139

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 Seeing this small gop company, whose members looked at each other warily, we gradually slowed down until we stopped altogether. My gaze quickly passed over the three persons, paying special attention to their outfits, as well as the small bags that each of the girls had (even if one carefully hides it). Comfortable clothes that don't get in the way during a long walk, soft boots are just the thing for walking in knee-deep snow. Well, of course the bags, most likely they contained gifts that were so important that evening.

 Slowly turning my head, with a certain hidden calm, I looked at the one through whose fault, most likely, they had gathered here. The poor blonde somehow shrank and took a few steps back and looked at me from under her bangs with her wet, but not yet crying, eyes.

 "It was at this moment that you lost the lion's share of my trust," my words, like a slap in the face, "hit" the frightened girl. - Betrayal, no matter what it is, is something that I will never tolerate.

 "Ko-ol, I..." her trembling voice was about to break into tears, and she was overwhelmed with emotions: fear, shame and a kind of disbelief.

 "Be silent," the icy coldness of the metal would have been much warmer than my words. "I don't want to hear anything from someone who went back on her words and betrayed her friend."

 - A friend?.. - a quick glance of blue eyes darted to the second blonde, who at the moment was vigorously tugging at the sleeve of my robe.

 - Yes, because you are no longer my friend, - for what we are about to do, you can not only get a scolding, but also be thrown out of school with a bang. And if everyone gathered here is aristocrats and nothing happens to them, then I... my fate will be unenviable. And I don't want to lose such a significant source of magic under any circumstances.

 "But I only called Daphne," a bright light of hope flashed in her emotions.

 "However, this does not change the fact that you could not keep your mouth shut," while I spoke, Nev and Luna just stood aside, in no way disturbing me. Well, shouldn't we consider slight withdrawals from the Moon as something significant? "However," I pretended to think. "I won't drive you out of our company," only a blind person would not have noticed the joy on her face, and I, with empathy... "But I don't have the same trust in you, there's despondency and melancholy." - No one is stopping you from earning it again, but will it work out...

 Having finished talking to her, I was already heading towards the girls waiting for us, but Luna blocked my path.

 - Yes?

 "Don't scold Asti," she said, looking "menacingly" at me.

 "I didn't scold her," he shrugged. - I just reminded you of what I said more than once - I can forgive a lot, but not betrayal.

 "But I called Harry," her head dropped in an instant, and her emotions were filled with fear. "I'm not Calder's friend now?"

 There was silence. To be honest, their actions are very different from the overall picture of their behavior. It was as if something had prompted them to take these actions. After all, they know about my principles...

 "Astoria, Luna," as soon as I said their names, they simultaneously raised their heads and looked at me with expectant glances. - Why did you do this? Now I can't believe that you could just shake things up too much.

 "When you talked about the ritual," the snake began, after exchanging glances with Lovegood. "You said that the more magicians, the stronger the result." Here we are...

 "So you decided to call Daphne," I nodded, catching their train of thoughts. - But Potter? And what did Crystal forget here? I said - there must be those you can trust...

 "Today you can trust Harry," Luna's eyes were filled with silver light. "He" is far away, not here.

 Nev and Astoria looked at her strangely, but I only became more thoughtful. He? Could it be Tom? But how is he connected to Harriet? Influence through a horcrux? And this clause: "today"...

 "Okay," I answered a little later. - And Crystal, what did she forget here?

 Here the girls blushed, and then looked guiltily behind me. Turning around, I saw the same red Neva.

 — When you were at your next training session, the girls and I were chatting in the library as usual and accidentally stirred up too much. And at this time Miss Crystal walked past us. So..." he shrugged slightly.

 "I'm surrounded by only children," my quiet whisper was clearly heard by them, causing shame and indignation to explode in their emotions. "And there's no need to be indignant, that's the way it is," the look in my eyes at that moment silenced all the objections that they were about to utter. - Okay, let's go. He won't keep our "guests" waiting—I'm sure my sarcasm has reached its intended recipients.

 Well, the situation is not pleasant, but not critical either. And I was much less "angry" than I showed. You have to play a smart, knowledgeable, mature adult, but still a child? And as I said earlier, everyone should have "anchors" and "pressure points," otherwise they should get rid of the problem.

 A slight wave of the wand clutched in his hand and the canopy of silence that surrounded our company disappeared. In a friendly "crowd" we moved towards the ladies waiting for us. Those who were younger at the moment were somehow looking at me warily, and my emotions were mixed with apprehension and misunderstanding.

 "Good evening, gentlemen and ladies," I approached them and greeted the guests. "I can't say that I expected to see you," a fleeting glance towards my "companions." "But you can't undo what's been done."

 "Aren't you glad to see us here, Calder?" Crystal smiled slightly. With all my skin I feel something "dark" behind her words. If Daphne is ice, Harriet is fire, then Penelope is at least a shadow, if not something more...

 "I prefer to be aware of all events and minimize risks," I calmly answered her provocation.

 - So we are dangerous? - another mysterious smile, but not a malicious one, like one of my friends, but one that hides something more behind it.

 "Like everyone else gathered here," he nodded to her words. - Well, he won't try his luck any further. We should go if we don't want anyone to run into us.

 Having finished with the "speeches," we headed to the secret passage, which will no longer be such today. Well, you'll have to find a new one or use the ones already found...

 An easy walk within a few minutes brought us to the already familiar wall and niche. Without stopping, I took out the wand and, waving it, opened the secret "door". Only three people understood that it was not a spell, but a strictly "measured" impulse of mana: Harriet, Penelope and Luna. If the first two can be attributed to their upbringing (Blackie and Crystal - there's nothing to say here. And they themselves don't stand still), then here's the last one. I still can't understand what's wrong with her? It would be possible to undergo the ritual of "gifts", but I do not yet have the rights of "admission" to it, and the room itself will allow it to be carried out only after certain conditions are met. However, this does not in the least prevent me from building theories and conjectures, seeking confirmation or refutation of them.

 Walking in such a large crowd along a dark corridor did not bring pleasure to anyone, so everyone greeted the exit into the fresh air with smiles on their faces (not everyone), as well as a small impulse of joy in their emotions (everyone, well, except me. It doesn't matter to me).

 Having "tested" the space for the presence of strangers and made sure of their complete absence, we again headed to the good old clearing 

 In general, I was surprised that no one uttered a single word the whole way. Neither Potter, which was very strange, nor Daphne - not as strange as with the first one. Maybe they finally realized that we are not just going against the rules, but also against one of the latest resolutions of the Ministry? And if we were the first to violate the "tacit" consent of Director Dumbledore (well, I can't believe that he just let his "golden" boy go unattended. Otherwise, it would have looked very strange. And such a crowd is hard not to notice. I mean - I'm not very sure that Daphne and Potter (and she was without a robe) were able to completely hide from all of Hog's charms. But what can I say, even if I hid our group with a slight distortion of the "mirror" of space, both physically and physically. and on a magical level. And then, I'm not completely sure that the Founders were not fools.

 And regarding the hasty and thoughtless actions of my charges... Well, I don't want to completely control them, which means... I'll have to do things a little differently. But I won't forget what they did. Neither Astoria's act nor Luna's.

 No matter how long the road is, it always tends to end, unless of course these are "philosophical" thoughts or debates. So our path, which managed to take us away from the castle, show the sights of the Hog territory (Black Lake, Whomping Willow, Forester's House), and also go deeper into the Forbidden Forest, led us to the desired clearing.

 "We still have time until the right hour," I was the first to start the conversation. - So for now I'll take everything I've prepared, but you... Prepare morally for a hard night.

 "The neighbors' house is very close today," another shine of silver in the little girl's eyes, as well as her words, attracted my attention. - They will be watching.

 It didn't escape my gaze how the others looked at the Moon. And if the children only had a misunderstanding, then I clearly noticed the shadow that adorned Penelope's smile.

 "Well, I understand you," I nodded. The reaction of the others was unforgettable. These puzzled faces, with a silent question: "Do you understand her?" - Okay, time is running out. So off I went. Don't get lost.

 Turning around on the spot, I headed towards the far part of the clearing. According to the old custom, I left there a log, whose duty today would be to act as the main "offering" to the fire. Having picked it up with telekinesis, I placed it exactly in the center of the clearing. More trivial things followed: brushwood, wooden saucers, mistletoe branches, and so on.

 While preparations for the ritual were underway, my companions were animatedly talking about something, although I was able to hear what exactly I was talking about, small noises around them interfered with my hearing. And I know whose fault it was, Penelope's smile was painfully telling.

 In general, the situation is more than strange. She, as a more experienced and powerful magician, recognized me, albeit temporarily, as the leader. For what? Another "test and test"? Of all those present here, I can't understand only her.

 Finally, after twenty minutes everything was ready. There was still about half an hour before the required hour, so I decided to pass the time in meditation.

 Sitting down on the ice platform, I closed my eyes, plunging into the depths of myself. I still have something to think about. Luna's words can be interpreted in different ways, but something tells me that only one thing is true - today the various planes of existence are much closer than usual. And no, as usual, not for other days, but specifically for Yule Day. It happens that once every few years or even several times in a row, plans come together especially closely.

 What does this mean? Nothing special, unless, of course, we offend observers. It is quite possible that we should expect guests or miracles. How interesting, I can directly feel how my soul wants to know what will happen next? Where it leads? What will I learn?

 Slowly my eyes opened. I'm sure there was an otherworldly glow splashing through them right now.

 Well, it's time.

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