09

In Penny's life, no boy had ever occupied such an important place in her heart.

It's not that she lacks friends - she has a few decent, friendly, ordinary friends like her. They will go to class together, eat together, go shopping together on their days off, and exchange some of the troubles at this age.

But these friends are not like Eli. Eli was special, he was a wizard, someone who was gifted with magic and still reached out to her kindly.

It doesn't seem to be just that, Penny thought. She treasured the handkerchief Eli gave her, the mints, and the feathers of his owl—not even the first one, the weather outside was bad the last time Wendys flew over, and it was on her side. She pecked off two of the feathers while combing them on the table, and Penny collected them carefully, wiped the snow and dust off the feathers, put them in her treasure box, and watched them go out for a long time. god.

Of course, she also kept Eli's letters well. From the beginning to the present, she would always re-read them again and again when she was alone. To be honest, the letter itself is not as interesting as Lily's letter - Lily will happily share with her everything about her magical world, the first day of school because the food is so delicious that she can't sleep well at night, and she successfully uses a magic wand in class A feather floats, a moving staircase and a portrait saluting her, a ghost wandering in the castle and a professor who turns into a cat in the classroom...

The magical world in her writing is as beautiful as the world in fairy tales. Petunia is almost certain that if she hadn't been in contact with another person in the wizarding world at the same time, she would have felt deeply jealous, and then displayed extreme disgust, as she had done before, and would have been left behind. The disappointment and jealousy of the magical choice condensed into a sharp weapon, savagely hurting her sister's heart.

But she was communicating with Eli at the same time. With his gentle and calm brushstrokes, he showed her another side of the magical world. The wizards follow the old-fashioned daily life, the deep-rooted blood prejudice, and the helplessness beyond their power... The superman with magic is also inspired by her comfort. It is difficult for Penny to describe her feeling. It is probably like standing on the ground and looking up at the gods for a long time, and finally found that the heaven and the world are also connected by a thin line, not an unreachable distance. She felt at ease and safe.

She felt that she should be able to say that she knew something about Eli - she clearly remembered his friendly smile, every detail mentioned in the letter, and knew that his best courses were history of magic and spells, flying Lessons were the part that bothered him a little bit. He currently has a strong interest in transforming Muggle objects, and wants to popularize them in the wizarding world after transforming them to bring about a more convenient life...

But when she really saw Eli again, Penny's affirmative attitude was shaken.

Oh, God. She wondered in her heart, is he so good-looking?

Maybe this is a detail she didn't pay attention to when she was swept up in anger last time, or maybe she just discovered it strangely. Whether from a wizard or a Muggle perspective, Eli's handsomeness is very pleasing to the eye, and there is no aesthetic difference. His dark eyes were smiling, and he was watching her kindly,

An inexplicable embarrassment came to her heart, so that she couldn't even look at him calmly. Petunia's eyes fell on his black hair and couldn't help noticing that they were neither long nor short, slightly tousled spontaneous curls with just the right amount of neatness. He wears a neat and formal three-piece suit, and the black and white color scheme makes him look extra mature and chic.

Penny wants to take back her stereotyped prejudice against wizards half a year ago. Even among Muggles, he is a very decent one. Penny was strangely not surprised by such an Eli, perhaps in her imagination, Eli should be such a person.

The person opposite the letter is now standing opposite her. Penny and he have talked a lot about themselves in the letter, but now they feel that they don't know how to speak. She silently clenched her handbag, trying to draw enough courage from it.

"You seem to be a little taller." She finally said, raising her hand to compare in front of Eli, "We seemed to be about the same height in September, and you are taller than me now." "

Penny herself has always been considered a fast-growing among her peers, taller than most of the boys in her class in elementary school. It is normal for boys to grow up a little later than girls, and they will catch up in a few years. But Eli seemed to be a little fast, and Penny could clearly and accurately feel the passage of time from the few inches he had grown.

"I'm glad to see you again, too." She whispered, giving him a slightly restrained and a little shy smile.

Perhaps a smile is the best language, or maybe this expression is really moving enough, and the upward curve of her lips lights up her entire face, making her slightly ordinary facial features gentle and sweet.

I wish I didn't look so stupid today, Penny thought nervously.

Eli apparently didn't feel that at all, or rather, he didn't think that much. Face-to-face meetings can be unexpectedly stressful, but Eli feels she can handle it. Penny mentioned her height, which made him raise his eyebrows a little happily.

"I'm growing a little fast, aren't I?" He smiled and said, "I'm probably old enough to start growing big, and I'll definitely need a new school robe next year, and probably the food at Hogwarts is really good... The scarf is beautiful, red is both the color of Christmas and Gryffindor, it looks like it complements you. "

Penny pursed her lips and smiled, playing her scarf reservedly—it felt great to be noticed.

"Welcome back." She said, "Isn't that a little strange? How does it feel to return to the world of ordinary people from the wizarding world?"

"Everything is fine." Eli shrugged, "Hey, I've lived here for the last eleven years, I don't think there's a need to separate me... And I'm still more familiar with the climate in Durham County, where Hogwarts is not wet. "

"Is Scotland colder than Durhamshire?" Penny asked curiously, and the natural familiarity when chatting made her gradually let go of her inhibitions, "I read the weather forecast and said that the temperature over there seems to be lower... Cokworth is much warmer, although their latitude is not much different, but the mountains around Cokworth block the cold air, and it doesn't even snow much in winter. "

"Sounds great." Eli said, "I want to go over and feel it when I have the chance, it's always fun to travel, isn't it?"

Coming to the town of Cokeworth? Penny paused, thinking unexpectedly, then she might be able to invite him, after all, she was a local, wasn't she? Summer vacation might be a good idea, or what year of Christmas is ahead? Can invite him to the house as a friend...

This thought embarrassed Penny inexplicably.

They didn't have long to talk, and the parents who received their children were leaving the platform. After Lily separated from her parents, she noticed Eli and Penny talking and stared at them curiously, and she still hadn't asked Eli or Penny about their acquaintance. Mrs. Smith let them talk a few more words, holding her son's shoulder in the crowd marching outside.

"Now the traffic jam is terrible, and the phantom transformation is relatively fast." She raised an eyebrow at her son, "Say goodbye to your friends?"

Good. Eli nodded and waved at Lily, "See you at school." "

See you at school! Lily responded with a grin.

Eli turned to Penny again, and before he could speak, Penny suddenly took a cardboard box from her handbag and handed it to him.

This caught Eli off guard: "Christmas present? Sorry, I thought I would have to wait until that morning..."

"It's not." Penny shook her head, shoved the carton into his hand, and said vaguely, "You said you hadn't heard that time... I'm assuming you're not being polite, so I... In short, whatever you want!"

After she finished speaking, she immediately ran back between her parents and sister, and fled again, but this time she had to be calmer and waved at him before leaving.

Mrs. Smith leaned into her son's ear and whispered, "It's a good girl, but son, you have a little vision... Don't you think her sister is more beautiful?"

Eli sighed and said helplessly, "You think too much, Mom." "

Well, well, hard-mouthed little boy. A narrow smile appeared on Mr. Smith's face, Mrs. Smith pouted, pulled her husband and son by the arms, and the next second, the family of three returned to their home in Gilesgate's neighborhood in Durham County.

In the center of the living room stands a tall Christmas tree, decorated with golden stars and colorful streamers, and on top of it is the falling snow. The aroma of roasted turkey filled the kitchen, and Mr. and Mrs. Smith hugged their son again.

"Merry Christmas!" They said happily, and the family looked at each other and smiled, relaxing and immersing themselves in the festive atmosphere.

At the Potter family in Godric's Hollow, James is sitting by the Christmas tree, unpacking presents with great interest—the Potter family is rich and well-traveled, and he always receives an exaggerated number of gifts every year.

"It's a flying broom!" James unwrapped a huge slender strip of parcel, and the broom that rolled out made him ecstatic, leaving the rest of the gifts behind him, grabbing the flying broom and riding it, flying around the house happily.

"Comet!" James was overjoyed and shouted, "Great!!"

"Slow down." Mr. Potter said with a smile, he obviously knew enough about his son's preferences and what to send to make him happier, "You'll be able to tryout for the House Quidditch team in the second year, and the Gryffindor Quidditch team is the best – I'm almost certain you'll be elected." "

Mrs. Potter waved her wand and directed some fragile ornaments away from James, smiling lovingly with pride.

"I think this kid might be a Quidditch star in the future." "Minerva has noticed him, and she says it's been a long time since she saw such a talented student in flight. "

"Sounds good!" James responded excitedly from the broomstick, "I can definitely be a Quidditch star - but it would be nice to be an Auror facing the darkness and fight for justice!"

Both Mr. Potter and Mrs. Potter were quiet for a moment, and the two looked at each other, with suppressed worry hidden between their eyebrows.

"Of course." Mr. Potter paused, calmly affirming, "Gryffindor has never lacked inner bravery. If you choose this dangerous path, Mom and Dad will be proud of you. "

Snape's house in Spidertail Alley, Tobia. Snape returned home drunk and drunk, and when he pushed open the door, Erin . Snape was using his wand to hang silver-green ribbons around the house, which was a little nondescript and not quite in line with the Christmas spirit, but it was still the only holiday-related element of the house.

The moment I saw the wand, Tobia. Snape's face twisted.

"What are you doing with that thing?!" He shouted in exasperation, strode over to his wife, pulled out her wand from her hand, skimmed it far to the other side, pulled away from his wife, ripped off the decoration on the wall, and kicked his son, who was sitting on the floor next to him reading, "I don't need this kind of thing in my house—you two give me a little restraint!"

Erin. Snape was pushed back and forth, slumped on the couch, and looked at her husband in shock. But she was silent and did not reply. From the first quarrel to the current silence, she has become accustomed to bearing everything in silence.

But her son apparently hasn't already. Severus. Snape jumped up angrily and drew his wand.

"Get out of this house!" He shouted in annoyance, his eyes flashing with strong hatred, "If you don't usually come back, then you don't have to come back today - you throw your mother's wand!" You stupid and hopeless Muggle!"

"What am I?" Tobia squinted his eyes and asked dangerously, as the hook-nosed man grabbed his son by the collar and pulled him off the ground, his legs hanging in mid-air, and they looked at each other with hatred.

"You haven't figured out who's in charge of this family, boy." Tobia said with a sneer.

Snape clenched his wand.

Lupin's family was constantly changing accommodations, and complaints from neighbors forced them to do so. Werewolves are second-class citizens in the wizarding world and are severely discriminated against in every way. Although Mr. Lupin was once a wonderful Auror, despite Remus . Lupin was gentle and humble when he was not a werewolf, well-behaved and sensible, but he was always a dangerous werewolf in the eyes of others, and there was no point in saying anything else.

Still, on the special holiday of Christmas, the Lupins took care of furnishing their new home in Hilkshire. Although their Christmas tree is not a noble species, and the fairy dressed as a fairy at the top of the tree is a goblin that Lupin has caught, the family of three is surrounded by a brief period of peaceful contentment.

But now, the family has a little quarrel again. Lupin sat by the fireplace, intently looking at his textbook in the warm firelight, attentive and serious, and Mr. and Mrs. Lupin looked at him from the second-floor staircase and exchanged a worried glance.

"Are we really going to keep Remus going to Hogwarts?" Mrs. Lupin stirred her fingers uneasily, "I'm not sure this decision was the right one... The situation is already dangerous, and you have decided to join the Order of the Phoenix! I know people say that Headmaster Dumbledore is the only person the mysterious man is afraid of, but... But I'm still worried..."

Mr. Lupin calmly put his arm around his wife's shoulder and whispered to her soothingly.

"I'm going to do the right thing, honey." He stated his opinion, "Someone needs to stand up against the mysterious man, I know this is extremely dangerous, but think about it, if the wizarding world is really completely ruled by him, that is the beginning of nightmares and hell." The Order of the Phoenix needs me, needs everyone who can fight heroically to the last moment, the war has begun, and this is not the time to look ahead. "

His gaze fell on his son's body, and his Adam's apple rolled in pain. He had never regretted his efforts to fight the darkness as an Auror, but his son, who had been bitten by a werewolf's vengeado, appeared before his eyes every now and then, reminding him of the price he had to pay for upholding justice.

He muttered, "There are no consequences that I can't accept." "

At 12 Grimmauld Place, the old and noble family Black House is holding a ball, and Ciris. Ever since Black was brought home by Kreacher, the house-elf, and reprimanded and humiliated in person by his mother, Mrs. Walburga, Blake has been a transparent man at home.

But today is different, the Black family is holding a ball, there are so many Black family friends and valuable big figures to be present, everything must be the most perfect - Mrs. Walburga would love to lock her eldest son in the room for a whole day and not release it, but this is not in line with the common sense of aristocratic families, it would be too embarrassing to do so, she can only pinch her nose and enlarge her son's out, and tell him to be more disciplined and not to help when she takes her younger son to socialize.

Everyone at the ball seemed to have business to do, except for Ciris, a wandering free man. They saw him, but they all pretended to be suddenly blind, did not say a word to him, but covered their lips as he crossed over, whispering to his back and the others.

The ghosts of Hogwarts probably all had a better presence than he had, at least if someone could see them, Siris thought sarcastically. As if he wanted to appear, he really wanted to stay in school, and he didn't know who had to ask him to come back, and when he came back, he didn't exist, as if it was fun to do it, which was really boring.

He doesn't need anyone else. Sirius wandered carelessly in his home, passing a row of house elf heads, silver and green drapes, paused when passing the Black family tapestry, and turned to look.

It seems that he has never done this before. Although he can see it every day, after watching it for more than ten years, it seems to be the first time he can see it clearly today. The gorgeous tapestry has many scalded holes, all of which are people who have been removed from the Black family. The noble Black family is always pure and does not need those rotten litter.

The next one is probably you, Sirius Black. Sirius said to himself, looking at the names embroidered in gold thread on the tapestry.

In Kirkworth town, Lily is celebrating Christmas with her parents and sister. The family is sitting around sharing roast chicken and apple pie, and sharing all kinds of wonderful magic foods that Lily brought back. All three feel novel. and satisfied.

"I'll bring it back when I get back from summer vacation!" Lily said cheerfully, lively showing her family about her magical life, "The best thing is this error-correcting quill! Never go wrong when you're spelling, magic It's amazing, isn't it? Eli suggested I buy an error-correcting quill to bring back, and he really knows how..."

"Did Eli suggested it?" Petunia asked suddenly, sitting up involuntarily, "Well—yes, he's very smart."

Lily looked at her sister and rolled her eyes.

"Penny, how did you and Eli know each other?" Lily asked persistently.

Penny coughed, still reluctant to admit to her sister that she was stupid at the time, so he said, "secret."

You can't do this! Lily complained coquettishly, and the two sisters were laughing and chasing in the living room, rolling into a ball on the carpet.

In Gilsgate, County Durham, Eli is writing a letter to Arthur Weasley, who is a little interested in what Professor Flitwick has said about the pureblood wizard obsessed with Muggle objects, and intends to communicate with him. He communicated to see if he could get some inspiration for item improvement.

This letter is a bit slow to write. He has to read more books and extract the schematic diagram, because he is not sure whether Arthur, who is a pure-blood wizard, can find it himself. The job was a bit boring, so he took out what Penny had given him when he was parting—he took it apart to find a roll of tape inside.

He once said that he wanted to hear the chorus she performed at the school celebration, but he never thought that she would keep it on him and even recorded it. Eli's heart was warm, and he happily put the tape into the radio, and the music slowly floated out.

To his surprise, this is not a chorus version - only Penny's voice is in it. The girl's soft voice echoed throughout the room, melodious and long.

Eli was stunned for a moment, then stopped the quill in his hand, closed his eyes and listened intently.

It was snowing outside the window, and a layer of mist formed on the warm indoor glass, obscuring people, and the sound of music was faintly heard, and the melody of the chants complemented Christmas. In County Durham, in Kirkworth, in Grimmauld Place, in Knoll, in Spider's End, in Godric's Hol... Take the person's will as the transfer, at the same time, come quietly.