The flutter beneath the mistletoe was like a stone cast into the lake of Hermione's heart, its ripples lingering for a long while. But Hogwarts' Christmas magic possessed a remarkable healing power, quickly wrapping that embarrassment in the warm, bustling festive atmosphere.
The list of students staying over the holidays was finalized. Gryffindor Tower was much quieter than usual, yet it had gained a touch more warmth. The fireplace in the Common Room burned especially brightly, its gold-and-red flames dancing and casting a cozy glow over the scarlet tapestries and comfortable armchairs. The air was filled with the fragrant scent of burning pine, the sweetness of hot chocolate, and the caramel aroma of the crackling "Spark Candies" Fred and George had somehow acquired.
Hermione and Lynn had claimed one corner of a large sofa beside the fireplace. Hermione was wrapped in a thick wool blanket printed with cartoon owls, which she had brought from her Muggle home. The dark-blue Starry Notebook lay open on her knees, with several library books on Nordic Winter Solstice Magic Traditions piled beside her. She was rapidly recording something in the notebook with the Pen of Stars, its tip spilling lively, flowing starlit script. Lynn, meanwhile, leaned against the sofa armrest beside her, holding a hefty copy of Etymological Research on Ancient Runes. His calm gaze moved over the intricate symbols on its pages, and every now and then he lifted a cup of hot chocolate from the small round table beside him for a sip.
Outside the window, the frigid winds of the Scottish Highlands howled past the tower, whipping flecks of snow against the stained-glass panes with a soft rustling sound. Inside, the fireplace's warmth enveloped them. There was only the whisper of pen across paper, the crackle of burning logs, and the faint sounds of Hermione occasionally murmuring the pronunciation of an obscure rune. It was peaceful and comfortable.
"Lynn," Hermione suddenly said, looking up from her notebook. Her eyes sparkled with the excitement of a new discovery. "Look at this!" She turned the Starry Notebook toward him. On the dark-blue page, she had sketched a simple diagram in starlight, with several lines of explanation beside it. "The Magical Connection of Holly and Mistletoe says that the Ancient Druids believed holly's thorns symbolized protection, while mistletoe's flexibility and parasitic nature symbolized connection and vitality. Under certain stellar alignments, mixing mistletoe berry juice with powdered holly leaves can create a very simple 'Guardian's Link' charm. Apparently, it can slightly strengthen the mental connection between those who wear it!"
Her tone was filled with longing for ancient magic and an urge to experiment. Her little face was rosy in the firelight.
Lynn shifted his gaze from his own book to the diagram Hermione had drawn and her excited face. He could clearly feel a buoyant wave of warmth coming from the Moon White Stone at her chest. He set down his book, took the Starry Notebook, and brushed his long fingers over the simple pattern made of starlight.
"Extracting berry juice requires magical guidance, and the fineness of the holly leaf powder will affect energy dissipation." Lynn's voice was calm as he pointed out the key issues. "And the 'slight mental connection'... its effectiveness is questionable." He was not trying to dampen her enthusiasm; he was merely stating the facts.
Hermione's enthusiasm was not discouraged. Instead, she became even more eager. "That's why we need to test it in practice! The book says that during Christmas, especially Christmas Eve, this kind of natural magic is at its most active! We can try it! The castle greenhouses should have all the materials! Professor Sprout said students staying over the holidays could help care for the magical plants in the greenhouses!" She had already begun planning, her eyes curving into crescents.
Seeing how excited she was, the faintest hint of a smile crossed Lynn's eyes. He did not object. "All right."
Just then, the Common Room door was pushed open, letting in a gust of cold air. Harry and Ron stumbled in behind their thick scarves, their cheeks red with cold, panting as they carried several huge rolls of parchment. Neville followed behind them with a large cardboard box in his arms.
"Merlin's stinking socks! It's freezing outside!" Ron exclaimed as soon as he entered, throwing himself onto another sofa closest to the fireplace and rubbing his hands dramatically.
"We just came back from the Owlery," Harry said, setting the parchment on the table. They were Christmas cards and presents from home. "Hagrid asked us to bring this to you." He pointed at the large cardboard box Neville was holding, which bore the Honeydukes logo.
"Wow! Honeydukes!" Hermione's attention was immediately captured, and she temporarily forgot all about her magical experiment.
The box was stuffed with all kinds of magical sweets: screaming jelly beans—Ron immediately grabbed a handful and shoved them into his mouth, nearly choking when they screamed—Chocolate Cauldron Cakes filled with steaming strawberry syrup, cream marzipan wrapped in gold foil, and a large bag of Fizzing Whizzbees.
"Lynn! Hermione! These are for you!" Harry took two smaller, elegantly wrapped packages from the bottom of the box and handed one to each of them. "Hagrid said thanks for... er, what happened last time." He meant the Troll incident.
Hermione accepted hers. It was a neat square box wrapped in dark-blue paper scattered with golden stars, tied with a silver ribbon. It was exquisitely made. Lynn's was long and narrow, wrapped in thick dark-green kraft paper and tied with plain twine.
"Can we open them now?" Hermione asked eagerly, her eyes shining.
"Of course!" Harry and Ron replied in unison. They were curious about what Hagrid had sent too.
Hermione carefully untied the ribbon and opened the box. Inside lay a thick book with a dark-brown hardcover and brass corner protectors. Its title was stamped in gold archaic lettering: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Special Illustrated Annotated Edition). When she opened it, it contained not only detailed written descriptions but also a great many lifelike colored magical illustrations. Those magical creatures looked as if they might leap from the pages at any moment. A clumsy but heartfelt card from Hagrid was tucked between the pages: "For the bravest and cleverest little witch! Hope you like these furry little fellows—or scaly ones! —Hagrid."
"This is wonderful!" Hermione stroked the pages fondly, overjoyed. "I've always wanted the illustrated edition! Thank you, Harry! And thank Hagrid for me too!"
Lynn opened his package as well. Beneath the kraft paper was a handmade wooden box, somewhat rough but extremely sturdy. When he opened it, he found soft moss spread inside. Resting quietly on the moss was a... Unicorn Tail Hair as long as his forearm, gleaming with a cold metallic sheen and extraordinarily sharp! Hagrid had included a card as well: "For the lad who understands protection! This hair came from the worst-tempered old Unicorn in the Forbidden Forest. Don't ask how I got it! They say it can give weapons a pure power to ward off evil! Might be useful for your 'Pen of Stars'? —Hagrid."
Lynn picked up the Unicorn Tail Hair. It was icy to the touch and contained pure, powerful magical energy. He looked at the Pen of Stars in the box, its sapphire tip marked by a faint crack, and fell into thought. Hagrid's gift seemed rough and unrefined, yet it was unexpectedly thoughtful.
"Whoa! Unicorn Tail Hair!" Ron leaned over, staring at it enviously. "That thing would sell for loads of Galleons on the black market!"
"Ron!" Hermione shot him a displeased glare.
Christmas Eve finally arrived. The students staying at school gathered in the Great Hall and enjoyed a Christmas feast more lavish than they could have imagined. The Great Hall had been decorated like a fairy-tale world, with twelve enormous fir trees around the room, laden with magical ornaments. Real snowflakes that did not melt drifted down from the "sky" on the ceiling. Headmaster Dumbledore put on a pointed nightcap that sang, sending the students into uproarious laughter.
After dinner, the students returned to the Common Room in twos and threes. The fire in the fireplace burned even warmer. Harry and Ron were studying an enormous magical jigsaw puzzle, a present from Mrs. Weasley. Neville was dozing off while holding Trevor. Fred and George were huddled mysteriously in a corner, apparently studying one of their new products.
Hermione and Lynn still sat in their usual place beside the fireplace. Hermione had given up on making the complicated charm because the greenhouse keeper had politely declined her request to collect materials on Christmas Eve. Now, she contentedly flipped through the magical creature guide Hagrid had given her, occasionally pointing out some furry creature on the page to Lynn, her eyes sparkling.
Lynn, meanwhile, held the Unicorn Tail Hair and the Pen of Stars, writing and drawing in the Starry Notebook. He appeared to be researching how to repair the crack in the pen tip and fuse it with the tail hair's energy. Dark-blue starlit writing flowed across the pages, forming intricate energy circuits.
Time passed quietly. The wind and snow outside seemed to have grown fiercer, but the tower was warm as spring. Hermione gave a small yawn and rubbed her eyes. Her body unconsciously shifted a little closer to Lynn, as if seeking more warmth. The guidebook in her arms slipped down, but Lynn caught it quickly.
"Sleepy?" Lynn asked softly, gently placing the book on the small round table beside them.
"Mm... a little." Hermione nodded embarrassedly, pulling her blanket tighter around herself. Looking at the dancing gold-and-red flames in the fireplace, she said softly, "Today... was really wonderful. Better than I imagined Christmas in the magical world would be." Her voice carried a lazy note of contentment.
Lynn looked at her profile, made especially soft by the firelight. Her long lashes cast faint shadows beneath her eyes. After a moment of silence, he took a small square box from his pocket, carefully wrapped in dark-blue Starry Patterned Paper.
"This is for you." He held the little box out to Hermione.
Hermione instantly woke up, all sleepiness gone! She widened her eyes in surprise as she looked at the small gift, clearly something he had carefully prepared. Her cheeks rapidly turned red. "For... for me? A Christmas present?" She had not expected Lynn to prepare a gift just for her!
"Mm," Lynn replied.
Hermione carefully accepted the box. Her fingertips trembled slightly as she untied the thin silver ribbon and opened the lid.
Inside lay a delicate little brooch. Its main body was a pure Silver Moon, elegant and smoothly shaped. Nestled in the moon's embrace was a deep-blue Star Gem no larger than a grain of rice, its color as profound as a frozen universe, with what looked like a slowly swirling nebula within! The star and moon rested together. The design was simple, yet it held endless beauty and meaning. In the firelight, moonlight and starlight silently flowed within the gem, as though she were holding a miniature night sky in her palm.
"Ah..." Hermione let out a soft gasp of astonishment. She picked up the brooch, her fingertips brushing over the cool Silver Moon and the warm Star Gem. She could not bear to put it down. The gift was so beautiful, and... its meaning was extraordinary. She looked up at Lynn, her eyes shining brighter than the fire with undisguised affection and a touch of shy sweetness. "Thank you, Lynn! It's... so beautiful! I... I really love it!" Her words came out in a flustered rush.
"I'm glad you like it." Seeing her delight, the faintest warmth rippled in Lynn's eyes.
"I... I prepared a gift for you too!" Hermione suddenly remembered. Her cheeks grew even redder as she hurriedly pulled a neat square box from the bag she had left at the other end of the sofa. It was carefully wrapped in pale-gold paper and tied with a beautiful dark-blue bow. She solemnly handed it to Lynn. "Merry Christmas!"
Lynn accepted the box and removed the wrapping. Inside was a neatly folded scarf. It was made of soft, thick wool in a warm, gentle pale gold, like her hair. But at both ends, she had knitted two rows of simple, elegant star patterns using fine dark-blue yarn, like his star-patterned wand. The handiwork was not flawless; several stitches were rather unpracticed, and there were even signs that she had unraveled and knitted parts again. Yet the care and warmth behind it came through clearly in the soft wool.
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