Chapter 7

Kain handed Ron one Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Bean and took one for himself, giving the rest to Ginny.

The little girl, holding the box thoughtfully, trotted back to Kain, hoping he'd help her pick out the less appealing flavors, especially the dung-flavored ones.

Kain, understanding her request, decisively refused. After all, young people should try different things. Besides, what was the slogan for Bertie Bott's? "Every flavour is a new adventure."

That's what made the beans special. Without surprises, they'd just be regular sweets.

So it wasn't that he was lazy; he was thinking of Ginny's best interests.

After playing for a while longer, Mrs. Weasley's familiar voice finally announced from The Burrow that dinner was ready.

Starving, everyone quickly dropped their sticks and started heading back. Kain led the way, with Ron following close behind.

However, they hadn't gone far when the twins suddenly rushed past, nearly pushing Ron into a nearby gnome hole, much to his annoyance. He glared angrily at Fred and George, looking ready to bite them if they didn't apologize.

Ron was serious, but unfortunately, he was bound to be ignored. Fred and George had been focused on Kain from the start and hadn't even glanced at Ron, let alone noticed his frustration.

Even if they had, it's unlikely they would have cared; teasing their younger brother was nothing new for them.

Despite Ron's furious look, he wouldn't actually confront them unless he wanted a beating. A few days later, some leftover snacks would smooth things over perfectly, restoring brotherly harmony.

So, the real issue at hand was Kain.

The incident in Diagon Alley had been a huge embarrassment for the twins, and they'd been looking for an opportunity to get back at him ever since. But Kain had hardly left the house these past few days, giving them no chance for revenge.

An overt approach might seem too forced and raise Kain's suspicions. So Fred and George had to suppress their desire for revenge, waiting for the right moment.

Like now.

With the addition of Chris and Kain, the dining room was too cramped, so Mrs. Weasley set up the dinner table outside.

As Kain took his usual seat, Fred shot George a look and quickly sat down beside him. George, not quite sure of the plan but trusting their twin intuition, immediately took the seat on Kain's other side.

"Hmm?" Kain was surprised to see the twins sit apart for the first time.

Then he raised an eyebrow: "Trouble's coming, huh?"

It was too obvious for him not to notice something was up, but without knowing their exact plan, Kain didn't react, continuing to help Mrs. Weasley set the table.

Soft, crispy bread, fluffy baked potatoes, fragrant roasted chicken, golden fried chicken pieces, juicy little steaks... While these were all familiar dishes, they definitely qualified as a feast.

Kain didn't expect much else here and hoped Hogwarts' house-elves would surprise him with something different, like Chinese, French, or even Italian cuisine.

As the last dish was placed on the table, everyone sat down, and the dinner officially began. Kain was extra cautious, wary of any strange additives in his food. He certainly didn't want to be the center of a social disaster.

...

Despite Kain's vigilance, nothing unusual happened. The twins were as jovial as ever, cracking jokes and making everyone laugh without any abnormal behavior.

It wasn't until dinner was well underway, amidst the lively chatter, that Fred, after finishing a joke about a Slytherin's slicked hair, suddenly turned to George: "Hey, George, Kain's off to Hogwarts tomorrow. Should we give him some advice on the Sorting Ceremony? It can be quite dangerous, you know."

George, feigning thoughtfulness (really just trying to swallow his steak), played along: "I don't think that's necessary, Fred. We should trust Kain. He's capable. A mere full-grown troll is nothing for him; he'll surely get through the Sorting."

"You're right, George," Fred agreed earnestly. "And Kain Jobber is too proud to take advice from us anyway. He wouldn't even call us 'seniors'."

Fred's plan was simple: to scare Kain about the Sorting using this ruse. If he could cause Kain a sleepless night, all the better. Given the current setting, this prank would likely go unchallenged and might even get some backup.

Fred glanced triumphantly at Kain, sure he had avenged their Diagon Alley humiliation.

...

As expected, their conversation quickly piqued the interest of the adults around, who joined in with gusto.

Sorting new students had always been a favorite pastime for former Hogwarts wizards, who delighted in misleading generation after generation of young wizards.

Now, it seemed, it was Kain's turn.

"My dear, don't believe them," Mrs. Weasley declared, scolding the twins before turning to Kain: "It's not that scary. It's just a test involving a group of ghosts, not dangerous at all."

"Molly, how can you lie to the child?" Mr. Weasley joined in, trying to look stern as he scolded his wife: "Kain is a wonderful boy; we can certainly tell him the truth. I believe he can handle a winged hippogriff on his own."

"A winged hippogriff? I thought it was a dragon?"

Chris looked surprised, then confidently told Kain: "Trust me, son, it's definitely a dragon. And I reckon it's a Hungarian Horntail this year."

...

"Oh, I see."

"Yes, I can."

"I believe you, Dad."

Kain nodded along to each person, showing the appropriate reaction to their statements.

Mrs. Weasley appeared relieved.

Mr. Weasley was assertive.

His own father was uncertain.

What else did the magical world have for entertainment? Quidditch, tricking kids, that was about it. If he could play along with their simple pleasures, why not? It was just a bit of fun, after all.

Now everyone was happy, which was wonderful.

...

The table was lively and cheerful, and no one noticed two distressed figures shivering in a corner of the yard.

(End of Chapter)