Chapter 36: The Good Person Card
"Kyle, are you sure this is okay?" Cedric whispered as soon as Cho left, finally breaking his silence. He had been standing there, listening to everything. "I mean, do Ravenclaw first-years really pay for maps?"
"Who knows," Kyle shrugged casually, "but we've got nothing better to do, so why not try?"
Though Kyle played it off, he was confident this plan would work. Hogwarts had no road signs, and new students had to find their way around by either figuring it out themselves or asking older students, which often led to them getting lost on a daily basis. A map could save them a lot of hassle. And at just ten Sickles—less than a Galleon—it was affordable for most.
Kyle thought about first-years from Muggle families. They would usually have around six Galleons left after buying their school supplies, so ten Sickles for a map, especially one that showed the tricky moving staircases, would be a worthwhile trade for many. Of course, there would always be exceptions—like a certain red-haired freshman who, in the future, might balk at the cost.
"Oh, by the way, this is for you," Kyle said, tossing the map to Cedric as they walked back to the dormitory. "You're in charge of making copies from now on."
Cedric blinked in confusion. "Me? Why?"
"Nonsense, you gave it to me, so of course you should get a share. Cho handles sales, and we'll split the other half between us."
Kyle continued matter-of-factly, "Besides, I've just started school. I'm not that skilled with the Doubling Charm yet. If I mess up and sell a faulty copy, I'll get an earful. So, it's best you handle it. We don't want anyone thinking Hufflepuffs are shady businesspeople, do we?"
"Well... okay," Cedric agreed after a moment's thought, realizing Kyle had a point. There was no harm in taking on the task, and it seemed fair enough.