Hogwarts: This holy light is righteously evil

Chapter 173: A Gift to the Castle's Most Dedicated Keeper, Merry Christmas!

Puni's figure quickly disappeared around the corner of the corridor, leaving Harry standing alone, repeatedly pondering the profound words he had just heard.

Harry stared at the empty end of the corridor, his brow furrowed, his mind in turmoil.

All past experiences rushed through my mind, and various unusual scenes from the beginning of my enrollment came to mind one by one.

Professor Quirrell's uncontrollable stuttering, the lockdown of the fourth-floor restricted area, and the information Hagrid inadvertently let slip—a series of small incidents flashed through his mind.

He finally realized that perhaps the answers to all the mysteries were never some distant secret, but rather scattered throughout his daily experiences.

I was just too slow to notice, and like ignoring the footnotes in a book, I missed these crucial clues.

Harry was overwhelmed by a jumble of thoughts, which left him increasingly confused and disoriented. He stood frozen in place, unaware that Ron and Hermione had walked out of the library and were standing right in front of him.

"Harry! What are you doing standing here in a daze?"

Ron's loud voice rang out, instantly breaking the chaotic thoughts in Harry's mind and forcibly pulling him back to reality.

Harry snapped back to reality and looked up to see the two people standing side by side.

Ron looked puzzled, while Hermione's brows furrowed with obvious disappointment. Clearly, the two had spent a long time in the library but still hadn't found any useful information related to Nicolas Flamel.

"I just ran into Puni."

Harry, looking dazed, whispered the advice he had just received, recounting the hint word for word, "He told me that the answer to fate had already been revealed, but we had been ignoring the signs around us."

"Omens?" Ron scratched his fiery red hair, his face blank and utterly clueless. "We've only figured out two things from beginning to end: one, the guarded item is most likely related to Nicolas Flamel; two, Snape has been secretly plotting to steal it. Besides that, what other omens are there?"

Hermione, who had been quietly pondering, suddenly realized what was happening the moment she heard those words. A bright light ignited in her eyes, and her tense expression relaxed instantly.

"No! Harry, this is a deliberate hint from our senior! We don't need to keep searching through ancient texts; we should go back and review all our past unusual experiences!"

The three of them immediately moved closer to each other, lowered their voices and communicated quickly, ignoring the curious glances from students passing by in the corridor, racing against time to sort out all the overlooked details and fragments, trying to piece together the complete truth.

At the same time, as Puni slowly walked up the stone steps, a feeling of indescribable comfort welled up in his heart.

He finally understood the joy of the riddle-like hints and completely understood why Dumbledore always spoke only half a sentence, implying a deeper meaning.

Having a grasp of the overall situation, standing outside the game, and watching those involved struggle and unravel the mystery layer by layer—this feeling of controlling the pace is far more interesting than simply being given the answer.

Penny's suggestion didn't solve the mystery for Harry and his friends, but it did lead them to a different direction.

While they were still searching for their memories in the corridor, the castle's Christmas holiday was about to officially begin.

Puni's previous advice to Harry was not a fabricated riddle; every word was based on evidence and was entirely true.

Back at the beginning of the school year, Harry received a collectible card featuring a Chocolate Frog with Dumbledore on his way to school on the Hogwarts Express.

The official description printed on the back of the picture states that Dumbledore had worked extensively with Nicolas Flamel, a partner in the field of alchemy, and achieved great success in the field of alchemical research.

This publicly available text presented Harry with crucial clues from the very beginning.

Moreover, anyone willing to go to the library and request Mrs. Pince to retrieve alchemy-related books, whether general history books on magic or specialized alchemy works, will have Nicolas Flamel's identity clearly marked.

All official magical texts record that he was the most outstanding legendary alchemist of his time, the sole creator and holder of the Philosopher's Stone, and the only verifiable master of the secret art of immortality in the magical world.

This clue is open and transparent, with no secrecy whatsoever. Anyone who does a little research can easily unlock the mystery.

But Penny was unaware that Harry, Ron, and Hermione had reviewed all their experiences since entering the school, meticulously sorting out every unusual and trivial matter they had encountered, checking them one by one from beginning to end, yet they could not recall any clues related to Nicolas Flamel.

The three of them completely missed this crucial foreshadowing that was right in front of them.

The next morning arrived, and the Christmas holiday officially began.

The Hogwarts carriage procession stopped on time in front of the castle gate, carrying students leaving the school in batches to the platform.

All returning students will board the Hogwarts Express to travel back to their respective homes to celebrate the holiday.

In the Ravenclaw common room, students staying on campus and those leaving said goodbye to each other in a lighthearted atmosphere.

Qiu Zhang was saying goodbye to his close friends one by one when he caught a glimpse of Puni entering the lounge. He immediately went up to her and spoke to her.

"Puni, the Christmas present I prepared for you will be sent to you by owl as soon as possible."

"I will go home during the holidays. If you need any help while staying on campus, please feel free to contact me by letter."

Several younger witches who were sitting and chatting nearby exchanged glances upon hearing Cho Chang's unusually special instructions, their eyes flashing with smiles.

Throughout their second year in Ravenclaw, Cho Chang was exceptionally popular and well-liked, while Puni, with her outstanding academic knowledge and willingness to help classmates with their homework, was widely recognized as a helpful academic assistant.

Everyone secretly joked that Qiu Zhang had monopolized the special attention of this genius senior, clearly distancing himself from others.

Marietta, who was standing to the side, had already opened her mouth, clearly intending to make a joke, but was stopped on the spot by the quick-witted Cho Chang.

She raised her hand to cover Marietta's mouth and casually stuffed the freshly unwrapped chocolate frog into it, effectively silencing any teasing remarks.

"Just eat your candy and don't talk nonsense."

Qiu Zhang smiled and pushed the chocolate frog closer to Marietta's mouth, clearly not allowing her to continue making a fuss.

With her mouth stuffed with candy, Marietta could only make muffled whimpering sounds as she was forced to close her mouth and chew, her expression both aggrieved and amusing.

Looking at the lively and amusing scene before him, Puni shook his head helplessly.

He had simply taken out a bunch of spare snacks to share with Qiu Zhang and her companions so they could pass the time, relieve boredom, and satisfy their hunger on the way back; he had no other intentions.

Marietta has never been one to hide her feelings; even the slightest noise in the lounge can become a source of amusement for her.

But this little farce didn't provoke any resentment from others. Instead, the girls watching secretly chuckled and silently approved of the couple's close relationship.

After the farewell scene in the common room ended, Puni picked up the remaining snacks and walked alone toward the auditorium.

The auditorium was now completely devoid of its usual hustle and bustle, with few people and a quiet atmosphere.

Most of the younger students had already left school to spend a cozy Christmas holiday at home, while a group of older students who chose to stay at school sat scattered around long tables, leisurely enjoying their holiday time on campus.

Compared to the naive young wizards, the more experienced and adapted students, who are more used to life in the castle, are accustomed to the atmosphere of Hogwarts and are not so attached to going home for the holidays.

After most students left the school, Hogwarts became quiet.

Penny did not return to the common room immediately, but instead went to the headmaster's office alone at the time he had arranged with Dumbledore.

After the Christmas holidays officially began, the usually bustling and noisy Hogwarts fell into complete silence.

The entire castle seemed to have entered a long period of rest and recuperation, exuding a peaceful and tranquil atmosphere everywhere.

The Ravenclaw common room was now deserted, devoid of its usual laughter and chatter; the vast space was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

On Christmas Eve, the students who remained in the castle were gradually entering the auditorium.

.

After it got completely dark, the Christmas dinner finally began.

As the Christmas dinner officially began, the entire Hogwarts Great Hall was completely enveloped in a warm glow.

Twelve tall and majestic Christmas trees stood neatly in various parts of the hall, their branches adorned with glittering icicles and floating, burning warm candles, their flickering flames illuminating the entire dome.

The air was filled with a rich aroma of food, the mellow flavor of roasted poultry, the sweetness of honey-glazed meats, and the warm fragrance of mulled wine intertwined and lingered in every corner.

The four house tables were laden with a sumptuous feast of festive dishes prepared by house-elves.

Whole roasted turkeys with crispy, glistening skin are lined up one after another, while piles of roasted potatoes and secret-recipe roasted meat cover the table, and small, tender smoked sausages are arranged in a staggered manner.

The side dishes are all included: sweet peas mixed with rich butter, thick and flavorful secret-recipe meat sauce, and sweet and sour cranberry sauce, each served separately. Every dish is exquisite and satisfying, tempting the appetite.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione sat side by side at the Gryffindor long table, immersed in the joyful atmosphere of the holiday dinner.

Ron disregarded table manners, focusing intently on gnawing on a huge turkey leg, enjoying the rare holiday delicacy with a carefree and lively demeanor.

Amid the noisy crowd, Fred and Weasley, carrying plates brimming with food, squeezed through the students and quickly sat down beside the three.

Their eyes held barely contained excitement, and their faces wore triumphant smiles, clearly eager to share some interesting and novel news.

"You'd never guess what we stumbled upon this morning! It was incredibly interesting!" Fred exclaimed as soon as he sat down, eager to tell everyone.

"We haven't had a moment's rest all morning, we've been busy the whole time!" George chimed in, picking up a sausage and gesturing with his hand to emphasize the excitement in his words.

Ron immediately stopped eating and leaned closer to listen with a curious expression. Harry and Hermione were also drawn in by their expressions and put down their utensils to wait attentively.

The twins, one speaking and the other in perfect harmony, recounted their extraordinary adventures from that morning.

They meticulously recounted the amusing incident of Puni being trapped in the Ravenclaw common room by a deluge of holiday gifts sent by the family's house-elves, perfectly recreating the scene where the entire common room was completely filled with gift boxes of all sizes, leaving almost no room to step.

The two happened to be passing by this morning and offered to help. Like a treasure hunt, they counted and opened the gift boxes one by one, and finally put all the gifts into a portable suitcase that had been enchanted with a seamless stretching spell, and put it away properly.

"You guys really didn't see that scene with your own eyes, it was absolutely outrageous!"

"The room was filled with gift boxes, and George and I were stunned. We almost thought Penny had secretly inherited Gringotts' private vault!" Fred spread his arms wide, gesturing wildly to recreate the shocking scene of the room piled high with gifts.

"And the gifts his elf prepared were really unique in style."

George frowned, as if he didn't know where to begin, then gestured and added, "When we were helping with the moving and unpacking, we found a sealed gift box that kept making a snoring sound, and a long, thin gift box that we could feel moving inside even through the packaging. We had no idea what was inside."

Ron was shocked and lost his appetite, casually placing the turkey leg in his hand onto his plate.

Hermione frowned slightly, her expression thoughtful, puzzled by the unusual way the Puni family house-elves gave gifts.

Harry was captivated by this novel and comical experience, and unconsciously conjured up an image of a room full of gift boxes in his mind, a slight smile playing on his lips.

George, with his keen eyesight, immediately spotted Puni walking slowly towards him and raised his hand to greet him warmly, gesturing for him to come and sit down.

Puni approached slowly with a gentle smile on his face.

George casually picked up a brand-new box of wizard firecrackers from the table and enthusiastically handed it to Puni: "Perfect timing for the festival, want to try pulling one together?"

Puni agreed, raised his hand to grasp the other end of the firecracker, and pulled in sync with George.

The explosion rang out suddenly, unlike the dull sound of ordinary firecrackers; this explosion was crisp and clean.

Silver magical sparks burst from the firecracker, landed on the table, and quickly went out.

During the brief moments of casual conversation and laughter, the atmosphere in the main and guest seats on the high platform became exceptionally relaxed, devoid of the seriousness and restraint that characterized the lecture.

Professor Flitwick had just told Dumbledore a funny joke, which made the elderly headmaster chuckle.

Dumbledore voluntarily changed out of his usual neat pointed wizard hat and put on a festive hat adorned with flowers, looking gentle and approachable.

On the other side, Hagrid frequently picked up his glass to drink mulled wine. After a few glasses, his broad face was completely flushed with a deep crimson, and his expression became casual and relaxed.

As he became more tipsy, he turned to the side without any restraint and gave Professor McGonagall a light kiss on the cheek, his casual and adorable gesture perfectly capturing the relaxed festive atmosphere.

After the main course, various festive desserts were served one after another. Soft and fluffy festive puddings and exquisitely shaped magical desserts filled the long table, with a fine layer of pure white icing evenly sprinkled on the surface. The texture was clean and fluffy, just like the first snow of Christmas, creating a wonderful atmosphere.

While eating pudding, Percy's teeth suddenly hit something hard, and the hard metallic texture almost injured his gums.

He carefully peeled back the pudding and discovered a brand new silver coin hidden inside.

This is a special festival custom of house-elves, where coins are deliberately hidden in festive desserts. Whoever finds a coin is considered to have good luck for the whole year, making it a very meaningful festive surprise.

On the other side of the table, Harry and Fred joined forces to lift a large wizarding firecracker.

This time, the commotion far exceeded that of before.

The firecracker exploded with a loud bang, and thick smoke billowed out, obscuring both of them.

As the smoke slowly dissipated, a neatly styled naval admiral's hat quietly landed on the table, while several lively white mice hopped out from the side, darting back and forth between the plates, their playful and amusing appearance eliciting gasps of surprise from the surrounding students.

After the dinner, the students left the auditorium with candy and gifts.

But the twins were clearly not done yet, and they soon set their sights on Filch.

The few white mice that had just been released by the firecrackers scattered frantically across the table, causing everyone present to burst into laughter.

Ron was the first to speak up and joke, pointing at the little guys running around and exclaiming that they had already scattered and fled.

Everyone knew that these white rats were merely temporary creations of shapeshifting magic, their magical power lasting only a very short time before dissipating on its own and causing no real chaos.

As the Christmas dinner came to a close, the students left laden with holiday gifts and various desserts and snacks.

Fred and George stayed close to Puni the whole time, refusing to let him go easily.

The two had a clear plan in mind. They had spent a lot of time this morning helping Puni sort and move the mountain of holiday gift boxes, all without getting any payment. Now was the perfect opportunity to ask for their reward.

They planned to select a number of oddly used and uniquely styled items from Puni's many novel gifts and keep them for themselves.

Meanwhile, Harry, Ron, and Hermione returned to the Gryffindor common room together, still discussing the various amusing incidents from the dinner party along the way.

Harry held the holiday gifts he had just received, but his mind had already drifted away from the lively scene before him.

The name that had troubled them for so long still lingered in his mind: Nicolas Flamel.

The three spent a lot of time searching through ancient books and historical materials in the library, but they could not find any corresponding valid records.

He secretly made up his mind to find a suitable opportunity to ask Puni for advice again.

Back in the cozy common lounge, the warm glow of the fireplace filled the entire space.

Harry and Ron set up the chessboard, while Percy stood by watching, occasionally offering pointers on the game's layout.

However, his guidance was too rigid and dogmatic, which disrupted Harry's rhythm in the game, causing him to make a series of mistakes, retreat step by step, and lose more and more thoroughly.

While the three were engrossed in the game of chess, Puni, whom they were talking about, was being half-pulled and half-persuaded by Fred and George, one on each side, towards the castle's basement.

Fred took out an exquisitely wrapped square gift box from the inside pocket of his wizard's robe.

The gift box was wrapped in fine purple wrapping paper, with a hand-tied bow at the top. The bow had crooked and casual lines, and it was obvious at a glance that it was a hastily handmade style.

This was a special item that the two of them had carefully selected from Puni's many gift boxes this morning while sorting through the gifts; it held a hidden meaning.

Watching the two operate with practiced ease, Puni pressed his temples in exasperation and offered some words of advice.

"Do you really have to do this? Filch already has enough strict and tedious duties guarding the castle; there's no need to deliberately torment him."

George immediately widened his eyes and clenched his fists in rebuttal, clearly still holding a grudge.

"Strict? Have you forgotten what happened last week! He confiscated three packs of our secret-recipe dung eggs without any reason, and didn't even give us a chance to explain."

We're just giving and receiving; it's purely about getting justice.

Since they enrolled, the feud between the twins and Filch has never ended.

The administrator kept a close eye on the two's every move, and would issue a disciplinary notice and confiscate the prank props if he caught even the slightest sign of misconduct. The accumulated resentment had long made the two seek revenge.

After the brothers took turns pleading and cajoling, Puni finally relented and agreed. The three of them reached a consensus and finalized this little prank.

Fred and George exchanged a glance, a tacit understanding flashing in their eyes, and immediately divided the tasks.

Puni proactively took out the Marauder's Map, staring intently at the flowing footprints on the paper, keeping a watchful eye on the surroundings to ensure that Filch was in his office at that moment, and that there were no patrolling faculty or students nearby, thus avoiding any risk of exposure.

After confirming that the environment was safe, Fred tiptoed and moved nimbly along the corridor wall, silently slipping to the door of the administrator's office and placing the gift box with the hidden secret in the center of the anti-slip mat in front of the door.

On the other side, George pulled out a blank parchment, raised his hand to hold a quill pen, and deliberately used exaggerated and flamboyant cursive script to write a holiday greeting on the paper.

—A gift to the castle’s most dedicated caretaker. Merry Christmas.

After everything was arranged, Puni watched the two people's meticulous work and became increasingly curious. He couldn't help but ask about the contents of the gift box.

"What exactly is inside?"

Fred and George turned to look at him at the same time, their faces bearing the same wicked grin, and answered in unison.

"Take a guess yourself!"