Kyle leaned against the wall, listening as the footsteps outside gradually faded away.
"Ssshh..." a soft intake of breath sounded from a distance.
Harry lifted his Cloak of Invisibility and, as if by magic, suddenly appeared in the room. Oblivious to the fact that he wasn't alone, he let the cloak slip away and began to survey the room. His gaze soon landed on an imposing mirror, and with piqued curiosity, he approached, wanting a look at his reflection.
As Harry stepped up to the mirror, he found himself unable to move, captivated by what he saw.
Not far away, Kyle, who had witnessed everything, rubbed his forehead. He had seen this mirror last year in the Headmaster's office—it was The Mirror of Erised. Kyle knew the pull it would have on Harry, but now was not the time to be lost in its allure.
Snape had just mentioned he was going to check the dormitories; surely Harry hadn't forgotten?
Fine. I'd better give him a nudge.
As Kyle left the room, he made a loud noise on purpose and tossed a Knut. As a skilled Chaser, his aim was spot-on; the Knut arced through the air and landed precisely on Harry's forehead.
Hopefully, that will snap him out of it.
By then, there were no professors patrolling the fourth floor. After leaving the room, Kyle quickly ducked behind a suit of armor and slipped into a secret passage that led to the underground classroom.
In the kitchen corridor, a few students had gathered, looking groggy but curious about the commotion and too nervous to leave the area. Using the Disillusionment Charm, Kyle blended into the crowd and returned to the common room with them once Professor Sprout arrived.
"Kyle, did you sneak out?"
In the common room, Kanna, hugging a pillow, asked sleepily, "What on earth happened outside?"
"I don't know," Kyle replied calmly, shaking his head. "I went out after I was woken up, but it was pitch dark, and I didn't see anyone."
Kanna nodded, looking dazed and only half-listening.
The next day, all of Hogwarts was abuzz with talk about the previous night's events, and nearly half the students were yawning over breakfast.
"That was close," Ron mumbled, sleepily poking at a piece of fried egg on his plate. "Professor McGonagall almost caught you out of bed last night. How did you manage that..."
"For the last time, Ron, it wasn't me!" Harry said, sounding frustrated. "I was just at the library!"
"There was someone else!" Harry insisted, recalling the details. "Remember that mirror I told you about? I was completely absorbed in looking at it when someone threw something and hit me. If they hadn't, McGonagall would've definitely caught me."
"Well, that was actually kind of decent of them," Ron murmured thoughtfully. "They could've ignored you, and then any points lost or detentions would've been yours alone. They would've stayed out of it completely."
"Exactly. But who could it have been..."
Harry glanced around the Great Hall. "Ron, do you think someone else has a Cloak of Invisibility like mine?"
He hadn't noticed anyone else nearby last night, just as Filch hadn't seen him. And, as far as Harry could tell, only the Cloak of Invisibility could accomplish that.
"I don't think so..." Ron mused, shaking his head. "The Cloak of Invisibility is a rare item, even among wizards. But... maybe Malfoy might have one."
He recalled Malfoy spending a hundred Galleons on a toy just before Christmas. If he wanted a Cloak of Invisibility, it wouldn't be out of reach.
"Yeah, you're right," Harry nodded, guessing Ron's line of thought. "But Malfoy went home for the holidays. He wasn't at school yesterday."
"True, that's a pity..." Ron sighed.
After a quiet moment, Harry's thoughts returned to the mirror and the image he'd seen. The figures from the mirror lingered in his mind—could they have been his parents? The glimpse had been too brief for him to be sure, and he resolved to return that night.
Unbeknownst to them, Fred and George, who were nearby, overheard their conversation.
"Did you catch that, George? Cloak of Invisibility..." Fred raised an eyebrow, intrigued.
"Of course, Fred," George replied in a low voice, grinning. "There aren't many around here with a Cloak of Invisibility, and one of them happens to be our dear friend."
"Lucky we stayed at school over Christmas, or we'd have missed all the fun."
"True," Fred nodded with a smirk. "Kyle's a legend, getting everyone up five hours early... Brilliant idea!"
Fred glanced toward the Hufflepuff table and wondered aloud, "But why isn't Kyle in the hall yet? I'm itching to ask him what happened."
"Probably still sleeping," George replied. "Hufflepuff's common room is next to the kitchen, so he can grab a bite whenever he wants."
"That's convenient..." Fred sighed. "If only we could move Gryffindor's common room closer."
"Yeah... then we wouldn't have to trek downstairs every night."
Meanwhile, the professors at the head table were having a similar conversation. They had combed through each house's dormitories the night before, only to find no students missing.
"We must've gone too late," Snape muttered, glancing toward Harry. "I suggest we ask the Fat Lady if any young wizards slipped out in the middle of the night."
Professor McGonagall pursed her lips, giving Snape a thoughtful look.
"Severus, we don't consult the Fat Lady about our own students." Dumbledore, seated beside her, shook his head. "And it wouldn't be fair to the other three houses. But you could try asking the portraits in the corridor."
"I will..." Snape's expression darkened slightly as he shot another look toward Gryffindor before leaving the head table.
"Actually, I already have." After Snape had gone, Dumbledore winked at Professor McGonagall, chuckling. "But they didn't see a thing. Quite a clever little wizard..."
Professor McGonagall frowned slightly, appearing unconvinced by Dumbledore's praise for "cleverness."
Unaware of her expression, Dumbledore continued slicing a piece of bacon. "It's been a long time since Hogwarts was this lively. I'd bet Hagrid is thrilled. He's been fretting over the Flesh-Eating Slugs in the vegetable garden, and now, that problem's taken care of."