Chapter 905:
Chapter 905:
After successfully sending Yanira away, Albert was preparing to make his escape before the other girls could arrive. However, things don't always go according to plan, and Albert found himself blocked by a few familiar faces at the entrance of the hall.
"You don't mind accompanying us for a dance, do you?" Angelina asked with a playful smile.
"One each," added Alicia.
"Were you waiting for me here?" Albert asked, surprised, as he looked at the three women before him.
"Fred and George said you'd definitely try to leave early," said Susan, blinking expectantly at Albert.
"Those two rascals are always causing me trouble," Albert said through gritted teeth, making a mental note to get them back for this.
"Alright, one dance each, but remember to help me out afterward. I've been dancing all day," Albert eventually relented, offering his hand to Susan in a gesture of invitation.
Susan placed her hand on his, and though she knew Albert didn't want to dance anymore, she understood that this opportunity might not come again.
"Couldn't find a dance partner?" Albert asked as he led Susan onto the dance floor.
"I couldn't find a suitable one," Susan replied with a smile. "And I'm not used to attending balls like this."
Albert didn't probe further and skillfully guided Susan around the dance floor. When the song ended, Susan simply murmured a soft thanks before stepping away.
Angelina took Susan's place, her dance style wilder and more unrestrained, forcing Albert to adjust his rhythm.
"You dance amazingly," Angelina said, not at all bothered by Albert taking the lead. She was in a great mood and just wanted to enjoy this fleeting moment, knowing that countless girls were likely envying her at that moment.
Alicia was next, and her dancing could only be described as average, but it was clear that she was happy.
Just as Albert was about to make his escape after the third dance, someone else stepped in front of him.
"You won't refuse, will you?" Pavarti was the first to offer her hand to Albert.
Albert: "...Of course not."
How could he refuse such a beauty?
Pavarti was not only gorgeous, but her dancing was also exquisite, and her skills were on par with Yanira's. However, after the dance, she didn't help Albert escape and instead threw him to the pack of girls waiting for him.
Albert was exasperated, surrounded by girls who clearly had no intention of letting him go easily.
Then he suddenly remembered seeing Hermione earlier, so he used the excuse of having already promised another girl to dance and pushed his way through the crowd to invite her instead.
The expression on Krum's face as he watched someone else invite his partner to dance was priceless.
Hermione didn't refuse, as she had noticed Albert's predicament.
Under the envious glares of the surrounding girls, Hermione allowed Albert to lead her to the dance floor.
"Looks like you're in a bit of a pickle," Hermione remarked.
"Yeah, a bit of a problem. After the dance, can you help me out?" Albert asked helplessly.
"Sometimes being too popular can be a problem," Hermione chuckled. "I think Harry might have something in common with you."
"Yeah, it's a hassle. Sometimes they're not very rational. Oh well, I'll ask Krum to help me get away later," Albert said irritably.
In the end, Albert didn't ask Hermione to divert their attention and instead decided that Krum would be a more suitable choice.
"Ask Krum?"
"The secret of the golden egg. I don't think he knows it yet," Albert said calmly.
"You're going to tell Krum the secret of the golden egg?" Hermione was astonished.
"Karkaroff ran away, so I guess no one told Krum about it. You don't have to be surprised. Cheating has been a part of the Triwizard Tournament for generations, and the other champions will find out eventually. Don't think too highly of them. Cheating is common in school competitions, and it even happens in international events. As long as it's not discovered, it's not an issue. That's the unspoken rule," Albert explained.
"But you figured out the golden egg's secret without cheating, didn't you?" Hermione raised an eyebrow.
"It seems you're overlooking something," Albert said, steering the conversation away from the topic. "Have you told Potter about the egg?"
Hermione hesitated for a moment before answering, "Not yet..."
"Tell him. I don't mind," Albert said confidently. "To be honest, winning the Triwizard Tournament isn't that difficult for me."
"I will," Hermione breathed a sigh of relief, as she had been debating whether to share the egg's secret with Harry.
"By the way, thank you for the Christmas gift. Did you knit the scarf yourself?"
"Yes, I just started learning," Hermione said, her cheeks tinged with a hint of pink.
"For a beginner, you did a great job," Albert whispered reassuringly.
As the song came to an end, Albert executed the final move, and they stepped off the dance floor.
No sooner had they left than other eager girls approached to invite Albert to dance.
"Sorry," Albert politely declined, leading Hermione toward Krum's spot.
Having seen the sullen expression on the Durmstrang champion's face, it seemed that he was less than pleased about someone taking his dance partner away.
Of course, it was possible that Krum always looked like that.
"You don't mind stepping out with me, I have something to tell you." Albert said calmly.
"What is it?" Krum asked, his face still gloomy.
"Something I think you'll be interested in." Albert smiled, gesturing for Krum to follow.
"Go on." Hermione urged.
Krum hesitated for a moment but eventually followed Albert, leaving the Great Hall at Hermione's prompting.
"Sorry, I need to have a private chat with Mr. Krum. Please don't disturb us." Albert said to the girls.
"What's it about?" One of the girls asked.
"You're being very rude." Albert said calmly. "I don't like rude girls."
As the girls stood there, taken aback, Albert led Krum away and they eventually turned into an empty classroom.
Krum looked at Albert curiously as he pulled out a piece of parchment, unsure of what he was doing.
"Put the golden egg in water, and you'll find its secret." Albert said to Krum, making sure they were alone.
"Why are you telling me this?" Krum asked, bewildered that Albert would share the secret of the golden egg with him.
"Karkaroff ran away, so I assume no one told you about it. The other champions will likely find out the secret in their own ways." Albert said, patting Krum's shoulder. "If you want to thank me, help me deal with those girls later."
"What?"
"Merry Christmas."
As he spoke, Albert waved his wand and cast a Disillusionment Charm on himself, disappearing right before Krum's eyes.
"Don't worry about it. Ever since Harry Potter became the fourth champion, the meaning of this competition has changed. Don't die mysteriously."
As soon as the door to the classroom opened, Albert left, leaving Krum standing there dumbfounded, still processing what Albert had said.
Perhaps, Albert had never considered the other champions as his rivals from the start.
Because he was just too strong.
So strong that the others didn't qualify as his opponents.
However, Krum soon had other things on his mind as he found himself surrounded by a group of girls as soon as he reappeared in the Great Hall.
Krum felt dazed, surrounded by the enthusiastic girls, and he even got the impression that Albert hadn't really wanted to tell him the secret of the golden egg, but rather use him to get rid of the girls.
After using Krum to shake off the girls, Albert made his way to the secret room in the Hogsmade cottage using the Vanishing Cabinet, and then used the Time-Turner to go back a few hours.
When he put the Time-Turner back into the lizard skin pouch and emerged from the secret room, Isabell was sitting in the lazy sofa by the fireplace in the hall, reading a book.
"Is the ball over?"
Isabell asked without looking up from her book when she heard the familiar footsteps.
"Not yet, I missed you, so I sneaked out early."
Albert took the book from Isabell's hand, leaned down and kissed her forehead gently, then asked softly, "Didn't you wait too long?"
"You're smooth-tongued. Did those girls scare you off?" Isabell said, joking. She knew Albert was very popular with girls, but it was impossible for him to be scared away. Albert must have found a way to get rid of the girls who came swarming.
"Yeah, they were quite enthusiastic." Albert gave a 'you know it' expression.
"What about Katrina?" Isabell was more concerned about her sister.
"I danced with Katrina for a long time, until she had no more energy left. I think she must be satisfied."
Albert sat down on the lazy sofa opposite, rubbed his legs, and said, "I think Katrina had a great time tonight."
"How about you?" Isabell asked, looking at Albert.
"Me? It's okay. You know, I don't really like noisy places, especially when there's no one to talk to that I know. It's even more boring. And, I would have preferred you as my dance partner. By the way, would you like to dance?"
"I thought you'd had enough dancing." Isabell said, a little surprised. She knew Albert didn't really like dancing, but she soon understood that he didn't want her to miss out on the ball.
"For you, I don't mind dancing some more." Albert said softly, "Come on."
"I'll change my clothes."
"No need, watch me." Albert took out his wand and waved it gently, and a new dress appeared on Isabell. As he waved his wand, the tables and chairs in the hall moved to the sides, and the record player by the fireplace started to spin, filling the room with beautiful music.
"This song is great." Isabell hummed along to the tune.
Albert made an inviting gesture to Isabell, and the girl smiled and placed her hand on his.
The two danced to the music, spinning happily, their silhouettes tracing graceful arcs across the hall. They danced for a long time, until their faces were flushed and their hearts were racing, before they finally stopped.
"It feels wonderful." Isabel kissed Albert on the lips, standing on her tiptoes.
Albert wrapped his arms around her waist and leaned down to kiss her back. It was a long while before they parted.
"It does," Albert agreed.
The two laughed as the furniture returned to its original positions, and they settled onto the sofa to rest.
Albert sipped the hot mulled wine that the house-elf had prepared for him, taking a moment to relax before deciding to soak in the hot spring to unwind.
Isabel didn't refuse, though she had initially been conflicted about it. But now, she was getting used to it.
"There's an island nation in the Far East where cherry blossoms bloom, and it's quite popular to soak in hot springs there," Albert said. "A famous magic institute is located in that country. Maybe one day, when we have the time, we can travel there incognito as Muggles."
"They even cook eggs in the hot springs to make half-boiled onsen eggs, which are said to be delicious," Albert continued as Isabel, wrapped in a towel, entered the hot spring.
Isabel took the floating wooden bucket and sipped her hot mulled wine before asking, "You seem to know a lot about the Far East."
"Before I became a wizard, I spent a lot of time researching how to make money. In the Muggle world, money is important—very important. With money, you can basically acquire most things. And the Far East is a great place to get rich, so I spent a lot of time studying it."
"I guess that's why you're so concerned about money," Isabel said, resting her head on Albert's shoulder. "But you're right; having money can make life a lot easier. Katrina even mentioned to me the other day that she wants to open a beauty salon because it's a profitable business."
"What do you think about that?" Albert asked.
"If that's what she wants, I'll support her. I can send her to the States to learn from Catherine and Valeria. It will also help her get away from all the drama here," Isabel said after a moment's hesitation. "As for Mom, I can't convince her to leave."
"Haven't you explained the situation to her?" Albert asked in return.
"I have, but she doesn't want to leave," Isabel sighed softly. Ever since her father's death, her work at St. Mungo's had become her life; she even prioritized it over taking care of her two daughters.
"Use the Forgetfulness Charm on her," Albert suggested, furrowing his brow. "Next summer, when I send my family away, she can go with them. They'll take good care of her."
Isabel shook her head, not liking the idea.
"So, let's stick with my previous suggestion," Albert whispered. "After we get married, we'll quickly have a child, and that will force her to step away from work to take care of you."
Isabel's cheeks turned crimson, but she soon realized Albert was teasing her.
"It's necessary to be proactive about some things," he added.
"If you didn't involve yourself with the mysterious people, maybe they wouldn't..." Isabel trailed off.
"If I wasn't so outstanding, what you said would be true," Albert acknowledged. "They would resort to extortion, recruitment, or even use the Imperius Curse to control people, but they wouldn't kill pure-blood wizards so easily. However... it's too late now. Being too outstanding has made me a thorn in their eyes, especially after we get married. If we're lucky, they might use the Cruciatus Curse to force us to reveal our whereabouts. If we're unlucky..." Albert trailed off, hugging Isabel tightly and resting his chin on her shoulder. "Don't hold on to wishful thinking. Do you regret it, or do you want to delay the wedding?"
"We'll just have to deal with it when it comes," Isabel said, resting her head on Albert's chest, her tone resolute.
After soaking in the hot spring, the couple sat down to a late-night snack prepared by the house-elf. Albert didn't eat much; most of the time, he watched Isabel eat while chatting about random things that had happened at the ball.
However, it wasn't long before sleepiness overcame Albert, and he dozed off on the sofa.
"Honestly," Isabel murmured, looking at the sleeping Albert's face. But she understood that he had probably come over quite late after using the Time-Turner, and she was happy that he had made the effort to spend Christmas with her. If he hadn't come, she would have spent the holiday alone.
"Good night," she whispered, kissing his forehead gently.
When Albert opened his eyes again, he found himself lying in bed with Isabel by his side, watching him.
"Sorry," he mumbled, covering his yawn.
"Sometimes I feel like this sleeping you is more fitting for your actual age," Isabel whispered. Indeed, Albert seemed more mature than his actual age.
"Let's get some rest. We can talk more tomorrow," Albert said, hugging his girlfriend and drifting off to sleep once again.
(End of Chapter)
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