Harry's eyes lit up: "Can I?"
"Of course!"
"But..."
He soon hesitated again. After all, Harry didn't know the other members of the Weasley family. Wouldn't it cause trouble for them if he barged into their happy gathering?
Ron saw what he was thinking and immediately said, "Or... I won't go home and stay here with you!"
Hermione pursed her lips and whispered, "I'm sorry, Mom and Dad have already agreed that I'll be back for Christmas... I can't stay with you, Harry. How about you go find Edward and Audrey..."
Harry shook his head. "Forget it. I'll go find Hagrid then."
He looked at Ron again, "Ron, you should go home as well. Your parents must miss you very much!"
Ron muttered, "Okay, I'll definitely bring you a present."
"Thank you~"
Dumbledore's decision was not a temporary one, but a long-planned one. But it must be said that suddenly giving a holiday at this time would easily arouse the vigilance of Death Eaters such as Barty Jr.
Perhaps, he just wanted to alert the Death Eaters and make them give up their actions, so that when he became the minister, he would have time to deal with them?
Chapter 244 Yes, yes, yes!
When I got back to the dorm, Cedric had already packed his luggage and was sitting on the edge of his bed looking annoyed.
"What's wrong with you? Are you reluctant to leave me and go home early?"
Cedric rolled his eyes and sighed, "I... was originally planning to meet Qiu Zhang next week, but now that I have an early holiday, all my plans are ruined."
"Hey, isn't it just a few weeks late? It gives you enough time to prepare, and the success rate is higher."
He nodded suddenly: "That's right!"
"What about you, what are your plans for the holidays?"
Edward calculated the time and said helplessly, "I guess the vacation isn't over yet, so I'll have to go out with Audrey again for the next study tour."
"ah?"
Cedric was anxious: "But... the Christmas present I prepared for you is still at home!" He held the gold coin hanging around his neck, "You gave me a life-saving gift in advance!"
Edward smiled and said, "Then when I come back, give me double the amount.^s^a?n?g_b/o\o+k!.`c?o·m?"
"…"
He subconsciously wanted to fight back, but after thinking about it, he could only agree: "This is the only way."
Edward patted his shoulder at this time, "Next time you come back, I will give you another gift!"
"What?"
He grinned: "Secret."
...
Monday, sunny.
Early in the morning, warm sunlight shines into Hogwarts Castle, reflecting a golden halo on the white snow.
It is said that it is not cold when it snows, but when the snow melts. This saying is also applicable across the entire Eurasian continent and even to the UK. But compared with the enthusiasm brought by the holidays, this little bit of cold is nothing.
The children of Hogwarts packed their bags early and prepared to go home. Everyone gathered together and excitedly discussed their plans for the next two or three weeks.
A small number of them were looking around for Dementors, intending to throw all the accumulated dung balls to them before leaving - but unfortunately they were destined to be disappointed, because the Aurors had already taken the Dementors far away.
10 a.m.
Harry sent Hermione and Ron out of the castle and watched them follow the main group to Hogsmeade to take the Hogwarts Express. The smile on his face disappeared in an instant and he couldn't help feeling a little regretful.
If he had known this, he would not have thought so much and would have just gone home with Ron. It was better than staying alone in the castle - as for the "home" at 4 Privet Drive, he had never considered going back.
Edward had just said goodbye to Cedric and the Weasley brothers and was about to turn back. Seeing Harry looking unhappy, he walked up to him and said, "Can't bear to leave your friends?"
Harry was a little embarrassed: "Yes, a little, but it's okay, they will be back soon. What is the content of the book "Zero Point"?"
"Remember when I said I'd give you a present for Christmas?"
"I remember..." He scratched his head with a strange expression, "but I have already received your gift." He still wrapped up the Nimbus 2000 well and placed it in the dormitory waiting to be returned.
"Hahahaha, that was just a joke."
Edward couldn't help but laugh, "I'll let Professor Dumbledore meet you once his campaign is over."
"Him? Your gift is a person?"
"That's right."
Edward didn't hide it anymore, "He was your father's best friend and your godfather."
"My... godfather? I have a godfather?"
Harry couldn't help but open his mouth. "Where is he now? Why can we wait until after the election to see him?"
"Well, he will tell you the details in person when the time comes, so don't worry."
Edward patted his shoulder and said, "Harry, I tell you this to let you know that you still have relatives in this world."
"…"
Harry's lips moved, and he suddenly took a step back and bowed deeply: "Thank you, Edward."
"Thank you for what?"
"what happens?"
Just then, two voices suddenly came from both sides of Harry.
Harry was startled, looked up, and his expression suddenly became surprised: "Ron, Hermione, you... why are you back?"
"We just discussed it again..."
"I feel so sorry for leaving you alone in school."
"Besides, my dad has to go on a business trip at Christmas time."
"I've wanted to attend the Christmas party at Hogwarts for a long time. Professor Dumbledore also said that he would give gifts to those who stayed behind! Do you think he would give me a new wand?"
"The point is, how can I go back home for Christmas knowing that someone is trying to steal the Philosopher's Stone!"
Edward looked at Harry who was so moved, and without disturbing them any more, he turned around and left quietly.
...
Hogwarts Castle suddenly became deserted, which made most of the people who chose to stay more or less uncomfortable, but no matter what, taking a holiday always makes people happy.
No need to get up early, no need to attend classes, no need to write papers, it's really exciting just to think about it, and these days will last for three weeks!
8pm.
Not long after Edward and Audrey arrived at the Room of Requirement, everyone else arrived soon. The Weasleys were the last to arrive. As soon as they came in, they apologized:
"Sorry, sorry. We originally planned to take the children to Romania to see Charlie this Christmas. Now, although Molly and I cannot go, we still have to abide by the agreement and send the children over."
Molly then took out some small gift boxes and gave one to everyone, "These are the little souvenirs we just bought in Romania."
Dumbledore smiled and said, "Actually, you can still go as usual. The time doesn't conflict."
"That won't work."
Arthur said seriously, "Until the dust settles, Molly and I plan to stay in Hogwarts and not go back. I have already applied for leave."
"You think too highly of Death Eaters and goblins."
"This is not about looking up to others, but about being cautious."
"Well, thank you Arthur, Molly."
Dumbledore smiled kindly, "Well, please wait a few minutes, he should be here soon."
As he was speaking, Snape, dressed in a black robe and with a cold face, walked in, as if everyone owed him a few hundred Galleons. He first nodded slightly at Dumbledore, then looked at Edward, then quickly walked to his seat and sat down.
Dumbledore clapped his hands softly. "Well, everyone is here. Let us welcome Severus back to the team."
Professor Flitwick and Professor McGonagall were very surprised: "Oh my God, the Ministry of Magic actually let you go back? I thought you couldn't come back until the Ministerial election was over."
Snape snorted coldly. "That idiot Fudge didn't want to let me go, but unfortunately he doesn't have the final say in the Ministry of Magic. In fact, on the first day I arrived at the Ministry of Magic, Scrimgeour had basically ruled me out as a suspect, but because of Fudge's insistence, he was forced to keep me."
"As a result, a week has passed, and Fudge doesn't even know what to do with the frame-up, except for threatening me with some meaningless words every now and then. Even the Wizengamot people came today. What else can he do but release the person? But Karkaroff was not so lucky. As soon as he arrived at the Ministry of Magic, he was taken away by Mad-Eye."
Needless to say, the Wizengamot must have been Dumbledore's doing.
"Feel sorry."
Dumbledore apologized instead, "I thought you might be able to get some useful information from Fudge if you stayed at the Ministry, but I didn't expect that you just wasted a week."
Edward suddenly realized that it was no wonder that Dumbledore was not in a hurry at all after Snape was taken away.
"It's not like there's no useful information at all."
Snape frowned. "This morning Fudge suddenly issued an order, saying that prisoners who had escaped from Azkaban were found in France, and then almost 90% of the Aurors were dispatched in one go."
Arthur was surprised and said, "There is such a thing? I didn't even know about it."
Molly stroked her forehead and said, "You are confused. We left for Romania early this morning. How would you know where we were going?"
"Oh, yeah, I forgot, today has been such a mess!"
Snape continued: "Although Fudge's order seems reasonable, my intuition tells me... there must be something wrong."
Dumbledore's blue eyes flashed, as if he was talking to himself:
"Of course there is a problem... This is sending the Aurors out in advance, without giving us the chance to ask for help. Fudge, oh Fudge, I didn't expect that you would go to this extent to keep your position."
"Ask for help?"
"Yes! If nothing unexpected happens, the Death Eaters will join forces with the goblins to attack Hogwarts on the day of the minister's election."
"!!!"
Snape's eyes suddenly widened, "How... dare they?!"
"The leader is Little Batty, and he has never actually died."