[Hogwarts: I Really Am a Model Wizard] Chapter 25 (Patreon)

"In summary, that's all you need to be mindful of to avoid losing house points. But even if you do slip up occasionally and lose some, it's okay. Here in Hufflepuff, we don't place much importance on that. As long as everyone is happy at Hogwarts, that's what matters."

Prefect Harris spoke with ease amidst the crowd, while Kain sat on the periphery, head down, saying nothing.

"Kain, what are you doing here? I've been looking for you."

Cedric approached, handing him a glass of juice. "Fresh orange juice, a great choice before bed."

Kain didn't take it, not even lifting his head, just waving his hand to show he didn't want it.

"Are you feeling okay?"

"No, I'm just feeling a bit tired," Kain said without looking up, his voice slightly hurried. "Plus, I don't like drinking anything before bed. You should offer it to someone else."

This unusual behavior naturally piqued Cedric's curiosity. He stepped to the left, but Kain turned away in the opposite direction at the same time.

Something was definitely off.

"Alright, I'll see if any of the other new students want some." Cedric walked away then stealthily circled back to Kain's front, calculating his position before suddenly dropping to the ground.

Kain, who was just thinking about when he could go back to his dorm, was startled by a fuzzy head popping into his view.

Their eyes met...

"Kain, what's with your eye? Why do you have such a big black eye?"

"It's nothing!"

Kain quickly covered his left eye with his hand, insisting, "I just accidentally hit it on a table. It's normal to get a bruise, you know."

"That round from a fall?" Cedric sat down, stroking his chin. "It looks more like you got punched."

"Impossible, you're thinking too much!" Kain said seriously. "Even if you don't believe me, don't you trust Hufflepuff? This is the warmest family in all of Hogwarts, there's no way someone here would be that violent."

"True, maybe you really did fall," Cedric nodded in agreement.

He couldn't believe anyone in Hufflepuff would assault a new student on the first day of school; such things were more typical of Slytherin.

But he still wondered how a "black eye" could be so perfectly round.

Was it a strange talent?

While Cedric remained baffled, Prefect Harris finished speaking.

"From today, we're all classmates. If you need help with anything, just ask. There's no need to be shy.

Hufflepuff is a warm family, and every upperclassman, including myself, will help you.

You all must be tired by now, so I'll take you to your dormitories. Patty, you handle the girls."

Kain stood up from the sofa as if granted amnesty, following the group without even saying goodbye to Cedric.

Under Harris's lead, Kain quickly arrived at his dormitory.

Like the common room, the dormitory featured Hufflepuff's signature yellow and black colors.

Warm light from bronze lamps cast a comforting glow on the four-poster beds, and the walls were adorned with copper bed warmers, ensuring the beds remained at a comfortable temperature.

He shared the room with two others.

Mikel Drake, a slender boy with black hair.

The other, a blond and somewhat burlier boy, was Ryan Baskins.

Hmm, both of them unremarkable background characters.

The fourth bed was empty, probably due to an insufficient number of new students.

Kain nodded to them briefly before climbing into bed.

"Hey, isn't it amazing? I'm actually a wizard," Mikel said excitedly from his bed. "No one in my family has magic. My dad sells drilling equipment, and my mom works in a bank. I thought the letter was a prank at first. I still can't believe it's real. Hogwarts... I still think I'm dreaming."

"I'm half-and-half, what wizards call a 'half-blood.'"

Ryan chimed in, "My dad is a wizard, and my mom is a Muggle. She was quite shocked when she found out."

"That's typical for those who've never encountered magic," Mikel added. "You can't imagine how my parents nearly called the police when Professor Quirrell appeared at our home. He just popped up suddenly and talked about something... what's it called, Appa-?"

"Apparation," Kain corrected quietly.

"Right, Apparation."

Mikel looked over, his eyes lighting up. "Hey, I remember you. You're Kain Jobber, the one who took twenty minutes to be sorted, right?"

"Yes, nice to meet you guys," Kain replied.

"Could you tell us what happened?" Mikel asked curiously. "Why did your sorting take so long? Twenty minutes, that's longer than all the other new students combined."

"It's nothing," Kain considered his words. "The Sorting Hat just couldn't decide where to put me, that's all."

"Oh, I see," Mikel mused. "To make the Hat think that long, you must be really exceptional."

Kain just smiled, saying nothing.

He knew he was exceptional, but that had nothing to do with the Sorting Hat.

If Mikel knew the real reason why the Hat hesitated, he probably wouldn't say that.

For the next while, Mikel talked non-stop, from Diagon Alley to Gringotts, and from choosing wands to every possible topic, never pausing.

Becoming a wizard clearly thrilled him.

Initially, Kain and Ryan managed to interject occasionally, but eventually, only Mikel's voice filled the room.

There was no helping it.

They were already sleepy after a full meal and over ten hours on the train; staying awake this long was an achievement.

Kain wanted to chat and build friendships with his roommates, but the comfort of his bed was too enticing, and he soon drifted into sleep.

Ryan was even quicker; he had been silent for the past five minutes.

...

...

(End of Chapter)