Chapter 736: A Christmas Invitation
Chapter 736: A Christmas Invitation
As December chilled the air, a thick layer of ice formed on the surface of the Black Lake one morning, signaling the arrival of winter.
Snowflakes danced outside the windows, tapping gently as if wishing to join the warmth within. Christmas was just around the corner.
Hagrid, as always, single-handedly decorated the Great Hall with a dozen tall Christmas trees. The stair railings and corridors were adorned with fresh wintergreens, filling the entire castle with festive cheer.
"This won't do!" Kyle exclaimed during Herbology class as he directed a glove to hop across the table with his wand. "I must come up with a new excuse to get out of Slughorn's dinner parties. I'd rather spend a day in detention."
"Are they really that boring?" Connor asked curiously. "I thought the ball was enjoyable."
"That was different," Kyle sighed. "There were a lot of people, so we could avoid him. But at the dinner parties, there are only seven or eight of us, and we just sit there."
"Well," Kyle continued, "some people genuinely enjoy them. Like Daphne Greengrass and Miles Bletchley from Slytherin, and Cormac McLaggen from Gryffindor... They relish their Slug Club membership and wish there were dinners every day.
"But as for me... I'd rather be locked up by a professor for half a day."
"Then why don't you ask Professor Snape?" Connor suggested again. "You can even say that I was with you."
"Well... I don't like it, but it's not that bad." Kyle politely declined. "I'll think of something else."
To him, detention with Snape and Slughorn's dinner parties were equally unappealing, a choice he'd rather not make.
He needed another plan.
The simplest solution would be to seek help from the headmaster. Dumbledore could surely come up with a suitable reason to excuse him.
However, the problem was that he was already trying to avoid Dumbledore, so how could he possibly go to him now...
If not the headmaster, perhaps another professor could help.
Professor Flitwick, Professor McGonagall... He could discuss it with them and find some pretext to get himself into detention for a day. That shouldn't be too difficult.
But the issue with this approach was that he couldn't keep asking them repeatedly; it would become awkward after a while.
What other options did he have?
He wondered who had been so talkative, informing him that the Floo Network between the school and the Ministry had been discontinued.
...
Kyle twirled his wand in his fingers, then suddenly shook his head. Never mind, he thought, letting it go.
The most pressing matter now was to find an excuse to get through the Christmas ball that evening. Everything else could wait.
After class, Kyle hurried back to the castle, intending to seek Professor McGonagall's help to get himself into detention for the afternoon.
However, as he rushed up the stairs, he spotted a familiar figure in the entrance hall.
Dumbledore stood there, clad in his purple-robed robes, his silver beard flowing, with a phoenix perched on his shoulder. It was as if he had been waiting specifically for Kyle.
Without pausing, Kyle swiftly turned and made for the exit.
But the next second, Dumbledore reappeared before him, his demeanor calm as if he had never moved.
Connor, standing beside Kyle, was startled. She glanced at the spot where Dumbledore had been a moment ago, puzzled by how he had disappeared and reappeared elsewhere in an instant.
"Don't be surprised," Kyle whispered. "It's just the Apparition spell. Remember what Professor Trelawney mentioned? The headmaster can temporarily lift the restrictions within the castle so we can practice Apparition."
"Anytime?" Connor asked. "I thought the magic covering the entire castle would be complex."
"Not as complex as you might think, Miss Prince," Dumbledore said as he approached them, patiently explaining. "These restrictions are not individual spells but are inherent to the castle itself. The headmaster has special permissions, with the only requirement being that one must be within the castle."
Connor nodded, understanding.
Then Dumbledore turned his gaze to Kyle, and the smile on his face quickly vanished.
"It seems you're eager to avoid me," he said flatly, as if he had never known Kyle before. There was even a hint of gritted teeth in his tone.
"Not at all, Headmaster Dumbledore..." Kyle's eyes darted around, and he unconsciously shifted his feet toward the entrance of the Great Hall, seeking a sense of security in the crowd, even if it might be futile. "Er... is there something you need me for?"
"No, it's not me," Dumbledore said, fixing his eyes on Kyle. "It's Nicodemus. He has invited you to spend Christmas at his manor this year, if you'd like. The details are the same as last time, so I won't repeat them."
Dumbledore seemed keen on keeping the interaction brief, speaking only what was necessary before making to leave without a second's delay.
"Wait, Professor," Kyle hesitated for a moment, then called out, stopping him in his tracks. "May I bring someone with me?"
"Yes," Dumbledore replied without turning back.
Such a straightforward response?
Now Kyle was intrigued.
He jogged to catch up once more, "Professor, aren't you going to ask who I plan to bring?"
"There's no need," Dumbledore walked into the Great Hall, "Those with ill intentions cannot see the manor's entrance, and they cannot enter even if someone brings them along."
By the time Dumbledore turned to look, he had already sprinted out of the Great Hall and into the entrance hall, his speed barely slower than Apparition.
...
In the entrance hall, Connor looked at the grinning Kyle and asked, "So, have you decided to spend your Christmas break at Nicodemus's manor?"
"Yes, it's a timely escape from the Christmas ball." Kyle nodded. "Let's head back to the common room first. It's not safe in the Great Hall right now, we'll come back later."
With Dumbledore around, the Great Hall was probably the safest place for everyone else, but of course, that didn't apply to Kyle.
However, Connor didn't call him out on it and simply followed along.
As they reached the corridor leading to the kitchen, she looked conflicted, as if expecting Kyle to say something, but he deliberately avoided the topic.
After much hesitation, she finally blurted out, "Who are you planning to go with?"
"What do you mean, who?"
"For Christmas." Connor whispered, "Didn't you ask Professor Dumbledore if you could bring someone along?"
"Oh, that." Kyle said, "Cedric..."
Connor's expression quickly turned to disappointment, but the next second, she heard Kyle's words take a different turn:
"...sent me a letter yesterday, inviting me to his place for the holidays. It looks like I'll have to break that promise now.
"Also, you'd better hurry up and ask Professor Snape to cancel your detention, we're leaving first thing tomorrow morning."
"Leaving... we?" Connor seemed to be processing this new information.
"Of course, we. I certainly can't bring Cedric along..." Kyle said with a smile, "Don't you want to visit Nicodemus's manor? I guarantee it's going to be fascinating."
Connor's expression changed once more, and she nodded happily, rushing off towards Professor Snape's office.
Kyle wasn't worried that Snape would refuse... unless his brain had been eaten by a Wrackspurt, he wouldn't decline Connor's visit to Nicodemus's manor.
Meanwhile, Kyle also abandoned the idea of returning to the common room. He took a turn and headed upstairs.
He reached Professor Slughorn's office and used the excuse of preparing for his visit to Nicodemus tomorrow to skip the ball that evening.
...
"What? You're going to visit someone?"
Upon hearing Kyle's words, the initially calm Professor Slughorn jumped to his feet in excitement, "You mean the famous alchemist, Nicodemus, who's over six hundred years old?"
"Yes, that's the one." Kyle nodded, "Assuming there isn't another alchemist by that name."
For a moment, he could see Professor Slughorn trembling with excitement, his eyes shining with fervor.
No wonder he was so excited...
It was Nicodemus, the very same alchemist he dreamed of meeting, even if it was just a glimpse from afar, without exchanging a single word.
But unfortunately, that wish had never come true.
Now, hearing that Kyle had been invited to his manor, it was no surprise that Slughorn was thrilled.
"Oh, can I come with you?" he blurted out.
"I'm sorry, Professor." Kyle shook his head, "I was invited as a guest, so it's not my place to decide."
"Ah, of course, you're right."
Professor Slughorn looked a bit embarrassed, realizing that he may have overstepped his bounds with his enthusiastic request.
"You misunderstood..." he stammered, "I meant, well... please give Mr. Nicodemus my regards."
"I will." Kyle said, "Then Professor, if there's nothing else, I'll be on my way. I still have a lot to prepare."
"Of course, of course!" Professor Slughorn quickly agreed, "This is indeed the most important matter at hand, and even a day's head start is not enough. Off you go then."
Kyle nodded and turned to leave the office.
In the entrance hall, Connor was already waiting for him.
"So?"
"Did you go to see Professor Slughorn?"
The two spoke almost simultaneously.
"Yes." Kyle replied first, "I won't be attending the Christmas ball later, what about you?"
"Professor Snape agreed." Connor said happily. "Although he seemed a bit reluctant, he still gave his consent and even prepared a gift for Mr. Lemay."
Saying so, Connor took out a bottle, similar in size to the Felix Felicis potion, but containing a golden-red substance.
"What is this?" Kyle asked curiously.
"Phoenix Potion." Connor recalled, "Professor Snape said it's made from the ashes of a phoenix's rebirth, and it took him a whole two years to make it."
Two years?
Kyle clicked his tongue, the Felix Felicis potion only took about half a year to brew, but this one took double the time?
Even though he had never heard of this potion before, just from the time and ingredients involved, he knew it had to be something extraordinary.
But soon, Kyle realized that he hadn't... or rather, never... prepared a Christmas gift for Nicodemus.
Including the previous visits, he hadn't brought any gifts, and instead, he had only added to Nicodemus's workload.
Although Nicodemus seemed to enjoy the work, compared to what Professor Snape had prepared, Kyle felt a bit awkward about it.
However, Kyle didn't dwell on it further, and the two made their way back to the Great Hall, where they ran into Harry, who was still pacing in the entrance hall.
...
The next day.
Due to Voldemort and the Death Eaters, most students chose to stay at Hogwarts for the Christmas holidays, with only a small number deciding to return home.
Draco Malfoy was among those who left, and he was in a hurry to depart from the castle early in the morning.
As for Harry and his group, Mrs. Weasley had invited them to spend Christmas at 12 Grimmauld Place even before the start of the school year.
Of course, none of this concerned Kyle.
While everyone else was at Hogsmeade Station, he had already led Connor to a field beside the castle.
"How are we going to get there...?" Connor looked a little nervous. "Are we using Apparition or a Portkey?"
"Neither." Kyle said, "Like Hogwarts, Nicodemus' manor prohibits Apparition, and Portkeys won't work unless they're made by Nicodemus himself, but Professor Dumbledore didn't give me one..."
He glanced into the distance, "Oh, Hagrid's here."
Connor turned and indeed saw Hagrid approaching, wearing his massive mole skin coat, with a carriage pulled by a Thestral.
"Hey, Kyle!"
Hagrid waved from a distance, and when he reached them, he immediately handed over the reins.
"It's the same Thestral from before, it knows the way." Hagrid whispered, "I was actually planning to invite you to spend the Christmas break with me and help teach Grawp. He's made remarkable progress.
"But I guess you'd rather go to that place, huh?"
Kyle just smiled without saying a word.
Even without Nicodemus' invitation, he would most likely have gone back with Harry or stayed in the castle with Connor instead of visiting Hagrid's giant brother.
Aside from other things, the smell around giants was something most people couldn't bear, and only someone like Neville might enjoy it.
Kyle took the reins, and after Connor climbed into the carriage, he jumped in as well.
Hagrid whispered something into the Thestral's ear, and it immediately ran forward a few steps before spreading its wings and taking flight.
"Well then, Merry Christmas!" Hagrid waved from below.
"Merry Christmas." Kyle said.
As the Thestral soared higher, Hagrid's figure quickly became a tiny, indistinct black dot.
Kyle then stepped into the carriage behind him.
Connor looked out the window, her face filled with barely contained excitement.
"I've never ridden in a Thestral carriage like this before." She said, "It feels amazing."
The Thestral carried them forward, quickly overtaking the steam-spewing Hogwarts Express, leaving it far behind in the blink of an eye.
Yet despite this, the carriage remained perfectly stable, as if it had been stationary the entire time.
Kyle had ridden in a Thestral carriage once before, so he was much calmer than Connor.
The carriage flew through the clouds, and before they knew it, a thin layer of ice crystals had formed around them.
Feeling a bit chilly, Connor lowered the window and turned to ask Kyle, "What is Nicodemus' manor like?"
"It's fascinating." Kyle thought for a moment, "Every single thing you'll see there, from the walls, ceilings, furniture, fireplaces, to even the watering cans used for plants, are all alchemical items.
"They're just like the portraits in Hogwarts; they can talk and move on their own."
"That's incredible." Connor's eyes sparkled with curiosity.
"I'm a bit nervous." She suddenly said.
"Why's that?"
"What's Mr. Nicodemus like? What's his personality like?" Connor asked, "He's over six hundred years old. Is he very stern? Should I have worn something more formal?"
She glanced down at her clothes... She had been wearing a less flashy dress, but before they left, Kyle insisted that she change into regular clothing.
"Don't worry about it, Nicodemus doesn't mind." Kyle waved his hand, "And wearing a dress robe would make him feel uncomfortable."
"But, Professor Snape said..." Connor whispered, "He told me yesterday that older wizards tend to care a lot about those things."
"Snape..." Kyle said flatly, "Has he even met Nicodemus?"
Connor shook her head.
"Then he's talking nonsense." Kyle scoffed, "What he said only applies to ordinary wizards. Someone as old as Nicodemus, who's lived for over six hundred years, doesn't bother with such formalities anymore. He does whatever he feels like, and when talking to him, you don't need to call him 'Mr.' either. He prefers to be called 'Nicodemus.'"
"Is that so?" Connor looked doubtful, not because she didn't believe Kyle, but because this was quite different from what she imagined.
"Trust me." Kyle said, "Also, you've actually met him before, you just don't realize it yet."
"What? I've met Mr. Nicodemus?" Connor widened her eyes in surprise, "When? I don't remember!"
"You'll know when we get there." Kyle smiled.
...
(End of Chapter)
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