Adding Fuel

After Albert handed the prepared Christmas gifts to the house-elves for delivery, the Christmas holiday quietly drew near.

The Christmas atmosphere in Hogwarts Castle grew even stronger. As in previous years, twelve Christmas trees stood in the Great Hall, the stair railings were wrapped in holly and tinsel, and huge bunches of mistletoe hung at intervals along the corridors. The girls loved gathering beneath the mistletoe, hoping the prince of their dreams would give them a romantic kiss.

By the fireplace in the Gryffindor Common Room, Fred and George were equally excited about the approaching holiday. They were discussing how, on the day they boarded the Hogwarts Express to leave school, they could secretly prepare an unexpected surprise for Filch.

"Where are you going for Christmas?" Lee Jordan reached out and poked Tom, who was lying by the fireplace. "Going abroad again?"

"I'm not going anywhere. I'm planning to stay home for the whole holiday."

Herb had been busy running around outside lately, so the Anderson Family had no plans to go away for Christmas this year. They intended to stay cozily at home for the winter.

"Oh, right. About that thing last time—I asked my father to look into it, and I got his reply not long ago."

"What thing?"

Fred and George had clearly forgotten what it was about.

"Investigating the rent for shops in Diagon Alley. It's higher than we imagined, and there aren't any suitable vacant shops left." Lee Jordan took a sheet of letter paper from his pocket and handed it to Albert. He then said to Fred and George, "Unless you're willing to open a shop in a really terrible location. Knockturn Alley does still have quite a few shops available for rent, and they're fairly cheap, but you know the security there isn't