Hagrid's voice was loud, and Kael noticed that Professor McGonagall looked around nervously, seemingly not wanting other students to hear about these things from over ten years ago.
Especially in this place where they were, Professor McGonagall paused the longest.
Kael immediately pretended to be nonchalant, eating his meat pie.
"Hagrid, please! Keep your voice down," said Professor McGonagall.
But her reminder didn't have much effect.
Even when Hagrid tried to lower his voice intentionally, it was still pretty clear.
"He even wanted me to hand Harry over to him, that scoundrel... luckily I refused, because I had Dumbledore's orders, had to take Harry to his uncle and aunt's house..."
"Hagrid!"
Professor McGonagall glanced over again, with a hint of annoyance in her voice.
"Kael, let's go find Cho and Cedric."
At this moment, Conna suddenly said, "They should be done talking by now, and I also need to go to Madam Puddifoot Tea House to buy something."
"Seems like we're on the same page." Kael stood up, and just as he was about to take out money, Conna had already placed two Galleons on the table.
"You..."
Kael was about to say something, but Conna unceremoniously pulled him out of the bar.
Not until they got onto the street, Conna smiled and said, "You treated me to coffee earlier, now it's my turn to treat you."
"No..."
Kael hesitated for a moment and said, "Actually, what I meant was you gave too much. Those things cost one Galleon and five Sickles, why did you give two Galleons."
"Ah?" Conna was somewhat stunned, "Why didn't you say so earlier."
"You have to give me a chance." Kael spread his hands.
While Conna hesitated about whether to go back again, Cedric and Cho happened to run over from a distance.
"Hey, where did you guys go just now!"
Upon seeing Kael and Conna, Cho immediately asked discontentedly.
They were just talking about whether to explore the Shrieking Shack, then turned around and found the table left with two barely touched cups of coffee, but the two who came along were gone.
"I went to almost every shop but couldn't find you," said Cedric.
"We've been here, at the Three Broomsticks," Kael said, "I guess you haven't been here."
Cedric was stunned for a moment; indeed, he hadn't been there before.
"But hadn't you just drunk coffee?"
"Too sweet." Kael shrugged, "Butter Beer is more to our taste."
Cedric pursed his lips, it indeed seemed to be the case... Strange, why didn't he notice the coffee being that sweet just now.
With this interruption, Conna felt too embarrassed to go back for the change and followed them forward reluctantly.
Then they found Fred and George at Zonko's Joke Shop and went to the Shrieking Shack together.
Going there for an adventure was something they planned long ago.
But when they actually arrived, they found that it wasn't as interesting as the legends said.
After they opened the big lock on the door, they discovered it was just a room that hadn't been inhabited for a long time.
The wallpaper was peeling off, a thick layer of dust was on the floor, and all the furniture was broken, as if someone had smashed them.
"As expected, the legends are unreliable."
Fred, disappointed, kicked a broken stool, "Those villagers must have made up the legend of the howling at night to attract more tourists."
"To me, this is just a long-uninhabited empty room."
George ran a hand over the table, "Look at this dust, obviously, no one has been here for years."
"Could it be a ghost?" Cho asked.
"Hogwarts has the most ghosts, have you ever heard them howling?" Fred said, "Besides, ghosts can't break furniture."
He picked up a broken chair leg from the floor and knocked on the floor twice.
"I bet someone deliberately caused damage here to create those strange sounds."
After days of anticipation, it ended up being so disappointing, the ordinary Shrieking Shack made them lose interest in wandering around.
After leaving here, they went straight back to the castle.
Kael, walking at the back, put the lock back on the main door.
The time was still early, the castle was quiet.
Filch stood in the entrance hall, staring intently at them... or more accurately, at Fred and George.
When they left Zonko's, their pockets were bulging, obviously stuffed with lots of goodies.
Filch walked over.
"Wait, I need to check..."
Before he could finish his words, Fred and George suddenly quickened their pace, darting past him and disappearing into the hall.
"Stop!" Filch shouted angrily, "You two, stop right there!"
Amidst Filch's roars, the quiet castle instantly became lively.
...
At dinner, everyone gathered to discuss holiday plans.
"What did you say?!" Cedric looked at Kael in disbelief, "You're not staying at Hogwarts for Christmas this year?"
For the past three years, Kael had always stayed at school during Christmas, and Cedric thought this year would be the same.
To ensure it, he had pestered his dad with letters for a month and even put his name on the stay list two days ago.
He intended to surprise Kael, but unexpectedly, he was going home this year instead!
Must have been on purpose!
"Yes." Kael, unaware of Cedric's thoughts, calmly said, "I can't spend every Christmas here, can I?"
"I..."
Just as Cedric was about to speak up, Cho, who had sneaked over, suddenly said,
"What a shame, I thought someone would keep me company."
"You're not going back home this year?" Kael asked.
"That's right." Cho nodded, "My dad wrote to me a few days back, saying they would be out for a while at Christmas, so I can only stay at school."
"I see." Kael nodded and then looked at Cedric, "What were you going to say?"
"Oh, nothing much."
Cedric calmly took a sip of pumpkin juice, "Just wanted to wish you a Merry Christmas. Also, I chose to stay at school this year, so I can't accompany you home."
"You're staying too?" Kael raised an eyebrow, "Did Mr. Digory agree? Or did you just decide on your own?"
"I signed my name on the stay list two days ago." Cedric said.
"Me too." Conna giggled, saying to Cho, "During the holidays, we can do our homework together in the library."
Kael suddenly realized that this year's holiday dynamics had completely flipped; aside from himself, everyone else seemed to have chosen to stay, including Fred and George.
They were working on a new Skiving Snackbox, which would likely be discovered by Mrs. Weasley if they went home.