Chapter 416: The Ball

Chapter 416: The Ball

The Great Hall was bustling with noise.

The walls were adorned with sparkling silver frost, and the ceiling was a starry night sky. Snowflakes drifted down from above, vanishing before they reached the heads of the students.

Hundreds of Flower Fairies fluttered high in the air, scattering handfuls of colorful confetti.

Felix stood at the entrance, scanning the room. The four House tables had been replaced by a hundred small, lantern-lit tables, each seating about ten students.

At the front of the Great Hall was a long Head Table where the judges of the tournament sat. On either side of the Head Table were two Staff Tables, one for the Hogwarts professors and the other for the visiting guests.

In front of the Head and Staff Tables were two large, round tables reserved for the Champions.

Ludo Bagman and Percy walked up to the Head Table, while Felix approached a Staff Table and sat between Snape and Professor Mcgonagall. Snape was still wearing his black robe, while Professor Mcgonagall wore a long tartan robe with a thistle wreath around the brim of her hat.

"Minerva, quite an unusual outfit", Felix teased. "Severus, as always, remains unchanged..."

Snape glanced at Felix, who was flipping through a small menu on the table, and said slowly, "I don't recall you learning how to dance in school. Perhaps you can join me in patrolling the castle later?"

"Oh, don't be such a wet blanket", Professor Mcgonagall said.

Felix turned the menu over and stared at the list of desserts. "No problem, but I'll have to try this first", he said, pointing to a line of text.

"Opera Cake?" Snape glanced at it and commented, "Too sweet."

"Great name, though", Felix said with a smile.

After a few minutes, Professor Mcgonagall stood up and left. "I need to organize the Champions' entrance", she said, adjusting her pointed hat and walking briskly toward a corner of the Great Hall.

Near the entrance, the Champions and their dance partners were gathered. Professor Mcgonagall was giving them instructions: "Wait a little longer until the Great Hall is mostly full. Then, you will line up and enter together. You will walk down the left aisle, all the way to the front of the Great Hall, and take your seats at the large round table to the right of the Head Table, understood?"

At that moment, Harry and Ron hurried into the Great Hall. Ron had finally managed to change into his new dress robes in the bathroom. They rushed toward the Head Table.

"Over here! Potter, Weasley", Professor Mcgonagall called out loudly.

Harry and Ron froze, turning their heads to see the stern-faced Professor Mcgonagall and the group of Champions, who were all looking at them. The towering Champion from Wagram, Eliot, was significantly taller than Krum, and the tall and slender Nona Lebert stood beside him, looking delicate and refined.

Harry and Ron lowered their heads and walked back, passing Draco Malfoy, who shouted, "Potter, Weasley, did you forget the time while practicing your dance steps?"

His dance partner, Pansy Parkinson, let out a chorus of tsk-tsk sounds.

Harry glared at them. Draco Malfoy was wearing a high-collared black velvet dress robe, looking like a country parson. Harry inwardly scoffed at his taste. The two boys joined the end of the Champions' line, where the Patil sisters stood with their arms crossed, giving them disapproving looks.

Professor Mcgonagall strode over and said quickly, "Line up, you two! No, not next to each other", she said, exasperated, looking at Harry and Ron, "stand next to your dance partners. Good heavens, you don't know what a dance partner is, do you?"

She stepped forward, separating Harry and Ron, then looked at the Patil sisters hesitantly. Unable to tell them apart, she simply ordered, "Stand next to your dance partners, girls. You need a bit of coordination... to be honest, it's a bit late to be saying this."

Professor Mcgonagall quickly moved to the front of the line. They could barely hear her faint voice, "Mr. Eliot, please stand in line, you're too close to Mr. Krum. Mr. Krum, where is your dance partner?"

"She's on her way", Krum said in a deep voice.

Professor Mcgonagall looked displeased. "Are you sure she won't be late? If needed, I can find a substitute..."

"No, thank you", Krum said, his face dark.

Harry and Ron craned their necks at the end of the line. Ron said in disbelief, "I can't believe Krum doesn't have a dance partner! He's a star, which girl would stand him up? Oh, no, Harry, cover for me a bit..."

He bent his knees slightly and hid behind Harry, as Fleur Delacour glanced back. She was wearing a silver-gray silk gown, looking stunningly beautiful. Beside her was a tall, handsome boy whom Harry recognized as the seventh-year Slytherin male student council president.

Ron only straightened up when Fleur turned around.

"It's not entirely your fault; she is quite beautiful", Harry said fairly. A couple of days ago, when Fleur invited Cedric in the entrance hall, Ron had approached her like he was bewitched, inviting her to be his dance partner. As expected, he was rejected.

Since then, Ron had been avoiding her and hadn't fully recovered from the rejection.

At that moment, a pretty girl wearing a flowing light blue robe entered the Great Hall, passing by Harry and Ron. She approached Krum and spoke quickly, seemingly apologizing for being late. However, as they were at the end of the line, it was hard to hear what she was saying clearly.

"Oh, sorry, Krum... I was supposed to prepare hours in advance... but... Niffler's gift, I didn't expect it... I was so surprised..."

"Niffler? You mean those Magical Creatures that dig holes in the ground for gold coins? It sent you a gift?" Krum's deep voice was distinctive, and it reached Harry and Ron's ears.

"Wren doesn't dig holes in the ground! Oh, Wren is her name... Yes, she did send me a gift... I think it was because I sent her a Christmas gift first... Maybe Professor Hup helped pick it out..." the girl explained.

Harry and Ron exchanged glances.

"That voice sounds familiar", Harry said uncertainly.

"She mentioned Wren, saying Wren sent her a Christmas gift. Is that possible?" Ron looked at Harry hesitantly.

"If I heard correctly, she sent the gift first... Wren was just returning it... Wait, I think I know who it is..." Harry's voice slowed, and his gaze shifted from the girl in the flowing robe to Ron.

They stared at each other for two seconds before exclaiming in unison, and with surprise, "Hermione?" The guess left them in disbelief; they couldn't imagine that the beautiful girl a few feet away was their most familiar friend.

Harry stared at the girl's back. She didn't look anything like Hermione. But if it was her, she must have done something to her hair, which was no longer frizzy but smooth and shiny, neatly tied up in an elegant bun at the back of her head.

At that moment, Professor Mcgonagall walked to the front of the line and said to the Champions standing by the door, "Champions, please be ready. Ladies, please link arms with your partners and enter as I instructed."

The line began to move. Harry and Ron wanted to confirm if Krum's dance partner was indeed Hermione, but their arms were suddenly tugged. They turned around to see their dance partners—

The Patil sisters had linked their arms, smiling brightly. Parvati fiddled with the golden bracelet on her wrist and lifted the hem of her pink dress, whispering, "It's our turn." She then pulled Harry forward.

The Champions entered the Great Hall in two rows, weaving through the gaps between the small tables. The people in the Great Hall applauded enthusiastically, and Fred and George Weasley whistled loudly. Harry's nervousness eased slightly. They walked halfway around the Great Hall and sat at the two large tables in front of the Head Table.

Their seating arrangement was distinctive, with boys and girls alternating. Everyone was dressed in their finest, and Harry noticed that many familiar faces looked more handsome and beautiful than usual.

Especially Hermione.

Harry finally confirmed that Krum's dance partner was Hermione. Although he could only see her profile, he was so familiar with her that he recognized her immediately. Without the large books she usually carried, her demeanor had completely changed, making it hard for him to recognize her at first.

At that moment, Hermione noticed their gazes, turned her head, and waved across the table. Harry couldn't help but laugh; Hermione's distinctive front teeth were too recognizable, and he couldn't think of anyone else.

Hermione had previously complained to them that her parents, being dentists, were resistant to the idea of shrinking her teeth with magic and that she hadn't found an opportunity to get Madam Pomfrey to agree to the procedure.

...

The Champions were the last to enter. Once they were seated, the banquet naturally began. Harry stared at the empty, golden plates, lost in thought. He looked around and saw Dumbledore carefully examining the menu in front of him, then clearly saying, "Pork Chops!"

The pork chops appeared immediately.

The students realized what was happening and picked up their menus to choose their favorite dishes.

Not far from Harry, Roger Davies was caught between Collins and Fleur, looking uncomfortable. Fleur was criticizing the layout of Hogwarts to him and a male Slytherin student council president.

"That's nothing", she said, glancing at the star-studded walls of the Great Hall with a dismissive tone. "At Beauxbatons castle, our Great Hall is filled with ice sculptures during Christmas. Of course, they don't melt... The food is also top-notch. We even have a choir of forest fairies who sing serenades to us while we eat..."

The male student council president and Roger Davies beside her looked increasingly entranced. Harry guessed they hadn’t heard a word Fleur said. When Davies ran his fork through his hair, Collins beside him huffed loudly.

He tried to smooth things over, stammering, “I think both schools have their own unique beauty. Hogwarts has the Black Lake with the giant squid. In the summer, you can swim in it and pretend to drown, so the giant squid will come to save you. And Beauxbatons, well… I haven’t been there, but just from Fleur’s descriptions, it sounds wonderful.”

His attempt backfired, offending both girls. Collins and Fleur turned their heads away, leaving Davies feeling awkward.

Collins pushed her chair back, leaned over to the next table, and whispered to Ron, who was closest to her, “Have you figured out the secret of the Golden Egg yet?”

“What?” Ron asked dully, his eyes still fixed on Krum and Hermione, who seemed to have resolved their misunderstanding and were chatting amicably.

When he came to his senses, Collins was glaring at him. He felt a chill and frantically tried to recall her question. “Uh, no, not yet, but we’re close. Maybe in the next few days.”

Collins looked skeptical. She quickly added, “... if you try... in the water...”

“What did you say?” Ron didn’t catch it and asked again, but by then Dumbledore had stood up, holding a goblet, and Collins slid her chair back.

“Did you hear what she said?” Ron asked his nominal dance partner.

Padma Patil rolled her eyes and huffed, “I don’t know.”

“Clang!”

The sharp sound of a fork tapping against glass cut through the noisy Great Hall, reaching everyone’s ears. The hall grew silent as all eyes turned to Dumbledore at the Head Table.

“Students, please rise. I need to move the tables to make room for the dance floor,” he said with a smile.

With a wave of his wand, all the tables “whooshed” to the walls, leaving an open space in the middle. Students stood with their dance partners. Harry noticed Parvati’s arms wrapping around his again and tried to subtly pull away, but to no avail.

Dumbledore then conjured a narrow stage on the right side of the Great Hall, complete with a drum set, several guitars, a lute, a cello, and a few organs.

The lights around the Great Hall dimmed, leaving only the central dance floor brightly lit.

“Students, professors, and distinguished guests—enjoy the wonderful music!” Dumbledore said, spreading his arms. The Weird Sisters rushed onto the stage, and the audience erupted in thunderous applause.

Dumbledore’s left hand was behind his back, while his right hand extended an invitation to Madam Maxime. They glided into the dance floor, moving gracefully to the gentle, soothing music.

Felix was grateful his seat was near the steps and not in the area that needed to be moved. He sat securely in his chair, observing the Weird Sisters, who were dressed in peculiar outfits, as they began their performance.

He flipped to the last page of the menu.

“Opera Cake,” he pronounced clearly.

The next second, a delicate and tempting chocolate and coffee frosting cake appeared before him. He lifted his fork, then noticed a stern gaze.

“Do you know what you should do now?” Professor Mcgonagall said, pursing her lips.

Felix hesitated, looking around. “Oh...” He stood up and bowed slightly, politely asking, “May I have the honor of this dance, madam?”

“Of course,” Professor Mcgonagall smiled, extending her hand. “Put down your fork, Felix,” she whispered.

They walked toward the dance floor.

At that moment, Felix’s mind raced, and everything in the Great Hall seemed to slow down. He saw Dumbledore holding Madam Maxime’s hand, his pointed hat just touching her chin. He saw Mad-Eye Moody dragging Professor Sinistra, who looked like an unlucky Dark Wizard being arrested. He also saw Ludo Bagman struggling to bend down to invite Professor Sprout.

He pushed his mind acceleration magic to the limit.

Everything happening in the Great Hall flooded his mind. Basic posture, dance steps, hand-holding techniques, matching the rhythm... By the time he walked the dozen steps from the Staff Table to the dance floor, he had transformed from a novice into a skilled dancer.

“Waltz, Minerva?” Felix asked, swatting away a Flower Fairy that had flown down from the ceiling. The poor little creature stumbled and landed on Harry’s shoulder, who looked stiff.

“Certainly,” Professor Mcgonagall replied.

They danced gracefully, and as Felix moved, he continued to absorb the best dance moves from everyone around him. To his surprise, the best dancer turned out to be Dumbledore.

Age really does have its advantages, Felix mused.

A few minutes later, the dance ended. Professor Mcgonagall smiled, “I didn’t know you could dance, and so well. I thought you were new to this.”

Felix subtly wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead. "I haven't really practiced much before", he said, glancing toward where Snape had been standing at the edge of the dance floor. The man's black robes had already vanished.

The quirky sisters in the corner struck up another lively dance tune. "Shall we continue?" he asked politely, catching a glimpse of Hagrid swallowing his opera cake in one go and nervously approaching Madame Maxime, who had separated from Dumbledore.

Professor Mcgonagall smiled. "It seems you're not very familiar with these things. You can't spend the entire ball with just one person; there are plenty of young ladies waiting."

"What?"

Professor Mcgonagall took a step back, and a pretty girl suddenly appeared. "Professor Hup?" Bethany blinked, looking at him with anticipation. Felix extended his hand, gesturing invitingly, and Bethany eagerly accepted.

The dance style changed completely, and Felix had to use mind acceleration to the fullest, trying to keep up with the others' movements. A few seconds later, he was skillfully leading Bethany around the dance floor in a long, graceful arc.

As the dance ended, Bethany's face flushed pink.

She tiptoed and whispered, "You dance wonderfully, and... thank you for saving me." Her lips lightly touched Felix's cheek.

Bethany floated away.

Felix looked up to find Fleur standing in front of him. "Are you good at this dance?" Fleur asked playfully. The quirky sisters' performance had shifted to a livelier polka.

Felix: "...Of course."

After switching partners seven or eight times, Felix found himself facing Hermione.

"Oh, Professor, I've been watching. You dance wonderfully."

"Thank you, not just one person has said that", Felix replied. He silently counted down the quirky sisters' new song, and when the music started, he breathed a sigh of relief. He had finally cycled through all the partners and no longer needed to use mind acceleration.

He moved gracefully around the dance floor, spinning and twirling with ease and poise.

At the edge of the dance floor, Seamus and Dean sat at a table, indulging in desserts. Seamus, with wide eyes, said, "I didn't expect Professor Hup to be so skilled at so many dances... He's been on the floor the longest, hasn't he?"

"Yeah, how does he do it?" Dean was also surprised.

"Who was the girl he was dancing with? A Beauxbatons or Durmstrang student?" Seamus squinted.

"What kind of eyesight do you have? That's Hermione!" Dean exclaimed.

Seamus stared at Dean, who pointed to the dance floor. "Look at her big front teeth, they're so obvious..."

In the center of the dance floor.

Hermione bit her lip and whispered, "Did you know Wren gave me a Christmas gift?"

"Yes", Felix said.

"Was it your idea?" Hermione asked sharply.

"Of course not", Felix replied, not quite understanding her concern. "I was busy unwrapping gifts and writing thank-you notes all day. It was nearly evening when I realized you had also prepared a gift for Wren. She was overjoyed because no one else had remembered to give her a gift, so she returned the favor..."

"But the gift was too valuable!" Hermione said.

"Valuable?" Felix laughed. "No, Granger, it's just a keepsake. I've studied it; it can't be repaired."

"Is that so..." Hermione lowered her head, thinking.

At that moment, the ring on Felix's left hand buzzed, and he couldn't help but frown.

"What's wrong, Professor?" Hermione asked cautiously.

"Someone must be trying to contact me", Felix said calmly. The music was nearing its end, and Felix led the final pose, then guided Hermione off the dance floor.

Others approached, eager expressions on their faces. "Sorry", Felix politely declined.

He nodded to Hermione and hurried away, clutching a Bronze Knut between his fingers. It was a pair with the hot knut he had given Dobby, and whenever Dobby needed to report, he would infuse it with magic to notify him in advance.

This time, the coin was exceptionally hot, and he wondered if it was about to melt.

Felix quickly left the Great Hall and entered the courtyard, the noise and commotion fading away. With a soft "pop", Dobby appeared, looking extremely distressed, his large eyes full of fear.

Most importantly, he was carrying an unconscious House-elf.

After confirming Dobby was unharmed, Felix felt slightly relieved. He crouched down and examined the House-elf Dobby had brought. From his perspective, it was a female House-elf.

"What happened, Dobby?" he asked softly.

"D-Dobby doesn't know! Dobby just wanted to invite friends for Christmas. Dobby knew Winky had an owner, so Dobby chose a very late time, thinking they would be asleep. Dobby learned that her owner isn't in good health..."

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(End of Chapter)

Chapter end