On the last morning before Christmas, just after the snow stopped, Neville stood on the stone steps in front of the hall, his breath forming clouds of white mist before his face.
"Unbelievable!" Michael said, hands in his pockets, puzzled. "Tomorrow is the Christmas ball, and you're going home now? What could be so urgent that it can't wait even one night?"
Neville smiled with pursed lips, his eyes twinkling. He rubbed the handle of his suitcase and glanced at Vid, saying softly:
"I... there's an urgent family matter, I must go back..."
Not far away, Mrs. Longbanton was speaking in low tones with Professor McGonagall. She wore a hat adorned with a specimen of a vulture and had a very serious expression on her thin face, causing some passing underclassmen to instinctively detour around her.
"By the way, Harry," Neville turned his gaze to Harry, saying, "Could you please apologize to Ron and Ginny for me? I meant to tell them last night, but I got caught up packing when I went back and forgot..."
"What did you do that requires an apology?" Harry asked, puzzled.
"Oh, I... I invited Ginny to the ball earlier, but now I have to cancel," Neville said guiltily. "If she can't attend because of me, it's all my fault."
"Since that's the case, why are you rushing to go back?" Michael muttered regretfully, feeling bad for Neville missing the ball.
"Indeed," Vid echoed, "being away for a few days wouldn't make much difference."
"I know... I know a day or two won't matter to them... but I can't wait any longer, and neither can my grandmother..."
Neville said, his voice so soft it seemed it could be carried away by the cold wind.
Then Neville smiled hopefully, saying, "I hope everything goes smoothly... I just feel very sorry for Ginny, she was really looking forward to the ball."
Theo scratched his head, saying, "Actually, I didn't invite a partner because I felt it was too much trouble, and nobody really cares anyway... Ah, I mean, if Miss Weasley doesn't mind, I could take her to the Christmas ball."
"That would be wonderful!" Neville said gratefully.
"...We have to be there before ten," Mrs. Longbanton said to Professor McGonagall. "We've already made an appointment with the Healer at St Mungo's."
"Merlin bless us, I hope everything goes well." Professor McGonagall seemed very gentle at this moment, which surprised all the students greatly.
"Let's go, child." Mrs. Longbanton said, carrying her handbag, and when she passed by Neville, she reached out and patted his shoulder.
Neville waved to his friends who came to see him off, picked up his suitcase, and quickly caught up with his grandmother.
In the snow, the grandmother-grandson duo walked toward the gate, relying on each other, their figures looking both fragile and determined.
Leian suddenly sniffed: "It's strange, it's not like we haven't been apart before. We separate every year during holidays, why does it suddenly feel so upsetting this time?"
"Probably because it's so cold, it froze your snot!" Michael quipped, "We'll all be back in class in half a month, why act like it's a life-and-death parting? Come on, back to the castle! It's freezing outside!"
As he spoke, he ran back to the castle first, and the others laughed and followed.
"Vid," Hermione leaned over and asked quietly, "Do you know why Neville suddenly has to go home?"
"Yes, I know." Vid whispered back. "But that's Neville's privacy, I can't tell you."
"Alright," Hermione sighed. "I actually have a guess since they mentioned St Mungo's... I also think it's better not to say."
Vid nodded slightly.
As they were entering the door, Vid couldn't help but look back—
Neville was holding the suitcase in one hand and carefully supporting his grandmother with the other. Mrs. Longbanton's figure appeared extraordinarily small, but Neville's back looked straight and calm.
Although the round-faced boy usually seemed silly, like a child. But at this moment, he was entirely a man who could support his family and stand alone.
…
Early Christmas morning, Vid was awakened by the clatter of noises.
He opened his eyes suddenly, lifted the curtains, and saw several House-Elves quietly arranging Christmas gift boxes. But who knew what was inside those boxes that were thrashing around, making quite a loud noise.
"Vid Gray has awakened!" Zoe screamed, "Sir, hurry up and open your gifts, otherwise the room will be flooded!"
She wasn't exaggerating at all. The gift boxes were piled to the ceiling, and if not for the hard work of the House-Elves, Vid's bed would have long been cluttered with them.
Vid grabbed his Magic Wand immediately, waving it, and the precarious boxes seemed to be glued by invisible glue, finally stabilizing.
Zoe jumped back, sighed with relief, and said, "Ah, that's better... Before, I've only seen Mr. Dumbledore receive so many gifts."
"Having too many gifts isn't necessarily a good thing." A voice suddenly sounded in the room. "When strangers send Christmas gifts, it's not always well-intentioned."
The oldest House-Elf at Hogwarts appeared in the room, his stern gaze sweeping across, causing Zoe and the other two elves to become nervous.
"Relf!"
The few House-Elves hurriedly bowed and then vanished with a snap.
"Good morning, Relf," Vid said with a smile. "Does Professor Dumbledore need me for something?"
"No, he guessed you might receive a lot of gifts this year, so he sent me to check them out."
Relf said, and extended his thin fingers to gently weave through the air, immediately undoing the Sticky Spell Vid had just applied to the boxes, causing several to rattle, almost like there were wild boars waking up inside.
Afterward, twenty to thirty gift boxes bounced out of formation and fell in front of Relf, clattering for a few seconds before quieting down.
"These boxes have an ominous aura," Relf said, "Trust me, I have rich experience in identifying such things."
"I certainly wouldn't doubt your judgment."
Vid put on his clothes, got out of bed, and walked over to Relf, curiously observing the boxes picked out by him, and asked, "But can I see what's inside them?"
Relf gave him a kindly look and said, "Some boxes are best left unopened, or you might regret it the moment they're opened. But a few can give you a glimpse."
He selected a gray-purple box and opened it; inside was a bloody dead cat.
Opening another revealed a box full of pale fingers.
In the third box, a spray of Bubo Bulbous Fluid emerged, which Relf casually returned to the bottle as it was.
The fourth box, at first glance, appeared to be a translucent Crystal Ball, but upon closer inspection, inside was a fist-sized dead man's head.
Vid: "..."
Seeing Relf about to open a fifth box, he quickly said, "Alright, alright, no need to open the rest!"
He was thoroughly disgusted by those "gifts."
"Then I'll take these away," Relf said politely. "Even when unwrapping gifts from familiar people, always be careful."
"Got it." Vid sighed, casually asking, "Can you find out who sent these boxes? I suppose they weren't careless enough to write their names on them?"
"Indeed, they didn't," Relf replied lightly. "But don't worry, child, Dumbledore will have a way to find out."