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Chapter 309: A Quiet Christmas
Chapter 309: A Quiet Christmas
Christmas was approaching, but the atmosphere in the castle was not as cheerful as it had been before.
The attacks on Nearly Headless Nick and the Bloody Baron had heightened the already tense and anxious mood, turning it into genuine panic.
Even ghosts were not spared... What terrifying force could harm those who were already dead?
The students couldn't wait to leave the school, and those who had planned to stay were now changing their minds and approaching professors to alter their plans.
Everyone was rushing to book seats on the Hogwarts Express, eager to go home for the holidays.
In the days leading up to the break, Harry had become completely isolated. Wherever he went, people stared at him from a distance, neither approaching nor letting him out of their sight.
They were afraid he would release the monster from the Chamber of Secrets again.
"Don't pay any attention to them, Harry," Ron said as he stuffed a few chicken legs into his bag during a meal. "They don't know anything. You have the Invisibility Cloak. If you really wanted to do something sneaky, they'd just stand there looking stupid."
"Yeah, maybe I could use the Invisibility Cloak to scare them," Harry said, forcing a smile.
"That's a great idea," Ron said. "Especially with Macmillan. If you suddenly appeared behind him, he probably wouldn't dare follow you anymore."
"Stop coming up with silly ideas, Ron. Harry's in enough trouble as it is," Hermione chided as she placed a bowl of pudding in front of Harry.
"Just a few more days, the Polyjuice Potion will be ready soon, and we can get Malfoy to spill everything. Then the truth will come out," she added.
"Let's hope so," Harry said, taking a bite of the pudding.
The sweet and tangy orange flavor did lift his spirits a little.
Beside him, Ron stuffed another piece of toast into his bag.
"I was going to ask what you're doing with all that food," Harry said, puzzled. "If you're short on snacks, I still have some candy..."
"It's not for me, it's for Scabbers," Ron explained.
"He's lost a lot of weight these past few days, and I want to fatten him up."
"Don't you have Rat Tonic?"
"I finished the last of it yesterday," Ron said, holding up an empty bottle.
"Isn't that supposed to last a year?" Hermione frowned. "Are you sure it's okay that you've used it all up already?"
"It's not just okay, it's not enough," Ron said. "Scabbers is getting older, and the tonic doesn't seem to be working as well as it did last year."
He turned to Hermione and asked, "By the way, does that book, Most Potente Potions, have a recipe for making Rat Tonic?"
"No!" Hermione's face turned stiff.
She really wanted to see what was going on inside Ron's brain... Who would think that Most Potente Potions, a book locked in the Restricted Section, would contain instructions for making rat tonic?
However, Ron didn't seem to notice Hermione's stare as he mumbled, "Maybe we could take a look in that room on the eighth floor... There's everything there."
"Good luck with that," Hermione replied dismissively.
...
Finally, the term came to an end, and the castle became noticeably quieter.
On Christmas day, Kyle woke up early and began unwrapping the pile of gifts at his feet.
This year, he received a lot more books, and the number of books was almost equal to the amount of candy and snacks.
Fuyong Drakul had sent a crystal music box from France that contained all the songs of the Unicorn Band.
The headmaster had continued last year's style, adding embellishments with Fawkes' feathers, which matched perfectly with the socks to form a set.
However, Kyle only glanced at them and put them aside with the pair of socks he had never worn before.
They were just too eye-catching...
Connor's craftsmanship had improved significantly, and the gloves felt comfortable.
After unwrapping his presents, Kyle left the dormitory.
The entire common room was empty, not a soul in sight.
This year, even Connor had been taken home by Snape, leaving Kyle as the sole Hufflepuff remaining at Hogwarts.
Cedric had originally wanted to stay and keep him company, but Mr. Diggory had sent five owls in one day, urging him to return home.
But perhaps it was for the best.
Kyle had stayed back to investigate the diary, and having fewer people around would make it easier.
On the other hand, Gryffindor Tower was bustling with activity.
The entire Weasley family, including Ginny and Percy, had opted to stay at school.
The Weasley parents had gone to visit Bill, not wanting to travel too far.
It was worth mentioning that Mr. Weasley had received a promotion to Director of the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office, citing his outstanding performance during the spot checks.
So, a week before Christmas, he officially took on his new role, though his work remained largely unchanged; his monthly salary, however, now included an extra ten Galleons.
...
After a quick lunch of sandwiches in the common room, Kyle made his way to the eighth floor, toward the Room of Requirement.
Strangely, the door seemed to be sealed shut, refusing to budge no matter how hard he pushed.
It was only after ten minutes that Hermione emerged from within.
Seeing Kyle standing by the door, she suddenly looked nervous.
"Kyle, what are you doing here?" she asked.
"I'm here to use the Room of Requirement, of course," Kyle replied. "Aren't you, too?"
"So that's what it's called—the Room of Requirement," Hermione breathed a sigh of relief when she realized it had nothing to do with the Polyjuice Potion. "A very fitting name."
"You didn't know?" Kyle smiled. "Depending on one's needs, it transforms into the corresponding room, hence the name."
"We discovered it by accident," Hermione explained. "We were looking for a place to brew—I mean, practice Potions, and suddenly this door appeared, filled with cauldrons and potion books.
But none of the books or maps about the castle mention this place... It took us a long time to figure out its pattern of appearance."
"This is one of Hogwarts' hidden rooms, protected by special magic, which is why it can't be mapped," Kyle said. "You won't find it on any map."
"No wonder..." Hermione nodded, but then her expression changed as she seemed to realize something, and she became anxious again. "But why were you waiting outside?"
"Are you worried that I might want to practice Potions, too, and that I would see what you're up to if I went in since you're in there?" Kyle asked.
She couldn't help but be nervous, as the Polyjuice Potion was still unfinished. If Kyle needed a Potions room as well, he would immediately see what they were working on.
"No, it's not that," Kyle shook his head. "I don't plan to brew Potions here. But since there's only one door, it can only lead to one room. If someone is inside, others naturally can't use it."
(End of Chapter)
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