Paul took the quill in surprise.
Its body was a slender, snow-white feather, while the nib and core displayed an antique, dark gold luster.
"Oh? Is it a magic item? What does it do?" Paul asked, turning it over in his hands.
Damian explained, "When you write using this Dictation Quill, it automatically writes out the words you are thinking. It even polishes the phrasing as it goes, which should significantly reduce your workload when dealing with paperwork."
"Furthermore," Damian added, "you can train its writing style, so you don't have to worry about anyone at the office finding the handwriting unusual."
"That's fantastic!" Paul couldn't wait. He immediately grabbed a piece of blank paper to test it out.
Soon, he had effortlessly filled an entire page without any physical exertion at all.
Paul absolutely loved it. At that moment, he looked exactly like a child who had just received a shiny new toy, grinning as he wrote non-stop and turned page after page.
Suddenly, Paul seemed to remember something. He looked up, asking nervously, "Damian, does this quill need special ink? Like... magic ink?"
"Ordinary ink is perfectly fine," Damian smiled. "And it can absorb a massive amount of ink at once—more than enough to last a whole day of writing."
"This is true magic!" Paul looked at the feather admiringly. "I really love this Christmas gift, Damian. I will put it to excellent use. But of course, I will strictly use it here at home."
The Harkers were well aware of the Wizarding World's International Statute of Secrecy. Professor McGonagall had personally visited their home to explain the strict laws after Damian was first admitted to Hogwarts.
Diana's voice echoed from downstairs. "You two, come down and eat!"
Cheerful Christmas carols played softly from the CD player, making the entire dining room feel warm and festive.
In the center of the dining table sat a classic holiday exclusive—a massive roast turkey.
Although the golden-brown turkey looked incredibly tempting, it was actually quite dry, and its texture was a bit disappointing.
The other main dish, however, was a perfectly roasted cod. The fish had been carefully marinated, brushed with a rich layer of herb sauce and olive oil, and sprinkled with sea salt and cracked pepper.
Baked until the surface was golden and crispy, this cooking method perfectly preserved the cod's tender, flaky texture while allowing the seasonings to fully penetrate. It was absolutely delicious.
The rest of the table was filled with hearty side dishes: a fresh vegetable salad, creamy mashed potatoes, crispy french fries, and roasted sausages.
Diana looked at her husband disapprovingly. "We're eating, and you're still writing? Is retro style popular in Whitehall now? Why on earth are you using a quill?"
Even at the dinner table, Paul was still happily scribbling away with the Dictation Quill; he simply couldn't bear to put it down.
While finishing a reply on his parchment, Paul beamed. "This isn't just an ordinary quill, Diana. It's a magic quill!"
"A magic quill?" Diana looked over at Damian in surprise.
"Yes, that was my Christmas gift for Uncle Paul," Damian explained. "It's designed to help him reduce his massive workload."
Damian then took out another elegantly wrapped box and handed it to his aunt.
"This is your gift, Aunt Diana. It's a Beautifying Potion, a bestseller from Madam Primpernelle's Beautifying Potions shop in Diagon Alley. It enhances natural beauty, brightens the complexion, and vastly improves your skin's condition."
Women were always keen on premium beauty products. Diana happily accepted the glass vial, her eyes lighting up. "Thank you so much, Damian! We prepared some special gifts for you, too."
Paul's gift to Damian was a highly classified, unreleased engineering prototype of a laptop computer, rumored to hit the Muggle market in the second half of the year.
The 3.5-kilogram notebook was quite thick, and the design of the little red trackpoint right in the middle of the keyboard was incredibly avant-garde.
Damian recognized it immediately. This specific laptop model would soon become a benchmark product in the tech industry and hold immense collector's value in the future.
Diana's gift was a beautiful, hardcover photo album. It was filled with pictures she had taken over the years: family portraits of them together, pictures from Damian's early childhood, and several stunning scenic shots.
"Thank you both. I really love the gifts," Damian said sincerely.
Diana smiled warmly, cutting two large turkey drumsticks and placing them directly onto Damian's plate. "You need to eat more, dear. You've lost weight again."
After dinner, Damian retreated to his room to tally the rest of his Christmas gifts.
He had already sent out the gifts he needed to mail while still at Hogwarts, utilizing the school's public owls for convenience.
For Professor Snape, Damian had purchased a set of high-precision measuring instruments commonly used in Muggle chemistry laboratories, complete with a detailed instruction manual.
For Professor McGonagall, he had transfigured a miniature, incredibly detailed macro-scene model of the Quidditch pitch, complete with tiny moving figures wearing the four House uniforms.
He gifted Professor Flitwick a premium wand maintenance kit, and Professor Sprout received a collection of rare Muggle plant seeds.
Most of the professors' return gifts were advanced magical books, though Professor Sprout gifted him a beautiful, rare ornamental plant she had grown herself in the school greenhouses.
To Damian's mild surprise, Draco Malfoy had sent him a large box containing seven or eight magical Frog Wallets.
In the attached letter, Draco expressed immense contempt for Perkin McNeill. The blond boy firmly believed that if it weren't for Perkin's cowardly sabotage, the Slytherin team never would have lost to Ravenclaw.
Draco also smugly stated that his secret "Financial Project" would soon yield massive profits. Next year, he planned to sponsor a brand-new batch of the latest Nimbus-series broomsticks for the entire Slytherin team.
He proudly declared he would definitely make the team then, hoping to fly alongside Damian next season.
Damian smiled faintly. Draco certainly had a strong sense of Slytherin team spirit, but Damian wondered if Lucius Malfoy would beat the boy severely when this shady "Financial Project" inevitably failed.
Damian noticed by the postage mark that Draco had sent the gift early that morning, right before boarding the train home.
However, it was already late evening, and the enchanted Frog Wallets hadn't spat out a single Galleon. The pyramid scheme Draco had heavily invested in was likely collapsing at this very moment.
Draco's Christmas was probably not going to be very pleasant.
Luna's gift was a lovely handcrafted item—a homemade Butterbeer cork necklace.
What Damian had sent her in return was also handcrafted: a magical beaded bracelet. The wooden beads were carved from ancient trees found deep within his Winter Forest, making it an artifact entirely from another world.
After organizing the last of his gifts, Damian finally pulled out the leather-bound book of Transfiguration insights given to him by Dumbledore.
Damian had always been an incredibly well-rounded wizard. Aside from his mastery of Alchemy and Magical Creature Breeding, he hadn't neglected his core subjects. Transfiguration just happened to be one of the fields where he truly excelled.
When he instinctively cast that massive Transfiguration over the Quidditch pitch to save his own life, he had broken through a significant magical restriction. His Transfiguration had reached an entirely new realm of power.
Now, without a doubt, Transfiguration was his most proficient magical subject in this world.
After reaching this new realm, Damian came to a profound realization: to become a truly top-tier wizard, one must first ruthlessly develop the fields where they already hold an absolute advantage.
The most powerful wizards in history all had their unique, terrifying specialties—like Lord Voldemort's mastery of the Killing Curse, or Dumbledore's unmatched prowess in Transfiguration.
Moving forward, Damian planned to focus the bulk of his magical studies heavily on Transfiguration...
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