Christmas was drawing near.
Professor McGonagall asked the students to submit this year's forms for staying at Hogwarts over the holidays.
As the weather gradually turned colder, everyone wrapped themselves in scarves. Slytherin's green scarves always gave off a chilly feeling in the snow.
In contrast, Gryffindor's red scarves were like flames, making people feel warm.
The Biting Cabbages quieted down during winter, and Neville finally no longer had to stand guard over them.
That left Hannah feeling somewhat disappointed.
The two of them were dating beneath the oak tree.
"I won't be able to cook for you anymore," Hannah said regretfully.
Neville asked in confusion, "Why?"
"Because you'll be eating in the Great Hall, so you won't need me to cook for you."
"No," Neville shook his head and said, "I like your cooking. No matter how much there is, I can eat it all."
Embarrassed by what might or might not have counted as a love confession, Hannah held out her little finger and said to Neville, "Then let's make a promise. You'll have to keep eating the food I make in the future."
Neville turned his head away shyly and said, "I promise."
Their fingers hooked together as they sealed their promise.
The next day, a delicious aroma drifted through the Great Hall.
Walking in, Malfoy said excitedly, "The food's gotten better today."
He sat down and eagerly searched for which dish the smell was coming from.
Following the scent, he kept shifting along the bench.
Eventually, he stopped and stared at an unusual lunchbox.
Looking around, he realised that he had somehow moved all the way to the Gryffindor table, where a dumbfounded Ron Weasley sat beside him.
"What are you looking at?" Malfoy snapped before anyone else could say anything. Turning to Neville, he asked, "What's that? Why does it smell so good?"
He wasn't the only one. Many people had been attracted by the aroma.
Neville blushed and protectively covered his lunchbox. "I brought this myself."
"Hmph, who cares?"
Malfoy said sourly, but his eyes never left Neville's lunchbox.
Not just him, even Ron was practically drooling.
"Look, John!"
Malfoy suddenly cried out. Neville turned his head, and Malfoy seized the opportunity with lightning speed.
Before his fork could reach the stewed meat inside the lunchbox, Neville's large hand caught it. Then, grabbing Malfoy by the collar, he threw him back to the Slytherin table.
Malfoy wore an expression as though his entire worldview had been shattered.
"No, seriously, doesn't it feel like Neville's improved a little too quickly these past few days?"
Malfoy admitted that Neville was strong. In terms of pure physical combat, Neville was second only to John.
But not to such a ridiculous degree.
His feint had been completely useless just now, and Neville had even picked him up with one hand and thrown him away.
Even John felt that Neville had changed a lot. The Longbottom family had already contacted the clothing shop again to prepare a new set of clothes.
Neville's physique and height were visibly increasing.
Previously, Neville had been conservatively estimated at around six feet tall. Now, he seemed to be heading toward six foot three.
"Heh heh."
A smug laugh came from beside him. John looked over and saw Daphne mysteriously holding a lunchbox.
His expression turned strange as he asked, "Daphne, what's up?"
"I actually prepared something for you too," Daphne said confidently. "Something even more delicious than what's in Neville's lunchbox."
She thought John would praise her, but instead, he gave her a complicated look and said, "Just do what you normally do. Don't push yourself."
Daphne blinked in confusion.
What did he mean by "do what you normally do"?
Even Malfoy nodded in agreement and said solemnly, "Don't force yourself. Forcing things won't bring happiness."
After saying that, Malfoy found himself hanging upside down in the Entrance Hall, wondering whether he and John hadn't meant the same thing.
Then why was he the one hanging here?
This wasn't fair!
"John, this time is different." Daphne's expression turned resolute. "This time, I'll definitely open your eyes."
Taking a deep breath, John spoke with the determination of a man marching to his death.
"Alright, Daphne. I believe in you, just as you believe in me."
Hearing that, Daphne smiled.
She slowly opened the lunchbox she had prepared so carefully.
At that moment, everyone at the Slytherin table held their breath.
They gathered around, staring intently at the lunchbox without blinking.
Astoria clasped her hands together and wore a devout expression, praying that her sister had finally managed to prepare something delicious.
Pansy nervously grabbed Theodore's hand. She was even more nervous than she had been before her first kiss.
At the staff table, Slughorn could not help but stand up and peer over at Slytherin, wondering what they were up to.
Hannah simply closed her eyes.
Memories of the various dishes Daphne had made during the time they had spent together flashed through her mind.
Chocolate rice noodle rolls with sausage, stir-fried tomatoes with blueberries, squid ink noodles, a bizarre stew of wasabi, mountain herbs, and a Three Delicacies dish made with watermelon, mango, and dragon fruit...
One shocking and bizarre dish after another passed before her eyes.
Tears of regret rolled down Hannah's cheeks.
From the day she opened that door, she had stepped into hell.
"Hannah, what's wrong?" Ernie could not understand Hannah's sudden sadness.
Wiping away her tears, Hannah revealed a radiant smile and said to her friend,
"It's wonderful to be alive."
Wait.
Just what have you gone through?
You're only seventeen!
Ernie would never be able to understand how Hannah felt at this moment.
As Daphne fully opened the lunchbox...
A dazzling beam of light shot out from inside... of course, that was impossible.
Inside the lunchbox was a serving of plump rice paired with stewed meat she had learned to make from Hannah. The rich gravy was poured over the rice, with a few florets of broccoli as garnish. The large chunks of meat were enough to whet anyone's appetite.
Simple, yet enough to stir the taste buds.
Everyone's eyes widened. Astoria hugged Pansy beside her and cried tears of joy.
"What's wrong with them?" Slughorn still couldn't understand. "There's no competition going on, so what are you all so happy about?"
Thunderous applause erupted from Slytherin. They cheered as though Christmas had arrived early.
"We've got this, we've definitely got this!"
Blaise was beside himself with excitement. At long last, he had witnessed Daphne produce something that wasn't dark cuisine.
More importantly, even he wanted to eat it, so John would definitely be conquered by it as well.
By then, Daphne ending her single life and bringing hope to the many Slytherin students secretly dating would no longer be just a dream.
Everyone stared eagerly at John. None of them dared to urge him, but their eyes clearly conveyed what they wanted to say.
Eat it!
John himself was surprised. He had never expected Daphne to be capable of making normal food.
Even without a sense of taste, the tender, slow-cooked meat looked enticing.
John, under everyone's watchful gaze, placed a piece of meat into his mouth.
His eyes widened.
He looked at Daphne in disbelief.
Daphne proudly lifted her chin. It seemed her special training had indeed paid off.
See? Even John was shocked.
What shocked John wasn't how amazing the flavour was, but the magic contained within the rice and meat.
"There's not just nutrition in this. There's magic as well."
John stared at the rice and pinched a grain apart with his fingers. There was nothing special inside.
It was just ordinary rice.
Then why had it changed?
John looked at Daphne and asked, "Did you make this?"
"Of course..." Daphne's voice grew quieter. "Hannah helped me a little."
She held her fingers close together to indicate just how little that help had been.
But John's attention had already been captured by the mention of Hannah.
"How did you make it?" he asked.
Daphne thought for a moment and said, "We prepared the meat first, and then..."
"No, I mean, did you use anything special?"
"Special?" Daphne asked in confusion. "I don't remember anything unusual."
John fell into thought.
"If the ingredients weren't special, then it must have been magic."
He turned his gaze toward the Hufflepuff table.
Was Hannah particularly talented in kitchen magic?
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