44 Christmas Gifts II

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Christmas dawn arrived with cold and white weather. Only Harry and Ron remained in the dormitory, and Hermione awakened them early. She was neatly dressed, holding gifts for both of them.

"Wake up," she exclaimed loudly, pulling the curtains open.

"Hermione, you shouldn't be here," Ron protested, shielding his eyes from the light.

"Merry Christmas to you both," Hermione greeted, tossing their presents to Harry and Ron.

"We can execute that plan today," Hermione said in a hushed tone, even though no one else was in the dormitory.

Hermione moved Scabbers aside and sat down by Harry's four-poster bed. "If we're going to act, I think it should be tonight."

At that moment, Hedwig flew in with a small package in her mouth.

"Hello," Harry greeted happily after it landed on his bed, " you willing to talk to me again?"

It gently nipped his ear affectionately, a greeting more precious than the gift it brought. The small package turned out to be from the Dursleys. They gave Harry a toothpick and a message asking if he could spend the summer at Hogwarts, too.

Subsequently, Ron and Harry eagerly began unwrapping their gifts.

"Oh my God!" Harry exclaimed in surprise as he opened a box. Inside was a small crossbow that could be held with one hand, along with 20 bolts. The crossbow was a faint black, delicate, and deadly.

Harry's exclamation drew the attention of Ron and Hermione. Ron stared enviously at the small crossbow in Harry's hand, eager to find out what Professor Ethan had given him.

Not to be outdone, Hermione showcased an exquisite owl necklace from her neck. "Professor Ethan gave me this, and the necklace vibrates when it is near magic."

It was Ethan's version of a witcher's necklace that detects magic, a simple alchemical creation.

Harry approached curiously, intending to pick up and examine the necklace. However, his curiosity was met with a firm slap from an irritated Hermione.

"This necklace has been vibrating since I entered your dormitory. Could it be that I broke it?" Hermione frowned worriedly.

"Probably because of my Invisibility Cloak; it seems this necklace is handy," Harry said calmly. Unnoticed by them, after hearing their conversation, Ron's mouse, Scabbers, quickly escaped from Ron's pocket and slipped to the farthest corner of the bedroom, away from Hermione.

Relieved by Harry's explanation, Hermione didn't want to break Professor Ethan's Christmas present on the first day. She didn't know how she'd face Ethan in the future if that happened.

Ron eventually found Ethan's gift – a long box that didn't resemble a crossbow. Initially disappointed, Ron soon changed his mind when he opened the box. Inside lay a brand new wand, fourteen inches long, made of willow wood and containing unicorn hair. Ron stared at the wand in disbelief.

Previously, Ron had been using an old wand that his brother Charlie had handed down. The unicorn hair inside protruded from the end, making it difficult for Ron to keep up with the rest of the class because the wand didn't suit him.

Ethan felt that the Weasleys often overlooked Ron's needs, and he believed Ron had considerable talent, especially evident in his performance in close combat class. Ron carefully picked up the wand, feeling an unprecedented comfort surging through his body. His excitement turned his ears red, and Harry and Hermione smiled sincerely, genuinely happy for Ron.

"Try a spell, Ron," Harry encouraged him. Waving the wand, Ron cast a spell, and a stream of water sprayed out from the tip, hitting Harry's face. A playful water fight ensued between the friends, with Hermione watching them helplessly. Eventually, they noticed Hermione's 'caring' eyes and stopped, apologizing for their antics.

At the office, Ethan was conversing with Tom. Locked in a dark drawer for several days, Tom was eager to learn about Ethan's investigation results. Ethan, however, skillfully steered the conversation toward black magic, avoiding Tom's inquiries about the secret room. Initially cooperative, Tom eventually stopped responding to Ethan. Ethan reluctantly closed the diary, feeling it was time to share the information with Dumbledore.

Once again, Ethan was astounded by the talent of sixteen-year-old Tom Riddle. The young Voldemort had mastered extensive black magic knowledge, some of which wasn't even documented in the forbidden section. Tom Riddle displayed extraordinary magical talent.

As evening approached, the Christmas dinner was about to begin, and the auditorium sparkled with magnificence. Numerous Christmas trees adorned with silver frost, intertwined ribbons of mistletoe and holly hung from the ceiling and enchanted warm and dry snow gently descended.

Out of curiosity, Ethan caught a snowflake with his hands. The magical snowflake dissipated in Ethan's palm like a normal one, yet it lacked the typical cold feeling of ordinary snowflakes.

Several professors were already present in the auditorium and engaged in discussions. Spotting Ethan, Professor Flitwick waved excitedly, inviting him over. Dumbledore acknowledged Ethan with a smile and a nod. Ethan noticed Hagrid's absence from the Christmas party, realizing that Aragog's death had deeply affected him. It challenged Ethan as he pondered how to mend his relationship with Hagrid.