The next morning, Kyle awoke to find a small mountain of presents at the foot of his bed. Most were snacks—chocolates and sweets—and there were quite a few more than he’d expected.
“Being a good student really does have its perks,” Kyle murmured, setting the snacks aside and eagerly moving on to the rest.
Hagrid’s gift was the largest, resembling a small wooden barrel wrapped in thick brown paper. “Could it be… a Mooncalf?” he wondered with a mix of hope and dread as he carefully unwrapped it. Thankfully, it wasn’t. Hagrid had given him a Lady's Mantle, the barrel serving as a makeshift planter filled with soil. Fresh dew on its leaves suggested Hagrid had just dug it up in the Forbidden Forest.
In return, Kyle had gifted Hagrid a model of the Dragon used during the Triwizard Tournament—a little figurine that could fly low, spit fire, and even move around. He was sure Hagrid would love it.
Cedric’s gift was a signed copy of Quidditch Through the Ages, with signatures from the Chudley Cannons. Kyle took one look at the team’s signature and promptly set it aside with a grimace. Not my team, he thought with mild disdain.
Cedric, on the other hand, would likely be thrilled with Kyle’s gift to him: his prized, autographed bat from the Wimbourne Wasps. He had even sent a special request to Mrs. Weasley, asking her to mail it for him. Mrs. Weasley had sent a reply scolding him for not coming home over the holiday and promising a good telling-off come summer. Kyle wasn’t worried. A handmade apron and a stellar report card would ensure she forgave him without a fuss.
Kanna had knitted him a pair of wool mittens, each bearing his initials, and her knitting skill was surprisingly refined. They fit perfectly and would go well with the sweater Mrs. Weasley had given him. For Kanna, he’d picked out a handbag enchanted with an anti-theft charm—practical and stylish.
Fred’s gift was a bottle of disappearing ink, and George’s was a collection of Chocolate Frog cards, neatly stored in a transparent card holder. For them, Kyle had chosen Elementary Alchemy, a textbook from Beauxbatons’ alchemy course, hoping it would aid them in their recent experiments with playful inventions.
His roommates hadn’t forgotten him either: Mikel gifted him a finely crafted gold brooch, while Ryan presented him with a wizard chess set.
To his surprise, Kyle also found a present from a professor. Professor Flitwick had given him two thick notebooks filled with meticulous notes from Flitwick’s own first through third years, detailing his understanding of Charms—a treasure for any magic student. Kyle felt a twinge of guilt, as he’d only gifted Professor Flitwick a simple amulet carved from mountain ash.
In fact, he’d given small presents to every professor. Professor McGonagall received a Golden Snitch hat ornament; Professor Sprout, a tool maintenance kit; Professor Oren, an elegant walking stick; and Professor Binns, a humorous newspaper clipping titled Europe’s Top Three Wizarding Academies: Professor Perks. For Headmaster Dumbledore, he’d chosen One Hundred Ways to Knit Woolen Socks.
And then, of course, there was Professor Snape. Kyle had felt it necessary to show his appreciation for Snape’s recent…attention, so he had sent him a crate of “Sleekeazy's Hair Potion.” He hadn’t signed the gift and had gone through some effort to ensure it was anonymous, using a school owl to send it to the Owl Post Office in Diagon Alley, which would then deliver it to Snape’s quarters.
Though the process had been a bit complex, Kyle was sure it was well worth it. He could just imagine how deeply moved Professor Snape would be by such a thoughtful gesture.
After carefully storing Professor Flitwick's notes, Kyle opened the last present, which was from Diana.
Inside was a silver ring adorned with a crescent moon, and beneath it lay a short note:
This magical item allows you to Apparate up to three times. If you ever find yourself in danger, just channel a bit of magic into it, focus on your intended destination, and it will take you there.
Note: It cannot be used within Hogwarts Castle, but it will work beyond the castle gates. If you don't want to take the train home over the holiday, you could use it for that, too.
I hope you like the gift, dear. Merry Christmas.
Is this an upgraded version of a Portkey?
Kyle slipped the ring onto his finger, and it automatically adjusted to fit snugly against his skin. He flexed his fingers and found it entirely comfortable, without a trace of tightness.
Kyle was delighted with the gift. He’d long wanted to learn Apparition, but since he was still too young, neither Chris nor Newt had been willing to teach him. This ring was easily the best Christmas present he’d received in his eleven years.
If only it had more uses, though—just three! Thirty would be much better.
After tidying up his dorm room, Kyle made his way to the common room, where he spotted Kanna standing on tiptoe, rummaging around in a large planter.
“What are you looking for? Need some help?” Kyle asked.
“No, I found it,” Kanna replied, pulling a dirty cloth bag out of the planter. Turning to Kyle, she added, “Thanks for the Christmas present. I really needed it.”
Kyle watched as she retrieved two Galleons from the bag and then tucked them back into a small clutch. He frowned, puzzled.
“Have you been losing Galleons lately?” he asked.
“No,” Kanna said, shaking her head. “But I lost two Sickles yesterday afternoon.”
Isn’t that basically the same thing?
Kyle frowned. “Where’s your roommate? Has she gone home?”
“Yeah, they all went home. I’m the only one left in the dorm now,” Kanna said, a bit giddy. “But they did send me a gift—some hair clips from the Muggle world. They’re so pretty!”
Kyle rubbed his forehead. He was about to respond when Kanna dashed back to her dorm. When she returned, she held a small wooden box in her hands.
“Look, aren’t they beautiful?” Kanna said, handing the box to Kyle.
Inside were seven or eight colorful hair clips, each with a unique and distinctly Muggle style, unlike anything seen in the wizarding world. Kyle, however, wasn’t particularly interested. He gave them a quick look and was about to hand the box back to Kanna when something caught his eye—a tiny bottle nestled beneath the hair clips.
Curious, he reached in and moved one of the clips aside.
“What... what is this?”
Kyle’s hand jerked, and he almost dropped the box. A cold sweat broke out on his forehead as he quickly set the box down on the wooden table beside him. Taking a deep breath to steady himself, Kyle reached out and gingerly picked up the small bottle.