HP: Azkaban's Outstanding Graduate

They were abruptly woken up by Hermione, who, carrying gifts for the two of them, brazenly stormed into the boys' dormitory.

"Get up!" She was already dressed and her scarf was tied. "Wake up, what time is it!" she shouted as she pulled open the curtains.

"Hermione? You shouldn't have come in! This is the boys' dormitory..."

Harry shielded his eyes from the glaring sunlight, his voice still heavy with sleep. He had been kept awake all night by Dobby and hadn't fallen asleep until almost dawn.

Ron buried his head in the pillow and mumbled, "Don't make a sound... I didn't sleep well last night, I think I dreamt someone was slapping me..."

"If you don't get up, I guarantee someone will really slap you right now!" Hermione said fiercely, hands on her hips.

Ron was startled awake, and his sleepiness vanished almost instantly. To prevent his dream from coming true, he quickly got up.

"Sleepiness evaporated!"

The little witch waved her wand, and the other half of their sleepiness disappeared as well.

The next second, a gift landed in Ron's arms.

"Merry Christmas!" Hermione had barely finished speaking when another gift was tossed precisely onto Harry's bed—a beautiful eagle quill pen.

Harry smiled and took it, examining it with great delight.

"Thank you, Hermione!"

Just then, Hedwig fluttered in through the window Hermione had opened, carrying a small, simply wrapped gift box in her mouth. Harry took it with delight.

"Who sent it?" Ron asked casually.

Harry first gently stroked Hedwig's feathers before carefully unwrapping the package:

“Oh, it’s the Dursleys…” He took out something from inside, his tone flat, “a toothpick.”

There was also a crumpled piece of paper haphazardly stuffed into the box, like a corner torn from an old newspaper.

Harry struggled to decipher the crooked handwriting and read it aloud in a low voice: "I'd like to ask if I can stay in that awful place for the summer vacation too?"

“They’re really mean, aren’t they?” Ron wrinkled his nose.

"Oh, that's actually quite friendly." Harry casually tossed the toothpick and note aside.

In contrast, the other gifts were much more heartwarming. Hagrid sent a large bag of sticky toffee syrup, which Harry decided to toast by the fire later; Ron sent a copy of "Flying with the Cannons," about his favorite Quidditch team; and the last large package he opened contained a thick sweater knitted by Mrs. Weasley herself, along with a heavy raisin cake full of nuts.

Harry picked up Mrs. Weasley's handwritten greeting card, and a sudden wave of intense guilt washed over him.

Mr. Weasley's flying car—which had been missing for two months after hitting the Whomping Willow…and the Ministry of Magic's investigation into Mr. Weasley because of it…these things weighed heavily on his mind.

“Let’s go to the Great Hall for breakfast!” Hermione urged excitedly, her eyes sparkling. “I glimpsed it last night, and it’s absolutely gorgeous! I’ve never seen such a beautiful Great Hall!”

"Really? It's even better than last year?" Ron asked casually. "Last year, Professor Greengrass arranged it, and I even opened a whole box of chocolate frogs from the gift box."

"I'm so jealous of you all. It's a pity I didn't stay last year." The little witch raised an eyebrow. "But it doesn't matter. Professor Greengrass arranged it this year too. I'm going to open a few more gift boxes later, and hopefully I can get two of the professor's unique spells."

"You've already learned those two spells?" Harry asked curiously.

A smug smile immediately bloomed on the little witch's face: "You'll find out tonight!"

A short while later, the three of them walked together toward the auditorium.

The auditorium was very magnificent and imposing.

A dozen tall Christmas trees were covered in glistening silver frost, and ornate ribbons woven from emerald green holly and pure white mistletoe hung from the ceiling. Most magically, warm, dry, magical snowflakes drifted down from the sky, shimmering in the candlelight.

Percy was completely oblivious to the fact that Fred had tampered with his prefectural badge—the word on it had been changed to "Stupid." He was still bewildered, asking the students around him who were trying not to laugh what they were so amused about.

At the Slytherin table, Draco Malfoy was already sitting there eating breakfast, cutting his food expressionlessly, his knife and fork moving mechanically as if the joy around him had nothing to do with him.

"Hey, Ginny!" George suddenly leaned in front of his sister Ginny Weasley, grinning mischievously. "You look great today!"

"Get out of the way!" Ginny shoved his face away in annoyance and quickly squeezed between Harry, Ron, and Hermione.

"I heard you've made some new friends, huh?" Fred craned his neck, pressing the issue relentlessly.

"What's it to you!" Ginny retorted without turning her head.

“I guess they’ve all gone home for Christmas?” Fred continued to tease her.

“I said—it’s none of your business!” Ginny’s voice rose eight octaves, clearly showing her impatience.

When the noisy group of students rushed to the Christmas tree covered with gift boxes, it was already surrounded by excited little wizards, who burst into joyful cheers from time to time.

"This tree is definitely magical!" a younger student shouted excitedly. "I was just thinking about whether I could get a Santa hat—hey, look!"

He proudly showed the people around him the red woolen hat that had suddenly appeared and looked somewhat comical.

“Well,” Ron walked to the magical Christmas tree, took a deep breath, and whispered expectantly, “I hope I can get a new wand.”

As he spoke, he reached out and took a beautifully wrapped gift box from the Christmas tree.

“Ron,” Harry suggested from the side, “if you really want a wand, maybe you should pick the long box?”

“Oh, you’re right.” Ron seemed to wake from a dream, quickly hanging up the fancy box he was holding and taking down the slender gift box instead.

He held his breath and carefully unwrapped the package. Inside the box lay a giant candy stick, over a foot long, covered in colorful icing.

“Well… at least it wasn’t a complete loss…” Harry said somewhat dryly.

A burst of good-natured laughter immediately filled the air. The other young wizards also reached out and took the gift boxes, opening them to find mostly various kinds of candies and snacks, some quirky little trinkets, and of course, some practical items.

For example, Hermione received a copy of "Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Defense".

That was the Ministry of Magic's Auror training reference book, which contained many methods for breaking evil curses and counter-curses, as well as some practical spells.

Most importantly, the margins of the book she received were filled with clear and forceful annotations and corrections. Hermione had a feeling that it was written by Professor Greengrass, and she treasured it like a precious gem. She immediately hugged the book tightly to her chest, as if afraid it would fly away, and didn't even want to let anyone next to her take a peek.

Chapter 108 Christmas Gifts

On the other side, Ron, still unwilling to give up, opened another box. This time, he pulled out a thin, flexible, sinewy object with a strange luster.

"What is this? A new kind of snack?" he muttered, curiously bringing it to his nose to smell it, and then opening his mouth to take a bite.

"Wait!" Hermione stopped him just in time, snatching it from Ron's mouth. She examined it carefully for a moment before letting out a sigh of relief and putting it back in Ron's hand.

“A bird-snake notochord!” she said, then pointed to the faint spiral patterns on the tendons. “Professor Binns mentioned how to identify these distinctive patterns when he talked about ‘the worst magical animal poaching of the 20th century.’”

"What...is it for?" Ron asked blankly, clearly having no recollection of the lesson.

"Are you sleepwalking during class?" Hermione stared at him, her eyes wide with disbelief.

Harry and Ron exchanged a quick glance and silently agreed to remain silent.

Hermione's glare immediately shifted from one target to two.

"The bird-snake is a very magical creature; it can change its size depending on the space around it. Wizards in North America sometimes hunt them to make wands from their chordae—but that's illegal!"

“Uh… well, this…” Ron looked down at the translucent tendon in his hand, “is it also illegal?”

“Don’t worry,” Hermione said confidently. “Hunting wild bird-snakes is illegal, but their chords are still legally available on the magical materials market. And I’ve heard that wands made from bird-snake chords have a special effect when using Transfiguration!”

"But what use is it to me?" Ron was still puzzled.

“Sell it,” Hermione suggested. “It’ll definitely be worth a lot of money. You could try asking at Ollivander’s wand shop; these things are quite rare in Europe.”

"Really?" Ron's eyes lit up instantly upon hearing "valuable." "So... my new wand is going to be found?"

He played with the precious bird-snake spine cord, feeling its cool, smooth, and resilient texture with his fingertips, as if he could already hear the pleasant clinking sound of the golden gallons.

"Thank you for reminding me, Hermione! I'll go to Diagon Alley tomorrow!"

He lowered his voice excitedly, his eyes sparkling, already mentally planning the design of his new wand.

“Don’t get too excited,” Hermione calmly cautioned, her gaze once again drawn to the box in the tree. “That is, you have to get to Diagon Alley and Mr. Ollivander is really willing to pay a good price.”

“He will!” Ron was full of confidence, carefully putting the spinet deep into his pocket, and patting it one last time as if to be sure. “This is a rare find! By the way, Harry, do you want to try your luck again?”

He turned to look at Harry, who had been observing silently.

Harry shook his head, his gaze sweeping over the first-year students who were excitedly unpacking their boxes.

"No, I think my 'luck' has probably run out."

He recalled the items he had previously offered—a button that could bite, a notebook with a cover that could change patterns, and a small packet of candy that supposedly made people burp and produce colorful bubbles.

As they observed, what came out later was indeed becoming increasingly...ordinary, or rather, bizarre.

“Look,” Hermione nudged Ron and Harry with her elbow, lowering her voice, “some people only opened one, but they seem to have gotten something they really like. And those who opened several…”

She gestured towards a few older students who looked somewhat disappointed with the pile of trinkets in their hands (such as a dancing rubber duck and a whistle that imitated bird calls but was off-key), saying, "The ones they got were clearly not as well-intentioned as the ones they got."

“This tree is really clever,” Ron muttered, “it knows who’s greedy.”

“Perhaps it’s not so much shrewdness,” Harry said thoughtfully, “but rather a better ability to discern what is ‘the true desire of the heart’.”

A melodious, bell-like voice suddenly rang out behind them: "Actually, what's hanging on the tree isn't a box, but many tiny sun eggs!"

"Sunny-side up egg?" Ron looked confused. "What's a sunny-side up egg?"

Luna tilted her head, her dreamy eyes gazing at the magic tree. "They are hatching people's wishes... but some wishes are entangled by harassing flies, so the things that hatch are strange."

After saying that, she drifted away like a gust of wind. Ginny, all smiles, shared the candy she had taken from the gift box with her, leaving the trio looking at each other in bewilderment.

“Uh… okay.” Ron shrugged. “Looks like Ginny has indeed made new friends.”

Then he turned his attention to the Galleons in his pocket.

The gift boxes on the tree seemed inexhaustible; as soon as one was picked, another immediately sprouted on the branch. But the more boxes the same person opened, the fewer items they seemed to obtain later.

Nevertheless, they gathered around the tree with great interest, curiously watching what treasures the new young wizards would open from the boxes.

Meanwhile, on the professor's desk, Professor Frivi was talking quietly with Sagles.

“Those trees…they can bewitch minds, can’t they?” Professor Flitwick asked curiously.

“Just some vague and simple probing,” Sagles replied softly, “to see what the children truly desire in their hearts.”

"What a clever tactic," Frivi exclaimed sincerely.

“You taught me this in fifth grade,” Sagles smiled slightly. “I just made a few minor modifications.”

"Ah, I remember now..." Professor Flitwick exclaimed, putting down his eggnog glass. "Seven exquisite applications of common spells!"

“That’s right.” Sagres nodded. “I’ve also incorporated some principles of higher spells into it, and the results are even better than expected.”

“Oh, Sagres, you must have encountered many difficulties…”