The start of the Christmas holiday wasn't exactly cheerful.
Nobody knew why, but it seemed the weather had taken a sharp turn. Temperatures dropped rapidly, and suddenly, a nasty flu swept through the school.
Within days, two-thirds of the students who stayed behind were sneezing, coughing, and running fevers.
Thankfully, the magical world had its own way of handling things.
Madam Pomfrey handed out a potion called Pepperup Potion that worked in minutes.
The only side effect? White smoke puffing from your ears, nose, and the top of your head like a living chimney.
Ted and Neville were among the lucky few who didn't catch it. They were still healthy, though not exactly cheerful.
Neville had been moody ever since the Parseltongue incident, and Ted... well, even just hearing the words "cough" and "fever" made his stomach twist.
After what he'd lived through in another world, his nerves still hadn't fully recovered.
But not all was grim.
Since most students had left for the holidays, the house-elves in the kitchens finally had time to get creative.
The meals became extravagant—things they normally wouldn't cook for a large crowd.
Dishes like spicy chicken shreds, roasted monstrous tail (which was definitely just spicy sausage), and enchanted jelly that danced across the table.
George nearly sweated himself into a puddle while eating the hot food.
"Shu shu shu fo fo~"
Fred, sitting beside him, laughed. "Merlin's beard, George! I thought you were having a Parseltongue episode!"
The nearby students chuckled.
As awkward as Neville's situation had been, the twins managed to spin it into comedy gold.
Their jokes slowly defused the tension.
What had once been fear and whispers turned into eye rolls and laughter.
Not bad for a couple of pranksters.
Christmas Eve arrived quietly.
Neville's dorm was half-empty. Seamus had gone home for the break, leaving just Neville, Ted, and Dean Thomas.
Dean, however, had been acting strange.
Ted noticed him sneaking off to write letters home and only falling asleep once Neville had dozed off.
Any time Neville stood up or even coughed, Dean flinched like he'd seen a Boggart.
It drove Ron up the wall.
"Last year I punched Dean over a football match," Ron said one night. "We made up. But now he's acting like Neville's going to summon a giant snake and eat him alive!"
Neville tried to brush it off. "It's alright, Ron. He's just... nervous."
"No," Ron scowled. "It's not alright. He's acting like you're cursed. That ticks me off."
Later that night, Ron sat at his desk, scribbling in a notebook, muttering to himself.
Jerry snuck up behind him and whispered in a sing-song voice, "Diu diu diu~ It's me!"
Ron jumped. "Oi! Jerry! Don't scare me like that!"
"What are you working on?" Jerry leaned in with a grin.
Ron tried to cover the notebook, but Jerry already caught a glimpse.
"Let's see... 'Slug earnings: 6 Galleons, 12 Sickles. Amulet sales: 3 Galleons, 13 Sickles. George underpaid me by 2 Galleons. Said I didn't do enough. Betrayal. I'll never forgive him.'"
Jerry burst into laughter. "Good grief, Ron! That's quite the grudge list. You're practically writing your own Marauder's Map of revenge."
"Don't judge me!" Ron said, face red. "He still owes me!"
Jerry leaned back, clearly amused. "Hey... think I could earn a few Galleons if I spat up some slugs too?"
...
Christmas morning came with clear skies and perfect snowfall. Ted woke up to a familiar sound in his head:
---
Ding~ Task triggered:
[Shining Smile (Green)]
'On this joyful day, let your happiness shine! As Professor Lockhart's most dazzling student, it's your duty to spread joy with a radiant smile.'
Goal: Hold a toothpick between your teeth and flash your brightest smile 30 times today.
Reward: 250 XP and card [Shaking Tiger (Green)]
---
Ted blinked. "What the heck is a Shaking Tiger?"
He got out of bed—it was just him and Anzu in the dormitory now—and noticed the pile of gifts at the foot of his bed.
But before tearing into the presents, he headed off to freshen up.
When he returned, he began opening them one by one.
The first was from Hagrid: a bundle of unicorn tail hairs! Ted had shown interest in them during one of their chats, and clearly, Hagrid remembered.
He must've braved the snowy Forbidden Forest for days to collect them.
Next was Mrs. Weasley's annual gift—a hand-knit scarf with a big letter "T" on it and a slice of raisin cake.
Ted smiled warmly. By the time he graduated, he'd probably have a full "Mrs. Weasley Collection."
He'd sent her a knitting pattern book from a Muggle shop—"Classic Knitting Patterns 101." It felt like a perfect match.
Hermione's gift came next: a pair of hand-knitted gloves.
One was too large, the other too small, with a few awkward stitches.
But it was thoughtful and full of effort—classic Hermione.
Harley's gift was a rare book titled Black Alchemy Secrets, supposedly from the Black family archives.
It was full of obscure theories and rituals that blended old wizarding knowledge with practical potioncraft.
Ted held it up, grinning. "Now this... this is a Christmas gift."
...
Having breakfast in the Great Hall, Ted sat early, waiting for his friends.
A toothpick dangled from his mouth, his scarf was wrapped snug around his neck, and Anzu perched on his shoulder, his reflective feathers catching the morning light.
Ted looked like a character straight out of a magical adventure—cool, confident, and a little too dazzling with that forced bright smile he kept flashing at everyone.
"Merlin's beard, how old is he?!" a second-year mumbled while hurrying past.
Ted whispered to himself, "Better get this task over with before the hall fills up."
He flashed another grin, teeth shining like they'd been buffed with unicorn wax, hoping he could complete the mission quickly before someone started asking questions.
Hermione was the first of his friends to arrive.
"Ted! Thank you for the gift. I love it," she said warmly, then gave Anzu a little wave. "Merry Christmas, Anzu!"
She paused, noticing Ted's oddly strained expression. "Are you okay?"
Ted forced a casual tone, "Oh, nothing. Just remembered something funny."
He quickly dialed the smile down a notch.
Only a few more to go... For the Shaking Tiger card, he wasn't about to give up halfway.
Luckily, Hermione was more excited about her gift than his face.
"The magic comb you gave me is amazing," she said, swinging her head slightly. "My hair's never been this smooth. It's saved me so much time."
Hermione had always been a bit too busy to worry about her wild hair. But with Ted's detangling potion and the Christmas gift—a self-combing wooden brush—it was now much more manageable.
The comb was made of ebony wood, enchanted to gently untangle knots on its own. Ted had even carved a tiny beaver wearing a flower crown into the side as a personal touch. Hours of effort, totally worth it.
She giggled. "When I first got it, I thought of the Snow White story. You know, the poisoned comb? I was almost afraid to try it!"
Ted chuckled. The mention of Snow White gave him a new idea—maybe a darker fairy tale series for wizard kids?
At that moment, the rest of the Gryffindors walked in.
Ted gritted his teeth, flicked the toothpick with flair, and flashed them a sparkling smile that could've rivaled Lockhart himself.
Jerry immediately shielded his eyes. "Blimey! Someone turn off the sun!"
The four stared at him like he'd just announced he was the next Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher.
Ron leaned in and whispered, "Has Lockhart possessed him?"
Hermione raised an eyebrow. "Ron, what happened to you?"
Jerry answered with a smirk, "Ron's owl's falling apart. It slammed into his bed this morning trying to deliver a package. Nearly knocked itself out."
Hermione waved her wand and cast a cleaning charm, brushing the stray feathers off Ron.
Ted exhaled. Task complete. Finally. If he'd grinned any longer, someone would've hexed him.
They exchanged Christmas wishes and thanked each other for the gifts.
Ted's present to Neville was a Muggle book—The Shepherd Boy's Fantastic Journey, published in 1988. A tale about dreams, destiny, and choices, somewhere between a fairy tale and feel-good soul food.
On the title page, Ted had written: "When you truly desire something, the whole universe conspires to help you achieve it."
For Ron, Ted had made a protective charm—an amulet crafted from unicorn hair he'd received from Hagrid. It was enchanted with calming energy and a spell to ward off nightmares. Jerry had mentioned Ron had been having rough dreams lately—some wounds just take longer to heal.
He gave Harley a prank toy: a small box that popped open with a spring-loaded boxing glove. She'd already tricked three people that morning, cackling the whole time.
Jerry got a pair of Nike sneakers, Muggle-made and sleek. His reaction? "Brilliant!"
Ted had also given Luna a copy of Arabian Nights, full of wild tales and magical adventures—right up her alley.
Professor McGonagall received a figurine of a chibi-style Quidditch Seeker that looked like her younger self, mid-air on a broom, chasing a Snitch.
Snape got an anonymous gift—a massive bottle of Ted's own smoothing shampoo.
With any luck, he'd take the hint.
And for Hagrid, Ted had spent some real money at a Muggle fur shop, buying a huge bearskin coat. In the hunter's hut, Hagrid had just opened it.
"Look, Fang!" he beamed, holding up the coat. "It's so soft! Much better than that scratchy old moleskin one I've been patchin' up for years."
Fang barked in agreement, tail thumping against the wooden floor.