Hogwarts: Don't call me the Staff Maker

Chapter 519 Christmas Gifts

Chapter 519 Christmas Gifts

On Christmas morning, when Xilun woke up and stepped out of his tent, he found a Christmas tree at the entrance piled high with beautifully wrapped gifts.

The owls seemed unable to get into the tent, so the gifts couldn't be delivered to their bedside.

"I was just about to call you!" Mrs. Weasley said with a smile. She was preparing breakfast, and a large pot on the fire was making a bubbling sound. Judging from its color, it was probably oatmeal.

"Come on, open your presents! You must be getting impatient," Mrs. Weasley said, pointing to the largest pile of presents under the Christmas tree.

All the gifts from everyone in the tent are here, but Xiren has the most, even more than all the others combined.

But neither Harry, Ron, nor Hermione, who came out of the tent, thought there was anything wrong with it.

Harry frowned, puzzled. "Why are there so many fewer gifts than last year? Did some of them get sent to Diagon Alley?"

I don't know who spread the rumor, but many Gryffindors know that last year, Sheron received so many Christmas presents that they could almost fill half of the dormitory.

In comparison, this year's figure is probably less than a third of that.

"Owls don't deliver to the wrong place," Bill said as he came downstairs. "Those amazing little creatures only deliver gifts to where you are."

He was wearing a new hat that he had never seen before, which must have been a recent gift.

"But why are so many of Xilun's gifts missing?"

"I think it's because the Triwizard Tournament is over." Xiren walked to the Christmas tree, sat down, and casually picked up a box and opened it.

"A large portion of the gifts I received last year were from off-campus spectators at the Triwizard Tournament. They were so happy that I beat Krum and Fleur in the first event, bringing honor to Hogwarts—oh, thank you, Harry. I love the bookmark you gave me. Is this a Thunderbird feather?"

"Ah, yes," Harry said. "I think you'll like it, and the bookmark can be torn open on both sides so you can take out the feathers inside completely."

Xilun raised an eyebrow. He had to admit, wizards always managed to come up with all sorts of tricks.

Because Thunderbirds possess the ability to manipulate the weather, they could easily cause serious trouble in the Muggle world, making them one of the most strictly regulated magical creatures. Private sale, especially illegal cross-border trade, is absolutely illegal and subject to severe penalties.

Even materials related to the Thunderbird are strictly controlled, just not as strictly as those related to the living Thunderbird.

So clever wizards used feathers to make things like bookmarks, quills, or ornaments, and transported them out in another form.

However, these things have always been very expensive, starting at ten Galleons.

It can only be said that Harry has picked up a bit of Sirius's style when it comes to giving gifts.

"Thank you for your book, Siron." Harry then unwrapped Siron's gift.

"Focusing on the World Cup: A Detailed Analysis of the Strengths and Weaknesses of Every Quidditch Team" is probably the only book that's more than two inches thick, yet I've had the patience to read through it.

"You're welcome," Celen said. "Actually, I was planning to give you this in seventh grade, but if you want to join a professional team like Oliver after you graduate, this book is a great reference."

"It's the same now," Harry said with a smile.

The group continued dismantling.

Hermione gave all three of them homework planners, square notebooks.

Mrs. Weasley gave him a wool sweater, and Hagrid gave him a wallet (or maybe a handbag) with fangs on it and a big gold letter "0" on it. Harry's wallet had a "P" on it.

Xiren noticed that the two teeth looked like Louie's.

Sirius's gift was a set of exquisite silver engraving knives, seventeen in total, ranging from large to small, along with matching polishing tools. Garian and Lila gave him a pot of very rare purple star orchids. This plant, once mature, can be squeezed to extract its juice, which, when applied to the body, allows one to fly a short distance briefly; it is even rarer than mandrake.

Charlie gave him a complete dragon claw, five inches long, still warm in his hand. Bill's gift was a book, *One Hundred Curses and Counter-Curses*, which Siron flipped through and found quite interesting. Lupin also gave him a thigh bone.

Ok?

Xilun abruptly stopped unwrapping the gift, and not only him, but everyone in the kitchen looked over curiously.

"This—could Hagrid have sent the wrong thing? Is this actually a gift for Lu Wei?" Ron asked in a low voice.

"Then there should be three bones, right?" Hermione said.

Xilun didn't say anything, and searched through the unfolded ribbons again before finding a note.

The above is a note written by Lupin, which basically says that he remembered Xiren's habit of collecting special materials, so he sent this werewolf leg bone. He also said that he had obtained the consent of the provider himself—the werewolf.

???

This explanation—after reading it, he became even more confused.

Then the parchment began to circulate among everyone, and without exception, everyone who saw its contents showed the same expression as Siron.

"So Lupin means that a werewolf sent you his leg bone after learning that you like to collect special materials to make staff cores?" Ron asked hesitantly.

This sounds like an April Fool's joke.

"If there's no other hidden information above—that should be the case," Xilun said uncertainly.

“There’s no hidden information on it,” Bill said. “I’ve looked at it several times. It’s just a plain parchment and some ink that’s been conjured up by magic.”

Bill's previous job was as a curse-breaker at Gringotts, so he was well-suited for this kind of work. His statement that it was no problem meant that there was definitely no hidden information on the parchment.

But----

"Why think so much?" Mrs. Weasley said, interrupting the speculation.

"Lupin will be at the Burial Ground tonight. If you have any questions, you can just ask him directly then, right?"

She took out her wand and waved it gently, and all the confetti and discarded packaging boxes piled on the ground disappeared.

"Come and have breakfast quickly." She placed a tray on the table and brought over the pot on the stove.

"I made fish and chips sandwiches and oatmeal with milk. We can go to Diagon Alley later; I'm going to buy Percy a new robe. And Diagon Alley is much more lively than usual at Christmas—you've never seen it before—oh, of course, not you." She said to Celen, "I suppose you're getting tired of it by now."

""

"Of course not."

"After all, Christmas in Diagon Alley always has something new to offer," Celen said with a smile.

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