Warning: Non-Beta, pardon me for the typos or the screwed up grammar because English isn't my mother language.
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any franchise in this story!
—
"Take care of yourself, Holly. Send me Hedwig if you're lonely," Su Li said as she embraced Holly Potter in her arm.
"Don't worry about me. Just enjoy your vacation," said Holly as she was hugging her roommate back.
As this warm scene happened, I was standing near the two girls' positions. I watched them with warm eyes. The scene before me was really heartwarming, enough to counter the cold temperature of the end of December. Alright, it wasn't entirely true as I was warming myself with the warming charm.
At the moment, the three of us were in the castle's entrance.
After the breakfast down in the Great Hall, we went there to speak short farewell to each other. Mostly, it was the two girls in my sight.
Earlier, Padma was also here with us but her twin sister, Parvati, had dragged her to climb the carriage with Lavender Brown. The more active and energetic one of the Patil twin seemed to be impatient to go home and they had left first.
Nothing was wrong with that. The first years were only new students and it was normal for them to feel homesick. This year was the first time they weren't with their family for a prolonged time. Holly and I were the rare exceptions that not show any symptom of homesickness. We had each other circumstances, I supposed.
Holly was wearing a casual dress consisted of long-sleeved white blouse with cute frill on the buttons line, knee length skirts that covered her short slender legs which were covered by black leggings and a pair of polished black leather boots.
On the other hand, Su Li was wearing pure white one piece dress with ribbon tied into butterfly knot on her front, cream colored long skirts and a pair of dark brown boots. Meanwhile, I was wearing a simple long-sleeved navy blue shirt, a pair beige colored cargo pants and a pair of black-and-white sneakers.
The two girls finally ended their farewell hug. As Su walked to my right, Holly turned her sight in my direction; she stared at me with a pair of troubled eyes. I wasn't sure what she was thinking until she showed such a complicated look but I took it as an invitation to crack a joke.
"There, there, you can hug me if you want," I said jokingly as I opened my arms wide in an invitation.
However, Holly snorted in unladylike manner then retorted coldly.
"Who want to hug you?"
I smiled helplessly at that and then dropped my hands. I chuckled to myself as I recalled my previous conversation with my roommate, Terry Boots, before breakfast. Now, I understood why other students would think I and Holly was in relationship, disregarding the fact that we were still eleven years old.
"Should I keep my distance from her?" I questioned myself in my head and then shook my head as I cleared my mind.
Distancing myself from Holly sounded a tempting idea but a part of me was against the idea because her attitude. It would be a counterproductive of my effort so far. Her aversion to the male in general was very bad if it was left alone and let to root in her heart. I didn't know what would happen but I'd decided to help her fix her attitude before I slowly distanced myself from her.
After that, Su and I stepped down the stone steps and walked on the snow covered ground to the last carriage which was awaiting us in front of the castle's entrance. I could feel Holly's pointed gaze on my back for a while, before she pivoted on her heels and then went inside the castle. As the carriage became closer, I scrutinized the empty spot in front of the carriage with interest. There was nothing to pull it off, yet I knew there was an invisible magical creature pulling it. It seems that I couldn't see the Thestrals yet. It piqued my interest. The carriage was the last unit since I decided to wait for other students to leave first. Su only followed my decision and she agreed with my choice for taking the last carriage because there would be less crowded.
"You can't see it?" said Su, snapping my attention from the empty spot in front of the carriage and then continued as I peered at her. "The Thestral, I meant."
I moved my sight back to where the Thestral supposedly was and then nodded my head. "Yes," I finally spoke. "Could you see it?"
"En," Su nodded her head as she replied curtly.
"If my memory is correct, Thestral can only be seen by those who have seen death, no?"
"Yes. I can see it because I've seen my grandmother's last moment in her deathbed a few years ago," said Su sullenly.
I rebuked myself inwardly because I had been insensitive to her. "Sorry," I apologized to Su. "I've made you remember a painful memory."
Su shook her head then showed her smiling face in my sight. "No need to worry about me. It'd happened long in the past. I have moved on from it."
We became silent thereafter, right before we climbed up the wooden steps to the last carriage. I helped Su to show my gentleman side and she showed her appreciation as she spoke "What a gentleman, my thanks" to me. Afterwards, the carriage moved to Hogsmeade station. We kept to ourselves along the way as the Asian witch had demure mannerism.
After the carriage stopped, I helped Su to climb down the wooden steps then we walked on the snow covered ground to the Hogwarts Express's car at the furthest back. I helped her once again as Su climbed up the iron steps and then searched for empty compartment I could use alone. Surprisingly, Su followed me inside after I found empty compartment.
As I put my special protection on the door, which consisted of locking charm, anti-Alohomora charm and transfiguring the doorknob and the door to melt with the iron wall, Su was taking out her shrunken trunk and levitated it to the iron rack above our head. After I finished my works, I followed Su's example then sat down on the empty seat across Su.
For a moment, I stared at Su owlishly as I didn't have any idea what to do. I had intention to inquire about her Chinese sorcery, but I didn't know how to broach the subject without being impolite. Fortunately, Su showed mercy to me as she opened her mouth first.
"So, do you have something to ask?"
I nodded my head then moisten my lower lip with my tongue, before I said "I have been thinking about this, but can you teach me the Chinese's ancient martial art?"
I had tried to recreate the skill myself, but I had missed the important component in my attempt. Said important component still eluded me until now. Because of that, my experiment ended with failure. Each time I tried, my hand got blown up. I had become tired of pain and the failure and thus I wanted Su's help.
To create a skill, there were requirements I needed to complete first. The first and foremost was the status attributes; some skill needed me to have status attributes to surpass certain limit and I never had problem with it, much to my delight. The second and the last requirement was, at least, to know the theory or mechanism behind the skill I wanted to create and I rarely met this problem. Though I met some problems in the past, the books and documents the Room of Requirement provided for me was enough to help me out. However, it was different this time. Although the pain wasn't much after my Pain Resistance skill's level had increased a lot, it still stung and I wasn't a masochist to begin with.
Speaking of the above-mentioned skill, the details were like this:
Pain Resistance (Passive) Level: 61 (31.6%) - a skill that lessens the pain the user feels when harmed.
Effect: Reduce pain by 45.75%
I watched Su reaction as I was waiting for her answer. She made a contemplative face for a while before Su replied, "To be honest, I'm not sure if I can teach you this skill, since this is Li family secret. But, I'll ask my father and let's hope he accepts your request."
I nodded my head at that. Although she answered vaguely, it was better than nothing. There was still a chance for me to learn it.
Afterwards, we kept to ourselves. I took a copy of the grimoire with thorough explanation of ancient Elder Futhark runes I'd tasked my minions to copy it in the past while Su took out her copy of 'The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection'by Quentin Trimble. Since there was nothing to speak and we weren't social butterflies, we enjoyed our peace while reading our books to spend the time on the way.
—»O«—
Hours passed quickly and Hogwarts Express finally arrived in the King Cross station in London. All students who visited their home for Yule Break and Boxing Day climbed down the train's cars then went to their family members that would take them back home. I was the only one who didn't have somebody waiting for me or taking me back to the orphanage.
I had lied to Su that someone would take me to the orphanage. If I didn't lie to them, I could imagine they would ask their parents to send me to my orphanage. I couldn't let that happen since I had my reason to lie in the first place.
As I stepped outside the train station, it was already dark outside. The sky was dark, clouds blocked the starlight and the snows were falling steadily. If not because the warming charm I'd applied to myself, I would feel the chilling air. I tried to ignore the curious onlookers because of my thin clothes. Maybe, I should have worn thick clothes. I shook my head and then searched for empty spot. After a while, I found the nondescript alley that suited my need then called one of my faithful minions.
"Barmy!" I called the leader of my House-elves Black Ops softly.
"Does Master Lusty-Bug Sir need Barmy's service?" said the house-elf who was wearing customized camouflage army uniform that fit his small stature. He wore beret on his head crookedly, signifying his status as the leader of my black ops. He had appeared with a soft 'pop' sound, immediately after I called his name.
"Yes. Please take me to our hideout," I answered.
"Sir, yes sir!" said Barmy as he saluted. After he said that, Barmy offered his wrinkle-skinned hand, I accepted it. A second later, Barmy took me to my hideout with a silent 'Pop' sound.
Since I'd become accustomed to the unpleasant aftereffect of magical transportation, there was no problem as Barmy took me to our hideout via House-elf's brand of teleportation.
My hideout was an underground base a kilometer away under my orphanage. I had tasked my ever loyal minions to build it with their convenient magic. They were proven to be quick workers as they finished their task in less than a day.
Arriving in the underground hideout, I inspected the place Barmy had taken me in. It was a large, spacious room with smooth walls, floor and ceiling. There was a long table with dozens of small chairs. There was a single elevated chair differed from the others. The different chair was mine, very obvious from the size alone. This room was supposedly the meeting room. There were a few doors with different nameplate on each door.
I sat down on the biggest chair, before I spoke to Barmy.
"How is the preparation for Project Power Plant?"
"We have finished our preparation. Materials are being stored in the room number seven, Master Lusty-Bug sir," Barmy reported.
I glanced at the room with number seven nameplate and then nodded my head in satisfaction. "You did a good job. Know that I, as your master, am proud of you, Barmy."
The house-elf burst wept happily at my words. Since his voice was very loud, I silenced the space around him. After that, I called the other house-elves that I had tasked with something important. I hope they'd finished their task.
"Pussy, Butty, report!"
The aforementioned house-elves suddenly appeared before me and then saluted to my direction. These two house-elves were a male and a female. Pussy was the female house-elf while Butty was the male house-elf. They wore the customized army uniform like Barmy, though they didn't wear beret on their heads.
After I accepted their military salute, I asked the duo about their task. "Have you two finished the task I'd given in the past?"
The duo nodded their heads and then began their report.
"We have finished our task master!" said Pussy with proud expression.
"We have raided House Black's Manor in number 12 Grimmauld Place as ordered Boss!" added Butty.
"Any problem you met there?" I inquired calmly.
"There is one, Boss." The one who spoke was pussy. At my inquiry look, Pussy elaborated, "Kreature, the house-elf of House Black, was being the problem. He had gone bonker. But, Boss needn't worry. We have freed him from his misery."
I ignored the dangerous gleam in Pussy's eyes as she mentioned how she unashamedly reported how she killed the old house-elf. The crazy house-elf had patted her gun holster lovingly as she said that. Inwardly, I wonder if I'd gone too far with their indoctrination and brainwashing. I decided to ignore it then beckoned them to continue.
"We have cleaned everything of value as boss ordered." This time, it was Butty's turn to report. "All books and artifacts have been stored into our warehouse. We also wrote everything in order from the most to the less dangerous, boss!"
"Give me the list!"
Butty snapped his finger then a scroll appeared before me with a soft 'Pop' sound. I took it then unrolled the scroll. I nodded my head as I read the list written in it. After a while, I raised my head from the scroll then looked at Butty. "Did you get the main priority?" Butty nodded. "Bring it to me!"
The house-elf snapped his fingers again then a silk pouch appeared before me. I carefully untied the pouch and took the Slytherin locked from it. I used my Observation skill on it and got its information:
Name: Salazar Slytherin's Locket
Rarity: Rare
Durability: ?
Details: the Locket belonged to Salazar Slytherin, it has been turned into horcrux by Tom Riddle, turning it unbreakable.
After making sure it was one of Lord Voldemort's horcruxes, I stored it together with its brethren into my Inventory. With this, I had collected the Diadem of Rowena Ravenclaw, and a moment ago, the Locket of Salazar Slytherin. Two of the horcruxes had been stored inside my safe Inventory, what left were the Cup of Helga Hufflepuff, Tom Riddle's old Diary and the Ring of Gaunt House. I decided to leave the cup and the dairy alone for now since I could get my hand on the dairy next year while the ring was still useful to trap Dumbledore. Meanwhile, the cup was something I could take after I got the key to access House Lestrange's vault in the Gringotts. Well, it was for another time.
Speaking of Dumbledore, I wasn't sure about his character. I was very wary of him because I'd read too much Evil Dumbledore fanfiction before my death. The canon Dumbledore wasn't bad per see, it was just he had too far sighted that made him a bit Machiavellian. Scratch that, he wasn't a bit of Machiavellian. Many people mistook him as a villain with the crazy tests he'd prepared for Harry Potter. The old coot was more paranoid than Alastor 'Mad-Eye' Moody in his bad day. The only thing that made him seem to be laid back was he knows he is powerful.
I wasn't sure about his level, but he was still above me even I was almost level 30. For now, I should stay low key, as low key I could be and wait and see his game. However, I was sure the old man would die by the withering curse in the horcrux ring. He was too dangerous to be left alone after all.
I rapped my fingers on the table as I mulled my plan. There were many things I needed to do.
"That can be put aside for later date. For now, I should finish Project Power Plant first. But, before that..." I put aside my distracting thoughts and then turned my attention to Pussy and Butty. "Rejoice my loyal minions for you two have completed your task very well. You two can continue back to your usual routine until I have another special task for you. You two have my utmost gratitude," I declared calmly.
The two house-elves burst into happy tears from my praise. They bawled in happiness while repeatedly said "Boss is too kind." Since they joined Barmy as a wreck on the floor, I ignored their happy cry and silenced the area round them, so they wouldn't disturb the order. After that, I raised my body from my chair and went to the room number seven.
After entering, I found myself in 10x10 meter square room with nothing but a slab of Calcite with 10cm thickness and pure fluorite the size of a person's head.
At the sight of these two precious stones with magical properties, I immediately took my runes engraving kit I'd liberated from Room of Missing Things and began my works.
The Project Power Plant was my project to create independent source of magic energy to support the house-elves. At the moment, I need to supply twelve house-elves with my own MP and each day I needed to spend at least 1200pts of Willpower to support them. It was a handicap I needed to get rid quickly.
With my level of Runes skill, I could create an intermediate level runes scheme to collect magic energy from the land and atmosphere. It would be better if I built it above strong leylines like the one under Hogwarts' castle. At the moment, what I attempted was sufficient. When I moved to new place with strong ambience of magic energy, I could create the better version of the 'Power Plant', not only to support my minions but also to empower myself.
"Let's see... In total, I need to engrave seven different runes, and the total is forty nine runes. For the scheme itself seven pronged stars with the fluorite in the center. Firstly first, let's begin with the star..."
And a moment later, I began to immerse myself in my work.
—»O«—
Time flied quickly when one's busy, I couldn't agree more with that saying. Morning arrived and with silent Tempus charm, I found it was around 9AM. I sent a last look to my finished rune scheme on the Calcite slab. It was seven pronged star inside a big circle with smaller circles where the tips of the star should be. Inside the circle was different runes; Jera, Sowilo, Hagalaz, Inguz, Fehu, Ehwaz and Algiz. Each rune had important usage.
Jera would connect the altar into the air and the land. Sowilo would absorb integrate the energy from land and air into one magic energy. Hagalaz would maintain the steady balance between the land and the air. Inguz would store the energy. Fehu would send the stored energy to the house-elves in a steady stream. Ehwaz would maintain the connection between me, the altar and the house-elves. The last was Algiz which would reinforce the effect of other runes together.
I carefully activated the magic circle(?) using a drop of my blood as carrier of my will and magic energy. The moment the drop of blood dropped into the indention, the whole magic circle was lit by mysterious cyan light. Next, I could feel the magic energy in the air and the land was absorbed into the fluorite steadily.
As I used my observation on the altar, a small screen appeared before my eyes. It showed:
Name: Unnamed Altar
Rank: Uncommon
Durability: 500/500 (Regeneration: 10/H)
Details: an altar, created by aspiring sorcerer Asmodias Lustburg, which the use is to absorb ambient magic energy in the land and the air and as the main supply for the house-elves, this altar has 5000 units maximum containment capacity and can regenerate 210 units/hour.
I called Barmy and then told him my plan. The leader of my House-elves Black Ops agreed readily and moved his bond to the altar without problem. After I did the same thing to the other house-elves, I left my underground hideout and 'apparated' to one of nondescript alley near my orphanage with my trunk hanging in my left hand then walked to my orphanage's entrance. My Sense Presence skill told me where my two minions — Dicky and Ballsy — whom I had appointed to keep an eye around my orphanage were hiding under house-elves brand of invisibility magic.
My eyes carefully scrutinized the building as I passed the gate. I could see the difference in it. The faded paint on the wall was gone and the building looked new. I felt a huge amount of satisfaction when I saw this, right before my Gamer's Mind returned my mind into its default calmness.
I had told my minions to drop anonymous envelope with stacks of bills in the orphanage mailbox. This orphanage had care for me after I was reborn in this world. Of course, I would repay their kindness.
Soon, I entered the building without announcing my arrival. The majority of the orphans were in their schools. There were some children below five years old who hadn't entered school yet. When they realized my arrival, their eyes turned wide and then shouted "Big Brother Dias" loudly and dashed to me. Immediately afterwards, I found I was being surrounded by many children. I laughed openly and greeted them back.
"Dias? Is that you?"
I heard Carla's voice then turned my head to where it came from. I saw the lovely matron was standing in the archway with surprised expression.
"Yep," I replied playfully. "I'm back for Christmas like I'd promised."
Carla walked to me in hurry. The children immediately made a way for the sole matron of this orphanage. When Carla was standing before me, she hugged me and then rained my face with kisses. I knew she didn't have ambiguous intention by that, but I was still an adult inside. Being kissed by such a lovely lady like her, I felt weird.
After Carla showered me with her affection, she dragged me to her office.
"Say, how's your new school?" Carla inquired after we settled ourselves in her small study. "Do you have any problem in it?"
"Who do you think I am?" I replied back with a small grin on my face.
Carla checked my expression as she tried to find any trace of deceit, but found none. She sighed in relief. "I'm glad you're not wronged in that place. I was worried you wouldn't fit right there."
"You seem to have low confidence about me," I pointed out.
"It's not like that," said Carla, defending herself. "It's because I know you. You won't fit normal children around your age with how you act."
I shrugged my shoulders silently. There was nothing for me to say. Her assessment about me was spot on.
My eyes roamed around as I prepared the setting to broach the subject of the new orphanage state. The condition of Carla's small study was way better than its previous condition before I left to Hogwarts.
My eyes landed on her and then I said: "Well, it seems that this place had been renovated. I thought I arrived in a wrong place."
Contrary to my expectation, Clara sighed tiredly and then slouched in the chair as if there was unseen weight pressuring her small shoulder. I was alarmed when I saw that.
"What's wrong?" I urged the single woman to speak.
She seemed to be hesitant for a moment, before she nodded her head, agreed to share what was bothering her mind. "You see, there have been anonymous donations, someone had been leaving stacks of bills in orphanage's mailbox in past several months. Now, I think about it, it started after you left." She gave me a look that spoke her curiosity and suspicion. "Do you know anything about it?"
I feigned an incredulous look to her then said "Do I look like I know anything about it?"
"My thought, mostly." Clara nodded her head slowly then sighed heavily. Her lovely face marred with trace of frustration and exhaustion. She continued where she stopped earlier, "It was impossible for you to be related with this. After all, the amounts of the donations weren't small."
I kept my calm face. I knew very well how much the donations were. After all, I was the one who were behind those donations, but there was no way I would acknowledge it with my own mouth. Let the mysterious donator stays mysterious. However, I needed to erase Clara's anxiety. If she continued to think about this, she would waste her energy for nothing. I contemplated my next for a moment then climbed down my chair. Clara trailed my movement with her clear eyes as I walked to her then stopped behind her chair. The next moment, I gave her massage to lessen her stiff muscle.
"Mhh . . . Yesss," hissed Carla as I kneaded her stiff muscle. Although she did it unintentionally, I must acknowledge that her voice sounded very seductive. I was glad that my puberty hadn't started yet, or it would be problem to hold back.
"Are you anxious because of this unknown donator?" I inquired as I massaged her shoulder. Clara nodded her head with grim face. "Why?" I made a puzzled face.
"It's just that, the fact it was the unknown in itself that made me anxious. I suppose, I should be thankful for the donation, since it helped the orphanage a lot, but I'm not sure what is the unknown donator's true purpose. I wish I could meet with him or her once to show my gratitude as the matron and to find out what's his or her true purpose. However, I couldn't find any contact about him or her. Whoever it was, the donator never left clue to who she or he was."
I nodded my head slowly as I accepted her reasoning. I never thought there would be this kind of effect. It seems that the proverb 'the road to the hell is paved with good intentions.' I needed to rectify this, but I wasn't sure what should I do. I only stayed in there for Christmas and Boxing Day, and the day after that, I needed to go back to Scotland.
"Anyway, thank you for listening to my problem," said Carla. Her voice broke me out of my musings. "It had been tiring a few months. I could feel my burden is lessened somewhat."
"Well, I know the words from a brat like me weigh nothing, but I think you needn't not to overthink it." At her puzzled look, I elaborated further.
"You know that it had been months and nothing happened, right? Maybe the unknown donator didn't have any unknown motive and he or she was giving those donations because they earnestly wanted to help out? Who knows, perhaps they were someone who'd lived in this orphanage once."
"To your guess, I must say I disagree with it." Carla shook her head helplessly. "I had contacted the successful people who'd lived here in the past, but they seemed to know nothing."
I shrugged my shoulder at that. If she kept wasting her energy to overthink this unknown donator puzzle, she could continue as she wished. She was adult who knew were her priority was. However, I felt the need to help her somehow. After contemplating for a moment, an idea popped up in my head.
"Well, it seems to be a sound idea." I mused silently as I watched Clara's beautiful neck in my peripheral vision. "Let's wait until I return to Hogwarts first and then I'll do it."
—
I spent the rest of Yule Break and Boxing Day in the orphanage without any problem. At the day, I would help Clara with her responsibility as the matron or do my share of chores obediently. My return in the orphanage was welcomed as well as unwelcomed by the young residents. Such a contradictory. Those who liked me welcomed me happily while the trouble children openly showed their dissatisfaction to my return. As I expected, they'd made many problem for Clara when I wasn't around. I used my time to sort them like I did in the past.
I had asked my house-elves brigade to prepare the gifts for the children in orphanage and several acquaintances I'd made in Hogwarts.
For the children in my orphanage, I tasked my house elves to buy toys, new clothes and sweets and then warp and tag those gifts, before put them under the Christmas tree in the orphanage's hall. As for my acquaintances I'd made in Hogwarts, who could be counted with one hand, I prepared a bit more than normal gift.
For Holly, I had a copy of a book with protection and detection charms written in it, as well as a box full of sweets for her midnight snacking. I didn't forget to tell Wonky to take a picture of her reaction when she opened her present.
To Su, I had a copy of a book with list of nasty curses, but weren't banned by Ministry of Magic, and another box of sweets.
As for the Patil twin, I had a copy of a book with a list of useful charms for Padma because of her studious nature while I had magical ornament, which wouldn't seem odd to be worn by a young witch until her teenage, for Parvati as I knew she had started to present herself from her friendship with Lavender Brown. I didn't forget to give them a box of sweets.
The night of Christmas Eve, I helped Clara preparing the celebration. Some children helped, but not everyone. Because the 'anonymous' donation in these months, for once since I lived in here, the orphanage could provide a worthy celebration party for the orphans. It was the best party I had attended in orphanage since I lived there.
Early in Christmas morning, the orphans were making ruckus in the recreational room. Their commotion awoke Clara early. When the single woman checked the commotion, she was startled because each orphan was busy tearing their present. I wasn't excluded. I calmly tore my own present with my name written on the wrapping as I observed the reaction of everyone. They seemed happy from the present. It was the first time they got many presents in Christmas.
"Dias, what in the world is happening? From where were these presents coming from?" Clara inquired with a flustered face.
I raised my head and then replied with "I don't know. They were already there when I went down." Of course, it was a blatant lie for I was fully aware who'd put the presents under the Christmas tree. "Anyway," I continued where I stopped earlier. "There was an envelope directed to you."
I offered the aforementioned envelope. It was a thick, brown colored envelope. Clara hesitantly accepted the envelope and then tore it open slowly. She took a peek inside and her eyes became wide.
"What is it? You seem surprised by it?" I feigned curious expression as I said that.
My questions snapped Clara out of her trance. She shakily shook her head then gave me a shaky smile.
"Er, no-nothing," she answered with a quivering tone. Her lips were trembling slightly, right before she pressed them tightly and made a straight line. "I-I have to do something in my study. Can you keep an eye to everyone else?"
I nodded my head wordlessly, agreed to her request and then watched the single woman left the room in hurry. The corner of lips curled upwards after her back disappeared.
"Why was big sis Clara leaving?"
I turned my head to look at the sound origin then saw Natasha crouching next to me. Because of how crowded the room was, she had slipped next to me unnoticed.
I had been aware of my Sense Presence flaw. The effect was lessening in a confined, crowded place. Although it was flawed, I didn't mind it. I still had my Sense Danger that would alert me of incoming danger or mischief even in a confined, crowded place.
"I don't know. She seemed to be in a big surprise when she saw what inside that envelope," I answered Natasha's inquiry.
"Was it something bad?"
"I don't think so. Maybe Clara was startled because she got her own present?"
"How could it be a present? It was too small to be a present."
I grinned at the innocent statement Natasha had asked me and then ignored her inquiry and questioned her with my own question: "What did you get?"
Natasha grinned widely, she seemed very happy and then pushed the box in her arms to me. "Look at it! I got very pretty dress and a box of sweets!" she said excitedly.
With a fond smile on my face, I accepted the box and then opened the lid to look inside. I nodded at the new set of clothes still in wrapper and bunch of sweets inside the box. "Do you like it?" I inquired.
"Yes," Natasha answered quickly as she nodded her head rapidly. "I like my present so much! This is my first ever present in Christmas! Bless the person who sent these presents to us!"
I felt a mild satisfaction in my chest, before my 'Gamer's Mind' smothered it.
At the time like this, I wished I could find a way to switch my 'Gamer's Mind' from on to off. I couldn't properly enjoy the pleasant feelings I experienced if this skill kept mucking with my head.
Shaking my head as I cleared my mind and then I spent my time in orphanage to check the other orphans until the lunch came.
Soon, the time to return back to Hogwarts arrived. Clara and Natasha said their goodbye to me before I joined the bustling crowd in the King Cross station.
—
Footnote:
The chapter was fixed at March 28th,2018