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Chapter 643: Pre-Holiday Party
Chapter 643: Pre-Holiday Party
The following days were uneventful, with students eagerly discussing how to celebrate the New Year and beginning to pack their bags. However, these activities were of little concern to the members of the Animagus class, who had collectively decided to stay at school.
Practicing Animagus transformation had a significant impact on their daily studies, and none of them wanted to waste their two-week holiday. In the common room, Harry and his friends were still struggling with a tiny leaf, trying to make it behave.
"Only two days until Christmas", Hermione said irritably.
Harry's heart suddenly raced. "So we're going to get the Mandrake leaf?" he asked. Christmas night was a full moon, which meant they would have to attempt the transformation, ready or not.
"Exactly", Hermione said, looking at a piece of parchment. "But there are two dinners standing between us and that tiny, adorable leaf... and they happen to be right now! I've never found dinners so boring..." She roughly erased a line of notes on the paper.
Harry knew that Hermione had a passionate preference for preparation. In recent days, she had gathered advice from various sources, but none of the methods were foolproof. She even forced Harry to call Sirius Star early and then pretended to appear casually, pulling out a pre-prepared list of questions as if by magic.
"Professor Slughorn is still up to something. I wonder what he has in store this time", Harry said, feeling deeply.
Ron shrugged. Besides the Christmas dinner, they also had to attend a personal banquet hosted by Professor Slughorn that evening, as most students would be leaving the next day.
"Actually, his small parties are pretty good. There's good food and the chance to meet famous wizards..." Ron said, his eyes narrowing with a nostalgic look. "You know Gwynog Jones, the captain of the Holyhead Harpies? He called me 'dear Mr. Weasley'... and said I was young and promising! It's true, but it felt good. Too bad you weren't there."
Unlike Ron, who had participated in several Slug Club parties, Harry's attitude was to avoid them whenever possible.
At first, he used Quidditch training as an excuse, but the players eventually rebelled, trapping him in the changing room and protesting. Harry heard Dennis Creevey's voice in terror and, to avoid the Gryffindor Quidditch team captain becoming the headline of the _Daily Prophet_ the next day, he humiliatingly agreed to stop the daily training sessions.
Fortunately, he soon found an alternative—claiming he had tea dates with Professor Bathsheda Babbling in her office. Sometimes, he even brought Neville, who also found the party atmosphere uncomfortable.
Harry felt a bit regretful, as Professor Babbling now only discussed magic and current events with him, no longer delving into her past experiences, especially those involving Dark Wizard Grindelwald. Their last conversation had centered on the Muggle gun ban, and the one before that on the impact of custom wands on the future.
"Personally, I support it. After all, I've benefited from it. See for yourselves—" Grindelwald said, pointing to a bronze statue of an Ancient Runes professor. "I just have some concerns..."
For a moment, Harry felt as if he were sitting in the History of Magic classroom, and Neville shared the same feeling. Privately, they thought that if Professor Babbling had replaced Professor Binns as their teacher, they might have passed their O.W.L. exams.
However, Professor Babbling hinted to Harry that she had discovered a travel journal in the depths of the library, containing "some interesting things."
"It might have been left by a student from that era", she explained.
Harry planned to search for it during the holiday, at least to pass the time. He had a feeling that the holiday would be quite boring, with many activities, such as snowball fights, being off-limits.
"Sirius Star and Professor Hup's suggestions are similar", Hermione muttered. "But I think a Runic Script talisman would be more effective... Fred and George Weasley... oh, the suggestion of the Tongue-Tying Sweets is ridiculous. But if it could be improved... no, absolutely not! Madam Pomfrey's suggestion isn't bad, though. Dreamless Sleep Potion can significantly improve sleep... just not very reliable. As for the Elixir of Life and Death..."
"Elixir of Life and Death?" Harry stared at her in shock. "Hermione, you can't be serious about Snape's nonsense, right?" Ron was also startled.
"Oh, I won't", Hermione said. "That would interfere with regular classes."
The topic of Animagi was quite popular. According to Nearly Headless Nick, "Hogwarts has never made such a big deal about teaching Animagi since its founding." This topic not only became a hot topic among students (house points had been dropping significantly across all four houses recently) but also caught the attention of the professors.
So far, Professor Mcgonagall had dedicated half a class to explaining the requirements for becoming an Animagus, and the other half to recounting the dire consequences of wizards who overestimated their abilities—essentially a condensed version of her notes. Professor Flitwick, who had goblin ancestry, introduced a spell to students that could prevent eavesdropping and bug bites.
"Effective on any creature, and even mosquitoes!"
Harry suspected this spell was aimed at Rita Skeeter, whose beetle form was no longer a secret.
Professor Bathsheda Babbling, in response to student requests, added a section on "forced transformation."
Besides what Harry had seen firsthand, he heard that Professor Trelawney was discussing in her advanced class how to use tarot cards to detect "sneaky people", claiming she had seen a six-legged insect approaching her in her crystal ball. Meanwhile, Snape mentioned to the fifth-year students that he would prepare a vial of the Draught of Living Death and sleep for a month.
Ginny told him this.
"He's being malicious, with ill intentions—anyone with eyes can see it", she said angrily.
Just as Harry checked the time for the third time, an owl flew in through the window, its feathers dusted with snow, and dropped a heavy package on Ron's head.
"Christmas gift? This early?" Harry asked, surprised.
"No", Ron said as he tore off the wrapping paper. "It's from Colin. I told you she's in Hogsmeade, right? I asked her to bring me some stuff. I was just bored... Oh..." He drew out the last word as he looked at the small card.
"What is it?"
"She's leaving. It seems Carolta Pinksington really intends to retire at the Three Broomsticks", Ron said. "After all, the Ministry of Magic can't keep two Aurors idle forever, right?" He rummaged through the package and found a few quills, a magic eraser, some socks, and various other items. Just as Harry was about to take a closer look, Ron stopped him.
"There's your Christmas gift in there", Ron said guardedly.
At eight o'clock that evening, they and Neville arrived at Slughorn's office, which had been completely transformed. The room was filled with Christmas trees decorated with sugar frosting and candies scattered everywhere, free for the taking. A dozen legless tables were scattered around the room, and when someone waved, the nearest floating table, laden with food, drifted over to them.
A light, cheerful melody filled the air, and Harry was certain it was the Weird Sisters.
But the biggest difference was the number of people. Harry estimated there were at least a hundred, and most of them were adult wizards. He was stunned—had Professor Slughorn invited all the former members of the Slug Club?
These people, dressed in a variety of styles, moved about in the office, which seemed to have been enchanted with an Undetectable Extension Charm. Some wizards and witches were elegantly poised, while others were rather stiff. Harry breathed a sigh of relief when he heard Hermione gasp in a mix of surprise and shock. "Dad, Mom?"
Harry and Ron followed her gaze and were taken aback by the number of familiar faces. Not only the Grangers, but Professor Slughorn had invited a significant number of parents (especially those whose children couldn't go home for the holidays), including the Weasleys, the Longbottoms, and the Malfoys. Harry also saw Ernie Macmillan and Cormac Mclaggen, dressed in fancy suits and bow ties, standing obediently beside a middle-aged couple, and talking to none other than Sirius and Amelia Bones.
"Hey, you lot, long time no see", a familiar teasing voice said from behind them.
Harry turned around sharply to see the twins, Fred and George Weasley, looking at them lazily. They had the air of successful businessmen, one hand in their pockets, the other holding a glass, and identical smiles on their faces, as if they were mirror images of each other.
"Judging by your faces, it seems no one told you? Oh, these parents are really bad at keeping secrets..."
(End of Chapter)
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