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As for the others' gifts, Theo, Adam, and the rest mostly sent candies and small, exquisite presents.
Professor McGonagall's gift was a comprehensive guide to Transfiguration. Although it looked somewhat old, Rock was pleasantly surprised because he saw the signature on the inner page: Minerva McGonagall.
This was clearly a book Professor McGonagall had used during her student days. It contained quite a few annotations, and tucked inside was a small note: "To Mr. Scamander, wishing you steady progress on the path of Transfiguration."
Professor Flitwick's gift was also a notebook, filled with spellcasting techniques and rhythmic explanations for various charms. Rock happily set both books aside.
Dumbledore's gift arrived as well, but it appeared to be a large box of Honeydukes sweets.
Just looking at it made Rock feel like his teeth were softening. It seemed like a cavity waiting to happen. However, in the middle of the box, Rock spotted a small pendant.
"This is..."
Rock picked it up, somewhat puzzled. Through his magical perception, he could tell that this pendant belonged to the category of protective magic.
"He actually gave you this?" Newt walked over, looking curious.
"Grandpa, what is this?" Rock handed the pendant to Newt and asked.
"A pendant capable of warding off some malicious intent. Dumbledore asked Nicolas Flamel to make it years ago," Newt said softly.
Rock looked surprised. He gave me something like this?
Newt rubbed his nose a bit guiltily. It was likely because he and Theseus had paid a visit to Hogwarts, forcing Dumbledore to make a gesture ensuring Rock wouldn't come to harm because of the situation.
Rock put the pendant in his pocket. Whether or not it was a gift from Dumbledore, the fact that it was made by Nicolas Flamel was reason enough to value it.
"Huh?"
After unwrapping all the gifts, Rock noticed a small package still sitting in the corner. He picked it up and opened it, stunned by what was inside.
It was a vial of potion and a note. If he wasn't mistaken, the potion was Felix Felicis—Liquid Luck.
No need to guess; this was sent by Snape.
"I just sent some potion ingredients and a set of equipment, and I get such a big gift in return?"
Rock swirled the potion bottle, muttering under his breath.
He then looked at the note. Given Snape's personality, it probably wasn't just a simple greeting.
Sure enough, upon unfolding it, Rock felt a headache coming on. It was an essay assignment, requiring Rock to analyze the ingredients and brewing process of Felix Felicis from the perspective of an observer and learner, noting key points of attention.
Hogwarts.
Today was Christmas, and the students who stayed at school were enjoying a different kind of festive atmosphere.
At the High Table, several professors who had arrived early were chatting amongst themselves.
Professor Sprout looked at Professor McGonagall's brooch and remarked, "Oh! Minerva, what an exquisite brooch."
Professor McGonagall looked down at the brooch she had just put on today. "Mr. Scamander sent it to me. It's one of his Transfiguration works. I think it's quite lovely."
Flitwick nodded. "Little Rock also sent me a collector's edition of magical sheet music. I only mentioned it in passing once, but he remembered."
Professor Sprout smiled. "I received something too—a special magical fertilizer and a pair of puncture-resistant gloves. The little guy is very thoughtful."
The atmosphere was very harmonious. Professor McGonagall noticed a box of sweets in front of Dumbledore next to her.
However, the sweets inside weren't from Honeydukes.
"Albus, is this also..."
"Yes, sent by little Rock. And they are all the latest sweets from the Muggle world. Minerva, you absolutely wouldn't imagine that Muggle sweets have become so extraordinary."
Professor McGonagall looked at the wrappers piling up in front of Dumbledore and sighed. "Albus, you'd better be careful, or Madam Pomfrey will..."
Before she could finish, Dumbledore picked up a small candy from the box. "Don't worry, Rock explained in the gift note that these are relatively low in sugar."
Professor McGonagall's mouth twitched. No matter how "low sugar" they were, eating them the way Dumbledore was doing still seemed like a lot.
Snape sat at the far right end, listening to the professors without speaking.
He had also received a gift from Rock: excellent potion ingredients and silver brewing equipment. The main point was that these ingredients were particularly rare.
Feathers voluntarily given by a Diricawl, the smoothest silver membrane from the inside of an Occamy eggshell, a small patch of Demiguise fur, happy fluff from a Puffskein...
Snape had been momentarily stunned when he received them. Some of these materials... even he found difficult to source.
As a Potions Master, Snape responded by sending along a vial of the Felix Felicis he had recently brewed, along with a requirement for Rock to submit a separate potion essay upon his return from the holidays.
He owed no one.
On the far left of the table, Quirrell stood up and left. He had also received a gift—a beautifully bound history of the development of magical defense theory.
Christmas break was short.
At least, that's how it felt to Rock. Back at the manor, it was as if he had returned to the days before school.
He spent as much time as possible with Tina and helped Newt care for his magical creatures. Unknowingly, time just slipped away.
However, sometimes Tina and Newt would tell Rock to go busy himself with his own things.
They could see that, at the very least, every evening and early morning, Rock could be found practicing spells in his room or running around the manor grounds.
Newt and Tina might need companionship, but Rock also needed his own life.
Before leaving, Rock was once again escorted by Newt to the outside of the station. After saying goodbye to his grandparents, Rock went to Platform 9¾ alone.
His friends had all agreed to meet here to return to school together.
"Hey! Rock!"
Theo shouted cheerfully.
"Theo, how was your Christmas break?" Rock asked softly. He hadn't sent many messages during the break, just spending time with Newt and Tina at the manor.
"It was okay. This year we accepted an invitation and went to America for a pretty good holiday," Theo spoke quickly, his expression showing he had seen many new things there.
Just then, several loud noises and familiar laughter drifted over. Adam, Neville, Michael, and the others walked over in a group.
"How was your Christmas season, Rock?" Michael and Terry approached Rock, asking with smiles.
"It was alri—"
Before he could finish, Rock smelled a strange scent coming from Adam. "Did you put on perfume? Smells like a base of lemongrass and cedar."
Adam didn't expect Rock's nose to be so sensitive. He took out a spray bottle like he was presenting a treasure. "My father found me an experimental spirit-repelling spray!"
The group looked at each other. They didn't expect Adam to still be so afraid of ghosts that he even got external gear, but they didn't say anything.
Adam then pointed to the scarf around his neck. "My mother had this custom-made for me on Savile Row. They say every stitch is infused with silver thread consecrated in a church."
Seeing that Adam wanted to continue his introduction, the others quickly interrupted him, signaling that they could talk later at school. However, Neville asked from the side, "Adam, can I borrow that spray?"
"Of course! Neville!" Adam was clearly delighted, as if he had found a kindred spirit.
Theo looked curious. After all, Neville came from a wizarding family; there was no reason for him to be afraid of ghosts.
Neville shrank his neck. "Don't you guys think the Bloody Baron is terrifying?"
"No, we just think Adam has found a companion," Rock chuckled, and the group burst into laughter.
Woo woo—
"Alright, time to board the train. It's about to leave." The group quickly picked up their things and headed for the Hogwarts Express.
Just before boarding, Rock caught a glimpse of familiar blond hair and the figure of an adult behind it out of the corner of his eye. "Malfoy..."
He shook his head and paid it no more mind.
Scottish Highlands. The valley where Hogwarts sat was still covered in snow.
"Bloody hell, why does it feel so cold as soon as we get here?"
Theo shivered as he got off the train, muttering complaints.
"Over here! Follow me!"
It wasn't Hagrid meeting them today, but the caretaker, Filch. He was wearing a large padded jacket over his usual coat, shivering visibly.
Despite this, he still glared viciously at the students getting off the train, urging them to hurry up.
Amidst Filch's urging, everyone experienced a different treatment than when they first arrived—carriages.
Thestrals...
Rock looked at the skeletal, dragon-headed black creatures with large bat wings pulling the carriages.
"Alright, get in quickly!"
Filch urged everyone to board again. Before getting on, Rock handed the hand warmer he had been holding to Filch, then followed Theo onto the carriage.
Watching the line of carriages move away, Filch's lips moved slightly. He gripped the hand warmer tightly. It was very warm.
Back at Hogwarts, Rock thought Theo and the others would gather to discuss their holidays first. Unexpectedly, they pushed Rock along, carrying his backpack.
"Your Highness Rock! Please help us finish our homework!"
Clearly, the joy of the holiday ended the moment they arrived at Hogwarts. To avoid being scolded by professors, they had to finish their homework before they could play.
In the study room, Rock checked their homework one by one. It wasn't that they hadn't done it, but the quality didn't meet the standards set by the professors.
"Here... you can refer to—" Rock paused, thinking of the books he had bought.
"Let me put the books in place first. You guys can look up the information based on what I say later to complete it."
Saying this, Rock stood up and took a small wooden box out of his backpack. As soon as he opened it, all the books automatically flew to the shelves in the study room.
Newt's magic worked very well.