Gifts and the Imperius Curse

After breakfast, everyone gathered in the Entrance Hall.

With the tense atmosphere of late, everyone seemed to have been cooped up in the castle for too long, and an especially large number of students were going to Hogsmeade this time.

A long line had formed in the Entrance Hall. As usual, Filch stood by the great oak doors, checking the list of students permitted to visit Hogsmeade one by one while repeatedly sweeping the Dark Magic detector around each of them.

"What a waste of time. So what if we took Dark Magic items out of the school?" Mikel grumbled unhappily. "You should probably be checking what we bring in."

"I don't need you telling me how to do my job." Filch jabbed Mikel with the detector irritably.

Though he said that, he did speed up the inspection, and it was soon Kyle's turn.

Outside, the wind was howling. Honestly, walking to Hogsmeade Village in weather like this was far from pleasant. Many students began shivering the moment they left the castle, their ears and cheeks turning bright red from the cold.

But no one wanted to remain in the castle, so they could only quicken their pace, hoping to reach Hogsmeade as soon as possible, head to the warm and cozy Three Broomsticks, and have a steaming mug of Butterbeer.

Of course, some students were in no hurry, like Kyle and Kanna. They wore warming badges enchanted with waterproof and moisture-repelling charms on their chests, so the terrible weather did not affect them at all.

Chatting as they went, the two of them strolled across the grounds and followed the path into Hogsmeade Village.

They must have been notified in advance, and perhaps for safety reasons as well, but all the wizards from elsewhere had vanished. Everywhere they looked,