Five minutes into the game, the first goal finally arrived.
It was Angelina from Gryffindor…
The cheers from the stands exploded like thunder, echoing through the cold air.
Kyle joined in with the applause, just like everyone else. As Lee Jordan had said, Angelina was an excellent Chaser. She’d just broken through Slytherin’s defense as if she could actually soar, making it look effortless.
But just as Kyle was about to clap again and refocus on the match, a large, fiery red bird suddenly appeared, gliding through the crowd and landing on his shoulder.
Kyle looked at the Phoenix on his shoulder, surprised.
What was going on? Did the Headmaster's bird enjoy watching Quidditch too? He’d never heard of that.
The young wizards around him were equally stunned.
Cedric’s mouth hung open in awe, as if he might start drooling as he stared at Fawkes.
“This… this is a Phoenix?!”
“Yes, yes!” Cedric suddenly exclaimed, springing up excitedly and gesturing with his hands. “It’s a Phoenix! It looks exactly like the one in the book!”
“Calm down. Look at you, you’re such a dork,” Kyle muttered, giving Cedric a disdainful look. “It’s just a Phoenix. What’s the big deal?”
Cedric shrugged. Easy for you to say… This was his first time seeing a live Phoenix.
Kyle, meanwhile, had taken out a handful of Dittany leaves and offered them to Fawkes.
Can’t watch a Quidditch match without snacks.
But to Kyle’s surprise, Fawkes didn’t eat them. Instead, he shook his head and whispered something into Kyle’s ear.
Fawkes wasn’t there to watch the match; he was there to deliver a message. Dumbledore wanted to see him.
But the match had just started…
Seeing Kyle hesitate, Fawkes gave him a sharp peck on the head.
“All right, all right, don’t pull my hair—I’m coming!” Kyle said, standing up.
“What’s wrong?” Kanna asked, curious.
Kyle leaned over and whispered, “The Headmaster wants to see me. I have to go back to the castle.”
“Yeah, this Phoenix belongs to him…”
“Do… do you need any help?” Cedric offered.
“No, you guys keep watching the match.”
Kyle gave the pitch a reluctant glance before making his way through the crowd and heading quickly toward the castle.
The path was empty, and as they walked, Fawkes relayed the reason Dumbledore had sent for him.
Once back at the castle, Kyle went directly up the stairs to the restricted fourth floor.
Dumbledore was already waiting for him there, along with Hagrid.
“Professor, Hagrid,” Kyle greeted them, frowning. “Fawkes told me that Fluffy went berserk?”
“I’m afraid so,” Dumbledore said gently. “I’m sorry, Kyle; this may mean missing part of the match, but right now you’re the only one who might understand why this happened.”
“That’s all right—Fluffy’s my friend, too,” Kyle replied, shaking his head. “Can I see him now?”
Dumbledore opened the door, leading Kyle inside.
In the room, Fluffy lay sprawled on his back over the trapdoor, sound asleep.
“Some necessary measures,” Dumbledore explained. “If he were awake, he'd attack everything around him like a mad creature, and keeping this door closed would be nearly impossible.”
“I understand,” Kyle nodded, then approached to carefully examine Fluffy's massive, unconscious form. He noted that there were no wounds; Fluffy's fur was intact, which ruled out any external trauma.
Kyle frowned, beginning to sense why Dumbledore had called him here. “Professor, can you wake Fluffy up?” he asked.
“You’d best prepare yourself, Kyle,” Dumbledore replied, his expression serious. “Trust me, a frenzied Three-Headed Dog is far more terrifying than you might imagine.”
“It’s fine—as long as you're here, I'm sure I won't get hurt.”
“That may be the finest compliment I've received,” Dumbledore chuckled. “The last time I felt this proud was when I became headmaster of Hogwarts. Now, step back…”
Dumbledore raised his wand and tapped its knobby end. Fluffy’s eyes snapped open.
The furious roar thundered through the room, making the ceiling tremble and sending dust raining down. Muscles tensing, Fluffy sprang up, lunging directly at Kyle, who stood nearest. In an instant, Fluffy’s three massive jaws were open, revealing rows of yellowed teeth, each head snarling with raw fury.
But then, suddenly, chains appeared out of thin air, binding Fluffy’s neck. Another chain materialized, then another, until a total of six chains had wrapped around Fluffy, securing him tightly. No matter how hard he struggled, he couldn’t move an inch further. The violent thrashing caused the chains to cut into his flesh, embedding deeply.
“Oh…” Hagrid clutched his chest with a groan, as if he could feel the chains tightening on his own body. “Please… Dumbledore, please!”
Dumbledore remained resolute, his gaze fixed on Kyle. Fluffy continued to snarl, and Kyle tried to speak to him, though it seemed futile. With no other option, he focused intently on the sounds of Fluffy’s growls. Because Fluffy was only semi-conscious, his growls were disjointed, but Kyle noticed certain words repeated.
Fluffy's desperate struggles intensified, staining the chains red as the room filled with the metallic scent of blood. Hagrid clamped a hand over his mouth, tears streaming down his face. He seemed to want to approach and comfort Fluffy, but as soon as he moved closer, Fluffy snapped at him, nearly catching his arm in a vicious bite. Dumbledore pulled Hagrid back just in time.
As Fluffy’s injuries worsened, Kyle finally spoke up. “That’s enough, Headmaster!”
A dazzling flash lit up the room, and in a blink, the chains vanished. Fluffy crashed into the wall behind him, sliding down before collapsing with a heavy thud. Hagrid rushed over, applying Essence of Dittany to Fluffy’s wounds, his face lined with worry.
Dumbledore looked at Kyle. Before he could ask, Kyle spoke up.
“If I’m correct, Fluffy’s acting this way because he wants revenge—for Hagrid.”
Dumbledore’s blue eyes flashed with understanding. “Revenge? For Hagrid?”
Hagrid turned around, looking startled, his tear-streaked face confused. “But… I’m fine. He even tried to bite me just now…”
“That’s what’s so strange,” Kyle said, frowning. “It’s as if Fluffy believes you’re dead and sees us all as your murderers.”