Under Hagrid's lead, Sherlock and his three companions made their way to the Great Hall.
Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick were already busy decorating for Christmas.
Seeing them arrive, Professor Flitwick cheerfully waved them over.
"Ah, the last tree has arrived! Hagrid, if you could please place it in that far corner."
Once everything was set up, the walls were adorned with garlands of holly and mistletoe, and twelve towering Christmas trees lined the hall.
Some were draped in glittering icicles, others sparkled with hundreds of candles, while a few stood grand and regal on their own, needing no extra ornamentation.
All in all, the hall looked even more splendid than it had during the Halloween feast.
"Tomorrow marks the official start of the holidays," Hagrid said, turning to Harry with a smile. "I heard you're going to Sherlock's home?"
"Yes, Hagrid," Harry replied, his face beaming with joy. "Sherlock invited me and Ron."
"That's wonderful news!"
Hagrid's happiness was sincere. He was truly glad that Harry had found a friend like Sherlock.
He placed his large hands on both Sherlock and Harry's shoulders.
"I'd wager this will be the best Christmas you've ever had."
Harry nodded. He felt exactly the same.
However, once the news got out that Sherlock would be away during the holidays, students seeking his advice came to him in droves—like people scrambling for one last reading from a famed Seer.
Because of this, Harry, Hermione, and Ron arranged to meet in an empty classroom.
"Ron, are you sure Sherlock didn't follow us?" Hermione asked.
"He shouldn't have," Ron replied. "That Ravenclaw girl stopped him to talk."
"Good. We absolutely have to settle this before break. Harry, you—"
Hermione was mid-sentence when she noticed Harry still staring behind him.
"Stop looking. Sherlock won't be catching up anytime soon."
"Uh... right," Harry said, a bit flustered as he quickly turned his gaze back.
"Now," Hermione said briskly, "let's decide what to get Sherlock for Christmas."
"Honestly, I still think we should just ask him directly," Ron muttered.
But as soon as two sharp glares came his way—one from the Chosen One and the other from the brightest witch of her age—he wisely shut up.
Two people you absolutely do not want to cross.
"I took some time to organize a list," Hermione said, pulling out a sheet of parchment and sliding it across the table.
In her tidy handwriting, it read:
Areas of Sherlock Holmes' Knowledge:
1. Literature & Philosophy: None
2. Astronomy: Weak, but improving since taking Astronomy classes
3. Politics: Shallow understanding
4. Herbology: Fragmented; knows little of practical gardening, but well-versed in poisonous plants and dangerous magical creatures
5. Geography: Practical only; can distinguish soil types and deduce locations from mud stains on robes
6. Chemistry: Mastery level
7. Anatomy: Accurate knowledge, though unsystematic
8. Thriller Literature: Extensive; familiar with nearly all major criminal cases from the past century
9. British Law: Deep, practical understanding
10. Magical Knowledge: Practical proficiency in Transfiguration, Charms, Potions, and Herbology; knows only niche bits of History of Magic; Defence Against the Dark Arts proficiency unknown
11. Violin: Plays well… but rarely properly
---
After reading through, Harry and Ron exchanged stunned looks.
"You know Sherlock this well?" Harry asked, genuinely impressed.
He had spent so much time with Sherlock but had never managed to analyze him this thoroughly.
"Don't fuss over details," Hermione replied briskly. "Anything else to add?"
"I do!" Harry chimed in quickly. "He's good with sticks. And he's really skilled at swordplay and hand-to-hand combat."
(o〃)
Hermione and Ron turned to stare at Harry.
"What? Why are you looking at me like that?"
"Spill it!" Ron barked, punching him lightly on the arm.
Hermione didn't say a word, but her eyes clearly meant the same thing.
Harry cleared his throat.
"Since the first day of term, I've been doing morning training with Sherlock..."
Ron's eyes went wide.
"Blimey! Why didn't you invite me?"
"I did! On the first day, remember? You said you couldn't wake up!"
"Er..."
Ron looked a bit sheepish, but quickly tried to defend himself.
"Just because I missed the first one doesn't mean I wouldn't go next time!"
"You—"
Harry, clearly frustrated, was about to argue back when Hermione interrupted.
"Enough, both of you. Harry, is that when you learned about his combat skills?"
"Exactly. Sherlock told me before term even started that he learned fencing and boxing. Remember how he 'persuaded' Malfoy and his two goons on the train?"
"'Persuaded'?! He told me he talked them down!" Hermione's eyebrows shot up.
Harry and Ron both instantly realized—danger.
Quickly, Harry tried to defuse the situation.
"Let's just focus on the present. What gift should we get him?"
Hermione huffed but chose to let the matter drop in favor of more pressing concerns.
After a lengthy discussion, the trio finally settled on gifts for Sherlock:
Harry decided on a Magical Magnifying Glass.
It could do more than just magnify—it could detect traces of magic, reveal hidden runes, and identify magical energy. Perfect for analyzing scenes of magical creature incidents or missing magical artifacts.
The idea came from the Hannah Abbott case.
Recently, Hannah had personally thanked Sherlock—her father had been exonerated and his name cleared.
The road had been difficult.
Even with new evidence, the Ministry had been unwilling to retry the case. Just as Sherlock had predicted, they wanted a result, not necessarily the truth. Thankfully, Hannah's mother had connections and pressured the Ministry into justice.
As a result, Sherlock's reputation soared, and even more students now sought him out for consultation.
Ron chose to give Sherlock Invisible Ink and a Special Quill.
The ink would only reveal itself under specific magical incantations or potions—perfect for hiding classified deductions or messages. A true sleuth's companion.
Hermione, unsurprisingly, opted for a book.