As students began filing into the Great Hall for dinner, the atmosphere was already warm and festive—but Alexander wasn't finished.
Seated beside Cho, he casually lifted his wand and waved it a few times.
Instantly, enchanted snow began to fall from the ceiling.
Soft. Gentle. Sparkling.
Yet not a single flake melted on robes or dampened hair.
The moment each snowflake touched a surface, it shimmered brilliantly—glowing like tiny stars—before dissolving into harmless motes of light.
Gasps spread across the hall.
"It's beautiful…"
"So pretty…"
"It's like a dream…"
Many of the girls reached up, trying to catch the glowing flakes in their palms just to watch them sparkle and vanish.
Cho watched the snowfall in quiet awe, her eyes reflecting the shimmering lights.
She turned toward Alexander slowly.
"This is really beautiful," she said softly. "Like a fairytale."
Alexander leaned back slightly, satisfied.
"Make sure to smile beautifully," he replied. "Peeves will be taking plenty of photos."
Cho blinked.
Then immediately straightened.
Her smile grew brighter—gentler, more radiant—as she subtly adjusted her posture and even tried a few poses while the enchanted snow fell around her.
Alexander laughed under his breath at the sudden change.
The hall continued glowing under the snowfall until dinner was almost over.
Then—
Alexander raised his wand again.
"Periculum."
A jet of brilliant red sparks shot upward, streaking into the enchanted ceiling like a flare.
Students looked up in confusion—
Until movements began near the house tables.
A selected group of students from each house stood and calmly walked toward the High Table.
They moved to the side where Professor McGonagall had transfigured elegant riser benches earlier that evening.
With another wave from Alexander, musical instruments appeared midair—violins, harps, flutes, enchanted chimes, even floating sheet music glowing faint gold.
The students took their places.
And then—
They began to sing.
Wizarding carols filled the hall first—warm, melodic, filled with harmonized magic that made the candles flicker in rhythm.
Then came Latin hymns, deep and resonant, echoing with ancient enchantments that made the very air hum.
The performance was so refined that even professors paused to listen.
When the final note faded, applause thundered across the hall.
Many assumed the show was over.
Alexander once again waved his wand.
"Periculum."
Another red flare shot skyward.
Right on cue—
George, standing near the entrance doors, gave a sharp signal.
Fred answered instantly.
The doors burst open.
Singing snowmen marched into the hall in cheerful formation, their carrot noses glowing, scarves fluttering as they harmonized in a jolly chorus.
Laughter exploded across the tables.
Then came the main spectacle—
Santa Claus himself soared in through the doors on a flying sleigh, pulled by enchanted reindeer that galloped through the air.
They circled the Great Hall, dropping showers of candy and sweets to cheering students below.
Every pass Santa made left behind trails of snowflakes shaped like house animals—
Lions
Serpents
Badgers
Ravens
Students rushed to catch both sweets and glowing flakes alike.
But Alexander still wasn't finished.
He gave another slow wave of his wand.
The Great Hall ceiling was transformed.
Night descended instantly.
A vast, breathtaking starry sky stretched overhead.
Shooting stars streaked across the darkness.
Nebula clouds glowed softly—each tinted in the colors of the four houses.
Constellations shifted and reformed in real time, animals and symbols dancing across the heavens.
Then—
The stars began arranging themselves into words.
Names appeared.
Pairs of names.
Each surrounded by glowing hearts.
Couples all across the hall gasped, blushed, laughed, or hid their faces as their names shimmered above.
Cho froze when she saw it.
Alexander Chen ♥ Cho Chang
Her breath caught.
She hadn't even noticed when Alexander's hand had gently taken hers beneath the table.
She didn't pull away.
She only smiled, lovestruck eyes reflecting the starlight above.
While the sky display continued, another performance began.
Nearly Headless Nick and a gathering of Hogwarts ghosts drifted into formation.
They played enchanted instrumental music.
Music flowed through the walls, the floors, even the ceiling itself.
Ethereal melodies wrapped the hall in a dreamlike atmosphere.
Then, slowly…
Everything began to dim.
Alexander waved his wand one final time.
Darkness fell across the Great Hall.
All lights vanished—
Except one.
The Christmas tree at the front.
It glowed brilliantly, ornaments shining like captured stars.
The hall fell silent.
Then—
The tree ignited.
Students gasped as golden flames engulfed it—but no heat came.
The fire twisted, spiraled, reshaped—
Forming a magnificent phoenix made of living flame.
The fiery bird spread its wings and shot upward, circling the hall in a blaze of gold and crimson.
It glided over every table, leaving trails of warm sparkling embers that faded before touching anything.
The entire hall watched in stunned silence.
The phoenix made one final turn.
Then flew toward the High Table.
It descended before Dumbledore and dissolved into a cascade of golden light.
When the light faded—
Students blinked in surprise.
Every single person now had a small Christmas gift sitting in front of them.
As they opened them, cheers erupted again.
Inside each box—
A high-quality house scarf.
Thick, warm, beautifully enchanted with subtle protective charms and shimmering house colors.
The Great Hall exploded with applause, laughter, and celebration.
Cho squeezed Alexander's hand gently, still smiling as the last golden sparks faded from the air.
Christmas at Hogwarts had never been this magical.
And everyone knew exactly who to thank.