Hogwarts: Third Dark Lord

Wentworth barely had time to catch his breath before diving into a tug-of-war with Cedric over the cauldron of food. It wasn't stinginess on Wentworth's part—it was the thrill of sharing a hot pot that made it taste even better!

As the two laughed and feasted, the door to the Hufflepuff common room suddenly swung open, and a flustered figure rushed inside.

"My goodness, all this smoke! Is there a fire?!"

Although Cedric had been occasionally using small spells to dispel the smoke, the steaming hot pot still left the room shrouded in a dense fog. For a moment, neither Wentworth nor Cedric could clearly see who had entered.

"Are you two brewing potions?!"

The newcomer stepped closer and was startled to find Wentworth and Cedric huddled around a cauldron filled to the brim with bubbling ingredients. Cedric's face was flushed, and sweat dripped from his brow.

Finally, the pair recognized the intruder: it was Kirk, Hufflepuff's fifth-year prefect.

"Cedric, are you feeling alright? Are you unwell? What are you two up to? If you're sick, you should see Madam Pomfrey! You're far too young to be recklessly brewing potions!"

Cedric and Wentworth exchanged a glance before bursting into laughter, leaving Kirk thoroughly baffled.

"Prefect, why are you back so soon? Have you already finished dinner?" Wentworth asked, pulling over a chair as Cedric gestured for Kirk to sit down.

Kirk, realizing he had misunderstood, sat down and explained, "Don't even ask. Those Weasley twins somehow got hold of a trick walking ball, and it ruined my robes. I came back to change. What's going on here?"

Sniffing the air curiously, Kirk's expression turned inquisitive.

Wentworth quickly placed a prepared dipping sauce in front of him, while Cedric fished out slices of meat and vegetables from the cauldron, piling them on a plate.

"Come on, Prefect Kirk, there's plenty to go around. Would you like to try some?"

"You're really eating… potions?!" Kirk exclaimed, horrified.

Cedric hurried to explain, "You've got it wrong, Prefect Kirk. We're just borrowing the cauldron temporarily. It's brand new—Wentworth brought it at the start of term and hasn't used it for anything else."

"Exactly!" Wentworth chimed in. "It's a Muggle dish I learned about called hot pot. It's delicious!"

Relieved, Kirk let out a long sigh. "You should've said so earlier. You scared me half to death—I thought you'd gone mad!"

Without hesitation, Kirk picked up a piece of meat, dipped it in the sauce, and popped it into his mouth.

"Mmm! This is fantastic! Wentworth, you've outdone yourself. The Sorting Hat made the right call with you!"

Kirk spoke between hearty bites, occasionally tossing more ingredients into the cauldron.

Cedric, watching in amusement, remarked, "Now I see why you're Hufflepuff's prefect. I had to muster all my courage just to take the first bite, but you didn't hesitate at all!"

Kirk tried to respond but nearly choked on a mouthful of meat. After regaining his composure, he said, "I'm not like those pure-blood supremacists. My father is a Muggle, and I adore him. He used to make all kinds of Muggle dishes for me when I was a child. This hot pot is new to me, though. Thank you, Wentworth, for introducing me to something so delicious. If you ever need help, just let me know."

Wentworth expressed his gratitude, replying, "Thank you, Prefect Kirk. I'm glad you enjoyed it!"

"Enjoyed it? I loved it! Honestly, the magical world's disdain for all things Muggle is so misguided. At the very least, their food is worth exploring!" Kirk laughed heartily.

"You're absolutely right," Wentworth agreed. "The Muggle world progresses much faster than ours in many ways, don't you think?"

The conversation grew livelier as the three bonded over the meal. Kirk even forgot about changing his robes.

Meanwhile, back in the Great Hall, the students seated at Hufflepuff's table were growing restless. Noticing Kirk's prolonged absence, a few of his housemates began to worry.

Two students decided to leave their meals and head to the Hufflepuff common room to check on him. But to everyone's surprise, they didn't return either.

Hufflepuff's common room was the closest to the Great Hall, with no tricky staircases or riddle-guarded doors to navigate. Rumors quickly spread along the Hufflepuff table: no one who entered the common room that afternoon had come back.

The growing unease among the students led to a collective decision. Rather than involving the professors and risking ridicule from other houses, they would investigate together.

In a rare display of unity, every Hufflepuff student rose from the table and marched out of the Great Hall.

Their unusual procession, with most students brandishing their wands, drew startled looks from the other houses. Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin students watched in hushed curiosity but dared not follow. Some, however, ran off to alert the professors.

Before long, the entire Hufflepuff house gathered at the entrance to their common room, wands at the ready.

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