled, and he seemed more anxious than usual.
Kyle took the opportunity to explain why he hadn't gone to The Hog's Head, giving a plausible account. Cedric believed him but still looked visibly upset.
"Do you know how many people were there today?" Cedric said, his voice tight with frustration, as they sat in the common room. "Fifty-three. The regulars at The Hog's Head thought Dumbledore was up to something, and they all ran off!"
"Isn't that a good thing?" Kyle replied. "Now you don't have to worry about anyone eavesdropping."
"But the problem is, I can't teach that many people," Cedric exclaimed. "Fifty-three is like a full class! And I'm not a real professor—what if I mess it up?"
His voice rose slightly as he looked at Kyle with a mix of exasperation and disappointment.
"I was going to ask you to help share the load, but you didn't even show up that day."
"You could ask someone else," Kyle suggested calmly.
Cedric frowned but then seemed to consider the idea. "That's true," he admitted after a moment. "What do you think of Hermione? She's always top of the year and a Prefect."
"Hermione's a solid choice if your goal is to improve exam scores," Kyle said thoughtfully. "But if your purpose is to improve practical defence skills, she might not be the best fit."
"To be honest, her Defence Against the Dark Arts grades are high because she excels on paper, but her practical use of Charms isn't particularly strong."
"Then who do you suggest?" Cedric asked, a little surprised.
"Harry Potter," Kyle said without hesitation.
Cedric blinked, clearly caught off guard. He didn't know Harry well beyond his reputation as a talented Quidditch player.
"Really?"
"Yes," Kyle explained. "Sirius and Moody both said he has a knack for Defence Against the Dark Arts. He's particularly skilled with the Disarming Charm and the Shield Charm."
Cedric considered this, his expression growing more thoughtful.
"If that's true, it makes sense," he said. The Shield Charm and Disarming Charm were both highly versatile spells—indispensable in a real duel. If the group wanted to learn effective defensive techniques, mastering those two spells was essential.
"Then I'll talk to him tomorrow," Cedric decided, though he still sounded a little apprehensive. "Fifty-three people… I just hope I don't mess it up."
...
For the rest of the weekend, anticipation buzzed through the castle. It was just like the arrival of Sirius at Hogwarts that had sparked a new kind of excitement—everyone was eager to see what Harry and Cedric's efforts might bring to their Defence Against the Dark Arts skills.
The next morning, Cedric left the Hufflepuff Common Room early, heading straight for the Great Hall to meet Harry. Kyle, curious to see how things would unfold, also made his way there. However, before he could reach the Great Hall, someone suddenly appeared in front of him.
It was Dennis Creevey from Gryffindor, panting heavily as though he had run all the way.
"Kyle…" he gasped, "Umbridge wants to see you in her office."
"When?"
"Now."
"Okay," Kyle said with a nod.
After Dennis hurried off, Kyle glanced at the Great Hall, just within reach, and sighed. "If I'd known, I would've come earlier—then at least I could've had breakfast."
"Why is Umbridge looking for you at this time?" Kanna asked, her tone laced with concern. "Do you want me to go tell Professor Sprout?"
"No," Kyle replied. "She's probably caught wind of what happened in Hogsmeade yesterday."
"Umbridge found out that quickly?" Kanna asked, suspicion dawning on her face. "Someone must've snitched!"
"Last night, I heard Letty say that Zacharias Smith kept questioning Harry's story about You-Know-Who being back. He even called Cedric stupid for believing him."
"Zacharias?" Kyle repeated, immediately recognizing the name.
Zacharias Smith, a sixth-year from Hufflepuff like himself, had always been… difficult. Back in their second year, he had competed against Kyle for the position of Chaser. But Kyle's performance during the trials had been flawless, leaving no room for anyone else to shine. Zacharias and the other hopefuls had all been eliminated.
Kyle knew Zacharias's personality well—arrogant, condescending, and perpetually eager to draw attention by opposing others. Many believed he didn't belong in Hufflepuff at all; Ravenclaw or Slytherin would have suited him better.
Kyle wasn't surprised to hear that Zacharias had been critical. The boy had often said that Harry and Dumbledore needed to provide concrete evidence of Voldemort's return.
"And Terry Boot from Ravenclaw," Kanna added. "Letty mentioned he was smirking the whole time, like he thought the meeting was some kind of ridiculous stage play."
"It's very likely one of them snitched on us."
"That wouldn't be surprising," Kyle said evenly. "With that many people involved, there was bound to be a mistake—or someone with ulterior motives watching closely."
"And let's be honest: more than fifty students all showing up at a bar like The Hog's Head—where no one normally goes—is guaranteed to draw attention."
"She's not going to make things difficult for you, is she?" Kanna asked, her worry evident.
"Don't worry, I can handle it," Kyle reassured her. "Don't involve any other professors, though—they'll just cause unnecessary trouble if they step in."
With that, he told Kanna to go ahead to the Great Hall, then turned toward the stairs.