บท 189: Chapter 186

The Brazilian Castelobruxo, the Russian Koldovstoretz, and the French Beauxbatons adverts were the most prominent, with flashy blue, violet and magenta letters flying across the school's emblems on the paper, highlighting phrases such as 'Safety is a wizarding school's first priority' and 'A day's hard work and a safe night's sleep for our students'.

Hermione had been quite puzzled about why these adverts had suddenly started appearing. "Why would they start advertising in Britain," she asked one day in the Great Hall, "when Castelobruxo and Koldovstoretz don't even accept European students usually?"

"They're trying to pull students away from Hogwarts Hermione," Terry replied in a subdued voice, "And from the looks of it, they aren't doing too badly."

Harry looked around at the rest of the tables at that. Three of the four house tables were abuzz with whispers and discussions about these other schools that a lot of the students had never even heard about.

"I can't believe they'd do that!" Hermione indignantly said, "Instead of helping the school, they are trying to steal students away from it. That's-"

"That's the expected thing to do," Harry cut her off, "Most of the students are scared that the heir is coming for them, and they want to get out of the school. This is the second year in a row students have been put into mortal danger. It makes sense to me that we know that there are other options if we want out."

Apparently, it made sense to a lot of the other students too, since, in the days leading into the Christmas Holidays, rumors spread like wildfire through the school about a number of students having accepted transfer offers from the advertising schools. Professor McGonagall looked more and more distressed, and Harry had to cure her and a number of other teachers from various stress-related ailments almost every single day.

After the last day of classes gave out, Harry, Hermione, Terry, Ron and Dean found themselves in the Project Room, not working on the Game, but instead just lounging around.

It had taken a bit of work, but now the empty classroom that Professor Vector had assigned them for their project work looked much better than the dusty horde room of chairs and desks that it used to be. Two rows of desks were lined up near the two side walls to create a pair of neat massive work surface that was now littered with books and rolls of parchment. A few desks were placed in the center and then transfigured into a neat roundtable for them to sit at. Few of the uncomfortable wooden chairs had been transfigured by Harry in his spare time into a pair of sofas that lay off the center of the room, and the blackboard that stood against the door opposite the door was filled with spells and ideas that they had come up in their spare time.

In between all the chaos of school and the Chamber, this place had turned into their little haven. Just the five of them, doing whatever their heart pleased.

"YES!" Ron exclaimed victoriously at Harry from across the chess board, "How do you like that mate? I just tonked you in that match!"

"The score is seven to four Ronald," Hermione piped in from across the room, where she, Terry and Dean were trying to finish up some of their Christmas homework early, "You don't really get the bragging rights."

"Yet," Ron shot back at her before turning to Harry with a grin, "Get ready to be crushed, Harry. This is the start of my winning streak now."

Harry grinned right back, "We'll see about that won't we Ronniekins?"

A loud knock at the door distracted them from their bantering, and they looked at each other, puzzled. Dean pulled himself to his feet and went over to the door. He parted it open and peered outside to see who it was. Professor Flitwick's voice echoed into the room, "Good afternoon Mr. Thomas. Staying for the holidays I see. Could I borrow Mr. Potter? I'll have him back in a few minutes."

Harry shared a curious look with Ron before he quickly jumped to his feet and headed over to Professor Flitwick.

"Good afternoon Professor," he asked the Professor, closing the door behind him, "How can I help you?"

"Good afternoon Mr. Potter," Professor Flitwick said, "There appears to have been a misunderstanding. You did sign up to stay for the Holidays at the castle did you not?"

Harry nodded.

"I wrote to your guardian Mr. Nick Potter to confirm that, and he said that you were supposed to return for the holidays and hadn't informed him that you would be staying. He is on the Floo in my office right now, and is asking to talk to you."

Harry almost facepalmed right then and there. In all the hustle and bustle of the last month, he had completely forgotten to write to the Flamels and let them know that he'd be staying for the holidays at Hogwarts. "Er…that'd be my fault, Professor."

"I thought so. Come on now Mr. Potter. Let's get this sorted out," Professor Flitwick said, and together they started off towards the tiny Professor's office.

A couple of moving staircases, few corridors, and a low roofed corridor that Harry had never seen later, they arrived at the office.

"I'll give you a bit of privacy. Good luck now Mr. Potter," Flitwick said while opening the door of his office to let Harry in. With a nod, Harry stepped inside into the empty room, locking the door behind him before he headed towards the fireplace that was burning green with Nicholas's face in it, looking completely pissed off.

"Long time no see Nicholas. You look ridiculous without your body," Harry pointed out to the angry frowning immortal wizard, trying to lighten the mood a little bit.

"Not the time Harry," Nicholas severely said, "Get Hedwig to bring you over. Perenelle and I want to talk to you," and with that, his head disappeared, and the fire died down.

Harry warily stared at the fire for a few more seconds, wondering if this was how his friends' parents treated them when they forgot to write home about something important or whether he was getting a worse experience because his own guardians were cranky centuries old people. Deciding not to test them anymore, he poured some mana into his voice and called, "Hedwig!" A ball of fire erupted above him almost instantaneously and coalesced into the form of his best friend, who flew down onto his shoulder and curiously chirped at him.