The days of hanging out at Hogwarts

After leaving the foyer of the castle, a path passes through the white field and winds into the forest. The straight trunks and branches of the trees are covered with snow, like pear blossoms in full bloom.

The path buried in snow turned ruggedly into the Forbidden Forest, but the road surface was much smoother, because the gamekeeper and professor of the Protection of Magical Creatures did not take any vacations during the holidays, and patrolled the forest with his hounds every day.

At the beginning of the new year, the gamekeeper's hut remained unchanged. The roof was covered with white snow, as if it was covered with a blanket. There were stored firewood piled in the yard. Outside was the pumpkin patch, because it was the coldest time of the year. The land was frozen, no crops were planted, it was all bare.

The boots of Loren and others stepped on the snow, making a slight sound. This sound alerted the hounds inside the door, and a series of barks immediately sounded.

The wooden door was knocked open with a creak, and the hound Yaya couldn't wait to run over and circle around their trousers. When he rubbed against them hard, the little wizard could feel the hound's elastic muscles and warm warmth.

The hot air wafted out of the dog's mouth and turned into white mist. The short-haired dog seemed not to notice the cold, and moved back and forth tirelessly.

Loren gently kicked the puppy's belly and butt with the instep of his feet, and drove Yaya into the house.

"Hagrid!"

"Hagrid!"

"Here you are! It's so early, I thought you would sleep in."

"Someone slept in and missed breakfast, so they came over early for lunch."

Loren cast a teasing glance at the two people next to him, then naturally sat down at the table, picked up the kettle and poured some hot tea to dispel the chill, "What are you planning to do for lunch? Do you need any help?"

"No……"

Hagrid is already almost 70 years old. I wonder if the giant bloodline has some kind of lifespan advantage. He doesn't look old at all. His lush hair and beard cover most of his face, and his smile is narrow. Qi Qi’s eyes are still clear and bright. Who would have thought that he is actually the same age as Grandpa Bates.

He kneaded the meat and marinade in the wooden basin, and his rough and powerful voice echoed in the room: "I will let you try my and Graup's craftsmanship today. It will definitely surprise you!"

"Group?"

"That's right, Grawp." Hagrid explained with a smile. "He has adapted to the environment here and has made rapid progress in learning the language. He is completely different from before. Oh, you must not have imagined that I asked Dumbledore Recommend Grawp to succeed me as Gamekeeper of Hogwarts..."

"Dumbledore agreed?"

Harry and Ron looked horrified, and the same picture popped into their minds:

After the New Year, it won’t take long for the weather to get warmer. It is certain that students will suddenly become inspired and decide to take part in the traditional Hogwarts adventure program of traveling to the Forbidden Forest at night, and then break into the edge of the Forbidden Forest and be caught by the gamekeeper——

The night was dark, and a giant standing dozens of feet tall stood under the dark forest trees, lowering his head like a hill, staring at the little wizards with two lantern-like eyes, and slowly stretched out his big hands that covered the sky towards them...

Hiss, it will leave a psychological shadow!

"He didn't agree immediately..." Hagrid's answer made the two of them feel relieved, and then they started talking again, "He didn't refuse either. Dumbledore asked me to help Grawp adapt to the daily work of a gamekeeper and patrol the Forbidden Forest. , It’s not a difficult thing for Glopp to prevent the animals in the depths from coming outside.”

The elder brother, who was thinking about his younger brother, murmured quietly, with a gentle smile in his eyes.

If Grawp could settle down at Hogwarts, he would never be hungry or cold again. Even if something happened to his brother and he could no longer take care of him, he would still be able to survive on his own.

Harry and Ron frowned, their expressions a little subtle. They still couldn't accept a giant as an employee of Hogwarts.

Hermione was somewhat interested and showed a thoughtful expression.

Loren looked around and said, "Where's the Gropp man? You didn't see him outside when you just entered the house?"

"He went to inspect the Forbidden Forest. He should adapt to the work in advance."

"Patroling the Forbidden Forest?"

Hermione raised her beautiful eyebrows, "Can Grawp recognize the forks in the Forbidden Forest now?"

"No." Hagrid grinned, looking a little proud, "But I took him through it several times, and there were footprints on the road. He just needs to follow the footprints."

"Can he live in harmony with animals, and won't he have conflicts with centaurs or unicorns?"

"It's winter now. Most animals stay in their nests and don't like to move. He can't meet animals. As for the centaurs and unicorns, I have already said hello to them."

"..."

Harry and Ron tilted their heads with strange expressions. They always felt that something was wrong, but they couldn't explain it.

"Woo..."

Loren teased Yaya, who was lying on the ground with his belly turning. The dog's body was warm, making it a perfect hand warmer.

Although the cabin is small in size and looks a bit shabby, the decoration materials are very luxurious. If calculated carefully, it is even more luxurious than Slughorn's office.

The walls of the cabin are made of hundreds of years old tree trunks, with the gaps in the middle filled with fire dragon scales. The blankets hanging on the walls are made of the furs of various rare animals, and unicorn fur is balled into mats. Although the workmanship is crude, it is Very warm.

True low-key luxury has connotation.

Before Hagrid's lunch was ready and Grawp hadn't come back yet, Loren and the others sat around the stove and helped Hagrid clean up the furniture in the room, mainly using the whirlwind to clean it up. Bring in the cold air from outside.

While helping Fang untie the hair balls that were stuck together, Loren said to the others, "Neville wrote this morning. His parents went back to work before the holiday was over. It is said that they are responsible for security work. The prisoner exchange plan between the Ministry of Magic and Voldemort has officially begun."

The actions of the few people paused and fell silent.

Intelligence is just intelligence. They are just students who have not graduated yet and cannot affect the situation.

Harry and Ron began to talk about the intelligence revealed in the recent letters from home. Scrimgeour and Ms. Bones led them to find a new base and resume the functions of the Ministry of Magic. However, after leaving the original base, many tasks can only be carried out reluctantly. Mr. Weasley and Percy always work until late at night.

Since Greyback's werewolf organization was destroyed by the Magical Congress of the United States, Lupin's work has become much easier. Considering the special identity of werewolves and the upcoming war, in order to prevent some werewolves from being bewitched and controlled by Voldemort and the Death Eaters, Lupin cooperated with the Ministry of Magic to transfer werewolves in batches. The Ministry of Magic of many countries is willing to accept this batch of cheap labor. The New York werewolves have played a good demonstration role.

And Betty, her belly is getting bigger and bigger, Molly's experience in protecting the fetus as a wizard conflicts with Muggle medicine, and Sirius is caught between the two sides, and is in a state of confusion...

Speaking of this, there is more laughter in the cabin, and the heavy atmosphere finally becomes relaxed.

Grawp came back half an hour later. He couldn't squeeze into the cabin, so he could only sit in the yard.

On that huge head, the curly and thick fern-colored hair was cut short, probably for convenience, cut into a buzz cut, with his silly expression, it looks particularly funny. His clothes have also changed, the brown smock has been replaced by a fur coat, which is made of many different furs and is still dirty, and the lower body is made of solid cotton trousers, which are squeezed and bulging.

"Loren..."

"Hermi..."

"Hag..."

"Len..."

Harry and Ron protested, why he could only call Loren's name clearly.

Lunch was more delicious than expected. Hagrid and Grawp's cooking skills had indeed improved. The two giant brothers prepared a table of meat dishes, and some were stir-fried, some fried, and some deep-fried. Not only was it grilled meat, but it was also served with salads and fruits and vegetables to relieve the greasiness. They also stewed a pot of carrot and pork chop soup. Drinking a bowl of it in the snow and ice made the whole body warm.

Grawp drank a whole jar.

…

The moonlight at night reflected the snow-covered ground, and the silver light was dim.

The courtyard of the manor was covered with mirrors and early warning devices. The Muggle-repelling spell and many protective spells in the air covered the entire area. Snowflakes fell one after another, and the invisible magic barrier was slightly agitated, with slight ripples. The air explosion sound of Apparition continued to sound in the room. The Aurors came and went, and their sleeves were still cold when they left after reporting their work.

This is the new residence of the Ministry of Magic, an ancient manor in Devonshire.

The wizard village in Devonshire gathers many mansions of pure-blood families and a lot of wealth. Scrimgeour set up his base here. He can also ask for a bail from the pure-blood families by releasing the group of Death Eaters.

The reconstruction of the Ministry of Magic requires funds, and they happen to be rich.

To trade with Voldemort and exchange hostages, of course it is impossible to choose a place with a wide view. You escort a group, I escort a group, and both sides hand over the Ministry of Magic staff and Death Eaters. If Voldemort suddenly regrets, wouldn’t it be a heavy loss.

So the transaction is remote, St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Injuries and Diseases accepts a group of staff, and Devonshire releases a group of Death Eaters to maximize safety.

Another group of staff with less serious injuries returned, gathered in the side hall, and sat around a round table.

Ms. Bones looked at the staff. She was thin and the torture and treatment of the Cruciatus Curse made her look haggard. But she stood in front of everyone and squeezed out a familiar voice from her throat, still so steady and powerful:

"I know what you have experienced in the past few months. I have also experienced the same thing, but you are luckier than me. At least you have not been tortured by the famous Dark Lord himself..."

The staff relaxed a little. Ms. Bones' calmness and perseverance made people feel at ease.

"That scarlet Cruciatus Curse is like a curse. It often appears in my nightmares. I know that you are the same..." Bones paused for a moment and looked at the group of colleagues who had just escaped from imprisonment. There was still fear in their eyes. "But we can't rest yet. Many colleagues will stay in that night forever. We need to protect their families, protect our families, and protect those wizards who are still willing to trust us...

"So, please cheer up as soon as possible!

"The cases squeezed in the past few months require the intervention of the Law Enforcement Department, many international affairs and trade are waiting for you to handle, the Floo Network and the Portkeys need to be managed by the Transportation Department, and Hogwarts School needs Apparition classes...

"Remember, the Ministry of Magic is not that building, but us!"

Bertha Jorkins in the crowd gently stroked the unhealed scar on her arm, and there was silence.

...

The first Monday of 1997.

Professor McGonagall knocked on the door of the principal's office with a thick stack of documents.

The room was filled with the sweet aroma of hot tea.

In front of the desk, two old men sat opposite each other, staring intently at the chessboard on the table. The black and white knights were wrestling roughly with each other, and the paintings of past principals on the wall were cheering and cheering, which was very lively.

Professor McGonagall was a little surprised. After a pause, she stepped forward and said, "Headmaster Dumbledore, Professor Bagshot, good morning."

"Good morning."

"Good morning, Minerva."

Dumbledore smiled and reached out his hand to brush the chessboard inconspicuously, separating the chess pieces that were tangled together and putting them back in the chess box. Then he took out a new teacup and poured a cup of hot tea for his vice-headmaster: "Do you want sugar?"

"No."

Professor McGonagall glanced at the chessboard and handed over the report in her hand: "Affected by the changes in the Ministry of Magic, many of our businesses last year were also affected. This is the report for the past year. Please take a close look."

The emphasis of the last sentence was obvious.

Grindelwald suddenly became very interested in the trajectory of tea leaves, which was an important part of divination magic. He carefully studied the signs they represented.

"I will, Minerva." Dumbledore put away the report and looked at the other information in her hand.

"These are the letters from parents in recent times." Professor McGonagall showed a stack of letters, "Most of them are parents of students from half-blood and Muggle families. They have learned some news about the Ministry of Magic and the Death Eaters, and wrote to ask about the safety of students. These parents of students specifically asked the principal to reply personally."

"Oh..."

Dumbledore hesitated for a moment, with a gleam in his eyes, "Minerva, you are the principal of Hogwarts."

"Vice-Principal!" Professor McGonagall raised her voice to emphasize, and slapped the letter in front of him, "I must remind you, Albus, you have to reply to the parents before the end of the holiday, otherwise it will Some students are absent from the opening dinner."

"I will." Dumbledore sighed, "What other documents are there, give them to me together."

"This is the income assessment and budget for next year. Professors Sprout and Firenze have applied to purchase special teaching aids, and they need your approval...

"Rolanda said that the Quidditch Quaffle needs to be replaced..."

"Poppi applied to purchase a batch of reserve potions. The original ones have expired. In the past, Severus helped to make them, but now it is not convenient to trouble Horace, he is old..."

After Professor McGonagall left, the headmaster's office remained quiet, and the portraits of the headmasters on the wall all had an expression of watching a good show.

Dumbledore looked at the pile of documents in distress, and his eyes gradually fell on the professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts opposite: "Gellert, are you-"

"Well, I have to go back to make lesson plans, so I won't bother you." Grindelwald put down his teacup, stood up and left leisurely.

Dumbledore sighed.

When can I retire...