Chapter 631: Pre-Party

The next few days were uneventful, with students discussing enthusiastically how to celebrate the New Year and start packing, but these had nothing to do with the members of the 'Animagus' course, who collectively chose to stay at school.

They had chosen to stay at school, because practising the Animagus transformation had a huge impact on their academic performance, and no one wanted to waste two weeks away on holiday. In the common room, Harry and the rest are still pondering on how to deal with a tiny leaf and keep it in line.

"There are two days to go before Christmas." Hermione said irritably.

Harry's heart suddenly pounded. "So we're about to get the mandrake leaf?" He asked, Christmas night is a full moon, which meant they would have to attempt it head-on whether they were ready or not.

"That's right," Hermione said looking at a piece of parchment, "but there are two dinner parties waiting for us on the way before we can get that tiny, lovely blade of leaf... this holiday season! I've never been this bored with a dinner party ..." she said roughly as she erased a line of comments on the parchment.

Harry knew that Hermione had a fanatical preference for preparation. She had gathered suggestions from various sources from various people during these days, but none of them were foolproof, and she had even forced Harry to speak to Sirius in advance and then pretend to drop in inadvertently, and magically bring out a list of questions that she had prepared in advance.

"Professor Slughorn won't stop, I wonder what tricks he has up his sleeve this time?" He said with deep emotion.

Ron shrugged, in addition to the Christmas dinner, they had to attend a personal party hosted by Professor Slughorn tonight, because most of the students would be going home tomorrow.

"He actually does a pretty good job at throwing small parties, not only there are good foods to eat, but there are also very reputable wizards to meet ..." Ron said with a look of reminiscence as he narrowed his eyes, "Do you know Gwenog Jones? Yep, the captain of the Holyhead Harpies ... You really should have heard what she called me, 'Dear Mr. Weasley' ... and she complimented my talent and youth! It was a nice thing to hear, even though it is true. Too bad you weren't there that time."

Unlike Ron who had been a part of a few slug club parties, Harry's attitude was to run away when he could.

At first, he used Quidditch training as an excuse, then the players couldn't take it and started to revolt, blocking him in to protest while he was changing in an individual cubicle in the changing room, Harry was horrified to hear Creevey's voice and in order to avoid being headlined in the Wall of Mystery tabloid the next day as Tyrant Gryffindor Quidditch Captain, he had to humiliatingly agree to stop the dreadful torture of compulsory training every night ...

It was a good thing he had quickly found an alternative - lying about having an appointment with Professor Bagshot to have tea in his office. Sometimes he even dragged along Neville, who was also uncomfortable with the party atmosphere.

Harry felt rather sorry in his mind because Professor Bagshot would now only discuss magic and current affairs with him, and no longer talk about his past experiences - especially anything to do with the dark wizard Grindelwald - the last time their topic revolved around the Muggle gun ban, and the one before that was about the impact that the advent of the exclusive wand would have on the coming decades.

"... I, for one, would be all for it, after all, I have benefited from it, if you don't believe me -" Grindelwald said, pointing at a brass figurine of a certain ancient professor of rune "I'm just a little worried ..."

For a moment Harry felt like he was sitting in a History of Magic classroom, and Neville felt the same way, though they privately thought that if Professor Bagshot had taught them instead of Professor Binns, they would have probably passed this O.W.Ls exam.

But Professor Bagshot hinted to Harry at the time that he had found a travelogue-type journal deep in the library which recorded "something interesting".

"It could have been left by a student of that era." He explained.

Harry is planning to look for it carefully over the holidays, at least to pass the time. He had a feeling that this holiday would be boring and many activities would be out of the question, like snowball fights.

"... Sirius and Professor Hap's suggestions are rather similar," Hermione muttered under her breath, "but I personally think a magic amulet would work better... ...Fred and George ... Oh, that Ton-Tongue Toffee suggestion was stupid. But if it could be improved ... no, absolutely not! Madam Pomfrey's suggestion is a good one, the Potion for Dreamless Sleep can improve sleep significantly ... just not very safe, and as for the Draught of Living Death ..."

"Draught of Living Death?" Harry looked at her in surprise and exclaimed in disbelief, "Hermione, you're not convinced by Snape's nonsense, are you?" Ron was startled as well.

"Oh, I would not use that." Hermione said, "That would delay my regular classes."

The 'Animagus' course has been widely discussed, and according to Nearly Headless Nick, "Animagus has never been taught with such fanfare since Hogwarts was founded". So not only has this topic become popular among the students (the House points of the four Houses have dropped considerably during this time), but even the professors have got involved.

As of now, Professor McGonagall has dedicated half of a course to explaining the requirements for learning Animagus, and the other half to giving examples drawn from history about the consequences of underprepared Animagus transformation- a section consisting of a horror story that is essentially an abbreviated version of her notes; the short Professor Flitwick, who has goblin blood, has introduced students about a kind of anti-eavesdropping magic -

"Works on any creature and keeps mosquitoes at bay!"

Harry suspected that this spell is aimed at Rita Skeeter, whose beetle form is no secret.

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Professor Bagshot went along with the crowd's wishes and temporarily introduced additional content on the 'Animagus reversal spell'.

In addition to what Harry had seen with his own eyes, he had heard Trelawney talking at her own Advanced Class about how to use the Tarot cards to look for 'sneaky people', saying that she had seen insects with six legs approaching her in her crystal ball. Snape, on the other hand, mentioned in his fifth-year class that he would prepare a cauldron of Draught of Living Death that would allow one to sleep for a month straight.

It was something Ginny had told him.

"He's being mean and moody - anyone with a clear eye can see that." She said in annoyance.

Just as Harry was looking at the clock for the third time, an owl flew in through the window, with snowflakes in its feathers, and it slammed a heavy package on Ron's head as it dragged it along.

"A Christmas present? So early?" Harry asked, somewhat surprised.

"No," Ron said as he tore open the wrapping paper, "It's Collins, didn't I tell you she is in Hogsmeade? I asked her to send me something, they're idle anyway ... oh ..." he trailed off as he looked at the small card.

"What's the matter?"

"She's leaving, and that Carlotta Pinkstone really seems to be planning to spend her retirement at the Three Broomsticks Inn." Ron said, "After all, the Ministry of Magic can't afford to keep two Aurors wasting their time, can they?" He rummaged through the package and pulled out a couple of quill pens, magic erasers, and socks, as well as a few miscellaneous items that Harry was just about to look at more closely when Ron stopped him.

"This has your Christmas present in it." Ron said guardedly.

At eight in the evening, they and Neville appeared in Slughorn's office. It had become a completely different place, with Christmas trees full of candies and sweets hanging everywhere for people to pick up as they pleased, and a dozen legless tables scattered around the room, and Harry saw a man wave and the nearest hovering table floated up to him with a load of delicacies.

A light, melodious music played, and Harry was 100 percent sure it belonged to the Weird Sisters.

But the biggest difference is still the number of people. Harry estimated there would be at least a hundred people present, and - most of them being adult wizards. He stared in bewilderment; had Professor Slughorn gathered all the previous members of the Slug Club together?

The people, all dressed in various styles, made their way through the office that seemed to be under an Undetectable Extension Charm. Some of the male and female wizards walked with poise, though many of them were considerably more formal. Harry sighed with relief, and then he heard Hermione let out a groan, partly in surprise, and partly in shock, "Mummy and Daddy?"

Harry and Ron quickly followed her line of sight and were both startled at the number of familiar faces. It isn't just the Grangers, Professor Slughorn seems to have invited quite a few parents of students (especially those who can't go home for the holidays), the Weasleys, the Longbottoms, the Malfoys ... Harry also saw Ernie Macmillan and Cormac McLaggen in their elaborate dresses and bows, standing obediently next to a middle-aged couple and talking to them - heck, it is Sirius and Amelia Bones.

"Hey, you guys, it's been a while." A familiar, teasing voice sounded from behind them.

Harry jerked around and a pair of twins were looking at them lazily, and it was Fred and George! They both looked like accomplished people, one hand in their pockets, and the other holding a tall glass with a smile tugging at the corners of their mouths as if they had replicated these actions in a mirror many times.

"By the look on your faces, no one seems to have told you? Oh, boy, these parents are so bad ..."

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