The Pacifist Necromancer of Hogwarts

On the way back to the dormitory area, they encountered several teams on duty. Anthony had a slight suspicion that this was because Charlie had chosen the road with the most people. They met more researchers on the way back than Anthony had ever seen in the dormitory.

And as long as these researchers chat with Charlie for a few more words, they will hear Charlie ask: "By the way, have you seen my storage bag?"

"No, you lost it?" The researcher whom Charlie called Delma frowned and asked, "What did you put in it, Charlie? How valuable is it?"

Charlie grinned: "I didn't lose it. I gave it to Norbert."

Delma shrugged: "Okay. I also gave Norbert a broom, so I guess I have nothing to laugh at you. I also gave Joanna half a leather coat yesterday."

"No, Delma, I gave it to Norbert, of my own free will," Charlie said ostentatiously. "I got so close to a conscious fire dragon, gave it a Christmas present, and came back intact. No roar, No fangs, no fire, no lashing tail."

Delma stared at him, her mouth half-opened, as if she couldn't tell whether Charlie was crazy or not.

Charlie led Anthony and Hagrid away happily, without even giving them a chance to exchange greetings.

"Delma is going to be crazy jealous." Charlie said, with a hint of excitement in his voice. "Oh, Merry Christmas, Andrea! Have you seen my storage bag?"

…

Perhaps because they spent too much time avoiding the Longhorns and greeting people in the mountains, it was already past two o'clock in the afternoon when the three of them returned to the dormitory area. The restaurant was closed, so Charlie found a few boxes of cookies in his room and ate them for lunch with Anthony and Hagrid.

In the afternoon, Charlie went to a nearby town to deliver the Christmas gifts he had prepared, while Hagrid stayed in his room and continued to prepare for his Chimera breeding license assessment. Anthony even found the opportunity to wander around the dragonology library in the reserve and read "Cooking Vegetables for Your Dragon" and "Horns Made of Gold: Aesthetic Guide to Longhorned Dragons" with gusto.

In the evening, the researchers seemed to appear out of nowhere and crowded into the restaurant for the Christmas dinner. Compared to Hogwarts, the Christmas decorations at the Romanian Fire Dragon Sanctuary are a bit crude. Apart from the big Christmas tree placed in the corner of the restaurant and the holly wreath on the door, the only thing that can make Anthony feel the lively atmosphere of Christmas is the people everywhere.

There are people everywhere. Charlie walked into the restaurant with Anthony and Hagrid, then glanced at Hagrid, looking carefully at the empty seats, trying to find one that could accommodate the three of them.

Someone deliberately greeted Charlie: "Hey, Charlie! Where's your storage bag!"

"Give it to Norbert!" Charlie said proudly.

Several researchers laughed and pulled them to sit next to them. In order to allow Hagrid to sit over, the group of people pressed closely against each other and compressed themselves desperately, leaving a large enough area on the bench. Hagrid hesitated and accepted their invitation with a smile.

"Communicator at Hogwarts, right?" the people asked, "Charlie has been looking forward to your arrival for a long time."

Anthony said: "We have been looking forward to coming to the Fire Dragon Sanctuary for a long time."

They chatted about Quidditch for a while, talked about the Christmas customs in their hometown, and despised the new regulations of the Romanian Ministry of Magic. The topic finally inevitably returned to the fire dragon. Hagrid took to their friendship almost immediately and was rewarded with glass after glass of wine.

When the smiling chef gave them each a big spoonful of eggplant salad, Hagrid was already a little drunk and his voice became louder and louder. Charlie and people heatedly discussed whether a fire dragon named Joanna was going to lay eggs again.

The lights in the restaurant were bright, making the grease and plates shine. Anthony huddled comfortably in the corner of the seat next to him, discussing eggplant salad, fried bacon and cabbage stuffed meat in a low voice with another researcher next to him.

"Yes, it's a mixture of beef and mutton minced meat, plus appropriate minced onions." The researcher said, "We grow and pickle the cabbage ourselves. The onions are bought from a nearby town." He Lowering his voice, he said, "The beef and mutton are the leftovers from feeding the fire dragon. Patrick only likes to eat the internal organs of prey. Every time it enters the medical field, we have to eat beef or mutton for several days in a row."

He sounded a bit like he was complaining, but Anthony caught a hint of showboating in his tone.

"That's nice," Anthony said sincerely. It is definitely better to have a fire dragon that likes to eat the offal of cattle and sheep than to eat dead rats.

…

A huge bonfire burned in the center of the square, with clusters of smaller bonfires scattered around it. Amidst the crackling sound of firewood, countless sparks flew out bit by bit, swirling around the rising thick smoke.

Small tables and chairs were scattered throughout the square, and firelight was also lit in the corners of the square, but what rose was not smoke but white vapor. People flocked in that direction.

Anthony was embraced by the crowd and walked over, smelling the special aroma of mulled wine. As he got closer, he discovered that there were four of the largest cauldrons he had ever seen. Several wizards stood beside the crucible, pouring orange slices, apple chunks, cinnamon and other spices into it, directing the large spoons as tall as a person to stir in the pot, and at the same time, they kept handing the glasses filled with wine to the doctor. to the hands in front of you.

Once everyone had something warm in their hands—mulled wine, barbecue, or doughnuts—people began to pull up their chairs and sit down. Charlie, Anthony, and several researchers dragged tables and chairs to a sheltered location and played with crackle.

Anthony doesn't know the card rules used in the Sanctuary at all, but that doesn't stop him from feeling happy when the cards explode. Not far away, Hagrid lowered his head and listened carefully to what Delma was saying.

In the early morning, the night became darker and the surroundings became colder. Everyone gathered towards the bonfire, holding wine glasses and talking loudly. A burst of enthusiastic cheers suddenly broke out from the crowd.

"What's wrong?" Anthony asked.

Charlie stood on tiptoe and tried to look over people's shoulders: "I don't know - oh!"

Needless to say, Anthony saw it too. Barbara's huge, clumsy model of the fire dragon sauntered over. A dozen young people shouted "Good evening, Barbara" as they walked past it and rushed through the tall open warehouse door.

It took Anthony some time to notice that Barbara was next to her model, eyeing the mulled wine he had thrust into his hand.

"Let it fly, Barbara!" someone implored.

"Make some noise!" shouted the man on the other side. "Make it roar!"

Barbara looked a little surprised: "No problem."

The creaking wooden model of the dragon raised its head, let out a long, trumpet-like, deafening roar, and spit bright flames into the sky. The crowd cheered louder.

"Merry Christmas!" several people shouted.

More people raised their glasses: "Merry Christmas!"

Barbara looked even more surprised: "Is it Christmas today?"

"It's Christmas!" shouted a man sitting near her, sounding a little drunk. "No, it's Christmas Eve! Still no, it's Christmas! Join us, Barbara !cheers!"

At this moment, the dozen or so young people who ran into the warehouse came back. There were men and women, all wearing leather cloaks and carrying tall, huge models of fire dragon heads on their heads. Amid people's applause, they screamed, shook their bodies, spread their arms, and imitated the flying posture of the fire dragon.

People began to rhythmically tap their wine glasses on small tables, the ground, and rocks around them until it sounded like some kind of drum beat.

More researchers stood up and joined in this weird fire dragon dance. The blazing flames in the middle of the clearing shot up almost as high as the fire dragon model. The firelight danced on its ferocious face.

Charlie gestured to Anthony, and after he shook his head in refusal, he joined the team alone.

He was a little restrained at first, just swaying from side to side to the music in the crowd. After a while, when Anthony saw him again, he was already singing loudly with the crowd a song whose lyrics Anthony could not understand, while spreading his arms, spinning forward, and nimbly bypassing the people in front of him, as if he It is a flying dragon hovering in the sky.

The sound of some kind of wind instrument came from somewhere. After a few notes, people began to sing loudly along with a more cheerful song. It has a lively rhythm and a simple and enthusiastic melody. After a few bars, even Anthony could hum along.

"Come on, Henry!" Charlie shouted as he passed him again, "Look at Hagrid!"

Hagrid was stretching his arms, paddling awkwardly, spinning in circles with great pleasure. People near him smiled and moved out of the way for him, or followed him and flew crookedly.

The men with the heads of the fire dragons flew past Anthony's eyes on broomsticks. Through the flickering firelight, he finally saw clearly the two golden horns above their heads. These heads - no doubt Barbara's test subjects when making the fire dragon model - have half-open empty eyes, and the colorful ribbons tied to the corners are fluttering in the cold wind as they run.

Charlie was taken to the other end of the bonfire by the happy crowd. These people kept jumping, laughing, and talking loudly, as if they had inexhaustible energy. The wine glass lay staggered on the ground, and the firelight on the wall of the glass was also dancing lively.

Anthony walked to the corner, asked the wizards for another glass of mulled wine, drank it slowly, walked around the square, and found his way back to his room.

The night is already very deep. Beside him, a smaller bonfire was almost burning out, its orange flames flickering like breathing in the ashes.

Even two or three houses away, Anthony could still hear the cheerful music floating in the night sky. Suddenly, a jingling bell sounded. Anthony stopped and looked around. It turned out that there were several people running towards the square in a hurry while wrapping bells around their waists, preparing to join their celebration.

Anthony watched them run away. Only then did he realize that it was a very clear night, with tiny stars twinkling in the dark sky above him.

"Meow."

Anthony turned his head and saw his cat sitting upright on the roof with a wraith mouse lying on his body. The Wraith Chicken squatted next to them.

He looked at them for a while and laughed.

"Let's go." He said to the three pairs of eyes, "it's bedtime."