"Honey, did you order the cake?" A middle-aged woman in a beige coat looked at her husband as he placed a bag of dried fruits in the shopping cart.
"Of course, we can pick it up tomorrow afternoon. This time, I've ordered a cake shaped like a log, and we can also buy some decorations at the store and make the cake at home. It's your time to shine." The polite and elegant husband replied absentmindedly as he checked the shopping list in his hand. "By the way, should I cross out the dried blueberries and dried apples?"
"Of course, these dried fruits I've put in the bag include all the ones I need." The middle-aged woman took the list and checked off all the mentioned dried fruits.
"Let me see, we also need to buy a turkey and prepare other meats..."
"Do you really want to make a turkey?" The husband was startled at the mention of that word. If a list of seemingly extravagant but tasteless foods were to be made, turkey would undoubtedly top the list. That red and glossy thing once roasted, so large, placed on the table, just looking at it whets the appetite of the diners. So much so that in all Christmas-related movies and TV shows, you can find the presence of turkey. But if you look closely, you'll realize that turkey never changes its appearance.
The reason is that it's really hard to eat! Under its red and glossy skin lies meat as dry as wood, without a hint of fat. Moreover, its enormous size, as large as the upper half of a person, makes it difficult to season. How bad is this food? Even in Disney, a turkey leg the size of a human face is sold for only $80, and that's the tastiest part of the turkey.
The Christmas turkey would guarantee that for the following week, the family would consume turkey sandwiches at every meal, it's a genuine nightmare.
"What are you thinking? Of course, we have to make it." The wife gave him a sidelong glance. "I remember that Tom will also come to spend Christmas today, you can eat with him."
"I feel like this could really damage his relationship with our daughter." The husband quietly complained about his wife's decision and headed to the fresh produce section, where he picked up a turkey that was quite small, almost like a teenager. But when his wife arrived and broke his final resistance, he exchanged it for a twenty-pound one.
This couple is the Granger family, shopping for Christmas supplies. This year, their cherished daughter will be celebrating Christmas at their home with her friend Tom.
Although their daughter has not openly told them about her relationship with Tom, the Grangers, in general, have an idea about it. However, both parties have remained silent on the matter and have not crossed that invisible line. The relationship between the three is in a delicate balance.
After all, the kids are still young, and their relationship can change rapidly. Who can predict with certainty the feelings of teenagers? That's the Grangers' perspective.
After picking up some fresh produce, meat, ham, sausages, and cheese from the counter, Mrs. Granger left the fresh produce section with her husband and the turkey.
They continued shopping according to the previously prepared list, and when the list was completed, the shopping cart was filled to the brim.
"So, what do you think?" While waiting in the checkout line, Mrs. Granger suddenly asked her husband out of the blue.
"What do I think about what?" Mr. Granger was puzzled, not understanding what she was talking about.
"What do you think of Tom? What do you think of that boy?" Mrs. Granger shot her husband a scornful look; he seemed like a block of wood.
"Well, he seems alright, doesn't he?" Mr. Granger responded with confusion.
"And what do you think will happen if he continues with Minnie?"
"Well, what else, marriage?" Mr. Granger looked at his wife in puzzlement, not quite understanding what she meant. Was he still a non-marrying person? He hadn't seen that coming! It was outrageous that a non-marrying person would get married.
Mrs. Granger wanted to hit someone.
"I mean—"
Mr. Granger finally understood what his wife meant. "I think they're suitable, don't you think Tom's background is a problem?"
Mrs. Granger fell silent for a moment and then nodded.
"But if she wants to develop in the magical world, what can the two of us do to help? Maybe we're even hindering. What if Hermione marries into a wizarding family and they treat her badly? Could we help in that case?"
Mrs. Granger: ...
"And in the end, this depends on Hermione's attitude, doesn't it?" Mr. Granger shrugged and began transferring items from the shopping cart to the conveyor belt.
Night fell, and Christmas was approaching.
...
Harry felt like something was squeezing his heart.
"Are you saying I can leave the Dursleys' house and live with you?" Harry suppressed his inner excitement and confirmed with Sirius once again. He was afraid he had misunderstood and would be disappointed.
"Oh, I don't mean that, I just mean if you want, you can come to my house for Christmas and see what it's like, but nobody has lived there for a long time, it's probably messy... In short, if you want to stay at your uncle's house, I completely understand, haha. I just thought..."
Sirius was more nervous than Harry. In his opinion, how could Harry leave his aunt and uncle and choose to spend Christmas with a stranger, even a wanted fugitive?
Sirius had no idea what Harry's life was like in the Dursley family; unconsciously, he believed he was happy there.
"Of course I want to!" Harry said with a hoarse voice. "Do you have a house? When can I move in? Don't worry about the cleaning, I'm really good at cleaning."
Sirius quickly turned his head to Harry, with an expression of disbelief on his face. He didn't expect Harry to actually accept; a wave of joy filled his heart.
"Do you really want to? You don't have to do it just to please me..."
"I really want to!" Harry replied.
Sirius smiled, this time his smile was cheerful, relaxed, and sincere. It had been a long time since he laughed like this, about twelve years to be exact. With that smile, Sirius looked ten years younger. Before he smiled, no one would have noticed he was under 35. This smile made him look like he should at his age.