As we entered December, the weather became colder and colder, and one morning, it was suddenly discovered that a thick layer of ice had formed on the black lake.

Snowflakes fluttered outside the window, making a crackling sound against the window.

Christmas is just around the corner.

As usual, Hagrid brought twelve tall Christmas trees to decorate the auditorium on his own, and the railings and corridors of the staircase were also decorated with holly, and the whole castle was filled with festive atmosphere.

"It's not okay to go on like this!"

In the herb class, Kyle used his wand to direct a glove to jump around the table, and said depressedly, "I have to think of a new excuse to get rid of Slughorn, it's a dinner party I don't want to go for a day." ”

"Is it really as boring as you say?" Connor asked curiously, "Judging from the last ball, it shouldn't be." ”

"It was a lot of people, and we could avoid him, but there were only seven or eight people at dinner, so we had to sit there."

Kyle sighed, "Let's put it this way, there are some people who really like it, like Slytherin's Daphne Greengrass, Millison Bursterd, and Gryffindor's Cowmike McLagan...... They love being members of the Slug Club and want to have dinner every day.

"But for me...... I'd rather be locked up by a professor for half a day. ”

"Then you're looking for Professor Snape." Connor suggested again, "You could just say you're locked up with me. ”

"Uh...... I don't like it, but it doesn't get to this point. Kyle politely refused, "I'll think of another way." ”

Again, Snape's confinement and Slughorn's dinner party were similar to each other, and it was hard to comment on which one was better.

He'd better think of something else.

The easiest thing to do is to find the Headmaster, and as long as Dumbledore thinks about it, he will definitely find the most suitable reason.

But the problem is that it's too late for him to hide from Dumbledore now, how can he send it to the door himself......

If the president can't do it, the professor can.

Professor Flitwick, Professor McGonagall...... Discuss it with them, and it shouldn't be difficult to find a random excuse to confine yourself for a day or something.

But the problem is that this method works once or twice, and Kyle is too embarrassed to keep going to them.

But what else can be done?

I really don't know whose mouth is so fast, why did he tell him that the Floo network between the school and the Ministry of Magic was canceled.

……

Kelmore clutched his wand, and after a moment suddenly shook his head...... Forget it, don't want to.

Now the most important thing is to find an excuse to fool the Christmas ball in the evening, and then we can talk about the rest.

After class, Kyle returns to the castle as soon as he leaves the greenhouse, ready to go to Professor McGonagall to see if he can let her confinement himself this afternoon.

But as soon as he ran up the stairs, he saw a familiar man standing in the foyer.

He was dressed in a fuchsia robe, with a long silver beard, and a phoenix standing on his shoulder...... Dumbledore seemed to be waiting for him.

Kyle didn't stop at all, and with a decisive turn, he was about to run outside the castle.

But in the next second, Dumbledore appeared in front of him again, with a calm demeanor, as if he had never moved.

Connor on the side was startled, she looked at Dumbledore's position just now, as if she wondered how he disappeared and appeared in another place in an instant.

"Don't doubt it, it's a phantom shift." Kyle whispered, "Remember? Tycros had said earlier that the headmaster could temporarily remove the restrictions in the castle so that we could practice apparition at school. ”

"Anytime?" Connor asked, "Shouldn't the magic that envelop the entire castle be complicated?" ”

"It's not as complicated as you think, Miss Prince." Dumbledore, who heard the two of them talking, walked over and patiently explained, "These restrictions are not magic alone, but come from the castle itself, and the headmaster has some special permissions, the only requirement is that they must be in the castle. ”

Connor nodded abruptly.

Then Dumbledore turned his gaze to Kyle, and the smile on his face quickly faded again.

"Looks like you don't want to see me."

He said in a flat tone, as if he had never known Kyle before, and even the faint sound of grinding his teeth was interspersed in his voice.

"How so, Headmaster Dumbledore......" Kyle's eyes wandered, and his footsteps moved in the direction of the entrance to the Great Hall, intentionally or unintentionally, "Hmm...... Do you have anything to do with me? ”

The auditorium is crowded, and while I'm not sure if it's useful, it can give Kyle a sense of security.

Dumbledore stared at him for a moment, then shook his head and said, "It's not me looking for you, it's Nicol. ”

"Nicol?"

"Hmm." Dumbledore said, "Nicol has invited you to his manor for Christmas this year, if you will...... That's still the same as last time, I know the specific process, so I won't repeat it. ”

Dumbledore didn't seem to want to see Kyle, and he could save time when he spoke, and he didn't even wait for a second after speaking, and immediately prepared to leave.

"Wait, Professor." Kyle hesitated for a moment, then suddenly stopped him and asked, "Can I take someone with me?" ”

"Yes." Dumbledore continued on without looking back.

So simply?

Now, Kyle was curious.

He trotted after him again, "Professor, won't you ask me who I'm going to take with you?" ”

"No, I don't." Dumbledore walked into the Great Hall, "The gates of the manor cannot be seen by those with malicious intentions, not even by anyone. ”

"Oh, yes." At this time, his footsteps paused, "Last time you ......"

"I suddenly remembered that I had forgotten something in the greenhouse, and I went back to see the professor." Kyle spoke quickly.

When Dumbledore turned his head to look, he had already run out of the Great Hall and into the foyer, no less fast than a Phantom Shifter.

……

In the foyer, Connor looked at Kyle, who was running back with a smile, and asked, "So, you decided to go to Nicolame's estate this Christmas holiday?" ”

"yes, it's just in time, I finally don't have to go to any Christmas ball." Kyle nodded, then said, "Let's go back to the common room first, it's not safe in the auditorium right now, come back later." ”

With Dumbledore here, the Great Hall was probably the safest place to be, of course, just for everyone else.

However, Connor didn't poke Kyle, and instead walked along.

When she arrives in the hallway where the kitchen is located, her expression is a little tangled, as if she is waiting for Kyle to say something, but Kyle just doesn't mention it.

After hesitating for a long time, she finally couldn't help but ask, "Who are you going to go with?" ”

"What with whom."

"It's going to be this Christmas." Connor whispered, "Didn't you ask Headmaster Dumbledore if you could bring someone with you?" ”

"That's it." Kyle said, "Cedric......

Connor's expression quickly turned disappointed, but in the next second, he listened to Kyle's words and said:

“…… Yesterday he sent me a letter inviting me to his house during the Christmas holidays, and now it seems that I have missed the appointment.

"Also, you'd better hurry up and get Professor Snape to lift the lockdown, we're leaving early tomorrow morning."

"Departure...... We? Connor didn't seem to have reacted yet.

"Of course we are, I can't take Cedric there......" Kyle said with a laugh, "Don't you want to visit Nicol's manor?" I'm sure it's really interesting there. ”

Connor's expression changed again, and he nodded, happily running towards Snape's office,

Kyle wasn't worried that Snape would refuse...... Unless his brain was eaten by the Winged Demon, he would refuse to let Connor go to Nicolame's house.

Kyle, meanwhile, doesn't get ready to go back to the common room, he turns around and heads upstairs.

He went to Slughorn's office and postponed the evening under the pretext that he was going to see Nicolame tomorrow.

……

"What? Whose house did you just say you were going to? ”

After hearing Kyle's words, Slughorn, who was originally very calm, stood up with a snort and said excitedly: "Is that the famous alchemist Nicol Lemay, who has lived for more than six hundred years?" ”

"If it weren't for a second alchemist named Nicolame, I think so......" Kyle nodded.

For a moment, he could even see Slughorn's whole body trembling with excitement, and his eyes were red.

I don't blame him for that......

It was Nicolame, and he dreamed of seeing each other, even if it was just from a distance, without talking.

But alas, this wish never came true.

Now that he suddenly heard that Kyle could be a guest at his manor, how could Slughorn not be excited.

"Oh, can you take me with you?" He blurted out.

"I'm sorry Professor." Kyle shook his head, "I was invited too, and I can't call the shots." ”

"Ah, yes, that's true."

Slughorn looked embarrassed, as if he didn't expect to say the kind of faux pas he had just said.

"You misunderstood...... he stumbled, "I mean, um...... Take me to say hello to Mr. Nicolamay. ”

"I will." Kyle said, "Well, Professor, if there's nothing else to do, I'll go back first, there's still a lot to prepare." ”

"Of course, no problem." "It's really the most important thing, and even a day in advance is not enough." Alright, let's go back. ”

Kyle nodded, turned and left the office.

In the foyer, Connor had been waiting here in advance.

"How?"

"You went to Slughorn?"

The two of them opened their mouths almost at the same time and asked,

"Yes." Kyle was the first to say, "I won't have to go to the Christmas ball in a while, what about you?" ”

Professor Snape agreed. Connor said happily. "Although he seemed a little reluctant, he agreed, and prepared me a gift for Mr. Lemay."

As she spoke, Connor pulled out a bottle, about the size of the Elixir's, but it contained something golden-red.

"What is this?" Kyle asked curiously.

"Phoenix Potion." Connor thought for a moment and said, "Professor Snape says it was made from the ashes left behind after the Phoenix Nirvana, and it took two whole years. ”

Two years?

Kyle smacked his lips, the elixir has only been half a year, and this thing actually takes two years?

Although he had never heard of this potion, he knew it was definitely a good thing based on the time and materials it had been brewed.

But it soon occurred to Kyle that he seemed to ...... Seem...... There was no Christmas present for Nicol.

Even the first few times, instead of preparing gifts, he added a lot of work to Nicol.

Nicol seemed to enjoy the work, but he always felt a little weird compared to what Snape had prepared.

Kyle didn't think much of it, though, and the two of them went to the Great Hall together, where they bumped into Harry, who was wandering around the foyer.

He didn't want to go to Slughorn's prom, but he couldn't think of any useful excuses, but Ron next to him was excited.

The Christmas dinner was as grand as ever, and although the auditorium was a little less crowded and seemed much more empty than in previous years, it did not affect everyone's mood.

……

The next day.

Because of Voldemort's relationship with the Death Eaters, most of the students chose to stay at Hogwarts for this Christmas holiday, and only a few decided to go back.

Draco Malfoy was one of them, and he was the most anxious, leaving the castle early in the morning.

And Harry and the others, Mrs. Weasley had invited them back to Grimmauld Place Twelve for Christmas long before school started.

Of course, none of this has anything to do with Kyle.

By the time everyone else had gone to Hogsmeade, he had already led Connor to a field on the side of the castle.

"How are we going to get there...... "Connor looked a little nervous, "Apparition, or Portkey?" ”

"Neither." Kyle said, "Nicol's manor, like Hogwarts, prohibits apparitions, and portkeys are not allowed, unless Nicol made them himself, but Professor Dumbledore didn't give me that ......"

He glanced into the distance, "Oh, Hagrid is here." ”

Connor turned his head, and sure enough, he saw Hagrid walking toward him in his massive moleskin coat.

He was followed by a carriage pulled by Thestrals.

"Hey, Kyle!"

From afar, Hagrid began to wave his hand, and when he came, he handed over the reins in his hand.

"It's still the Thestrals, it knows the way." Hagrid lowered his voice and said, "I would have liked to invite you to join me over the Christmas holidays to teach Glopp, but he has improved a lot now.

"But you'd definitely prefer to go there, wouldn't you?"

Kyle just smiled and didn't speak.

In fact, even if Nicola Mae hadn't invited him, he would have gone back with Harry and the others, or stayed in the castle with Connor instead of going with Hagrid to meet his giant brother.

Not to mention anything else, the smell around the giant is not something that ordinary people can withstand, and Lu Wei may like it.

Kyle took the reins, and when Connor was in the carriage, he jumped on it.

Hagrid leaned into Thestrals' ear and whispered something, and Thestrals immediately took two steps forward, spreading its wings and flying.

"Merry Christmas, then!" Hagrid waved his hand below.

"Merry Christmas." Kyle said.

Thestrals flew higher and higher, and soon, Hagrid's figure turned into a small blurry black dot.

Kyle stepped into the carriage behind him.

Connor looked out the window, her face filled with excitement and excitement.

"I've never been in a Thestrals carriage like this." "It's a great feeling," she said. ”

Thestrals led them and soon caught up with the steaming Hogwarts Express below, leaving it far behind in the blink of an eye.

But even so, the two people in the carriage did not feel any bumps, as if they had stopped in place all the time and had not moved.

Kyle had ridden the Thestrals once before, and was much more calm than Connor.

The carriage passed through the clouds, and before you knew it, there was a thin layer of ice crystals around it.

Feeling a little cold, Connor lowered the window, turned to look at Kyle and asked, "What kind of place is Nicol Manor?" ”

"It's funny." Kyle thought for a moment, "Everything you see there, including walls, ceilings, tables, chairs, fireplaces, and even the kettles for watering flowers, are alchemical items.

"They're like the portraits in Hogwarts, they can talk and move on their own."

"It's amazing." Connor's eyes lit up.

"I'm a little nervous." She said suddenly,

"What's wrong?"

"What kind of man is Mr. Nicolamay, and what is his character?" "He's over 600 years old, isn't he serious, should I change into something more formal?" ”

She glanced down at the clothes on her body...... Originally, she was wearing a dress robe that wasn't so fancy, but before leaving, Kyle insisted that she change into normal clothes.

"Don't bother, Nicol doesn't care about that." Kyle waved his hand, "And you're going to make him uncomfortable wearing a tuxedo. ”

"But that's not what Professor Snape said...... "He told me yesterday that the older a wizard is, the more he cares about it." ”

"Snape......" Kyle said blandly, "has he seen Nicol?" ”

Connor shook her head.

"That's right, he hasn't seen it, what kind of idea is it." Kyle said disdainfully,

"The ones he said are only applicable to ordinary wizards, Nicol, who has lived for more than six hundred years, has never seen anything, and he doesn't care about those so-called etiquette for a long time, that is, how comfortable and how to come, including when talking to him, he doesn't need to be called Mr. What, he prefers others to call him Nicol."

"Is that so?" Connor was a little skeptical, not that she didn't believe Kyle, but mainly that it wasn't quite what she thought.

"Trust me." Kyle said, "Also, you've seen him before, but you don't know it yet. ”

"What, I've met Mr. Nicolamay?" Connor's eyes widened, "When?" How I don't remember! ”

"You'll know when you get there." Kyle said with a smile.

……

(End of chapter)