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-(๑☆‿ ☆#)ᕗ
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In fact, it seemed that the Professors at Hogwarts never left the castle for Christmas, as the students who remained at school still needed supervision, and all faculty members continued to exercise their managerial authority during the holiday.
These idle Young Wizards were always full of energy, and during such festive periods, if there were no Professors in the castle, Hogwarts could descend into chaos in just one night.
So, at such times, the corridors of the school were never short of patrols: Professors, ghosts, and Filch with his cat.
However, since Christmas was tomorrow, the Young Wizards were relatively well-behaved today.
Sagres mailed out the letters and gifts one by one, then headed to the Hogwarts Library to pass the time.
The next morning, the campus was filled with a festive atmosphere. Sagres went to the Great Hall for breakfast, then returned to his office. As expected, a small pile of letters and gifts was stacked by the window.
Sagres casually picked up a dark blue parchment envelope. The wax seal bore a kestrel totem with spread wings, and golden powder sprinkled its edges.
"Corvus obtinuit nuntium."
This was from Kestrel. He raised an eyebrow and opened the letter.
...
Dear Mr. Raven,
First, I must thank you for the item you had Nightingale deliver to us, though I am not at all satisfied...
I must state that the peculiar wand truly left me astonished. If there were an award for 'Most Horrifying Wand Design of the Year,' it would definitely be in the top three!
But Mr. Raven, did it not occur to you that as a young lady, carrying such a wand would look strange? Do you see me as some terrifying old wizard? Or perhaps your user experience awareness is worse than a troll wearing ballet slippers!
Of course, I, Iresha Lumina, am not as careless as you. This return gift was carefully chosen by me, and I guarantee your satisfaction.
Lastly, please allow me, as a professional Diviner, to offer you some free advice: next time you give a gift, refer less to the illustrations in Secrets of Advanced Dark Arts and more to Goblin Fashion Yearbook.
Sincerely, Kestrel, on the most chaotic night of the winter star trails.
...
A gift box was enclosed with the letter. Sagres unwrapped it and found a Muggle book—Selected English Jokes.
He pursed his lips in resignation. He had already anticipated that Kestrel wouldn't be very pleased with the design of her wand, but her resentment seemed deeper than he had imagined, with every line hinting at complaint.
"Heh~ Much bolder than when we met." Sagres flipped through a couple of pages of the joke book, finding them all outdated, and casually put it down.
Next was a letter from Thunderbird, along with a book he sent about North American wand cores and casings. He casually flipped through it, finding that it, too, contained information he already knew.
Then came letters from two other Bronze Feather members, wishing him a Merry Christmas and asking if he was interested in taking on commissions. He declined without a second thought.
There were also letters from his students. Although he had only served as a Professor at Ilvermorny for one year, he had quite a few students who adored him. Most of their letters recounted their recent situations and complained about the new teacher.
He remained noncommittal, picking up the last letter. A familiar scent wafted from it; this was a letter from Nightingale.
...
Dear Mr. Raven,
As the morning mist still curled deep within the Pyrenees Mountains, your "Emotional Spell Analysis Chart" appeared on my desk. The casting nodes on the diagram are dissected very clearly, and I believe I should master this magic very soon.
Honestly, this will be a great help for my upcoming teaching. Please allow me to say thank you.
Additionally, when Noctis delivered the letter to me, I noticed he spoke much less than before. I wonder if this is just my imagination.
Enclosed in the amethyst bottle with the letter is my newly concocted perfume potion, Deep Blue Song. I specially prepared this Christmas return gift for you after learning about Beauxbatons' Potion Class traditions. I hope you like it.
Note: If you look closely, you'll also find a gnome barrel goblin trapped inside the bottle who secretly drank the perfume—he insisted he was the muse for Deep Blue Song, and I had no choice but to send him along with the letter.
May starlight guide your research,
Your follower, Nightingale
...On Christmas Eve
...
Sagres opened the bottle cap and glanced at the barrel goblin inside; it immediately recoiled to the bottom of the bottle, refusing to come up. He smiled, replaced the cap, and left the office.
Hogwarts' Christmas party was exceptionally lavish, with roasted turkey, sausages, buttered peas, and potatoes. Everyone at the feast seemed very happy. Professor Flitwick told Dumbledore a joke that made him laugh heartily.
A drunken Hagrid even kissed Professor McGonagall on the cheek, and she, uncharacteristically, wasn't angry but chuckled at Hagrid's drunken state, her wizard hat askew.
Sagres left the Great Hall after eating. On his way to the Hogwarts Library, he encountered the Weasley twins and Harry, a group of young wizards enthusiastically engaged in a snowball fight.
The battle was quite fierce; as Sagres passed through the corridor, flying snowballs nearly hit him.
"Sorry, Professor," either George or Fred apologized to Sagres, then rushed back into the snow.
Sagres stood watching them play, an unconscious smile gracing his face, until the soaking wet group walked together toward the common room. Only then did he resume his steps toward his office.
Just then, Filch, with his cat, suddenly darted out from a doorway, grabbing the twins' sweaters and Harry's arm, roughly trying to drag them away.
"Is there a problem?" Sagres asked coldly, seeing the agitated Filch.
"Professor, look at the corridor, it's all water." Filch tugged at the young wizards he held. "They did it, I'm going to turn them over to—"
"But that doesn't violate school rules," Sagres interrupted directly. He didn't like this self-important old Squib at all, as Filch had caused him no end of trouble since his student days.
Sagres slowly walked up to them and tapped each of them with his wand. The young wizards' soaked clothes instantly became dry. Then he waved his hand, signaling them to leave.
The Weasley brothers and Harry, their faces showing grateful smiles, quickly left Filch's side. Sagres ignored the displeased Filch and turned to walk away.
He felt he was already being generous—after all, the only ones in the entire school who could get along amicably with Filch were probably Snape and the cat named Mrs. Norris.
When he was a student, Filch often cooperated with Snape to catch students out after curfew in the castle. If they were unlucky enough to also encounter Peeves causing trouble, then point deductions and detentions were practically guaranteed.
Sagres returned to his office, putting the matter of Filch out of his mind. He carefully considered the teaching content after Christmas, then took out a quill and parchment to write a letter.
...
Dear Snowy Owl,
I have a request regarding Troll specimens:
In next month's Charm Theory and Practice class, I need to demonstrate the differences and countermeasures for three Troll subspecies (Mountain Troll, River Troll, Forest Troll) to my students. I kindly request your assistance in providing the following individuals:
1) Alpine Rock Troll (must have intact horns, for demonstrating its attack methods)
2) Rhine River Mud Troll (preferably with aquatic barnacles, for analyzing water-based mutations)
3) Black Forest Moss Troll (please ensure the glowing fungal moss on its back is undamaged)
Enclosed with this letter are three undetectable extension crystal vials, each containing a static opal enchanted with a powerful shrinking spell:
—When a Troll enters a ten-yard radius, recite "Subdue," and the spell woven into the stone will compress it to doll size.
—During captivity, the Troll will fall into a dreamless sleep, with its life activities completely static.
1) Specimens are for academic demonstration only and will be returned in the same manner afterward.
2) As thanks, I will present you with a Phoenix Feather quill found in Knockturn Alley. The quill's shaft is engraved with "To the Craftiest Cargo Escort." I wonder if it's the one you lost last year?
Your friend,
Raven
...
Sagres put the parchment and three crystal vials into an envelope, then pressed a raven-shaped seal into the wax. He then summoned Noctis, first feeding him a large handful of mithril, and only then handing him the envelope.
Watching the messenger raven fly away, he couldn't help but imagine the expressions the young wizards would wear when they returned to Hogwarts after Christmas and saw the surprise he had prepared for them.
"Heh.."
That would also be a good opportunity to test their understanding of the knowledge.