Chapter 20: A Failed Prank
After taking his seat at the Hufflepuff table, Kyle felt an overwhelming sense of relief wash over him. Before the Sorting Ceremony, he'd been anxious, uncertain about where he might end up. But now, with everything settled and him officially a part of Hogwarts, a true sense of belonging took hold. It was a wonderful feeling.
Kyle rested his chin in his left hand, leaning his arm casually on the table as he watched the rest of the Sorting Ceremony unfold. The anticipation for dinner was growing, but he felt at ease, leisurely enjoying the moment.
Because his sorting had taken so long, many students around the auditorium were curiously glancing in his direction. Several witches, noticing Kyle sitting and chatting with Cedric, exchanged frustrated looks with their classmates.
Why did all the good-looking ones go to Hufflepuff? they seemed to think, grinding their teeth in envy.
Meanwhile, over at the Gryffindor table, Fred and George Weasley were similarly upset.
"Why did Kyle go to Hufflepuff?" Fred groaned, pounding his thigh in frustration. "Now we can't use the welcome ceremony we prepared!"
"Shut up, Fred. I need a moment to process this," George muttered, scratching his head. "Honestly, even if Kyle had gone to Slytherin, I could've handled it. But Hufflepuff? How's that even possible?"
"Yeah!" Fred agreed. "Kyle? Loyal? Kind? The Sorting Hat must've gone senile!"
Before they could continue lamenting, a newly sorted Gryffindor sat down in the empty seat next to them.