cycle

"I don't understand," I don't know how many times I have repeated this sentence to Draco Malfoy, "Why do you have to bully Longbottom?"

"Is this matter really so important to you?" He also ignored my protest as countless times before, sneered and wiped the mud on the back of his hand, "I just want more people to see Seeing the famous savior for what he really was—incompetent, cowardly, idiot—he just happened to be the savior."

I stopped to follow him, it started to snow in Hogsmeade, but the butterbeer I just drank didn't warm my stomach, and the little bit of happiness I finally felt on Christmas Eve was gone. It was over when Draco had just thrown Longbottom into the slime with the Obstacle Charm.

"Hey, those Gryffindors are going to clean it up for him, okay?" He turned around and said nonchalantly, "Want to go to Fengya again? You just looked at the dress robe in the window A few glances—I haven't decided what Christmas gift I'm going to give you yet."

"I'm a Gryffindor too." Fine snowflakes kept falling into my neck without a scarf, and I took a few steps back, "I'm going to see if Longbottom needs help."

He called my name a few times behind my back, and I didn't look back.

"Miss Snape." Neville Longbottom, who was covered in mud, was limping and struggling to walk. People passing by were whispering something to his companion, and some of them unabashedly pointed to Longbottom. The scar on Patton's forehead.He seemed confused and frightened by my presence—yes, Longbottom was frightened of me, and my father had cast a shadow on him so much that he would flinch unconsciously when he pronounced my name.

"Couldn't you just clean these things up?" I pulled out my wand in a bad tone (he stepped back a few steps), "Clean it up!"

"I'm worried that I might ruin my clothes by accident, thank you Miss Snape." His lips were still purple with cold, but he didn't forget to thank me.

"What happened Neville?" I heard Potter's voice, coming over from Honeydukes, "You don't look well."

"I think he needs something hot to drink." I cut him off quickly before Longbottom could say Draco's name, turning for the first time in my life and trying to smile at Harry Potter, " Can you go to the Three Broomsticks and buy him a bottle of butterbeer?"

"Ah, yes," he said, ruffling his hair. "See you at the Three Broomsticks, Neville - will you come too, Alice? I mean, Miss Snape?"

"I want to go back to Hogwarts." I cast the simplest drying spell on Longbottom's wizard robe again, but it didn't work very well, but I was afraid of burning his robe with another one, and I didn't even get a head. He reluctantly declined his invitation.

I didn't speak to Draco again until I went home for Christmas, and he never came to see me, and sat with Pansy Parkinson in class.The whole castle was filled with the atmosphere of Christmas, everyone was chattering about holidays and gifts, and the homework assigned by the teachers loudly on the podium was selectively ignored by everyone.But I feel a bit of a headache, yes, Christmas means visiting Aunt Petunia's family with my mother.

My father was going to attend the Hogwarts Christmas dinner as usual, so my mother took me to Aunt Petunia's house for the holiday, and our family would spend Christmas Eve again in the evening—sounds like a good arrangement, if Aunt Petunia's family is also a wizard .

In the first few years when I was born, my mother and her sister didn't interact with each other. I only found out that I had an aunt after digging into her closet to find those old photos that didn't move.Later, my mother plucked up the courage to take me, who was only three years old at the time, to knock on the door of her sister's house. Look at the eyes of the monster, and the huge monster in their house that shakes the whole floor when they walk.

Blood is an important connection, and my mother insisted on it. She never felt inferior because she was Muggle-born. Whether the letter sent by the owl is answered or not, she will send gifts and letters every festival.

If I could inherit half of my mother's vitality and courage, I might be a lot happier, I always think so.Dad didn't interfere with Mom's efforts, but he never went with us to visit Aunt Petunia's family—in a way, that was probably the best help he could offer.

There is no child who does not look forward to their own Christmas gifts, and I am the same. Even though I basically only receive a few gifts each year, I packed up the Christmas tree with my mother as soon as I got home, and dug out those from the basement. The decor dresses up the room a bit.Mom opened her arms and gave me a warm hug that exudes a faint fragrance. We sat together and planned this year's Christmas itinerary. Uncle's favorite wine.

Then every year I get a dress in a strange color with lace and ribbons, the style is always so ugly, I think they have been buying my Christmas presents in the same store for more than ten years.

My Christmas gift pile this year was a bit bigger than last year, and I woke up in the morning and rubbed my eyes, thinking I had accidentally mixed in a gift from my mom's co-worker.

Dad and Mum sent me a set of Alchemy and the Origin of Potions together; Miss Granger sent me a big box of sugar-free snacks (she seems to have said her parents were dentists).I actually received a gift from Longbottom. Longbottom gave me a small mirror with a note thanking me for my help in Hogsmeade.

The package with Draco Malfoy written on it was wrapped in light silver wrapping paper. When I opened it, it was the light green wizard dress and robe that I had seen a few more times in the Fengya clothing store.As soon as I picked it up, a card slowly floated out of the clothes.

I thought it was a generic Christmas card.

"Promise to Miss Alice Snape not to bully Longbottom again, the card is valid for half a year."

Turned over, the back of the card simply reads:

"Merry Christmas.

Draco Malfoy"

Christmas dinner was as miserable as ever, and Aunt Petunia told my mother I was looking more and more like her in that sharp tone in which you could hardly take that as a compliment.I sat on the chair and hoped that I could concentrate on the pudding that was poured with syrup in front of me. Dudley was sitting in the farthest position from me, and we were sitting diagonally.I think Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon have a misunderstanding about magic. They never let their precious son stay within a square meter of me for more than 1 minute. It seems that after this time, magic will spread from me like an infectious disease to Dudley body.

But it also avoids a lot of trouble - I've seen the scene where Dudley throws a tantrum and smashes his electronic products, and to be honest, I don't want to stay within a square meter of him (given that he is already so big) ), especially since I can't use a wand yet.

"You write to say that the dangerous fugitive is—one from your side." After the tense dinner, I took my Christmas gift box (another ugly dress) and my mother and prepared to tell Petunia. Saying goodbye to my aunt's family, I thought they would be as eager to throw us out of the house as before.Mom was already wearing her scarf, and Aunt Petunia suddenly asked Mom in that high-pitched voice standing on the porch, with an unnatural expression on her face, as if someone had slapped her and forced her to talk.

"Ah, yes." Mom looked confused and happy, maybe it wasn't about praising Dudley for failing only five classes and being the smartest kid in the world, "I wrote because I was worried— —”

"That's a very dangerous man, then," grumbled Aunt Petunia. "Your job, it seems, is to catch these—dangerous lunatics?"

"Are you worried about me, Petunia?" Mom was so moved that she reached out to give her sister a hug, but Aunt Petunia avoided her.

"I'm just afraid of trouble!" She said sharply, "That unreliable husband of yours doesn't seem to know how to take care of the children. If something happens to you, it is absolutely impossible for us to—let her——"

She pointed at me.

"There's no way we'll accept her living with us, never."

Merlin, what a warm Christmas wish from a loved one.

"So nothing can happen to you," said Aunt Petunia, stiff-necked after being hugged by her moist-eyed mother, who looked as if she had been put under a binding spell.

"Of course." Mom gave a big smile. "Merry Christmas, Petunia."

It was some kind of concern, at least from the perspective of Mom, who seemed to be in a good mood.

"Alice," she asked me suddenly when we were about to walk to a secluded street corner and I was ready to show my entourage, "Do you have anything to say to Mom? Now that Dad is away, what do you want to say?" You can tell mom."

Her green eyes and I looked at each other under the dim street light, and my pupils might be the most beautiful gift she gave me.

Professor Lupine wrote her about my Boggart anyway, and I realized it right away.She reached out and stroked my dark hair that fell over my ear, and I looked down at my toes.

"Ah," I heard myself say in the liveliest voice I could muster, "I'm still not doing very well in Transfiguration, but luckily Miss Granger always helps me."

"Liz," she called me softly, only for her daughter who didn't inherit all her perfection, "sometimes you don't see everything, okay? I'm sorry, Mom, sometimes It's been too busy—"

"You're already the best mom in the world." I whispered, "I'm not a naive kid, and you don't need to apologize for those things."

"Mom will never leave you," she said, taking my hand, warm, and she had always had such a strong and reassuring strength, "Mom assures you that this is the least important thing you will ever do in this world." What should be feared, you and your father are the two people I love the most, this matter will not change for any reason, okay?"

"Professor Lupine promised me not to tell you," I bowed my head in embarrassment and quickly wiped the tears from the corners of my eyes.

"Well...not from Professor Lupine." She laughed, "but the person who sent me the letter didn't want you to know who he was."

"Him?" I tilted my head in confusion. "who?"

"My Alice has grown up," Mom said, smiling, kissing my forehead. "It's so weird, I always feel like you'll always be that little girl lying in the closet sleeping with my dress in my arms." girl."