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The Great Hall on Christmas was not as crowded as usual. The few students who remained at Hogwarts gathered together, enjoying the festive atmosphere.
Ron pulled Harry along, while the Weasley twins dragged Percy over to join them. Root also sat with a few friends, making for a lively lunch.
From the teacher's table, a chilly gaze occasionally floated over. However, whenever Root looked up, he couldn't see who was staring at him.
Instead, Professor McGonagall wore a bright smile. She sipped a little wine from time to time, her face flushed, and her signature top hat sat slightly askew. When she noticed Root looking her way, she nodded at him.
Root smiled back.
An Invitation Declined
After dinner, as they left the Great Hall, Harry and Ron invited Root to join them in a snowball fight. The Weasley twins, initially excited, suddenly deflated.
Percy glanced at his brothers and immediately understood—these two troublemakers must have pranked Root and suffered the consequences.
Just as he was about to speak, Root waved them off with a smile. "I'm going to the library to return a book. You guys have fun."
"Oh, come on! It's Christmas, Root!" Ron protested, oblivious to the twins' awkwardness.
But Root slipped away before they could convince him.
"The three books I borrowed last time are about to expire. After returning them, I'll borrow a couple more about herbal medicine," he thought as he walked down the corridor.
A Sudden Encounter with Snape
Turning a corner, Root nearly bumped into Professor Snape, who was draped in his usual black robes.
"Oh! Professor Snape, what a coincidence. Merry Christmas~" Root greeted him with enthusiasm.
Snape cast a cold glance at him. "I am not happy at all."
Root blinked in confusion.
Snape's eyes were sharp and his tone even sharper. "During the Great Hall feast, Professor McGonagall praised your gift highly. You certainly put effort into it."
Root immediately sensed something was off.
Snape continued, his voice dripping with sarcasm, "Even Professor Flitwick showed off the music composition you wrote for him. Haha, the gifts you gave to other professors were truly thoughtful."
Root's stomach twisted.
He suddenly understood—Snape seemed to think his gift was… less impressive compared to the others.
Thinking back to what he had given Snape, Root felt a wave of regret.
Snape's expression darkened as he listed the items, each name pronounced with barely concealed disdain:
"Relaxing tea bags. Skin glow potion. Mood-soothing potion. Hair-refreshing potion."
Root cringed with every word.
"What exactly were you trying to say with these gifts?" Snape demanded.
Root swallowed hard. "I—I just thought you could be even more handsome, Professor!"
Snape's glare intensified.
Root quickly added, "Someone in the Muggle world once said that a smile makes you look ten years younger. I just wanted you to be the most handsome professor at Hogwarts~"
A shadow passed over Snape's face. His tall, sharp nose looked even more severe in the dim corridor lighting. His greasy black hair, falling across his forehead, swayed slightly as he tilted his head.
"So, you think I look old?" Snape asked slowly, his voice dangerously low.
Root panicked. "No! No, I didn't mean that! Professor Snape, if you were old, then wouldn't the Headmaster already be buried?"
Snape: (—) …
Root's words seemed to momentarily stun him. His eyes widened slightly, and his lips parted as if searching for a response. But for once, he was speechless.
Root coughed to break the silence. "Ahem! Of course, those gifts were all handmade by me. They were meant as heartfelt presents."
Then, to distract Snape, he quickly added, "Your birthday is coming up soon, and I'll definitely prepare a special gift for you! You'll be really surprised!"
Snape's expression shifted slightly. His eyebrows raised just a fraction before he let out a cold scoff. "I hope it's not a shock."
"Don't worry, that won't happen…" Root laughed awkwardly.
After much effort, he finally managed to send the tsundere professor on his way.
Root let out a deep sigh of relief.
Planning Snape's Birthday Gift
But now, he had another problem—what should he give Snape for his birthday?
"Ugh," he thought, flipping through books in the library. "If only I could use wand enchantments on other people's wands. I could add a pink bunny effect every time Snape cast a spell… or maybe a creepy-looking snake instead."
Even as he absorbed the contents of the herbal medicine books, ideas for Snape's gift kept swirling in his mind.
That night, when Root returned to the dormitory, he was still lost in thought.
Even when Harry sneaked over excitedly, talking about his new Invisibility Cloak, Root barely paid attention.
Harry's face was full of excitement. "Oh my God, Root! Do you know what I saw last night?"
Root barely glanced at him. "Your parents?"
Harry's expression froze. "How did you know?"
"Uh, just a guess."
Harry smacked his lips in disappointment, his excitement dampened. But he still went ahead and told Root about his adventure.
"I wanted to try out the Invisibility Cloak, but I ended up in the Restricted Section and got chased by Filch. But the most important thing is—"
Root, barely listening, had an idea.
"If I can't enchant Snape's wand, what if I gift-wrap Harry and deliver him to Snape? Then let Snape use his wand to spank him?"
Harry, mid-sentence, suddenly shivered.
"Huh? What happened?" Root asked absentmindedly.
Harry eyed him warily, then quickly reunited with Ron.
A Good Night's Sleep
Root decided to stop overthinking things.
Instead, he curled up in bed with a warm coal brick, letting sleep take him.
The night passed peacefully.
He maintained his habit of waking up early and tidied himself up before heading to the Great Hall.
For breakfast, Root poured himself a glass of milk and grabbed a plate of steaming English sausages. He sliced them open with a knife—golden-brown, sizzling, and bursting with juicy flavor.
Then, he picked up two slices of thick-cut toast, his favorite. Baked in the enchanted oven, the crust was perfectly crisp, while the inside remained soft. He spread butter over it, watching it melt into the warm bread, filling the air with a rich, creamy aroma.
A poached egg and a small portion of roasted tomatoes completed his meal.
Root was thoroughly satisfied.
Just as he was about to finish, Harry rushed over, panting.
He plopped down next to Root, lowering his voice excitedly.
"Oh my God, Root! Do you know what I saw last night?"
Root, still chewing his toast, raised an eyebrow. "Your parents?"
Harry's excited expression froze once again. "How do you keep guessing that?!"
"Uh… lucky guess?"
Harry sighed but still went on to tell his story.
"I was just testing out the cloak, but I accidentally wandered into the Restricted Section and got chased by Filch. But the most important thing is—"
(End of Chapter)
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