To her surprise, there was a small parcel from Dobby. She tore open the outer wrapping, revealing a beautifully crafted witch's robe, meticulously cared for and adorned with exquisite patterns, seemingly worth a fortune—likely costing Dobby a month's wages.
Orli felt a bit guilty for overlooking Dobby's gift. Seizing the moment when Hermione went to the restroom and the dormitory was empty, she summoned Dobby to personally wish him a Merry Christmas and reciprocated with a large, unopened package of Honeydukes products. Dobby was moved to tears, frantically using his small clothes to wipe away the tears rolling down his large eyes, preventing them from dripping onto Orli's bed—he was now a free elf and could have his own clothes. Somehow, he had acquired a set of clothes that fit him perfectly, though the color scheme was quite bold and avant-garde: a light blue shirt, bright green shorts, and two long socks, one red and one yellow.
Before he returned to the Waters' old house, Orli gifted him a copy of "20th Century Wizarding Fashion Guide," a magazine given to VIP customers by Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. She already had several copies and hoped Dobby could slightly improve his taste in attire.
After Dobby left, Orli picked up her last Christmas gift. Deep green wrapping paper, silver ribbons. It didn't take much thought to know who it was from.
The gift had arrived in the morning, but unfortunately, she hadn't opened it immediately. Orli slowly tore open the rectangular packaging, only to find a somewhat worn copy of "Advanced Potion-Making." Accompanying the book was a simple Christmas card with just two lines:
"A reference book, might be useful.
S.S"
A reference book? Orli picked up the textbook, clearly second-hand, and opened the cover, discovering that the page where the signature should have been had been torn out. Patiently flipping through, she found the book filled with dense annotations, mostly about potions, with some parts even modifying the textbook. She was very familiar with the handwriting—it belonged to Snape, though slightly different from now.
Engrossed, she lay on the bed, flipping through the book, feeling increasingly rewarded. Suddenly, her hand paused on a page. In the corner of that page, someone had casually written a spell—"Sectumsempra."
Orli froze, then flipped through the book rapidly, indeed finding "Levicorpus." She turned back to the cover page, tracing the rough edges where it had been torn. Now she knew the book's origin:
The torn cover page should have said—"This book is the property of the Half-Blood Prince."
This was the potion textbook Snape had used back in his school days.
A surge of joy suddenly filled Orli's heart. She joyfully hugged the book, unsure whether to scream or jump in excitement. But soon she knew exactly what to do. She jumped off the bed, grabbed her wand, and recited the spell she had practiced countless times during the holiday but never succeeded:
## Orli: "Expecto Patronum!"
With her soft incantation, a dense white smoke shot from the tip of her wand, more substantial than ever before. She desperately recalled every detail about Snape, and a medium-sized silver animal gradually formed at her wand's tip, then gracefully danced around her. She carefully observed the animal; it resembled a large cat.
### Notes:
- Dobby is now a free elf, allowing him to wear clothes, symbolizing his freedom.
- The "Advanced Potion-Making" book is significant as it belonged to Snape during his time at Hogwarts, annotated by him under the alias "Half-Blood Prince."
- The spell "Expecto Patronum" is a protective charm, and Orli's successful casting signifies her emotional connection and growth.
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