Chapter 736: Christmas Invitation
As December began, the weather grew colder and colder. One morning, people suddenly noticed that a thick layer of ice had formed over the Black Lake.
Snowflakes danced outside the window, tapping against the glass with a sharp, cracking sound. Christmas was approaching.
As usual, Hagrid had single-handedly moved twelve towering Christmas trees into the Great Hall for decoration. The stair banisters and corridors were adorned with holly, filling the entire castle with a festive atmosphere.
"This can't go on!"
Kyle sighed in frustration, flicking his wand at a glove on the table during Herbology class. "I need to come up with a new excuse to get away from Slughorn. I don't even want to go to that dinner."
"Is it really as boring as you say?" Kanna asked curiously. "The last ball didn't seem that bad."
"There were a lot of people at the ball, so we could avoid him. But at the dinner, there'll only be seven or eight guests—we'll have to sit there the whole time."
Kyle let out another sigh. "Some people actually enjoy it, though. Like Daphne Greengrass, Millicent Bulstrode, and Cormac McLaggen... They love being part of the Slug Club and probably wish there was a dinner every night."
"But for me... I'd rather be stuck in detention for half a day with a professor."
"Then you should ask Professor Snape," Kanna suggested. "You could say you're being punished with me."
"Well... I don't like the dinner, but it's not that bad," Kyle declined. "I'll think of something else."