Days flew by in a blur.
Between relaxing at home, helping his parents with small magical tasks, and secretly putting the finishing touches on Cho's gift, time moved fast.
Before he knew it…
Christmas Day arrived.
That morning, a large pile of presents waited for him near the fireplace.
Alexander walked over and started opening them one by one.
The biggest gift came from his parents.
Inside was a large enchanted invisibility cloak.
Not legendary like Harry's.
But still powerful.
Mr. Chen explained:
"It will only last until the end of your Hogwarts school career. After that, the enchantments will fade."
Mrs. Chen added with a teasing smile:
"It's for your late-night dates with Cho."
Alexander nearly choked.
Mr. Chen smirked slightly.
"Layer it with the Disillusionment Charm. Extra safety."
Alexander hugged them both.
"Thank you."
It was very useful.
After breakfast, his parents left for work.
"We'll meet you at the Weasley home for Christmas dinner tonight."
Alexander nodded and went back to his gifts.
From Headmaster Dumbledore — handmade socks.
Alexander stared at them for a long moment.
"…Of course."
Still, he appreciated the gesture.
From Professor McGonagall —
A book on advanced transfiguration, specifically focused on turning objects into animals.
Alexander's eyes lit up.
Very useful.
From Professor Flitwick —
A spellcraft book on creating and improving spells.
Alexander smiled.
"That's perfect."
From Professor Sprout —
A collection of rare magical seeds.
He carefully gave it to Silver and Copper to plant in his garden.
In return, Alexander had already prepared gifts for the professors.
Each received:
Carefully selected Snow War photos
• Christmas show enchanted photos
• High-quality enchanted frames for each photo
And one special addition…
A perfectly timed photo of Snape — making a small grin.
Peeves had somehow captured it at the exact moment.
Alexander nearly laughed again just thinking about it.
For his roommates and friends, gifts were simpler.
They exchanged sweets.
Alexander sent them candy from the United States.
Not as overwhelmingly sweet as British sweets, but unique in flavor.
Different textures.
Different styles.
They would definitely enjoy them.
Hermione hadn't sent him a gift.
Alexander didn't mind.
He still sent her one anyway.
Inside her package:
A book on advanced spells.
Along with his and Cho's 1st-year notes.
He didn't send the twins their gift.
They would see each other soon anyway.
Better to exchange in person.
For Mr. and Mrs. Schamander, Alexander sent them a letter and photos of his garden and highlights of the semester.
A close-up photo of the Troll.
In the letter, it mentioned visiting them sometime in the future, and showing them the Troll in person once Dumbledore gives it to him.
They sent a letter saying that his gift is not ready yet and will be by the summer.
Alexander didn't care. He was just excited for the gift.
He knew it was going to be a magical creature.
Then came the gift he received from Cho.
Alexander opened it carefully.
Inside was a handmade couple's house scarf.
Ravenclaw colors woven together beautifully.
Stitched into the edge were initials:
A.C — C.C
He smiled.
There was also a pair of dragon-hide gloves.
Firm. Durable. Flexible.
Enchanted to resist minor spell backlash.
Perfect for protecting his hands while casting or experimenting.
Alexander slipped them on immediately.
"Good choice."
He then thought of the gift he had sent to Cho.
His masterpiece.
A custom alchemy projection box crafted in the United States with help from his parents' contacts.
One cubic foot of an enchanted cube.
Simple button on top.
When pressed—
The cube unfolded outward like blooming petals.
Inside sat a magical projector core.
Once activated.
Light projections filled the air.
Photos appeared one after another:
Cho laughing.
Cho studying.
Cho flying.
Cho posing during enchanted snowfall.
Also, many photos of Alexander posing for her.
Then pictures of both of them:
Snow War victories.
Christmas dinner.
Hand-holding moments.
Candid shots Peeves had secretly taken.
There were dozens.
More than Alexander even remembered.
The projection ended with one final image—
They're holding hands beneath the Christmas lights.
Words appeared beneath it:
"Merry Christmas, Cho."
Alexander took a sip of his glass of orange juice.
Then he laughed quietly to himself.
"Oh wow…"
He shook his head, amused.
"How sweet of a boyfriend I am."