Itachi and Theodore, determined, began inspecting the gifts with the one Pansy Parkinson had sent. Itachi carefully unwrapped the package, and his eyebrows crept upward in slight surprise. Inside was a small but elegantly wrapped package tied with a black ribbon. It was accompanied by a card with a fairly standard set of wishes for a happy and prosperous Christmas, but in the bottom right corner was a distinctive scarlet lipstick print.
Itachi frowned, showing the card to Theodore. "Well," he said with a touch of sarcasm, "looks like I have another fan."
Theodore grinned. "Yeah, and what a fan! That Pansy Parkinson seems to be quite a catch. And her lipstick is definitely not cheap."
Itachi set the card aside and unwrapped the gift itself. Inside was a thin, delicate bracelet woven from fine silver threads. On it hung a small, neat pendant in the shape of a black serpent. The bracelet looked simple enough, but at the same time it had a sense of magic.
"And what is this?" - Theodore asked, leaning over the bracelet.
Itachi took the bracelet in his hands and scrutinized it. He felt a slight tingling sensation in his fingertips, as if the bracelet was filled with some kind of magical energy. He noticed that attached to the bracelet was a small card with some words written on it.
"Looks like this isn't just a piece of jewelry," Itachi said as he read the card. "It says here that the bracelet is enchanted with protective charms. It can sense magic directed from behind, and because of that, it creates a magical shield to protect the wearer. But the supply is limited, only three times."
Theodore stared at the bracelet, and his eyes rounded with surprise. "Three times?" - He interjected, not believing his ears. "Do you realize what that means? That's real armor! It must be worth a fortune. And Pansy Parkinson gave you such a thing for nothing?"
Itachi looked at the bracelet thoughtfully. "Yeah, that's pretty weird. Why would she give me such an expensive thing? It's not like she hardly knows me."
Theodore shook his head. "Wants to impress me. Or she has some ulterior motive.
He looked at the bracelet again, feeling its power. He realized that Pansy Parkinson was a very complicated girl, and that there might be something more behind this gift.
Putting aside the bracelet that had struck them both, Itachi started on the next gift, from Daphne Greengrass. The packaging was neat and tidy, uncluttered, and in keeping with the character Itachi had come to expect from the girl. The card was simple, with the usual greetings and wishes printed in an elegant font. Inside the card, however, was a small envelope sealed with the Greengrass seal, the family crest being a silver serpent coiled around an oak branch.
Itachi, sensing that this letter was more than a simple greeting, carefully opened the envelope and unfolded the sheet of parchment. Theodore watched him with undisguised curiosity, waiting to see what it said.
Itachi ran his eyes over the text of the letter, and a look of thoughtfulness and then slight irony appeared on his face. "So that's it," he uttered, setting the letter aside on the table. "It seems Daphne has decided not to beat around the bush."
Theodore frowned. "What does it say? A marriage proposal?"
Itachi chuckled slightly. "No, nothing like that. But it's almost as straightforward. Daphne writes that she'd like to meet me and talk about future plans. Purely political talk, since she's, quote, 'noticed a great talent in me that could be useful for the common good.' She doesn't seem to intend to hide her intentions, and speaks at once of what interests her."
Theodore thought for a moment. "Well, that's at least honest. She doesn't waste time with empty compliments or trying to get you to like her. She tells you right away what she wants from you. It's even a little refreshing, after that lipstick bracelet." He shrugged. "But still, it's pretty weird. She wants to use you for political games? What nonsense!"
Itachi nodded, agreeing with Theodore. "That's right. It seems that Daphne and her family see me as a promising mage that they can use to further their interests. They probably think they can control me." He grinned. "But they're wrong if they think that."
"So, are you going to meet with her?" - Theodore inquired.
"Perhaps," replied Itachi, "to find out exactly what she's up to. And maybe this meeting will even do us some good. We'll be able to elicit information from her that we can use. But either way, I'll be careful not to fall for her tricks." He glanced at the letter again and shook his head. "At least her forthrightness puts me at ease. I don't like going around and not telling my true intentions."
After the letter, Itachi set about examining the gift itself from Daphne Greengrass, expecting some sort of trick or hint of her political games. However, instead he discovered something quite unexpected. The gift was flat and hard to the touch, and when Itachi unwrapped it, he saw that it was... a map. But not an ordinary geographical map, but something like a ticket.
"What is this, a bus pass?" - Theodore asked in surprise, peering over Itachi's shoulder. "Where can it even take us?"
Itachi examined the map carefully. It was made of thin but sturdy parchment, and it was covered with some delicate patterns and inscriptions. He noticed that the map showed some sort of coat of arms, similar to the one on the letter, but more intricate and detailed.
"Looks like it," Itachi replied, "but it's not a travel card in the usual sense. It says it's a ticket card with an unlimited annual pass for admission to an upscale restaurant owned by the Greengrass family."
Theodore's eyes bulged with surprise. "An elite restaurant? Are you serious? Why would they give us such a useless gift?"
Itachi shrugged. "I don't know," he said, "but it's pretty weird. Why would they invite us over for dinner? Or is this a way to lure us into a trap?"
He carefully read the description on the back of the map. It said that this restaurant was very popular with pureblood wizards, and that it was a gathering place for the elite of the magical world. It also talked about the exquisite cuisine, and the atmosphere of luxury.
"Well," Theodore pronounced, scratching the back of his head thoughtfully, "it's certainly not a magical artifact or a way to capture us, but... it's at least a tasty gift." He grinned. "Maybe Daphne just wants to feed us to the brim, and learn all our secrets at the same time. That's pretty clever, come to think of it."
Itachi looked at the map thoughtfully. "You're probably right. It's a way to make us feel good, and at the same time build rapport with us. But either way, it's a pretty useless gift." He wrinkled his nose slightly. "And I, to be honest, am not particularly eager to dine with the pureblood elite. This talk of blood purity and politics always bores me."
"Well, it is what it is," Theodore said, "but free food is always good. Especially if it's delicious. And if they want to poison us, we'll feel it anyway. And if they give us some valuable information at the table, it'll be even better. So let's not be so picky." He looked at Itachi and winked. "Anyway, no one's ever turned down free food before. Oh, and if anything, we can always go there and sit if we want to."
Itachi, after thinking for a moment, nodded. "Yeah, you're right. We shouldn't dismiss all possibilities in advance. In any case, it's an unusual gift, and we should be grateful to Daphne for her consideration." He set the card aside, but decided not to forget about it. He realized that even the most seemingly useless item could be useful if you knew how to use it.
Finally, Itachi and Theodore got to the last of the remaining gifts, the one from Lumna Lovegood. The packaging, unlike the strict elegance of the gifts from Greengrass and Parkinson, was somewhat eccentric: the paper was decorated with colorful patterns, and the ribbon tying the roll was made of thin threads, in different colors. The card that came with the gift was also very peculiar. There were strange creatures on it, like a mixture of a hare and a butterfly, and the wishes were written in uneven, childish handwriting.
"Well, there goes Lovegood," Theodore muttered, looking at the card. "I wonder what she has in store for us this time?"
Itachi shrugged and carefully opened the card. Inside, in addition to the congratulatory words, was another envelope, plain and unremarkable at first glance. It was unsealed, and Itachi pulled out a folded sheet of parchment from it.
"Looks like there's a letter here too," he said, unfolding the sheet. He began to read the letter aloud, and with each line his eyebrows rose higher and higher. "Gee..."
"What's in it?" - Theodore inquired, looking at his friend curiously.
Itachi fell silent and reread the letter once more before speaking. "Looks like it," he replied, slightly stunned. "Here she writes... that she thanks me. But not for anything in particular, just for having me. She writes that she sees in me... something special and that, quote, 'my aura radiates the light of truth.' She also mentions that I, quote again, 'will not succumb to the onslaught of rhinos' and that 'barmaglots cannot deceive me'."
Theodore opened his mouth in surprise. "Wow, that girl... What is she even talking about?"
Itachi shook his head. "I don't know either," he said. - But what follows is even more interesting. She writes that she wouldn't mind getting to know me better and forming a bond of friendship, and that she hopes we can find common ground, quote again, 'because our magic dances to the same rhythm and our souls soar in the same direction'."
Theodore chuckled. "Well, that's certainly out of line. She must have read some silly fairy tales. Friendship bonds, dancing souls, barmagloths... I never realized she had such a rich imagination."
"And how's that?" - Theodore asked with a chuckle. "Are you ready to be friends with a girl who communicates with barmaglots?"
Itachi shrugged. "We'll see," he replied. - It might make some sense. I'm not ruling out that possibility."
Putting aside the strange letter from Lumna Lovegood, Itachi shifted his gaze to the gift itself, and his eyes widened slightly in surprise. The packaging, though done in a peculiar manner, seemed suspiciously familiar. The shape of the package resembled a long, narrow cylinder, and Itachi had a vague suspicion as to what might be inside.
"Well, it's obviously not a magic cauldron," Theodore muttered, examining the coil. "Maybe she gave you a sword?"
Itachi, without answering, carefully began unwrapping the gift. With each turn of the colored paper, his suspicions became more and more certain. Finally, the wrapping was removed, and before them stood... a broomstick. Not just any old, shabby broom, but a brand new, shiny Nimbus 2000. The wood of the handle was polished to a shine, and the broomsticks were smooth and resilient. It was one of the best broom models available at the time, and it couldn't help but impress.
Itachi blinked in surprise, looking at such an unexpected gift. Theodore whistled with delight. "Wow! - he exclaimed. - It's a 'Nimbus 2000'! You're a lucky man! Now you have your own lightning bolt!"
Itachi remained silent as he continued to examine the broom. He was indeed impressed, but his mind had already begun to analyze the situation. Why would Polumna give him such an expensive and generally impractical gift? He picked up the broom and found that there was another note tied to the handle, written in the same uneven but recognizable handwriting.
He unfolded the note and began to read aloud: "Didn't know what you were into, but I know you're a great broom handler and were even invited to join the team, but you didn't accept. Sorry, I talk a lot. I hope you enjoy it."
Itachi frowned, rereading the note again.
Theodore shrugged. "But anyway, it's a nice gift. She seems to have a pretty good sense of what you might like."
Itachi nodded, agreeing with Theodore. "Yes, she does. But it's still strange that she chose a broomstick specifically and not something more... magical. And why would she give me such an expensive model? ." He was silent for a second, then added with a slight chuckle:
"But, I won't deny it, the 'Nimbus 2000' is a really nice gift. It's a good one to fly around on when I'm bored."
He looked at the broom and sighed quietly. This gift was probably the nicest surprise after his Parents that he had gotten for Christmas. But he realized he couldn't just take it for granted, and he needed to figure out what really drove this mysterious girl.
When Theodore and Itachi had finished scrutinizing and analyzing all the Christmas presents, they felt tired. The hustle and bustle of the holidays, the intense thinking and studying the letters had worn them both out. The sun had long since risen, and they realized that there wasn't much time to rest, but they were determined to take advantage of every spare minute to get a good night's sleep.
"Well, I guess all the presents have been analyzed," Theodore said, yawning with a full mouth yawn. "My head is already buzzing from all the riddles and messages. I'm ready to sleep for ten hours, at least."
Itachi nodded, agreeing with his friend. "Me too," he pronounced. - I'm more tired than usual. Christmas seems to be a tiring holiday." He looked at Theodore and added: "Tomorrow night, if you don't mind, we can practice. We need to practice what we've learned and prepare ourselves for possible trouble."
"Agreed," Theodore replied. - Tomorrow we will prepare for battles. For now, let's get to bed! Let's give ourselves a little break to regain our strength." He yawned once more and stretched. "The festivities don't end until twelve, so we can safely sleep until dinner."
Itachi smiled slightly. "Yeah, you're right. I don't mind sleeping through lunch."
They both gathered up the gifts and cards scattered around the room and put them into neat stacks. Itachi put the Nimbus 2000 in a prominent place, deciding that as soon as he had time, he would be sure to test out the new broom.
After that, they turned out the lights and crawled under the blankets. Itachi, despite being tired, couldn't help but think about what had happened during the day. He pondered on the mysterious messages from the noble families until he fell asleep.