manynovel Chapter 185 A Christmas Eve Surprise
Chapter 185 A Christmas Eve Surprise
Chapter 185 A Christmas Eve Surprise
In the days that followed, Karen carefully checked the places where the basilisk might appear while continuing his daily research. Time passed in this way, and Christmas Eve arrived.
During the day, Hogwarts is covered in a layer of fresh snow, sparkling in the sunlight. By evening, the Great Hall is beautifully decorated. The most striking feature is a dozen or so enormous fir trees adorned with frost and magical lights. The ceiling is decorated with twinkling stars conjured by magic and soft snowflakes falling gently. The long table is laden with a sumptuous feast: a huge, golden-brown roasted turkey, mountains of roasted potatoes and vegetables, steaming gravy, glistening Christmas pudding, and countless meat pies and sweets.
Cullen and the students who remained at the university enjoyed dinner in the Great Hall. The atmosphere was warm and joyful. Professor Dumbledore, dressed in a deep purple robe adorned with stars and moons, delivered a short but blessed speech. Professor McGonagall's expression softened considerably. Professor Snape remained seated in a corner, his face somber, as if the feast before him had nothing to do with him, while Professor Quirrell remained as timid and hesitant as ever.
The Weasley twins used magic to make several roast geese tap dance on the table, eliciting bursts of laughter. Harry and Ron seemed to have temporarily forgotten their troubles and were enjoying their meal. Cullen ate quietly, savoring the rare festive atmosphere.
After the dinner, the students who stayed on campus said goodnight to each other and returned to their common rooms. Karen didn't go back to the Ravenclaw tower, but went straight to the Eagle's Nest. It was much quieter there, with only the crackling of the wood burning in the fireplace. He made himself a cup of hot cocoa, sat in the armchair in front of the fireplace, and looked out at the snow scene and the twinkling lights of the castle.
He took out the two-way mirror that he used to communicate with Nico and placed it on the low table in front of him.
"Manifestation, a tranquil abode," Karen said to the smooth mirror.
The mirror rippled like water, and a few seconds later, the familiar scene of Nicolas Flamel's study was clearly revealed. The flames in the fireplace danced, illuminating the ancient books on the shelves.
"Cullen, my child!" Nico's gentle, kind voice rang out, and he himself appeared in the mirror, a warm smile on his face. "Merry Christmas Eve! Is the Hogwarts feast over?"
"Merry Christmas Eve, Professor Nicole," Karen replied with a smile. "The banquet just ended; it was very lavish. You and Mrs. Perenel..."
And how is Professor Castor doing?
"We're all fine. Perenel's in the kitchen directing the house-elves to prepare our Christmas feast, Castor." Before Nico could finish speaking, the image in the mirror suddenly shook violently, as if a pebble had been thrown into the water. Then, the background and the people instantly switched!
It was no longer Nico's study, but a warm, family-friendly living room decorated with holly and ribbons! A huge Christmas tree twinkled with warm light, and gifts were piled beneath it. And appearing in the center of the mirror were three faces that Karen recognized perfectly, yet were utterly unexpected!
"Karen!" Emily's gentle voice rang out first, her eyes filled with joyful tears.
"Hey, son! Merry Christmas Eve!" Father David laughed heartily and waved vigorously.
"Brother! Brother! Look at my new hair clip! It lights up! Grandpa Nico gave it to me!" Lily jumped up and down excitedly, a butterfly hair clip with soft starlight adorning her little head, making her face rosy.
Karen was completely stunned. His hand, holding the cocoa cup, froze in mid-air, and his mind went blank for a few seconds: "Mom and Dad? Lily? You—how did you get to Teacher Nico's place?" A huge wave of surprise overwhelmed him.
"Surprised, kid?" Nico's voice came from off-screen, filled with a cheerful laugh. "Perenel and I secretly went to America with our key and brought them all over! They're spending Christmas with us, and we also have a surprise for you!"
The camera zoomed out a bit, and Karen saw Nicole and Mrs. Perenel standing behind her family, their faces beaming with warm smiles. Castor, sitting a little further away in an armchair, dressed in an elegant dark robe, looked at Karen in the mirror and nodded with a small smile.
"Mr. Nicole, Mrs. Perenel, this—" Karen was momentarily speechless, a huge warmth filling his heart, dispelling the loneliness of being alone in the Eagle's Nest and the tension of the past few days. "Thank you! Thank you so much!" Looking at the happy smiling faces of his parents and sister in the mirror, he felt his eyes getting hot.
"Silly child, why are you thanking us?" Mrs. Perenel said gently, handing a cookie to Lily.
"Yeah! Are you doing alright over there? You're all alone at school, haven't you gotten into any trouble?" David asked, feigning seriousness, but the smile in his eyes was unmistakable.
"Brother! Is it snowing at Hogwarts? Is it snowing heavily? There's snow here at Grandpa Nico's house too, it's so pretty! I even built a little snowman! Dad helped me build it!" Lily chattered on and on, her little face full of excitement.
The time passed in the warm and intimate two-way mirror conversation. Cullen shared anecdotes about life at Hogwarts with her family, naturally avoiding all the dangers, and describing the Christmas Eve feast. David, meanwhile, enthusiastically discussed Muggle Christmas traditions and their differences from the wizarding world with Cullen and Nicole. Emily inquired about Cullen's well-being, reminding him to keep warm. Lily, meanwhile, kept showing off her new discoveries and toys in Quiet House.
Castor, though not talkative, listened quietly, occasionally offering a brief, insightful comment when Nico mentioned a magical principle or Karen spoke about the progress of alchemical research. Everything was so warm and beautiful.
"Karen," Nico said with a smile after everyone had finished speaking, "Although you're not here, we've prepared all your Christmas presents. They'll be delivered to you first thing tomorrow morning. Of course, we've also prepared a little surprise for you."
"I also have an assignment for you, Karen," Castor's voice came through. "It's about the preliminary verification ideas for the model of unstable state of soul fragment energy and annihilation of curse energy that you proposed before. I've organized it, take a look at it when you have some free time during the holidays."
"Yes, teacher!" Karen replied immediately, a warm feeling welling up inside her. Teacher Castor's "homework" often meant deeper guidance and expectations.
"Alright, it's getting late," Mrs. Perenel gently reminded her. "Let Karen rest too; we'll be receiving gifts tomorrow!"
The family members bid each other a reluctant farewell, and Lily blew a big kiss to the mirror. The two-way mirror's image finally froze on Nico and Castor's smiling faces, then slowly returned to calm, reflecting Karen's figure in the Eagle's Nest.
Silence returned to the room, the fireplace flickering. Karen sat in a chair, a warm smile lingering on his face; the joyful sounds of his family's laughter seemed to still echo in his ears. This unexpected Christmas Eve reunion was like the warmest starlight, illuminating the night he spent alone.