Chapter 248: Lovegood
Kyle had been invited to Nicolas Flamel's home as a guest, a detail meant to stay confidential. But, as Dumbledore had once told Harry, secrets had a knack for escaping into the open. By the time Kyle returned, it seemed everyone knew.
At dinner, Mr. Weasley, much like Chris had done earlier, kept asking Kyle about Nicolas Flamel and whether he'd encountered any talking refrigerators or enchanted muggle gadgets.
"Dad worships Nicolas Flamel," Fred whispered conspiratorially. "He's been practically vibrating with excitement ever since he accidentally ran into Headmaster Dumbledore and found out where you'd gone."
George added with a grin, "I think he's convinced Flamel's house is full of talking muggle appliances."
In the end, with Mr. Weasley's eager gaze fixed on him, Kyle had to gently break it to him that Nicolas's house did not have a talking refrigerator, nor did the lawnmower tell jokes while tap-dancing. In fact, none of the magical muggle appliances Mr. Weasley imagined could be found there.
This news left Mr. Weasley visibly deflated.
But Kyle really couldn't do much to cheer him up; Nicolas's estate in Paris was where he had lived for centuries, long before even the invention of light bulbs. Even the beach chair on which Nicolas sat listening to his opera recordings had been brought over from Devon and was simply an old favorite.
Though disappointed, Mr. Weasley perked up with a new idea: he decided to buy a similar beach chair and enchant it himself to feel closer to his alchemical hero.
Mrs. Weasley, however, did not share his enthusiasm. With the flying car incident still fresh in her mind, she was hardly thrilled about the prospect of another experimental muggle object in the house. Her sharp, disapproving gaze was enough to signal that Mr. Weasley would likely face an earful once dinner was over.