This was Cho Chang's first time ever visiting Hogsmeade.
Or rather, it was the first time she was truly experiencing the wizarding world outside of school.
"Oh my gosh, Hermione, look at this! They've got a huge Christmas tree—way bigger than the one in the Great Hall!" Cho stretched her arms up dramatically, gesturing at its massive size. "I had no idea there was stuff like this out here... Wait, is that Madam Lodal?"
Madam Lodal—the famous witch tailor of the wizarding world. Her clothes weren't just beautiful; they came with all sorts of extra effects.
Like Professor Dumbledore's nightcap: slip it on and you'd sleep like a baby, no matter how loud the thunder or wind got.
"Hermione, over here—come on!"
Cho was like a completely different person, grabbing Hermione's hand and dragging her straight toward Madam Lodal.
The lady herself wasn't young anymore. She didn't wear any flashy, eye-catching wizard accessories—just simple clothes that made her look almost like a Muggle.
But the silver brooch on her chest, embroidered with "Lodal," gave her away instantly.
Madam Lodal didn't often see young witches staring at her with such open admiration. A small smile tugged at her lips. "Two young little wizards—are you from Hogwarts?"
"Yes, ma'am!" Cho's eyes sparkled. "I absolutely love your clothes, especially that robe that changes color and never needs washing. It's so cool! I heard it can even resist most spells!"
Madam Lodal chuckled and shook her head. "Child, that's just rumor. It's not that powerful—if it could block most magic, the Ministry would've dragged me off ages ago. Haha, please, sit down, you two."
Cho got a little embarrassed. A bunch of wizards nearby were staring, and suddenly all eyes were on her.
Cho was the soft, sweet kind of girl—cute, with a gentle fragrance about her.
Tom watched her, cheeks flushed red like winter tomatoes...
He mentally smacked his forehead. How had crossing into the wizarding world turned him into someone who ran out of words?
"Oh?" Madam Lodal's gaze landed on Tom, lingering on his face for a while. "Very cute—very pretty little one. I love your eyes. And that curly hair... in winter, does it get all messy like goat wool every morning when you wake up?"
She laughed warmly. "Maybe you need a nightcap too. Hmm... Professor Dumbledore's would suit you, but it's not exactly cute. Let me see..."
She rummaged in her magical pouch for a moment, then looked disappointed. "I'm sorry—the curly goat wool is all gone. They don't sell that kind in England anymore."
Not wanting to see Tom look sad, she quickly added, "But I could make you a scarf instead. It'll keep you super warm in winter, and it's waterproof—you could even wear it in the bath."
Tom coughed awkwardly. "That's okay, Madam Lodal. I'd feel bad accepting it. But you mentioned curly goats... I think I've seen some in the Forbidden Forest."
Madam Lodal nodded. "They used to live there, yes. But one day, a terrifying creature showed up in the forest—one that drank unicorn blood. Curly goats are smart creatures; they migrated away. You might find them in the Momo Mountains now, but there aren't many left."
She sighed, then turned apologetically to Cho. "I'm sorry to you too, dear. If—if—we had some curly goat horn and wool, I could make you something really special."
Cho quickly waved her hands. "No, no—I don't need anything! Thank you so much, Madam Lodal. Hermione, we should probably get going."
Tom rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Madam Lodal, do you happen to have any curly goat wool left? Doesn't have to be much—just one strand."
"I do. What do you want it for?"
She pulled out a single curved white strand.
Curly goat hair was straight before it was sheared—even though the goats spent their days rolling in mud or crashing through bushes. They were special magical creatures, after all.
Tom took the white strand and said goodbye to Madam Lodal.
"Hermione, what are you gonna do with that?" Cho asked once they were outside.
"Hmm... Senior, you might've forgotten—I happen to be just a tiny bit good at Potions."
How good? About on par with a Potions master.
Oh wait, I am a Potions master. Cool, carry on.
"Come on, I'll show you something."
Back in the familiar Three Broomsticks, Tom pulled out a small vial of potion and sprinkled the white strand into it.
"Bang—"
Green smoke billowed up, hitting both of them right in the face.
"What is this stuff?" Cho pinched her nose, waving the smoke away. "Cough cough... it's kinda strong..."
"You'll get used to it, Senior. Here, drink up."
Cho blinked in confusion, pointing at herself. "I... drink it?"
"Yeah, but don't finish it—leave half for me. Maybe I should demo first?"
Tom downed half the vial in one go. "Don't worry, I added some honey—it's sweet, no bitter taste at all. Plus, it's really good for you."
"Good for me?"
Tom nodded. "Besides the honey, there's milk in there too. So in the future, Senior, you'll have a nice pair of..."
He trailed off, eyes flicking meaningfully to a certain part of Cho.
"You should drink more of it yourself!" Cho's face went bright red as she snatched the vial. She stared at the little bit of moisture left on the rim—couldn't tell if it was Tom's saliva or just potion residue.
But it smelled kinda nice. She closed her eyes and chugged the rest.
Suddenly, everything lit up.
Green glowing trails appeared, stretching out from right in front of them all the way into the distance—like guiding lines leading toward a mountain range.
"Tracking potion. Pretty cool, right?" Tom gave a thumbs-up. "So, time to head out. Curly goats are smart—almost human-level intelligence—but getting some wool from them is easy enough. We just gotta talk to them."
Cho froze. "We... head out?"
"Yep—we. You, Cho Chang. Me, Hermione Granger. We're going. This is your Christmas present."
Tom actually held back the second half of that sentence.
This wasn't just Cho's Christmas gift—it was Hermione's too.
That little missy never said it out loud, but after weeks of switching places once a week, Tom could guess.
Hermione must be so annoyed with this hair.
It's long and curly—super high-maintenance.
So this little gift? Consider it a reward for all Hermione's hard work keeping it looking nice.