The next day was Christmas Eve, and every household had hung up Christmas baubles and light strips in front of their doors, with many gift decorations or small fir trees added to their lawns.
When Harry went out, he was surprised to see Uncle Howl holding a snow shovel, clearing the accumulated snow.
As Harry approached, he even heard Uncle Howl muttering to himself.
"I wonder if Saint Nicholas can fight... If he were in this era... I'd rob all his packages..."
Harry felt a bit embarrassed; Saint Nicholas was the legendary Santa Claus, and also a famous Wizard.
"Uncle Howl," Harry greeted him.
Howl looked up, nodded: "Happy Christmas Eve." With that, he directly handed the snow shovel to Harry, smiling: "Sorry, no holiday."
"I know," Harry smiled, taking the snow shovel and starting to work.
"Hurry up and shovel the snow, then we'll decorate the house after breakfast," Howl said, then walked into the house.
Not long after, he reappeared, fully dressed, and instructed Harry outside: "I'm going to Diagon Alley."
With that, his figure vanished from Harry's sight.
Half an hour later, when he reappeared, he brought many Christmas decorations commonly used by Wizards, as well as many candies.
...
By evening, the entire Castle had been transformed, and Lucifer had parked the Castle on a mountaintop, with snowflakes continuously falling, adorning the Castle with layers of white 'hats'.
Inside the Castle, it was warm and peaceful. The sizzling roasted chicken emitted a fragrant aroma through its golden, crispy skin, and various other delicacies were laid out on the table.
"To magic," Howl was the first to raise his cup and clinked it with Harry's.
"By the way, Uncle Howl, where are we going after the Castle has traveled for so long?" Harry asked.
"Lorland Village," Howl said. "That's a village in the Scandinavian Mountains, inhabited by half-Wizard, half-ordinary people."
Lucifer also added from the cupboard: "We're almost there, about a day's journey left."
The Castle's moving speed was not fast; most of the time, it moved slowly like an old man strolling, exactly like Lucifer's lazy demeanor.
Anyway, no one was in a hurry.
"Why are we going there?" Harry was curious.
Howl smiled: "That village is said to have a thousand-year history; perhaps there are some Ancient Runes inheritances left there."
Upon hearing this, Harry immediately recalled the introduction to Runes.
Runes are an extremely important branch of Ancient Runes. In the Ancient Runes Class, an elective for third-years at Hogwarts, Runes are taught as part of the curriculum.
Legend has it that in Germanic mythology, Runes were obtained by Odin, the All-Father, at the cost of losing his right eye to gain wisdom from the Well of Mimir.
He then hung himself on a tree for nine days and nine nights, contemplating the wisdom of Runes day and night, and when he came down from the tree, he comprehended Runes.
People also gained the power of magic by learning these Runes.
"Of course, it's just a possibility, not a requirement. My original intention was to go south because the climate there would be warmer and more pleasant, but this village just happens to be on the way," Howl added.
Just then, Lucifer suddenly ascended.
Before Harry could react, the Castle's main door was slammed open!
Instantly, the tranquil and peaceful atmosphere of the entire Castle was shattered by the howling winds of the snowy mountain peak, and snowflakes poured in.
"Who dares to smash my door!" Lucifer immediately conjured a massive flame, the Castle's flame pipes wailed, and fire snakes spewed directly from the chimney.
"Oh, what is this... magical construct?" a sharp, aged voice came from the darkness outside the door.
"It's too cold outside, can we come in and sit?" another different, unpleasant voice emanated.
Before anyone could speak, Harry saw the newcomers.
They were a group of short-statured Goblins with pointed noses and long fingers.
"Strange," Howl was somewhat puzzled, tilting his head as he looked at the group of Goblins at the door.
"Are you an illegal Goblin organization?"
"Illegal? Heh heh, you've got a cat's head, I don't want to talk too much with you." The Goblin looked at Howl with a mix of confusion and disdain.
"Are they...?" Harry looked at Howl, somewhat unsure.
Howl slightly raised his head, signaling Harry to look at their hands.
Being Goblins, yet holding the wands of human Wizards. Harry immediately understood their origins.
Since the end of the Second Goblin War, some Goblins accepted the Ministry of Magic's amnesty and founded Gringotts. Some Goblins operated in the gray areas, becoming free agents.
And another part...
Formed illegal Goblin organizations, intending to restore their nation. In fact, back then, they, along with Giants, Werewolves, Vampires, and other sub-human groups, were recruited by Lord Voldemort, intending to overthrow the Wizarding World.
Harry frowned, looking displeased at the Goblins walking in.
Howl's nose twitched, already sensing the scent of blood on them.
"Are you from Lorland Village?" Howl looked at the Goblins.
Unexpectedly, from behind them, a Goblin pushed through the crowd and stepped forward, his face fierce and full of hatred.
"Enough nonsense! Those Vikings are about to attack. Quickly seize this place, cast the Disillusionment Charm, and we'll hide for a while," the Goblin said directly.
As his voice fell, a spell shot straight towards Harry.
"Looks like they're extremists," Howl sighed, then his figure vanished.
When he reappeared, he stood in front of the spell, his hand slightly pushed forward, and an invisible shield clearly nullified the spell.
Then, Howl swept his hand across. Immediately, a powerful force surged from the house, knocking all the Goblins out.
By the time Harry came to his senses, the house was already empty.
Outside the Castle, on the mountaintop!
In the blizzard, Howl's clothes flapped violently, his eyes narrowing into vertical slits; for him, night was like day.
"Avada Kedavra!"
A green light shot straight towards Howl; it was the Goblin who had cast the spell earlier, now looking at Howl with a sinister, triumphant expression.
Howl slightly shifted his body in the air, briefly scanning the surrounding Goblins.
"I'm wondering why you didn't apparate away," he murmured, then shook his head.
"Never mind... It just so happens that some of the insights gained from analyzing Thales's manuscript in the past few months haven't been truly tested yet..."
Saying this, he slowly raised his hands, and masses of black mist began to swirl between them.
Thales, the foremost of the Seven Sages of Ancient Greece, was the first Wizard in the history of Ancient Greece to have a recorded name. He founded the Miletus School, also known as the Ionian School.
In that era, when spellcasters were wildly exploring the world's laws, Thales groundbreakingly, from the endless stars, for the first time distinguished, analyzed, and anchored a single set of laws.
[Water]
And put forward the radical theory that "everything originates from water."
Howl's eyes were pitch black, like an abyss. In the sky, the snow had stopped at some point, but the black clouds, like a collapsing sky, did not dissipate, and the wind grew even more violent, like a steel blade scraping bone.
Some Goblins trembled where they stood, their legs shaking, while the bolder ones tried to escape or attack that towering figure.
Howl clasped his hands together, and the swirling black clouds in his hands vanished. However, everyone knew that the storm clouds were still there,
In the sky!
As he pressed his hands down, he slowly chanted the incantation:
[βαιη καταυγδα]
Storm—