Chapter 361: Hermione’s Confusion
Dumbledore's announcement at the feast reignited interest in the dragon badges from the train, bringing Kyle another wave of eager customers the next morning.
"It really works!" a Gryffindor student was saying to his friend in the corridor. "If the headmaster hadn't mentioned the Dementors, I wouldn't have even known they were at the gates..."
"Yeah," his friend agreed. "I barely feel anything, just a slight chill—totally different from the train... and Potter was wearing one too. I saw him with it in the common room."
By the time they reached the Great Hall, the Hufflepuff table was already surrounded, a long line of students stretching all the way to the door, each hoping to buy a badge.
"If I'd known, I would've bought one on the train," a witch near the back of the line complained to her friend. "I was right there, but I didn't think the Dementors would actually come to school."
"Who could've guessed?" her friend sighed in agreement.
At the front of the line, Kyle handed a badge to a Ravenclaw student, while Cedric, stationed beside him, smoothly accepted two Galleons and dropped them into the bag next to him. Kyle stifled a yawn and tapped the table, requesting a glass of lemonade. Despite being woken up early, watching the Galleons practically line up to fill his pockets made it all worthwhile.
"Amazing!" exclaimed a newly-badged student, marveling as he examined it. "It's still warm! These dragons are something else!"
Kyle shook his head subtly. The warmth had nothing to do with the dragons; he'd spent the previous night placing a simple Warming Charm on each badge.