分卷阅读27（1 / 2）

Pansy Parkinson burst into the room a few minutes later followed not far behind by Luna Lovegood. “Luna?” Hermione’s mouth dropped. Luna held the kneazle in her arms. Then Hermione’s eyes almost popped out of her head when she realized the pair of them, and the creature, were covered, head to toe in gold dust. “What is going on?”

“We just negotiated a treaty with the Winter Solstice Fae of Devonshire,” Parkinson frowned. She wiped a hand over her forehead and left a streak of gold dust across her skin.

Luna nodded. “I told you, if you can reach an accord with Fae, you can do anything.”

Hermione baulked, “What are you doing making peace treaties with faeries? I’ve been waiting here almost an hour! No one’s shown up!”

“We’ve got it covered Granger,” Parkinson stated. “And no one said anything about a peace treaty.”

Pansy took a breath and reminded herself that their plan was flawless. Well, mostly.

“It’s going to be okay,” Luna sent her a smile. She held Bertie in her arms and pet her head absentmindedly. The kneazle was not pleased with being held so closely to the red flashing lights on Luna’s Christmas jumper.

“I don’t like this!” Hermione admonished.

“Do you think I like it either?” Pansy frowned. “I’m not sure I’ll ever get the gold dust out of my—”

Hermione interrupted, “It is not a good idea for us to go into a situation without having reconnected with the others. There are so many variables!”

They stood outside the hotel waiting for the right time to apparate to Haddington. It must have been an interesting sight to see: three women in various poorly fitted holiday jumpers, a large plant, and a kneazle.

“Where is Ron? Where are Harry and Draco? Where did the soul-catcher plant come from?” Hermione would not stop asking questions and shifting her weight from foot to foot.

“Who bloody cares,” Pansy rolled her eyes.

Luna leaned in and caught Hermione’s eye. “Do you trust Ron, “Mione? I’m sure he’s following the leads like he’d said.”

Hermione sighed. “Yes, but—what about Harry and Draco?”

“Unbelievable!” Pansy shook her head. “We are in a crisis and where have all the men gone?” Pansy shrieked. “We don’t need them. Fuck “em.”

Igora Stramitz didn’t usually celebrate holidays. She found it hard to experience joy if she still had an open case, if someone was still out there alone and separated from their loved ones. She’d certainly never worn a holiday jumper, let alone any jumper that had flashing lights and moving parts. Parkinson and Lovegood assured her that it was absolutely necessary to stay in solidarity with the Winter Solstice Fae, or Tinsel Gnats as Lovegood had called them.

Felix stood next to her, frowning at his own blue jumper as it flashed the phrase ROWENA’S LITTLE HELPER. “Tell me again how this is going to work?”

“Parkinson and Lovegood have bribed the Solstice Fae with the promise of a Christmas Come Early Party in exchange for their help.”