Hogwarts Study Panel

Chapter 316: Peace and Fulfillment
What he didn't mention is that the number of shops in Hogsmeade Village has actually remained almost unchanged.

After all, it wasn't just a shop; it was also the wizards' home.

Later, with the opening of the Playhouse, Hogsmeade expanded a little, which created the opportunity for new shops to enter.

We have to thank the Weasleys for this; I don't know how they managed to persuade those stubborn wizards.

"Want to go?"

Justin asked, seemingly unconcerned.

"Ah."

"By the way..." Sheen nodded.

"Although I couldn't personally preside over the opening, seeing my own shop open was still a very pleasant thing."

Justin opened the box, and steam billowed out, like the white mist of early morning.

So, the day after Halloween, Sheen's schedule was packed to the brim.

In the morning, they were going to Hagrid's Hut.

In the afternoon, he was going to check on the opening of two shops in Hogsmeade and also pick up some things from Gringotts.

That evening, he could test his ideas.

The store's opening date was chosen to be during the holiday after Halloween, which was undoubtedly a good time.

The young wizards from Hogwarts are just able to go to Hogsmeade, and since they've just finished their holiday break, they must all be worried about their homework.

As for today.

Hagrid's interview is coming up.

……

The interviews went exceptionally smoothly, and all the reporters left satisfied with their articles.

Sheehan guessed that this was thanks to Headmaster Dumbledore's smiling wink from the side.

The reporters unanimously assured:
The Ministry of Magic will not distort the content in the slightest because of its power; the report will be released truthfully.

In a few weeks, a deluge of reports will sweep across the entire UK.

As Sheehan walked down the corridor, he discovered that Hogwarts Castle was already immersed in a festive atmosphere.

The auditorium was already decorated with live bats, as usual.

The enormous pumpkins that Hagrid grew were carved into lanterns, large enough to seat three people. Rumors also circulated that Dumbledore had ordered a skeleton dance troupe to entertain everyone.

Just like the previous rumors about the eccentric sisters' concert, it was just the little wizards making things up to vent their excitement.

However, this only made the festive atmosphere even stronger.

Every now and then, little wizards in the corridor would talk about the Halloween version of the strange wizard chess game. By this time, Sheen had a bad feeling; he had almost forgotten about it.

Fortunately, it's not too late to make up for it now.

Inside the hall, wizards also exhibited strange transformations: for example, suddenly growing owl wings or acquiring lion mane.

These are new cookies that rely primarily on “partial animal versions” of the Animal Party series of cookies.

The "partial animal version" is the result of Fred and George's year-long study of shapeshifting cookies. It can transform a part of a wizard, allowing the wizard to experience animal abilities without losing their senses.

……

Halloween is here.

At seven o'clock, Sheehan and Justin walked straight through a doorway that led directly to the crowded auditorium.

The place was brightly lit and candlelit, with tempting gold plates on the tables, but they still headed towards the underground classroom.

"We'll just go for a little while."

Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Neville were already waiting here.

Subsequently,

They walked down the aisle to Nick's nearly headless party, where candles were already lit, but the effect was anything but pleasant:
They were all small, dark candles, their glowing blue as they burned, casting an eerie light even on their six vibrant faces. With each step they took, the temperature dropped. Harry shivered, pulling his coat tighter around himself.

Then he heard a sound, like a thousand fingernails scraping across a huge blackboard.

"That's what you call music?"

"Ron said in a low voice. They turned a corner and saw Nick, who was almost headless, standing in a doorway, draped in a black velvet curtain."

“My dear friends,”

He said with infinite sorrow,
"Welcome, welcome... I'm so glad you could come..."

He took off his hat with feathers and bowed to invite them in.

The sight before my eyes was truly astounding.

The underground classroom was packed with hundreds of milky white, semi-transparent figures. Most of them wandered around the crowded dance floor, waltzing to the terrible, trembling sound of thirty musical saws. The band playing the saws sat on the stage covered with a black cloth.

A thousand black candles were lit in a chandelier overhead, emitting a midnight blue light. Their six breaths formed puffs of mist in front of them, as if they had stepped into a freezer.

"Everyone, please pay attention! I will start speaking now!"

Nick, who was almost headless, strode toward the podium and stood under a cold blue spotlight.

"It is with great sorrow that I mourn my late Lords, Ladies and Gentlemen..."

After his opening remarks, some headless ghosts began playing a game—the horseback head game.

It refers to tossing a person's head up in the air while riding a horse, catching it, and then tossing it up again.

Nick really wanted to join, but unfortunately, he was "Nick who was almost headless," and these truly headless ghosts wouldn't let him in.

"This can also lead to discrimination?"

Upon hearing this, Ron was speechless.
"Please, they're all dead!"

"uh-huh."

Hermione snorted coldly.

These headless ghosts stole Nick's thunder, and the nearly headless Nick futilely tried to grab the audience's attention again and say something.

But a member of the Ghosts' head flew past him amidst cheers, and Nick, nearly headless, had to give up.

……

After leaving the underground classroom,
The auditorium felt much warmer.

The air is filled with the sweet and enticing aroma of roasted pumpkin, reminiscent of the pumpkin house Justin plans to carve in Hope House.

That would be so much fun, you can't even imagine.

Hermione is trying out a civet cookie, which her parents sent her, supposedly capable of randomly transforming a part of her body into a cat.

When she finished eating, everyone laughed.

"Oh, Hermione, you'd better hurry up and eat a restoration cookie."

Justin smiled and handed her a mirror, while Sheehan handed her a restoration cookie.

When Hermione looked in the mirror, she quickly buried her head in it—her face was covered in cat hair.

Ron was laughing so hard he was crying, but after Hermione stuffed a mouse cookie into his mouth, he couldn't laugh anymore.

He could only stare blankly at his own rat tail, his face contorted in despair.

Sheen smiled faintly as he watched them excitedly sample the random cookies.

This Halloween is unlike the last one, where giants roamed freely.

There will be no fighting at Hogwarts this autumn.

　I'll update two chapters later.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)