https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-901-The-Headmistress-and-the-Free-Runes/12938081/
Chapter 902: Christmas, A Special Gift
Chapter 902: Christmas, A Special Gift
The following Sunday, Hogwarts was filled with a festive atmosphere from the early morning.
The Quidditch match was about to begin, and it was the highly anticipated showdown between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff.
Especially for the Little Lions, they had been eagerly awaiting this moment for months, determined to shake off the shadow Hufflepuff had cast over them on the pitch.
In this atmosphere, the loss of 150 points somehow seemed less significant.
After all, their house points were already at the bottom, and they were more concerned with reclaiming the Quidditch Cup that had eluded them for seven years than the House Cup.
Ever since Harry joined the team, Gryffindor had been unstoppable on the pitch, except when facing Hufflepuff. Their championship dreams were shattered each time they met, and it had happened seven times in a row.
The first time, they attributed it to Hufflepuff's high morale. The second time, they blamed it on the new Seeker not being familiar with the pitch. The third time, it rained... But after seven consecutive losses, they struggled to find a convincing excuse.
This time, they were determined to reclaim what they had lost...
Hmm?
Wait a moment.
"The person sitting in the teacher's area looks somewhat familiar," a third-year Little Lion whispered to his friend, "the one sitting next to Professor Hagrid."
His friend instinctively looked up, and his expression immediately changed.
"Kyle, didn't he graduate?"
As Kyle had graduated less than a year ago, many in the school still knew him, and they remembered him for all the wrong reasons.
For a moment, everyone recalled the fear of being dominated by Kyle's Bludgers on the Hogwarts pitch.
A saying had been circulating among the Hogwarts players... If your opponent is Hufflepuff, pray that your Seeker catches the Golden Snitch within twenty minutes, because that's the only way to beat them.
Kyle could consistently score 150 points within twenty minutes, and if the match didn't end during that time, the point gap would only widen, making catching the Golden Snitch pointless.
Kyle had elevated the role of the Chaser and made everyone understand that the key to winning in Quidditch wasn't solely about catching that damn winged golden egg.
Could he have returned specifically to prevent Gryffindor from winning the championship?
The Little Lion shuddered at the thought. What a grudge he must hold to make a comeback!
"Hey, have you seen the notice on the bulletin board?"
At that moment, someone burst into the room, full of excitement. "We're getting a new professor!"
"What? Has Snape finally been caught by the authorities?"
"Or maybe he was trampled by a wart hog."
When it came to a new professor, the first person that came to everyone's mind was the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, as the previous one had been a substitute for over fifty years, and no matter how bizarre the circumstances, they wouldn't find it strange.
"Snape?" The person paused for a moment before continuing, "No, it's Professor Babbling."
"Professor Babbling? Who is that?"
"The Ancient Runes professor," someone replied.
"Oh... What are Runes, then?"
"One of the third-year elective courses."
"There's such a course?"
"Please remove your butt from your face and take another look at that damn schedule, and then you'll know if there's an Ancient Runes class or not."
"Hey, that's not the point!" someone interrupted their argument.
"The point is, the new professor replacing Babbling is also named Kyle. Could it be the Kyle we know?"
"It must be," came a soft voice.
"How can you be so sure?"
"Because he's already here." The person pointed towards the teacher's area, where Kyle was talking to Professor Hagrid.
But he heaved a sigh of relief.
A professor, great! Professors can't participate in Quidditch matches...
More and more people arrived in the Great Hall for lunch, and they, too, noticed the announcement posted outside and Kyle sitting in the teacher's area.
The Great Hall buzzed with discussion, and everyone found it intriguing that a graduate had become a professor.
Among them were a few familiar faces.
"It's really you, Kyle!" Ginny stood nearby, staring at Kyle with wide eyes. "How come you never told me, or even Mom, about something this big? You didn't even write a letter to inform me!"
"Actually, you knew about it before her," Kyle smiled. "How does it feel? Are you surprised and excited?"
"A little surprised. But I didn't choose Ancient Runes, so the excitement..." Ginny shrugged, the implication clear.
Of course, she wasn't excited if she wasn't taking his class.
Kyle immediately dropped his smile, "You and your brother are both uneducated."
This conversation left Ginny fuming.
She was capable of achieving at least five O grades, yet Kyle compared her to Ron, who barely managed an E. It was an outright insult! Kyle was getting more and more outrageous!
Ginny stormed off in a huff, leaving Kyle feeling much better. He leisurely took a sip of pumpkin juice and left the Great Hall with Hagrid.
At ten in the morning, the Quidditch match began.
Nearly all the students were at the pitch, their deafening cheers echoing through the air, even reaching the Forbidden Forest with perfect clarity.
Kyle didn't go to watch the match, nor did Hagrid.
Although he wanted to cheer for Harry, Christmas was approaching, and he needed to prepare the decorations for the Great Hall before the feast, including the twelve essential Christmas trees.
This was part of his job as the Gamekeeper, and even after becoming a professor, Hagrid never neglected his duties.
So, after breakfast, he bid farewell to the dragons in the garden with a reluctant gaze and headed into the Forbidden Forest.
By noon, perfectly shaped Christmas trees were placed outside the wooden hut, accompanied by holly, mistletoe, and other decorative plants carefully selected by Hagrid.
By the time of the feast, they would adorn the walls and ceiling of the Great Hall, eliciting astonished exclamations from the young witches and wizards.
But none of this concerned Kyle, who had no intention of spending Christmas at Hogwarts. That afternoon, he and Fox appeared on the streets of the French Magical Shopping Street.
Of course, Christmas was a time to be with important people; there was no point in hanging around with those clueless Hogwarts students.
More importantly, their winning streak was over.
Soon after his graduation, Hufflepuff had lost to Gryffindor on the pitch, and it was a ten-minute speedrun... The mere thought of it was infuriating.
Even a Snidget hanging in front of a flying broomstick would have performed better than them.
The Christmas atmosphere in France was equally vibrant, with almost every shop adorned with various decorations.
A massive Christmas tree stood in the middle of the street, truly enormous, resembling a second tower. It was clearly a product of magic, as ordinary trees couldn't possibly grow that tall.
Kyle easily found Conna's shop, a place he was familiar with.
Odd, why was it closed again? Kyle knocked on the door in confusion.
Creak...
The door was quickly opened from the inside, and Fu Rong excitedly spread her arms for a hug.
Kyle was surprised by Fu Rong's enthusiasm, feeling conflicted.
As a friend, he shouldn't avoid the embrace, but Conna was also there, making it somewhat inappropriate.
Kyle was torn, standing awkwardly in place, unsure of what to do.
But the next second, his dilemma was resolved.
"You finally came... Damn it, why is it you?"
Fu Rong came to an abrupt halt.
Her excitement and enthusiasm instantly transformed into disdain.
Kyle was puzzled by how quickly her expression could change.
"What do you mean? Is France your home? Why can't I come here?"
"Didn't you just visit?" Fu Rong asked, her eyes narrowing with disdain. "If you miss her so much, why not let Conna go back to Britain?"
A lot had happened during this time—repairing the Time-Turner, traveling back to 1899 to find Dumbledore, saving Ariana, uncovering Death Eaters' plot in Cornwall, and facing Voldemort with Fiendfyre on the Hebrides Islands.
But these events existed outside of normal time, known only to a select few.
For Fu Rong, who lived within the normal timeline, Kyle had indeed left not long ago and then returned.
How annoying! "Mind your own business," Kyle retorted irritably, but he couldn't understand why Fu Rong was in such a foul mood, as if she had swallowed gunpowder.
Was she feeling unwell? "Where's Conna?" Kyle looked around and asked.
"She's brewing potions in the basement. It's best not to disturb her," Fu Rong replied calmly, drawing the curtains to let more light into the room.
"By the way, why didn't you open the shop?" Kyle asked. "The door was closed when I came last time, but tomorrow is Christmas, the busiest time for business."
"Of course, it's because..." Fu Rong paused, "...we received a large order from Beauxbatons, and it's needed by Christmas, so we're a bit pressed for time and decided to close the shop."
"But why did you come back? Is everything okay in Britain?" As she spoke, Fu Rong narrowed her eyes, her thoughts unreadable.
"It's still the same old story—secret rivalries and an atmosphere of unease—but it's definitely better than before."
"Kyle said.
This is true. After the Hebrides, Voldemort has indeed been much quieter, except for the Auror's break-in at Gringotts' vault. There hasn't been any news of the Death Eaters since.
Of course, it's also possible that they've been active, but the Aurors and Dumbledore haven't discovered them yet.
"It's almost Christmas, so I finally had time to come here..." Kyle glanced at the entrance to the basement, "When will Conna be out?"
"I don't know," said Lotus. "Usually, it's in the evening, but sometimes it's a bit later."
"So you're quite busy." Kyle looked at her.
"That's right." Lotus raised an eyebrow.
...
Kyle waited until the evening when Conna finally emerged from the basement, rubbing her eyes.
Upon seeing Kyle, she paused for a moment, then rushed over to him excitedly.
Just as Kyle opened his arms to embrace her, he was pushed aside by Lotus.
Conna hugged Lotus, who turned her head and flashed a malicious smile at Kyle.
No wonder she was ostracized at Beauxbatons, she deserved it!
Kyle clenched his teeth, wondering why Lotus was acting so strangely today, constantly opposing him. He hadn't provoked her, had he?
And it didn't stop there. When Kyle took Conna out for a Christmas dinner, Lotus stubbornly followed, showing no awareness of being a third wheel.
When Kyle tried to stay at the shop for the night, Lotus forcefully pushed him out.
Conna wanted to say something, but Lotus pulled her back forcefully.
"I can't sleep on the streets, can I?" Kyle argued outside, but he was met with silence and a key thrown out from the window.
"Ninety-seven South of the Shopping Street, find it yourself!" Lotus' voice echoed from inside.
Kyle had no choice but to take the key and follow the address Lotus had given him, which led him to... a mansion! Unlike Diagon Alley, the French Magical Shopping Street resembled Hogsmeade, with not only shops but also residential areas for wizards. Kyle had never visited these areas before.
And he never imagined the residences here would be so luxurious.
Unlike the architectural style of Hogsmeade, No. 97 was a three-story mansion with pristine white marble. If it were a bit larger, it would be an estate.
Unlocking the door, he stepped into a space filled with a rich French decor, the most prominent feature being its luxury.
Was Lotus this rich?
But now that he thought about it, Dracula was indeed quite famous in France. If he thought carefully, someone who could capture the heart of a Veela was unlikely to be an ordinary person.
Kyle sighed softly as he lay in the hundreds of square meters of the mansion.
If he had a choice, he would still prefer to stay in the cozy little potion shop.
It didn't matter if there was no room; coziness was all he needed.
But the problem was that Lotus seemed to have been possessed by Snape, guarding him vigilantly...
Wait a moment.
Kyle sat up abruptly.
Could Lotus be Snape in disguise, using Polyjuice Potion?
It wasn't impossible, considering her strange behavior today, as if she had become a different person. Moreover, with Christmas approaching, the Hogwarts professors would be on vacation.
If Professor Snape didn't have classes in the afternoon, he could have easily arrived in France before Kyle.
Had he guessed that Kyle would come looking for Conna?
Kyle gazed out the window, lost in thought for a moment, before shaking his head.
He must be overthinking it.
While Polyjuice Potion can change one's appearance, it cannot alter one's bloodline. For instance, if someone drank Polyjuice Potion containing Hagrid's hair, their appearance might change, but their height would remain the same, as height is a characteristic of giant blood, which is beyond the scope of Polyjuice Potion.
When he saw Lotus earlier, he still had the urge to stuff her into a box.
This indicated that she still possessed Veela blood, making it impossible for her to be Snape in disguise.
But this made it even more puzzling... Why?
Kyle spent the entire night pondering but couldn't make sense of it.
...
The next morning, he returned to the shopping street.
By then, a familiar figure was already standing in front of the potion shop, wearing a strange boxed costume and a red ribbon on his head.
Bill Weasley.
This guy seemed to have dressed up as a gift.
How shameless.
Kyle curled his lips.
But it seemed that Lotus was quite taken with it, as the two were hugging and kissing without a care in the world.
"!"
Kyle moved his mouth, his expressionless face holding a camera.
"Click!"
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
