Telford was taken aback by Ryan's sudden generosity.
Before he could react, Ryan pulled out a large bottle filled with golden crystals from behind the counter.
"These are Sunshine Crystals," Ryan explained. "Drop one in water, and your home will feel as warm as a summer day for half an hour. This bottle contains 300 of them—enough to get you through the entire winter."
Then, with a slight grimace, Ryan took out a chestnut-sized gold ingot and placed it on the counter. "This weighs about a pound. Once spring arrives, you can reopen your medical clinic."
However, Ryan quickly added, "I have a rule here: everything must be an equivalent exchange. What will you trade for these?"
Telford hesitated for a moment before saying, "If you're willing to help me, I'll give you everything I have—over a hundred pounds of herbs and medical supplies."
Ryan shook his head, amused. "I don't plan on staying here long-term."
Hearing this, Telford looked visibly disappointed and slumped down in frustration.
"Your master was a skilled doctor, right? That means you must have learned quite a bit from him. Would you be willing to trade your medical knowledge?" Ryan asked.
"Of course," Telford nodded. "But how can I give it to you?" His face was filled with doubt.
"Just agreeing is enough."
As soon as Ryan spoke, he waved his hand, and a white mist emerged from Telford's temple. It floated toward one of the store's shelves, where it condensed into a blue-leather-bound book.
"Alright, the trade is complete." Ryan handed over the bottle of Sunshine Crystals and the gold ingot. Telford accepted them with a bewildered expression before heading out the door.
Once outside, Telford still felt as though he had dreamt the whole thing. But when he looked down and saw the bottle of crystals and the weight of gold in his hands, his eyes widened in excitement. He ran into the shack, shouting, "Master! I met an immortal! We can survive this winter!"
Meanwhile, Ryan heard the system prompt in the store:
—Slightly altered the fate of a key figure. Earned 1 Offset Point.
"Well, even the smallest gains are still something," Ryan mused, comforting himself.
Then, his attention turned to the new book. The title on the blue cover read: Handbook of Primary British Medicine – Telford Edition. According to the system, learning it would cost 2 Offset Points.
Though Telford's skills weren't extraordinary, they were at least on par with an attending physician. Ryan figured that this knowledge might be useful in the future, especially if he ever traveled to historical worlds where medical techniques were more primitive. Having a solid grasp of acupuncture points and meridians might be crucial.
With that in mind, Ryan decided to learn the book's contents. He spent 2 Offset Points, and within moments, a flood of knowledge surged into his mind.
Fifteen minutes later, the process was complete. Ryan now possessed a strong foundation in British herbal medicine. However, he understood that theory alone wasn't enough—he would need hands-on practice to truly master the craft.
Unfortunately, as an 11-year-old, it would be difficult to convince anyone to let him practice medicine.
After reflecting on whether this exchange had been worth it, Ryan sighed and returned to the real world.
Christmas Preparations
As Christmas approached, the holiday shopping season was in full swing. Stores across Britain were offering massive discounts, and Ryan's adoptive parents, like every year, went shopping on Regent Street.
Meanwhile, Ryan made his way to Diagon Alley to buy gifts for his friends. The entire street was decorated for the festive season, with Christmas ornaments hanging from storefronts and cheerful holiday music filling the air.
After carefully selecting presents, he mailed them off at the Owl Post Office. Then, he headed to a second-hand bookstore to browse for interesting reads.
It took him over an hour, but he finally settled on two books. The first was The Making of a Hundred Common Potions, an old text from 1893. It contained potion recipes that weren't in any modern textbooks—such as quick hair dyes and modified versions of aging and de-aging potions that lasted only 15 minutes but were easier and cheaper to make.
The second was a well-kept Defense Against the Dark Arts notebook, clearly left behind by a top student. With the notes inside, Ryan felt confident he could try learning the Stunning Spell on his own.
Christmas Morning
On Christmas Eve, Ryan went to bed early. He was looking forward to the next day—receiving gifts and enjoying a feast was always the highlight of the holiday.
The next morning, he woke up to find a neat stack of presents at the foot of his bed.
From his parents, he received a brand-new set of clothes. His grandfather, who lived in the East, sent a sandalwood bracelet.
Among the gifts from his classmates, Hermione had given him a beautiful set of quills—perhaps hinting that he didn't have enough. Harry had sent a box of assorted sweets, while Neville had gifted a tin of spiced black tea with calming properties, likely chosen by his grandmother.
The most unexpected gift, however, came from Professor Sprout. She had personally copied her old Herbology Notes from her student days and gifted them to Ryan, expressing her hope that he would excel in the subject.
Ryan felt relieved that he had been courteous enough to send each professor a box of chocolates in return. Otherwise, he might have felt guilty for receiving such a thoughtful gift.
At noon, the family sat down for a traditional Christmas feast. Instead of turkey— which his adoptive father, Mr. Lambert, disliked for being too dry—Mrs. Sally had prepared roast goose. Alongside it, there was pudding and an assortment of classic holiday dishes.
As Ryan enjoyed his meal, he couldn't help but wonder what Christmas at Hogwarts was like.
Christmas at Hogwarts
Unlike the cozy family gathering at Ryan's home, Christmas at Hogwarts was a grand spectacle—something Harry, who had never experienced a proper Christmas before, found truly magical.
The Great Hall was decorated beautifully, with holly and mistletoe garlands hanging from the walls. A dozen towering Christmas trees were placed around the room, some adorned with icicles, others glowing with hundreds of flickering candles.
On Christmas morning, Harry woke up to find a small pile of presents at the foot of his bed. He was momentarily stunned—he had never expected to receive gifts.
After exchanging holiday wishes with Ron, he eagerly unwrapped them.
"Wow! Ptolemy's card!" Ron gasped, holding up one of the chocolate frog cards. "Ryan's so lucky—I've barely seen him eat chocolate frogs, yet he got such a rare card."
Harry found Ryan's present among his gifts—an elegant pair of broomstick shears.
"Yeah, Ryan always thinks ahead," Harry chuckled. "Sometimes, he even reminds me of an uncle."
Then, as he reached the last package, he unwrapped it carefully. A silky, silver-grey fabric slipped through his fingers, pooling onto the floor like liquid light.
Ron's eyes widened. "Blimey! That's an Invisibility Cloak! These are super rare!"
As Harry held it up, a note slipped out from within the folds. The handwriting was unfamiliar.
Your father left this in my care before he died.
It's time it was returned to you.
Use it well.
Merry Christmas.
Later that day, Harry, now wearing a festive sweater knitted by Mrs. Weasley, joined the Weasley twins for a Christmas feast in the Great Hall. The tables were laden with at least a hundred roast turkeys, countless roast potatoes, and a variety of other dishes.
As laughter and warmth filled the castle, Harry knew that this was the best Christmas he had ever had.
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