Flitwick's Interest

Silvan truly felt that staying at school for the holidays was an incredibly correct decision.

It was as if the Troll knew it was Christmas today, giving him a little surprise before nightfall.

The Fusion Charm had lost its effect, which meant the Troll Spine had truly become a qualified wand core.

Although it still looked a bit large, it didn't matter. Silvan had anticipated this situation and had specifically prepared a wand body over two feet long, which fit the core perfectly.

He had originally thought he would need to make adjustments, but that was no longer necessary.

Next, it was time to officially craft the wand.

But it was too late today. At Hagrid's insistence, Silvan had to forcibly restrain his eager hands and leave the hut, looking back with every step.

Hagrid saw Silvan out.

He didn't mind Silvan staying; after all, the sounds Silvan made while crafting his wand were quieter than Fang's snoring and wouldn't disturb him at all.

But McGonagall would be checking the dormitories at night.

There hadn't been such a rule before, but this year was a special case. After all, there were two Weasleys among those staying at school, and McGonagall had to be a bit more attentive.

However, seeing Silvan's reluctance to leave, Hagrid hesitated and turned to look back into the hut.

A few minutes later, he put on his mole-skin coat and hurried after him.

Dinner was turkey sandwiches and toast with cranberry sauce, which tasted quite good, and everyone ate happily.

Only Silvan had his mind filled with the wand body and core he had finished crafting, not paying any attention to what he was eating.

At the staff table, Dumbledore was fiddling with a brown wand, turning it over and over, while McGonagall laughed happily beside him.

"I've tried it, it's truly wonderful," McGonagall couldn't help but glance at Silvan, who was lost in thought. "Except for the fact that it can't be used with my first wand, it's perfect in every other way, just like a new hand."

"Are hair wand cores really that magical?" Dumbledore marveled.

Logically speaking, a wizard like McGonagall was no longer that dependent on a wand; even wandless magic was a breeze for her.

But McGonagall had remained happy all day, and Dumbledore also noticed that she had used magic significantly more often today. Even small spells that could usually be solved with a flick of the wrist were performed using the new wand Silvan had given her.

"It's magical," McGonagall said. "It feels like a part of my body. Even some simpler spells don't require an incantation."

"Non-verbal spells?" Professor Flitwick asked from the side. "That should be very simple for you."

"It's different," McGonagall shook her head. "It's not that I don't need to say the incantation, but that it's unnecessary. When the thought is in my mind, the magic is already complete."

"Really?" Professor Flitwick widened his eyes in surprise.

As a dueling expert, he understood what McGonagall meant instantly.

Not needing an incantation meant the spellcasting process could be completed instantly. If McGonagall were to duel, she would definitely have the upper hand, leaving her opponent no chance to counterattack.

As for McGonagall's remark that only simple spells could bypass the incantation... Professor Flitwick ignored that entirely.

Even if he only used the simplest Knockback Jinx, he was confident he could suppress his opponent until the end.

"If I were to pay to purchase one, it shouldn't make Mr. Ollivander feel offended, right?" Flitwick was tempted, but he wasn't sure about Silvan's thoughts.

The main thing was that he knew Garrick Ollivander when he was young and knew how stubborn that guy used to be, making wands only based on his mood and preferences... until he took over the wand shop in Diagon Alley.

"This..." McGonagall stammered and didn't answer.

Would Silvan feel offended? She didn't know, so she couldn't answer.

It was just that...

McGonagall's gaze drifted downward, inadvertently glancing at the top of Flitwick's head.

As everyone knew, Professor Flitwick had some goblin ancestry, and goblins usually didn't have much hair.

She wasn't sure if that was the reason, but Professor Flitwick's hair didn't look... well, particularly lush.

McGonagall wasn't sure if it would meet the requirements for a wand core, after all, her wand was nearly twelve inches long.

On the other side, Dumbledore raised his glasses thoughtfully, only to see an unexpected person peeking stealthily at the entrance of the Great Hall.

"Hagrid?" Dumbledore said in surprise, taking the initiative to walk over and bring him in.

"I'm so glad you didn't refuse my invitation to dinner this time. Christmas is only lively when everyone is together." Dumbledore smiled and pointed to an empty seat nearby, signaling Hagrid to sit down.

That seat was originally Snape's, but he hadn't come today.

Hagrid was a bit uneasy. For some reason, he had been expelled from Hogwarts by the Ministry of Magic on the grounds of "failure to control dangerous creatures," and his wand had been snapped.

Only Dumbledore was willing to trust him and gave him a job.

So, under normal circumstances, Hagrid was reluctant to come to the castle, let alone eat with the professors... he didn't want to cause trouble for Dumbledore.

He had come to find Silvan this time and had no intention of staying for dinner.

But Dumbledore was too enthusiastic, and by the time Hagrid realized it, he was already sitting in Snape's seat.

"What would you like to eat? How about a turkey sandwich? I must admit, the House-elves have roasted far too many turkeys." Dumbledore said half-jokingly.

Hagrid naturally had no objections.

"You should come often. The gamekeeper is also a member of Hogwarts," Dumbledore continued. "You have the right to come to the Great Hall and eat with everyone."

Hagrid pretended not to hear.

As he said before, he didn't want to cause trouble for Dumbledore.

Moreover, he didn't really like crowded places. Wizards were hostile toward giants, and their attitude toward a half-giant like him wasn't great. Most young wizards looked at him with strange expressions, making him very uncomfortable.

Of course, Silvan and Harry were different.

Hagrid sat next to Dumbledore, barely finishing an awkward dinner.

As soon as the food on his plate disappeared, he couldn't wait to say goodbye to Dumbledore and stood up to leave, stuffing a brown paper bag into Silvan's arms as he passed by.

"This is what you left at my place. Don't forget it again next time," Hagrid said.

Silvan didn't react for a moment. He looked up and saw Hagrid winking at him.

In truth, Hagrid was really bad at lying. The way he tried to cover things up and his stiff tone were enough for even Harry, who was sitting nearby, to tell something was wrong.

But Hagrid didn't give them any time to ask questions, leaving the Great Hall immediately after handing the item to Silvan.

Silvan subconsciously opened the bag, and a familiar flash of white caught his eye...

"What's inside?" Ron leaned over curiously.

"Nothing," Silvan closed the bag casually. "I asked Hagrid for a few Rock Cakes and forgot to take them when I came back."

"Rock Cakes..." Ron couldn't help but frown, as if recalling some bad experience. "That stuff is as hard as a rock, you can't bite into it at all. You actually went out of your way to ask him for some?"

"Ah, yes. I recommend you try one, they're delicious," Silvan said absentmindedly.

"I think I'll pass," Ron covered his mouth, instantly losing interest in the bag.