Chapter 40: Christmas Gift

Professor McGonagall’s threat had an immediate effect; the students moved much faster, and within less than a minute, all the onlookers in the corridor had vanished.

Silven also saw the culprits behind this incident.

Ron and Malfoy were each lifted by one arm by Hagrid, glaring at each other.

Beside them stood Harry, Crabbe, and Goyle, their robes all wrinkled and torn, clearly having just fought—only barely separated now because Professor McGonagall was present.

But was Harry really this fierce? Fighting two at once, and against Crabbe and Goyle—truth be told, they looked like two third-year students, at least twice as broad as their peers.

“I need an explanation!” Professor McGonagall said, her eyes blazing.

“Malfoy insulted Ron first, Professor,” Hagrid said, setting them both on the ground. “He just insulted his family.”

“I—I was only telling the truth,” Malfoy retorted angrily. “But Weasley hit me in the face—he started it!”

“Ten points from Gryffindor!” Professor McGonagall said, expressionless.

“No, Professor, he’s lying!” Ron shouted, his face flushed.

Across from him, Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle smirked triumphantly.

But they didn’t get to enjoy it for long…

“Ten points from Slytherin!”

Their laughter died instantly; their expressions looked as if they’d bitten into a cockroach wrapped in candy.

“Wait, Professor, I think you’re mistaken,” Malfoy tried to argue. “Everyone saw it—he was the one who hit me first.”

“I understand perfectly what happened, and I believe you do too,” Professor McGonagall said coldly. “If you think my judgment unfair, you may take it up with Professor Snape.”

Under Professor McGonagall’s gaze, Malfoy, though seething inside, chose to remain silent.

“Good,” Professor McGonagall nodded. “Hagrid, we’ve been waiting for you—the Great Hall is missing only its final tree.”

“My apologies, Professor McGonagall, I’m coming,” Hagrid grunted, hefting a nearby fir tree and following behind.

This silver fir would later be placed in the Great Hall as the centerpiece of the Christmas decorations.

“We’ll see, Weasley—I won’t let this go,” Malfoy growled after Professor McGonagall and Hagrid left.

“Let’s go,” he said, not lingering, shoving past Harry roughly with Crabbe and Goyle.

“Look at him—he thinks I’m afraid of him,” Ron said, watching Malfoy’s back and shaking his fist. “If Hagrid hadn’t held me back, I’d have given him a proper beating.”

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

Crabbe and Goyle were incredibly strong—if the other Gryffindors hadn’t moved fast enough, I might’ve spent Christmas in the hospital wing.

“Are you all right?” Hermione ran over and asked.

“We’re fine—Professor McGonagall arrived just in time,” Harry said, his gaze suddenly shifting toward the other end of the corridor—the dungeons.

“Thank goodness you called Professor McGonagall—if it had been Snape, he’d have only deducted our points and done nothing to Malfoy.”

“Well, isn’t the matter settled now?” Hermione said. “You really should go see the Great Hall—it’s amazing, I don’t even know how to describe it!”

“You go ahead—I’ve got something to take care of,” Harry said, winking at Hermione, then darting off.

To be honest, both Ron and Hermione were completely baffled, utterly clueless about what had just happened.

“What was that about?” Ron asked, puzzled.

“I don’t know,” Hermione said, equally confused.

Harry had even winked at her—but she had no idea what it meant.

“Never mind. Let’s go to the Great Hall.”

“All right.”

Meanwhile, Harry had raced upstairs and caught up with Silven just as the latter was about to return to the common room, standing before the portrait of the Fat Lady on the eighth floor.

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

The Weasley twins had fled even earlier, as if delaying by a second might cause Professor McGonagall to cancel the Quidditch match.

“Wait, Silven.”

“Harry?” Silven stopped at the passage. “What do you need?”

“I want to buy a wand,” Harry said.

“Huh?” Silven blinked, then his eyes lit up.

“Good taste—come with me!” He pulled Harry through the passage into the common room, shoved him into an armchair, then turned and dashed up to the second-floor dormitory.

“Please wait a moment—I’ll be right back.”

“No, I—” Harry started to protest, but Silven was already gone.

Five minutes later, Silven returned to the common room, carrying a tray with over a dozen different… wands?

Harry wasn’t sure whether those round, steering-wheel-like objects even counted as wands.

Other wands on the tray were equally bizarre—he’d never seen such designs at Ollivander’s.

“I recommend this one—three times magic, three times joy…” Silven pointed to the round object. “Or you can try them all. If none suit you, I’ve got another wand in my dorm—two and a half feet long, unfinished, but available for pre-order.”

“How much?” Harry thought he’d misheard.

They were talking about wands, not batons for hitting Bludgers… feet?

Was this right?

“Wait—I really like my current wand. I have no intention of replacing it,” Harry said, taking a deep breath to interrupt Silven’s rambling.

“I want to buy the wand with a Redcap nerve core.”

Silven fell silent, then immediately understood.

“Ron?”

“Yes,” Harry said. “I’ve wanted to give that wand to him as a Christmas gift for a long time.”

“Then why didn’t you tell me earlier?” Silven said. “I could’ve prepared in advance.”

“Because I wanted to surprise Ron,” Harry said.

“Heh,” Silven smirked. “I don’t know if Ron will be surprised—but you’ve certainly surprised me.”

“Huh? What do you mean?” Harry asked, confused. “If it’s about money, I’ve already got it ready.”

He pulled a handful of gold coins from his pocket—exactly seven Galleons, as if he’d planned it.

“No, it’s not about Galleons—it’s about that wand…” Silven spread his hands. “Well, I sent it back to the shop two months ago.”

“What?” Harry’s hand froze midair. “You mean that wand’s in Diagon Alley?”

“Maybe somewhere else,” Silven sighed. “Honestly, I’m not even sure where it is anymore.”

(End of Chapter)