December brought fierce winds and sleet to Hogwarts. Everyone wished they could stay beside the fireplace and never leave.
Yet even weather this miserable couldn't stop the Durmstrang tough guys. They still braved the bitter wind, stripped to the waist, and went winter swimming in the Black Lake.
Especially the famous Bulgarian tough guy, Viktor Krum. A crowd of lovestruck girls always gathered by the lakeshore, drooling over Krum's muscular physique and letting out wave after wave of excited screams.
The twins hadn't been idle either. The first task had made them a fortune because so few people had bet on Eda to win.
Having tasted success, Fred and George opened another betting pool. Fleur was twenty to one, Harry and Krum were both ten to one, and Eda was one to two.
Logically, betting on Eda was practically guaranteed profit, and more people did place bets on her this time. But everyone seemed to prefer high risk and high reward. On top of that, thanks to Karkaroff's shameless favoritism, Krum's popularity was far ahead of everyone else's.
As for Fleur, well, this time she had the fewest supporters. Despite her enormous odds, most people stayed sensible. Only a handful chose to gamble on a miracle, hoping to become rich overnight.
Besides that, Fred and George's little business had also been booming lately. On the night after the first task, Neville had "accidentally" eaten one of the twins' Canary Creams and transformed into a canary.
This magical treat, which cost only seven Silver Sickles, immediately caught the students' interest, and orders poured in.
Lately, Fred and George had been happily complaining every day. They complained that they had no free time left, working around the clock to fill orders until they had become slaves to their business.
One day, a new notice suddenly appeared on the Gryffindor common room bulletin board.
Tomorrow (Saturday), at 2:30 p.m., all fourth-year students and above are to gather in the large classroom on the third floor.
No one in the house knew what was going on. Why was Professor McGonagall gathering all fourth-years and above? Some students came to ask Eda, but she didn't know much either. She only knew that Professor McGonagall seemed to have some sort of announcement.
On Saturday afternoon, the Gryffindor students gathered in the large classroom well before the appointed time, waiting for Professor McGonagall.
The desks had been stacked against the walls, while chairs lined both sides of the room, leaving a large open space in the middle. To the students' surprise, there was also a gramophone taller than a person standing in the classroom.
The students whispered among themselves, all curious about the gramophone and wondering what Professor McGonagall had planned. Just before two-thirty, Professor McGonagall arrived, accompanied by the school caretaker, Argus Filch.
The moment their Head of House appeared, the little lions immediately fell silent, and the classroom quickly quieted down. At Professor McGonagall's request, the boys and girls stood on opposite sides of the room while the prefects counted everyone.
Professor McGonagall stood in the center of the room. Filch and his cat, Mrs. Norris, remained beside the gramophone.
Professor McGonagall said, "The Yule Ball is approaching. It is a long-standing Triwizard Tournament tradition and an excellent opportunity to promote interaction. The ball is open only to students in the fourth year and above. Of course, younger students may attend if they receive an invitation..."
A silly giggle came from the girls' line. Eda immediately looked toward the source of the laughter. It was fourth-year Lavender Brown, a hopeless romantic.
Eda didn't mean anything by looking over. She simply found the laugh a little grating and wanted to see who had made it.
But Eda seemed to have forgotten how she had dealt with the dragon. She merely glanced over, yet she frightened fellow fourth-year Parvati Patil.
Parvati quickly jabbed Lavender Brown hard with her elbow. The lovestruck girl also noticed Eda looking at her. She immediately lowered her head and tried desperately not to laugh again.
"You are to wear your dress robes," Professor McGonagall continued. "The ball will be held in the Great Hall on Christmas night at eight o'clock and will end at midnight. Now listen."
Professor McGonagall calmly surveyed the students before saying, "The Yule Ball will undoubtedly give us an opportunity to... well... let our hair down and relax."
This time, it wasn't just Lavender Brown who wanted to laugh. Everyone in the classroom wanted to laugh, and quite a few students had to clamp their hands over their mouths.
Eda wanted to laugh too. She had known Professor McGonagall for quite a while now, yet she had almost never seen her with her hair down. It was always tied up in that tight little bun.
But once the laughter faded, worry quickly took its place.
Dancing the Six? She might be able to give that a try.
Actual dancing? Eda genuinely had no idea how.
Eda was completely out of her depth. Across both her lives combined, the only dance she had ever imitated was some TikTok's baity hooks. In her previous life, whenever there was a duet performance or any type of event, she had always been the kind of person standing below the stage shouting "666" and "Kiss kiss kiss" along with everyone else.
Skibiddi... will you hold my Gyat and don't let go... Skibiddi...
Whispers filled the classroom. No wonder the school supply list they had received before the term had included dress robes. That had never been on the list before.
The Weasley boys also remembered what their mother had said during the summer. She had hoped everyone would return to the Burrow for Christmas together, but now it seemed unlikely that any of them would want to go home.
"For nearly a thousand years, Gryffindor House has been respected throughout the wizarding world," Professor McGonagall said sternly. "I absolutely will not allow you to disgrace its reputation in a single evening. If you spend the ball leaping around and making complete fools of yourselves, then you will spend every evening of the following school year with me."
The moment she said that, every Gryffindor in the classroom wiped the smiles off their faces. No one looked happy. Spending every evening with their extremely strict Head of House? Who could stand that?
They were so worried that no one paid any attention when Professor McGonagall continued with, "Every girl has a swan sleeping inside her, and every boy has a lion eager to leap into action."
The atmosphere in the classroom quickly became cheerful again, however, because Professor McGonagall announced that she needed a male student to be her dance partner and demonstrate the basic steps for the Christmas Ball.
Almost all the girls pressed their lips together to hide their laughter, while every boy lowered his head and pretended to be an ostrich. Professor McGonagall's gaze swept across the boys before finally settling on Ron.
Looking completely bewildered, Ron stood up with great reluctance. Before he could even straighten himself, Harry, standing beside him, gave him a firm shove forward.
Well done, Harry. A whole new definition of friendship and loyalty.
Under Professor McGonagall's guidance, Mr. Ronald Weasley tremblingly and nervously placed a hand around his Head of House's waist and began demonstrating the dance.
The steps were not particularly complicated, yet they left Eda completely dazzled. She had barely remembered the current step before she forgot the previous one. She forgot faster than she learned. By the time Professor McGonagall and Ron finished their demonstration, Eda had learned absolutely nothing.
It became even worse once she actually held her partner's hands. Her legs felt like a pair of forceps that refused to open, and she stepped on her partner's shoes several times. Eda felt like her body might have a mind of its own...
The boys and girls paired up, spinning, leaping, dancing with their eyes closed, while Eda remained stiff as a wooden post the entire time. She was more like a human spinning top, turning round and round entirely under her partner's control.
Just as everyone was completely absorbed in dancing, Professor McGonagall came over to Eda and Harry, shattering the last bit of hope in Eda's heart.
"According to tradition," Professor McGonagall said, "the Ball is opened by the champions and their partners. So, Eda and Harry, the two of you will be the first to dance with your partners."
Eda made one last attempt to struggle. She really could not dance. There was an eighty percent chance she would embarrass herself. Better the dead friend than the dead me. Harry, don't blame your big sister for being ruthless!
"Um, Professor... here's the thing. Under normal circumstances, the Triwizard Tournament only has three champions. Krum, Delacour, and Harry make exactly three people. Doesn't that mean I don't have to participate?"
When Harry heard Eda say that, he stared at her in utter shock, his eyes wide enough that they nearly popped out onto the floor.
Who would have thought? Who would have thought? Eda, how could you be so disloyal too!
...
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