Christmas Gifts

December at Hogwarts was blanketed in snow.

Great flakes drifted down like goose feathers, and the ancient, towering castle looked from afar like a breathtaking winter painting.

Gemini's life had settled down once more. No messy, melodramatic plots had been triggered, and he simply lived a peaceful, tranquil school life.

On the last Saturday before Christmas, Gemini came to Hogsmeade.

The snow on the ground rose past his knees. Gemini cradled a cup of hot-and-sour rice noodles, slurping away as he wandered back and forth along the streets of Hogsmeade Village.

Hogwarts had served toast and beetroot salad for lunch today, with milk tea to drink. Everything had been sweet...

Even Gemini, who had grown accustomed to British eating habits, found it a little hard to accept this time. In both his past and present lives, he had been a staunch lover of spicy food. Being able to stomach bland British cuisine was already the limit of what he could endure.

In truth, British food was not as outrageous as the rumors made it out to be. Many traditional British dishes actually tasted quite good, such as Gemini's favorite, baked potatoes. They were called jacket potatoes in Britain, and though they were baked potatoes, there was real skill involved in making them, with many different ways to eat them.

Still, there were not many varieties of British food, and eating the same things over and over became tiresome. It was nothing like China, where one could eat Chongqing food for a lifetime without getting sick of it.

So Gemini was not being fussy today. He had already eaten British food for so many years as a devoted spice lover, and now they were outright feeding him sweets. Anyone would find that unbearable.

Thankfully, Britain at least had chili peppers, pepper, black pepper, and mustard. They were not very spicy, but they were edible enough. Otherwise, Gemini might have considered emigrating to France...

"Slurp—ah~"

After finishing the last mouthful of broth, Gemini casually tossed the cup into a nearby bin. Snape, standing outside Dervish and Banges, seemed to have gone blind, completely ignoring this first-year student who had no permission to leave school and was wandering around Hogsmeade.

First- and second-year students were forbidden from leaving school during term time. Even students in their third year and above needed a guardian's signature to visit Hogsmeade on weekends.

So Gemini's behavior could be called downright brazen...

One tall and one short figure passed each other. Neither Gemini nor Snape greeted the other.

It was one thing for Snape to turn a blind eye to him, but if Gemini went up to greet him, that would be far too arrogant. It would be little different from a provocation...

In fact, it was not just Snape. Gemini had just happened to run into Professor Flitwick and Professor Sprout. Professor Flitwick immediately looked up at the sky. "The snow is really beautiful today—"

Professor Sprout cheerfully raised her head. "Yes, yes..."

Then the two simply walked past Gemini...

After spending enough time at Hogwarts, one would realize that it was a very warm place.

For instance, Professor Flitwick always liked buying sweets to hand out to the students, and he gave Gemini a few extra every time. So Gemini had never told him that he did not actually like sweets.

For instance, nearly every new dish released by the Hogwarts kitchens had been developed by Professor Sprout. She had also invited Gemini several times to attend her little weekend tea parties. He heard that most of the attendees were girls, and that there was plenty of delicious food...

The professors' tolerance toward Gemini was not without reason. That morning, they had seen Gemini applying to Professor McGonagall for permission to visit Hogsmeade and buy some Christmas gifts.

Professor McGonagall had sternly refused him. In the end, she repeatedly warned Gemini that she was very busy lately and would be in her office grading assignments all day. He was not to run around, and if she did not see him at dinner, he would be in for it.

Yet Professor McGonagall, who should have been in her office grading assignments, was currently sitting in a private room on the second floor of the Three Broomsticks, leisurely enjoying afternoon tea.

She had spotted Gemini outside through the window long ago...

As Hogwarts' deputy headmistress, Professor McGonagall had always been a very serious person. Given her position, she had to treat every student equally. If she allowed Gemini to come out, it would mean she could no longer easily refuse the requests of other students, which would be detrimental to her management.

But it was fine if Gemini had sneaked out on his own. In any case, there was no need to worry about the boy's safety. When she had inspected the troll and Three-Headed Dog corpses before, she had noticed that Gemini had kicked the troll's head apart with one kick! The troll's skull still bore the heel print of Gemini's shoe...

"How much is a Sneakoscope?"

Inside Dervish and Banges, Gemini examined the beautifully packaged Sneakoscopes on the shelf.

This was a shop specializing in magical equipment. All kinds of magical devices could be bought here: celestial models, Dark Magic defense equipment, and even Quidditch maintenance supplies.

"Twelve Galleons." The bearded owner spoke gruffly. "If it's a Christmas gift, we can wrap it and mail it for free."

Although Sneakoscopes at the Weapon Shop only cost ten Galleons, Gemini still had not bought one there. A gift was something filled with sentiment, so it was best bought from a proper shop for a little more ceremony. Besides, he was not short two Galleons.

Gemini took out the money and bought the Sneakoscope.

"Where should I send it, kid?"

"Hogwarts. Severus Snape."

"A gift for your Head of House?" The bearded owner's gaze swept over Gemini's green scarf. "I know it's a bit presumptuous to say so, but even if you give him a gift, he won't give you a pleasant look."

"Ha... you're right." Gemini spread his hands helplessly.

Snape's attitude toward him did not matter, but Snape had been giving him special treatment for so long. Gemini had to show some gratitude.

He casually took a copper cauldron from a nearby shelf and handed it to the bearded owner. "Add a cauldron as well."

"Thank you for your patronage. That comes to fifteen Galleons and five Sickles." The bearded shopkeeper beamed. "Would you like anything else, the famous Mr. Fox?"

"A wand maintenance set, the newest model. Could you throw in two extra bottles of maintenance oil?"

"Ah! Of course, kid!" The bearded shopkeeper took an exquisite gift box from a nearby shelf, then added two bottles of maintenance oil.

The so-called maintenance oil was actually a lubricant-like substance made by boiling pine and cypress oil. It could polish wands, and for those avid duelists, wand maintenance gift sets were their favorite things.

"This is also a Christmas gift. Please send it to Professor Flitwick."

"As you wish." The bearded shopkeeper's smile grew even brighter. "Are you giving each of the four Heads of House a Christmas gift?"

"Mm." Gemini nodded. "The Heads of House have taken very good care of me."

"It is only natural for teachers to look after students, kid. You've already spent a lot of money." The bearded shopkeeper suggested, "Perhaps you could buy something cheaper. Students usually don't come here to buy things..."

Gemini shook his head. "I won't take someone else's kindness for granted. I have no particular connection to them, so whatever their reasons, taking care of me is kindness, while not taking care of me is their prerogative. They may not think much of it, but I can't, because I'm the one being cared for. That's my principle in life."

"Ha!" The bearded owner laughed. "A principle in life! That's right! I knew that bitch Rita Skeeter had no good intentions all day long. You're nothing like what the newspapers say. I admire you."

"Then can you give me a fifty percent discount?"

"But the newspapers probably didn't make it up out of thin air, either."

Gemini: "..."

Where was the sincerity between people?

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