Christmas Gifts

Hogwarts was just as lively on Christmas Eve.

Hermione was still in the hospital, and no one cared about Percy's opinion, so there was no need to worry about affecting others. The Weasley family kids were playing a crazy Confringo cards with Harry. From the moment dinner was over, the explosions in the Common Room never stopped.

After another explosion, Harry touched his right hand, which was numb from the blast, and felt that he couldn't hold on any longer. He wanted to find someone to take his place, but after looking around, he didn't see anyone.

He turned his head to look at Ron, who was arranging cards. "Where's Loren? I haven't seen him since dinner."

"Who knows, probably with Hermione," Ron said casually. He was dealt a great hand and didn't care about anything else, only thinking about blowing George and Fred apart.

Ginny stood behind Harry, looking at the cards in his hand, and sighed softly.

Unaware that he was being talked about, Loren was currently busy at the Room of Requirement.

First, cut the Basilisk Scale into palm-sized pieces. Then, using the Sectumsempra, engrave the patterns and grooves of the magic array on the scales along the pre-set trajectory.

Finally, activate the pure Unicorn Hair and embed the threads carrying pure Magic Power into the grooves.

This is a method of inscribing Alchemy Array Loren recently optimized, inspired by Professor Snape.

When Basilisk, Snape displayed a unique skill in controlling the Sectumsempra. He was able to guide the enchanted blade to cut along a predetermined trajectory.

During his subsequent practice, Loren suddenly had the idea of applying this technique to Alchemy. He used the Sectumsempra to inscribe the grooves and patterns of the Alchemy Array, and then inlaid Unicorn Hair to complete the inscription of the array.

This approach not only improves accuracy but also enhances fault tolerance.

Normally, the Magic Power of the Unicorn Hair is activated directly with a wand, requiring a high degree of concentration during the inscription process. Like a high-precision surgery, any hesitation, any tremor, uneven inscription speed, or even fluctuations in the Magic Power input into the Unicorn Hair will lead to the failure of the inscription circle, and one will have to start all over again.

Loren's optimized method adds a pre-processing step to the carving of the Sectumsempra Spell before activating the Unicorn Hair. This allows for timely correction even if carving issues arise.

Even if the carving is wrong, it doesn't matter, as long as the Unicorn Hair, after being Magic Power, is inlaid along the correct pattern.

There was still Unicorn Hair left, and as for the supporting material, Loren naturally chose Basilisk Scale.

On the palm-sized Basilisk Scale, Hexagram magic array base was carved. The Unicorn Hair stuck to the tip of the staff was less than half used, and the remaining large section still emitted wisps of silver light, its Magic Power full and abundant.

"Excellent idea,"

The virtual Flamel floated in mid-air, carefully observing Loren's depiction, admiring it while hesitating to speak, "But..."

"Just what?" Loren didn't even look up, easily drawing a set of Rune on the scales. He held the wand as if he were holding a calligraphy brush, the flowing Unicorn Hair being both hairs and ink.

Flamel said, "I still believe that improving one's control over Magic Power and increasing the proficiency and precision in inscribing magic circles is the correct way for Alchemy to practice."

The second set of Rune was completed, and only a third of the delicate silver threads at the tip of the staff remained. Loren held his breath and finished the third set of Rune in one go.

As the final stroke was completed, the three corresponding Rune shimmered softly, announcing his success. The marks on the scales that weren't filled with Unicorn Hair began to extend and connect, forming a unified whole.

The space in the recess began to expand continuously, growing to the size of a suitcase, then a washroom cubicle, and finally stopping only when it reached the size of a classroom. But the scales showed no signs of change.

Loren nodded in satisfaction. This was the first time he had ever drawn a magic circle for the Untraceable Extension Charm using only a single Unicorn Hair.

"Hmm, you're right, but this little trick makes things much easier for me. For a junior apprentice, it's quite good, isn't it?" He held the scale up in the air, showing it to Flamel.

Flamel knew the value of the near-perfect storage alchemy item without even looking closely. "You're an exception. For others, practicing the precision of magic array inscription and practicing the precision of controlling the Sectumsempra might be more difficult."

He shook his head slightly; this was probably the trouble that came with talent.

After feeling smug for a while, Loren tossed the palm-sized scale aside and cut out an even smaller one...

It's important to know that palm-sized is not the limit for him in the Fantasy Book.

Christmas dawn broke, the weather was cold, and a thick layer of snow had piled up outside the Castle, creating a white wonderland.

The weather was lovely today, with bright sunlight streaming into the dormitory room through the windows and gently illuminating the three lazy boys perched on their four chairs. Although their movements differed, all three were trying to stay in bed longer than intended.

Ron pulled the blanket over his head to block out the light, and Harry lazily rolled over and went back to sleep. Loren raised his arm to shield his eyes from the blazing sun.

Harry didn't open his eyes until Hedwig swiftly flew into the room, landed beside Harry's bed, and affectionately nibbled on his ear.

"Hello!"

Anyone who sees the adorable Hedwig for the first time, with the Christmas package in its mouth, will feel happy.

Harry rubbed his eyes, then used his hands, still wet with eye discharge, to rub Hedwig's head. "Are you going to talk to me again?"

Hedwig took several steps back in disgust, placed the package she was holding in her mouth next to his pillow, and flew to the bedside table to peck at a bag of unsealed Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans.

Harry snapped out of his daze, sat up, and tossed a pillow onto each of Loren and Ron's beds. "Hey, Merry Christmas! Time to open your presents!"

The softness of the pillow still left Loren somewhat dazed; his memory was stuck on the moment he was inscribing the magic circle last night. He had strained his eyes trying to shrink the circle to the size of a grain of rice. When he closed his eyes, all he could see were wisps of silvery Magic Power light.

Loren sat up in his pajamas, dangling his toes and groping around for a while, but couldn't reach his slippers. He wondered where he had kicked them when he was half-conscious last night.

Never mind, there's a carpet in the dorm anyway, so Loren got out of bed barefoot.

At the foot of the bed were piled a large number of packages and gift boxes of various shapes and sizes. Without counting them, there were dozens of them at first glance.

Some of Hufflepuff's classmates sent this year's Frozen Pear and other frozen fruit. As last year, Mrs. Weasley sent a brand-new hand-knitted sweater, along with a large slice of Raisin Cake. Monica and Wendell sent clothes and books.

For various reasons, Loren did not prepare Christmas gifts for them.

Ron gave him the Honeydukes special offer gift box, while Harry gave him a book called "From Vanishing to Summoning" about the principles of Transfiguration.

Loren gave Harry and Ron were palm-sized Storage Scale that he had practiced making the night before. The two were initially puzzled when they received the gift. But after Loren demonstrated how to use them, Harry and Ron's eyes lit up.

Ron stroked the Storage Scale tenderly, rubbing his face against them with affection. "Oh, I mean, I've never received such a precious gift in my life."

"Don't worry, Loren. If the Ministry of Magic investigates, I can eat it and it won't implicate you..." Harry looked at Loren with emotion.

Loren: "..."

There's no need to be so moved. This is just something he made while practicing, and it's not even considered a good piece.

For the next fifteen minutes, the two of them played happily with the scales, engrossed in the game of putting items in and taking them out.

Seamus gave him a Muggle adventure storybook, which was about a middle school student and his friends who embarked on a spontaneous adventure, accidentally entered a magical fairy tale kingdom, and after overcoming many difficulties, obtained a sword and rescued a princess imprisoned in the heart of a dragon.

Interestingly, Harry and Ron received the other two volumes of the book, making the three books together the complete adventure story.

"The Flashlight dispelled the darkness of the Cave and scared away the Strange Bear that lived Cave," Ron shouted, pointing to an illustration on one of the pages. "I know this one, the Illumination Charm from your Muggle world."

Holding the storybook Seamus had given him, Loren felt once again Seamus's obsession with the title of Champion and his yearning for great adventures.

It was probably his act of collecting large quantities of Hellebore potion that left a deep impression on Snape. Snape sent him several liters of Hellebore potion he had personally brewed, contained in a small beer barrel. It was made by the Potions Master, and the smell emanating from the barrel alone was enough to make one's head spin slightly.

"Hiss, this could keep the entire school in a coma for hundreds of years." Loren clicked his tongue in amazement.

The gift he gave Snape was Storage Scale the size of a finger; the storage function was merely a secondary feature, the main purpose being to demonstrate his use of the Sectumsempra.

Dumbledore gave him a copy of "The Tales of Poet Beedle: The Warlock's Hairy Heart (Collector's Edition)," a story about a young wizard who neglects his emotions, becomes obsessed with Dark Arts, and ultimately reaps the bitter consequences.

It's clear that Headmaster Dumbledore is genuinely concerned about his mental health.

Loren's gift to Dumbledore was a lady's cashmere hat, the kind with long rabbit ears—it was absolutely adorable. Several pairs of long wool socks were also stuffed inside the hat; needless to say, the old headmaster loved it.

Finally, there was Hermione's Christmas present.

It was square and hard, and it looked like a book... Loren neatly tore open the kraft paper packaging, looked at the name on the cover of the book, and couldn't help but twitch his eye - "300 Common Sense Facts About Pet Cats".

"Merlin's beard!" Ron suddenly exclaimed from the side, "Nimbus 2001!"

Ron, having already finished unwrapping his gifts, moved closer to Harry and helped him unwrap his. Both of them had changed into the new sweaters Mrs. Weasley had sent, and Ron, startled, dropped a piece of Raisin Cake from his mouth onto the carpet.

Although he liked the brand-new flying broom, Harry wasn't very happy. Instead, he sighed softly and complained, "Sirius Black just sent a broom and not even a letter... We haven't been in touch for ages."

Upon hearing this, Ron rolled his eyes so hard they almost reached the sky. "Oh, if I had a godfather like that, I wouldn't complain even if he never wrote a letter in his entire life."

Upon hearing Sirius Black's name, Loren's eyes flickered.

Each floor has Christmas covered in silver frost and adorned with tiny golden stars. The ceiling is decorated with ribbons, and magical snowflakes fall continuously from the ribbons, disappearing without a trace upon hitting the ground.

There was also a small Christmas in the Hospital Wing. When Loren arrived, Hermione was sitting under the Christmas opening presents.

After Madam Pomfrey's treatment, the little Witch's Cat Hair on her face and body had mostly disappeared, and her curled fingers had returned to normal, able to extend and retract freely. Only her triangular ears on her head, her slender tail hidden under her robe, and her round eyes still retained her feline characteristics.

From a distance, she looks more like a Catgirl.

"Merry Christmas!" Loren walked over and roughly ruffled the two fluffy cat ears, his tone full of regret. "Looks like it'll be fully recovered soon, sigh..."

Hermione felt a little pain from the pressure on the cartilage in her ear, and without any mercy, she elbowed the man's hand away, saying irritably, "You look like you really don't want me to recover."

"How could that be?" Loren answered confidently and firmly, but the heavy, regretful expression on his face showed that he didn't think so at all.

Rolling her eyes, Hermione didn't want to continue the conversation. She spread her hands, showing two green grains of rice. "What are these? They're so small, I almost missed them in the gift box."

"An upgraded storage device. Don't let its small size fool you; the internal space is as big as a classroom... These are Basilisk scales, tough enough not to be easily damaged."

"Moreover, its small size allows it to be easily embedded in other items, making it more portable and discreet than suitcases and small storage bags."

Loren demonstrated by putting a book into the rice-grain-sized scales and then taking it out.

"Inlay..." Hermione's ears twitched twice, as if she suddenly remembered something, her eyes sparkling.

She pulled a Whale Pendant from the collar of her clothes, waved her wand to make two holes in the whale's eyes, and inserted Storage Scale the size of rice grains.

Hermione happily showed it to Loren: "Doesn't it suit you perfectly?"

Before Loren could answer, Hermione answered herself in her mind. A young girl's mind is often exceptionally sensitive; thinking of the Christmas present she had given her, Hermione said somewhat dejectedly, "The Christmas present I gave you was too mediocre, it can't compare to this..."

The little Witch grew increasingly dejected as she spoke, her voice trembling with tears at the end. "I should have been more diligent... but, but... being trapped in the Hospital Wing, even that book about pet cats was something I had to ask my dad to buy for me by having Hānhan son deliver a message to him."

"How could that be? I really like that book..." Loren comforted her softly. Ever since she took out the pendant she always wore, his heart had been filled with something indescribable.

——

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The Tales of Poet Beedle the Bard - the Warlock's Hairy Heart

Once upon a time, there was a handsome, wealthy, and intelligent young wizard who noticed that his friends, once they fell in love and indulged in playful dressing up, all became foolish, losing their taste and dignity. The young wizard resolved never to be such a weak-willed victim and used Dark Arts to strengthen his immunity.

The wizard's family, unaware of his secret, ridiculed him for his aloofness and coldness.

"Everything will change," they Prophecy, "After a girl captures his heart!"

However, the young wizard's heart remained unmoved. Although many girls were attracted by his haughty demeanor and used all sorts of subtle techniques to win his favor, none could touch his heart. The wizard was smug about his indifference and the wisdom behind it.

The initial stages of youth have passed, and the wizard's peers have begun to get married and have children.

"Their hearts must be empty shells," he thought to himself, watching the comical behavior of the young parents around him. "They're completely overwhelmed by these wailing babies!"

He was once again grateful for how wise his early decision had been.

Later, the wizard's elderly parents passed away. The wizard felt no grief. On the contrary, he believed their deaths brought him good fortune. Now he ruled their Castle alone. He moved his most prized possessions to the deepest dungeon, indulging in a life of wealth and comfort, with his many servants making his comfort their sole objective.

The wizard believed that anyone who saw his luxurious and carefree solitary life would surely be envious. Therefore, when he overheard two male servants talking about their master one day, he was overcome with anger and resentment.

The first male servant expressed sympathy for the wizard, who, despite his wealth and power, had never been loved by anyone.

But another servant laughed and asked in return, "Why can't a man with so much gold and a palace-like Castle find a wife?"

Upon hearing this, the wizard's pride was severely wounded.

He immediately decided to find a wife, and she had to be superior to all the others. She had to possess stunning beauty, so that every man who saw her would be filled with admiration and desire. She had to come from a magical family, so that their children would inherit outstanding magical talent. She also had to possess at least as much wealth as him, so that even if the family grew, his comfortable life would be guaranteed.

It would probably take the wizard fifty years to find such a woman, but as fate would have it, the very next day after he decided to search for a wife, a woman who perfectly met his requirements came to visit his neighbor's relatives.

She was a highly skilled Witch with great wealth. Her beauty was breathtaking; men would fall in love at first sight. Of course, there was one exception: the male witch remained unmoved. However, since she was the prize he had been searching for, he proposed to her.

People noticed the change in the wizard's attitude and were very surprised. They told the girl that what a hundred women had failed to do, she had actually succeeded in doing.

The young woman felt both curious and repulsed by the wizard's attentiveness. She sensed the coldness behind his warm, sweet words; she had never encountered such a strange and aloof man before. But her relatives all thought they were a match made in heaven and were eager to make it happen, so she accepted the wizard's invitation to attend the grand banquet he hosted for her.

The table was set with the finest silver and gold tableware, laden with the most sumptuous food. Entertainers played lutes adorned with ribbons, singing of loves their masters had never experienced. A girl sat on a throne beside a sorcerer, who whispered sweet nothings he had stolen from a poet, not understanding their true meaning.

The girl listened, quite puzzled, and finally she replied, "You are right, wizard. If I believed you had a heart, I would be pleased by your attentiveness!"

The wizard smiled and told her there was no need to worry. He instructed her to follow him away from the banquet, downstairs to the locked dungeon, where his most precious treasure was hidden.

Inside a bewitched crystal box lies the sorcerer's beating heart.

This heart, long isolated from eyes, ears, and fingers, had never been captivated by beauty, by a melodious voice, or by silken skin. The girl was terrified by what she saw, for the heart had shriveled and was covered in long, black hair.

"Oh, what have you done?" she said sadly. "Put it back where it was, I beg you!"

The wizard, seeing that this was the only way to please her, drew his wand, unlocked the crystal box, cut open his chest, and put the hairy heart back into the empty cavity where it had been.

"Now that I'm healed, I know what true love is!" the girl exclaimed, hugging him.

The touch of her soft, white skin, the breath she exhaled on his ear, the fragrance of her thick, golden hair: all of these pierced his newly awakened heart like spears. But in the long exile, in the darkness of imprisonment, this heart had become strange, reckless and savage, its desires fierce and perverse.

The guests at the banquet noticed the host and the girl's departure. At first, they were not alarmed, but after a long time, they grew anxious and began searching the Castle.

Finally, they discovered the dungeon, where a truly terrifying scene awaited them.

The girl lay dead on the floor, her chest ripped open, and a crazed sorcerer crouched beside her.

In his other hand, he held his wand.

Under the horrified gazes of the guests, the wizard tossed his wand aside and grabbed a silver dagger.

The wizard knelt triumphantly on the ground, clutching a heart in each hand. Then, he collapsed onto the girl's corpse and died.