Tomorrow was Christmas, and everyone was marveling at how quickly time had passed.
Perhaps holidays were simply an excuse people had found to gather together. If people did not meet on that day, then the holiday itself was dead.
Hogwarts Castle had been decorated everywhere for Christmas, looking both solemn and festive. Unfortunately, not many people had stayed behind this year. The holly and mistletoe hanging in the corridors, the Christmas trees in the Great Hall, and the Star of Bethlehem atop the castle spires were left for only the remaining professors and ghosts to admire.
At noon, the students said goodbye to their professors and took the express train home, leaving behind a magnificent but lonely old castle. Harry's group of four was also preparing to leave school. They did not plan to go home, but to help Sirius hunt down the traitor. In the eyes of these young wizards, who were still too fearless to know better, this dangerous task could be considered a trial.
Lily also boarded the Hogwarts Express. She was going to London to visit her sister Petunia, but more than that, she wanted to know what Harry's life with the Dursleys was really like.
James had the same thought, but because he was buried in work, he had no choice but to stay at the school.
On Christmas Eve, in Surrey, just outside London, the Dursley family was preparing a feast.
Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Neville had all gathered at the house. Their visit had been sudden.
Four wizards had appeared in the house at once, frightening Vernon and Petunia badly. They were afraid Harry had brought them here to take revenge.
But Harry made himself very clear. They were only passing by. They would not even be staying the night and would leave after dinner.
Ron and Neville found it novel to attend a Muggle Christmas Eve dinner. Hermione, on the other hand, was not surprised at all. She borrowed the family's phone to call her parents and wish them well.
Vernon hid in the kitchen and said to his wife, "This is outrageous. That brat Harry really thinks he's the master of this house now. Look at him, already daring to bring his disreputable friends home. At this rate, our house might become some kind of wizard gathering place. God curse those freaks!"
Aunt Petunia stared at the turkey in the oven and said in a shrill voice, "All right, they're only here to mooch a meal anyway. That chubby boy, Neville Longbottom, looks like he can eat quite a lot. Go take the black pudding out of the refrigerator, then go to the corner shop and buy some white bread, jam, and cheese. We can't let my precious Dudley go hungry."
Vernon muttered under his breath, put on his hat, and went out. Petunia stood by the window and watched his back gradually disappear into the dim, snowy street. Then she noticed a lone woman standing by the roadside, seemingly watching them from a distance. Petunia vaguely felt that the woman's figure looked familiar, and she murmured instinctively, "Lily… you're back?"
She immediately frowned hard, her expression turning uncomfortable and nauseated as she whispered to herself, "I must be losing my mind. She's been dead for… twelve years… yes, twelve years. How fast."
Petunia leaned against the kitchen door and secretly watched the green-eyed boy sitting at the table, waiting for dinner. After a long while, she let out a sneer.
Petunia did not like Lily. She felt sincerely ashamed of herself for missing her witch of a younger sister.
Vernon returned with the food, and the enormous roasted turkey was brought to the table. The young wizards cheered. Vernon and Petunia forced smiles onto their faces, while their son Dudley was completely carefree, competing with Ron and Neville over who had the better appetite. The family spent an awkward Christmas Eve together.
Lily had cast a Disillusionment Charm and stood quietly outside the window, carefully observing everyone around the table.
A cold atmosphere covered the inside of the house. The bad relationship between Harry and this family was almost visible to the naked eye. Of course Lily knew her sister hated her. Petunia had been jealous of Lily's magical talent, and that hatred seemed to have affected how she saw Harry as well.
Once the meal was over, Harry was the first to get up and say goodbye. Hermione followed right after him. Neville also reacted, put down his knife and fork, and finally they reminded Ron, whose mouth was stuffed full, that it was time to go do something serious.
"G-goodbye!" Ron, the red-haired boy, spat out a chicken bone and left with his companions.
Lily was startled and uncertain. She did not know what these children were planning to do. When she saw them each take out a flying broomstick from who knew where, she panicked too.
Inside the house, Vernon and Petunia were still complaining about Harry's sudden visit when a red-haired witch holding a wand rushed into the room.
"Who are you?!" Vernon shouted nervously, though he did show enough courage to protect his wife and son.
Lily looked at the family. Instead of greeting them, she asked, "Hand over your brooms."
"What?" Petunia was stunned, trembling as she pointed toward the cupboard under the stairs.
Lily opened the cupboard with a spell. After looking around, she noticed that there were many personal belongings inside. Stickers were pasted on the walls, and there were some doodles and carved marks, as if someone had once lived there for a long time.
As a mother, Lily immediately had a bad suspicion. But she had no time to get to the bottom of it.
A minute later, Lily grabbed a crude homemade flying broomstick and shakily chased after Harry and the others.
…
At dusk, Skyl rode a flying broomstick out of Hogwarts and headed south toward London. When he saw the lights of Big Ben, he took a photo of London's night scenery and sent it to Marika.
[Image.jpg]
Almost immediately, she replied, [Where are you?]
Sitting on the broomstick, Skyl leisurely typed, [London. Didn't we visit Big Ben together?]
Marika sent him a winking emoji, then said, [Want a late-night snack?]
[Let's go to the tavern, just like last Christmas.]
[OK.]
Marika put down her phone and looked out the window at the moonlit sky. Beneath the sparse clouds high above, a faint streak of light passed by, so subtle it almost looked like a bit of moonlight slipping through the clouds. But she guessed it was the trail of a flying broomstick. Wizards riding broomsticks were tiny targets in the sky, and when they passed over Muggle settlements, they often used Disillusionment Charms or magical items to hide themselves, making them even harder to spot.
When the tiny shooting star in the distant sky flew beyond the reach of her sight, Marika heard the doorbell ring.
After opening the door, a young wizard holding a broomstick took off his pointed hat and smiled at her.
"Let's go."
Marika smiled brightly and sat sidesaddle on the flying broomstick. Skyl took her into the night sky and flew toward a street corner in London.
In a bleak, abandoned district stood a small tavern filled with magic. Snow lay over the roof and window ledges like a white velvet blanket, while warm light spilled out through the gray glass and the cracks around the door. Shadowy ghosts drifted back and forth behind the windows.
When Skyl walked into the tavern, Mr. Henton behind the counter was overjoyed.
"Skyl, I was wondering when you would come by."
Mr. Henton, the ghost, was dressed in a suit and poured drinks for Skyl and Marika. He was as courteous as a gold-medal butler. The instruments in the tavern began playing for the reunion of old friends. No matter how many years passed, no matter how far apart they were, the Traveling Tavern would always keep rooms for Skyl and the three ladies.
"I'm planning to invite some friends over," Skyl said. "Please prepare enough food."
The wizard opened portals and went to every universe to call his friends. Before long, the tavern was filled with all sorts of guests from other worlds. Everyone gathered together joyfully, and food was brought to the tables like flowing water.
Skyl raised his glass and said with a smile, "Merry Christmas Eve. Tomorrow is Christmas. We'll wait for it here together. Friends, let's drink."
The guests from other worlds burst into laughter. They did not necessarily know what Christmas was, but holidays were always an excuse to gather. What mattered was wine, stories, laughter, and friends.
"Skyl, come here. I'll introduce you to a friend." Stan Lee pulled Skyl over to sit at a round table in the corner. Sitting there were the great Eru Ilúvatar and another old man with thick hair and a full beard.
The newcomer had a very kind face, with white hair and a white beard, just like God in many movies and TV shows. At first glance, Skyl almost thought Yahweh had arrived, but after listening to Stan's introduction, he learned that this was Ao, the Overgod who created Realmspace.
Realmspace was one of the famous settings of the tabletop roleplaying game Dungeons & Dragons.
"A pleasure to meet you." Skyl was also surprised. He had not actually noticed the arrival of this Overgod, but judging from the situation, He and Ilúvatar and Stan were old acquaintances. These three creator gods seemed rather familiar with one another.
"Hello, Wizard Skyl," Ao said in a very amiable manner. "I heard Eru mention you long ago. This tavern is quite nice. I remember that when I first planned to create Realmspace, I came up with the idea while drunk with friends in a tavern."
Skyl sat by the table and asked about the relationship between these creator gods.
Stan said very calmly, "We often visit one another. Ao is always hosting tabletop games and inviting us to play."
Skyl's eyes lit up. "What kind of tabletop game? Is it fun?"
Ao smiled and said, "Come find me when you have time. It's just a D&D campaign. Even if you've never played, you should have heard of it."
The wizard readily agreed.
Everyone in the tavern chatted and laughed, preparing to welcome Christmas together.
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