章 246: 0245 Christmas
On Christmas morning, Harry was awakened by a bright light that pierced through the curtains and reflected from the snow outside into the dormitory. He felt a cold draft on his face and shivered. He struggled to sit up, propping himself up with difficulty on his thin pillow. After putting on his glasses, he rubbed his eyes and blinked several times to adjust to the dimly lit room.
The rest of his roommates had already left the school in the afternoon of the previous day, so now, in the dormitory, there was only Ron, who was eagerly unpacking a small pile of packages stacked at the end of his bed. Harry could hear the rustling of paper and the clinking of objects as Ron tore open the wrapping and examined his gifts.
"Don't just stand there, Harry," Ron said, turning his head when he heard Harry's movement. He beckoned Harry eagerly with a grin. "This is our only chance of the year. Come and see what we've got this year!"
"I'm coming," Harry muttered. He slowly lifted the covers and loosely buttoned up his pajama collar. He walked over in his slippers, dragging his feet on the wooden floor.
Most of these gift packages were left by their classmates in Gryffindor. Every year, in December, Harry and Ron would also find ways to prepare Christmas gifts for their friends in the house. Most of the gifts were not too valuable, such as stationery from Flourish and Blotts, candies from Honeydukes, prank products from Zonko's Joke Shop, or small items from Dervish and Banges. These were the mainstream choices for students to exchange Christmas gifts.
This year was no exception. Harry opened several packages, and most of the items were the same. Some of the gifts were even very familiar to Harry because he had asked the Weasley brothers to purchase them from Hogsmeade.
Of course, as usual, Mrs. Weasley's gift was not absent.
A crimson sweater with the Gryffindor lion pattern knitted on the chest, as well as a dozen homemade round fruit pies, some Christmas pastries, and a box of nut brittle. Harry could smell the sweet aroma of the baked goods and felt his mouth water.
"Mom gave me another sweater. And it's dark red again," Ron grumbled as he also complained about the almost identical sweater he was holding. He threw the sweater on the bed and continued to explore Mrs. Weasley's package. Within seconds, Ron picked up another sweater, this time in emerald green, with a puzzled expression on his face. "A sale on yarn? Why did Mom send me two this year?"
Harry's first-year sweater was green, so when he heard Ron's muttering, he looked up and blinked. Harry smiled. "I guess Mrs. Weasley probably sent Percy's gift to you, Ron. We can't fit into this size."
"Maybe she just wanted to lighten the load for Errol. Well, at least Errol will be a little happier to see one less package," Ron said. He unfolded the sweater he picked up, facing it towards himself. When he saw the weird pattern on the chest, Ron suddenly widened his eyes in surprise. "A snake! Did Mom make a mistake? Oh, wait, I understand–"
As Ron said this, Harry also understood what was going on.
"Mrs. Weasley prepared one for Professor Watson too?"
"Obviously!" Ron stared at the slightly twisted snake on the sweater, with a strange smile. "Clearly, Mom isn't good at knitting anything other than lions. Well, I hope Professor Watson doesn't laugh his teeth off when he sees it."
Ron's words were just a joke. He knew very well that Professor Watson was not that unfriendly.
"But why didn't Mrs. Weasley just send it directly to Professor Watson?" Harry still found it strange. However, at this moment, a note stuck inside the sweater answered Harry's question.
"Mom is afraid it would be too presumptuous to send it directly to Professor Watson, and she hopes that we can build a good relationship with him, so she wants us to deliver it," Ron read the words on the note with a speechless expression.
"That sounds like something Mrs. Weasley would do," Harry chuckled and turned around, squatting down to continue unpacking his own gifts.
At the bottom of the pile of gifts, a long package caught Harry and Ron's attention. This item didn't look like a gift exchanged between young wizards. It was wrapped in brown paper and tied with a string.
"What's that?" Ron exclaimed, throwing the sweater for Professor Watson on the bed and crossing over the open boxes to come to Harry's side.
"Merry Christmas, Harry, Ron!" Hermione's cheerful voice rang out from the doorway. During the Christmas holiday, the spell that prevented boys and girls from visiting each other in the dormitory tower would temporarily lose its effect. Hermione, who had already sorted out her Christmas gifts, walked into the common room in her pajamas. Even on this grand holiday, her hair was still messy, hanging on her shoulders like a brown curtain.
"Oh, why is no one paying attention to me?" Hermione said, pouting her delicate nose, as she saw the two boys squatting in front of the bed without acknowledging her greeting. She walked over, slightly annoyed, while taking a deep breath.
And when her gaze passed over Harry's head and saw the broomstick he was holding, she also gasped. She recognized it immediately.
"I can't believe it," Ron said hoarsely, staring at the shiny and exquisite flying broom in Harry's hand. His eyes were wide with awe and envy.
A Firebolt! It was exactly the same as the flying broom that Harry had been dreaming of and went to see every day in Diagon Alley. At that time, he had to do some hard work for Professor Watson in order to see it.
"Even among the girls, many people who have talked about it!" Hermione added, her voice trembling with disbelief.
The frozen faces of the two boys gradually showed joy, but Hermione's delicate eyebrows furrowed. She was not as happy as they were. She was worried and suspicious. "This broomstick is worth at least a few hundred Galleons. Who could have given it to you, Harry?" she asked, her tone serious and concerned.
"Need I say more, Hermione!" Ron said, as if it was obvious. He admired the dazzling broomstick handle as he gasped for breath and said, "There's only one person I can think of!"
"You mean Professor Watson?" Harry immediately realized.
Indeed, from the current situation, it could only be Professor Watson.
Professor Dumbledore was impossible. He was the headmaster and even if he favored Harry, he wouldn't spend such a large sum of money to buy a world-class broomstick for him. If this matter was known by the young wizards of other three houses, it would probably cause a huge uproar.
Professor McGonagall was also unlikely. She had already given Harry a Nimbus 2000, which was a very good broomstick in its own right. She was also very strict and fair, and she wouldn't spoil Harry with another broomstick.
At Hogwarts, the only staff member with such financial means and a good relationship with Harry was probably Professor Watson.
"What else is there to think about, Hermione?" Ron said, as if Hermione was being silly. He couldn't understand why she was not as thrilled as he was.
Noticing that Hermione's furrowed eyebrows still hadn't relaxed, Ron restrained his excitement and said, "Do you remember, Hermione, after the Chamber of Secrets was solved, Professor Watson gave me a commemorative coin of merlin and gave you a book. He didn't give Harry anything at that time, but he said he would give Harry a gift in the future!"
"Are you suggesting…?" Hermione was not pleased with Ron's irresponsible statement. Her face darkened as she bit her lip and said, "Are you saying that Professor Watson foresaw the appearance of a famous broomstick that would only be available for sale months later, Ron?"
"What's your suggestion then, Hermione?" Ron glanced at Hermione sideways. He was annoyed by her skepticism and lack of enthusiasm.
"We can go and ask him, Ron. It just so happens that we need to give him the sweater Mrs. Weasley knitted." Harry suddenly said, not wanting the sudden brightness of this Christmas morning to be overshadowed by Ron and Hermione's argument.
"Come on, let's go and find him."
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章 247: 0246 Lupin & Tom
About half an hour later, the three of them gathered in the cozy common room, which was decorated with festive garlands and a towering Christmas tree.
Harry brought the Firebolt and the Cleansweep Seven that Professor Watson had lent him. If the broomstick was really from Professor Watson, he would at least have to return the Cleansweep Seven to him. Ron also brought the sweater his mother had knitted for Bryan.
"I would rather trade my commemorative coin for this broomstick, Harry." Ron sighed, his excitement fading as they passed through the Fat Lady's portrait hole. He glanced enviously at the sleek and shiny Firebolt, which looked like a masterpiece of alchemy.
"In terms of value, these two things are about the same, Ron." Hermione said disapprovingly in response to Ron's complaint. She adjusted her scarf around her neck, which was a gift from her parents.
To be honest, after thinking about it for a while, Hermione also thought that the broomstick was likely a gift from Professor Watson.
Think about it, her favorite thing was books, so Professor Watson had given her a precious and practical magic book with detailed annotations. As for Ron, she and Harry both knew that Ron had a strong attachment to money. Of course, they both knew that it wasn't Ron's fault, because he had always had to use his brothers' hand-me-downs.
Professor Watson obviously understood Ron, so he had given him a valuable commemorative coin, which was issued to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Wizarding Secrecy Act. It was a rare and historical item, and Hermione thought it was very thoughtful of the professor to choose something that related to Ron's father's work.
Ron's father was involved in related work, so Professor Watson obviously hoped that Ron would let go of his impatience and take a serious look at those seemingly ordinary but significant jobs.
As for Harry, there was no doubt that his favorite thing was Quidditch. He loved flying and playing the thrilling sport, and he was a natural talent.
But at that time, Harry already had a Nimbus 2000, which was a top-of-the-line broomstick. It was fast, reliable, and elegant, and Harry had been very happy with it. So, giving him a Nimbus 2001 didn't seem to make much sense. It was only a slight improvement, and it would not make much difference in Harry's performance. Therefore, Professor Watson had said he would give Harry a gift, but he needed to wait for the future. He was waiting for a better broomstick to appear.
To some extent, this kind of thinking was reasonable, but Hermione still couldn't let go of her worries.
The Firebolt had already been on sale during the summer vacation. At that time, Professor Watson and Harry had happened to be staying at the Leaky Cauldron. If he really wanted to give Harry a good broomstick, why did he have to wait until Christmas? Why didn't he buy it then and there, and give it to Harry personally?
On the way, Harry and Ron couldn't take their eyes off the Firebolt. They were discussing a bunch of professional terms, which Hermione was rarely interested in.
"I think you should be cautious about this broomstick of unknown origin!" Hermione followed behind Harry and Ron, watching the two excited boys, and finally couldn't help but remind them. She felt like she was the only one who had any sense of danger, "I think you haven't forgotten, Harry, Quirrel wanted to make you fall off the broomstick in the first year, and it's been less than two months since your last accident. In my opinion, if someone wants to kill you, giving you a cursed broomstick is the simplest way!"
Harry and Ron's footsteps suddenly stopped, and their excited expressions froze, especially Harry. He alternated between looking at the serious Hermione and looking down at the broomstick in his hand, his expression very comical.
"You think—" Harry widened his eyes, looking incredulous, "this broomstick… it's Black!"
Ron was also shocked by Hermione's words, but he reacted quickly. After Harry finished speaking, he immediately shouted, "Come on, Hermione!"
Ron waved the sweater he had brought for Professor Watson and seemed a little annoyed by Hermione's wild imagination. He thought she was being paranoid and unreasonable, and he didn't want to listen to her. "Black is a Fugitive, he's wanted all over the country. I'd like to see how he can walk into Gringotts and take out hundreds of galleons, and then walk into a crowded Quidditch shop!"
Harry immediately turned his gaze to Hermione, hoping she could come up with a reasonable explanation. He wanted to believe that the Firebolt was a genuine gift from Professor Watson, and that there was nothing sinister behind it.
"Maybe—" Hermione frowned tightly, trying to think of a plausible scenario. She knew that Ron had a point, and that it was unlikely that Black had anything to do with the broomstick. But she still felt uneasy, and she wanted to be sure. "He asked a friend for help?"
"His friends are all in Azkaban, Hermione." Ron said disdainfully, giving Harry a look that meant she was being overly suspicious.
"I think I heard you arguing?" Suddenly, a head poked out from one of the rooms in the corridor. It was Professor Lupin, with a smile on his face, but he still looked sickly. His pale skin contrasted with his dark hair, which was flecked with grey. The robe that used to fit him snugly was now a size too big, as if a gust of wind could blow him over. He looked like he had lost a lot of weight and strength.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione looked at each other in astonishment, and then, almost simultaneously, looked around.
"Hehe, you're not in the wrong place." Lupin smiled and said, reassuring them. "This is just outside Professor Watson's office. I think you must be here to see him, right?"
Harry and Professor Lupin had a close relationship. He had been studying the difficult magic to deal with Dementors with Lupin to fight against them. But encountering Lupin here made Harry feel a bit embarrassed, especially since Ron was holding the sweater that Mrs. Weasley had given to Professor Watson.
Lupin quickly glanced at the two broomsticks in Harry's hand and the sweater on Ron's arm, and a cold wind blew by, making him shiver. He wrapped his robe around him more tightly, and gestured for the three of them to follow him.
"Then come in and talk, all three of you. There's no reason to stand in the cold corridor and talk." Lupin said, inviting them in. "It's much warmer inside, and I have some tea and biscuits for you."
"Come in, Hermione. Crookshanks will be very happy to see you." Lupin beckoned to Hermione separately, knowing that she had a special bond with the ginger cat.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione hesitated and followed Lupin into Professor Watson's office. As soon as they stepped inside, they felt a wave of heat wash over them. Because of the roaring fireplace, it was very warm in here. Harry felt like he had jumped into a bathtub filled with hot water.
The office was spacious and elegant, with a large desk, a bookshelf, a wardrobe, and a few paintings on the walls. It looked very different from the other teachers' offices, which were usually cluttered with various objects and papers. Professor Watson's office was neat and tidy, and everything seemed to have its place.
'Professor Watson is probably not at Hogwarts now'—Harry suddenly remembered when he saw Lupin just now. Today was Christmas, and Professor Watson was probably back at the orphanage where he was raised.
"Oh, Crookshanks, are you okay?" Hermione saw Crookshanks, who had left a permanent dent in the sofa, and rushed over to pick him up, rubbing against him. She hugged him close to her chest, and stroked his fur. Tears of guilt shimmered in her amber eyes. "You must have suffered a lot during this time—"
Hermione choked up.
After giving Crookshanks a cold stare, Ron turned his head away. In any case, he couldn't forgive the killer of Scabbers. He still blamed Crookshanks for the death of his pet rat, who had been his companion for years.
Looking at the clean and tidy room, for some reason, Harry suddenly thought of the fleeting name that appeared in this position two weeks ago.
Sirius Black!
Harry had never told Ron and Hermione about it because he felt that it was probably just his imagination. Otherwise, he couldn't figure out how it happened. How could Black's name appear here on the Marauder's Map?
'Did Black secretly sneak into this room to deal with Professor Watson?'
God, if Black really had such an idea, Harry would laugh himself awake from dreaming.
To be honest, Harry didn't dare to say that he understood how powerful Professor Watson was, because so far, he had only seen Professor Watson take action once, when he casually imprisoned the snake in the Chamber of Secrets. But the indifference that emanated from Professor Watson, the kind of indifference towards everything, made people feel his confidence, just like Dumbledore. Harry had never seen a panicked expression on the face of the great headmaster of Hogwarts.
Meow–
A sudden meow pulled Harry's thoughts out of his own world. He subconsciously looked at Hermione's shoulder and saw that Hermione was also looking at Crookshanks with confusion. After scanning the room, they finally discovered who made the unfamiliar sound on the low camp bed in the innermost part of the office.
It was a black cat, about the same size as Crookshanks. It had sleek fur, green eyes, and a white patch on its chest.
When Harry looked over, the cat moved its gaze away from the Firebolt and looked at its own face.
"This cat?" Harry blinked, asking in confusion.
"Cough, you found it, Harry—" Maybe because he had just stood in the doorway and caught a cold breeze, Lupin coughed hoarsely. He gestured for the three little ones not to worry. He walked over to the bed, and picked up the cat gently. He held it in his arms, and smiled at it fondly.
"It's called Tom, from the wild. It's a very clever little guy. Cough, how should I put it, it can be considered as a Christmas gift from Professor Watson to me." Lupin said, explaining the cat's origin.
After holding Tom in his arms, Lupin turned around and leaned against the edge of the desk, smiling at the three of them.
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