On the way back.
"How have things been at school these past few days? Anything fun?"
"I've told you all the fun things, but you can ask Potter and the others when you get back. They might have something interesting."
"Don't you know what they find fun?"
"We do, but telling you wouldn't be as fun. You need to find the answers yourself."
"Alright, I think I understand what you mean."
As they spoke, they had returned to the Gryffindor common room.
There were quite a few people in the room, gathered together, chatting. The atmosphere seemed livelier than usual.
"Hey, Allen."
"It's been a few days, and you've changed so much!"
"Yeah, looks like you've grown taller."
"Not taller, he was always like this. You just didn't notice before."
The joy of reunion was not only his but shared by the others as well. Everyone greeted him warmly, some even high-fived him as a gesture of welcome.
There were some who made silly faces and laughed together, while others gestured and seemed to be having a great time.
They might be mischievous, but they were simple, uncomplicated, and trustworthy—true sincerity in their welcome.
Zhao Lun looked at them, and for some inexplicable reason, his mood lifted.
That's how feelings form—through simple interactions, they blossom.
In a good mood, he felt generous.
"Hey, guys, want a gift?"
Zhao Lun looked at his familiar friends.
"A gift? Do you have one?"
"Christmas gifts? Of course!"
"Show us!"
"We can't wait to see!"
The others thought he was joking and playfully urged him on.
"Watch closely!"
Zhao Lun conjured some vibrant, beautiful fruits from the Kingdom of God.
"Oh?!"
"Non-wand magic?!"
"These are new spells? Allen, this is amazing!"
The appearance of these fruits was so magical that the students who had never seen such a thing were stunned.
"Wow! What kind of fruit is this? It smells so good!"
"I'm drooling!"
These fruits were specialty items from the Kingdom of God, with a distinct fragrance that reached their senses even before they tasted them.
The scent was unique, a natural, intoxicating sweetness that made one's mouth water.
"Wow, this is amazing."
A bite revealed a flavor so pure and sweet it felt like nothing they'd ever tasted before.
The fruits were tender, their juices spilling out, and several students couldn't help but continue eating without wiping their faces.
The goods from the Kingdom of God were truly exceptional—once you started, you couldn't stop.
Those who hadn't yet tasted the fruit gathered around, eagerly watching Zhao Lun, waiting for him to share more. Those who had already eaten looked longingly at him, waiting for another piece.
"Hey! You've already had your share, stop crowding around!"
"Allen! They've eaten already! Give us some!"
The ones who hadn't gotten any were growing impatient, so Zhao Lun conjured even more fruits, and everyone scrambled to grab some, devouring them greedily.
"Hey, don't eat so quickly. If you rush, you won't taste the flavor properly."
"..." They continued devouring without a word.
A few students looked like they were devouring the fruit as if they were pigs feasting on ginseng, leaving Zhao Lun speechless.
"You've all eaten fruits before, do you really have to be this embarrassing?!"
"..." Yet they continued eating.
"A bunch of gluttons!"
Zhao Lun conjured more fruits and began sharing them.
"Allen!" A few more people entered, "Wow, there's good food, why didn't you call us?"
Zhao Lun glanced at them—yet more gluttons.
"Hey! Ron, Simon, Thomas, stop right there! These are ours! Your Allen has already prepared them."
"Is that so? Thanks, but we'll eat first."
"These are ours! You can't just take them! And Norway... Oh! You guys are like thieves!"
"Seriously, what are you guys doing?"
Zhao Lun was defeated by them. They'd already eaten, yet they continued to eat so ravenously. Weren't they afraid of indigestion?
"Alright, let's go for a walk."
As they left, they took the remaining fruits with them, leaving nothing behind.
"..."
The common room grew quiet. The floor was littered with fruit peels, a mess that had yet to be cleaned up. Fortunately, Zhao Lun had magic on his side—one wave, and everything was clean.
The students returned, and the next day, school resumed as usual.
"Hey! Hermione."
Hermione looked the same as ever, with her curly hair obscuring her face, a bag slung over her shoulder, and a thoughtful expression.
"Hey! Allen."
She looked up when she heard Zhao Lun calling her, but her face seemed rather pale, with dark circles under her eyes.
"Didn't get enough rest?" Zhao Lun asked.
"I stayed up too late reading last night," Hermione explained.
"Here, eat some fruit, it'll give you more energy." Zhao Lun handed her a large, smooth peach that resembled a white nectarine.
Hermione was about to refuse, but the fruit's fragrance reached her, and her mouth began to water. Without saying anything, she took it from him.
"Hey! Ron."
Just then, he saw Harry, whom he hadn't seen the day before.
Harry seemed a bit off today. His hair, more disheveled than usual, gave him a gloomy, troubled look, as if something sad had happened.
"Looks like Harry isn't doing too well," Zhao Lun remarked.
"Harry's been thinking about his family," Ron said with concern.
He then explained what had happened that Christmas.
It turned out Harry had received his father's Invisibility Cloak and, unable to resist, started wandering around. He stumbled upon the Mirror of Erised.
The Mirror of Erised shows the deepest desires of one's heart, and in it, Harry saw his parents.
He became so entranced by the vision in the mirror that now, with the mirror gone, he's left feeling downcast and melancholic.
"The Mirror of Erised? I'd love to see it."
Zhao Lun became curious about the mirror. He wanted to study it and perhaps find out what he truly desired.
"You can't see it, because the mirror has already disappeared," Ron said regretfully.
The mirror was gone? Zhao Lun didn't believe it. He knew it was Dumbledore who had moved it, and he wasn't worried—if he wanted to see it, he'd still have a chance.
"Enough about that, let's talk about the Invisibility Cloak. How's it? Is it fun?"
"It's fun! You just put it on, and no one can see you. You wouldn't believe it, but at night we..."
Ron began to boast about their adventures, making Zhao Lun itch with curiosity. The Invisibility Cloak sounded amazing.
As Ron saw that Zhao Lun was listening attentively, he grew more animated, embellishing their adventures, and much of it seemed like exaggeration. Zhao Lun found it hard to take seriously. He let Ron talk, occasionally listening to others' boastful tales—it was like watching a performance.
Ron spoke enthusiastically, his mouth seemingly not able to stop, revealing everything.
Zhao Lun played the role of an attentive listener, enjoying the show.