After a while, the Friendship Book gradually quieted down again. Vid guessed they might be busy setting up other chat groups.
Among the Christmas gifts he gave, there wasn't just the one connected to his own Friendship Book, but also blank parchment for two, three, four, and five people each. The professors even added a stack for ten people, making it a thick booklet, so that it could be called a "BOOK".
In Vid's vision, every student at Hogwarts would have their own Friendship Book. They would exchange parchment with friends or family, building various sized chat groups. Perhaps it wouldn't be long before Hogwarts added a new rule—no opening the Friendship Book during class, violators will have it confiscated! Maybe students would compare the thickness and value of their Friendship Books, with some buying blank parchment to insert inside to pretend they've joined many chat groups to show off.
However, Professor Morry told him not to sell the Friendship Book for now.
A path that seemed "profitable and promising" was abruptly blocked, and Vid sighed with some frustration. He put away the Friendship Book and began unwrapping his presents for this year.
Most of the numerous gift boxes under the Christmas tree were from Ferdinand's employees. Vid had been hanging around his father's toy factory since childhood; he was smart and sensible, with an adorable appearance, making many of the veteran employees fond of him. Even after not seeing him for over half a year, they still sent gifts. They gave him various toys popular among ordinary people, exquisite pens and notebooks, children's books, and so on.
A few were gifts from his Muggle classmates from primary school, simpler ones like candy, greeting cards, and small toys.
These were gifts he received annually, and Vid, of course, had already sent gifts of similar value in advance.
Then there were the gifts from the Wizarding World.
Unlike Vid, who used the same gift to handle everyone, people sent him various books as presents.
Professor Morry gave him a handwritten Alchemy Notes notebook, which Vid carefully stored away, intending to read it after having a meal;
Professor Flitwick gave him a copy of the Complete Spellbook—a book in the Hogwarts library that requires a professor's note for borrowing. Vid also planned to finish reading it during the holiday.
Michael gave him Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them; Hermione gave him The Alchemist; Padma's gift was Gilderoy Lockhart's Wandering with Werewolves; Theo gave The Oldest Magical Plants in the World; Leian gave The Beauty of the Starry Sky; Neville gave Secrets of Transfiguration.
Apparently, his book-loving image was deeply rooted in everyone's minds, and it seemed that everyone naturally chose to gift him books.
Looks like he'll be quite busy this holiday.
.........
Hogwarts.
When Dumbledore got up in the morning, even the shoes by his bedside were buried in presents.
Being a professor at Hogwarts for almost a century, he had taught countless students, with nearly eighty percent of the wizards in the British Isles having been his students.
Moreover, he was the President of the International Wizarding Union, the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, and recognized as the greatest wizard of his time and the greatest headmaster in Hogwarts's history—although Dumbledore himself didn't care much about these titles and accolades, it was clear that most people did. Wizards around the world wanted to maintain good relations with him.
Therefore, every Christmas, Dumbledore would receive a lot, a lot, of gifts, nearly enough to flood the Headmaster's Tower.
Thankfully, his skill with The Undetectable Extension Charm was quite good.
Thus, the entire week after Christmas was generally spent by Dumbledore in opening gifts.
This was an activity he greatly enjoyed.
Of course, it wasn't the value of the gifts themselves he cared about, but rather the growth he could see in people, their desires, and occasionally, little surprises—perhaps an evil curse or an innocent prank.
Most people who didn't know him well would gift him books out of admiration for the wizard, both Muggle and wizarding books, many of which Dumbledore had already read, but he still accepted them gladly.
Those familiar with him knew that the old man was a hopelessly addicted sweet tooth, usually gifting cakes, chocolates, cockroach clusters, Fizzing Whizzbees, and other sweets, some hiding deadly magic potions, making the process of identifying them a rather interesting game for Dumbledore.
There were also some people… Though they never contacted him regularly, they still sent gifts on this special day. Even if it was just a piece of paper, a leaf, or a pair of not-so-nice, sheepy-smelling woolen socks, Dumbledore would cherish them greatly.
Just as Dumbledore was opening a box half his height, an owl suddenly flew in through the window, dropping a small package onto Dumbledore's knee.
Could it be that someone just remembered him upon waking, and then sent him a gift?
Thinking this, Dumbledore set aside the box and proceeded to open the small package first.
Inside was only a piece of parchment and a narrow slip of paper—
[Dear Albus: This is a creation by my student—Vid Gray! I am extremely proud to share my joy with you!
Take care.
Morry]
Even the "all-knowing" Dumbledore was bewildered by this vague letter. He unfolded the parchment and checked both sides, confirming that apart from Morry's name, there was nothing written on it.
Just as Dumbledore was about to inspect it with a spell, someone came to visit him.
Dumbledore walked to the entrance, where Filius Flitwick stood at the door, holding a similar piece of parchment, excitedly exclaiming, "Oh, Professor Dumbledore, this is my piece. I must say, I knew he would become extraordinary, but I didn't expect it so soon! Hasn't he only been studying magic for three and a half months?"
"—Vid Gray?" Dumbledore tried asking.
"Yeah, who else could it be?" Professor Flitwick replied, stepping lightly and humming a tune as he left.
Dumbledore looked down at what Flitwick had given him. On that piece of parchment, again, there was nothing but Flitwick's name.
Next came Pomona Sprout.
"I thought about it, and aside from you, who else would deserve this piece?" The witch said warmly, "Feel free to contact anytime."
Then came Minerva McGonagall. Seeing Dumbledore clutching a small stack of them, she handed over hers a bit displeased: "Oh, I thought I'd be the first, I didn't expect Pomona to be so quick!"
Actually, she had opened other gifts first, and by the time she found this one, it was already a bit late.
Finally, Snape came along, handing over a notebook.
"Hmph." The Professor of Potions said with a cold gaze, "I kept my own, didn't need the others—useless contacts only waste my time."
Dumbledore: …
So does everyone have one, but he doesn't know what it is?
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