Ferdinand couldn't quite explain the feelings in his heart.
Perhaps, in that moment, he suddenly glimpsed a bit of the danger and loneliness Vid carried in another world; or perhaps, as a father, he felt deeply apologetic and self-reproachful for being powerless over the burdens on his son's shoulders.
He unconsciously clenched the fist resting on his knee.
Just then, he saw the young man lift his head, his eyes curving into a smile.
"Ah, the cake is here," Vid said cheerfully. "I'm already hungry."
Ferdinand was slightly taken aback and couldn't help but smile along.
He asked nothing, simply reaching out to place Vid's coffee in front of him, gently saying, "Have something warm first."
"Alright." Vid picked up the coffee cup, smiling, "Thanks, Dad."
...
In the afternoon, the family turned to Fortnum and Mason, a store long known for supplying the British Royal Family with groceries, boasting royal certification. Naturally, the prices were quite exorbitant, and many only entered this department store for gift purposes.
If it weren't for Christmas, and the improving financial situation of the family, Fiona wouldn't have considered shopping at such a place.
Looking at the numbers on the price tags, she took out the demeanor of a national banquet chef, solemnly selecting each item:
Evenly fat turkey, top-tier smoked salmon from Scotland, various dried fruits and candied fruits for pie making, and Christmas special pudding-flavored black tea.
Ferdinand also carefully selected before finally picking up a bottle of tawny port wine, winking at Vid:
"At tonight's dinner, let's have something nice. You've grown up, you can have a couple of drinks with Dad now."
"…Wine?" Vid's gaze fell on the amber bottle, hesitatingly.
"Don't worry, it's tawny port, low alcohol content, very smooth, even minors can have a couple of glasses."
Ferdinand handed the bottle to the serving clerk, then looked at his son with encouragement, saying:
"In the future, when you attend parties, you can't just drink juice or cola all the time, right? You should learn to drink a little in moderation."
Vid thought for a moment, nodded, saying, "Alright."
Although he believed people should respect the limitations of their physiology, there is talk that alcohol tolerance could be improved through practice… perhaps it really could be?
...
By the time they returned home, it was almost afternoon, but Fiona had no intention of resting. Instead, she energetically decided to start putting up Christmas decorations.
"Christmas is less than two days away!"
The lady of the house looked as though she was preparing for a battle; she tied a triangular scarf over her head, clapped her hands, and raised her voice:
"At least let's get the lights and wreaths up, or people will see our bare place and think we're not planning to celebrate this year!"
As she spoke, she opened bags, taking out bundles of tangled lights, golden bells, and holly wreaths, and started giving orders with a crisp voice.
Ferdinand and Vid began moving the ladder around, climbing up and down, hanging various decorations.
Dobby, like a nimble squirrel, quickly climbed onto the crystal chandelier in the living room, swiftly polishing each piece of crystal until sparkling, then hung the long golden tassels on the lamp arms.
The three little demonic puppets—Coco, Ali, and Reina—were not idle.
Coco, holding lights that were extraordinarily large for him, ran circles around the Christmas tree, hanging the lights all over.
Ali, holding a golden bell, dangled upside down, shakily hanging it on the branches.
And then there's Reina, using her slender little hands to put pre-cut snowflakes on the clean glass windows, arranging them into beautiful patterns.
Fiona was like a flame full of vigor, tirelessly commanding everyone to move, simultaneously focusing on at least three places, occasionally exclaiming:
"Ah, no! That wreath can't go on the fireplace! That one goes at the door!"
"Goodness, Dobby, you're a genius! The work is wonderfully done!"
"Reina! Sweetheart, could you cut some little star-shaped candy paper? We'll use them to decorate chocolate truffles!"
Because of her, the holiday truly became a "holiday." Her boundless energy and uninhibited joy turned a variety of chores into a ceremony involving the whole family, making everyone eagerly anticipate the holiday's arrival.
Vid didn't use any magic to speed up the process, although he could've simply waved the magic wand and made everything fly to its rightful place.
He savored the moment:
Father standing on the ladder, carefully fixing the ribbons according to Mother's directions, occasionally uncertainly asking, "Is this height okay?"
Fiona supported the ladder, shouting up, "Move a little to the left… Yes, that's it! Be careful, don't fall!"
Dobby humming an off-key tune, while Coco and Ali, the two little guys, were fighting over the biggest crystal star, exclaiming:
"I want to hang it!"
"Let me hang it!"
Once the star was securely placed at the top of the Christmas tree, Fiona ran to the wall and pressed the switch.
In an instant, all the lights in the room came on, colorful lights intertwining throughout the room, lighting up every smiling face. The Christmas tree resembled a glowing tower, breathtakingly beautiful.
Dobby stood with his mouth ajar, staring dazedly: "Wow…"
This was his third Christmas at the Grey Family.
The first year, he had yet to be employed by the Grey Family, having only just met Vid's parents. Because Vid disappeared before the holiday, no one felt like celebrating, the couple waited in worry daily, while Dobby ran around investigating for information.