At Hogwarts' Christmas feast, the food was plentiful, but with so few students present, the Great Hall felt rather deserted.
Even so, the decorations in the Great Hall were magnificent. More than a dozen Christmas trees stood dusted with silver frost, while thick garlands of mistletoe and holly crisscrossed the ceiling, making a striking display.
More wonderful still was the enchanted snow in the Great Hall. Warm and dry, it drifted gently down from the ceiling.
Professor Dumbledore led the other professors in singing several of his favorite Christmas carols, filling the room with cheer. Meanwhile, after cup upon cup of eggnog, Hagrid's voice grew louder and louder, adding plenty of merriment to the evening.
The feast had already begun when Jerry returned from Hogsmeade, but after searching the house tables in the Great Hall, he still couldn't find Hermione or the others.
"Malfoy, have you seen Granger and the others?"
Jerry found Malfoy enjoying his food at the Slytherin table and asked him.
"No. I spent all day looking for Harry, but I didn't see any of them!"
Even Malfoy couldn't find Harry? Jerry wondered.
"Jerry..."
"If you've got something to say, spit it out! Why all the hesitation?" Jerry had turned to leave when he noticed Malfoy looking as though he wanted to say something, and asked in puzzlement.
Malfoy asked cautiously, "Did Goyle and Crabbe accidentally offend you?"
Looking at Malfoy, Jerry only then realized that, apart from Pansy beside him, the two little lackeys who used to follow him everywhere were both absent from the Great Hall.
"No! Why do you ask?" Jerry shook his head.
"Pansy and I just found Goyle and Crabbe in a corner of the corridor beside the Great Hall. They're both out cold, and someone stripped their clothes off!"
Malfoy had