days at Hogwarts

Chapter 679 New Year

Out of the castle hall, a path passes through the white field and winds into the woods. The branches of the straight-trunk trees are covered with snow, like pear blossoms in full bloom.

The rugged path covered by snow turned into the forbidden forest, and the road surface was much smoother because the gamekeeper and professor of magical animals did not take a holiday during the holidays and patrolled the forest with his hounds every day.

At the beginning of the new year, there was no change in the gamekeeper's cottage. The roof was covered with white snow, as if it was a blanket. There were piles of stored firewood in the yard, and outside was a pumpkin field. Because it was the coldest time of the year, the land was frozen and no crops were planted. It was a bare field.

The boots of Loren and his companions made a slight sound as they stepped on the snow, which startled the hounds inside the door, and a series of barking immediately sounded.

The wooden door creaked open, and the hound Yaya ran over impatiently, circling around their trouser legs and rubbing against them hard. The little wizard could feel the hound's elastic muscles and warm temperature.

Hot air floated out of the dog's mouth and turned into white mist. The short-haired dog seemed unaware of the cold and shuttled back and forth tirelessly.

Loren gently kicked the puppy's belly and butt with the back of his feet, driving Yaya into the house.

"Hagrid!"

"Hagrid!"

"You guys are here! It's so early. I thought you guys would sleep in."

"Some people slept in and missed breakfast, so they were dragged here early for lunch."

Loren glanced at the two people next to him teasingly, and sat down at the table naturally. He picked up the kettle and poured hot tea to dispel the chill just now. "What are you planning to make for lunch? Do you need help?"

"no need……"

Hagrid is almost 70 years old. I don't know if the giant bloodline gives him some kind of advantage in longevity, but he doesn't look old at all. His lush hair and beard cover most of his face, but his eyes, squinted with a smile, are still clear and bright. Who would have thought that he is the same age as Grandpa Bates.

He kneaded the meat and marinade in the wooden basin, and his rough and powerful voice echoed in the room: "Today, I will let you taste the cooking skills of Grawp and me. It will definitely surprise you!"

"Group?"

"That's right, Grawp." Hagrid explained with a smile, "He's adapted to the environment here and has made rapid progress in learning the language. He's completely different from before. Oh, you wouldn't have guessed it, but I recommended Grawp to Dumbledore to succeed me as the gamekeeper at Hogwarts..."

"Dumbledore agreed?"

Harry and Ron looked horrified, and the same scene popped up in their minds:

After the New Year, it won’t be long before the weather warms up. There will definitely be students who suddenly decide to try out the traditional Hogwarts adventure project of touring the Forbidden Forest at night. Then they run into the edge of the Forbidden Forest and are caught by the gamekeepers.

The night was deep, and a giant several dozen feet tall stood under a tree in the dark forest. He lowered his hill-like head, stared at the little wizard with two lantern-like eyes, and slowly stretched out his huge hands that blocked out the sky and the sun towards them...

Hiss, it will leave a psychological shadow!
"He didn't agree right away..." Hagrid's answer made the two of them feel relieved, but then they raised the question again, "He didn't refuse either. Dumbledore asked me to help Grawp get used to the daily work of a gamekeeper, patrol the forbidden forest, and prevent animals from running out. This is not a difficult task for Grawp."

The elder brother, who cared about his younger brother, kept muttering to himself, with a gentle smile in his eyes.

If Grawp could settle down in Hogwarts, he would never suffer from hunger or cold again, and he would be able to survive on his own even if something happened to his brother and he could no longer take care of him.

Harry and Ron frowned, their expressions were a little subtle. They still couldn't accept a giant as an employee of Hogwarts.

Hermione seemed somewhat interested, with a thoughtful expression on her face.

Loren looked around and asked, "Where's Grawp? I didn't see him outside when I entered the house just now."

"He went to inspect the Forbidden Forest. He is adapting to the work in advance."

"Patrolling the Forbidden Forest?"

Hermione raised her beautiful eyebrows, "Can Grawp recognize the fork in the Forbidden Forest now?"

"No." Hagrid grinned, looking a little smug, "But I've taken him there several times, and there are footprints on the road. He just needs to follow them."

"Can he live in harmony with animals and not have conflicts with centaurs or unicorns?"

"It's winter now, most animals stay in their dens and don't like to move, so he won't meet any animals. As for the centaurs and unicorns, I've already said hello to them."

"..."

Harry and Ron tilted their heads with strange expressions. They always felt that something was wrong, but they couldn't put their finger on it.

"Woo..."

Loren teased Yaya, who was lying on the ground with his belly turned up. The dog's body was warm and was perfect for using as a hand warmer.

Although the hut was small and looked a bit shabby, it was decorated with luxurious materials. Upon careful calculation, it was even more luxurious than Slughorn's office.

The walls of the cabin are made of trunks of hundreds of years old trees, and the gaps in the middle are filled with dragon scales. The blankets hanging on the walls are made of furs of various rare animals, and unicorn hair is rolled into cushions. Although the workmanship is crude, it is very warm.

True low-key luxury has connotation.

While Hagrid's lunch was not ready yet and Grawp had not returned yet, Loren and the others sat around the stove and helped Hagrid clean up the furniture in the house. The main purpose was to clean it up so that the whirlwind would sweep away the cold air from outside.

While helping Fang untie the balls of hair that were stuck together, Loren said to the others, "Neville wrote this morning. His parents went back to work before their vacation was over. They were said to be in charge of security. The prisoner exchange plan between the Ministry of Magic and Voldemort has officially begun."

Several people paused what they were doing and fell silent.

Intelligence is just intelligence. They are just students who have not yet graduated and cannot influence the situation.

Harry and Ron began to talk about the information revealed in the recent letters from home. Scrimgeour and Ms. Bones led them to find a new base to resume the functions of the Ministry of Magic. However, after leaving the original base, many tasks could only be carried out reluctantly. Mr. Weasley and Percy always worked until late at night.

Ever since Greyback's werewolf organization was destroyed by the Magical Congress of the United States of America, Lupin's job has become much easier. Taking into account the special nature of the werewolf identity and the upcoming war, in order to prevent some werewolves from being bewitched and controlled by Voldemort and the Death Eaters, Lupin cooperated with the Ministry of Magic to transfer werewolves in batches. The Ministry of Magic of many countries was willing to accept this group of cheap labor, and the New York Werewolves set a good example.

And Betty, her belly was getting bigger and bigger, and Molly's experience in protecting the fetus as a wizard was in conflict with Muggle medicine. Sirius was caught between the two sides and was in a state of confusion...

Talking about this, there was more laughter in the cabin, and the heavy atmosphere finally became relaxed.

Grawp returned half an hour later. He could not fit into the cabin, so he had to sit in the yard.

The thick, curly fern-colored hair on his huge head was cut short, probably for convenience, and it was cut into a buzz cut, which matched his silly expression and made him look particularly funny. His clothes also changed, the brown smock was replaced by a fur coat, which was made of many different furs and was still dirty, and the bottom was a solid cotton trousers, which were squeezed and bulged.

“洛伦……”“赫米……”

"Hagar..."

"Le En..."

Harry and Ron protested, wondering why he could only pronounce Lauren's name clearly.

Lunch was more delicious than expected. Hagrid and Grawp's cooking skills had indeed improved. The two giant brothers prepared a table full of meat dishes, some stir-fried, some fried and some deep-fried. It was not just barbecue, but also served with salad, fruits and vegetables to relieve the greasiness. They also stewed a pot of carrot and pork chop soup. Drinking a bowl of it in the snow would warm your whole body.

Grawp drank from the jar.

……

The moonlight at night shines on the snow-covered ground, and the silver light is dim.

The courtyard of the manor was covered with mirrors and early warning devices. Muggle-repelling spells and numerous protective spells covered the entire area. Snowflakes fell one after another, and the invisible magic barrier was slightly agitated, causing slight ripples. The sound of air explosions from Apparition continued to ring in the room. Aurors came and went, and their sleeves were still cold when they reported their work and left.

This is the new headquarters of the Ministry of Magic, located in an ancient manor in Devon.

The wizarding village of Devonshire is home to many mansions of pure-blood families, as well as a lot of wealth. Scrimgeour set up his base here, and while releasing the group of Death Eaters he could also ask for a sum of money in exchange for release from the pure-blood families.

The Ministry of Magic needed money to rebuild, and they happened to be rich.

Of course, it is impossible to trade hostages with Voldemort in a place with a wide field of vision. You escort a group, I escort a group, and both sides hand over the Ministry of Magic staff and the Death Eaters. If Voldemort suddenly changes his mind, wouldn't it be a heavy loss?

So the transaction was conducted remotely, with St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries accepting a group of staff and Devon releasing a group of Death Eaters to ensure maximum safety.

Another group of staff members with less serious injuries returned and gathered in the side hall, sitting around a round table.

Ms. Bones looked at these staff members. She was thin, and the torture and treatment of the Cruciatus Curse had made her look much more haggard. But she stood in front of everyone, and the familiar voice came out of her throat, still so steady and powerful:

"I know what you have been through in the past few months. I have been through the same thing, but you are luckier than me. At least you have not been tortured by the famous Dark Lord himself..."

The staff relaxed a little, Ms. Bones' calmness and fortitude were reassuring.

"That scarlet Cruciatus Curse is like a curse. It often appears in my nightmares. I know that you are the same..." Bones paused and looked at the colleagues who had just been released from prison. There was still fear in their eyes. "But we can't rest yet. Many colleagues will stay in that night forever. We need to protect their families, protect our families, and protect those wizards who are still willing to trust us...

“So, please cheer up as soon as possible!
"The cases that have been squeezed in the past few months require the intervention of the Law Enforcement Department. There are many international affairs and trade that are waiting for you to handle. The Floo Network and Portkeys need to be managed by the Transport Department. Hogwarts School needs an Apparition teaching class...

"Remember, the Ministry of Magic isn't that building, it's us!"

Bertha Jorkins in the crowd gently stroked the unhealed scar on her arm, and there was silence.

……

The first Monday of 1997.

Professor McGonagall knocked on the door of the headmaster's office, holding a thick stack of documents.

The room was filled with the sweet aroma of hot tea.

In front of the desk, two old men sat opposite each other, staring intently at the chessboard on the table. The black and white knights were fighting roughly, and the paintings of past principals on the wall were cheering them on. It was very lively.

Professor McGonagall was a little surprised. After a pause, she stepped forward and said, "Principal Dumbledore, Professor Bagshot, good morning."

"Good morning."

"Good morning, Minerva."

Dumbledore smiled, and inconspicuously reached out his hand to brush across the chessboard, separating the tangled chess pieces and putting them back into the chess box. Then he took out a new teacup and poured a cup of hot tea for his deputy headmaster: "Would you like some sugar?"

"no need."

Professor McGonagall glanced at the chessboard and handed over the report in her hand: "Affected by the changes in the Ministry of Magic, many of our businesses last year were also affected. This is the report for the past year. Please take a close look at it."

The emphasis on the last sentence is obvious.

Grindelwald suddenly became very interested in the trajectory of the tea leaves, which is an important part of divination magic. He carefully studied the signs they represented.

"I will, Minerva." Dumbledore put away the report and looked at the other information in her hand.

"These are the letters from parents in recent times." Professor McGonagall showed a stack of letters. "Most of them are from parents of half-blood and Muggle students. They have learned some news about the Ministry of Magic and the Death Eaters, and they have written to ask about the safety of their students. These parents have specifically requested that the headmaster personally reply."

"Oh……"

Dumbledore paused for a moment, his eyes twinkling, "Minerva, you are the headmaster of Hogwarts."

"Deputy Headmaster!" Professor McGonagall raised her voice to emphasize the matter and slammed the letter in front of him. "I must remind you, Albus, that you must reply to the parents before the end of the holidays, otherwise some students will miss the start-of-term dinner."

"I will." Dumbledore sighed, "Give me any other documents you have."

"This is the income assessment and budget for next year. Professors Sprout and Firenze have applied to purchase special teaching aids and need your approval...

"Rolanda said the Quidditch Quaffle needed to be replaced...

"Poppi applied to purchase a batch of reserve potions. The original ones have expired. In the past, Severus helped to make them, but it is not convenient to trouble Horace now because he is old..."

After Professor McGonagall left, the headmaster's office remained quiet, and the headmaster's portraits on the wall all had expressions of watching a good show.

Dumbledore looked at the pile of paperwork in distress, his eyes gradually falling on the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor opposite him: "Gellert, are you -"

"Well, I have to go back and work on my lesson plans, so I won't bother you any more." Grindelwald put down his teacup, stood up and left leisurely.

Dumbledore sighed.

When can I retire...

(End of this chapter)