Chapter 40: Christmas Gift

Professor McGonagall's threat was immediate—the students moved noticeably faster, and in less than a minute the corridor was cleared of everyone who'd come to watch the commotion.

Silven also saw the culprits behind this incident.

Ron and Malfoy, each grabbed by Hagrid with one hand, glaring furiously at each other.

Beside them were Harry, Crabbe, and Goyle—all three with rumpled robes, clearly having just been in a scuffle themselves, only barely separated because Professor McGonagall was present.

But was Harry really that fierce? Not only fighting two at once, but against Crabbe and Goyle of all people—to be honest, they looked like two third-year students, at least two sizes stockier than their peers.

"I need an explanation!" Professor McGonagall said, her eyes seemingly ablaze.

"It was Malfoy who spoke rudely to Ron first, Professor McGonagall." Hagrid set the two of them down and said, "Malfoy just insulted his family."

"I-I was only telling the truth." Malfoy protested indignantly, "But Weasley actually hit me in the face—he threw the first punch!"

"Ten points from Gryffindor!" Professor McGonagall said expressionlessly.

"No, Professor, he's lying!" Ron shouted, his face flushed red.

Across from him, Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle laughed smugly.

But before they could enjoy it for long…

"Ten points from Slytherin!"

The laughter cut off abruptly, and the three of them looked as though they'd bitten into a cockroach while eating candy.

"Wait, Professor, I think you've got it wrong." Malfoy tried to argue, "Anyone can testify—he was the one who hit me first."

"I believe I understand perfectly well what's going on here, and I'm sure you do too." Professor McGonagall said, her expression stern, "If you feel my decision wasn't fair enough, you may also go see Professor Snape."

Under Professor McGonagall's gaze, Malfoy, though unconvinced in his heart, still chose to shut his mouth.

"Very well." Professor McGonagall nodded and said, "Hagrid, we've been waiting for you—the Great Hall is missing only the last tree now."

"Sorry, Professor McGonagall, I'm coming right now." Hagrid hefted a fir tree beside him and followed her away.

This silver fir would later be placed in the Great Hall as the most important Christmas decoration.

"Just you wait, Weasley, I won't let you get away with this!" After Professor McGonagall and Hagrid left, Malfoy said through gritted teeth.

"Let's go!" He didn't keep pressing the matter, and roughly pushed past Harry with Crabbe and Goyle.

"Look at the state of him, as if I'd be afraid of him." Ron watched Malfoy's retreating back and shook his fist hard. "If Hagrid hadn't held me back just now, I definitely could've taught him a proper lesson."

Harry said nothing, just quietly rubbing his arm beside him.

Crabbe and Goyle really were strong—if the other Gryffindor students hadn't acted fast enough, he might've spent Christmas in the hospital wing.

"Are you two alright?" Hermione ran over and asked.

"We're fine, Professor McGonagall came just in time." Harry said, his gaze suddenly turning toward the other end of the corridor, in the direction of the dungeons.

"Lucky you called Professor McGonagall—if it had been Snape, he definitely would've only deducted our points and not punished Malfoy."

"Alright, isn't the matter already settled?" Hermione said, "You really should go see the Great Hall, it's truly amazing, I don't even know how to describe it!"

"You two go ahead, I still have something to do." Harry said, giving Hermione a wink, then darted off in a flash.

To be honest, both Ron and Hermione were completely baffled at this point, with no idea what had just happened.

"What's with him?" Ron asked, puzzled.

"I don't know." Hermione was equally clueless.

Harry seemed to have winked at her too, but she had no idea what it meant.

"Forget it, let's go to the Great Hall first."

"Okay."

Meanwhile, Harry, who had run off, was already up the stairs, and caught up with Silven—who was about to head back to the common room—in front of the Fat Lady's portrait on the eighth floor.

After Professor McGonagall arrived earlier, Silven had immediately put away his wand and left with the others.

The Weasley twins ran off even earlier, as if Professor McGonagall would cancel the Quidditch match if they were a second slower.

"Wait, Silven."

"Harry?" Silven stopped before the passage, "What do you need me for?"

"I want to buy a wand." Harry said.

"Hmm?" Silven was stunned for a moment, then his eyes lit up.

"Good taste, come with me!" He pulled Harry through the passage into the common room, pushed him down into an armchair, and himself spun around and dashed up to the second-floor dormitory.

"Please wait a moment, I'll be right back."

"No need, I…" Harry tried to say something, but in the blink of an eye the person in front of him was gone.

It wasn't until five minutes later that Silven returned to the common room, holding a tray with a dozen or so various… wands? neatly arranged on it.

Harry wasn't entirely sure whether that round, steering-wheel-like thing actually counted as a wand.

The other wands were all bizarrely shaped too—he'd never seen anything like them at Ollivanders Wand Shop.

"I recommend this one—triple the magic, triple the joy…" Silven pointed at the round wand, "Or you can try them out for yourself. If you don't like any of them, I still have a two-and-a-half-foot-long wand in my dormitory—it's not finished yet, but it can be reserved."

"How much?" Harry thought he'd misheard.

They were talking about wands just now, not Bludger bats… feet?

Is that right?

"Wait a moment, I'm very happy with my current wand, I have no plans to switch." Harry quickly took a deep breath, cutting off the chattering Silven.

"I want to buy the wand with the Red Cap nerve core."

Silven's words paused, and he quickly figured it out.

"Ron?"

"Yes." Harry said, "I decided a long time ago that I wanted to give that wand to him as a Christmas present."

"In that case, why didn't you tell me in advance?" Silven said, "So I could've prepared ahead of time."

"Because I want to give Ron a surprise." Harry said.

"Heh." Silven tugged at the corner of his mouth. "I don't know if Ron's surprised, but you've certainly given me one."

"Huh? What do you mean?" Harry was baffled. "If it's about money, I've already got it ready."

He fished a handful of gold coins from his pocket — no more, no less, exactly seven Galleons. He must have prepared them in advance.

"No, it's not about the Galleons — it's that wand…" Silven spread his hands. "Alright, I sent it back to the shop two months ago."

"What?" Harry's hand, clutching the coins, froze mid-air. "You mean that wand is in Diagon Alley?"

"Could be somewhere else too." Silven sighed. "Honestly, I'm not entirely sure where that wand is either."

(End of chapter)