Chapter 106: Christmas Holidays
Chapter 106: Christmas Holidays
About two weeks after The Prophet publicly announced that Cornelius Fudge would be the next Minister of Magic, the competition prizes were delivered by owl post.
Outside, the snow was still falling as the owl post rushed into the hall as usual.
Among them, an owl dropped a frost-covered envelope in front of Albert. Soon after, another owl threw a heavy-looking leather pouch onto the table in front of Albert, and the dull metallic sound immediately drew the attention of those around him.
Albert picked up the leather pouch, weighed it in his hand, and guessed what was inside from the crisp sound.
He did not open the pouch immediately but instead placed it in his backpack. Then, he withdrew his wand and cast a drying spell to remove the frost from the envelope before opening it to read the contents.
The letter read:
Congratulations, Mr. Albert Anderson.
You have won a 100-Galleon prize for participating in the "Guess the Next Minister of Magic" contest. Please sign for it. — Barnabas Cuffe Note: Do not open the leather pouch before signing. It has been enchanted to ensure that only you, Mr. Anderson, can receive this prize.
Enclosed with the letter was another piece of parchment, a magical contract to ensure that Albert himself received the prize.
If anyone else tries to take this money that does not belong to them from the leather pouch, there will be trouble. The letter did not specify what kind of trouble, and Albert guessed it could be some sort of curse or tracking magic that would allow them to find the thief who stole the money.
Albert wanted to keep this a secret as low-key as possible. However, secrets always have a way of getting out.
Soon, the entire school knew that he had participated in The Prophet's guessing game and had won a large sum of Galleons.
But how much exactly?
No one knew the exact amount. Some said 50 Galleons, others guessed 100, and some even speculated 200. Finally, George couldn't hold back and revealed the truth, making a lot of people extremely envious.
Whenever someone brought up the topic, their tone was sour enough to corrode a hole in the ground.
"Everyone's calling you 'Lucky Albert' now," said Hannah, sitting in front of Albert as she turned around to ask, "How do you feel about it?"
"It's great," Albert replied with a smile. "I like the nickname, and I hope my luck continues. Maybe I'll win another big prize."
"You can lie down on the table and sleep now; maybe you'll dream of winning a big prize," Hannah said, rolling her eyes.
"I've always had pretty good luck," Albert said as he took out his wand and waved it in front of the group. "Mr. Ollivander told me that wands made of redwood bring luck to their owners, and my wand is made of redwood."
"Can redwood bring luck?" Angelina asked, her face full of doubt as she clearly didn't believe what she was hearing.
"There has been such a saying," Katrina said, giving Albert a strange look. "It's said that wands made from redwood bring luck to their owners, so they're quite popular among wizards. Of course, some people think it's a load of rubbish."
"Of course, it's true," Albert said, his expression one of certainty that his wand brought him luck.
Lee Jordan next to him was twitching slightly, as he remembered that it was indeed the case. Back then, Albert had "placed his wand vertically on the table and let it fall to one side," and then, for some inexplicable reason, decided to bet 25 Galleons on Cornelius Fudge.
When Fred recounted the situation to everyone, they were all left stunned, their expressions asking if he was taking the mick.
What kind of crazy move was that? Was that even the proper way to win a big prize?
However, the discussion didn't last long as the Christmas holidays were quietly approaching.
After packing his bags, Albert boarded the school's Night Thestral carriage and traveled along the snow-covered road to Hogsmeade Station.
"What are you doing?" George asked in confusion as he saw Albert reaching forward and touching the front of the carriage.
"Aren't you guys curious about what's pulling the carriage?" Albert asked, pointing to the snow on the ground. "Don't you see the hoof prints in the snow?"
"Something's pulling the carriage?" The three friends were shocked, but the hoof prints in the snow were undeniable evidence of an invisible horse.
"Thestrals," Albert whispered. "It's said that only those who have seen death can see Thestrals."
"I've heard of those creatures; they're bad omens," Lee Jordan said, trying to pull Albert away from the Thestrals. "They're supposed to bring disaster and misfortune to those who lay eyes on them."
"You're overthinking it," Albert scoffed, rolling his eyes at Lee Jordan. "Thestrals are just a type of winged horse with an unfortunate association with death. Otherwise, do you think Hogwarts would use them to pull carriages?" With that, Albert grabbed his luggage and made his way into the express train, intending to find an empty compartment to rest.
As the train sped through the countryside, Albert gazed out the window, his mood uplifted by the passing scenery. Along the journey, the group snacked and chatted about their plans for the Christmas holidays.
To pass the time, they played a game of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans Adventure, a suggestion made by Fred. The game involved blindly picking a bean, popping it into your mouth, and seeing who got the strangest flavor.
Lee Jordan had the worst luck, biting into a bean that tasted like mud. He declared once again, in front of everyone, that he would never eat those beans again, eliciting laughter from the group.
As the train passed through Muggle towns, Albert removed his wizard's cloak and put on a Muggle coat, grateful that Daisy had thoughtfully prepared it for him. Otherwise, he might have forgotten about the necessity of blending in.
In the afternoon, the train finally pulled into King's Cross Station.
As they prepared to leave Platform Nine and Three-Quarters, a scrawny old guard blocked their path at the ticket gate, refusing to let too many people through at once.
A large group of people emerging from a solid wall naturally attracted the attention of the Muggles around them.
However, it was the Hogwarts students who drew the most curious stares.
As Albert stepped out, he noticed a man dressed incongruously standing nearby, with several people from the Ministry of Magic in his company.
One of them had even cast a Disillusionment Charm on himself, but his technique was lacking, as Albert could vaguely make out his position.
Before mastering the Disillusionment Charm himself, Albert might not have noticed such an attempt, but now he had a good understanding of the spell and could easily spot its flaws.
"Bye, Albert!"
"See you, Albert!"
Lee Jordan and Shanna waved goodbye to Albert.
"Goodbye," Albert replied, waving back.
"There he is, Mom! There's Albert!" Nia waved frantically as she ran towards them. Albert smiled widely and waved at his family. Then, turning to Fred and George, he said, "Goodbye, I'm off!"
"Goodbye, my family's here too," Fred said, pointing to the distance. Albert spotted the Weasley family, with Fred's younger brother, Ron, and sister, Ginny, among them.
"What are you looking at?" Nia complained.
"Alright, alright, I'll buy you some snacks. But you'll have to wait until we're on the train," Albert said, reaching out to ruffle Nia's hair. However, the girl dodged his hand.
"Don't mess with a lady's hair, it's rude," Nia scolded him.
Herbert couldn't help but laugh, taking Albert's luggage from him and asking, "How's life at Hogwarts?"
"Pretty good. I've learned a lot of useful things," Albert replied without hesitation.
"Welcome home," Daisy said, handing Tom to Albert.
"He's gained some weight," Albert commented, feeling the heft of the cat in his arms.
"He stayed with Grandfather for a few days recently," Nia whispered. "You know what Grandma Shanessa is like."
Albert looked at his chubby cat and sighed. Settling into the back seat of the car, he placed Tom on his lap and began stroking his fur, murmuring, "Time to go on a diet."
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
