In the days leading up to Christmas, the sky suddenly cleared, revealing a dazzling alabaster hue. The muddy grounds were covered with a layer of shimmering frost one morning. Snowflakes swirled above the grounds, each flake as big as a cotton candy.
Inside the castle, a festive Christmas atmosphere pervaded everywhere. Professor Flitwick had adorned his classroom with twinkling lights, which were actually real fluttering fairies. Students were joyfully discussing their holiday plans. Ron and Hermione decided to stay at Hogwarts—because Sirius Black would be released on Christmas Day.
Dumbledore exerted significant pressure on the Ministry of Magic, and the Daily Prophet ran extensive coverage about Black and Peter Pettigrew for a week, boosting newspaper sales. A large photo of Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge, being grilled by reporters, appeared on the front page, showing him frowning, looking frustrated, and constantly trying to shield his face with his hat under the flashlights.
Meanwhile, letters demanding severe punishment for Peter Pettigrew nearly overwhelmed the Ministry of Magic—a cowardly traitor who had faked his death and escaped for over a decade, even conned his way to a Merlin First Class Order! This was even more infuriating than last year's Lockhart incident.
Harry was counting down the days, often restlessly gazing out the window, as if his godfather might suddenly appear at any moment. He found a new hobby—repeatedly showing Orli, Ron, and Hermione a magical photo from his parents' wedding, where his father was waving at him, smiling broadly, his messy black hair sticking out in all directions, a trait inherited by Harry. The photo also featured his mother, Lily Evans, flushed with happiness, standing arm in arm with his father. Beside them was a handsome man, their best man, looking slightly long-haired, with a roguish grin, playfully nudging the groom with his fist.
# Harry: "This is my dad, this is my mom, and this is my godfather!"
Harry excitedly pointed them out to his friends. # Ron: "Harry, you've said that over a hundred times."
Ron tilted his head, handing over the latest Daily Prophet. The newspaper featured a new photo of Black, and if Orli didn't know the truth, she would never guess that the person in the old photo was the same as the one in the newspaper.
The newspaper showed Black confined in a room, staring straight at the camera, his cheeks sunken, skin sallow, stubble covering his cheeks and chin, looking like a skeleton wrapped in skin. His face bore a faint smile, but his eyes were filled with hatred and malice, as if trying to kill someone through the newspaper.
# Hermione: "He doesn't look good..."
Hermione was startled by the image of Black on the newspaper,
# Hermione: "But Harry, at least he's alive, and he doesn't seem to have gone mad..."
She spoke uncertainly.
## Orli: "Alright, Harry, don't overthink it. Everything will be clear at Christmas."
Orli said, her words muffled by a toad mint candy. She wasn't worried about Black, as long as he didn't provoke Snape, she'd be happy for him to enjoy life after prison.
Harry stared blankly at the newspaper photo, his gaze shifting between the newspaper and the old photo, as if trying to find some connection between Black and the past. Orli inadvertently glanced at the wedding photo in Harry's hand, her eyes resting on Lily Evans, feeling as if her heart was filled with lead, heavy and stifling. An indescribable emotion was growing within her, forcing her to turn her gaze away and focus on the parchment before her.
She knew that emotion was called jealousy.
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