Chapter 90: Kyle, Do You Have Rat Poison?

Over the next few weeks, Kyle visited the Room of Requirement almost daily. Besides tending to the new Devil's Snare, he also had to monitor the Chomping Cabbage. Once fully matured, the Cabbages could temporarily free themselves from the soil, moving about using their broad outer leaves. Kyle wasn't too concerned about this; the Chomping Cabbage preferred the soil and wouldn't stray without provocation.

What did worry him, however, was the fact that these mature Cabbages could launch their seeds at any moment, with the range depending on their mood. The Room of Requirement wasn't particularly large, so if any of these seeds took root too close to the Mooncalves or the Devil's Snare, it would create a mess. Chomping Cabbages were notoriously difficult to transplant, especially in their initial sprouting phase. Even slight environmental changes could make them lash out. Only an expert like Professor Sprout had the skill and experience to transplant these finicky plants successfully. Kyle wasn't quite at that level yet, so he opted for the simplest solution: gathering the seeds before they sprouted and planting them in controlled spots.

After over a month of diligent care, by the time the Easter holidays arrived, there were now five Chomping Cabbages in the Room of Requirement—two fully matured and three newly sprouting. Kyle was relieved to know there were no more rogue seeds, which meant he didn't have to visit the Room every single day anymore.

Meanwhile, Cedric and the other Hufflepuff Quidditch players had been keeping busy as well. Harris, their captain, was pushing them harder than ever, his enthusiasm unshaken even through the ongoing rains and cold that had followed the last snowstorm. Yet no one on the team complained. If they won their next match against Slytherin, Hufflepuff would surpass Gryffindor in points, taking the lead. After that, they'd only need one more win or simply to avoid being overtaken by another house to clinch the Quidditch Cup and bring it back to Hufflepuff. Driven by this goal, the whole team had become training fanatics, practically ready to eat and sleep on the Quidditch pitch.

Of course, Gryffindor was training just as intensely. Slytherin, however, took a more relaxed approach, practicing their usual amount each day but calling it quits at the appointed time. That was no surprise, as they would need to beat Hufflepuff by an improbable 300 points to claim the championship. Such a score was far more feasible against Ravenclaw's scoring-centered team, but not Hufflepuff.

During Defense Against the Dark Arts the following morning, Kyle thought ahead to tomorrow's game while he jotted down notes on different treatments for werewolf bites.

"Remember," Professor Oren said sternly from the lectern, "a mixture of Dittany and silver powder can seal the wound, but it won't prevent werewolf transformation. If you're not certain you can win against a werewolf, your best option is to run as fast as you can. Use charms to create obstacles and buy yourself time to escape rather than attempting to kill them. And it's a good habit to always have a broomstick with you—it could save your life in a pinch."

After emphasizing this, Professor Oren transformed the lectern into a werewolf using a Transfiguration spell, then instructed the students to come forward for hands-on practice.

While waiting in line, Kanna leaned over to Kyle and whispered, "Do you have any rat poison with you?"

"Rat poison?" Kyle blinked, puzzled. "Why, has Pocky fallen out of favor? But even if she has, you don't have to go that far. Just give her to Percy—Scabbers is always on the lookout for a new wife."

"What are you talking about? I'd never give Pocky away," Kanna said, pushing Kyle in annoyance. "I meant a potion for treating sick rats. Pocky's been under the weather lately, with no energy at all."

"Sick?" Kyle frowned. "Have you been giving him the mouse tonic regularly?"

Kanna nodded. "Of course! I've given it to him every month on schedule, not missing a single dose."

"That's strange," Kyle murmured, scratching his head. "Did I get the wrong ingredients?"

The tonic Kyle sold her was no ordinary concoction from Diagon Alley. It was a special elixir Newt had developed for Murtlap rats. For a regular field mouse, it was basically a "Fountain of Life." A small bottle each month should have kept Pocky in perfect health for his whole lifespan.

"Are you certain it's sick?" Kyle asked again.

"Yes, it sneezed last night," Kanna recalled. "I think it might have something to do with the heavy rain during the flying lesson the other day. Everyone in our dorm caught a bit of a cold then."

"Hmm...maybe."

Kyle noticed the line was getting shorter and pulled Kanna to the back, allowing more time for their conversation. "I do know a recipe for a rat remedy, but I'm missing some ingredients," he said, rubbing his fingers as he thought it over. "How about this: give Pocky another dose of the rat tonic tonight and see how he is by morning. If it doesn't work, I'll send an owl to Hogsmeade after tomorrow's Quidditch match to pick up the ingredients."

He paused, then asked, "By the way, have you lost any Galleons lately? Sickles and Knuts count too."

"Not since I got the handbag you gave me," Kanna replied, confused. "Why?"

"Oh, nothing," Kyle laughed. "I just wanted to be sure you'd be able to cover the cost."

"Uh… is it expensive?" Kanna asked nervously, pulling out the little pink handbag. "I only have a dozen Galleons left."

"That's more than enough," Kyle assured her. "The ingredients are common, just a few Sickles."

Kanna sighed in relief. "Thank goodness."

As they chatted, the line dwindled, and soon it was their turn for practical training. The younger students had limited Charms knowledge, so when they faced Professor Oren's werewolf, they barely lasted a few seconds before being "captured."

Kanna held out longer than most, lasting nearly a full minute before succumbing to the "Wolf's bite."

Then it was Kyle's turn. Instead of fleeing like the others, he pulled out his wand and pointed it toward the classroom door.

"Broomstick, Accio!"

A few seconds later, an old-fashioned Comet broomstick burst through the door. Kyle grabbed it and zipped into the air, evading the werewolf with ease.

"Correct answer," Professor Oren said. "If you'd been paying attention, you might have noticed I left a broom outside the door. Even if you didn't know how to fly, you could have summoned it and used it."

With a slight look of disappointment, Professor Oren released the levitation spell on the lectern and announced, "Ten points to Hufflepuff!"