Chapter 897: The Eccentric Young Lady
Chapter 897: The Eccentric Young Lady
Albert put down the microphone and surveyed the audience around him, his mind momentarily wandering.
Are Wizarding Cards fun?
To be honest, he didn't know either.
They were merely a decent pastime, nothing more.
In his opinion, games like this were more enjoyable when played with a group of people.
The social aspect of bonding and making friends was often more important than the gameplay itself, and this was the very reason Albert had created the Wizarding Card game room.
As it turned out, Albert's idea was well-received. Quite a number of students were willing to sit down and play Wizarding Cards with their friends. As long as there was a decent player base, it meant that the game wasn't a failure.
After a series of matches that weren't too intense, Hermione successfully crushed Diggory with a score of two to zero, becoming the first to qualify for the finals.
"We had such high hopes for you, and you lost so easily," said Lee Jordan, his face contorted in mock despair. "You're terrible!"
Cedric shrugged, unbothered by Lee Jordan's words. He hadn't played Wizarding Cards much recently and had relied solely on his sharp wit to make it to the semifinals. Unfortunately, he met Hermione, whose understanding of the game and luck far surpassed his, resulting in his crushing defeat.
To be honest, there weren't many students who were truly skilled at Wizarding Cards. Most of them were just trying to have fun and not take it too seriously. This kind of gathering provided a pleasant atmosphere, and the ten galleons per semester was also a nice bonus.
Next up was the match between Luna and Sally-Anne, which started off fiercely and was much more intense than the previous one. It was evident that both players were significantly more skilled than Cedric.
In the end, Luna narrowly won with a score of two to one.
The final match would now be between Hermione and Luna, two individuals with starkly contrasting personalities.
Compared to Luna, Hermione had a higher chance of winning.
Even Ron felt the same, and he had already started to envy Hermione for her potential ten-galleon prize. However, the match turned out to be much closer than expected, with Hermione barely scraping a win in the first game.
In fact, she had almost lost.
Then, the tide turned, and Hermione lost the next two games. Luna was declared the winner of the Wizarding Cards tournament, much to everyone's surprise.
Amidst the jealous and admiring glances of the other girls, Luna received her prize as the champion of the Wizarding Cards tournament.
The fireworks that had been prepared in advance bloomed in the sky above, forming a majestic Ravenclaw eagle.
The party truly began amidst the exclamations and applause of the crowd.
Everyone was free to find a spot, sit down, and enjoy the snacks and butterbeer on the tables while chatting about interesting topics. Occasionally, someone would suddenly turn into a large canary, eliciting laughter from the group.
After greeting everyone, Albert approached Luna. Looking at the blonde girl before him, he smiled and said, "Congratulations on winning the Wizarding Cards tournament."
"I really like gatherings like this," Luna said calmly. "It feels like being with friends."
"That's the charm of games."
"The charm of games?"
"Making friends and bringing joy to people," Albert said, looking around at the happy crowd. "That's also the reason for creating this place."
"Thank you," Luna said suddenly. "I really like it here."
"You're welcome. Actually, I wanted to talk to you about a few things." Albert cut straight to the chase. "Are you planning to attend the Christmas Ball?"
"Can I assume that you're inviting me?" Luna asked curiously, batting her eyelashes.
"No, I already have a dance partner," Albert clarified. "But you know that the special prize for the champion is a dance with me. Well, to be honest, I'd rather not talk about that, but since you won the championship, the choice is yours. If you don't plan on attending the ball, we can offer you something else as compensation."
"I'm not old enough. Only fourth-year students and above are eligible to attend the Christmas Ball," Luna pointed out.
"Don't worry about that," Albert reassured her. "If you want to go to the ball but don't have an invitation, Lee Jordan will gladly invite you as a friend, bypassing the age restriction. Of course, he won't force you to dance with him, and I'll make sure to find time to dance with you a few times, and that will be the end of it.
"I think that's a lovely suggestion. No one has ever invited me to a ball before," Luna agreed. After all, Albert was very sincere in giving her the choice.
"Wait here for a moment while I go and speak with Lee Jordan about this."
"Looks like a deal has been struck," Fred commented as he and George saw Albert approaching. They both shot Lee Jordan a mischievous smile.
"What deal?" Angelina asked, puzzled.
"About who will be taking Miss Luna Lovegood to the Christmas Ball," Fred replied, patting Lee Jordan's shoulder comfortingly.
"She's not old enough to attend without an invitation," George explained to the girls. "Fortunately, among the four of us, Lee here hasn't found a partner yet, so this task naturally falls to him."
Lee Jordan glared at the mischievous Weasley twins before getting up and walking away with Albert.
"By the way, are there any restrictions on joining the Wizarding Card Club?" Aria asked, looking at Albert's retreating figure. "Or is it still open to anyone like before?"
"There shouldn't be," George replied, his eyes following Albert's departing back. "The original intention of this place was to create a casual and friendly environment for playing Wizarding Cards. What Albert mentioned earlier was to ensure that everyone would take care of and cherish this room. You know, there's always a group of people who need a little nudge."
"This place is quite nice. I'd like to join too," Angelina said, pressing down on the recliner. "These chairs are so comfortable. I wish we had some in our common room."
"That might be difficult," George said, his eyes still on Albert. "We have no idea where he got these chairs from."
On the other side, Lee Jordan asked in a low voice, "Have you two reached an agreement?"
"Yes," Albert confirmed. "As planned, you will be taking her to the Christmas Ball."
"I hope she'll dress normally," Lee Jordan said glumly. He turned to Luna and asked, "Do you have a dress? If not, I suggest you use those ten galleons to buy one. It's not too late to send an owl to Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions."
"That's a good idea," Luna agreed without much hesitation.
"Also, would you like to become our heir?" Albert asked.
"Heir?" Luna seemed intrigued by the topic.
"I mean, would you like to be the captain of the Wizarding Card Club, a position similar to the Quidditch Captain?" Albert gestured for Luna to wait for him to finish. "Of course, Hogwarts doesn't have this position, but if you're willing, we can guide you in the coming weeks. After all, we'll be graduating at the end of this term."
"I know you don't care about others' opinions, but being the captain of the Wizarding Card Club requires not only a love for the game but also the ability to organize gatherings, especially after I leave school. As for how to do it, we'll teach you step by step, but you must be willing to learn. It's a responsibility that comes with the position, and in return, you'll have free access to this place."
"You don't have to answer me now. Take your time to consider it," Albert said. "Sometimes this position entails more responsibility than power."
"I will give it serious thought," Luna said earnestly.
"Good. Take your time, and if you accept, I expect your full commitment," Albert replied.
"I think you're saying too much," Lee Jordan interrupted with a shrug. "You might 'scare' her off. And honestly, I think it might be more suitable to offer the position to Granger first. She seems to have better organizational skills. As for Luna, well, her personality is a bit..."
Lee Jordan's concern was not unfounded. After Albert graduated from Hogwarts, the Wizarding Card Club fell apart. Even if they left it in someone's hands, it might not survive.
"Don't worry," Albert said, his eyes on Luna's retreating figure. "If she truly loves Wizarding Cards and takes on the responsibility willingly, the club won't collapse."
(End of Chapter)
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