bookbashuk Chapter 135, Section 134: A Christmas Horror!
Chapter 135, Section 134: A Christmas Horror!
Chapter 135, Section 134: A Christmas Horror!
The gift that Pandro "stole" from Santa Claus is truly mysterious. It looks like just a cardboard box, but for some reason it has the property of being "impervious to all magic".
No wonder Pendro had that smug look on his face, as if Ian wouldn't be able to open the gift box unless he asked him. The little wizard was indeed at a loss as to how to open the gift box.
"What exactly is in here?" As the saying goes, the more unattainable something is, the more obsessed one becomes. At this moment, it felt as if a thousand Animagus Professors were scratching at Ian's mind.
however.
Neither hands nor magic seemed to have any effect in front of Santa's gift boxes. Ian even tried using a chainsaw that could supposedly make everyone equal on the street. However, it remained as solid as new, unmoved, even the confetti on the gift boxes was spotless. The silent mockery was the gift box's response to him.
Ian no longer craves what's inside; he just wants to know what's actually inside.
"Am I really going to have to beg Pandro?" Ian, sweating profusely, threw down the sulfuric acid bucket in his hand. Even after pouring in a bucket of strong sulfuric acid, it still failed to corrode Santa's gift box.
The sulfuric acid is fuming.
That was a chemical reaction with the floor.
Santa's gift box, however, looked as if it had been splashed with water; the surrounding floor was now pitted and foul-smelling, yet it still stood there quietly, beautiful in its own way.
This gift box seems to fully demonstrate that things that do not belong to this world are not subject to the rules of this world. If there were enough of them, they could probably be used to build a space elevator.
"I don't need your gift!" Ian kicked Santa's gift box away, hesitated for a moment, then ran over, picked it up, washed it, and put it back in his purse. His current state of mind was somewhat like having a harem of three thousand beauties, and Santa's gift box being the unattainable white moonlight in his heart.
The room was also filled with other gift boxes of all kinds, which Ian had moved from his own bedside in his dormitory. Even though not many people stayed on campus, many people still sent him gifts.
The belated Christmas did not disappoint the little wizard's expectations and hard work; the gifts piled up together were truly spectacular, and describing their size as a small mountain would not be an exaggeration.
It's at least bigger than three or five Ian combined.
"This is the best proof of my popularity." Ian counted the gifts he had received; not only from Ravenclaw, but also from other schools of wizarding.
This is probably related to Ian's habit of pointing at his fellow students during class; he even received mutated man-eating cabbage seeds from the daring witch Hufflepuff.
obviously.
Ian's advice actually led to the little witch's successful experiment. Who says there aren't other geniuses at Hogwarts? He thinks Hufflepuff is really going to produce another plant-based version of Newt Scamander.
of course.
The premise is that Hufflepuff, that imaginative little witch whom Ian couldn't dissuade, didn't become olive stew in the dragon's mouth when she went to challenge it after graduation.
"Slytherin only gave me one gift! They're all so mean! My compensation still hasn't arrived by Christmas!" Ian made a mental note of this and continued opening the box.
Christmas gift boxes are definitely the source of inspiration for blind box design. Regardless of whether you have something or not, the anticipation before opening the box truly made Ian experience the joy of the holidays.
The largest gift box came from Hagrid, who did not choose the traditional packaging method but instead placed the gift for Ian in a huge wooden barrel.
"What if a magical creature jumps out of it?" Ian opened the barrel with a mix of trepidation and excitement. Fortunately, Hagrid didn't seem to enjoy giving surprises as much as he had imagined.
The barrel contained a pile of simply processed materials, including the incredibly precious unicorn feathers and even a frog brain that Ian had sought Hagrid's help from many times.
The Half-Giant's gift looks as rugged as his appearance, but it's clear that Hagrid put a lot of thought into it; collecting so many materials in the Forbidden Forest is no easy task.
Ian could almost picture Hagrid sneaking into the Forbidden Forest every now and then to collect things for him.
"I hope he'll like my gift." Ian carefully stored each piece of material away. The gift he gave Hagrid was a complete set of alchemical dragon figurines.
Although each dragon figurine is only the size of a palm, they can not only move but also breathe fire and interact. He even added a few giant dragon models that do not exist in reality, out of personal interest.
An ice dragon that can breathe frost, a bone dragon that can breathe blue flames, and a very G-version Charmander Pokémon—this must be considered a way to cater to Hagrid's tastes.
"Once I perfect my skills, I'll start selling wizard battle pets in Diagon Alley and completely change the future combat system for wizards!" Ian gave gifts to almost everyone he knew. His gifts were for any young wizard who had "nodding acquaintances" with him more than three times.
It wasn't that the young wizard was particularly wealthy, but rather that some simple alchemical creations were cost-free for him, allowing him to practice his skills and maintain good relationships with his classmates—a win-win-win situation.
He won twice, while his classmates won once. Compared to Hagrid's huge bucket of expensive gifts, the other young wizards' gifts were practically worthless but full of meaning.
Ian seemed to enjoy dismantling it.
The twins filled his gift box with candy, but Ian didn't dare eat any. He placed this gift, along with the "older sister's used underwear" given to him by the little wizard from the night class, in the Room of Requirement, the room where he hid things. Perhaps in the future, someone destined would discover this room and find what he had "forgotten" here.
"It's not that I dislike them, it's that I have a strong sense of crisis."
Ian continued unwrapping the gifts. Compared to the two gifts with uncertain levels of danger, the complete set of collectible cards given by the Chocolate Doll Boy made him sigh, "No wonder he's a second-generation factory owner."
He seems to be struggling financially, even using Chocolate Frog as tuition for his small classes, but he can give away these precious decks without hesitation, making him a true magical version of the Spicy Prince's family background.
"The young wizards in Ravenclaw give me mostly books, which I like." Ian had already opened seven books; the kind Penelope gave him a copy of Merlin.
My two roommates also gave me books, but one was "Fantastic Beasts in a Pot" and the other was "Secret Wars: The Days of Fighting with That Man".
These are all good books that you can't buy in Knockturn Alley.
Whether it was fate giving Ian a hint or not, the next gift box he opened contained "Fantastic Beasts: Locations and Sentencing Standards," a gift from Cho Chang.
1
Ian felt that his friends at his own college might have some misunderstandings about him. Fortunately, the professors didn't misunderstand him, and his excellent interpersonal relationships even earned him gifts from the four deans.
Professor McGonagall gave Ian a delicate brooch bearing the symbol of Transfiguration in the magical realm, perhaps reflecting her hopes for his future success in the field.
Professor Flitwick also gifted Ian a Charms notebook brimming with anticipation, containing his own unpublished insights, but certainly packed with valuable information. Professor Sprout gave Ian a tool care kit, his helpfulness to Hufflepuff students earning her her favor.
"My good uncle didn't give me a potion." Ian opened the last gift from the Hogwarts headmaster and found an alchemical artifact enchanted with the Ironclad Charm.
It must have been bought.
Ian thought Snape was worried that the current threat at Hogwarts would affect him. Clearly, Snape was unaware that Ian was still plotting to burn Voldemort again. His concern was similar to Ian's worry that excessively oily hair would cause Snape to lose his hair prematurely.
"I hope Uncle Snape will like the shampoo I gave him." Of course, Ian wouldn't buy ready-made Potter brand shampoo and apply it directly to his face; he made a lot of magical herbal shampoo for Snape himself. He added many precious ingredients to it, all recycled from Snape's treasured collection.
I wonder if Snape, after receiving the gift, will be so shocked that he'll immediately check his closet.
"Let me see what my best friend gave me!" Ian said, placing the last gift box in front of him after unwrapping everyone else's gifts.
This is a gift from Aurora.
As Aurora's earliest and best friend, Ian gave her a copy of "The Book of Parsleys" and a piece made from a resurrection stone prototype.
It certainly cannot allow Aurora to communicate with the other souls in the dreamlike realm, but this [Guardian Ring] will definitely deepen the connection between Aurora and her Guardian.
after all.
The existence of the Guardian Deity is inherently linked to the illusionary realm. Ian also remembers that Aurora practiced for a long time but still struggled to truly unleash the Guardian Deity Spell and establish a connection with the Guardian Deity.
This gift was far more time-consuming and laborious than the gifts he gave to Dumbledore and Grindelwald—the gifts he gave to the two selfless elders were both sets of wizard chess that he had designed in his own unique way.
He dressed up all the chess pieces with skins that were definitely much cooler than the 2000 RMB League of Legends Hall of Fame skins, and even the soldiers were transformed into green-skinned orcs and tall elves from World of Warcraft.
The modified version's capabilities don't stop there.
The knights' mounts were replaced with Thestrals and unicorns, one side wielding Frostmourne and the other Fire Delight; the red side's king was Dumbledore wielding the Elder Wand, while the black side's king was Grindelwald. Even the battle scenes were enhanced with special effects, making it a truly thoughtful gift.
of course.
It takes less time and effort than the [Guardian Ring].
"The Resurrection Stone is made of that kind of stone, and my ring is also made of that kind of stone. Rounding it off, it's like I gave my best friend a Deathly Hallows!"
Ian opened Aurora's gift box with great anticipation.
He remembered that when he and Aurora were collecting eggs in the Forbidden Forest, Aurora said that she had prepared a Christmas present for Ian, and it was a treasure stolen from Grindelwald.
"Let me see what the treasure is!"
Ian violently opened the box.
however.
He had expected to see some ruthless dark magic artifacts, but instead found only a small, exquisitely crafted object in the gift box, shimmering with a metallic sheen.
"What does this mean? Did they give me a house as a gift?"
Ian took the items out of the gift box.
With its exquisite patterns and openwork design, it was clearly an old item that had been around for quite some time. Under the light, it even had a patina-like texture.
That was a key.
The corridors of Hogwarts are quite quiet.
It could even be described as somewhat deserted.
Since most young wizards chose to go home for Christmas, the number of them remaining at school was not large, and most preferred to stay in the warm common room.
When Ian emerged from the Room of Requirement, he exhaled a large puff of white mist.
At this moment, the usual bustling student figures were gone, as were the cheerful voices echoing from the classrooms and corridors, and the flight training and matches taking place above the Quidditch pitch. The halls, towers, and lawns of Hogwarts Castle appeared exceptionally tranquil under the soft winter sunlight.
On days like these, not many young wizards would eat in the Great Hall. However, Ian still ran into an acquaintance at the Great Hall's main entrance.
"Miss Greengrass! Where is my Christmas present!" Ian, following the principle of three nodding acquaintances, also delivered a gift to Daphne Greengrass, who feared him like a tiger.
However, he did not receive a return gift.
"Do you want my enthusiasm to be met with your indifference?" The little wizard was very unhappy, making Daphne Greengrass and her friend Gesha Selwyn tremble a little.
"I—I did deliver it, it's in Qiu Zhang's box," Daphne Greengrass quickly explained, leaving Ian stunned and bewildered.
"That Christmas card inside was your gift?" Ian's eyes widened after a moment's thought. "You, a descendant of a pure-blood family, only gave me a Christmas card?"
His tone was somewhat indignant.
"Is it possible that my dad has stopped giving me money? —" Daphne Greengrass forced a smile, but it looked like she was in more pain than crying.
To prove she was telling the truth, she pulled out her purse, which was indeed rather meager, containing only a few copper nats and not a single silver shiko.
"I can't even afford the gift box—"
Daphne Greengrass's tone was very sincere and helpless. This little witch, who had been unlucky for an entire semester just because she had mocked Ian for calling him a Mudblood, was truly pitiful.
"Doesn't she want to lend you money? Fake best friend?" Ian looked at Gesha Selwyn, who was burying her head in the sand like an ostrich. The little witch immediately started reaching into her purse as if on cue.
In her panic, the purse fell to the ground without making a sound. Gesha Selwyn picked it up and opened it; the contents were even more gruesome than those of Daphne Greengrass.
Empty.
"Really, we have no money left. My family won't give me any money either." Gessa Selwin and Daphne Greengrass both exuded a sense of destitution.
"So you're the Hogwarts 'Broke Girls' from Hogwarts." Ian remarked with some emotion, taking two copper knuckles from his purse and giving one to each of the little witches.
"This is a reminder fee. Remember to remind your family to send me the compensation as soon as possible." With that, the little wizard left the two bankrupt sisters and stepped into the hall.
"Liquidating assets takes time."
Daphne Greengrass replied.
However, because her voice was extremely soft, Ian probably didn't hear it. If he had, he probably wouldn't have wondered why their family had cut off their food supply.
Clearly, Dumbledore wanted to cause a major blood loss for the pure-blood families.
"Did he also give you a Christmas present?" Gesha Selwyn asked only after Ian's figure had completely disappeared, her gaze towards Daphne Greengrass carrying a hint of strangeness.
It's like seeing a fake friend who secretly joins the party but doesn't bring their own friend along.
"I heard he gave gifts to a lot of people—perhaps to win people over?" Daphne Greengrass's way of thinking was very much in line with the style of pure-blood families.
"Then why didn't he try to bribe me? Our family is no weaker than yours." Gesha Selwyn didn't want Ian's attention; she just felt that her family might be looked down upon.
Daphne Greengrass didn't know how to answer either.
What did he give you as a gift?
Gesha Selwyn continued to speak with great curiosity.
Daphne Greengrass sighed. "I didn't dare open it. Grindelwald was giving me a strange look, and I was afraid that if I opened it, the Killing Curse would be stuck to my face."
Her words made Gesha Selwyn's eyes widen, and she even gasped.
"This guy hid a killing curse in your gift? Good heavens! Even the Dark Lord back then wasn't as scary as him!" Gesha Selwyn's sigh and opinion were completely heartfelt.
Daphne Greengrass remained silent for a while, when Gesha Selwyn tentatively asked if she should take the gift box to the relatively neutral Headmaster Hufflepuff to complain.
"I didn't say the Killing Curse would come from his gift—."
Daphne Greengrass finally had no choice but to respond with a single sentence.
"??????"
Gesha Selwyn paused for a moment before realizing what was happening. It turned out that Daphne Greengrass was worried about the killing curse delivered by Ian's good friend.
"You're definitely overthinking it. If Grindelwald and him really had that kind of relationship, you wouldn't be the first one to get blown up. The school has always said that he's dating Ravenclaw's doorknob."
obviously.
Some rumors are true and they never fail to come true.
"That's ridiculous! It's even more ridiculous than the fabricated stuff in that storybook Professor Lockhart had me spread." Daphne Greengrass, perhaps because she had been a rumor-monger before.
She has now developed some ability to distinguish between rumors.
"Who knows? — I also heard my dad say that the Dark Lord used to like sleeping with snakes. These wizards' thoughts are definitely different from ours."
Gesha Selwyn spoke with a touch of emotion as an adult wizard walked past her, prompting her, who always enjoyed cultivating good relationships with professors, to instinctively greet him.
"Professor Quirrell, hello."
Gesha Selwyn had already bowed, her manners perfect, but when she looked up, she still noticed that the Muggle studies professor's gaze was rather cold and sent chills down her spine.
"You look great too."
Professor Quirrell's response made Gesar Selwyn even more uneasy.
She could only frantically try to recall when she had offended this Muggle studies professor. Before she could even ask, Quirrell had already entered the Great Hall to prepare for the meal.
"Shall we go in for dinner?"
Daphne Greengrass looked into the Great Hall, where Ian had already gathered around the Slytherin table, eating and talking with Aurora.
"I'll consider skipping a meal as a way to lose weight —"
Geisha Selwyn was unwilling to go near the Slytherin table anymore, and she was also unwilling to eat at the tables of other houses.
"you're right."
Despite her rumbling stomach, Daphne Greengrass immediately and decisively headed towards the direction of leaving the hall, while Gesha Selwyn followed closely behind with a worried expression.
"He's not going to hog our long table for the entire holiday, is he?" Gessa Selwyn thought it was definitely a possibility.
Daphne Greengrass shared the same concerns.
"If all else fails, we can steal some herbs to chew on."
She gave a "genius" suggestion.
can only say.
The 2 Broke Girls might really be broke.
They were even poorer than many of the impoverished students they had mocked—while the two of them were planning to eat grass roots to get through the holidays, Ian was feasting at the Slytherin table.
of course.
While eating, he would occasionally glance at the ceiling.
"What are you looking at?"
Aurora had been trying to suppress her doubts for a long time, but she still couldn't.
"I'm looking at the losses I've suffered."
Ian's tone held a hint of melancholy. Yesterday, he had set up a little Christmas surprise here, but not only did he fail to retrieve the Galleons he had hidden, he didn't even find a single Bronze Knut.
"So it was you who caused what happened last night—" Aurora immediately gleaned the truth of the matter from Ian's words, which made her eyes widen in astonishment.
Who got that Galleon?
Ian was wondering if there was any chance to salvage his losses.
"I don't know, and I doubt anyone else knows either, because during last night's banquet, everyone was hit and ran away with their heads in their hands. The professors thought it was just Pippi the Ghost's prank."
Aurora touched her forehead, where she had probably been hit.
......
Ian remained silent for a moment.
"Yes, that must have been Peeves's prank. I just caught a glimpse of its misbehavior." The young wizard's resounding statement carried a strong critical tone.
"??????"
Aurora fell silent.
Seeing this, Ian immediately changed the subject.
"Where is the key you gave me from? Is it for a mansion in Austria? Can I choose the decorating style myself?" He came here to eat not only because there were few students and the long table was empty, but also because he was quite curious about the key gift Aurora gave him.
"It's not a house key; you can't use it to open any mansion—but you can go to the fairy bank in Scandinavia and use it to open the bank vault my grandfather hid."
"I don't know what's inside, but it must be my grandfather's treasure. He hid it very well, and I only found the hiding place because of my talent."
Aurora explained slowly and deliberately.
Ian, who was opposite her, visibly became terrified.
"What? You don't like it? I think you should like it a lot—after all, you like Galleons so much?" Aurora tilted her head and looked at Ian with some confusion.
"No—this thing."
Ian quickly pulled out the key. He had several guesses about it, and even some wild speculations, like whether it was the key to the Slytherin girls' dormitory.
The reality, however, was even more unsettling than his wildly imaginative notions.
"It has to be you again! Daredevil!" Ian felt like a blond-haired devil at this moment, his eyes slightly panicked as he looked towards the classroom seats in the Great Hall. Fortunately, Grindelwald didn't come for lunch, which allowed the young wizard to breathe a sigh of relief.
Well, how should I put it?
It's certainly not fair to blame Ian for overreacting.
after all.
This is more than just stealing Grindelwald's treasure.
This is Aurora directly copying Grindelwald's original strategy!
[P.S.: Taking the day off. See you all, my limit, tomorrow and the day after.]