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Chapter 906: Gryffindor Lacks Courage
Chapter 906: Gryffindor Lacks Courage
Albert left.
The girls finally managed to decipher Krum's broken English, and the terrible news sank in—they would no longer have the chance to invite Albert to dance. Those who had danced with Albert became the objects of their peers' envy and jealousy.
Albert's dance partner, Katrina, found herself surrounded by curious girls, eager to know how she had become Albert's partner.
Driven into a corner, Katrina had no choice but to explain briefly how she had become Albert's dance partner.
"Initially, Albert intended to invite Isabelle to be his partner, and you all know their relationship. However, due to certain reasons, Isabelle declined, so he turned to me as a backup to ward off unwanted attention. Don't look at me like that; those were his exact words," Katrina shrugged, indicating that she was merely stating the truth. "Albert invited me to shield him from your pestering, but he didn't elaborate on the reason. I assume it has something to do with familiarity, as his previous dance partners were all acquaintances or friends."
"Does he know Viktor Krum, the Durmstrang champion?" someone asked curiously.
"Most likely," Katrina shrugged again, repeating what Albert had once told her, not expecting it to be so relevant now. "Albert tends to give priority to those he knows."
So, the reason they didn't get to dance with Albert was simply because they weren't familiar with him.
"I thought he liked you and was pursuing you," Lauren said glumly.
"You're overthinking it," Katrina glanced at the group of girls, who were prone to wild imaginations, and found their behavior amusing. However, she didn't laugh but instead maintained a calm demeanor as she said, "Albert has always liked Isabelle."
"Aren't you jealous?" Lauren asked.
"What good would jealousy do?" Katrina countered. "Do you expect me to send him sweets laced with Love Potion like you lot?"
The girls felt embarrassed, as Katrina had hit the nail on the head.
"Don't be foolish," Katrina shook her head, hoping to dissuade them from such antics. "Albert wouldn't eat anything of questionable origin. He'd probably just throw away suspicious treats."
"Why didn't he tell us that?" the girls complained.
"Would it have made a difference if he had?" Katrina countered.
An even longer silence enveloped the group.
Would it have made a difference?
No, but no one wanted to admit that. It was always easier to find excuses in others rather than look for the cause within oneself.
Katrina paid no further attention to her companions and headed towards the entrance hall, intending to return to the Ravenclaw common room early. She had enjoyed dancing with Albert and now wanted to retire for the night.
As for where Albert had gone, Katrina could guess. He had probably gone to spend Christmas with Isabelle, and as for how he had managed to do so, she had no idea. That guy had his ways.
On the other hand, Harry, who had just been eavesdropping on Hagrid and Madame Maxime's conversation, was feeling a bit glum as he watched Cho Chang dancing with Cedric. He felt a nagging restlessness, while Ron was still reeling from the revelation that Hagrid was a half-giant.
"Harry, I have something to tell you," Hermione approached the duo.
"What is it?" Harry asked, his eyes drifting away from Cho.
"About the golden egg," Hermione lowered her voice further. "Albert has uncovered the secret of the golden egg, and he asked me to pass on the message to you."
"I thought he'd use this opportunity to squeeze more money out of Sirius," Ron mumbled.
Hermione completely ignored Ron, treating him like air as she continued, "All you need to do is submerge the golden egg in water and open it, and you'll discover its secret."
"But why would Anderson tell me this?" Harry wondered, echoing Ron's earlier sentiment, given that Albert had profited from the first task.
"Regarding that, I suggest you ask him yourself," Hermione frowned at Harry's reaction. "Also, I recall that he gave you a hint for the first task as well."
"Sirius paid him," Ron scoffed.
"Before Sirius' divination, he warned you that the first task might involve facing a creature with a danger level of XXXXX," Hermione shot a cold glance at Ron. "Sirius wanted accurate information, so he paid for it. I don't see an issue with that. Do you not pay when you buy something in Hogsmeade? Or do you expect others to give you things for free?"
Hermione was displeased with the attitude displayed by Harry and Ron, finding their behavior childish and laughable.
Harry opened his mouth but found himself at a loss for words. Ultimately, he decided not to dwell on the matter and instead shared with Hermione the news they had just overheard.
Unlike Ron, Hermione wasn't fazed by the revelation that Hagrid was a half-giant.
"Actually, I've known about his giant heritage for a while," Hermione shrugged. "To be honest, we shouldn't be making a big deal out of it."
"You have no idea how dangerous giants are," Ron retorted sharply. "They're vicious and violent, born with a penchant for killing."
"Do you think Hagrid would harm us?" Hermione asked, amused by the suggestion.
"Of course not," Harry replied quickly, unconcerned and unperturbed by the matter.
"Nonetheless, Hagrid's decision to keep this a secret was unwise," Hermione sighed. "Albert had warned him repeatedly not to mention his giant lineage to anyone, and we shouldn't be discussing it either."
"Does Albert know?" Harry asked, puzzled.
"If he finds out that Hagrid ignored his warning, he'll be furious," Hermione worried about the potential fallout.
"What's there to be angry about?" Ron dismissed the concern.
"To be frank, I think Madame Maxime was wise to claim she had a large skeletal frame. If I were in her shoes, I might've done the same," Hermione ignored Ron and murmured, "I hope nothing unpleasant comes of this."
Hermione was well aware that Albert's specific instruction to Hagrid indicated that the disclosure of this information could have negative repercussions for Hagrid.
"What unpleasantness?"
"You haven't forgotten the impact of Professor Lupin's werewolf identity being revealed, have you?" Hermione reminded them. "Professor Lupin lost his job and received countless angry letters, and Dumbledore was inundated with requests to dismiss Professor Lupin."
"So, let's not bring it up again, and don't mention it to others," Hermione concluded and walked away. Harry and Ron watched as Krum swiftly joined Hermione, and the two headed towards the dance floor together.
Ron's face grew even gloomier.
"She probably wouldn't have refused if I'd asked her to dance," he muttered.
"What?" Ron snapped his head towards Harry.
"Nothing, I was just thinking about whether I should go and invite..." Harry trailed off, lowering his voice.
Even as the Yule Ball drew to a close, Harry never mustered the courage to ask Cho for a dance, leaving him with a sense of regret as the Christmas dance came to an end.
(End of Chapter)
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