RNP Chapter 289 New Year's Wishes
Chapter 289 New Year's Wishes
Chapter 289 New Year's Wishes
Karen chatted with his mother for a while longer. After seeing her off, he returned to his desk, his gaze even more determined. He didn't abandon his research just because his mentor promised to send him the finished product; on the contrary, he devoted himself even more intently to studying the notes and runes. He wanted more than just a ready-made answer; he wanted to understand the underlying principles. After all, who knew if he might need this knowledge again in the future? And the remnants of the Four Greats in the castle were bound to be related to space; perhaps he would find something unexpected.
In the days following Karen's conversation with Professor Nico, his life became more structured and fulfilling. During the day, aside from spending time with his family, he spent most of his time in his room, diligently studying the materials he had at hand.
The basic rune engraving practice that Professor Castor required was a daily routine. He practiced it over and over again on parchment and with some cheap metal pieces that he later found.
Meanwhile, the books and materials promised by Professor Nico arrived via owl. Several thick, ancient tomes exuded an antiquated aura, while the pre-processed materials were carefully stored away. It wasn't time to use these exercises yet.
Seeing their son so focused, Emily and David tried their best not to disturb him, only bringing him tea and snacks regularly, their eyes filled with support and pride. Lily was curious about what her brother was busy with, but her mother reassured her that "Karen is completing an important magic assignment given by the professor." She would only occasionally peek curiously through the crack in the door, then be drawn to the "super cool" drawings on Karen's desk and the ordinary materials that Karen had already engraved.
Time flies, and New Year's Eve is fast approaching. The festive atmosphere at home hasn't completely faded, but a sense of anticipation for the future has been added.
Dinner was still plentiful, but simpler and warmer than the Christmas feast. The family sat around the table, sharing stories of the past year and their hopes for the new year. David talked about the challenges and progress of the new project at the shipyard, Emily shared some heartwarming recovery cases from the hospital, and Lily chattered about her best friends at school and her various fantasies about the new year.
Karen also shared some interesting stories from Hogwarts, such as the Charms Club's research projects, her adventures with her roommates at the Forbidden Forest and the Black Lake, and the castle's vast and complex underground waterways, which drew gasps of amazement from Lily.
After dinner, everyone gathered in the living room. The television was on, showing a prelude to the lively New Year's Eve celebrations in Trafalgar Square, London. Outside, the Plymouth night was much quieter, with only a few lights shining from the windows of a few houses and the low whistles of ships coming from the distant harbor. A tranquil yet expectant warmth permeated the air.
When the television cameras switched to Big Ben in London and the presenter began the countdown, the Hawthorne family joined in, shouting, "Ten!"
"Nine!"
"eight!"
'
three!
'
'
two!
'
"—!"
'
"Happy New Year!"
Cheers and sporadic fireworks erupted simultaneously from the television and in the distance outside the window. Inside, everyone hugged each other, exchanging New Year's greetings.
Happy New Year, my dear!
Happy New Year, Dad! Mom!
Happy New Year, my little witch!
Happy New Year, brother!
After the warm wishes, Emily suggested, "Come on, according to tradition, let's make our New Year's wishes."
David spoke first, his tone calm and pragmatic: "I hope that in the new year, the company's new ship design project will pass the acceptance test smoothly, and that it won't be held back by budget and bureaucracy again. Of course, most importantly, I hope that our whole family will be healthy and safe." He put his arm around Emily's shoulder.
Emily smiled gently and continued, "I hope that all the sick children in the hospital will have less pain and more smiles in the new year, and recover and go home soon. I also hope that our family will always be like this, full of laughter and warmth." She touched Lily's hair.
Lily immediately raised her hand high and announced loudly, her eyes sparkling with excitement: "My wish is to learn real magic next year! Lots and lots of magic! To become as powerful as my brother! I also want to fly up in the sky on my broomstick!" Her wish was pure and full of childlike innocence, which made everyone laugh.
Finally, all eyes turned to Cullen. Cullen looked at his family's warm smiles, the fine lines around his father's eyes, his mother's gentle gaze, and his sister's bright, hopeful eyes. The experiences of the past year at Hogwarts—the academic gains, the warmth of friendship, and the crises lurking in the castle's shadow—all flooded his mind like a tide. He knew all too well the undercurrents lurking beneath the glitz of the magical world, and he cherished even more the simple, genuine happiness he now possessed.
He paused for a moment, his voice not loud, but exceptionally clear and firm: "I hope that in the new year, I will have enough strength and ability to forever protect the happy lives of my family and friends."
After the wishing ceremony, the living room returned to a relaxed atmosphere. Karen took out her communication quill and sent short blessings to her friends far away.
Received a reply quickly.
Ernesto's reply was as concise and restrained as ever: "[The castle is quiet, the stars are shining. The latest data will arrive tomorrow. Finally, Happy New Year! Don't worry. —EG]" He followed with a small, ink-dotted star cluster pattern, seemingly representing the area of the sky he was currently observing.
Fabian's reply was full of exotic charm; he cleverly sent a simple line drawing with a quill pen—a wooden cabin in a snow-covered forest, warm light shining through the windows, smoke rising from the chimney. The drawing, though simple, was remarkably lifelike. Below it read: "The snow is heavy in Romania, and the fireplace at Grandma's is so warm. Happy New Year!"
——FB】
Wesley's reply was a long string of excited words and spelling errors, almost overflowing from the parchment: 【Happy New Year, Karen!!! Guess what?! My dad and I won tickets to a Quidditch World Cup qualifier in the newspaper raffle!!! It's not the finals, but it's still awesome!!! Let's go!!! Oh, and Happy New Year to you!!! You ate lots of good food!!! —Your loyal football fan roommate WC!!!】 The handwriting was flamboyant and the mood was high; Karen did have to put in some effort to fully decipher it.
Karen smiled as he read his friends' replies. No matter where he was, in the wizarding world or the Muggle world, this connection made him feel warm and less alone.
As night deepened, Lily began to yawn and was eventually sent to bed by her parents. Karen also returned to his room. He didn't rest immediately but stood by the window, gazing at the dark sea in the distance and the faint lighthouse light visible further away.
The New Year's bells have rung, the old chapter has been turned, and the new year has begun.