Anton met the Weasley family at the intersection of Diagon Alley and Knockturn Alley in August 1989. At that time, he had just transmigrated two months prior, having spent sixty-odd days where he could have been killed at any moment.
Later, he went through some things, and before he knew it, a group of 'people' had gathered around him. Together, they crossed the ocean and arrived in France.
Then, due to a work promotion, he returned to the UK from France.
Unconsciously, time had already reached Christmas at the end of 1990. A few days after Christmas, it would be 1991.
For over a year, a period neither long nor short, Anton and his group had never had the habit of celebrating holidays.
But this year, they did.
Mr. Lupin and Miss Ilsa energetically decorated the entire house, upstairs and downstairs.
Anton, who was ordered to blow up balloons, wore a pained little expression, "Maybe I shouldn't have let you come to this home!"
Ilsa was trimming a Christmas tree by the fireplace with a pair of scissors, "It's no use saying anything more, Anton. Hurry up and blow up the balloons. This is the favorite thing for all kids to do at Christmas."
"Damn it, this could be easily done with a single spell." Anton sighed and rubbed his cheeks. "At the very least, you should have bought a pump. Why do I have to use my mouth?"
Anna came over, helping to carry the Christmas tree ornaments. Seeing this scene, she giggled.
How interesting. Anton, who had subtly become the parent figure among a group of adults, was actually being suppressed by this tearful woman.
"No way, if you won't let me use my wand, you must buy me a pump!" Anton blew hard into a balloon, but it popped from too much force, startling him. He stood up, very annoyed. "If you don't buy one, I'll tell you the ending of 'Till We Meet Again'."
"Merlin's beard!" Ilsa was stunned. "You despicable child!"
Ever since Miss Ilsa moved in, she was quickly led astray by Lupin. The two of them loved to huddle together on the sofa with a large pile of snacks and watch TV series.
Recently, they were binge-watching the show 'Till We Meet Again'. They watched other people's sad stories, shed their own tears, and moved themselves to no end.
"Spoilers are shameful!" Ilsa couldn't win and had to give in, finally finding a pump in a box.
"Damn it!" Anton was stunned. "You actually bought a pump?!!!"
"I hope you have a complete childhood, Anton." Miss Ilsa's words were always so righteous.
This was enough to shock Anton for ten thousand years.
He took the pump resentfully, sighing as he looked at the whole box of balloons, "The house is almost filled with balloons!"
Poof!
The goblin Pedro appeared in the hall, his bloodshot eyes staring intently at Anton. "Anton, you've always been a person of your word, right?"
Anton smiled and quickly took the opportunity to toss the pump onto the sofa. "Yes, Mr. Pedro."
Pedro nodded forcefully and took out a mechanical watch from his pocket. "This is a secret treasure of the 'Collector of Time and Memory'. By turning the time on it, you can glimpse your own past. Perhaps you can use it to find your childhood memories, or at least find out how old you are."
Anton raised an eyebrow and took it. "Is this a Christmas present?"
"Christmas?" Pedro looked as if he had heard something outrageous. "No, we goblins don't celebrate Christmas!"
Poof!
Mr. Rosier also appeared, holding a large pile of gift boxes and laughing heartily. "No, Pedro, you do celebrate Christmas."
He struggled to reach out from behind the gift boxes and stuffed a small box into Pedro's hand. "Your Christmas present for this year!"
"This year's?" Pedro looked at him, stunned.
"Yes, my old friend. I've given you a gift every year, but unfortunately, you've never given me one." Rosier shrugged, not minding, and piled the gifts in a corner. He ruffled Anna's little head, "Everyone gets one."
"Uh?" Pedro stammered a little. "I actually have something for you today, but I didn't know it was Christmas. But, I mean, um."
He took out a small, exquisite porcelain vial with two openings from his pocket. "Alright, let's just call it a Christmas present."
Rosier laughed loudly and quickly took it. "Merlin's beard, it's been thirty-five years, and I've finally received a gift from you. Quick, tell me, what is it?"
"It's the 'Confining Cell' potion and its antidote. Maybe you can let Nagini occasionally turn back into a human. I..."
Before Pedro could finish, Rosier hugged him tightly. "Old friend, I love you to death!"
Anna also excitedly grabbed the hem of Pedro's suit jacket. "Anna likes this Christmas present."
The house gradually became lively. From the stairwell, Lupin's shouts could be faintly heard from downstairs, "What's wrong with your restaurant? Is this Chinese food? I've never eaten anything like this. Don't think I don't know, Chinese food doesn't have broccoli."
The Lupin of today was not a decadent uncle, but more energetic than a spirited young man.
Tsk tsk tsk, a man in love.
Anton shook his head, only to see the old wizard floating back and forth by the windowsill, looking conflicted.
"Teacher, there's no need for that. Even though Lupin has no humanity when he's with a woman, you can still find other friends," Anton teased with a wicked sense of humor.
"My poor teacher, he never had a life of his own, and after he died..."
The old wizard interrupted him, "You foolish apprentice, I do have friends!"
Anton was shocked. "You, have friends?"
"Yes, today is Christmas, and I want to invite them to our home." The old wizard looked at Anton with some anticipation. "They are all ghosts. I don't know if that's okay?"
"Hahahaha..." Anton laughed, raised his hands high, turned to the crowd, and shouted loudly, "My foolish teacher has finally learned to make friends."
"Let's cheer for him!"
A chorus of howls and wails erupted.
"Teacher, this isn't just my home, it's your home too!"
The old wizard's eyes lit up. "That's great, we'll stay in my room and won't disturb you."
"No, no, no, Teacher, this is your home." Anton said with great solemnity. "You should invite them into the hall, not hide in your room."
Ilsa, at the side, was clearly a little flustered. "I don't know what to prepare for ghosts?"
"No need, no need." The old wizard also started to laugh happily. "I've ordered ghost drinks and food from the ghost pub."
Not long after, Anna held Nagini's hand with her left and Rosier's with her right, smiling with exceptional happiness.
A group of ghosts also came to visit. They knew how to be ghosts much better than the old wizard. Not only did they bring a band, but they also had Anton open the door so they could formally enter through the main entrance to complete the etiquette of a visit.
Uh...
A ghost band...
Anton couldn't comprehend it. Anyway, he just found the music very noisy, but everyone else seemed to like it.
Outside the window, someone set off fireworks, which exploded in the sky, creating a dazzling display of fiery trees and silver flowers.
Ilsa, in a very Muggle fashion, brought out a large pile of fireworks, saying they were for the two children, Anton and Anna, to play with. In the end, it was Lupin who had the most fun.
Anyway, just like that, this year's Christmas was exceptionally lively and exceptionally interesting.
...
...
After the clamor.
The old wizard was taken by his ghost friends to some ghost pub for an after-party.
Anna's family sat around the large bed, whispering secrets. Pedro was also dragged in by Rosier to join them.
Lupin held Ilsa, huddled on the sofa. Along with the sad music from the TV, the two of them cried a river of tears.
Anton sat at his desk and turned the watch Pedro had given him.
Poof, countless plumes of smoke swirled.
In the smoke, a high-speed train passed by a vast, open field. Anton, wearing a plaid shirt, had a pained look on his face as he begged his girlfriend not to be angry. The girlfriend pouted and turned her head away, but she was secretly smiling.
"How nostalgic..."
So many people in the book reviews are saying, why haven't we gone to school yet? Uh, let me explain. The first volume, "The Dark Wizard's Apprentice," has a total of 60 chapters. Hmm, it might be shortened, not extended. It's almost finished, with just the ending left to wrap up.