Harry returns from Hogwarts Legacy

Chapter 425 Christmas

Professor Slughorn had no idea how much of Ron's apparent "talent" came from Professor Snape's hard work.

In fact, even Harry didn't know.

When Professor Slughorn uttered those words, Professor Snape's mind was filled with images of Ron's various terrible performances.

For example, the spine of a lionfish can be ground into large pieces, and it's impossible to cut anything into small pieces...

These are all basic operations, but when it comes to controlling the heat, they perform even worse.

After a full year of intensive training, Ron made only a tiny, negligible improvement in Potions (Snape's words).

But Professor Snape felt that he would lose at least ten years of his life!

ten years!

This is so damn torturous!
“I think,” Harry changed the subject, “Professor Snape did a lot for us too, didn’t he?”

"Ha." Professor Snape's lips trembled slightly. "If you could just appear before me less often, that would be the greatest reward you could give me, Pott—"

Harry sniffed and decided to hold back.

I won't stoop to Snape's level!
After the party ended, Harry didn't forget to exchange contact information with Imelda and agree to hold a class reunion during the Christmas holidays. Then he left Professor Slughorn's office with Anne.

This year's Christmas will still be held at 12 Grimmauld Place. After discussing it with the Weasleys, Sirius Black decided that the families would once again celebrate together.

Besides the Weasleys, there's Neville and his grandmother, the Grangers, and the Lupins. You can imagine how lively Number Twelve Grimmauld Place will be.

A week before the holiday, Professor McGonagall took out a questionnaire and asked everyone to fill out a form about whether they were staying on campus.

“I also want to celebrate the holiday with you guys,” Draco said with a smirk as he walked over.

"Think about how to convince your parents first," Ron said without looking up.

"Ha," Draco retorted. "I heard you can't even handle a woman, Weasley. Don't talk about me like that, okay?"

This really angered Ron—lies don't hurt, but the truth is the sharpest knife. Ron couldn't handle Hermione's situation, and even Slytherin knew about it.

Of course, this matter... is not exactly a secret.

In the Slytherin common room, Ron had become synonymous with a failed man. The Slytherin students would use Ron as an adjective to describe each other, which would end in one of them getting angry.

That's quite insulting.

“I suggest you ask your parents first, and then have them inform Sirius,” Harry said, looking up at Draco. “I think Mrs. Black would also like to see your mother and father.”

Harry was referring to Walbuga, since Draco's mother was also a daughter of the Black family who had married out.

The next day, Draco received a reply: the Malfoys would also be spending Christmas at No. 12 Grimmauld Place this year.

As he said this, Draco also defiantly raised his chin at Ron.

That meant Ron figured it out—my great-aunt is Harry's girlfriend, are you even qualified?
Ron didn't really want to say it, but my great-grandfather and I were Harry's buddies.

If I round it off, I'm also my great-grandfather's buddy.

The holiday arrived quickly, and they embarked on their journey home.

When Harry arrived at King's Cross Station, he found Lupin and Mr. Weasley standing at the platform entrance, waving at them.

“Hey, Harry,” Lupin greeted him with a smile.

“Remus!” Harry walked up happily, hugged Lupin, and then hugged Mr. Weasley. “Thank you for coming to pick us up.”

"Anyway, there's nothing much going on, right?" Lupin said with a smile. "It's almost Christmas holiday time, and there's not much going on at the Ministry of Magic, so Arthur and I came to pick you up... How are things? Are your classes busy this year?"

"It's alright, much easier than last year," Harry said with a smile. "Once the Year of OWLs is over, my entire school life feels much easier."

Lupin and Mr. Weasley laughed together, and they called to the children behind them to walk together and get on the bus.

The car was still that same blue, high-end modified car. They lined up one by one to get into the car. Because the car had been enchanted with a seamless stretching spell, it could easily accommodate ten more people.

“I feel like we’re Indian,” Hermione said, patting her thigh. “I remember seeing on TV that Indians can fit more than ten people in a single car…”

“It’s a good thing the Parvati sisters aren’t here,” Harry said. “Otherwise, they’d accuse you of being racist again.”

“I’m just stating the facts,” Hermione said, rolling her eyes.

As they sat in the car, Hermione suddenly asked Ginny, "By the way, I remember you said you'd be taking Dean Thomas with you for Christmas, but where's he?"

“He has something to do,” Ginny said calmly.

"And what about you?" Hermione turned to Neville again. "Why didn't you bring Luna with you?"

“Luna’s going home to spend the holidays with her dad,” Neville said, glancing at Hermione. He had a feeling she was just making conversation—as if she was trying her best to find something to say to get someone talking.

But clearly, she failed; someone was standing by the window, intently watching the scenery outside.

Hermione gritted her teeth in anger, while Harry shook his head helplessly.

Ron is hopeless.

Mr. Weasley's driving skills seemed to have improved again; they drove at full speed in the sky and arrived at number 12 Grimmauld Place in just over twenty minutes.

“Welcome home, kids!” Mr. Weasley said, opening his arms to everyone as he stepped out of the car.

When they opened the door, they were still greeted by the same face as Walbuga Black.

But Walbuga's temper was no longer as impulsive as before, and she even nodded when she saw the children.

Furthermore, she made a point of greeting Harry and Draco.

Walbuga smiled happily when he learned that Draco's parents would also be spending Christmas at 12 Grimmauld Place.

“Yes, yes,” she said, “this house can finally welcome the right people to Christmas.”

She was clearly implying something, but no one paid any attention to her.

After all, Sirius Black is now the head of the Black family. And Walbuga no longer uses gossip to criticize Sirius. Now she genuinely believes that Sirius is her most promising child and the pride of the Black family.

After all, he is the Minister of Magic.

Most of the people here have their own rooms at number twelve Grimaud Place. They have found their old rooms and also found suitable suites for each other's parents.

After resting in the house for one night, they gathered together the next day to decorate the whole house.

First, they decorated the outside. Bill was eager to cut down the trees in the garden, but Sirius returned in time to stop him from doing so.

The garden was also enchanted with a smudgeless stretching spell, so it was almost devoid of flowers. It was mostly planted by Kreacher, Ruby, and the other house-elves, along with some trees that Sirius had transplanted from somewhere.

As for the Christmas tree, Sirius had already prepared it. When he returned to the house, he asked Kreacher to place the prepared Christmas tree in the living room.

The living room was now decorated in vibrant colors, with Ginny, Anne, Hermione, and Papiyas working together to make it a riot of color.

Meanwhile, Furong sat on the sofa, whispering sweet nothings to Bill.

“I really want to use some gadgets on them,” Fred whispered to George, but everyone around could hear him.

“That’s what I think too,” George said gruffly.

"You're dreaming!" Fred smacked George on the forehead. "You're one of my prank targets too—don't forget, you already have Angelina!"

"Haha." George could only laugh awkwardly.

"So, how are you?" George changed the subject, asking Ron, "I heard you're a famous wooden figure in Gryffindor now? What's going on? Can you tell your brothers about it?"

“It would be bad if I told you,” Ron said, rolling his eyes.

As he spoke, Ron reached out and flicked the little angel on top of the Christmas tree.

Only Fred, George, Harry, Neville, and Ron knew that the little angel on top of the Christmas tree was actually a garden goblin.

Fred was bitten on the ankle by this little goblin while pulling carrots for Christmas dinner, so it was put under a stun spell, painted gold, stuffed into a little ballet dress, and given a pair of small wings glued to its back, so it could glare at them from the treetop.

“I think this is really ugly,” Neville commented with great interest on the ugly angel. “This is the ugliest angel I’ve ever seen. Look—its head looks like a potato, and it has hair on its feet…”

“This is its punishment,” Fred said, glancing at the goblin. “It’s the most merciful punishment I can think of. In the past, I would have tied it to the Fireworks and let it experience what it’s like to fly on an exploding broom.”

"Ron, Ron?"

Mrs. Weasley's voice rang out.

Ron regretted it as soon as he agreed, because Mrs. Weasley had asked him to peel cabbages for dinner.

Moreover, Mrs. Weasley put away his wand.

Not far away, Ginny looked at Ron meaningfully.

It was clear that Ginny had complained to Mrs. Weasley.

Ron sat down on a small stool with a sigh, holding a knife in one hand, and looked up at Fred, George, and Harry.

“Hey, you three—” he said, “could you help me peel some cabbage?”

“I don’t think so,” Fred said seriously. “It’s very character-building. Learning to cut cabbage without magic will make you realize how difficult it is for Muggles and Squibs—”

"—This is Mom's punishment," George said with a grin. "You see, because of what you did, Mom decided to punish you—she is very fair and just, and she would never wrong an innocent person."

“And they never let a bad guy get away with it,” Ginny grumbled.

"Ginny!" Ron immediately understood what was going on, and he was furious: "Did you tell Mom on us?!"

"Is it my fault?" Ginny spread her hands, leaving behind a string of silvery laughter as she walked away.

Christmas was still several days away, so Neville's grandmother and the Malfoys didn't come to the villa. Only Neville and Draco were there, sitting on the sofa with blank stares.

They all had to listen to Mrs. Weasley's favorite singer, Sedina Warbeck, on Christmas radio, her voice flowing melodiously from the large wooden radio.

Fleur seemed to find Setina very boring, and she spoke loudly in the corner, while Mrs. Weasley frowned and kept adjusting the volume with her wand, making Setina sing louder and louder.

Under the cover of a particularly jazzy tune called "A Pot of Hot Love," Fred, George, Neville, and Draco played a game of Explosive Cards.

While Ron was peeling the cabbage, he kept stealing glances at Bill and Fleur, as if he wanted to learn some tricks.

“Stop looking, you can’t learn that.” Ginny suddenly squatted down in front of Ron, blocking his view. “Even if you looked, what difference would it make? You’re just a blockhead who doesn’t understand what love is—”

“I don’t need you to tell me!” Ron said angrily.

“Even if I don’t say it, that’s the truth,” Ginny said with a sneer. “Look at you, not only do you not know what—well, anyway, Mom has already punished you. You can slowly peel your cabbage with the knife. I’m going over there to play 'Bomb Bomb' cards with them!”

After saying that, Ginny skipped away, pushed Draco aside, and sat on the sofa, forcibly joining the crowd of people playing the exploding cards.

Draco seemed quite unwilling to be treated this way by a Gryffindor woman—

But there was nothing he could do; the Malfoys were alone, while the Weasleys…

Not counting the Weasleys, Bill, Charlie, Fred, Weasley, Ron, and Ginny make up six siblings. If a fight broke out, the Weasleys could easily take on all four of them.

Malfoy was always pragmatic, and Draco wisely chose to back down.

"Where's Harry?" Neville asked, looking up after being slammed by a bad hand.

“Harry went out,” Fred said. “He must have gone to pick up Miss Malfoy—or Miss Grindelwald, I wasn’t listening.”

“I think I heard…” George threw down a deck of cards and said to Neville with a sly grin, “Professor Snape was invited this year, Neville.”

Almost everyone in Gryffindor knows that Neville's greatest fear is Professor Snape.

Sure enough, Neville trembled like a leaf after hearing George's words.

“No, please don’t!” he said with a forced smile. “You must be lying to me, right, Fred?”

“I am George.” George’s face darkened.

(End of this chapter)