Christmas

Chapter 800: Christmas

For the students of Hogwarts, this year's Christmas was lonelier than ever. The holiday was clearly approaching, yet there wasn't a trace of cheer in the castle.

The professors had decorated the castle as usual with countless icicles and snowflakes that would never melt. McGonagall had even transformed the twelve goblets in the Great Hall into towering Christmas trees.

Though the decorations had not changed, everyone knew this was not the Christmas they remembered—just like those fake Christmas trees. They had all been real before.

Hagrid would carefully select twelve of the finest Christmas trees from the Forbidden Forest and carry them intact into the Great Hall. By the time of the Christmas feast, the trees would be laden with all sorts of little gifts.

But Hogwarts was now constantly shrouded in the shadow of the Death Eaters. Hagrid, wanted by them, had been forced to flee the school, and no one knew where he was hiding.

That morning, a notice that suddenly appeared on the bulletin board made the already gloomy atmosphere even more oppressive.

[For special reasons, the Hogwarts Express will be temporarily canceled during this year's Christmas holiday. Any student wishing to return home for the holiday must obtain the permission of Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor Alecto Carrow before leaving Hogwarts.]

After reading the notice, Ginny could not help letting out a cold laugh.

"To leave school, we need Carrow's permission? Why doesn't she just say that only Slytherins are allowed to go home for Christmas?"

"Keep your voice down, Ginny." Neville hurriedly tugged at her sleeve from behind, glancing back warily at the same time.

Fortunately, there were no Slytherins nearby.

He patted Ginny's arm again and quickly left the bulletin board with several Gryffindors.

They went all the