Although Harry thought Vid's words were quite reasonable, every time he wanted to ask Cho Chang, the words he'd rehearsed countless times in his mind just froze in his throat.
Cho Chang was pretty and gentle, like a lily with morning dew, popular in Ravenclaw, always surrounded by four or five girls wherever she went.
When Harry saw her from afar, his fingers unconsciously tightened around his backpack strap. He longed for a chance to talk alone, but he never found one.
...
On the other side, Vid was leisurely spreading raspberry jam on his toast, not concerning himself with the matter of a dance partner.
After all, aside from the girls around him, he had the far more perfect choice of a poppet.
With so many students from other schools at Hogwarts now, even if a beautiful girl nobody knows suddenly appeared at the ball, no one would find it odd.
Suddenly, a special piece of parchment in the Friendship Book emitted heat. Vid opened the Friendship Book and saw the slender font encircled in circles, hesitated for a moment.
Half an hour later, Vid arrived at the Headmaster's Office.
"The Christmas Ball is coming soon." Dumbledore looked at him over his half-moon glasses, with a smile in his eyes, "I guess you've already invited a dance partner?"
Vid thought Dumbledore was using small talk to start a conversation, looking at a slender silver kettle on the headmaster's desk and said, "I'm still considering, Professor."
"Hmm... Would you like a bee candy?"
Dumbledore pushed the box of candies over, Vid took one casually.
While biting down on the candy, Dumbledore suddenly said, "Vid, the range of your considerations, should not include a life-sized poppet, right?"
Vid paused and looked up at Dumbledore.
"No matter how exquisite a poppet is, it is ultimately not flesh and blood, always posing a risk of being discovered," Dumbledore said. "Don't underestimate others' perception, especially Ms. Owens from Salem Academy and Mr. Moro."
"But..." Vid chewed and swallowed the candy, "even if it's discovered, it doesn't matter, right? A poppet is basically my signature in others' eyes."
"To be precise, pet-shaped poppets are your signature," Dumbledore said. "Poppets can be cute, elegant, rebellious, even scary scorpions and snakes, but not human."
Vid showed a thoughtful expression.
He recalled the so-called "uncanny valley effect," where the closer a man-made object's appearance and actions get to a real person, the more it triggers human instinctual aversion and fear.
His poppets were beyond just close; they could completely pass off as real.
But maybe because Vid personally gave them life, he never felt his poppets were scary.
Subsequently, Dumbledore's explanation matched his own assumptions.
"Making alchemy creations look like animals is a wise choice, but debuting human-like poppets offers no benefit to you,"
Dumbledore looked into Vid's eyes, softly saying: "Additionally, perhaps such creations could serve as your trump card at crucial times, why expose them just for a dance?"
"Go invite a truly good girl, Vid. Be brave... A real hug is much warmer than the cold limbs of an alchemy object."
...
"So you originally planned to bring one of your created poppets as a dance partner?"
Michael stared wide-eyed in surprise, as if Vid's idea was some grave ailment: "There are so many nice girls at school!"
"I've realized that approach isn't reliable." Vid sighed: "So, do you know anyone who's still without a dance partner?"
"Many, but if someone privately agreed to an invitation, they wouldn't actively tell me!"
Michael said: "But it's not difficult. As long as you don't mysteriously disappear today, I guarantee—just stand there, and more than ten girls will invite you immediately."
Vid started to feel asking Michael was a mistake.
But an hour later, he still followed Michael's advice, going to dinner alone when the canteen was most crowded.
"Don't ride a broom, don't disappear immediately after eating, drag out your mealtime a little, give people a chance."
Michael expertly said: "Girls are shy, seeing you with someone deters them from approaching."
Descending the staircase from Ravenclaw Tower, Vid suddenly heard voices around the corner—
"Will... will you go to the ball with me?"
It was Rolf's voice.
The tone slightly trembled, and even without seeing him, one could imagine his blushing face.
Vid stopped in his tracks to avoid interrupting the invitation on the other side with his own noise.
"Oh..." Luna said slowly.
She shook her head, carrot earrings swaying, then said after a while: "But only fourth-year students and above can attend."
"I found Oliver Rivers from Hufflepuff and Leanne Cain!"
Rolf spoke rapidly: "They're willing to help... one invites you and the other invites me, then we can both attend. After the opening dance, I... I'll invite you to dance."
He glanced at Luna and added: "Actually, you don't have to dance during the opening, no one really pays attention to us."
"...You've already asked them?" Luna asked, her voice sounding distant.
"Yes, I had to figure out if we could attend first." Rolf said shyly: "So... will you?"
Luna blinked, as if waking from a dream, saying: "Ah... sure!"
Vid leaned against the railing and didn't move until their footsteps faded away, then he continued downstairs.
He hadn't considered inviting Luna as a dance partner—Rolf had been interested in Luna for a long time, probably because her ethereal quality was very appealing to Rolf.
Of course, even without Rolf, Vid hoped that at such a grand ball, as one of the focal points, his dance partner wouldn't appear too odd.
—She doesn't need to be outstanding, but she at least should seem normal.
As for Luna... although this might seem disrespectful, she is somewhat like a mini-version of Professor Trelawney—similarly disheveled hair, bulging eyes, a mysterious and eccentric aura, and a constantly dreamy expression.
The difference is, one is exaggerated performance, the other is true nature.
Vid mentally listed their similarities as he walked towards the Great Hall, often passing couples in the corridor, feeling the air growing warm.
He did encounter many girls, but unlike Michael's predictions, they didn't rush to invite him, gathering in groups instead and occasionally glancing at Vid, nudging their friends and giggling.
Vid felt some might be expecting him to invite them but feared he was overthinking.
Reaching the Great Hall, he was still without a dance partner.
Just before stepping into the hall, Vid suddenly heard a loud voice—
"Fleur!" Ron, his face red, rushed over, with some cracks in his voice: "I think we can go to the Christmas Ball together, what do you say?"
Everyone in the hall was stunned, gazing at Ron who was courageous to a fault, with expressions that nearly shattered the boy's self-esteem.