Chapter 62: The Tense Atmosphere in the Hospital Wing
In the Hospital Wing, Cedric and Kyle locked eyes, an awkward silence filling the air. It was Cedric who felt the weight of the moment more. If he weren't lying in bed, he might have tried to dig a hole right there to escape the embarrassment.
"I'm glad that's not the case," Cedric muttered, turning his head to the side in an attempt to appear calm.
Kyle cleared his throat, his tone suddenly serious. "Cedric, why on earth would you want to duel them? We're Hufflepuffs, the most honest and model students at Hogwarts. That kind of thinking is dangerous." He leaned in slightly. "Think of Professor Sprout—how disappointed she'd be if she found out you'd become so impulsive, reckless, and disobedient."
"I didn't, I haven't thought about it!" Cedric shot back, annoyed.
The truth was, when he was brought to the Hospital Wing, he'd overheard some of the others talking about confronting the Slytherins for a proper one-on-one fight. Quite a few were fired up about it. At the time, his head and leg had hurt too much for him to protest, and he had been too out of it to stop them. Now, as Kyle spoke, he'd assumed his friend was thinking the same way.
"You don't need to explain," Kyle said, not even glancing at him, his voice calm and reflective. "I understand. You were seriously hurt, and it's only natural to say something rash when you're emotional. Just be more cautious next time. Here, have a Chocolate Frog."
Before the young badgers left the Hospital Wing, they had left some snacks—mostly treats they'd brought to enjoy during the game. Kyle picked up a Chocolate Frog, unwrapped it, and handed it over.
"I'm telling you, I didn't think like that! You—wait a second." Cedric paused mid-sentence, suddenly noticing the card in Kyle's hand. "What are you holding?"
Kyle calmly slid his hand into his pocket. "Just an ordinary card. Nicolas Flamel. I don't have him yet."