In a daze, Albert opened his eyes, closed his eyes and yawned lazily. When he turned over, he seemed to notice something. When he opened his eyes again, the bed beside him was already empty.
Already.
He turned over and got up from the bed, his eyes fell on the bathroom door where the lights were on and the sound of running water came from. He looked at the still dark window with some confusion and muttered, "It's so early..."
After a while, the bathroom door was opened from the inside, and Isobel, wearing a nightgown, came out and was carefully wiping her long, fiery red hair with a towel.
"woke up?"
Isobel noticed Albert getting up.
"...Why don't you just sleep for a while?" Albert covered another yawn.
"No, it's already half past seven, it should be snowing outside."
Isobel put down her towel, walked towards Albert with a familiar scent, leaned down and kissed the sleepy Albert on the cheek, and said with a smile: "Merry Christmas."
Oh, I almost forgot, today is Christmas.
"Merry Christmas!"
Albert covered his yawn and was about to lie back on the bed and continue to sleep, but Isobel reached out to hold him back.
"What's wrong?" Albert asked doubtfully.
"Go take a shower first. I've prepared a special Christmas gift for you."
"Christmas gift?"
Albert was slightly startled, he really didn't expect Isobel to give him a Christmas gift.
After all, they are all married and have children.
It always feels a little strange to give gifts to both parties at Christmas.
Of course, sending some small gifts can really add some spice to the boring lives of both parties.
Isobel raised her eyebrows slightly, deliberately brought her head to Albert's ear, and whispered: "It seems that you forgot to prepare a gift for me?"
"Oh, dear, what gift do you want?"
"What do you think?"
Isobel didn't give Albert time to react, so she pulled him up from the bed and pushed him directly into the bathroom.
The door closed again.
Overlapping figures are reflected in the transparent frosted glass.
When Albert finished taking a shower, changed clothes and walked into the living room, Katrina and the house elves were decorating the large round table with sumptuous food.
"Merry Christmas!"
Albert glanced at the Christmas tree by the fireplace. Under the tree were piled a large number of French snacks that he planned to give to the members of the association.
"You look very tired. Didn't you sleep well last night?"
Katrina put the plate with breakfast on the small round table next to Albert, glanced sideways at Isobel who walked into the living room pushing a stroller, and asked with a smile, "Or was the exercise this morning too intense?
"
"Ahem."
Albert glanced at Katrina with a strange expression, turned his attention back to the Steak Wellington on the dinner plate, and changed the topic, "Do you want to eat steak early in the morning?"
It's not that Albert hates steak, but he's used to having a lighter breakfast.
"Today is Christmas." Katrina said without thinking.
"Well, if other association members knew that I was enjoying delicious food at home, they would probably be upset."
Albert cut some and tasted it. The steak actually tasted pretty good.
"Wouldn't it be better not to let them know, and haven't you already prepared Christmas gifts for them?" Katrina glanced at the pile of packages under the Christmas tree and said, "And when have you ever cared about this kind of thing?
Yes, he is really a hypocritical guy who talks nonsense."
"It's so sad. I'm obviously honest." Albert took a sip of milk and said, "Your Christmas gift is gone."
Katrina didn't care, and obviously didn't think Albert would prepare any Christmas gifts for her.
"Isobel is very satisfied with the gift I prepared for her." Albert said suddenly.
"You guy." Katrina glared at Albert fiercely and stretched out her hand to take away the half-eaten food.
"Ahem, you are thinking wrongly. You are really a girl with impure thoughts. She obviously doesn't even have a boyfriend."
"So, you just forgot to prepare a Christmas gift for me? My dear." Isobel's voice rang in Albert's ears.
"Ahem, if you need it, I can prepare another one for you, but I don't think you need it." Albert took out a pink wine bottle from his seamless stretch pocket and handed it to Katrina, "Open it and take a look.
Take a look, you will definitely like it."
"A bottle of wine?"
"It turns out to be youth and love."
Isobel was a little surprised because they had finished the last batch of magic wine that Albert brewed using mandrake wine.
"what is that?"
"The name of this bottle of wine." Isobel introduced, "It is said to be a magic potion that can delay aging."
"Magic wine that delays aging?"
Katrina looked at the bottle of wine in her hand suspiciously and asked, "Are you sure this thing is not deceiving people?"
"You have to ask Albert about this." Isobel asked curiously, "Is this the latest batch?"
"Well, that's right. This year's batch is an improved version, and the effect is stronger than the last batch." Albert shrugged and said, "At least it tastes very good. It is a treasure that you can't buy from the outside world."
"Can this thing really delay aging?"
Katrina was dubious about this. If this kind of thing could delay aging, that would be... great, but is this really possible?
"I'm not sure. Albert makes a batch every year. The raw material is mandrake. It is said that it needs to be drunk regularly to be effective." Isobel was actually unable to confirm the effect of youth and love, but Albert said
It was effective, she was still willing to believe it.
"Just think of it as a bottle of wine."
After Albert took out a handkerchief and wiped the corners of his mouth, he cleared the tableware on the table. After looking at the condition of little Alice in the stroller, he picked up Tom who was warming himself by the fire next to him, placed him on his lap, and used a comb to help look at the hair.
, while listening to the McDougal sisters chatting.
"Where's mom?"
"In the kitchen, he said he was preparing a surprise for us."
The two sisters looked at each other and fell into a brief silence.
Isobel temporarily left Alice in the care of Albert and took Katrina to the kitchen.
"Tom, this is Alice. You have to help take care of her from now on."
Albert held Tom close to the stroller and let him smell Alice's scent carefully.
"Meow!"
Tom yelled lazily, rubbed Albert's feet, and then lay back on the cushions by the fireplace to continue warming himself, completely ignoring the young Twoleg.
Mrs. MacDougal's food was not as bad as expected, it could only be said to be mediocre. The only problem was that for some reason, both Isobel and Katrina didn't like sweets, so...Albert
He had no choice but to take orders in the face of danger and take a small piece of cake for dessert after cooking.
"Thanks for your hard work."
Isobel cast an apologetic look at Albert. Mrs. MacDoug's recent obsession with cooking really made them feel helpless.
"Actually, it's not as unpleasant as you think." Albert comforted softly.
This is actually not a lie, because Hagrid's cooking skills are also unflattering.