Let me handle this! A key to the Winter Garden?

Cold mist flowed slowly between the trunks. The firs were wrapped in thick shells of ice, and an occasional glimmer of silver flashed among their branches.

The deeper they went, the quieter their surroundings became.

The bells that had accompanied them all the way could no longer be heard here.

Harry lowered his head to make out the hoofprints and slowed his steps.

A few flecks of golden light lay scattered beside the tracks, like stars someone had dropped in the snow while hurrying past.

Ron pulled his scarf up to the tip of his nose and complained in a muffled voice, "Merlin's beard, this place is freezing. Pip, are you sure we haven't gone the wrong way?"

"Of course! Please trust the most reliable garden caretaker, Pip!"

The House-elf had barely puffed out its chest when a sharp crack sounded beside them. A branch snapped beneath the weight of the snow and fell heavily to the ground.

Pip's ears shot upright. It jumped on the spot and plunged headfirst into Draco's arms.

"There's a monster! Pretty miss, protect Pip!"

The impact knocked Draco half a step back, but she still instinctively caught it.

Ron looked at the broken branch, then at the little head poking out of the scarf, his expression quite a sight.

"So even the most reliable caretaker needs a little protection?"

Pip twitched its ears pitifully. "It's safer here, Pip!"

Harry could not hold back a laugh. Draco pushed the little creature's hat brim higher and was about to speak when that faint deer call came again from up ahead.

All four fell silent at once.

Hermione parted the dangling branches, revealing a cave.

A silvery-white deer stood at its entrance, watching them warily.

Its coat was soft and glossy. Branching silver antlers spread to either side, as though gathering the faint moonlight in the mist between their tines.

But it clearly did not welcome strangers.

The doe stepped forward and lowered its antlers. A faint silver glow rose with them, firmly barring the cave entrance.

"Don't go any closer yet." Harry stopped and motioned for Ron to lower his wand.

Deep inside the cave shone a pool of warm golden light.

A fawn lay curled beside the light, with only two tiny bumps on its forehead. Its coat was still very fine and soft, and it was trembling constantly.

When Pip saw that light clearly, its eyes flew wide.

"The Star Lantern! We've found the Star Lantern! Pip! Pip!"

It wriggled down to the ground and started to run forward. Draco caught the back of its collar just in time and hauled the little creature back to her side.

The doe pawed with a forehoof, and the light on its silver antlers brightened.

"Be patient, Pip," the girl reminded it softly. "I don't think it likes you barging in like that."

Hermione had already spotted the bed of grass beneath the fawn. The blades were frozen stiff, their edges coated in a thin layer of ice.

"It's protecting its child," she said softly. "The fawn is so young, it might not be able to stand the cold here."

Draco looked toward the Star Lantern beside the grass nest and slowly understood.

"So that's why it brought the lantern back to the cave?"

"But there's one problem." Ron scratched his head. "That lantern was hanging at the top of the tree, wasn't it? It couldn't exactly grow wings and fly up to fetch it."

Their eyes gradually turned toward Pip.

The House-elf had been standing on tiptoe a moment earlier, but now it slowly lowered its heels.

It clutched its Christmas hat, its ears drooping little by little.

"Pip... thinks Pip knows."

A few days earlier, Pip had lowered the Star Lantern especially to prepare for Christmas.

It had wanted to polish the lantern until it sparkled, to make this year's garden as beautiful as it had been before.

Halfway through, it had discovered that the cleaning cloth was still in the storage shed.

So the Star Lantern had been left beneath the tree for the time being. When it returned with its things, nothing remained there but snow.

"Pip looked for a very long time, but couldn't find it anywhere." The House-elf hung its head, kneading the tip of its hat into a ball. This time, it did not shout its own name excitedly. "Pip only wanted to get Christmas ready."

Ron opened his mouth, then swallowed his words. Hermione crouched and handed it a handkerchief.

"All right, we've found the lantern now. Wipe your face. We still need your help."

Harry nodded too. "You know this place best, Pip. Find a way to put things right."

Draco looked into its wet eyes and sighed softly.

"Next time, you must keep a proper eye on something this important. Do you understand?"

Pip nodded hastily. Only when the girl patted its hat did it unclench its little hands.

Another deer call came from inside the cave.

The doe immediately lowered its head and touched its child with the tip of its nose.

Draco lowered her wand and slowly crouched.

"We won't hurt it," the girl said gently. "And we won't take away its warmth."

The doe still blocked the entrance. But its antlers no longer pressed forward, and its ears turned gently with her voice.

Hermione watched for a while, then suddenly raised her head.

"We only need to replace the Star Lantern for a little while."

Harry understood immediately. "Once the lantern is back in place, the whole garden will warm up again."

"Exactly. We just need to help the fawn get through until then."

Draco turned to Pip. "Are there any magical items here that keep things warm?"

The House-elf's ears shot upright.

"Warm Winter Stones! Pip used them when tending the seedlings! There are some in the seedbeds nearby, Pip!"

It turned to run, but its hat brim slipped down again. Draco caught the tip of the hat and folded the brim up twice for it.

"Now the most reliable caretaker can see where it's going."

Pip nodded obediently and darted behind the trees on its short legs.

Before long, it returned carrying several pale yellow stones.

With a snap of its fingers, warm light glowed inside the stones. The thin frost nearby gradually melted, revealing the damp earth beneath.

"It worked! Pip! Pip!"

Hermione tested the temperature with the back of her hand and had it wrap the stones in dry grass. Looking at the icy grass nest, Ron suddenly unwound his scarf.

"Put this underneath. Mum knitted it nice and thick."

Hermione looked up at him. A little uncomfortable, Ron gave a small shrug.

"Don't look at me like that. Mum never said only a Weasley could use it."

Draco took the scarf. "Just in time, Weasley."

Harry raised a shield to block the cold wind at the cave entrance.

Draco cradled the Warm Winter Stones and slowly set them before the doe.

Their warmth melted a circle in the thin snow.

The doe lowered its head to sniff, then looked back at its child. After a while, it finally moved half a step aside.

The four did not rush forward.

Hermione and Ron first laid out the dry grass and scarf, and Pip settled the Warm Winter Stones securely in place.

Only then did Draco lift the fawn and carefully move it into its new grass nest.

"Don't be afraid. You'll be warm soon."

The warm light gradually enveloped its fine, soft coat. The fawn stopped trembling so violently and finally opened its eyes slowly.

It poked out its little tongue and touched the girl's hand.

Draco froze for a moment, then the corners of her mouth curved upward.

The doe approached and carefully checked its child. Then it turned toward the Star Lantern and nudged it out little by little with its nose.

Pip covered its mouth, its large eyes astonishingly bright.

"It's letting us take it! Pip! Pip!"

They shielded the fawn from the wind at the cave entrance, then retraced their steps with the Star Lantern.

But when the central Christmas tree came into view again, nearly all its lights had gone out.

Silver streaks crossed the sky like cracks growing deeper in thin ice.

Pip rushed to the lifting mechanism and tried it twice in succession. But the frozen axle would not budge.

"It's broken, Pip!"

Harry looked up at the treetop. It was too high, and wind and snow swirled among the branches. Even if they sent it up with a Levitation Charm, lining it up with the base would be difficult.

"Pip, what's that?"

Draco suddenly pointed toward the wooden shed nearby. A silver sleigh stood inside, both sides covered in engraved Flying Runes.

"The sleigh for carrying decorations! Pip used it to hang bells, Pip!"

"Can it fly?"

"Of course it can, Pip!"

The girl walked over to the sleigh and ran her hand over the control lever. She glanced up at the crown of the tree again, then turned to Harry.

"Potter, this time, let me handle it!"

Harry looked at her and remembered Flying Class.

"All right." He nodded. "Try the controls first. We'll get everything else ready."

Draco had already prepared a few more words to persuade him. Then that little flicker of surprise turned into a smile.

Pip started the sleigh and let it rise half a foot off the ground.

Draco tried turning, but the rear slid a little too far.

The second time, she released the control lever early, and the turn was much steadier.

She tried ascending, slowing down, and stopping as well. By the time the sleigh landed, the girl felt confident.

Hermione wiped clean the placement diagram on the lifting platform and pointed to the bottom of the Star Lantern.

"The longest point needs to face the trunk. It has to fit the groove exactly."

Ron and Pip unfastened the towline and looped its end through the guide ring on the ground.

"We'll feed out the rope down here," Ron said. "If the wind pushes the rear off course, we can help steady you."

Harry secured the Star Lantern, then checked the panel on the side of the sleigh.

"Ready?"

Draco tightened her grip on the control lever and lifted her chin.

"Watch closely, all of you."

Harry smiled. "We're all watching."

The silver sleigh slowly took to the air, climbing along the outside of the tree's crown. The first several yards went smoothly, but just as it skimmed past the lower branches, a sharp crack sounded overhead.

A sheet of accumulated ice suddenly fell.

"Protego!"

Harry raised a shield in time. The ice struck the barrier of light and burst into a cloud of white mist.

Draco had already turned the control lever. The sleigh swept past to one side, smoothly circling the branches.

Ron hurriedly fed out the rope, barely willing to blink.

The closer she came to the treetop, the stronger the wind grew. Grains of snow struck her face with tiny stings. Her cloak snapped as the wind tugged at it, and the sleigh began drifting outward.

Draco steadied her wrist rather than rushing forward.

She first backed away a little and tried two different angles. The ring of swirling ice and snow kept blocking her path, but whenever the wind swept around the thickest branch, a gap appeared beside the base.

Only for an instant.

Below, Hermione was reminding her to align the star markings. Ron and Pip tended the rope, while Harry kept looking in her direction.

Draco breathed out a puff of white and brought the Star Lantern close to hand.

The gap finally appeared.

The sleigh turned sharply, tracing an arc along the edge of the wind and snow.

Controlling its direction with her left hand, she lifted the Star Lantern with her right and leaned over steadily as the base swept alongside her.

Click.

The star-shaped markings fitted together precisely.

A thread of golden light shone from the base and raced along the branches.

The entire crown lit up with it, as though the sleeping giant tree had finally regained its heartbeat.

A warm ring of light spread into the distance.

Shells of ice cracked, and branches stretched out.

The first silver bell swayed gently, then clear chiming rang out from every direction.

The lamps lit up one after another. Frozen paper birds spread their wings and flapped past the treetops.

At their feet, a snowflake slowly rose into the air.

Then came a second, and a third. All the snow in the garden grew light, slowly drifting toward the silver-blue sky to meet the golden light filling the air.

"Oh, Merlin..." Ron tilted his face upward. "We really did it."

Pip was already jumping up and down with joy.

"The garden's back! Pip! Pip!"

Harry was still watching the treetop. The silver sleigh passed through the lights, slowly descending.

The light gave the girl's golden hair a soft sheen. Her cheeks were red from the cold, but her smile was brilliantly bright.

The moment the sleigh came to a steady halt, he went to meet her.

"That was beautiful flying, all the way through."

The girl could no longer hide her pride.

"You've finally said something fair. Remember, Potter, I haven't had my fill of winning yet!"

When the doe led its fawn out of the forest, the little creature could already stand steadily on its own.

Ron's scarf lay draped over its back like a slightly oversized cloak.

It walked over to Draco and gently nuzzled her hand. The doe stood quietly not far away, watching her child.

The girl crouched down and stroked the fawn's head. Beside her, though, a sudden sniffle sounded.

Pip stood beneath the tree, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand.

Ron bent down. "Why are you crying again?"

"Pip is just so happy..." The House-elf gazed at the lights that had lit up again, his voice growing quieter and quieter. "Pip thought he'd never see them again."

Draco reached out and straightened his hat for him.

"Now you can take your time looking."

Pip nodded hard, then suddenly straightened up again.

"Presents! Pip hasn't thanked everyone yet, Pip!"

He ran to the roots of the tree and stretched both hands toward the Star Lantern high above. In all earnestness, the little fellow asked the garden to give presents to his four friends.

Silver bells chimed softly, and four clusters of starlight drifted down.

The light faded, revealing four exquisite silver keys.

A little golden star was set into the top of Harry's key.

Draco's bore a coiled silver snake, its body wound around a green gemstone.

Ron received a little knight, while in Hermione's palm lay an open silver book.

"Winter Keys! Only friends the garden recognizes can have them, Pip! Pip!"

Following Pip's instructions, Harry poured in his magic, then gently turned the key.

A ring of silver light opened before him.

He took out a notebook of Charms notes, lightly touched the key to its cover, then tried turning the key.

The notebook vanished without a sound, and a moment later, it dropped into Pip's arms. The House-elf hurriedly caught it.

"The keys are connected to this garden!" Pip waggled his ears proudly. "You can send things here, and Pip will keep them safe for you. When you need them, just use your keys to get them back, Pip!"

"Pip will prepare special rooms. Everyone will have their own space, so nothing will get mixed up, Pip!"

Pip's surprises were not over yet.

When all four keys were brought together, they could reopen the door in the Christmas tree inside the castle.

They could come back in the future, back to this singing forest, and back beneath those trees that sent snow drifting toward the sky.

Ron slowly raised his head. "So, we have our own secret base?"

"It sounds like it," Harry replied with a smile, then looked at Draco. "Shall we come again when we have time?"

"Of course I'll come." She answered too quickly.

Ron immediately raised his key and reminded them solemnly, "Mr. Potter, Miss Malfoy, the owners of the other two keys are here too."

Hermione smiled and waved her little silver book.

Draco's ears grew slightly warm, and she promptly glared at Ron.

"I never said I was going to lock you out, Weasley."

Pip looked from one to another, his ears trembling with delight.

"Four friends! Pip has four friends now! Pip! Pip!"

But when they reached the tree door, the House-elf suddenly fell quiet.

Beyond the door were Hogwarts' familiar stone walls, and they could still hear students' footsteps in the distance.

Everything was perfectly ordinary, as though the wind, snow, and starlight just now had been nothing more than an exceptionally long dream.

Draco folded the brim of Pip's hat into place for him and noticed that he kept his head lowered.

"Is there something else?"

"Will everyone really come back, Pip?"

He fiddled with his scarf, and only after a moment did he add quietly, "Other people said they liked it here before. Later, they stopped coming. Pip..."

Draco's hand paused. Then she held her key up before him.

"I don't think a Malfoy's promise is quite that unreliable."

Harry crouched down too, looking at him with a smile.

"You can't give us presents and then turn us away at the door, can you?"

"And there's the Ancient Magic here," Hermione added.

Ron immediately raised his hand. "I'd be very happy to try the sweets you prepare."

At last, Pip lifted his head.

"There will be lots and lots of sweets! But Mr. Ron mustn't eat the bridge, Pip!"

"See, I haven't even asked for that yet."

Laughter rang out before the tree door.

Pip hugged them one by one, then stood beside the door, calling each of their names and waving his little hand hard.

"Mr. Round Glasses, Mr. Red Hair, Miss Clever, and the prettiest, prettiest miss!"

"Come back often! Pip will be waiting for everyone! Pip! Pip!"

The four of them stepped onto the castle's stone floor and looked back.

The Silver-White Forest was slowly receding beyond the door, and the Christmas tree gradually disappeared into the stone wall.

The last faint chime slowly faded into the distance, and the laughter and magic sank into the night with it.

Pip watched the four figures disappear, his long ears drooping little by little.

Only when his oversized Christmas hat slipped down to the tip of his nose did he seem to come to his senses, freeing one hand to push it back up with an effort.

Then the House-elf gathered Harry's book into his arms and patted it gently.