Christmas was just two days away, and the Hogwarts Christmas holidays had begun.
The Thestral-drawn carriages transported the young wizards, who had finished their breakfast, away from the school and back to the Hogsmeade station. The scarlet steam engine was already in position. After the whistle blew—woo-woo—the Hogwarts Express roared forward, rumbling with such power it felt as if its limiters had been removed.
"This speed has to be close to three hundred kilometers per hour, right?"
Unlike the slow crawl when coming to Hogwarts, the return journey to Platform Nine and Three-Quarters felt truly, exceptionally fast.
This velocity, comparable to high-speed rail, even surprised Lynn a little.
"I was scared by it last year too; I thought something was wrong with the train," Cho said, resting her chin in her hand as she looked out the window. The wind whipped up by the speeding train sent snow flying on both sides of the tracks, and behind that white, rushing torrent lay a winter landscape wrapped in silver.
"I told my mom and dad about you coming over to bum a meal. They're both very happy to have you, Lynn, but just don't do anything weird."
"Me?" Lynn pointed at the tip of his own nose. "What would I do... Oh, I get it. I won't try to become sworn brothers with your dad. Don't worry, I won't take advantage of you like that."
"What are you talking about!"
Cho was startled by this incredibly off-kilter train of thought. I treat you as a friend, and you want to be brothers with my dad?
"Maybe Uncle and I will hit it off at first sight, who knows?"
Lynn chuckled mischievously. "By the way, Cho, what kind of work does your father do over here?"
"Excavating ancient magical ruins and identifying and cataloging Ancient Runes. But these aren't the Ancient Runes used in modern alchemy; they are special magical characters from a thousand years ago, referring to what was known as Ancient Magic."
"Records regarding Ancient Magic in Europe have been almost completely lost. Dad came here specifically to uncover the secrets of European Ancient Magic. My mom too."
"Although, after having me, my mom started staying home a lot more. Archaeological work in ancient magical ruins is very exhausting and dangerous. My dad says that Ancient Magic is something completely different from the magic used by the vast majority of wizards."
"I don't understand it very well, but what is certain is that the power of Ancient Magic is astonishing. It can violate many magical prohibitions—for example, changing the weather of an entire region, turning deep winter into spring. That's something ordinary magic simply cannot do."
"Sounds pretty impressive," Lynn noted, trying to recall if he knew anything about this. However, he couldn't remember anything useful. He had been a 'senior student' at Hogwarts (in a game), but he hadn't played very seriously—the female character model had been as ugly as a troll crossbreed, covered in blackheads, and was simply too hard on the eyes.
"Is there anyone who can still use it now?" asked Lynn, thinking of the 'Legendary Senior' that Fred and George had mentioned.
"Of course. A hundred years ago, there was a confirmed user of Ancient Magic at Hogwarts. The Forbidden Forest wasn't originally as large as it is now. Records prove that he restored the Forbidden Forest, which had been destroyed by poachers at the time, greatly expanding its area and allowing many magical creatures to use it as their safest sanctuary."
"It's a pity he went missing."
"What about his name? What was he called?"
"I don't know. He used magic to erase his own name. Maybe he just didn't want anyone disturbing his life. Traces of him exist in the world, but no one knows who he actually was. That is the power of Ancient Magic."
"So that's how it is..."
Lynn could roughly understand now. This was probably why Voldemort dared to stir up trouble in England in a world where the 'Senior' existed. Unless one had special information channels, it wasn't impossible for the Senior's existence to be dismissed as some exaggerated legend.
Whether it was the twins or Cho, they both had channels to access this truth.
"What are you guys chatting about?"
Harley, who had been sleeping in a daze, rubbed her eyes and lifted her head from Cho's lap. Who knew what she had been up to yesterday? She had faint dark circles under her eyes at breakfast this morning; she must have pulled an all-nighter.
"A legendary senior student who once appeared at Hogwarts."
Lynn summarized it simply.
"Oh."
Harley, not particularly interested, swung her little feet, a bitter expression appearing on her face.
"Lynn, my leg fell asleep."
"Walk it off?"
"Can't move," Harley shook her head. "I'll lend it to you to play with."
As she spoke, she shook her leg vigorously and kicked her foot onto Lynn's lap.
"Don't tell me you got this from some erotic manga again?"
"Hehe~" Harley stuck out her little tongue. "No white silk stockings, but I have white knee-high cotton socks."
She pulled her robes up a bit, revealing the white cotton socks that went over her knees.
"It reeks." Lynn looked thoroughly disgusted, pinching his nose and fanning the air.
"Impossible! I just changed them yesterday afternoon!"
"You realize that was yesterday? Do you want to check your fleece-lined snow boots before saying that to me? When you took them off to sleep earlier, they were practically smoking."
"That was just because it was cold when we first got on the train!"
Harley, absolutely refusing to admit her feet smelled, hummed and grumbled, "It's completely different from the manga..."
"Is there a possibility that the manga you were reading was one I skipped two pages of because I thought the protagonist's fetish was too perverted?"
"So, this actually isn't fun?"
Harley, who had originally intended to tease Lynn, felt a bit dejected. This was completely different from what she had imagined.
"Speaking of fun..." Lynn paused slightly, then narrowed his eyes, the corners of his mouth curling up into an arc that made Harley shudder all over.
"What do you want to do?!"
Sensing imminent disaster, Harley tried to retract her leg, but it was too late!
Her ankle was pinned down firmly. Her toes wiggled and struggled, but it was no use.
Making a fist with his right hand and protruding the knuckle of his middle finger, Lynn let out a villainous laugh. "Jie jie jie..."
"Let's play a game."
He blew a breath of hot air onto his right hand.
"I was wrong! I was wrong, Lynn!"
Harley, now panicking intensely, hugged Cho tightly, her small face filled with terror.
"Don't be scared, Harley, I'm just here to give you a check-up."
Harley's body went stiff as the hard object pressed against the sole of her foot. She forced a strained smile onto her pale face. "Lynn, let's talk this over, okay? Don't get physical..."
"Let me see if your kidneys are working properly—"
"Ah! It hurts, it hurts, it hurts!!!"
"This is the liver!"
"Mom—Mom, save me—"
The teary-eyed, weeping girl and the boy with the wildly wicked grin formed a scene worthy of a commemorative painting. Beside them, the quiet girl with a "whether to laugh or cry" expression was the sole witness to this farce.
"A total noob, yet so addicted to playing."
After tossing the foot aside and washing his hands, Lynn leaned forward, looking somewhat unsatisfied, and moved closer to say, "How about we try a new game when we get back after Christmas? It's absolutely super interesting."
"I won't!"
Harley wiped away her tears, shaking her head with a look of utter grievance.
"It's the kind you can win. Fair and just. Try it, it's really fun."
"Compete in what?" Harley asked skeptically.
"Reaction speed."
"Bring it on then! If you lose, you're not allowed to take it back!"
Hearing that it was a test of reaction speed, Harley immediately regained her confidence.
"So, done crying now?"
"Done crying."
Harley grabbed her robe to wipe her face; no need for anyone to comfort her, she was fine.
"If you're done crying, get ready to get off. Change out of your school uniform; we're arriving soon."
"Change your socks too. They reek. If I get athlete's foot on my hands, you're finished, Harley!"
"Cho~ Look at him, Lynn is bullying me!"
"Who's bullying whom?! Don't throw your stinky socks at me!"
"It's a Christmas present! Presents are meant to be put in socks," Harley argued righteously. A small jet of water sprayed from the tip of her wand to wash her feet, and with another wave, the water on the floor vanished instantly. She was very proficient with these little spells now.
"What kind of hardcore stuff are you reading? Are you sure you saw that in my collection?"
"The Lusty Argonian Maid." (A reference to a well-known lore book in The Elder Scrolls series.)
"Impossible! Absolutely impossible! Why would I collect that kind of chaotic trash!"
Just as Lynn was questioning his very existence, the Hogwarts Express gradually slowed down and came to a halt at Platform Nine and Three-Quarters.
Outside the window, parents were craning their necks in anticipation, bringing with them the scent of home.
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