cycle

Christmas is fast approaching as snowflakes start drifting down onto the frozen lake.The twelve Christmas trees in the auditorium had been moved overnight by Hagrid, and Professor Frivy also used the rest time to decorate them with crystal Christmas stars on top of the trees.Peeves' favorite time is coming. Every day, with a strange smile, he drags the holly and tinsel that the prefects have hung up with great difficulty, making a hidden trap to trip up the students coming and going.Filch shuffled one by one to check that the ever-burning candles in his armored helmets were not extinguished, and there were huge bouquets of mistletoe hanging at intervals in the corridor, much to Neville's annoyance, because whenever he walked by they There were piles of girls gathering under the mistletoe and casting all kinds of glances at him, but he was not very good at remembering the routes that could bypass the mistletoe—this made the corridor where Neville existed often cause traffic jams.

"Remind me to find Neville when I go back to the lounge." Hermione pondered for a moment, and copied a passage from the thick book in front of her in her notebook. Seeing that Mrs. Pince, who was patrolling the bookshelves, didn't pay attention to us, she said to me in a low voice, "And you have to tell Harry, be careful."

"Huh?" I turned a page of "The Fifth Element: Exploration" and raised my head to look at her suspiciously.Since that night, Ron and Hermione haven't spoken a word, and the three of us have the feeling of a wizarding family whose marriage breaks up and decides to live apart for a long time, only Hermione or Ron carrying the luggage He walked up to us with a bang and asked, "Who do you plan to spend with?"

Ron swept away his gloomy mood before, and even when he returned to the lounge, he and Lavender could often be heard laughing and laughing together—and exchanging saliva, Harry said to me in a suffocated tone, he felt that Lavender Wende counted every second wasted not being able to kiss Ron.Although Hermione made a nonchalant and indifferent gesture after drying her tears that night, she refused to stay in the lounge as long as Ron was there. As a friend, I can only accompany her in the library After completing the homework, continue to study the traceless expansion spell.

"I just went to the bathroom, and the girls - you know what I'm talking about, were discussing how to get Neville or Harry to drink the love potion so they could take them to Slughorn's party, guess something Bought them at Weasley's Wizard's Wheezes."

"Romeda Vane?" I looked up. "But Harry has told her we'll go together."

"Why do you think anyone who's going to use a love potion would care? And you and Harry never announced that you were together, in case you were just really good friends and he happened to be talking to another guy the day before the party." It's love at first sight..." Hermione poked a dot on the "i" on the parchment paper, as if it was someone's face, and said gloomily, "I don't think even you can get it in a short time." An antidote to a dozen different love potions—I can tell you, Romilda Vane's tone is serious, and if your father hadn't been at school, she'd probably be thinking about keeping you out of the party."

"Fred told my mom that they promised not to sell love potions to wizards under the age of 16." I frowned. "How did they get it?"

"Owl orders can only verify the person who sent the order, not the person who actually received the order." Hermione sighed, "Emotion potions are not black magic, and sending them to Hogwarts disguised as perfume or cough potion will not cause trouble." Filch's suspicion, he can't tell the difference. I don't think Fred and George think it's too serious. After all, it's just a 24-hour drug effect. They even wrote this kind of tip on the bottle .”

"I thought you would show up and confiscate all the bottles right away when those girls were discussing." I thought of the way Romilda Vane looked at me on the Hogwarts Express, and felt a little uncomfortable , "It's not like you to let them go."

"They didn't take things to the bathroom." Hermione closed the book and glanced at me. "You don't really have to stay with me all the time."

"What's the matter?" I tilted my head, "Isn't it the same where you do your homework?"

"I heard it all. Harry complained to you the other day, saying that Ron and I quarreled but he was the one to bear the consequences." Hermione snorted softly, "You didn't catch it, did you? He meant that he I haven't seen you lately."

"He deserves it." I yawned, "Who told him to come up with the idea of ​​the Felicity Elixir to make you fight like this... Uh, although I was also involved."

"It actually has nothing to do with you." Hermione said softly after a moment of silence, "And I didn't quarrel with Ron, the two of us probably...that's it."

She was a little depressed again, so I suggested to her to make a study plan for staying in school during the Christmas holiday, and she immediately cheered up, cut out a brand new piece of parchment and laid it on the table.She and I stayed at Hogwarts this holiday. My parents were thinking about my safety, but Hermione was thinking about her parents' safety. They thought that the less contact they had with the wizarding world, the better. .If it was in the past, Mrs. Weasley would definitely invite her and Ron to go back to the Burrow for Christmas. I think Mrs. Weasley may have learned about Lavender this year, or Hermione rejected Mrs. Weasley's offer invite.

"I said that I have already invited my companions, but they still gave me these drinks." After returning to the lounge, Hermione saw Ron and Lavender who were entangled, and returned to the room expressionlessly. dormitory.I had no choice but to find Neville immediately. After listening to my words, Neville's round face was full of panic and anxiety, as if the hardcover drink in his hand was a dung bomb that was about to explode, "What should I do?"

"Just don't touch them, throw them away secretly sometime." I looked around in the lounge looking for Harry, "Who did you invite?"

"Uh, actually I haven't asked her yet, I plan to ask her tomorrow." Neville looked a little embarrassed, "But I think she will agree...Luna."

"Oh!" I nodded, and finally saw Harry crawl into the portrait hole, but before I did, Romilda Vane rushed over with a glass of water in one hand and a package in the other, sweet Sweetly asked: "Did you just come back from training? Would you like a glass of violet water?"

I coughed loudly, and Harry took one look at me and said quickly, "Thanks, but no, I'm not a big drinker."

"Then take this." Vannie shoved another package into Harry's hand, turned around and ran back to the girls' dormitory as if he was afraid he would refuse, and said as he ran, "Chocolate cauldron with flaming whiskey, Much better than butterbeer! My grandma sent it to me, but I don't like it...”

"What is she going to do?" Harry looked innocent. "I've told her twice that I'm going to the party with you."

"She's going to use some tricks to make you fall in love with her immediately." I saw that he was still confused, and rolled his eyes, "Love Potion—I knew you never took the things taught in Potions seriously."

"Why remember those? Anyway, you will." Harry laughed, not paying attention to what I said, "Then I'll take this and throw it away sometime later."

"There must be some common sense to remember, right?" I felt a little dissatisfied. "Commonly used detoxification items and potions, although potions are not as quick as first aid spells, they are very useful in dealing with dangerous situations such as poisoning or large wounds. In case I am not there Where is your side? Or it happened that I needed help, and I was speechless at that time?"

He was stunned by what I said, and I nodded in satisfaction. He stayed by the fireplace for the rest of the time and listened obediently to me talking about everything from Baixian to bezoar, and even took notes.

We all expect Ron and Hermione to get back together after a while, as they have had countless fights before.But hope seemed bleak, and during the last Transfiguration class before the Christmas holidays, Hermione viciously mocked Ron for his first catastrophic body transfiguration - we were supposed to change our eyebrows, but Ron He grew two eye-catching mustaches.Not to be outdone, Ron retaliated. Every time Professor McGonagall asked a question, he imitated Hermione and jumped up and sat down on the seat, which made Parvati and Lavender burst into laughter, and Hermione almost cried again.As soon as the get out of class bell rang, she rushed out of the classroom. I quickly packed up her remaining things and chased after her. In the bathroom downstairs, I found her washing her face to hide her tears, but her red eyes exposed her. Luna with messy hair stood.

"Hello, Alice." Luna still greeted me with a singing tone, pointed at Hermione, "She's very upset."

"Thank you." Hermione stuffed the book I handed her into her bag, and wiped her face a little embarrassedly, "I still have something to do... I suddenly remembered that I haven't invited my companions yet."

At the time I thought it was Hermione's excuse, after all she had told me earlier that she didn't want to invite anyone.Luna looked at the back of Hermione leaving in a hurry and said to me happily: "Did you know! I can go too, Neville invited me!"

"Great!" I said to her pretending I didn't know it before.Luna didn't pay attention to the gazes from several girls in the bathroom, and started talking about the accessories she planned to wear at night. I was really happy for Neville that I didn't hear about the carrot necklace and bat-proof glasses.

To my amazement, Hermione looked radiant when I saw her again, and even greeted Parvati, who had just laughed at her that morning, with a big smile.Parvati looked a little embarrassed. Her best friend was kissing Ron a meter away, and she looked embarrassed for the two of them.

"We were chatting about the good news," Hermione said to me in a particularly enthusiastic tone. "Parvati convinced her parents that she can stay at Hogwarts!"

"Oh, that's...so good." Totally confused, I sat down and scooped myself a bowl of stew.

"Are you going to Slughorn's party tonight?" Hermione asked Parvati enthusiastically, as if she hadn't seen Ron and Lavender at all.

"No one invited me," said Parvati, looking a little frustrated, "but I really want to go, I heard it would be fun...will you both go?"

I nodded, and Parvati said enviously, "I knew in fourth grade that you were the one Harry wanted to invite in the first place."

I just remembered that she was Harry's dance partner when he participated in the Triwizard Tournament. The two of them even danced the opening dance. Who will go with?"

"Me?" Hermione smiled sweetly. "I meet Cormac at eight, and we—"

I coughed violently, and looked at Hermione in disbelief. Ron beside him also turned his head. The expression on his face was as if he had been punched head-on by a troll. Is it because of lack of oxygen or because of other reasons.

"Cormike McLaggen?" Parvati said as I choked on what I wanted to ask, "That McLaggen from seventh grade?"

"Yeah, the one who almost—" Hermione bit the word deliberately, not forgetting to pat me on the back, "—the one who almost became Gryffindor Keeper."

"Are you dating him?" Parvati asked in shock.

"Oh - that's sort of it, we're going to the party anyway." Hermione giggled in a very uncharacteristic way, grabbing me back to the girl in Gryffindor before I could say anything dormitory.Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Ron with a numb expression. He seemed to have suddenly lost all interest in the sport he was passionate about a few days ago.

"You can invite anyone!" Finally able to speak, I looked at Hermione who was sitting on the bed and spraying smoothing lotion on her hair, "McLaggen is a jerk, he provoked Ginny and me, You know-"

"I know all about it." Hermione took a deep breath, and tied her long, docile hair into a nice bun, "But I think about it, he's the one who can annoy Ron the most, and I don't care about the rest right now. Unless you care about me going to parties with some jerk who once chased you—"

"I care!" I angrily brushed off my long hair, ready to put it in a bun like Hermione, "but not because he has pursued me, but because he is a jerk!"

"I won't let him take advantage of me." Hermione, who was biting a hairpin, said vaguely, kicked open the cabinet next to her and took out her high-heeled shoes, "Don't worry."

At eight o'clock in the evening, I finally checked in the mirror that the lipstick on my lips was not crooked, and I stood up after confirming that the sling on my arm would not slip due to the movement. With high heels, I was more worried about stepping on this long The skirt fell, I stretched out my magic wand and gestured at my calf, but I still didn't dare to cut the skirt short.

"No, doesn't it look good?" When I walked down the hall, I saw Harry's eyes almost glued to my face, and I nervously fiddled with the broken hair on my cheek - Ginny said that it would be better to keep a little bit of hair like this Nice, "Uh, how about I—"

"Talus reminded me to keep my mouth shut when I see you." Harry took a deep breath before remembering to give me his arm. "Now I understand what he means."

Slughorn's office must have been under a space-expanding spell. When Harry and I arrived, it was filled with laughter, music, and loud voices. The ceiling and walls were decorated with emerald, crimson, and gold The curtain makes the office look more like a huge ball tent. The golden lantern in the center illuminates the room thoroughly. When you walk in, you find that there is an elf in each light spot accompanied by a mandolin. Ringtones jump.A few elderly wizards sat on the soft sofa and smoked. I smelled the unique vanilla smell of Asia and the Middle East. I almost bumped into a house elf dragging a heavy silver plate. Their bodies are covered by a white cloth, and they look like small tables floating in the air.

"Harry! Alice! My dear children!" Slughorn's booming voice was heard as we entered the room. "Come in, come in! I'm talking to Neville!"

Neville squeezed a wry smile at us from the crowd. Luna beside him looked quite happy, pointing at the elf in the lamp and talking to himself, without realizing that if it wasn't for Neville Hold her tight, and she'll be pushed away in an instant by anyone wanting to talk to Neville.

"This is Elder Walpple." Slughorn introduced us to a small wizard, wearing glasses who looked eagerly at Neville, and turned away reluctantly until reminded. But the moment he saw Harry, his eyes lit up again: "The author of "Blood Brothers: I Live Among Vampires", he also brought his vampire friend Bloody."

"Hello." Harry shook hands with him politely. I looked curiously at the vampire surrounded by a group of girls. It looked a little sleepy, as if it couldn't hear the loud music around it.

This Christmas party seemed to me to be as uninteresting as any of Slughorn's previous ones, shaking hands with all sorts of people who could only remember their names, listening to them talk about their past youth, and finally saying something like "Isn't Waiting?" My exclamation - that's why my husband and I don't like parties of all kinds, unless we have to go we find excuses to turn them down, not a problem with the hosts who host them...just that they are so much the same, Why don't you spend more of your precious free time with your family, instead of sharing drinks with a group of strangers?

Hermione was also suffering tonight, she literally Apparated from all corners of the room to escape McLaggen who kept stalking her, before she disappeared again gasping for breath between two laughing witches In between, I decided not to point out that she was doing it all for revenge on Ron.

"Professor Slughorn." The office door opened suddenly, and I saw Filch walking towards us, grabbing Draco's ear. Filch looked very happy, and the flesh on his jaw was shaking wildly , "I caught this boy hiding in the corridor upstairs. He said he was invited by you to the party, and he said he was delayed because of his departure. Did you send him an invitation?"

It took a lot of effort for Draco to break free from Filch's hawk-like hands, and he straightened his wrinkled clothes.There was a moment of silence in the room, it seemed that several people recognized Draco, and I heard whispers of "Lucius Malfoy" and "Death Eaters" from the side, and I don't know how much he heard.I took a small step forward, and for a moment the thought of opening my mouth to help him escaped, but the next moment Harry grabbed my wrist, and it even hurt me a little.

"No one invited me, okay?" Draco straightened his cuffs and tie, "I want to barge in, are you happy?"

"Then you're in serious trouble." Filch showed a smug expression, "The principal clearly said that you are not allowed to walk around at night without permission!"

"It doesn't matter, Argus, it doesn't matter." Slughorn, flushed from drinking mead, waved the pie in his hand casually, "Christmas, it's not a sin for young people to want to participate in this kind of party .Forget it this time. Don’t make another example. Draco, you can stay.”

"Thank you very much, Professor." Draco put on a smiling face in an instant to thank Slughorn for his generosity, and Slughorn waved his hand: "It's nothing, it's nothing, after all, I still know your grandfather. "

"Wait a minute." My dad suddenly came out from the other side of the curtain, I was startled and dazed, I almost shook off Harry's hand, I don't know when dad came over , Just now Slughorn dragged Harry and me around the room like a puppy without seeing him.But Dad didn't seem to be in the mood to pay attention to me for the time being, he looked at Draco: "I have something to tell you, Draco."

"Gee, Severus." Slughorn burped, "Christmas, don't be so harsh—"

"I am his dean, and all punishments should be decided by me." Dad said briefly, "Come with me."

"Your skirt is inconvenient." Seeing that they were about to leave the office, Harry whispered in my ear, "Stay here and try not to let other people find that I am gone." After that, he actually pulled out the Invisibility Cloak from his pocket , hurriedly followed behind them and walked out.

"You said, Dad told Draco to let him talk to Dumbledore, but Draco refused?" After the party, Harry helped me with a sore ankle and walked to the lounge, "You Did you hear me right? Dumbledore wants to talk to Draco, what are you talking about?"

"I don't know." Harry replied simply, "Sneh—your dad also warned Malfoy, and it sounds like he also thinks that the necklace thing has something to do with Malfoy. Of course, Malfoy is still the same. No one has enough evidence. The rhetoric...you know, even your father can't take Legilimency on him."

"Oh." My heart sank, "He is very talented in this matter."

"You always knew?" Harry sounded casual.

"I—" I lowered my eyes, and took a long time to organize my words before opening my mouth: "In a sense...his Occlumency was taught by my father."

"I didn't know that things would turn out like this at the time." Feeling Harry's approach, I was a little flustered, "I—"

"You want to save him today." Under the swaying firelight in the corridor, he lightly pressed against my forehead, and the drooping eyelashes were close at hand, as if my eyelashes would touch his glasses if I blinked. "Also shook off my hand when your father appeared."

"I—" I hesitated, raised my head and carefully stroked his neatly combed hair today, "I coax you, is this okay?"

"Okay, but I would like to ask for one more Christmas present." Although his voice was very soft, but because he was too close to me, I could hear it clearly even amidst the rapid heartbeat.

"What gift?" I blinked, "Did you feel dissatisfied before opening the gift I gave you?"

"I'd like a present...in case the next time Ron asks me 'did you ever make out with Alice'...I'll just say no."

His right hand brushed the nape of my neck where my long hair was tied up, and I nervously licked my lips, only to taste the fruity scent of a color-changing lipstick.

Just a little bit closer, a little bit.

"Hey, did you see Hermione?" McLaggen's loud voice suddenly exploded from the other side of the corridor, and he walked towards us carelessly, with one hand in the pocket of his dress robe, "as soon as the party is over I didn't see her anymore."

"No, yes." I thought Harry's teeth were chattering, but McLaggen stood in front of us like a giant iron tower, shrugged his shoulders, and said with obvious provocation: "Oh, Then why don't you leave? Let's go back together, the curfew is coming soon."

"Let's go." After finishing speaking, the bell really rang outside the window, as if Filch's footsteps were gradually approaching. With a hot face, I tugged at Harry's sleeve, "Go back."