#216 - Dumbledore's Gift

Hogwarts' Christmas party was scheduled for Friday.

On this day, the Great Hall was beautifully decorated with magic. The ceiling was transformed into a deep night sky, sparkling with brilliant stars and dancing snowflakes, complementing the huge Christmas trees on the ground.

Many young wizards, upon arriving at the Great Hall, gathered under the Christmas trees, hoping to reach the small gifts that the professors had placed on them.

Professor McGonagall contributed the most small gifts, mostly small handbooks on magical transfiguration.

Professor Snape created some potion ingredient packages, containing rare herbs and magical ores that students rarely used.

Upperclassmen, upon receiving such gifts, would immediately gift them to the younger students, and then the clueless young wizards would discover a small trap within.

This is a vial of poison hemlock essence. Congratulations, ____, you have received it. Now, please write down the potion it can be used to make, as well as the potion's recipe and brewing technique.

Potions Professor: Severus Snape.

Professor Snape left the same note in every small potion package.

As soon as someone opened it, the blank space on the note would display the young wizard's name.

Then, they would effectively receive a potions assignment in disguise.

"Oh, I knew Snape's gifts were the last ones you should take."

Ron was gifted two small ingredient packages by his twin brothers, and then he received a mistletoe berry and a piece of ginger root.

"Don't be discouraged, I actually have one too."

Harry patted the distressed Ron on the shoulder and then took out the note with his name on it.

His herb package wasn't gifted by someone else, but because of curiosity, Harry used his wand to pluck one down himself.

"Yours is sneezewort, it can only be used to make sneezing powder, but what can I make with these two ingredients? I have no idea."

Noticing Ron's increasingly resentful expression, Moon walked over to him.

"Mistletoe berries can be used to make a common antidote potion, and also a forgetfulness potion, but you'll have to ask someone else for the recipe."

Hearing Moon's explanation, Ron cheerfully took out the second note as well.

"Ginger root can be used to make a potion for curing scabies, and there's also a brain-boosting potion and a beauty potion that both require it, but I don't know the recipes either."

After listening to Moon, Ron happily put away both notes.

"Don't worry, since you don't know the recipes, I don't think Snape will force you to do it, after all, he definitely doesn't want first-year students to come into contact with such high-level dangerous potions."

Ron's statement was very correct, and Moon couldn't refute it.

Hermione, who had chosen a miniature harp left by Professor Flitwick, looked at Moon curiously.

"Where did you learn all this from?"

"I borrowed some Potions class materials from Cedric, and he also warned me not to take Snape's ingredient packages."

The gift Moon received was also a handbook.

However, it wasn't something he chose, but a small gift box that fell on his head as soon as he stood under the Christmas tree.

He glanced through the contents and found that it was a practical book on Defense Against the Dark Arts, with a lot of annotations and insights made by someone.

When the gifts hanging on the Christmas tree had been picked clean by the young wizards, the banquet officially began.

The tables were instantly filled with sumptuous delicacies, besides the traditional roast turkey and pudding.

There were also sausages that danced on the plates, and candies that burst with firework-like light in your mouth when you bit into them.

The ghosts also came to the Great Hall to join in the fun. Peeves, the poltergeist, flew around at the party, occasionally playing pranks.

When he noticed that no one was paying attention to him, Peeves would suddenly rush up and pinch a young wizard's nose, and then shout loudly.

"Got your nose!"

Neville had already been tormented several times, but Peeves didn't seem to want to let him go.

When he was about to rush down again to pinch Neville's nose, Moon shouted from the side.

"Look, the Bloody Baron is here!"

Moon had learned from Percy that the Bloody Baron could subdue Peeves.

Seeing Peeves fleeing in a hurry, Moon realized that the Bloody Baron's power was so great.

"Thank you!"

Noticing Peeves' departure, Neville thanked Moon with a red face.

"You're welcome, I think you'll be able to subdue him sooner or later."

After interacting with Neville for a semester, Moon realized that this young wizard wasn't as timid and shy as he appeared.

Although Neville often made mistakes in his studies and life, his perseverance was stronger than that of ordinary young wizards.

Despite often being ridiculed and punished by Professor Snape in Potions class, Neville didn't give up, he always firmly followed the curriculum.

In comparison, Ron and Harry were also often given "special attention" by Snape, but these two young wizards weren't as attentive to Potions class.

All of their assignments had to borrow from Moon's or Hermione's.

"I definitely will, do... do you want some pudding? Moon, you like sweets, right?"

Before Moon could refuse, Neville had already brought over a whole plate of strawberry pudding.

"Thank you."

Moon scooped a large spoonful onto his plate and thanked him.

"You're welcome."

Moon could hear that there was a hint of determination in Neville's tone.

The two didn't chat for long, because Nearly Headless Nick was now taking off his head and dancing a jig on the table.

He invited the Gryffindor lions to dance with him, and his comical appearance always made everyone laugh.

The professors sitting on the stage were also very happy.

Professor Flitwick led the school's orchestra to present a cheerful song to everyone.

During the interlude, Professor Flitwick also played a newly composed piece solo.

The instrument he used was the one Moon had given him.

Dumbledore's attire was very peculiar today, wearing a rare red wizard robe and a red wizard hat at a slant.

The whole outfit was very much like the legendary Santa Claus.

Of course, the most peculiar thing was his pair of huge reindeer slippers.

This was an item that Moon had specially written to his Uncle Gaia, who worked at the zoo, to purchase.

For this, he also exchanged 20 pounds of Muggle currency with Hermione.

Dumbledore seemed to like this gift quite a bit. He raised his glass towards Moon's direction several times tonight.

Professor Snape was still as unapproachable as ever. He didn't crack a smile once throughout the entire banquet. The cheerful banquet lasted until late at night.

When the midnight bell rang, Dumbledore announced the end of the banquet, and all the prefects stood up to watch over the young wizards as they left.

"Go to sleep quickly, we'll definitely receive a lot of gifts tomorrow."

Ron couldn't wait to get into bed after returning to the dormitory.

Although he could vaguely guess what gifts he would receive, he was still very excited at this time of year.

After all, no one doesn't like receiving gifts.

"That's right, good night."

Seamus and Neville felt the same way.

Harry tossed and turned in bed, he didn't want to sleep at all, because he couldn't imagine who would give him a gift.

Compared to other people's anticipation of receiving gifts, Harry just wanted to have a big meal tomorrow, and then have fun and play happily.

Moon was also not asleep, he was thinking about how to arrange accommodation for his new pet.