A Professor of Magic at Hogwarts

Chapter 73: Christmas Feast

Felix Harp couldn't believe his unexpected stroke of luck.

Piecing together what Malfoy had said, he realized that the diary wasn't something Malfoy brought to the school himself—he was just an unlucky fellow who stumbled upon it after the second attack occurred.

Now, he finally had confirmation.

Felix nodded and turned to leave when suddenly he heard Luna's ethereal voice from behind.

"Christmas present."

He turned around to look at her. "What?"

Luna said quite seriously, "I just realized that I haven't prepared a Christmas present for you. We got to know each other in such a rush." She casually rummaged through her pockets, and amid Felix's slightly perplexed gaze, she produced an oddly fashioned bracelet.

With a hint of regret, she said, "I made it myself. I was planning to make a pair." She extended her hand and handed it to Felix.

Felix wasn't sure why he reached out to take it, but he did.

Luna skipped away happily.

As Felix returned to his office, he still held the bracelet in his hand. He leaned back in his chair, earnestly pondering how to reciprocate.

He felt that a typical gift wouldn't quite suit her unique demeanor...

In the end, he retrieved a book titled "A Compendium of Worldly Jokes" from his collection. For some inexplicable reason, he thought it matched well with the young witch named Luna. As he watched his owl fly off into the distance, he refocused his attention on the new piece of information.

Gryffindor, fiery hair, first-year student—putting these pieces together, he was nearly certain that it was a Weasley child. Their family's trademark red hair was quite renowned.

And he vaguely recalled his assistant mentioning the youngest Weasley family member—Ron's sister, starting school this year.

So, in a convoluted way, how did this tie back to the trio again?

He remembered encountering a few red-haired young witches earlier in sensitive locations—either near Hagrid's hut or in the abandoned girls' bathroom.

Deep in thought, Felix considered this as another lead for investigation. He was eager to find out who brought the diary and if there were any more such artifacts in existence. The younger version of the Dark Lord was cautious, never mentioning his connection to himself and Slytherin, which posed challenges to some of Felix's theories.

As the evening grew darker, Felix arrived at the Great Hall. From a distance, he could see a beautifully adorned venue sparkling with vibrant colors. In addition to the decorations he had noticed in the morning, lanterns were now drifting above, casting showers of colored sparks from the mouth-like openings.

He spotted the trio's figures, and Ron waved excitedly at him. Felix guessed it might be because of the gift he had given, but he didn't have much time to ponder as Dumbledore gestured to him. He walked over.

The headmaster was dressed formally and quite amusingly tonight. His long beard was tied up with ribbons of purple and red, forming the shape of a gourd. "Felix, happy holidays."

"Likewise, Headmaster Dumbledore."

Dumbledore blinked and whispered, "I received your gift; it's quite unique. I haven't had a chance to read the book yet, but just from the title, I can tell it's worth a read."

"I'm glad you like it."

Amidst a burst of crackling fireworks, the feast officially began.

As the Headmaster, Dumbledore led everyone in singing a few cheerful Christmas carols. He then announced with a smile, "Eat to your heart's content, fill your bellies."

An array of creatively shaped dishes appeared abruptly: roast turkey, sausages, meat stews, pork chops, kidney pies, peas in butter, toasted crumpets, and more, an extravagant spread.

Young wizards crowded together, their forks gliding across the tables, leaving behind trails.

Felix Harp, casting aside his worries, indulged heartily.

Hagrid recommended a Hogwarts special eggnog to him. Felix took a sip—tangy and sweet, the alcohol content was mild. He went on to have a few more cups.

Lockhart, on the other hand, swayed and trembled, his wavy hair waving in waves.

Professor McGonagall and Dumbledore conversed in hushed tones, punctuated by soft "chuckles."

After reaching a comfortable level of fullness, everyone finally had time to chat. A humming sound filled the hall as Felix skewered a piece of raisin pudding. He caught sight of his assistant leading two young wizards out of the hall, sneaking away.

Interesting, were they planning something?

On the other side, Hermione held up two pieces of chocolate cake and announced her plan, "I've put some ordinary sleeping draught in these cakes. All you need to do is ensure that Crabbe and Goyle find them—they're bound to eat them. Once they're asleep, you can pluck a few hairs from each of them and then hide them in the broom cupboard."

Ron and Harry exchanged glances; they felt this plan had its share of flaws. Ron asked her, "And what about you, Hermione?"

"I've already got mine! Remember the Dueling Club? Millicent and I were wrestling, and I was putting up a good fight... Long story short, I got some of her hair."

Hermione left to check on the situation with the Polyjuice Potion, leaving Harry and Ron to execute the mission.

"To be honest, I don't think it's very likely to work," Ron said with a troubled expression.

Harry didn't hold much hope either.

Yet, they could do nothing but huddle in the shadows, their eyes fixed on the entrance.

After a while, a slightly bored Harry whispered to Ron, "When do you plan on asking Professor McGonagall for permission?"

"Sooner is better," Ron replied without hesitation. "I can't wait to have a new wand. Professor Harp is truly considerate!"

Felix Harp had simply handed Ron seven Galleons and a note that read, "I've noticed your wand is damaged. I suggest you buy a new one; otherwise, you won't be able to attend next term's dueling classes. P.S.: Consider it a reward for your courage."

Harry received a book titled "Dueling Compendium," one of the reference books Felix had used to compile the dueling course materials.

Consequently, both of them learned that Professor Harp had taken over Lockhart's Dueling Club. They had privately discussed their high expectations for his courses.

"I just hope the new dueling classes won't have any trace of Snape," Harry said with hopeful anticipation.

The feast had been ongoing for over an hour, and little by little, young wizards began to leave. Felix Harp, as a professor, concluded his first Christmas feast at Hogwarts amidst the lively atmosphere.

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