"Harry Potter- Ravenclaw"Chapter 23: Warm Crimson
Xenophilius called out from the doorway several times before Luna, utterly absorbed in her fun, finally paused. With hands on her hips, she surveyed the meticulously decorated snowmen, nodding in satisfaction.
Both snowmen were delightfully plump. One sported coal eyes and a sky-blue blanket draped over its shoulders, its smile modest yet unmistakably joyful. The other had sparkling blue glass beads for eyes and wore a comically oversized, polka-dotted hat tilted at a jaunty angle, brimming with playful energy.
Luna unwound her scarf and looped it around the necks of both snowmen, then waved at the one in the sky-blue blanket. "Wyzett, Daddy's calling me home."
Wyzett couldn't help but chuckle, noticing the rosy glow on Luna's cheeks. He waved to the snowman in the polka-dot hat. "Luna, I should be heading back too."
"Let's go, then!" Luna's grin grew even brighter. She squinted up at the real Wyzett. "It's a shame we didn't have time to build a Daddy snowman."
"Mr. Lovegood?" Wyzett mused, his eyes lighting up. "I've got an idea…"
He scooped up a handful of snow and tapped it gently with his wand. The snow stretched and spun, transforming into a pink-and-white parasol—soft as spun sugar, the color of cotton candy.
Together, Luna and Wyzett set the parasol up, giving their two snowmen a cozy little shelter of their own.
…
Beyond new winter clothes, Xenophilius—at Luna's enthusiastic urging—had also picked out a riot of colorful battery-powered lights, bell-sticker decorations, ribbons, and balloons at the department store. These were the sorts of festive trimmings Muggles used for their holidays.
After several days' effort, the lightbulbs and ribbons were strung up all around. As the three moved through the house, a passing breeze would set the bell-stickers jingling—a bright, cheerful sound that filled the rooms.
On Christmas Eve itself, with everything else in place, they finally brought out the balloons.
"Whoa!" Xenophilius grabbed the air pump and pressed it down, only to leap back in surprise as a jet of air whooshed from the nozzle. "It sprays air just like that?"
Wyzett pulled out his wand. "If you're not used to it, Mr. Lovegood, you could always try the Water-Making Spell."
"Like this…" He poked his wand tip into the mouth of a balloon. "The air pump works the same way—just stick the nozzle in and pump back and forth."
"Water-Making Spell?" Xenophilius frowned. "Aren't balloons supposed to float? Why fill them with water?"
"The Water-Making Spell isn't just about water," Wyzett explained with a smile. "It's really more like moving something from one place to another."
"If you understand that, you can use it to conjure air instead—watch… Aguamenti!"
As he spoke, the balloon quickly swelled, becoming perfectly round and taut.
"Aguamenti!" Luna echoed, casting the spell in the same way. In just a couple of breaths, her balloon puffed up, too.
Xenophilius raised his wand, thinking hard before giving it a try. "Aguamenti?"
Puff! Puff! Puff!
Little jets of water and puffs of air spurted from his wand, as though the spell was mixing the two and pumping them out together.
"Daddy, you're amazing!"
"Mr. Lovegood, managing that on your first go is impressive!"
Luna and Wyzett spoke almost at the same time, their voices full of admiration.
"Er…" Xenophilius waved them off, a bit embarrassed. "No need to flatter me."
Wyzett explained, "Mr. Lovegood, Luna and I have been practicing the Water-Making Spell by breaking down the principles since summer…"
"We only just mastered it this time home, but you picked it up just from hearing us explain it once. That's honestly brilliant."
"That's right, Daddy!" Luna clung to Xenophilius's arm, her voice playful. "You're the best!"
"Heh! Give me a bit more time and I'll have it down, too!" Xenophilius grinned, waving the air pump. "But for now, I'll stick to this. Let's see who can blow up balloons faster!"
…
They barely had time to compete before a new challenge appeared.
"How'd it fly away?" Xenophilius had just finished inflating a balloon when, with a slip of his fingers, it shot off—zipping through the air with a long, sputtering pfffft!
"You've got to tie it off… like this." Wyzett stretched the balloon's neck around his index and thumb, pinched, then pulled—sealing it neatly.
"Wait, wait…" Xenophilius rubbed his eyes. "That was too quick—I missed it…"
Luna picked up a balloon and scooted closer. "I didn't see either. How do you do it?"
She pinched her balloon so tightly, afraid even a breath might escape and send it flying.
"Want me to guide your hands?" Wyzett offered.
"Mm-hmm!" Luna nodded eagerly, her face intent.
"See, just like this…" Wyzett stretched the balloon's neck, doing his best to avoid Luna's fingers.
"You're gripping it tight enough. Now, just wrap it around once—cough!—here, hold the balloon neck with me…"
But the opening was so small, their fingers inevitably brushed together.
Perhaps it was the effect of the Phoenix Mark, but Wyzett's fingers were always warm now. Every time Luna's fingertips met his, it felt like dipping her hands into a mug of rich, comforting tea.
And perhaps because of her own peculiar nature, Luna's fingers were cool and smooth—whenever Wyzett touched them, it was like brushing against delicate, translucent crystal.
Wyzett glanced up, just as Luna did the same. Their eyes met for a heartbeat—then, as if by silent agreement, both looked down again, focusing intently on the balloon.
Handing the balloon neck to Luna, Wyzett said softly, "Pinch here and pull back… there you go."
"Oh, so that's how!" Xenophilius exclaimed, enlightenment dawning. "I've got it!"
He moved quickly, stretching the balloon's neck long. Just as he was about to wrap it around his finger—bang!—the balloon burst, and a scrap of rubber landed with a plop in his hair.
Luna reached over to pluck out the piece. Xenophilius, a little sheepish, coughed. "Well—cough, cough!—I've got the principle down… that was just a slip-up!"
Wyzett nodded. "It happens. Sometimes the balloons just aren't stretchy enough—they pop easily."
"Exactly! That's it!" Xenophilius said, satisfied. "You're a sharp one, Wyzett!"
Maybe it was just his thick fingers, but tying balloons wasn't easy for him. After popping a few more, he declared he'd better get dinner started, leaving the balloon-blowing to Wyzett and Luna.
Luna's tying technique was still a bit clumsy, but with each attempt, her fingers grew more skillful.
As the number of balloons grew, the room filled with color—and with it, a gentle warmth. It was the kind of warmth that glowed in the crimson flush rising from earlobe to neck, and in the dancing firelight flickering in the hearth…
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