"What Three-Headed Dog? I've never owned Fluffy!" Hagrid burst out, sounding agitated, as if someone had pressed the accelerator on his temper. Even the roots of his beard seemed to tremble. Pointing at Kyle, Hagrid jumped up and down in a fluster, exclaiming, "How can you go around slandering someone's good name for no reason!"
"Oh," Kyle said, as if a sudden realization dawned on him, "so his name is Fluffy. That's not a bad name, actually."
Hagrid's expression froze for a moment before he quickly denied it. "I didn't... I didn't say anything. You must've heard wrong."
He was clearly rattled and didn't dare admit the truth. Out of everyone at Hogwarts, Kyle was the last person Hagrid wanted to discover Fluffy's existence—even more so than Dumbledore. The reason was simple: Kyle's father, Chris, worked as the deputy director of the Magical Creatures Management and Control Department Beast Division.
His office was in charge of regulating magical creatures of unknown origin, like Fluffy. If Kyle sent word home about the three-headed dog, Fluffy would certainly be confiscated, and Hagrid had no idea what would happen to him after that. Worse still, Hagrid himself might end up in Azkaban.
The thought of Fluffy being taken away, possibly killed, combined with the terrifying prospect of Azkaban, made cold sweat break out on Hagrid's forehead. "No, I absolutely can't admit it," he resolved, trying to remain calm.
Hagrid put on what he thought was a stern, intimidating face, hoping to scare Kyle away. Given his towering height of over three meters, his burly frame alone could be quite menacing. Unfortunately, his darting eyes and the obvious sweat dripping from his brow undermined the effect.
Kyle had to suppress a laugh. If it weren't for Hagrid's nerves, maybe I'd believe him, he thought.
"Alright, I must've heard wrong, and obviously, you don't have a three-headed dog," Kyle said with a dismissive wave of his hand. "Let's just consider this a bit of trivia. Goodbye, Hagrid."
He turned to walk away, but after a few steps, he stopped, glanced over his shoulder, and said, "Oh, by the way, if your puppy starts showing signs of loss of appetite, irritability, or depression, don't worry. Just let him roam the Forbidden Forest for a bit. That should do the trick."
Kyle's words hit Hagrid like a ton of bricks, and though Kyle didn't push the subject further, Hagrid's face paled. Still, Kyle wasn't in a hurry—he could always meet Fluffy next year when the creature would be locked up on the fourth floor. And then, he could observe the beast as much as he liked, maybe even pull a hair or two for good measure. He could knit a sock with it, for all he cared.
Leaving the edge of the Forbidden Forest behind, Kyle leisurely strolled across the grassy grounds toward the castle. As he neared the gate, he spotted a familiar figure darting by, crouching low among the bushes. Curious, Kyle wandered over to see who it was.
"Kanna? What are you doing here?" Kyle asked, puzzled.
"Who—!" Kanna jumped at the sudden sound of Kyle's voice, clearly startled. It took her a few moments to compose herself.
"I-I'm looking for something," she mumbled, glancing up briefly at Kyle before returning to her search through the bushes.
Kyle observed her for a moment before taking out his wand. "You won't find anything this way. Let me help you."
Kanna, realizing what he was about to do, quickly shook her head. "No, it's not going to work. I dropped a galleon. The Accio spell won't work on it."
Kyle nodded in understanding. Magical currency, whether it was a galleon, sickle, or knut, was all imbued with an Anti-Theft Charm, preventing them from being summoned by magic. It was a basic protective measure.
With a sigh, Kyle put away his wand and knelt down to help her sift through the undergrowth. Kanna hesitated, clearly not wanting to inconvenience him, but after a moment of deliberation, she whispered, "Thank you."
"Don't mention it," Kyle replied casually. "We're friends, after all. How much did you lose, anyway?"
"Twenty," Kanna whispered quietly.
Kyle paused, thinking he had misheard. "How many?!"
"Twenty," Kanna repeated, her voice soft. "Maybe even more. I've been losing galleons since the start of term, and these are the last of them."
Kyle stared at her, at a loss for words. Twenty galleons? That was no small sum. If he had lost that much money, he would've been ready to tear the whole school apart looking for it. With a sigh, he lowered his head and continued combing through the bushes, muttering under his breath about the absurdity of losing so much money at once.
...
The undergrowth in front of the castle was dense, and it took the two of them more than an hour to search through it. But the result was disappointing.
Not only had they not found a Galleon, they hadn't even come across a Knut.
Kyle stood up, rubbing his back, and asked, "Are you sure it fell here?"
"I... I don't know," Kanna said after a moment of hesitation. "It was still here before herbology class yesterday, but this morning it was suddenly gone."
"Could it have fallen during flying lessons?" Kyle mused for a moment before suggesting, "Have you checked near the Quidditch Pitch?"
"I checked this morning," Kanna replied. "There's nothing at the Quidditch Pitch or in the castle. If it's not here, then the only place left is the greenhouse."
"The greenhouse? There's nothing there," Kyle said decisively.
He was completely certain. No one else had been around, and as for the greenhouse... Kyle was 100% sure that there hadn't been a trace of anyone there either. The floor had been spotless. He had checked thoroughly at the time.
"How about we check the other side?" Kyle suggested. "Maybe we missed something earlier."
"No need," Kanna shook her head. She hadn't found any of the galleons she'd dropped in the past, and she figured it would be the same this time. In truth, how often did someone recover their galleons after dropping them?
"Alright," Kyle didn't press the matter. In his mind, families like Kanna's, purebloods who could afford to wear such exquisite robes, probably never worried about running out of galleons. Twenty or thirty galleons seemed like nothing to someone like her.
Brushing the dust from his robes, he asked casually, "Need me to lend you some until your owl arrives?"
Kanna's eyes flickered slightly, and after a brief pause, she said, "It's fine. Galleons aren't really necessary at Hogwarts. I'll just head to Gringotts after the holidays. I just need the rat tonic in the meantime... Can I pay you after Christmas?"
Kyle paused mid-motion as he brushed off his robes, glanced at Kanna, and said, "Don't worry about it. You can pay me next year if you like."
After making sure his robes were clean, the two of them began walking back toward the castle.
On the way, Kyle asked curiously, "By the way, where's your rat? I don't see you carrying it."
"Pocky?" Kanna broke into a rare smile at the mention of her pet. "It's playing with Delina's hamster in the dormitory."
"What's a field mouse doing playing with a hamster?" Kyle said with a mocking sneer. "I have a friend, Percy Weasley from Gryffindor, who also has a field mouse. I'll introduce them to each other later. By the way, is your Pocky male or a female?"
Kanna blushed slightly but whispered in response, "Female, she's female."
"Perfect," Kyle said, his eyes lighting up mischievously. "Percy's Scabbers is a male. How about we pair them up and have a litter of baby mice next year?"
/////
Kyle was not someone who liked to waste time. Once he had an idea, he acted on it immediately. Without further ado, he told Kanna to head back to the dorms while he made his way straight to Gryffindor Tower.
Unfortunately, when he arrived, Percy wasn't in the dormitory. After asking around, no one seemed to know where he had gone. With no leads, Kyle had no choice but to set the matter aside for the time being. It seemed Scabbers wouldn't be as lucky as he'd hoped.
When Kyle returned to the Hufflepuff common room, he found Kanna curled up on a sofa in the corner, clutching her pet rat nervously. Across the room, perched on the windowsill, a large owl was staring at her menacingly, occasionally clicking its beak.
Ratton, the owl, had never seen such a fat, shiny mouse before. To its hungry eyes, Pocky looked like the perfect snack—plump and gleaming. However, Ratton knew that this mouse belonged to the little witch and was definitely off-limits, so it was content to simply observe.
The problem was that Kanna had no idea what the owl was thinking. When Kyle entered the room, he saw her pale and tense, gripping the hem of her shirt in sweaty hands. Oddly enough, she hadn't even been this nervous when she realized her galleons were missing earlier.
It wasn't until Kyle distracted Ratton with a piece of Murtlap jerky that Kanna finally began to regain some color. As the owl's attention shifted to the jerky, Kyle walked over and shrugged.
"I couldn't find Percy. He's not in Gryffindor Tower."
"Hm," Kanna responded, not giving it much thought. In her eyes, all field mice were rather ugly, and she doubted Pocky would be interested in Scabbers. After all, her pet spent most of its time playing with a hamster, so it didn't seem likely. Besides, Kyle had rushed off so quickly earlier that she hadn't had a chance to refuse his idea in the first place. As far as she was concerned, the current situation was ideal.
She returned Pocky to her dormitory, and when she came back out, she seemed much more at ease. She even gave Ratton a defiant grin.
The owl flapped its wings and flew out the window, throwing her a disdainful glance as if she were an idiot before it left. This, of course, made Kanna furious.
"Why are you mad at it?" Kyle asked with a faint chuckle, shaking his head. He then pulled out ten galleons and set them on the table.
"I don't want it!" Kanna immediately shook her head, rejecting the offer firmly. "Thank you for your kindness, but I really don't need it."
"But Christmas is still a long way off," Kyle pointed out, frowning slightly. "Even if you don't need to worry about food, what about parchment and ink? Those cost galleons too, and you can't avoid buying them. Or did you bring enough with you when term started?"
At Hogwarts, parchment and ink were used up quickly. The supplies listed on the acceptance letter barely lasted a month, and students usually asked their prefects to bring more back from Hogsmeade. While not expensive, parchment still cost a few sickles, and no one was going to give it away for free.
"I…" Kanna fell silent. Kyle's words had clearly reminded her that even at Hogwarts, money was necessary. However, despite the logic, she shook her head again and said, "I'll figure it out."
Kyle tried to reason with her, pointing out the practicalities, but Kanna remained surprisingly stubborn on the matter. She refused all his offers except the rat tonic, even declining the parchment he tried to give her.
"You're really nice to that rat," Kyle remarked, rubbing his forehead thoughtfully. Then, almost out of the blue, he asked, "By the way, do you know any of the Slytherin first-years?"
Kanna paused to think. "I think so. A few years ago, I met Rowle and Yaxley at a banquet. They're in Slytherin, and they're first-years as well. But I don't know if they'd remember me—I haven't been to that kind of event in a long time."
"That's fine, just knowing who they are is enough," Kyle said, considering something. "Kanna, do you want to make your own galleons?"
"Make my own galleons?" Kanna blinked, still processing what he'd said.
"Yes, earn them yourself, just like adults do," Kyle explained, tapping his finger on the table. "I know a way you can do that here at Hogwarts. It might be a bit challenging, but the profit is high. Once you're done, you won't have to worry about parchment, ink, or anything else. You could even buy yourself plenty of snacks. What do you think? Want to give it a try?"
Kanna didn't reply immediately, but her interest was clearly piqued. She had considered helping other students with their homework in exchange for parchment and ink, but that felt wrong—like cheating—and she feared the professors might catch on. Kyle's offer presented an alternative, and she was tempted to hear more.
Seeing her interest, Kyle continued, not wasting time. "Do you remember the map Cedric gave you yesterday?"
Kanna nodded. "Yes, I remember."
After the flying lesson the previous day, Cedric, a second-year student, had handed out maps of Hogwarts. Kanna recalled it clearly. She had also heard that Ravenclaw had their own version of the maps, but those had to be bought.
"Well, that's what this is about," Kyle said, pulling out the gold-trimmed map Cedric had given him and placing it on the table. "This is the Slytherin version. The only thing we're missing is someone to sell them. Do you want to try? Five galleons each, and we split the profit fifty-fifty."
"Five galleons?!" Kanna looked at Kyle in shock, her expression mirroring the one she had just given Ratton. "How could these maps be worth five galleons? That's way too much—no one would buy them!"
"Ravenclaw's only cost a few sickles," she whispered, still in disbelief.
"Those are just ordinary maps. This is a limited edition from the 'Golden Triangle,'" Kyle said, raising an eyebrow. "We used top-quality materials and craftsmanship. These were handmade, and it took three whole days to make just ten of them. Not a single one more. Think about it—out of the hundreds of students at Hogwarts, only ten people can own this exclusive map. It's a status symbol. Isn't that worth five galleons?"
Kanna felt a bit overwhelmed, but Kyle's explanation did make it seem like the maps were worth the steep price. After thinking for a moment, she asked, "But it's already been three days since classes started. Will anyone still need these maps?"
"Don't worry about that," Kyle replied confidently. "Hogwarts isn't just about classrooms. There's the library, the hospital wing, the professors' offices... And don't forget, the staircases in the main building keep changing. Who knows where they'll be tomorrow? You might end up on a path you've never taken before. Standing around trying to figure it out wastes time, but walking around blindly can get you lost—and that means you'll be late. That's where these maps come in handy, especially since they show the patterns of how most of the stairs move."
Kyle leaned back, his voice full of certainty. "Trust me, someone will definitely buy it."
/////
Kanna wasn't entirely sure why she had agreed to Kyle's plan. Maybe it was because she really did need some galleons, or perhaps it was the way Kyle had framed it: a chance to prove to everyone that she could handle things on her own, that she had the ability to survive. Whatever the reason, she had found herself reluctantly agreeing.
After dinner, the three of them—Kyle, Cedric, and Kanna—gathered around a table in the common room to go over their strategy for the next day.
"Anyway, Gryffindor has the Weasley twins helping them, so they're covered. The main focus is Slytherin," Kyle said, turning his attention to Kanna. "Tomorrow, find an opportunity to bump into that Rowle... what's-her-name."
Kanna, quietly attentive, whispered, "Rowle and Yaxley."
"Right, those two," Kyle nodded. "Try to casually run into them and say hello."
Kyle thought for a moment before continuing, "The first-floor corridor would be ideal. Both Hufflepuff and Slytherin use it to get to the Great Hall, so it's easy to make it look like a coincidence. Just find an excuse to walk with them."
Kanna nodded, her expression serious as she scribbled down notes.
Once she finished writing, Kyle went on, "I'll be ahead, talking to Cedric, complaining about how difficult it is to find my way around the castle and how easy it is to get lost. Cedric will pull out the regular map to show me. At that point, you step in. Show some disdain for our map and pull out the limited edition."
"Disdain?" Kanna put down her quill and tried a few unimpressive facial expressions, which made Kyle rethink that part of the plan.
"Forget the disdain," he said with a sigh. "Just pull out the map and casually mention that it's a limited edition and that there are only ten of them available. Got it? Make sure to remember that line."
"And if they ask for more details," Kyle added, "tell them you have connections that can get you these maps. Offer to help them out as a friend if they're interested."
"Okay," Kanna said, repeating the instructions silently to herself to commit them to memory.
At that moment, Cedric chimed in, curiosity getting the better of him. "What if they don't ask?"
Kyle shrugged casually. "Then we sell to someone else."
The whole idea of turning regular goods into exclusive, limited-edition items had been Kyle's brainchild, and he knew it would appeal to pureblood families. Adding Kanna to the equation only made the plan more convincing. Rowle and Yaxley, being purebloods themselves, would likely show off the maps if they got them, making them ideal spokespersons for the product. And if they didn't bite, they'd just revert to the original plan—release the limited edition maps and let word spread. Soon enough, the Slytherins would come looking for them.
"The only risk is attracting a professor's attention," Kyle explained. "The maps aren't exactly dangerous, but selling them for five galleons each is bound to get noticed. If it gets too much attention, it might get banned before we can sell them all."
"So we do it quietly," he continued. "Once we have the galleons, it doesn't matter if we get caught. The worst they'll do is dock some points."
Cedric, hearing this, was almost in awe. "Can it really work like that?"
Kyle grinned. "Of course."
Cedric had always understood that pureblood families loved distinguishing themselves from ordinary students. That was why he had gone through the effort of tracing the maps with gold edges. His original plan had been to sell them for just one galleon, but Kyle's idea of multiplying the price by five had suddenly given the maps a whole new allure.
Even if the Slytherin first-years figured out they didn't need the map itself, they wouldn't care. What they truly craved was the prestige of owning a "limited edition."
It wasn't that purebloods were gullible—they were just rich and enjoyed having something different, something special. Cedric himself had always wanted to replace his Fwooper quill with a nicer one, not because it was any more practical than an ordinary quill, but because it was more beautiful, more eye-catching. Besides, it could write an extra two lines before needing to be dipped in ink again.
Cedric smacked his lips thoughtfully and asked, "Kyle, are you sure there are only ten?"
"Yeah, just ten," Kyle nodded confidently. He had done his homework, asking around. Although there were thirteen Slytherin first-years, not all of them came from wealthy pureblood families, so ten seemed like the perfect number. Those who didn't manage to buy one would have a solid excuse to justify why they missed out.
With that confirmed, Cedric and Kyle shifted the conversation to that afternoon's Quidditch tryouts. As expected, Fred and George Weasley had joined the Gryffindor team as Beaters. Additionally, a second-year witch named Alicia Spinnet had secured a spot as a reserve player.
"This year's Gryffindor team is going to be tough to beat," Cedric said, his expression serious. "Their lineup is just too strong. I've seen Alicia train, and she's on par with our Chaser, Matt Brinton. Plus, there's Oliver Wood—the best Keeper in Hogwarts right now. His save rate is the highest among the four Keepers. It'll be hard for us to get past him."
"Really?" Kyle responded nonchalantly. "Then I guess you'll have to cheer up."
Kyle's lack of interest didn't go unnoticed, but Cedric didn't dwell on it. As a first-year without a broom, Kyle wasn't part of the team, so he wasn't as invested. He could only be a spectator, cheering from the stands.
Cedric continued discussing Slytherin's team, this time focusing on the brooms. The Slytherins had five Nimbus 1700s, which gave them a significant edge on the field. When the topic shifted to Ravenclaw, Cedric paused briefly before moving on without much comment.
"We have to give our best in every match going forward, without any mistakes," Cedric said, his tone growing more determined. "Nobody wants to end the semester in third place. That's why Harris has increased our group training sessions from three times a week to five."
His voice grew louder with passion, but Kanna, who sat nearby, seemed entirely unaffected. She stared at the parchment in front of her, lost in thought. The idea of having to approach someone tomorrow made her so nervous that she hadn't absorbed a single word Cedric had said.
In fact, during the planning session earlier, Kanna had thought about quitting countless times. Each time, though, just as the word "quit" reached the tip of her tongue, a quiet voice inside her urged her not to speak it. She didn't understand why, but in the end, she chose to listen to that voice.
Before long, Kyle and Cedric yawned and decided to head back to their dormitory for the night, leaving Kanna alone in the common room. She continued flipping through the parchment, still deep in her thoughts about the upcoming day.