Katie Bell was sent to St. Mungo's that afternoon.
Although Kyle had managed to dispel the dark magic in the Opal Necklace in time, sparing her from significant harm, it was discovered she had been struck by an Imperius Curse. St. Mungo's, being more specialized in treating damage caused by Unforgivable Curses, was a better fit for her recovery. The Hospital Wing simply couldn't provide the tranquil environment she needed to recuperate.
As Katie left the school, rumors of the incident in Hogsmeade quickly spread. However, few knew the full details. Apart from the small group of witnesses, no one realized the Opal Necklace had actually been intended for someone else.
Meanwhile, Malfoy had unexpectedly found himself in the spotlight. The substantial points awarded to Slytherin and Hufflepuff had fueled all sorts of speculation. The buzz only intensified when it became clear that the points had been added to Draco Malfoy's total.
Oddly, Malfoy himself—the center of attention—seemed anything but pleased about it.
"I've told you many times, I don't know what happened!" Malfoy snapped at Zabini over dinner. "I was just posting letters in Hogsmeade. I had no idea about any ridiculous attack there."
"But everyone says—"
"And people also say you're a brainless idiot. Are you?" Malfoy interrupted impatiently.
"Still, think about it—do you really think I'd have helped a Gryffindor even if I had been there?"
"Of course not," Zabini blurted out, almost reflexively.
The Malfoy he knew would've clapped and cheered if he saw a Gryffindor suffering from dark magic.
"Exactly," Malfoy said, his tone sharp. "I'm not going to help stupid Gryffindors."
His irritation was palpable as he attacked his steak with such force the knife clattered against the plate. It almost sounded as if he was trying to carve through the dish itself.
"If that's true, why did Professor McGonagall give you extra credit?" Pansy asked, her voice tinged with confusion.
"That wasn't extra credit! It wasn't!" Malfoy roared, slamming his cutlery down. Abruptly, he stood and stormed out of the Great Hall.
"Draco, wait!" Pansy called after him, startled by his outburst. She quickly got up, flustered, and rushed to follow him.
"Look at him..." Ron muttered from the Gryffindor table, watching Malfoy leave in a huff. "It's like he thinks getting extra points is some kind of punishment. What a hypocrite. I bet he's secretly thrilled."
"You're right," Harry agreed, nodding.
In Harry's mind, Malfoy was a show-off through and through. When his mother had sent him a parcel of expensive sweets, he'd practically paraded it in front of the entire school. It was hard to imagine him reacting any differently to suddenly being awarded 20 points. Even if it wasn't genuinely his achievement, Malfoy was the type to convince himself it was.
"He's definitely up to something," Harry said thoughtfully.
"Do you think he gave Katie the Opal Necklace?" Ron asked in a low voice.
"I don't think so," Harry replied after a moment. "The Opal Necklace was meant for Kyle. If Malfoy was behind it, why go to such lengths? Don't forget, it was Malfoy who stopped Kyle from getting it in the first place."
"Maybe he didn't mean to," Ron suggested. "Maybe he got ahead of himself and ruined his own plan."
"That's ridiculous," Hermione cut in. "No one would be that careless. And besides, I have a feeling he was trying to steer me toward Katie on purpose."
"You think Malfoy did it deliberately?" Harry frowned.
"It's just a feeling," Hermione admitted. "I can't prove it."
While they debated whether Malfoy had any connection to the necklace, Kyle received an unexpected message from the Fat Friar: Dumbledore had returned and wanted to see him in the Headmaster's Office.
"I knew he wouldn't stay away after everything that's happened," Kyle muttered to himself as he finished his meal. Saying goodbye to Kanna, he made his way to the Headmaster's Office alone.
He knocked on the door, and upon hearing the invitation, stepped inside.
Dumbledore sat behind his desk, looking particularly weary. Snape was there too, his expression unreadable. Between them on the table lay the now-infamous Opal Necklace.
"Oh, here comes our lucky boy," Snape drawled as Kyle entered the room, his tone laced with a sharp edge, as if he regretted Kyle hadn't been the one dealing with the cursed necklace himself.
Kyle didn't take the bait. Instead, he flashed his usual fake smile and replied smoothly, "Thank you, Professor."
Snape snorted, unimpressed, but chose not to press further.
"Severus cares about you too, Kyle; he just doesn't show it," Dumbledore interjected, his calm voice attempting to smooth the tension.
"If I've done anything to give you that impression, I'll correct it as soon as possible," Snape retorted, his tone flat and devoid of emotion.
Both Dumbledore and Kyle pointedly ignored him.
"It seems you've repeatedly thwarted Tom's plans, and now he's had enough," Dumbledore said, his gaze shifting to the Opal Necklace on the table. "He wants to eliminate you even more than Harry."
"Obviously," Kyle shrugged.
His mind flicked back to Hogsmeade. He and Harry had been standing just a few feet apart, separated only by Hermione, yet Katie Bell had unhesitatingly handed him the cursed package, bypassing Harry entirely.
It was, admittedly, a little flattering. Kyle couldn't help but think he hardly belonged in the same league as the famous Boy Who Lived.
"What do you think?" Dumbledore asked, breaking his train of thought. His piercing blue eyes gleamed brightly behind his glasses.
"This came from Borgin and Burkes," Kyle said, studying the necklace. "Harry mentioned seeing it there before. Honestly, that's not surprising. Everyone knows if you want to get rid of someone, Knockturn Alley is the place to go. Cursed necklaces, forbidden books that can drive you insane, swords enchanted to stab you in the heart on their own—you name it, they've got it."
"As far as I know," Snape said, narrowing his eyes, "underage wizards aren't permitted in Knockturn Alley, are they?"
"Sorry, Professor, but the Ministry doesn't actually have a rule about that," Kyle replied casually. "It's just that parents tend to keep their children away from places like that. Harry only ended up there because he got Floo powder directions wrong his first time using it."
Snape remained silent, though his expression darkened.
"So who do you think bought it?" Dumbledore prompted.
"I have no idea," Kyle admitted with a helpless shrug. "Greedy old Borgin doesn't sell out his clients. That's how he keeps his shop running in a place like Knockturn Alley. No one wants to buy something only to have an Auror show up at their door later. Even if we asked, he wouldn't tell us. And I'd bet my wand he's got ways to block Legilimency and Veritaserum."
"You are correct," Dumbledore said calmly. "As the owner of such an established dark magic shop, Mr. Borgin does indeed possess certain... protections."
"That's a pity," Kyle sighed. "But I do have another idea that might make him talk."
"No, Kyle," Dumbledore said sternly. "Let me be clear: no proper means will compel Mr. Borgin to cooperate."
Kyle sighed again, deliberately echoing the word. "What a pity."
The Headmaster's meaning was obvious. No proper means. Which also meant Dumbledore wasn't going to let Kyle pursue his own methods.
"Pity?" Snape cut in, his dark gaze fixed on Kyle. "What exactly are you planning with Borgin and Burkes?"
"Don't misunderstand, Professor," Kyle said smoothly. "I only wanted to introduce him to a friend of mine. I met him on holiday recently—his name happens to be Borgin as well."
"Really? What a coincidence," Snape said with a raised eyebrow, his skepticism palpable.
"I named him," Kyle replied with a sly smile.
Snape's expression darkened further. Whatever Kyle was plotting, Snape had no doubt it would be the kind of plan that would make the Ministry dispatch a team of Hit Wizards—or maybe even Aurors—to intervene.
"Okay, Borgin doesn't matter," Dumbledore suddenly said, breaking the thread of the conversation. "What matters is that this attack will not happen a second time. So, Kyle, do you have any other clues to provide?"
"No," Kyle replied simply. "I don't remember seeing any Death Eaters in Hogsmeade."
Snape, standing nearby, seemed momentarily surprised by Kyle's insistence on implicating Death Eaters. However, he kept his thoughts to himself, standing silently, his expression unreadable.
Dumbledore, too, chose not to comment, and a tense silence settled over the headmaster's office.
They all knew the truth. Kyle was feigning ignorance.
Real Death Eaters would never defy Voldemort's orders. And Voldemort wouldn't send them near Hogwarts unless he was prepared to initiate a full-scale war. Judging by Kyle's past actions and his understanding of Voldemort, it was clear that he knew this. His insistence that Death Eaters were involved was a deliberate choice—a way of concealing what he truly thought.
But Dumbledore and Snape were in no position to call him out directly. They shared the same burden of unspoken knowledge, and their only recourse was to probe indirectly.
As the uncomfortable stalemate stretched on, an unexpected knock at the door broke the tension.
"I think it must be Mr. Potter," Dumbledore said, his voice lightening as he seized the opportunity to dispel the awkward atmosphere. "He and I have an agreement—I give him a lesson at eight o'clock on weekend evenings. Judging by the time, it must be about now."
"A lesson?" Kyle asked curiously. "Is it Defense Against the Dark Arts? Or Transfiguration?"
"Neither," Dumbledore replied, shaking his head. "If I had to categorize it, I'd say it's more like History of Magic."
Kyle raised an eyebrow at this, but Dumbledore continued without missing a beat. "It's more focused than the usual curriculum. A single subject, seventy pages long, covering old memories—memories that will help him understand certain things better."
"If you're interested," Dumbledore added, glancing at Kyle, "you're welcome to join us. The Pensieve can accommodate three people."
Kyle considered the offer briefly before shaking his head. "Sorry, Professor, I'd rather not."
He could guess what kind of memories Dumbledore intended to share with Harry—fragments of Voldemort's past. Kyle had no interest in revisiting the Dark Lord's childhood or delving into his twisted history.
"If the lesson were about the application of Transfiguration, I'd be happy to stay," Kyle added. "But History of Magic... To be honest, it's not really my favorite subject."
"I could teach you Transfiguration," Dumbledore said with a small smile. "After all, I was a professor of Transfiguration once. Though it has been a long time, I'd like to think my skills haven't fallen too far behind Professor McGonagall's."
"But," Dumbledore continued, his tone shifting, "I must admit that teaching you and Harry at the same time would present... challenges."
Snape let out a quiet snort, catching Dumbledore's meaning immediately.
The gap between Kyle and Harry in their understanding of magic was significant. What Kyle grasped effortlessly, Harry would likely struggle with, and what Harry could handle, Kyle would find a waste of time. The only subject where they might find common ground was, ironically, History of Magic.
"Well, I'll be going, then," Snape announced, turning to leave.
When the door opened, Harry was standing on the other side, looking startled to see Snape.
"Why didn't you say hello, Potter? And what's with that expression?" Snape sneered coldly. "Impoliteness toward a professor... five points from Gryffindor."
Harry's face twisted with indignation. The deduction was absurd even by Snape's standards, and the unfairness of it made his blood boil.
Snape, entirely unfazed, swept past him and disappeared down the corridor.
"Professor Dumbledore, I also—" Kyle began, intending to excuse himself as well, but Dumbledore cut him off.
"You may have to wait a little longer, Kyle," Dumbledore said gently. "Personally, I find certain memories quite fascinating. How about passing the time?"
Kyle hesitated, sensing something odd about Dumbledore's demeanor, but eventually nodded. Since Dumbledore had asked, he decided to stay.
"Kyle, you're here too?" Harry said, his mood brightening noticeably when he spotted him.
"Professor, what are we going to see today?" Harry asked eagerly, turning to Dumbledore.
"What a coincidence," Dumbledore remarked, pulling out his Pensieve. The silvery-white substance inside shimmered like liquid light, swirling restlessly.
"One of the memories we'll examine concerns Voldemort's mother," Dumbledore explained. "The memory comes from Caractacus Burke, one of the founders of Borgin and Burkes—the very shop that sold the Opal Necklace."
"Borgin and Burkes?" Harry echoed, his curiosity piqued.
"Yes," Dumbledore confirmed. He gently stirred the Pensieve as though sifting gold from sand, and an image began to take shape—a small, wiry man emerging from the silvery depths.
…
Meanwhile, in the castle, Snape, having left the Headmaster's Office, strode purposefully toward the Slytherin common room. Under the puzzled stares of onlookers, he grabbed Malfoy, who was idly staring into the flames of the fireplace, and dragged him out of the room without a word.
The two came to a halt in a deserted corridor.
"Let go of me..." Malfoy protested, struggling to break free from Snape's firm grip. "What do you want?"
"I should be the one asking that question," Snape replied, his expression dark with anger. "Casting a spell on a Gryffindor, forcing her to hand over an object imbued with dark magic to Kyle—do you even understand what you've done?"
"Don't lie to me. I know you bought that necklace from Borgin and Burkes."
"It wasn't me!" Malfoy snapped, but his voice faltered slightly. Then, with a defiant tilt of his chin, he added, "Alright, fine, it was me. So what? It's not like I cursed Bell myself. What does it matter to you?"
"It matters because I swore to your mother that I would protect you," Snape said sharply, pressing Malfoy against the cold stone wall of the corridor. "I made the Unbreakable Vow, Draco."
"Well, maybe you should go ahead and break it," Malfoy sneered, his voice dripping with disdain. "I don't need your protection. This is my job—he assigned it to me!"
"Then you should have come up with a proper plan instead of acting so recklessly," Snape hissed, lowering his voice but losing none of its venom. "This was unbelievably foolish. Even Kyle has figured out it was you!"
"Impossible," Malfoy scoffed, his lips curling into a mocking smirk. "That idiot thinks I helped him. He even got McGonagall to give me extra credit."
"You're the real idiot here," Snape snapped, his tone laced with disgust. "Can't you see what's happening? Do you honestly think the Dark Lord will be pleased when he learns about this?"
Snape's voice grew colder as he added with biting sarcasm, "Isn't it heartwarming, the way Hufflepuffs and Slytherins are working together?"
At those words, Malfoy froze. His defiance crumbled as the gravity of Snape's warning sank in, and a cold sweat broke out across his back, soaking through his robes.
…
"I'll help you with this," Snape said after a long pause. "But remember this: whatever your plan is, don't do anything stupid for a while... especially don't go after Kyle again. If anything, I'd rather you redirect your attention to Dumbledore."
"But I almost succeeded last time!" Malfoy argued, his voice rising with indignation.
"You could never succeed," Snape said coldly, fixing Malfoy with a piercing glare. "Perhaps you don't realize, but Kyle knows Nicolas Flamel. His achievements in alchemy surpass anything you could comprehend."
"Nicolas Flamel?" Malfoy repeated, blinking in disbelief. "You mean that ancient wizard who supposedly lived for over six centuries? That's impossible… how could Kyle possibly know someone so legendary?"
"Do you think I'd joke about something like this?" Snape retorted, taking a measured breath to calm himself. "In any case, Kyle likely knew from the very beginning what was in the package and how dangerous it was. Do you honestly think he'd be foolish enough to touch it?"
Malfoy remained silent, his confidence visibly shaken.
"Fortunately, you finally came to your senses and abandoned that idiotic plan before it was too late. Because of that, Kyle never actually touched the necklace," Snape continued, pacing the length of the corridor. "On the surface, at least, you've ended up helping him."
He stopped pacing and turned to face Malfoy directly. "Listen to me, Draco. For now, it's crucial that you avoid Kyle as much as possible—especially when there's no one else around."
Malfoy stayed silent, his expression unreadable.
"And what exactly is your plan?" Snape asked, his tone sharp with suspicion.
"You just want to take credit for what I've done!" Malfoy suddenly snapped, his voice filled with bitter defiance.
"Take credit?" Snape scoffed, his tone icy. "You're still thinking like a child. I'm trying to help you."
"No thanks!" Malfoy spat, shrugging Snape's hand off his shoulder. "I can manage on my own. I'll find a way."
Snape watched as Malfoy turned and stalked off, his back rigid with frustration. Snape's expression flickered as he stood there silently. After a long moment, he exhaled heavily and left in the opposite direction, disappearing down the dimly lit corridor.