Chapter 299: Dance Partner
Chapter 299: Dance Partner (Request for Subscriptions, Favorites, and Votes)
"Potter! Weasley! Can you focus a bit more?" Professor Mcgonagall shouted from the podium.
It was almost the end of Thursday afternoon's Transfiguration class. The lesson content had already been covered, and Liam was summarizing the key points when Professor Mcgonagall's roar startled him.
After scolding Harry and the others, who were as mischievous as Peppi Shrimp, Professor Mcgonagall began to announce the main matter.
"The Yule Ball is approaching—it is a traditional part of the Triwizard Tournament and a great opportunity for us to socialize with our foreign guests. The ball is open to fourth-year students and above, but if you wish, you may invite a lower-year student—"
The classroom erupted in excitement. For students in their teenage years, the ball was undoubtedly a thrilling event. Liam even heard a few girls giggle.
"You will need to wear your dress robes", Professor Mcgonagall said sternly. "The ball will be held in the Great Hall at eight o'clock on Christmas Eve and will end at midnight."
She then scanned the excited students with a serious look. "Listen—while the Yule Ball is certainly an opportunity to—well—let our hair down and relax, it does not mean that we will relax our standards for Hogwarts students. If any Gryffindor student disgraces the school in any way, I will be deeply disappointed."
Indeed, as the Deputy Headmistress, Professor Mcgonagall was always vigilant, overseeing every student, while Dumbledore mainly handled the broader direction of the school.
After class, Professor Mcgonagall called Liam and Harry aside and informed them that, as Champions, they needed to open the ball. Therefore, they must find suitable dance partners and practice a bit to avoid embarrassing themselves.
They both agreed, and finally managed to escape Professor Mcgonagall's nagging.
Now, not only the usually outgoing Gryffindor students, but the entire school's young wizards were buzzing with excitement, especially the girls.
The girls giggled and whispered in the corridors, laughing when boys passed by, and excitedly discussed what they would wear on Christmas Eve.
"I think my yellow dress robes look quite nice and match your dark blue formal attire well. But honestly, I find wizards' dress robes rather old-fashioned, especially for witches. They are far less elegant than ordinary formal wear. However, as the Champion's dance partner, I'll have to wear these."
Liam, having left Professor Mcgonagall, immediately went to invite Hermione, who happily accepted. Later, in the Common Room, she broke her usual routine of studying and instead dragged Liam into a discussion about the ball.
"By the way, do you know how to dance?" Liam suddenly asked, remembering that he did know some dances, but none of them were suitable for a ball.
"I know a bit of ballroom dance, but I'm not sure what kind of dance is expected at a wizard's ball. I think we should ask Ginny", Hermione said, noticing Ginny, who was blushing, had just entered the Common Room. After a brief conversation, Hermione invited Ginny over.
"The dance steps for the ball? My mother taught me, it should be the waltz", Ginny said, looking at Liam and Hermione. "Do you know how to waltz?"
“This, I’m really not very good at it.” After entering the Magic world, both of them had neglected certain social skills, which led to their ballroom dance skills being limited to the basics they learned in elementary school. Of course, such a level was definitely not suitable for the Yule Ball.
“You two can’t dance?” Ginny said, somewhat surprised. After all, in her eyes, Liam and Hermione were both very knowledgeable people, and she really didn’t expect there to be something simple that they couldn’t do. “Well, Harry can’t dance either. You can come and learn with him when the time comes; I can teach you. It’s really not difficult at all.”
“Harry?” Liam’s eyes widened.
“Yeah, Harry came over and asked me to be his dance partner just now,” Ginny said happily.
No wonder Ginny was so excited when she came over. It turned out that Harry, who had been in a low mood this year, finally started to come around thanks to Ginny’s companionship. He invited her to the ball as soon as he found out it was happening.
Over the next few days, whenever they had free time, Liam and the others would follow Ginny to learn the waltz. Fortunately, Liam and Hermione, who had previously practiced assassin’s combat techniques and had their bodies enhanced, learned the dance much faster than Harry. They mastered the waltz in just a few days.
And at this time, Ginny also showed her nurturing side. Even when Harry stepped on her feet multiple times, she didn’t complain. Instead, she gently pointed out where he was going wrong.
Around this time, the invitations for dance partners also started to increase. For example, Fred invited his Quidditch teammate Angelina, and Neville mustered the courage to successfully invite Hannah Abbott as his dance partner during the Sunday Study Group meeting.
Of course, as the Champion, Liam received many invitations, but he politely declined them all. Hermione also turned down Krum’s invitation in the Library.
“There’s a whole line of girls waiting to dance with him. I don’t want to get on their bad side because of this,” Hermione said with a mischievous tone as she watched Krum leave. “Besides, to me, a famous name is far less attractive than an interesting soul.”
The students and teachers of Hogwarts seemed determined to make a good impression on the guests from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang, showing their best during Christmas. The school was decorated festively:
The marble staircase was adorned with ice columns that never melted, and the Great Hall’s usual twelve Christmas trees were decorated with all sorts of trinkets, from shiny holly berries to live golden owls that chirped continuously.
The only discordant note was Peeves, who would hide inside the armors and complete the Christmas carols with very inappropriate lyrics, even taunting students as they passed by.
“Fine, if you like it in there, you can stay forever.” One day after class, when Peeves was singing some censored lyrics to a group of first and second-year students, Liam took out a writing brush and magic ink from his backpack and quickly drew a series of runes on the armor while Peeves was inside. Soon, Peeves realized he was trapped.
“Let me out!” Peeves pounded on the armor in panic, but no matter how hard he tried, the armor remained immovable.
“Don’t worry, these seals will only keep you in there for half a month. You’ll be free after Christmas,” Liam said calmly as Peeves shouted and cursed.
“Good job, Liam.” At that moment, Professor Sprout happened to pass by, followed by Hagrid, who was carrying a whole Christmas tree. “Professor Hagrid, could you please move this armor to the warehouse on the second floor? I think this Christmas will finally be a bit quieter.”
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
