"She must be joking......"

Harry woke up to find a bulging stocking lying at the end of his bed. He put on his glasses and looked around, the small window was completely covered with snowflakes, and Ron was sitting straight on the bed in front of the window, looking at a thick gold necklace.

"What's that?" Harry asked.

"It was from Lavender," Ron sounded a little disgusting. "She wouldn't really think I'd wear ......"

Harry looked closer, then laughed out loud. The few letters on the gold necklace that are wobbly are "My Sweetheart".

"That's good," Harry shook his head, trying not to let himself think about the bad scene in his previous dream.

The cry of a child, the corpse ...... Voldemort must have done nothing good, but in fact, Harry didn't know what Voldemort was doing, the connection between them had been getting weaker and weaker lately, and Harry hadn't had such bad dreams in a long time.

"It's beautiful. You have to wear it in front of Fred and George. Harry shook his head and stopped thinking about the bad things.

"If you tell them," Ron tucked the necklace into an unseen place under his pillow, "I-I-I'll-"

"Just stammering at me?" Harry grinned, mocking Ron wantonly.

"Come to think of it, would I say?" said Harry, looking at Ron with burning eyes.

"Probably......" Ron pouted, to Harry's words...... Words put on Van Lin...... This credibility ......

"But...... How could she think I liked that kind of thing?" Ron questioned into the air, looking rather shocked.

"Well, think back," Harry said. "Did you ever accidentally tell her that you like to show up with a necklace around your neck that says 'My Sweetheart'?"

"Alas...... We really didn't talk much," Ron said. "It's mostly in ......"

"Kiss," Harry said.

"Well, yes," Ron hesitated, it was obviously not something to be shared casually, "Lavender is really ......"

"Oh, she likes you so much. Harry filled in Ron's unfinished words, "Okay, so I'll be clear, so what about ......"

"So ......"

"I think we can unpack it first. Harry said, interrupting Ron's chance of continuing the show......

Harry's gifts included a sweater with a large golden snitch pattern on the front, hand-knitted by Mrs. Weasley, a large box of products from the Weasley's Magic Trick Shop, and a musty-smelling, damp package with a label that read: "To the owner, from Kreacher".

Harry stared at the gift from Kreacher with scrutinizing eyes, and if it was Dobby, Harry felt more reliable, though it wasn't good, but if it was from Kreacher......

"Do you guess it's safe to open this thing?" asked Harry.

"There won't be anything dangerous, our mail is still being checked by the Ministry of Magic," Ron replied, though he looked at the package suspiciously.

"I didn't think about giving Kreacher anything. Do people usually give their house-elf Christmas gifts?" Harry asked, poking the package cautiously.

"Hermione will," Ron said. But before you feel guilty, let's see what it is. ”

Moments later, Harry jumped off his camping bed with a scream, and the package contained a large pile of maggots.

"That's good," Ron said with a maniacing laugh. "Great conception. ”

"I'd rather have these than that necklace," Harry said, and Ron immediately stopped laughing.

“MMP！”

"What?"

"Nothing," Ron said, shaking his head, checking his gifts......

"Say, is Hermione really angry?" Ron asked.

"What?" Harry was looking at the box of chocolate candy Hermione had given him.

"Oh, of course, so, what's wrong?" Harry asked.

"I'm ...... here," Ron looked at the almost unwrapped gift.

"Hermione didn't give you a Christmas present?" Harry asked, "So, are you ready?"

“...... Forget ......," Ron said, "Lavender ......"

"Oh, that's not to blame Lavender...... Harry interrupted, "So, I guess you'd better think about how to apologize to Hermione before Verlin and Hermione come." ”

"When are the two of them coming?"

"I don't know. Harry said, "Before school started, Van Lin and Hermione left with the vampire, I heard they were looking for Nicol Lemay. ”

"France?" Ron thought for a moment, "probably soon, Dumbledore let them go?"

Harry paused......

"Of course. Harry said, and pulled out a large package from underneath.

"What is this?" Ron glanced at it, then dug through the same package underground.

"Sent by Van Lin. Harry said, pulling a card from the top, "The latest product, maybe a little surprise for you." ”

"Surprise?" Ron said, pulling a black cloak from his package......

"Uh...... Snape?" Ron looked at the material that resembled black sand, but fortunately, it wasn't transparent, "Cloak of Invisibility?"

"If you think the Invisible Beast is easy to catch......" Harry paused, and directly approved the cloak to his body. "How?"

"Not bad. Ron nodded, "I didn't expect Van Lin's craftsmanship ......"

"Wait......" Harry looked at the cloak carefully, dark lines under the black...... "I think I probably know what this is, Van Lin told us that Fred still has George's products, and he's in charge of improving ......"

"Defense cloak?" Ron said in surprise, "the latest?"

"That's how it should be......" Harry stood up, "Ron, attack me with a spell. ”

"Attacking you?" Ron hesitated, "We're not going to ......"

"Oh, it's okay, we ......"

With a swipe, a stun spell was thrown out of Ron's wand, and Harry barely had the possibility to think about it, except that something twitched his magic, and he lay down on the bed.

"MMP!" Harry barely hesitated.

"This thing ......," Ron's eyes lit up, "I think it's a lot better than Fred's." ”

"Precious, okay. Harry said, looking at Ron angrily, "Do you want me to try it for you?"

"Uh......" Ron looked at the cloak carefully, "I thought maybe we could look into other useful things, anyway, didn't Van Lin give me a manual or something?"

"He just said there was a ......surprise," Harry said, "I think Van Lin isn't very reliable right now, and I think he might just be imitating Dumbledore's ways." ”

"In what way?"

"Unfathomable (pretending...... ）!” Harry shrugged his shoulders, "I want to wait until he comes back." ”

......

As everyone sat down at the table to prepare Christmas lunch, everyone was dressed in a new sweater, except for Fleur (who apparently Mrs. Weasley didn't want to waste one on her) and Mrs. Weasley herself, who was showing off a brand new dark blue witch hat with tiny star-like diamonds sparkling and a striking gold necklace.

"Fred and George gave it to me! they're beautiful, aren't they?"

"Well, we find ourselves more and more grateful to you, Mom, and now we'll wash our own socks," said George, waving his hand merrily. "Some windbreaks, Remus?"

"Harry, there's a maggot in your hair," said Ginny happily, leaning over to pluck the maggot out, and Harry felt goosebumps on his neck that had nothing to do with it.

"It's horrible," Fleur quivered for a moment.

Ron said. "Broth, Fleur?" Ron rushed to help Fleur, but knocked over the plate containing the broth, and Bill waved his wand, and the broth flew back to the plate in obedience.

"You're as bad as that Tonks," Fleur said to Ron after kissing Bill in gratitude. "She's always knocking over—"

"I've invited dear Tonks as a guest today," Mrs. Weasley unnecessarily lowered her carrot and glared at Fleur.

But she didn't want to come. Have you spoken to her lately, Remus?"

"No, I don't have much contact with anyone right now," Lupin said. "But Tonks wants to stay with his own family, right?"

"Hmph," Mrs. Weasley said. "Maybe. Actually, I seem to remember that she was preparing to spend Christmas alone. ”

Weasley glanced at Lupin in annoyance, as if it was his fault that her daughter-in-law had become Fleur instead of Tonks, but Harry glanced at Fleur, who was feeding Bill turkey with a fork, and he felt that Mrs. Weasley had turned over the old account again.

However, he remembered a question about Tonks, who could give a better answer than Lupin, who knew everything about the Patronus?

"The Patronus of Tonks is transfigured," he told Lupin. "Anyway, it was Snape who said it. I didn't know it could be like this. Why does the Patronus deform?"

Lupin calmly chewed on the turkey, and when he swallowed it, he said slowly, "Sometimes...... A heavy blow...... The upheaval of feelings ......"

"It looks big, four-legged," Harry lowered his voice as he seemed to think of something suddenly. "Hey...... Isn't it ——??"

"Arthur!" Mrs. Weasley said suddenly. She stood up from her chair, her hands pressed to her chest, and stared out of the kitchen window.

"Arthur—it's Percy!"

"What?" Mr. Weasley turned his head. Everyone looked quickly at the window, and Ginny stood up to get a better look. It was indeed Percy Weasley, who was striding through the snowy yard, his horn-rimmed glasses glistening in the sun. However, he is not alone.

"Arthur, he—he's with the minister!" could not be clearer, the man Harry had seen in the Daily Prophet was following Percy, slightly lame, with thick gray hair and a black cloak stained with a little snowflake.

Before anyone could speak, and before the Weasleys could exchange a look of shock, the back door opened, and Percy was standing.

There was a painful silence. Then Percy said bluntly, "Merry Christmas, Mom!"

"Oh, Percy!" said Mrs. Weasley, passing over to let Percy hug her. Rufus Scrimgeour stood in the doorway, his cane on his back, smiling at the touching scene.

"Please forgive us for the harass," Scrimgeour said, and Mrs. Weasley turned her head to look at him, smiling and wiping her eyes. "Percy and I were nearby—work, you know—and he couldn't help but want to come and see you all. ”

But Percy didn't mean to say hello to the rest of the family. He stood upright, looking embarrassed as he stared above each of their heads.

Mr. Weasley, Fred, and George looked at him blankly.

"Please come in, please be seated, Minister!" said Mrs. Weasley, looking a little nervous, straightening her hat. "Let's have some lame chicken, or a few figures...... I mean—"

"No, no, dear Molly," Scrimgeour said. Harry guessed he had figured out Percy's name from Percy before he entered the house. "I don't want to disturb you, I wouldn't be here if Percy hadn't wanted to see you all so much......"

"Oh, Perth!" Mrs. Weasley tearfully kissed him.

“...... We're only visiting for five minutes, so you guys and Percy go ahead and I'll go for a walk around the yard. No, no, I promise you I don't want to disturb you, and I wonder if anyone would like to show me around your charming gardens...... Ah, why don't you take a walk with me when the lad is done?"

The atmosphere at the table had changed significantly. Everyone's eyes wandered between Scrimgeour and Harry. No one believed that Scrimgeour didn't know Harry's name, and that the Minister just happened to choose him to accompany him to the garden, as Ginny, Fleur, and George's plates were empty.

"yes, well," Harry broke the silence. He wasn't stupid, even though Scrimgeour kept saying that they happened to be working around here, and that Percy wanted to see the family, that was the real reason for their trip, and that Scrimgeour wanted to talk to Harry alone.

"That's okay," Harry said, as he seemed to be about to stand up as he passed by Lupin.

"It's okay," Mr. Weasley quickly added, seeing that he wanted to open his mouth to speak.

"Wonderful!" Scrimgeour dodged and let Harry out the door. "We walked around the garden, and Percy and I took our leave. Go ahead with y'all of you!"

Harry walked across the courtyard to the Weasleys' overgrown, snowy garden, Scrimgeour limping beside him. Harry knew that he had been the head of the Aurors' office, and that he looked tough, his face covered in battle scars, unlike the fat Fudge under the bowler hat.

"Fascinating," Scrimgeour stopped at the garden's railing, looking at the snowy grass and indistinguishable plants. "It was charming. ”

Harry didn't speak. He knew Scrimgeour was watching him.

"I wanted to see you a long time ago," Scrimgeour said after a while. "You know what?"

"I don't know," Harry said honestly.

"Oh yes, it's been a long time. But Dumbledore takes good care of you," Scrimgeour said.

"Normal, of course it's normal, after you've been through so much...... Especially what happened to the Ministry of Magic......" He waited for Harry to say something, but Harry didn't comply with his request, so he continued, "I've been expecting a chance to talk to you since I took office, but Dumbledore - as I said, I understand - prevented it. ”

Harry just waited silently.

"Rumors are flying!" Scrimgeour said. "Well, of course we all understand how these reports are distorted...... All the gossip about prophecy...... Say you're a 'true son'......"