Kyle didn't see Umbridge again for the rest of the holiday, as though she were deliberately avoiding him.
This suited Kyle perfectly—he had no desire to deal with her during the break.
Others, however, weren't as fortunate. Around the castle, Kyle frequently overheard complaints from students and staff about being reprimanded by Umbridge over trivial matters.
She was like an amplified version of Filch, spreading misery and frustration throughout the castle.
On the last evening of the holidays, when the Hogwarts Express brought back students returning from their Christmas break, the castle sprang back to life.
Fred and George Weasley quickly became the center of attention in the Great Hall. They conjured a platform about the height of a table and climbed onto it to showcase their latest product from Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes.
The item was a peculiar pointed hat adorned with pink feathers. It looked absurd at first glance, but when Fred placed it on his head, the hat—and his head—vanished entirely.
The display provoked gasps and cheers, followed by roaring laughter that echoed through the Hall.
Kyle, intrigued, watched closely. Not many products could create true invisibility.
At first, he assumed the Weasleys had used Demiguise fur, a common material for invisibility cloaks. But he quickly dismissed the idea when George loudly announced that the hats were priced at just two Galleons each.
No way you could get that much Demiguise fur for two Galleons, Kyle thought. It didn't add up.
Moreover, the effect wasn't like a typical invisibility cloak, which only concealed areas directly covered by the material. If the cloak was too small, some parts of the body would remain visible.
Fred's head had disappeared entirely—along with everything below his eyebrows, even though it wasn't covered by the hat. The principle was entirely different.
Kyle theorized that the Weasleys had combined a Disillusionment Charm with Extension Runes to achieve the effect.
"What a clever idea," Cedric said, clapping along with the crowd. "If they improve the design, they might even be able to make the entire body invisible."
"That's easier said than done," Kyle replied. "I doubt they'll invest the time. They've got a new shop to stock."
"True," Cedric agreed with a shrug.
Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, having recently opened, likely needed a steady stream of innovative products to fill their shelves. Spending too much time on a single item wouldn't make sense when a simple Disillusionment Charm could serve the same purpose.
As the Great Hall filled with more students, Fred and George found themselves swarmed by eager customers. A long line quickly formed, but their impromptu demonstration was cut short when Professor McGonagall entered.
The twins reluctantly stepped down from their platform and dispersed into the crowd.
Moments later, Professor Snape appeared. But instead of heading to the teachers' table, he marched directly to the Hufflepuff table, stopping in front of Kyle.
"Come with me," he ordered curtly, turning and striding out of the Hall without waiting for a response.
"What did you do now?" Cedric asked, half amused. "Have you managed to offend Snape again?"
"No idea," Kyle replied, rising to follow Snape into the foyer.
As soon as they were alone, Snape stopped and fixed Kyle with his usual icy stare.
"Today is the last day of the holidays," Snape said flatly. "Yet I haven't seen Potter anywhere. Nor has anyone else in the castle."
Kyle hesitated, unsure where this was going.
"I now have serious doubts about whether you're actually teaching him Occlumency," Snape continued. "Or if, perhaps, you've expelled him from school entirely. If it's the latter, you'll have to explain yourself to the Headmaster."
Harry?
Realization struck Kyle like a lightning bolt. He smacked his forehead and exclaimed, "Oh no! Why didn't you say something earlier?"
Without another word, he spun on his heel and dashed up the stairs.
Snape stood motionless, his expression darkening with each passing second. He looked as though he was on the verge of a spectacular outburst, but Kyle was already halfway up the staircase, too focused to notice.
That explains it.
Kyle suddenly recalled how Hermione and Ron had been searching the Great Hall earlier. They weren't just restless—they'd been looking for Harry.
Kyle sprinted to the eighth floor, heading straight for the Room of Requirement.
When he pushed open the door, he was greeted by an unexpected sight.
A splash rippled across the surface of a lake inside the room. Moments later, a drenched Harry Potter stumbled onto the shore, his clothes dripping wet. With practiced ease, he performed a silent Hot Air Charm to dry himself.
Kyle paused, impressed.
Maybe he's not great at Occlumency, Kyle thought, but his nonverbal magic is coming along nicely.
Before Kyle could say anything, Harry plunged back into the lake. Moments later, he clambered ashore again and repeated the spell.
Nearby, Fawkes perched on a large tree, happily munching on the pods of Snargaluff beans. Every so often, the Phoenix glanced in Harry's direction, seemingly amused by the boy's determination.
When Fawkes noticed Kyle, he spread his magnificent wings and flew over.
The commotion naturally caught Harry's attention. He turned toward the noise, his face blank as he muttered to himself, "Strange, I see Kyle—and this time, there's a Phoenix too. I must be dreaming again."
He frowned, rubbing his head. "But that's not right. It hurt quite a bit just now. Could I have been knocked unconscious?"
It wasn't until the Wampus Cat bounded over to Kyle in a couple of leaps that Harry finally realized this wasn't a dream. His face lit up with excitement as he ran toward Kyle, stumbling slightly in his rush.
"Is it over? Is the training finally over?" Harry asked eagerly, his voice trembling with hope. "I promise I've learned Occlumency—really!"
Kyle didn't doubt him.
During the brief time he had observed, Kyle had noticed the Wampus Cat hesitating several times during its movements, a clear sign it couldn't fully see into Harry's thoughts.
The Wampus Cat confirmed this with a low growl.
"You can still see his thoughts, but they're blurry now, right?" Kyle asked.
The Wampus Cat nodded, shooting Harry a mildly exasperated look. These past few days had been exhausting—not just for Harry but for the Wampus Cat as well. Beating someone without causing serious injury required finesse and patience, and even the creature seemed ready for this ordeal to end.
"You've worked hard, Natali," Kyle said, opening his suitcase. "I've brought you some warthog legs and a dragon steak. Go ahead and eat."
Without hesitation, the Wampus Cat jumped into the suitcase. Fawkes followed, fluttering down into the case as well. The Phoenix clearly didn't want to risk being seen by other students.
"Kyle... is that a Phoenix?" Harry asked, rubbing his eyes as though he couldn't believe what he'd seen.
"Yeah, it's Fawkes. You've probably seen him before in the Headmaster's office," Kyle said as he picked up the suitcase. "He's been keeping an eye on you during training—and he's sort of your healer in case things go south."
Kyle gestured toward the door. "All right, let's get out of here. Unless you're planning to stay?"
Before Kyle could finish the sentence, Harry bolted for the door.
Stay here? Absolutely not!
Harry couldn't even begin to count how many times he had been struck during training. All he knew was that he had endured endless beatings, and the water he had splashed into the lake could have filled it twice over.
In comparison, the ten years he had spent with the Dursleys felt almost idyllic. At least his aunt and uncle hadn't hit him with a stick every five minutes. The Wampus Cat, however, was relentless, its tail as hard as iron. Each swipe left a stinging mark but never hit the bone, leaving Harry without a valid excuse to give up.
At one point, Harry had even considered that learning Occlumency from Snape might have been the better option.
"I've been getting hit nearly every second of the day!" Harry complained as they made their way back to the Great Hall. "Sometimes, even when I'm sleeping, my bed gets flipped over for no reason!"
"That only happens if you oversleep," Kyle said matter-of-factly. "The Wampus Cat only trains during the scheduled hours."
"Even so..." Harry shrugged. "I still need my rest. And you never came back to the Room of Requirement after leaving me there!"
"It's part of the teaching method," Kyle explained. "Learning Occlumency requires eliminating extraneous emotions. Prolonged, focused training prevents distractions and helps keep your mind in a state of complete calm."
He added with a wry smile, "I went through the same thing when I started. I lived and trained with the Wampus Cat, and I got beaten almost every day as soon as I opened my eyes."
Hearing that Kyle had endured the same treatment lifted Harry's spirits slightly. On reflection, the past few days hadn't been entirely awful. He realized that annoying thoughts about Voldemort, the Order of the Phoenix, and even Umbridge had faded from his mind. His sleep had improved, too—he could fall asleep the moment his head hit the pillow and wake up feeling rested.
"By the way, Kyle, how long did it take you to learn Occlumency?" Harry asked, his curiosity piqued.
"I don't remember exactly..." Kyle mused. "But it was about a week. The Wampus Cat couldn't read my mind anymore after that. Why do you ask?"
"Oh, no reason." Harry shook his head, secretly delighted.
It only took Kyle a week, and it took me the same amount of time!
The thought was thrilling. Kyle was known for his magical prowess, and Harry had never considered himself on the same level. It felt like discovering he had scored as high as Hermione on an exam—an unexpected and exhilarating surprise.
His earlier frustration faded, and Harry even managed a half-joking remark. "I've been counting the days, you know. I figured since today was the last day of the holidays, you'd come get me. I almost thought you'd forgotten!"
"Haha... No way," Kyle said with a dry laugh. "It's just that Umbridge came back to the school early. And you didn't sign the stay-behind list, did you? If she'd seen it, it could've caused trouble."
"Umbridge is back?" Harry's good mood soured instantly.
"You're right—if she found out I was here early, she'd be thrilled," Harry muttered. "Come to think of it, I'd rather deal with the Wampus Cat's tail than an interrogation from her."
"Ah, it's all part of my job," Kyle said lightly. "Come on, let's hurry—the feast should be starting soon."
"A feast?" Harry's eyes lit up.
Though House-elves had brought him meals during training, the endless torment from the Wampus Cat had killed his appetite. He had eaten only to keep himself going. Now, the thought of a lively feast filled with delicious food made him quicken his pace.
...
When Kyle and Harry returned to the Great Hall, it was already brimming with students. The lively atmosphere buzzed with conversations and laughter.
Harry's eyes instinctively flicked toward the teachers' table. Snape sat in his usual spot, but something about his expression seemed... off. His gaze was sharp, almost scrutinizing, yet different from the usual sneering disdain Harry had come to expect.
Harry didn't dwell on it. After a quick glance, he turned away and headed straight for the Gryffindor table.
Snape, however, was caught off guard. His eyebrows twitched slightly, and his lips pressed into a thin line as he processed what he had just observed. Potter has actually learned Occlumency.
Though Harry's mind was no fortress, it had progressed from being a sieve to something akin to a fine mesh—enough to block casual mental intrusions. For Harry to achieve such progress in a single week was remarkable, even for someone with natural talent.
The realization made Snape deeply uncomfortable.
He had spent weeks teaching Harry with little to no improvement to show for it. Yet Kyle, a sixth-year student, had managed to accomplish in days what he, a seasoned professor, could not. The comparison stung, poking at Snape's pride as both a teacher and a master of Occlumency.
Snape's brooding was interrupted by Dumbledore, who glanced at him with a subtle nod of approval. The Headmaster had clearly noticed Harry's improvement and, predictably, attributed the success to Snape.
This only made Snape feel worse. He couldn't bring himself to claim credit for Kyle's work, yet explaining the truth in front of the other professors—especially Umbridge—was not an option. Resigned, he remained silent and sulked.
Meanwhile, at the Gryffindor table, Harry had barely sat down when Hermione and Ron rushed over to him.
"Where have you been?" Hermione demanded, her tone laced with worry.
"We've been looking for you for half an hour!" Ron added. "Everyone we asked said they haven't seen you for days."
"I've been in the Room of Requirement," Harry replied quietly. "You know, working on Occlumency."
"How's it going?" Ron asked eagerly.
"Well... not bad," Harry admitted, a hint of pride creeping into his voice. "I think I've learned it."
"You've learned it?" Hermione gasped, her eyes wide with disbelief. "That fast?"
"Fast?" Ron said, looking confused. "He spent the whole holiday on it. Isn't it normal to learn a spell in that much time? Is Occlumency really that hard?"
"It's very difficult!" Hermione said emphatically, her voice low but serious. "It's far more complex than any charm we've learned—more than the Disillusionment Charm, the Patronus Charm, or even the Animagus Transformation."
She hesitated, then added, "I've been trying to learn it myself."
This admission caught Harry off guard.
Hermione continued, "I read everything I could find: Add a Door to Your Brain, Control Your Thoughts, Memory and Thought. Mr. Weasley recommended those books, and I even consulted Bill and Tonks. But..." She sighed, looking frustrated. "Even after weeks of effort, I've made barely any progress. Bill said I'd improved, but I know he was just being polite."
Hermione looked at Harry with an almost desperate intensity. "How did you do it? What method did you use? Can you tell me?"
Harry froze for a moment. The memory of the Wampus Cat—its six legs, its iron-hard tail, and the endless thrashing—flashed vividly in his mind. He involuntarily winced.
"Trust me, Hermione, you don't want to know," Harry said, his voice tinged with resignation. "You definitely wouldn't like it."
Hermione looked unconvinced. "Harry, I'm serious. If there's a way to learn Occlumency, I'll do whatever it takes. No matter how hard it is, I can handle it."
Harry sighed. Hermione's determination was no act. She was one of the most tenacious people he knew, and her history proved it. She had managed to juggle twelve subjects in their third year, including using a Time-Turner to attend overlapping classes. Few students in Hogwarts' history could match her persistence.
"This is not difficult…" Harry began, but seeing the disbelief on Hermione's face, he hesitated. Then, as if to prove his point, he pulled up his sleeve.
"See for yourself."
His arm was a patchwork of bruises, dark splotches of varying sizes that looked as though someone had splattered paint on him.
"Oh, By Merlin's beard!"
"Goodness!"
Hermione and Ron gasped in unison, their outburst immediately drawing the attention of nearby students.
Panicking slightly, Harry yanked his sleeve back down and muttered, "It's fine, really."
"Did Snape do this?" Hermione asked furiously, her face flushed with indignation. "That's outrageous! How could he hit you? That's against school rules—no, against Wizarding Law! I'm telling the Headmaster!"
"Yes!" Ron added, equally outraged. "He shouldn't even be a professor!"
"Hey, calm down," Harry interjected in a hushed voice. "Snape's done plenty of awful things, but this has nothing to do with him. It was Kyle."
"Kyle?" Hermione echoed, confused. "Even Kyle shouldn't have—"
"No, no, no! It wasn't Kyle who hit me—it was a Wampus Cat," Harry said quickly, cutting her off.
That explanation only deepened Hermione's confusion. A Wampus Cat? It sounded absurd. Wampus Cats were exceptionally rare Magical Creatures, practically unheard of in Britain. How could there possibly be one at Hogwarts?
Harry sighed and launched into a recounting of the past week's events, from Kyle's peculiar training methods to his time spent dodging the Wampus Cat's iron-hard tail.
As he spoke, Hermione and Ron stared at him in slack-jawed astonishment, their expressions reminiscent of someone hearing about a Troll learning to perform ballet.
When Harry finally finished, he shrugged as if the ordeal had been only mildly inconvenient. "That's it. They look bad, but the injuries are just superficial. They'll be gone in a day or two—nothing to worry about."
"So... you spent the whole week with the Wampus Cat?" Ron asked, his tone a mix of disbelief and pity.
Harry's voice dropped an octave, heavy with weariness. "The whole week."
"In that case," Hermione said thoughtfully, "it seems the Wampus Cat's eyes really do have Legilimency powers." She paused, then added, "But you should know that when its eyes turn purple, they also gain hypnotic properties. That's the most dangerous thing about a Wampus Cat—very few defensive spells can resist its hypnotic gaze."
"Huh?" Harry blinked, scratching his head. "Hypnotic? I didn't know it could do that. Its eyes were blue the whole time."
Hermione's brows furrowed. "Haven't you ever thought about reading? You know the Room of Requirement provides books based on your needs. We did it during the DA meetings."
"And everything I just said is in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, by the way."
"Come on, Hermione," Harry groaned. "I was too busy getting chased and beaten! When would I have had time to read?"
Hermione pursed her lips. "What about the hours you spent sleeping? Couldn't you spare twenty minutes to learn about your opponent?"
"Twenty minutes?" Harry let out an exasperated sigh. "You don't get it. I was so exhausted, I fell asleep right on the floor—right in the doorway—more than once!"
Hermione opened her mouth to argue but closed it again with a sigh. "Fine. Let's just get you to the Hospital Wing after dinner. Madam Pomfrey can fix you up in no time."
"No," Harry said firmly. "What I need most right now is a long night's sleep in my own bed. These bruises will heal on their own—trust me, it'll all be gone in two days."
He hesitated before adding, "But Hermione, if you're thinking about learning Occlumency, I don't recommend doing it this way. It's not worth the pain."
Hermione didn't argue. For once, she agreed. Harry's crash course didn't sound remotely appealing, even to someone as driven as she was.