Without a doubt, it wasn't a happy Christmas.

Matthew Wakefield's Christmas Eve in his second year was spent in the cold wards of St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Injuries and Injuries...... In addition to the blonde therapist, he was accompanied by only a few "patients" in the same ward.

The Holy Eve dinner here isn't as rich, at least not as big as a feast at Hogwarts.

Not to mention the joyous atmosphere of Christmas.

After dinner, Matthew fell asleep, hoping to get out of the haunted place as soon as possible.

......

The next morning, when Matthew woke up, he found a pile of gifts at the foot of the bed.

He also suddenly realized that he had been "locked up" in St. Mungo's since the beginning of the Christmas holidays...... There was absolutely no time or opportunity to prepare Christmas presents for friends.

It seems that after the start of the new semester, he will have to go to the door in turn to "apologize" and make up for the gifts owed.

While thinking so, Matthew flipped through the large and small packages—

Soon, he flipped through a goodie bag with Neville's handwriting, and Neville gave him a palm-sized purse. Although the exterior is small, the space inside is very large, and it can be stuffed with something dozens of times the volume (it should be a very advanced traceless stretching spell)...... It's quite practical to visually inspect.

In the other bag, there was a large box of horseshoe-shaped chocolates with Hermione's name written on the side of the box.

And a big box of skim gummies......

An unsigned recovery card......

and—

Matthew glanced at the last pack, which looked a little weird. Like the recovery card, the package is unsigned.

He carefully dismantled it, and then Matthew was surprised to find that it was actually a wizard's chess deck.

No, it's not just an ordinary wizard chess, and the black and white pieces are not common at all.

Matthew picked up the pieces and began to look at them carefully.

Among them, the black square and the white soldiers have become wizards wearing robes......

The king on the black side looked a little familiar, and after closer inspection, Matthew recognized that the piece was quite similar to Gellert Grindelwald......

As for the queen of the black side, she looks like the Deputy Headmaster of Hogwarts, Professor Vita Rozier.

Both bishops have been transformed into fanged vampires, knights have been transformed into four-legged werewolves, and the castle has become two giants that are a circle larger than the other chess pieces.

Matthew couldn't help but blink, and moved his gaze to the chess pieces on the white side-

The king of the white side is also an old acquaintance, and the king is an old wizard with gray hair, much like the Albus Dumbledore in his memory.

The queen was a witch with square glasses and her hair curled in a high bun......

The bishop became a cunning goblin, the knight was a sturdy centaur, and the castle became two Muggle tanks.

......

Matthew looked at the unsigned Christmas present in amazement.

Because he could vaguely understand the meaning of these chess pieces, he felt that this matter was very strange.

At the same time, he wondered who had sent it to him, and what was the purpose of giving it to himself?

I searched carefully in the gift box, but I found nothing, and it was empty except for this box of wizard chess.

Just then, the door to the ward was suddenly pushed open, and the blonde therapist in charge of Matthew's recuperation broke in.

"Opening gifts?" she glanced at Matthew curiously, and at the same time noticed the set of chess pieces in Matthew's hand, "Yo, is it a wizard chess...... I also like wizard chess ......"

"yes. Matthew said quietly, and at the same time quickly put away the chess pieces. He didn't want his healer to see what this wizard's chess piece really looked like.

Fortunately, the witch did not show any more interest.

"By the way, Matthew Wakefield," she called out Matthew's name, "after careful confirmation by us, your condition is completely stable, and you can now go through the formalities and be discharged!"

"Can you be discharged from the hospital?" Matthew looked a little excited, "Great!"

To be honest, he was a little fed up with the boring and unfree life at St. Mungo...... In addition, the living environment here is actually not flattering.

After a moment of excitement, he seemed to remember something: "By the way, ma'am...... Where should I go when I'm discharged? Will I go to Diagon Alley? Will I ask if any Hogwarts professors have mentioned this to you......"

"Just back to Hogwarts, of course......" said the blonde healer as he deserved.

Matthew was stunned and asked softly, "But, there should be centaurs at Hogwarts......"

"Centaurs?" said the witch with some disdain, "Do you think those stupid creatures can really take over Hogwarts castles?"

"What's going on?" Matthew asked quickly.

"The Daily Prophet for breakfast today, I don't think you should have read it...... The report is detailed, and just last night, Headmaster Gellert Grindelwald returned to Hogwarts to crush the dark wizards' plot to take over Hogwarts, and wipe out the rebellious centaurs......" said the blonde healer cleanly,

"So...... The Centaur Riots are over! Poor Headmaster Grindelwald can't be at peace even at Christmas, unable to spend time with his family, and busy with all these chores. She seemed to be a little emotional:

"Alright, Mr. Wakefield, are you going to be discharged immediately, or do you want to stay in St. Mungo's for a few more days?"

Matthew replied without hesitation, "Of course, I want to be discharged immediately." ”

......

The discharge process was smooth and fast.

Just half an hour later, Matthew Wakefield appeared at the door of St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Injuries and Injuries with his heavy luggage.

In front of it is an old-fashioned red-brick department store called "Taotao Co., Ltd.", which looks dilapidated and deserted.

There were only a few cracked dummies in the shop windows, wearing wigs crookedly, in various postures, and wearing clothes from at least ten years ago. The dusty doors are hung with large signs that say "closed for renovation".

At the same time, Matthew saw a few Muggles passing by and pointing at the shop window: "This place has never been opened. ”

In fact, for the past year and a half, Matthew has barely touched Muggles......

Just when Ma Xian was considering whether to take advantage of this rare opportunity to violate the regulations of the Ministry of Magic and get in touch with the Muggle world-

A deafening whistle!

A second later, a pair of huge wheels and headlights suddenly appeared in front of Matthew at lightning and thunderous speeds. Matthew looked closely and saw that the wheels and lights belonged to a three-tiered bus, and the gold letters on the windshield of the car made up the following words: Rider Bus.

"Welcome aboard the Knight Bus, an emergency passenger transport for witches or wizards in distress. Just stretch out your wand and get in the car and we'll take you wherever you want to go. My name is Stan Sanpark, and I'm your conductor tonight!" said an eighteen- or nineteen-year-old wizard as he opened the door, a little lazy.

Matthew glanced again in the direction where the Muggles were, and they had completely disappeared from Matthew's sight.

Sure enough, in the current magical world, there are no loopholes in its rules.

He took out his wand from his waist and said calmly, "My name is Matthew Wakefield, and I want to go to Hogwarts!"

"What is Hogwarts...... Seven silver sico. Stan Sampark replied.

Matthew took a dozen silver coins out of his pocket and handed them to him, then climbed into the knight's bus with his luggage.

There were no seats in the car, and behind the curtained windows sat six beds with brass posts. Candles are lit on the brackets next to each bed, illuminating the entire compartment.

You sleep on this, Stan gessigns to a bed to his right.

Matthew hurriedly walked over.

"Sit tight and go!" Stan commanded loudly.

There was another loud thud, and Matthew couldn't help but be thrown onto the bed, the result of the speed of the knight's bus throwing him backwards.

He glanced out the window, the knight's bus was speeding down the road, making a very loud noise, and there were many Muggles on the side of the road, living like Matthew had lived a year and a half ago...... It's just that no one can realize that there is a three-story bus that passes by them unconsciously.

Stan looked at Matthew's surprised expression with some smugness, "Aren't you surprised that the Muggles can't find us?"

"yes. Matthew replied casually.

"Because they don't listen to it well and don't look good," Stan said with a disdainful face, "they're just an inferior race compared to wizards...... They should be like house-elves, slaves, not like they are now......"

Matthew couldn't help but be stunned.

Stan Sampak gushed out, "To be honest, if I were the Minister for Magic, I would definitely repeal the International Wizarding and Wizarding Secrecy Act as soon as possible, and then drive the Muggles out of our territory or use us as slaves, instead of letting them occupy the magpie's nest as we are now......."

“...... If any Muggles dare to disobey us, throw them into the crematorium...... Of course, some pretty female Muggles, you don't have to ......," a greedy look suddenly appeared on his face, "They can help us carry on the lineage, can they...... It only takes a small drop of aphrodisiac to make them fall at our feet......"

Stan Sanpak said a lot excitedly.

Matthew had a look of disgust on his face, but he didn't walk away.

"By the way, Wakefield," Stan Sanpark continued, "have you heard, Hogwarts ......?"

"The Centaur Riot at Hogwarts?" Matthew asked coldly.

"No, no, no, it's more than that......" Stan Sanpark shook his head mysteriously:

"The impact of this riot is said to be so far-reaching that it has affected the decision-making of some of the top ranks of the Ministry of Magic...... They generally believe that we should be too lenient in regulating inferior creatures such as elves, centaurs, and Muggles...... and that the International Wizarding and Wizarding Secrecy Act is a ......hindrance at this time."

"For example, Lord Grindelwald was very merciful in giving the centaurs a place to live in the Forbidden Forest of Hogwarts, but they were betrayed by those inferior creatures, and even Hogwarts fell into their hands for a time...... Therefore, we should change our strategy towards them and control them more strictly, and those inferior creatures who are born with rebellious bones should all be exterminated......"

Matthew frowned slightly.

Although he could not be sure of the veracity of Stan Sanpark's words...... But if the rumors are true, then the series of recent events is quite intriguing.

"To be honest, I'm really looking forward to that day. As he spoke, Stan Sanpak glanced greedily at a few sexy Muggle girls passing by outside the bus.

......

Stan Sanpark is still making a big deal.

Suddenly, the driver slammed on the brakes, and the rider bus slid to a halt, and he nearly fell to the ground.

"It's here, Hogwarts is here!" he exclaimed.

Matthew had already taken his luggage and hurriedly stepped off the knight's bus, without looking back.

The Knight's Bus stopped at the Hogsmeade platform, which Matthew was familiar with...... At the platform, Mr. Pring, the caretaker of Hogwarts Castle, is waiting for the returning students to return.

There are a number of undrawn carriages parked beside him (actually those pulled by the invisible Thestrals).

"Over here!" he waved at Matthew.

"Mr. Pringer!" Matthew hurriedly walked over.

"Remember to stay in the common room these days and don't move around...... The castle was a mess by the centaurs and needed a thorough purge...... Do you see? three meals a day are delivered to the common rooms of the various colleges!" Mr. Pringer admonished.

"I see!" Matthew nodded.

Alone, he boarded a carriage pulled by Thestrals...... Follow the route you took at the beginning of the school year and enter the Hogwarts campus.

There was indeed some chaos in the castle, and many of the portraits and sculptures were damaged, but the overall damage was not great, and the portraits or sculptures that Matthew was familiar with were basically intact.

But what is even more shocking is that in many corners, you can see charred manes, torn horses' hooves, and bright red blood......

You can imagine what kind of fierce battle the castle experienced not long ago...... Or a one-sided massacre, more appropriately.

Matthew covered his nose and made his way back to the Slytherin common room.

There is no change in the common room, and it seems that the horses who don't have a password can't break in.

Matthew appears to be the first student to return to Slytherin House because in the common room, he doesn't see anyone else.

He returned to his bedroom, and lay on the bed with a green silk drapery—

"It always feels like something terrible is about to happen!" Matthew Wakefield said to himself.