Chapter 265: Unlocking the golden egg
After the Triwizard Tournament ended, there was a celebration in the Great Hall.
Returning to the Ravenclaw common room at night, another burst of cheers and clamor erupted.
Tables and chairs were piled high with cakes and various candies, along with pitchers of pumpkin juice and butterbeer.
Some students were even setting off Fizzing Whizbees fireworks, and many stars and sparks flickered in the air.
On the empty walls of the common room, several more scrolls had appeared, all images of the spells Ethan used in the arena, among which the red Dragon was depicted especially vividly.
The celebration continued until nearly midnight before finally ending.
Back in the dorm, Terry eagerly said:
"Ethan, take out your golden egg and let's see it. I heard the clue for the next competition is inside."
For Terry, who loved gossip, this golden egg would definitely be excellent conversation fodder for tomorrow.
"No, how did you know? Even I only just heard it from Ludo Bagman this afternoon."
Ethan looked at Terry in surprise, wondering if information could spread so quickly.
Terry impatiently said:
"It came from Durmstrang. I heard it from Slytherin's Dennis. Hurry, take out the golden egg first and let's see!"
They, who loved gossip, also had a small circle, with students from all four houses. Generally, as long as it wasn't something about their own house that couldn't be discussed, they would communicate within it.
This news was heard during a casual chat after dinner.
"Alright!"
After speaking, Ethan pulled a golden egg from his Dragonhide Pouch.
The shape and size of each golden egg varied significantly, depending on the Dragon guarding it.
Ethan didn't know which Dragon's golden egg he had taken out, but there shouldn't be much difference.
"I heard there's a crack on the golden egg!"
Terry said, preparing to pick up the golden egg from the table.
As soon as he picked it up, his hands sank.
"It's a bit heavy," Terry said, then tapped it: "Hollow?"
"It can't really be gold, can it!"
Terry smacked his lips, feeling a bit incredulous.
"Perhaps!"
Ethan wasn't too sure either. After all, he hadn't studied metals, and it was hard to tell just by appearance.
After studying it for a while, Terry directly found a tool and pried it into the fine crack on the golden egg.
Since there was a crack on the golden egg and the clue was inside, the first thought was naturally to pry open this crack to see if it could be opened directly this way to obtain the clue inside.
787 Terry exerted a little force, and with a crack, the golden egg split directly into two halves.
"That's it?"
Terry looked incredulously at the golden egg split into two halves in his hand. He had only tried it out of curiosity, but he hadn't expected it to actually open.
This was too simple!
However, the inside of the golden egg was empty; there was nothing.
Just as Terry was about to examine the inner shell of the golden egg to see if there was anything inside, an incredibly terrifying, piercing shriek filled the entire room.
Terry, who was directly in the path, was instantly stunned, then quickly covered his ears.
Ethan also immediately used a Silencing Charm, directed at the cracked golden egg, to prevent its sound from spreading beyond that small area.
Seeing this, Terry immediately closed the two halves of the golden egg.
After doing all this, Terry finally relaxed.
Based on the reaction just now, it was clear that his method of opening it was wrong.
Indeed, it wasn't that simple!
Michael analyzed:
"It's like a banshee's scream. Clearly, there's still a problem with the way you just opened it. Perhaps it needs to be opened with a spell, or under specific conditions."
Terry nodded, took two steps back, and dared not touch the golden egg so easily again.
Watching this, Ethan also fell into thought, wondering if it still needed to be put in water to open.
Actually, not knowing the exact opening method was fine.
How to decipher Alchemy works was something Ethan had learned from Nicolas, and it was a compulsory course.
This golden egg, in Ethan's eyes, only had a decent level of technological content, and it wasn't too difficult to decipher.
However, it would still require some effort and preparation of some materials.
Later, he could just throw it into the water. If that didn't work, then he would decipher it.
For now, he should first determine what material it was made of.
With a thought, the golden egg on the table floated directly into Ethan's hand.
For others, Alchemy items that didn't respond to the Levitation Charm or Accio were just that for Ethan.
Then, under the surprised gazes of his roommates, a crimson flame ignited directly.
Under the effect of extreme high temperature, the golden egg melted at a visible speed. In just a moment, the originally exquisitely crafted golden egg had already melted into a pool of golden liquid.
Only then could Ethan confirm that this thing was indeed made of gold.
Unlike Galleons, which were an alloy, this one seemed to be pure gold.
He hadn't expected this Triwizard Tournament to be so generous with its money.
The champion's prize was only a thousand Galleons, and there was no mention of increasing the prize money for three champions from each house. When it came time to split it among three people, how much could that little Galleon buy?
"Ethan, you destroyed this golden egg?"
Terry looked at Ethan's actions in astonishment.
He had thought Ethan wanted to use a spell to uncover the secret hidden in the golden egg, but he had directly burned it, and now it had turned into golden liquid. Clearly, it was impossible to get any information from this puddle of liquid.
"It's fine, I have plenty of these."
Ethan waved his hand indifferently.
Then, Ethan opened his Dragonhide Pouch again, and a large silver-white brick was taken out. The same flame, but in an instant, melted it into a silver liquid.
A white mist spread from the hand holding the silver-white liquid, and then Ethan threw the lump of liquid gold over.
When the white mist dissipated, what appeared in Ethan's hand was a golden Dragon, its appearance naturally being the red Dragon Ethan had summoned with the Patronus Charm today.
Gold-plated silver. After all, pure gold was still quite valuable, and Ethan didn't have any in stock. As for silver, Ethan often used it when practicing Alchemy, and he definitely had plenty of it.
Anyway, this thing was just for display; it didn't need such good material.
"Terry, go get a basin of water."
After putting away the newly made ornament, Ethan instructed Terry.
In the original work, both Harry and Cedric deciphered the golden egg's secret by taking a bath. Of course, Harrywas told by Cedric.
But bathing shouldn't be a necessary condition; just immersing it in water should be enough.
Soon, Terry found a wooden basin.
This wooden basin was what Terry and the others used to wash clothes when school first started.
However, after learning the Scouring Charm under Ethan's guidance, this wooden basin was retired.
After all, with convenient magic that cleaned better than hand washing, who would still laboriously scrub by hand?
After placing the wooden basin, Terry pointed his wanddirectly at it.
"Aguamenti!"
A pool of clear water began to overflow from the bottom of the basin, stopping only when it reached two-thirds of the basin's capacity.
Seeing this, Ethan directly put the golden egg in. The water was already enough to completely submerge the golden egg.
Then he directly repeated Terry's previous action and pried it open.
Seeing Ethan's actions, Terry and the others took a step back and immediately covered their ears.
Clearly, they did not believe that opening this thing in water was the correct method. To their surprise, this time, instead of a banshee-like shriek, there was a gurgling song. The song came from under the water, but they couldn't make out what was being sung.
Terry and the others also lowered their hands from their ears, looking at this scene in surprise. Had they really guessed correctly?
"What is it saying? Why can't I hear it clearly?"
Terry, who had been listening with his ear pressed against the wooden barrel for a long time, frowned and said to Ethan and the others.
The voice was very pleasant, but he couldn't make out what it was saying at all.
Only then did Ethan remember that in the original work, Harry seemed to have put his head in the water to listen. Could it be that he had to be in the water to hear it?
"You put your head in the water and see if it works!"
Saying this, Ethan used an Engorgement Charm to enlarge the wooden basin, and Ethan also added a lot of water to it using an Undetectable Extension Charm.
"No, I… this…"
Terry looked at Ethan incredulously. This didn't sound like a good idea at all.
But looking at Ethan's serious gaze, he still hesitated. Was it true?
Looking at the golden egg, which made a completely different sound from when he had just opened it, Terrygritted his teeth and plunged his head into the wooden basin.
After a full thirty or forty seconds, Terry finally lifted his head, a hint of joy on his face.
"You do need to be in the water to hear it. It says something about stealing your companion and having an hour to save them."
"For the specifics, Ethan, you listen yourself."
Saying this, Terry moved aside.
Seeing this, Ethan also unhesitatingly lowered his head and plunged into the water.
As soon as he entered the water, he heard some strange voices singing in unison from the opened golden egg:
Find us, where our voices sound,
We cannot sing on the ground.
When you search, consider carefully:
We have stolen your companion.
You have only one hour,
To find and reclaim the Wizard we have stolen,
After an hour, all hope is gone,
It has completely vanished, never to appear.
After listening once, Ethan lifted his head. This was similar to the original work; it should still be about rescuing the people kidnapped by the Merpeople in the Black Lake.
This was no problem at all for Ethan!
Although there were great limitations in water, and some spells were difficult to use, which had a considerable impact on Ethan, facing Merpeople, this was no problem. Transfiguration alone was enough to solve it.
Moreover, when he used to help Hagrid deal with troublesome Grindylowss, he had gotten to know a few of them. If he asked them for help then, it wouldn't be a big problem either.
As for the Head Bubble Charm for entering water, he was quite proficient, so he didn't need to prepare anything at all.
However, he still needed to remind Fleur.
Although he didn't know when she solved the golden eggriddle in the original work, it certainly wasn't this fast.
Also, compared to gillyweed, she probably preferred the Head Bubble Charm, but if she wasn't proficient with it, it would be easy to run into problems underwater.
Just then, Michael and Gene also lifted their heads after burying them in the water.
After Ethan used a spell to dry the water off them, he directly took out the golden egg and handed it to Terry.
"Tomorrow, give this to the Prefect and have him put it in the display case."
Ravenclaw's common room also had a trophy cabinet, which usually held some medals and badges, but there were none related to the Triwizard Tournament. After winning, the goblet of fire was raised, and that couldn't be given to an individual.
It was acceptable for Ethan to give a golden egg as a representation now.
Anyway, Ethan truly wasn't lacking these. He could even give Cassandra and the others one each later.
"Okay, I'll go tomorrow!"
Terry also thought this was a good idea. Besides, it was unlikely there would be any more Triwizard Tournaments in the future, so this was a limited edition. Although it wasn't the final trophy, putting it in would still give them some prestige.
That day in the Great Hall, the young Wizards in the front row had all heard Karkaroff and Madam Maxime tell Dumbledore that they would no longer participate in the Triwizard Tournament.
Terry naturally knew about this kind of news.
Just as Ethan and Terry were talking, Michael suddenly said:
"I understand now. This golden egg needs to be opened underwater. The next task is almost certainly underwater. The first few lines indicate that it will sing, but it can't sing on land. Combining that with the need to hear the sound clearly underwater, it means it sings underwater."
"The Merperson in the Black Lake can do this. Interpreting the later lines, it's probably about rescuing companions from their hands."
Michael looked very confident, believing his judgment was definitely correct.
"I think so too."
Gene also nodded, agreeing wholeheartedly with Michael's interpretation.
As expected, when it came to brains, one had to look to Ravenclaw.
In the original work, Harry seemed to completely misunderstand what this meant, and it was Myrtle, who had been dead for decades, who told him the answer.
Now, Michael and the others had also completely understood after only hearing it once.
It's just Merperson!
Ethan didn't understand much about them before, but in this world, there were detailed records.
In this world, Merperson were first discovered in Greeceand were divided into three categories: Sirens, Selkies, and Merrows.
Among them, Sirens preferred to live in warm waters. Illustrations showed Sirens with astonishing beauty, the upper body of a standard human beauty, and a light blue fish tail for the lower body. They were over two meters long, with light blue hair and an unashamedly large chest.
Merrows generally lived in cold waters, which were the kind in the Black Lake.
Ethan had seen this with his own eyes: moss-green hair like weeds, iron-gray skin, and yellow eyes, plus that neither-human-nor-fish head, it was simply unwatchable.
Selkies weren't much better, truly six of one, half a dozen of the other compared to Merrows.
If the Black Lake had Sirens, how wonderful that would be. Then Ethan wouldn't mind swimming there often, but as it was, just looking at them was enough to lose one's appetite.
"Terry, let's not spread the word that we've opened the golden egg. Everyone is a competitor in this task."
"Don't worry, I know."
Terry naturally understood Michael's words. He wasn't someone who would blurt out everything.
Chapter 266: Hagrid's Budding Romance
Time came to December.
The Scottish Highlands also ushered in strong winds and rain and snow.
The students from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang were still living outside Hogwarts Castle.
Durmstrang's large ship rocked and swayed in the strong winds, its black sails fluttering and dancing in the dark night sky. It was hard to imagine how they could sleep on the ship in such weather.
In comparison, Beauxbatons' huge carriage was much more stable.
However, the Abraxan horses clearly couldn't continue to be free-ranged outside at this time. They had all been temporarily housed by Hagrid in makeshift stables.
Today's Care of Magical Creatures class: Arriving at Hagrid's hut, Ethan had just approached when he smelled a very strong scent of alcohol.
Although Hagrid also liked to drink, he definitely wouldn't drink like this.
If there were no surprises, it was those Abraxan horses that had drunk too much.
Those horses' favorite drink was pure malt whiskey.
Following the scent, it indeed came from the makeshift stables.
The young Wizards around them all covered their noses, clearly not very accustomed to such a strong alcoholic smell.
Soon, after all the young Wizards had arrived, Hagridannounced today's topic: whether Blast-Ended Skrewts needed to hibernate.
Anyway, from the first class of this school year, Care of Magical Creatures had been at odds with these Blast-Ended Skrewts.
So far, only ten Blast-Ended Skrewts remained.
The reason for such rapid consumption, besides the young Wizards causing mischief when the Blast-Ended Skrewts were still small, was also because Blast-Ended Skrewts had a tendency to cannibalize each other; they had no concept of their own kind.
Now, the three- or four-month-old Blast-Ended Skrewts were nearly six feet long each.
They had thick gray protective layers, constantly exploding, fire-breathing tails, and their stings and suckers. All of these combined made them just as disgusting even after growing so large.
After announcing the topic, Hagrid excitedly took out pre-prepared boxes from inside the hut. These boxes were already lined with thick velvet cloth.
"We'll lead them in, then put the lids on, and see what happens."
With that, Hagrid led the way towards the Blast-Ended Skrewts.
Under Hagrid's guidance, the young Wizards successfully threw the Blast-Ended Skrewts into the boxes. Ethan stood by, slacking off with Cassandra and Hermione. As for taking care of the Blast-Ended Skrewts, Ethan was afraid he wouldn't be able to control himself and would burn them.
However, these Blast-Ended Skrewts clearly did not hibernate and did not like being stuffed into boxes lined with thick velvet. Hagrid and the others had just put the lids on.
The Blast-Ended Skrewts immediately broke out of the boxes and rampaged through the pumpkin patch. The surrounding young Wizards scattered in fright, especially Draco's group.
He and his two cronies directly hid in Hagrid's hut and locked the door from the inside.
Their courage was truly unmatched.
Looking at the chaotic scene, Ethan was a little speechless. Hagrid just had to cause an accident before he learned his lesson!
Because of Ethan, Buckbeak didn't injure Draco last school year. If the Blast-Ended Skrewts injured someone now, the trouble would only be greater.
Because there were currently students from Beauxbatonsand Durmstrang in Hogwarts, plus the Triwizard Tournament was being held, many reporters liked to come here, and many people in society were paying attention to this place.
Even a small matter would be exaggerated.
Looking at the Blast-Ended Skrewts running wild in the pumpkin patch, they had already burned the pumpkin seedlings.
Ethan gently stomped his foot, and the entire pumpkin patch instantly writhed. Amidst the young Wizards' frightened screams, the Blast-Ended Skrewts fell directly into deep pits.
With their small feet, the Blast-Ended Skrewts simply couldn't climb out.
After the commotion subsided, the young Wizards all turned to look at Ethan. Although they couldn't see who cast the spell just now, Ethan was the only one present with that level of skill.
As for Hagrid, the Professor, he hadn't demonstrated any spells since the class began, not even taking out his wand.
"Ethan, thank you!"
Hagrid said somewhat awkwardly. He truly hadn't expected to cause such a commotion.
Since these Blast-Ended Skrewts did not hibernate, the topic of this class naturally came to nothing.
And these Blast-Ended Skrewts were personally handled by Hagrid, who threw them back to their usual breeding place.
As the dismissal bell rang, this Care of Magical Creaturesclass officially ended.
The young Wizards eagerly walked towards Hogwarts Castle. Compared to last school year, this school year's Care of Magical Creatures class was not worth looking forward to at all. Many young Wizards even regretted having chosen this course this year.
"Ethan, wait a moment. I have something I want to talk to you about."
Just as Ethan was about to leave with Cassandra and Hermione, Hagrid, who had finished dealing with the Blast-Ended Skrewts, immediately ran over and shouted loudly.
Hearing this, Ethan turned his head in confusion to look at Hagrid. What could he possibly want to talk to him about?
Nothing seemed to have happened recently!
Hagrid jogged over amidst the surprised gazes of the young Wizards. Looking at Hermione and Cassandrastanding beside Ethan, he said with some difficulty:
"Can you two leave first? I want to talk to Ethan alone."
Hearing this, Hermione and Cassandra had nothing to hesitate about. After saying goodbye to Hagrid, they left together.
They weren't gossipy people and knew that Ethan and Hagrid had a good relationship, so they naturally wouldn't refuse Hagrid's request.
Seeing Hermione and Cassandra leave, Hagridimmediately said to Ethan:
"Let's talk inside!"
There were still many young Wizards outside, and Hagriddidn't want what he was about to say to be widely publicized.
"Okay!"
Ethan couldn't guess what Hagrid wanted to say, so he immediately followed behind Hagrid and walked towards his hut.
Arriving at Hagrid's hut, Ethan rubbed Fang's head, then sat down on the sofa, ready to hear what Hagrid had to say.
"Go, go, stay outside!"
Hagrid pulled Fang by the collar around his neck and dragged him outside. Clearly, Hagrid wanted Fang to stand guard outside.
What was he going to say that required such caution?
"Soon, during the Christmas season, Hogwarts will be preparing for the Christmas Ball. You probably don't know this yet; I just received the notification."
"I want to invite Madam Maxime as my date. Can you teach me a few tricks?"
At this point, Hagrid's dark face was a little flushed.
The reason he came to Ethan was because everyone in Hogwarts knew that Ethan was the best at dealing with Witches, and he could even make them coexist peacefully.
Who wouldn't envy that?
So, Hagrid immediately thought of Ethan.
Hagrid originally thought he had no interest in women, and it had been like that for many years. Repaying Dumbledore and taking care of the Hogwarts grounds was his mission.
But the moment he met Madam Maxime, Hagrid felt his heart stir.
This must be a half-Giant like himself. He had never seen such a beautiful and moving woman.
"Madam Maxime? You want me to teach you?"
Ethan looked at the slightly flushed Hagrid with some surprise.
Ethan could tell that Hagrid was interested in Madam Maxime.
In the Wizarding World, if Hagrid wasn't going to find a female Giant, then Madam Maxime was the most suitable.
Normal women simply couldn't withstand Hagrid's physique, even those with better physical fitness.
During this time, Hagrid had spared no effort in showing his affection, especially by taking excellent care of the Abraxan horses.
Ethan had also seen Hagrid dressed up several times. Although his attire wasn't great, he had indeed put effort into it, otherwise he always wore his leather coat.
In the original work, Hagrid also had his eyes on Madam Maxime.
Later, when he and Madam Maxime, at Dumbledore's instruction, went to the Giant gathering place during Lord Voldemort's rampage to invite them to their side, their relationship did indeed make some progress.
As for whether they ended up together later, that was unknown.
Hagrid affirmed shyly:
"That's right, it's Madam Maxime."
"Is there any way I can successfully invite her to be my date at the Christmas Ball?"
However, this question seemed quite tricky to Ethan!
Initially, Madam Maxime didn't think much of him at all.
Ethan's success with women was because he was excellent enough, and he was also a standard handsome guy, then he would manipulate them according to their personalities.
If his conditions were even slightly worse, he wouldn't be able to play it like this.
If you ask if there are any techniques, there are some, but Hagrid couldn't learn them!
Firstly, Hagrid's appearance, those who know, know. He was the kind that could make children cry.
Madam Maxime, although quite tall, had a rather handsome face. (There is a description of this in the original work)
As a result, it was simply impossible for Hagrid to attract Madam Maxime through his appearance.
Their social statuses were also worlds apart.
Hagrid was a dropout who worked as a gamekeeper. Although he became the Care of Magical CreaturesProfessor at Hogwarts due to Dumbledore, his status was still very low. Currently, Hagrid's main job was still the Keeper of Keys, with Professor as a part-time role.
He also had a criminal record with the Ministry of Magicand still couldn't possess a wand to this day.
In terms of strength, Hagrid certainly couldn't beat Madam Maxime. They were both half-Giants, and with similar physiques,
Madam Maxime's magic prowess definitely outclassed Hagrid's.
As for family and financial resources, Hagrid also had no advantage. As the child of a Giant and a Muggle Wizard, he had no family background to speak of. In terms of finances, Hagrid was not short on money thanks to the Forbidden Forest, but he wouldn't sell those Animalsmaterials on the black market.
Madam Maxime, with all her jewelry, necklaces, and rings, was clearly a wealthy woman.
With disadvantages in all aspects, how was Ethan supposed to teach him?
"Hagrid, considering all the conditions, do you think you can win over Madam Maxime?"
Ethan could only be honest, as there was no point in deceiving Hagrid; he would be immediately defeated upon interaction.
Unless Ethan used Imperio to control Madam Maximeand make her have a twilight romance with Hagrid, but that was clearly impossible.
Upon hearing this, Hagrid fell into contemplation, his brows furrowing deeper and deeper.
Clearly, as Hagrid thought, he also discovered the problems.
Comparing his conditions to Madam Maxime's, the difference was quite significant!
"The chances are very small, but is there any way, Ethan? You've managed to win over so many girls."
Hagrid became dejected, but still didn't want to give up.
After so many years, it was rare for him to feel his heart stir once.
If he missed Madam Maxime, he would definitely never meet another person who could make his heart stir in this lifetime.
"The usual methods for pursuing girls certainly won't work."
"Mmm, mmm!"
Hagrid nodded seriously, looking like he was listening intently.
"Your only commonality is being half-human and half-Giant."
"In the Wizarding World, hybrids are quite rare; you might never meet another one in your lifetime. In that regard, you two are quite well-matched."
Ethan hadn't encountered many hybrids; among Veela, there was only the De la Cour family, among Goblinhybrids, only Professor Flitwick, and among Gianthybrids, Hagrid and Madam Maxime.
Therefore, up until now, Ethan hadn't found an opportunity to test the Blood Magic Potion on hybrid Wizards.
"That's right, exactly!"
Hagrid slapped his thigh, a flush of excitement appearing on his face.
It was precisely because they were both Giant hybrids that Hagrid liked Madam Maxime.
If Madam Maxime were an ordinary person, he really wouldn't have been interested.
"So, you can only approach her from this angle."
"However, although we can all see that Madam Maximehas Giant blood, she has never admitted it. This aspect isn't that simple."
Discrimination against hybrids in the Wizarding Worldwas quite severe. Even the descendants of Muggles and purebloods were not well-regarded, only slightly higher in status than Muggle Wizards.
Not to mention hybrids of Animals and Wizards.
Anyway, Ethan had never heard any mainstream reports of Madam Maxime being a Giant hybrid.
Fleur had also said that although her mother and Madam Maxime were very good friends, she had never discussed such matters, indicating it was her taboo.
In the original story, she also didn't admit her heritage.
However, since she could later act with Hagrid, it meant Hagrid still had a chance; it just depended on whether he could seize it.
"She doesn't admit to having Giant blood?"
Hagrid was immediately somewhat disappointed. As a Gryffindor, Hagrid had the courage to face his heritage, even if it meant facing discrimination.
Madam Maxime's behavior was indeed a minus point.
"If she admitted her Giant heritage, she couldn't be the Principal of Beauxbatons."
Ethan glanced at Hagrid. With Hagrid's status as a half-Giant, if Dumbledore hadn't protected him,
When Tom framed him, he would have been deeply trapped in Azkaban, likely never to get out.
"Then what should I do?"
"Dress up. You're not short on money. Go directly to the Tailor Shop des Beaux Arts in Hogsmeade, have the proprietress custom-make a suitable suit for you, then find a beauty salon to tidy you up. Then just go and invite her."
"Given Madam Maxime's physique, she won't be a good match with anyone here except for you. It's okay if she refuses; just persist, clarify everything, and face it together with her."
"Other than that, there's nothing else you can do to impress her."
Chapter 267: The Christmas Ball That Must Be Attended
The afternoon after Care of Magical Creatures was Divination Class.
As usual, Trelawney predicted that the two participants in the Triwizard Tournament, Ron and Harry, would face mortal danger.
However, by this academic year, except for a very small number of young Wizards, such as Hermione's roommate Lavender Brown, others no longer believed Trelawney's predictions.
After Divination Class, the fourth-year Wizards had to rush to the Transfiguration Class classroom.
No one dared to be late for Professor McGonagall's class.
The topic was transforming guinea fowl into guinea pigs. The previous class also covered this content; biological Transfiguration was not easy for fourth-year students.
There were only a few people in the classroom who could complete it.
Among them, being able to transform a guinea pig with standing feathers was already considered a good level of completion.
During the class, except for an explosion from Seamus's direction, no other disturbances occurred.
It wasn't until close to the end of class that Professor McGonagall collected the guinea fowl used as teaching materials.
And looked at the young Wizards below with a serious expression, saying:
"I have a few words to say to all of you. This Christmas, a Christmas Ball will be held!"
"This is a traditional part of the Triwizard Tournament and a great opportunity for us to interact with our foreign guests."
"The Christmas Ball is only open to students from fourth year upwards, but if you wish, you can invite a younger student as your partner to attend together."
Suddenly, from the Gryffindor side, Lavender Brown let out a piercing giggle.
No one knew what she was laughing at. Parvati Patil, her deskmate, nudged her hard.
It wasn't until under Professor McGonagall's death glare that Lavender Brown stopped laughing.
"You will wear your dress robes," Professor McGonagallcontinued, "The Ball will be held at eight o'clock on Christmas evening in the Great Hall, ending at midnight. Listen—"
Professor McGonagall calmly surveyed the entire class.
"The Christmas Ball will undoubtedly give us an opportunity to—um—let our hair down and relax."
Professor McGonagall said in a dismissive tone.
This made Lavender Brown laugh even harder, covering her mouth tightly with her hand to stifle the sound.
Compared to Professor McGonagall, everyone's attention was more focused on Lavender Brown, not knowing what she was laughing at.
This time, Professor McGonagall ignored her and continued:
"But that does not mean that we will relax our behavioral expectations for Hogwarts students. If any of you disgrace the school in any way, I will be extremely displeased."
The bell rang, and everyone, as usual, stuffed their books into their bags and prepared to leave.
Professor McGonagall suddenly raised her voice, shouting over the noise:
"Adrian, Potter, and Weasley, stay behind. I have something to tell you."
Ethan handed his packed bag to Cassandra, signaling them to leave first.
What Professor McGonagall was about to say was undoubtedly related to the Triwizard Tournament; otherwise, she wouldn't have specifically kept these three.
Harry and Ron clearly thought of this too. After tidying up, they went directly to Professor McGonagall.
Professor McGonagall waited until all the students had left before speaking:
"I am informing you that every champion participating in the Triwizard Tournament must have a partner!"
Harry was instantly bewildered. What was this? Was it related to the Triwizard Tournament?
"What partner?"
Hearing this, Professor McGonagall looked at Harry with some suspicion, wondering if he was pretending to be foolish.
They had just said that the Christmas Ball would be held on Christmas, so why ask about a partner? Could it be a bed partner?
But seeing that Harry seemed genuinely unaware, Professor McGonagall still explained:
"Your dance partner, that is, your partner for the Christmas Ball."
Harry's face immediately turned crimson, and he quickly said, "I don't dance!"
He didn't know who to invite, and now he also knew that even as the Gryffindor champion, he wasn't as popular as when he first enrolled. There was no girl who would be willing to be his dance partner.
Ron, on the other hand, had already fallen into a fantasy, his face flushed, occasionally chuckling.
This guy couldn't be thinking about who to invite as his dance partner, could he?
Ethan, however, was somewhat skeptical of his intelligence. How long had it been since he forgot his spectacular feat of getting zero points in the first task of the Triwizard Tournament?
With his current reputation, which girl would be willing to be his dance partner?
Even without this incident, he was quite unpopular. Now he was completely dreaming!
But Professor McGonagall wasn't paying any attention to Ron right now; she was currently confronting Harry and was quite irritated.
"Oh, you must dance. I was just about to tell you that. By tradition, the Ball is opened by the champions and their partners."
Nothing was going smoothly. First, Ron embarrassed Hogwarts and Gryffindor, and now Harry didn't want to dance.
Not only Harry, Professor McGonagall doubted whether Ron could even find a partner.
Then, looking at Ron, Professor McGonagall's expression changed again.
Professor McGonagall, having lived for so many years, naturally understood what Ron was thinking, but didn't he have any self-awareness?
She was worrying about whether he could find a partner, and he was already fantasizing.
Hopeless!
Only Ethan didn't need to worry about these things; he wasn't short on dance partners.
Wait, Ethan was also a problem. Would he just give up and not attend because he didn't know who to choose?
Professor McGonagall thought about it more and more and felt it was possible. When she looked at Ethan, she saw him looking at her indifferently, unable to discern what he was thinking.
These three were each difficult to deal with.
And Harry, hearing Professor McGonagall say he had to attend, felt his spirits sink.
Suddenly, he pictured himself wearing a black top hat and a tailcoat, with a girl beside him, wearing a frilly dress, the kind Aunt Petunia wore to Uncle Vernon's company dances.
More importantly, he had no idea who to ask!
How could he dance?
Moreover, for Christmas all these years, he had spent every year at his aunt and uncle's house on Privet Drive.
This year, he had planned to invite Sirius over as a guest. Sirius was alone at home, with no friends or relatives visiting, only a very annoying House-elf for company.
Therefore, Harry had no intention of spending Christmasat Hogwarts this year.
"I don't dance, and I won't go to the Christmas Ball."
Harry said this very firmly this time, looking at Professor McGonagall with a serious expression.
Clearly, he had made up his mind.
"This is a tradition. You are the Hogwarts champion, and as a representative of the school, you must do as expected."
"So, you must find yourself a dance partner, Potter."
Professor McGonagall also looked at Harry seriously; she just wanted to resolve this matter quickly.
If it wasn't handled well now, it was possible that none of the Hogwarts champions would show up for the opening of the Christmas Ball, which would be completely against the rules.
Being a Principal wasn't easy!
He didn't get many more Galleons, nor much more power, but he certainly had a lot more to do.
"But—I don't—"
Harry was interrupted by Professor McGonagall before he could finish speaking; this wasn't a discussion with him, but an announcement!
"You should understand what I'm saying, Potter!"
"You must attend the Christmas Ball, and you must bring a partner, understand?"
Professor McGonagall said to Harry with an unchallengeable tone.
Seeing Professor McGonagall so serious, Harry also panicked.
"Understood!"
Professor McGonagall insisted he participate; what could he do?
After settling Harry, Professor McGonagall looked at Ron.
"Professor McGonagall, I will definitely attend."
Before Professor McGonagall could speak, Ron quickly said.
With his current status as a Triwizard Tournamentchampion, Professor McGonagall had just mentioned that the opening of the Ball would feature the champions, and that alone should be enough to invite female classmates!
Ron was still pondering who to choose.
Even a somewhat short and stout figure flashed through his mind.
For a male, it didn't seem impossible, but Professor McGonagall seemed to have said it had to be a female partner.
But would it really be that strict?
Seeing Ron once again lost in his own fantasy, Professor McGonagall coughed twice.
"Weasley, I'm glad you have that awareness."
"Just bring a female partner when the time comes."
He quickly dismissed Ron; there was no other way.
He was unpopular, and virtually no Hogwarts girl would agree to be his partner; Beauxbatons girls were even less likely.
He couldn't possibly assign one to him!
What would that become?
"I understand, Professor McGonagall!"
Ron, who already wanted to attend the Christmas Ball, naturally didn't say anything else and immediately agreed to it.....
"Adrian, you'll also have to participate then."
"Alright, no problem."
Adrian also felt a headache coming on, but still agreed.
Firstly, it was hard to allocate, and that day would definitely be difficult.
But not participating didn't seem right.
It wasn't that Adrian couldn't avoid it; if he really didn't want to participate, there were ways, like going directly to Dumbledore, or getting an invitation from the Ministry of Magic.
But it would be difficult for Fleur; she was also a Triwizard Tournament champion, and Madam Maximewould definitely make her participate.
Even though Madam Maxime had a good relationship with Fleur's mother and usually took good care of Fleur, this didn't mean Madam Maxime would truly indulge Fleur in breaking the rules.
From the day Beauxbatons arrived at Hogwarts, it was clear: when Madam Maxime entered the Great Hall, all Beauxbatons students stood up and watched her, which showed what kind of person Madam Maxime was at Beauxbatons—very particular about all kinds of rules.
Fleur had to attend the Christmas Ball, but Adrianwouldn't.
Would Fleur have to find other boys to attend the Ball then?
Adrian would definitely not let that happen!
Because of this, Adrian also had to attend.
And he had to go back and persuade Cassandra and the others to let him team up with Fleur that day.
As for Cassandra and the others, they could just eat, drink, and enjoy the lively atmosphere at the Ball.
However, the process of convincing them would certainly not be easy.
"Alright, all three of you must bring a female partner."
After another instruction, Professor McGonagall walked out of the classroom with her textbooks.
After Professor McGonagall left, Ron glanced at Adrianand Harry, then snorted and left.
Ron now intensely disliked Adrian, and his feelings for Harry weren't much better.
Originally, after Harry told him the task was Dragons and revealed a potentially effective method to deal with Dragons, Ron was very grateful to Harry.
He also eagerly wanted to reconcile with Harry.
However, after learning from others how Harry obtained the golden egg, Ron developed resentment towards Harry.
Since you had a way to get the golden egg, why didn't you tell me?
You let me get a zero score like an idiot, and then be ridiculed like a clown.
Don't mention thinking of using the rocket on the fly; others had already said it was Neville who specifically brought it, so he must have been prepared.
The reason he didn't tell him was probably because he was afraid he would steal his thunder; how was that treating him as a friend?
As for the fact that he didn't have a rocket, couldn't he have borrowed one?
Only two people remained in the classroom; Harry asked Adrian helplessly:
"This Christmas Ball 2.9, what should I do then?"
Harry's mind was a mess now; he had no idea what to do.
"Just invite a Gryffindor girl; it's not difficult for you. As long as you ask, it shouldn't be a big problem."
Adrian said casually.
In Gryffindor, Harry was still quite popular.
Now, with his champion status and a good performance in the first task, inviting a female partner was easy; as long as he didn't pick someone who already had a boyfriend, he wouldn't likely be rejected, and it was even possible he'd be highly sought after.
In the original work, he seemed to have chosen a Gryffindor girl from the same year, as for who.
Anyway, it was either Lavender Brown or Parvati Patil.
In the original work, Harry's Gryffindor female supporting characters with names seemed to be just these two.
As for Ginny, Harry at this stage seemed to have no interest in her at all.
"But I don't know who to invite, and can I really do it if I ask?"
"Lavender Brown, Parvati Patil, or others are fine. You're the Savior, and a champion of this Triwizard Tournament; have some confidence in yourself."
"Is that so? I'll go invite Parvati Patil then!"
Seeing Adrian's confident demeanor, Harry wasn't as worried anymore.
After all, Adrian's words were highly credible; he had never misled him before. Since he said he was still quite popular, then it was fine.
As for who to invite, he would definitely choose a good-looking one. Compared to Lavender Brown, Parvati Patil, the Indian girl, was prettier, or rather, among the Gryffindor girls in his year, besides Hermione, Parvati Patil was the prettiest.
Chapter 268: Christmas Eve
The next day, Adrian signed the form to stay at Hogwartsduring Christmas.
This was Adrian's first Christmas at Hogwarts; it wasn't that he was homesick or anything, it was just that spending Christmas here wasn't very interesting.
Unlike previous years, most students from fourth year upwards signed up to stay this year; Terry naturally found this out and shared the information.
Moreover, now, whether in the Great Hall or in the corridors, there were girls giggling and whispering everywhere.
They shrieked with laughter whenever a boy walked by, and the girls excitedly exchanged opinions, discussing what to wear on Christmas night…
Clearly, their anticipation for the Christmas Ball was quite high, even surpassing that of the boys.
Everyone also understood why the back-to-school list during the summer vacation had specified bringing formal robes.
However, many young Witches expressed dissatisfaction, wondering why it wasn't specified earlier that it was for a Ball, leading many young Witches to state that the robes they brought this time were not very satisfactory.
Owls flew chaotically early in the morning, all going to contact shops to purchase formal robes, and it was estimated that quite a few secretly snuck out as well.
There wasn't much time left until Christmas, causing everyone to be quite urgent.
It was estimated that the Tailor Shop des Beaux Arts, and Quality Quidditch Supplies, would make a fortune again this time.
At the same time, after breakfast, in front of most of the young Witches, a curly-haired third-year Hufflepuff girl actively invited Harry to go to the Ball with her.
Harry confirmed that he was indeed quite popular, but he still refused.
Because the two of them weren't familiar at all, and hadn't even exchanged a single word.
"Adrian, they're inviting Harry to the Ball, but no one's invited you?"
Terry looked at this scene and asked Adrian with some surprise.
Now, everyone knew that the Triwizard Tournamentchampions had to attend the Christmas Ball, and that the Ball would be opened by the champions and their partners.
This also made the Triwizard Tournament champions quite popular now.
But Terry couldn't understand why girls would invite Harry but not Adrian. Were they blind? 28 "Terry, shut up!"
"Sitting with you is really embarrassing!"
Before Adrian could speak, Gene pouted and said with a disgusted expression.
"What's wrong with me?"
Terry was a bit confused; he didn't find anything wrong with himself!
"Does Adrian lack a female partner?"
"Could that girl just now compete with anyone?"
Gene said disdainfully.
Adrian's situation was already a fight to get him, so those girls, unless they were fools, wouldn't get involved.
They gossiped outside every day and still couldn't figure this out; it was unbelievable.
Terry looked at Fleur and Cho Chang on either side of Adrian, and it was indeed true!
No one at this long table could beat these two in terms of looks; others coming over would just be giving themselves away.
Plus, Gryffindor had Hermione Granger, and Slytherinhad Cassandra Vaurie.
However, he also chose to stay and attend the Christmas Ball this year. Who would his partner be?
They were all from the same dormitory. Adrian's side was a fight to get him, but would he have no one at all?
Thinking of this, Terry felt sorrow well up in his heart.
"What's wrong with you?"
Gene was a bit confused, looking at Terry who suddenly became depressed.
Just saying a few words, it's not that serious, is it?
"Do you have a female partner?"
Gene also fell silent.
Adrian completely ignored these idiots and was still thinking about how to convince Cassandra and the others.
By noon, two more girls had come forward to invite Harryto be their Christmas Ball partner.
One was a second-year, and the other was a fifth-year upperclassman, which made Harry quickly announce that he already had a partner in mind.
And after dinner, he directly invited Parvati Patil, who gladly accepted.
It was from this moment that the atmosphere between boys and girls at Hogwarts began to change slightly.
In the past, there were usually few people on the path outside Hogwarts in the evening.
Now, if you go out for a walk, you'd have to greet at least a dozen people.
The small forest nearby was also constantly in an uproar.
The Professors in the school didn't seem to care about this at all; they truly weren't afraid of someone getting hurt.
In the last week of this semester, the school became livelier and noisier day by day.
Rumors about the Christmas Ball spread throughout Hogwarts, most of which were obviously fake at a glance.
For example, Dumbledore bought eight hundred barrels of spiced mead from Madam Rosmerta at The Three Broomsticks for the Christmas Ball.
Although The Three Broomsticks' mead was famous in Great Britain, even Fudge was a regular customer there.
However, it was well-known that underage Wizards were forbidden from drinking alcohol.
Even though most young Wizards had secretly tasted alcohol before coming of age, and some young Wizards even covertly sold alcoholic beverages within Hogwarts, putting it out in the open was clearly unrealistic, especially when that person was Dumbledore.
There were also some rumors that might be true, such as Dumbledore having booked the Weird Sisters to perform at the Hogwarts Christmas Ball.
Ethan thought this might be true, especially since Dumbledore had genuinely invited the Skeletal Dance Troupe to Hogwarts for the Halloween Dinner in his second year.
It wasn't impossible for him to invite the Weird Sisters this time.
Ethan had learned a bit about this group from magazines.
They were a rock band in the magic world, specializing in stylish pop music, which they likely learned from Muggles; perhaps they even went to study there.
They were a very famous musical group on Wizarding Wireless Network.
Also, don't let the name 'Weird Sisters' fool you into thinking it's just a duo of sisters; there are male Wizards involved as well.
Similarly, as the Christmas Ball drew closer, the young Wizards became somewhat distracted in class.
Every day, they were either discussing dresses or dance partners; of course, gossip was also rampant, with couples breaking up or cheating on each other.
Terry was almost never seen during break times; he had been gorging himself on gossip during this period.
Because of this, Professor Flitwick simply stopped lecturing; he allowed the young Wizards to play games in his class, while he himself found Ethan, Harry, and Ron to teach them some of his small tricks to help the three of them achieve good results in the upcoming Triwizard Tournament.
Of course, Professor Flitwick actually only needed to teach Harry and Ron; Ethan had long since gotten Professor Flitwick's notebook and thoroughly understood it. It must be said that Professor Flitwick's various spell tricks were quite useful.
However, the other Professors were not so accommodating.
For example, as a ghost, Professor Binns couldn't be distracted by something like the Christmas Ball.
He continued to trudge through his notes on Goblinrebellions, but it must be said that his ability to make the bloody and thrilling Goblin rebellions sound so dull was indeed a skill.
Professor McGonagall and Moody also didn't let the students idle, continuing to teach according to their lesson plans, completely unaffected.
Snape, needless to say, would only be looking forward to the Christmas Ball if pigs could fly.
Perhaps intentionally, in the last class of the semester, Snape announced that every young Wizard had to make an antidote and then drink it themselves.
This made many young Wizards' faces change, making their Christmas far from comfortable.
The final result was that a few young Wizards, due to forgetting to add bezoar, made mistakes in their Potions, and the consequence of drinking them was an emergency trip to the hospital wing.
However, according to the Wizarding World's medical standards, they would at most be confined for two days and would not miss the Christmas Ball later. If it were in Muggle society, it would be entirely different.
After Potion Class ended, it marked the complete end of the semester's courses.
The students excitedly organized their textbooks, then excitedly ran out of the Potion Class classroom, ready to fully enjoy their Christmas holiday from that moment on.
Of course, holiday homework was inevitable, and fourth-year students had a considerable amount, but at this point, who had the mood to do homework? At least before the Christmas Ball, it was estimated that no one would choose to pick up a pen.
At the same time, the entire Hogwarts Castle was newly decorated.
Driven by the desire to impress the guests from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang, the teachers and students responsible for decorating the Castle were exceptionally diligent.
The banisters of the marble staircase were hung with icicles that never melted, and the twelve Christmas trees usually placed in the Great Hall were adorned with various trinkets, from sparkling holly berries to constantly hooting live golden owls.
The suits of armor were enchanted; whenever someone passed by, they would sing Christmas carols, and hearing an empty helmet sing "Oh, Come, All Ye Faithful" could startle you unexpectedly.
However, these armors only knew half of the lyrics, but when Peeves found out, he loved to run inside, and whenever the armors couldn't sing anymore, Peeveswould make up his own lyrics to fill in, all of which were very rude and unpleasant.
Because of this, the caretaker Filch had to drag Peevesout of the armor several times, which also significantly increased his workload, leaving him with little time to supervise the young Wizards, as he was constantly battling wits with these Peeves.
By this time, students from fourth year and above attending the Christmas Ball had mostly found their dance partners.
At least most of the people Ethan knew had found female partners, such as his three roommates, who all found girls from Ravenclaw.
Michael's partner was Padma Patil, who was Parvati Patil's twin sister from Gryffindor.
Gene's partner was Lisa Turpin, also a fourth-year student.
Gene found a junior; there was no way around it, the competition among students of the same year was too intense, and many people set their sights on juniors who couldn't attend the Christmas Ball.
If not for this, it's estimated that quite a few young Wizards from fourth year and above would be all alone at the Christmas Dinner.
Of course, there were also those who liked juniors, such as Cedric.
He was quite popular at Hogwarts, even though he wasn't chosen as the champion of the Triwizard Tournament this time; it could be said he was second only to Ethan.
He was handsome, had a good personality, and excellent grades, receiving many love letters every Valentine's Day.
In Lockhart's year, he and Ethan also caused a lot of jokes.
However, Cedric ultimately chose a third-year Hufflepuffjunior, who was also a member of the HufflepuffQuidditch team.
According to Fred and George, this junior had been Cedric's little fangirl since she enrolled and joined the Hufflepuff Quidditch team because of him.
This time, it was also this junior who actively invited Cedric.
It's just unknown if Cedric's action could be considered dating a fan.
Meanwhile, Fred's partner was confirmed to be Angelina; Ethan had known this for a long time, as he had seen them getting together earlier.
But George hadn't been heard to have found a partner yet; given George's personality, he was quite popular in Gryffindor, and he could certainly find a partner if he wanted to.
Ethan didn't ask for the specific reason.
However, he himself was not affected at all; on the contrary, his business had been quite booming during this period.
The prank item he made earlier, the Canary Creams, was very popular, and in the first day or two of the holiday, people would suddenly grow feathers all over their bodies.
These were transformations caused by accidentally eating cookies offered by others.
However, within two days, students learned their lesson and became very wary of food offered by others, lest a Canary Cream was hidden inside.
In response, Fred and George said they were researching a new product and were about to succeed.
Three or four days before Christmas, heavy snow began to fall over the Scottish Highlands.
In just one night, Hogwarts transformed into a world of silver.
The light blue Beauxbatons carriage looked like a frosted giant pumpkin in winter, and next to it, Hagrid's hut was like a gingerbread house sprinkled with icing sugar.
The Durmstrang ship's hull was covered in a layer of ice, making it smooth and clear, and its rigging was also coated with white frost.
Now, even the warm couples ran outside, protected by magic, they wouldn't fear this bit of cold.
At the same time, Ethan also took Cassandra and others to leave Hogwarts. Anyway, it was holiday time, and usually, when there was nothing to do, no one would count the number of people, as long as they could return by Christmas Day.
Ethan, who had taken control of the entire Slytherin Organization, now had usable Portkeys in most countries around the world.
This was also one of the conditions Ethan agreed to for Cassandra and them: to spend a good few days with them before Christmas, and not to lock himself in the practice room researching magic whenever he had a break.
Chapter 269: The Ball
"Ethan, Ethan, wake up!"
On Christmas morning, hearing someone call his name, Ethan reluctantly sat up.
It was still dark outside, and the Christmas Ball was held in the evening. Did they really need to be so excited this early in the morning?
"Is something wrong?"
He turned his head and saw that it was indeed Terry, and Michael and Gene were also already up.
Ethan had returned last night, mainly because he needed to mail out Christmas gifts. For those far away, Ethan had already arranged the services locally while traveling.
Yesterday, he returned to Hogwarts primarily to handle the mailing of gifts to Hogwarts students and Professors. Because there were too many gifts, he even went to the Hogsmeade Post Office.
There was no other way. Although Hogwarts had free public owls, their number was limited.
They were usually sufficient, but yesterday almost all the young Wizards at Hogwarts needed to use owls, and they were sending out more than one gift, so the number was severely insufficient. Ethan couldn't monopolize all the owls himself, so he simply went out and spent some money.
"Look at the number of your gifts, it's too exaggerated!"
Terry pointed at the gifts by Ethan's bed, his face full of shock.
They had already started from Ethan's bedside and almost blocked the entire aisle; it was simply an exaggerated amount.
He didn't know the exact number, as he had never received such a quantity of Christmas gifts himself.
But his own certainly weren't even a fraction of Ethan's.
He had always known Ethan was popular, but he hadn't known the specifics until now.
"Probably over three hundred!"
Ethan took a quick glance; it was a bit more than last year, but only slightly.
Hearing this, Gene gasped and exclaimed:
"So, half of the young Wizards at Hogwarts sent you gifts?"
Hogwarts, about seventy students per year, seven years total just over five hundred.
Only Wizards used owls to send Christmas gifts, and the main contributors were certainly Hogwarts students. Even if there were also gifts from some of Ethan's other friends in the Wizarding World, Hogwarts' young Wizards contributed at least two hundred or more.
"More or less!"
Ethan said vaguely.
Anyway, members of Slytherin and the Witch Heart Society didn't know his true identity, so even if they wanted to send gifts, they wouldn't know where to send them; otherwise, there would be even more.
"Why are you up so early?"
Although he hadn't checked the time, judging by the current sky, it should be around six o'clock.
It was winter; wasn't it crazy to get up so early instead of sleeping longer in a warm bed?
"To open Christmas gifts, aren't you excited?"
Terry picked up a gift box from the side of his four-poster bed and looked at Ethan in confusion.
Every year, what he looked forward to most was opening Christmas gifts, and thinking about it naturally made him wake up early.
"Not excited. Isn't it pretty much the same every year?"
Saying that, Ethan also threw off his quilt, preparing to get up, since he had already been woken up.
In the past, when he was at home, he would always sleep until he woke up naturally on Christmas Day, and then open presents.
When he was in first year, Ethan was indeed a bit excited about Christmas gifts, but now, he really didn't care.
After washing up, Ethan joined his roommates in their box-opening operation.
It was no different from previous years; the first few they opened were mostly various candies and chocolates, with the rest being some books and small items from Alchemyshops.
So, Ethan went ahead and found the gift boxes from the Professors and Cassandra and her group.
Only their Christmas gifts were a bit different, but for Ethan now, the Christmas gifts given by the Professors weren't very useful, but Ethan still kept them carefully.
Cassandra and her group also sent some handmade items they had made themselves.
Hagrid, as always, generously sent materials from Animals: a small box of colorful jewels. Ethan recognized at a glance that they were from Fire Crabs.
Although the name was Fire Crab, it was actually an XXX-rated magical creature resembling a sea turtle.
The reason it was called a Fire Crab was because it had its own defense mechanism: when attacked, it would spray fire from its backside.
The jewels embedded in the Fire Crab's shell, while not of high practical value, were highly sought after by Wizards due to their extreme brilliance, leading to their high price.
Some Potion makers also liked to use Fire Crab shells as cauldrons.
In its homeland, Fiji, people had built a protected area on a coastline to protect them, but Wizards were tempted by their valuable shells and frequently poached them, and even some Muggles had set their sights on them.
Ethan didn't know where Hagrid got these Fire Crab jewels; he only knew that the Blast-Ended Skrewts Hagrid was currently breeding were hybridized from Fire Crabs.
Ethan carefully put all these away. Later, he could use Alchemy to create some items that combined both beauty and practicality. These would make good Christmas gifts to give out next year.
In addition, Lucius, Heerbo, and young Tom also sent Christmas gifts.
What suited them were either books that looked suspicious, or quite obvious Dark Arts artifacts, and it was unknown where they had acquired them.
Ethan directly put these away, planning to look at them later when he had time.
"You're done unwrapping your gifts, come help me."
After finding and dismantling everything that needed to be, Ethan looked at his three roommates who were busy playing with their Christmas gifts.
Their Christmas gifts had long since been unwrapped.
"Why didn't you say so earlier? I would have come already!"
Terry shouted, immediately putting down what he was holding and running over.
Unwrapping such unknown gift boxes, even if they weren't his own, was quite exciting during the process.
If it weren't too rude to just run over and help unwrap, they would have rushed over as soon as they finished unwrapping their own Christmas gifts.
There were hundreds of them, enough to satisfy their craving for unwrapping.
Michael and Gene followed closely, as everyone wanted to experience the fun of opening blind boxes.
However, as they continued unwrapping, all three of them grew listless, their initial excitement long gone.
There was nothing they could do; it was just the same old stuff, nothing that made their eyes light up, no surprises at all, so where could they find the motivation?
With the help of his three roommates, Ethan didn't spend much time organizing the Christmas gifts this time.
Incidentally, Ethan also shared many small snacks with his three roommates, as he couldn't possibly eat them all by himself.
This also led to them not going down for breakfast, as they were already full from eating candies and snacks.
At noon, the group arrived at the Great Hall. Lunch was quite rich; due to Christmas, the four House tables were laden with turkeys and a large pile of Christmaspuddings, as well as mountains of Crumbly Wizard's Crackers.
By the afternoon, the grounds outside Hogwarts were still covered in a blanket of white snow.
"Ethan, let's go have a snowball fight!"
Fred and George, along with a few Gryffindor students, arrived at the unknown entrance and called out to Ethan.
"I won't go, you guys play by yourselves."
Ethan immediately waved his hand in refusal. The Christmas Ball was only a few hours away. Go have a snowball fight with you now? Are you kidding me!
At seven in the evening, the sky grew dim, and only an hour remained until the Christmas Ball.
Ethan also returned to the dormitory with the crowd to change into his evening robes.
Ethan's evening robes had been prepared long ago. During the summer holiday, when Diagon Alley was still intact, Ethan had ordered several sets from the Tailor Shop des Beaux Arts, and he now chose a relatively low-key black one.
Upon entering the Common Room, unlike the usual uniform Hogwarts Wizarding robes, everyone was dressed in colorful formal robes.
Cho Chang, wearing a blue dress, waved to Ethan before directly exiting the Common Room door and heading towards the Great Hall.
Today, Ethan's partner was Fleur. They had already arranged a meeting spot. If Cho Chang wasn't his partner, it wouldn't be appropriate for her to follow Ethan now, otherwise, it would look awkward to hand her over to Fleur later.
As for Luna, she was still in her third year and had already gone home for Christmas, so she didn't stay to attend the Ball at all.
It was almost time, and Ethan and the others walked towards the stairs.
Upon arriving at the Entrance Hall, it was already packed with students milling about, waiting for eight o'clock when the Great Hall doors would open.
However, this was also the time and place where most people met their partners.
Ethan easily found Fleur; there was no way around it, she was just that striking.
They didn't wait long before Professor McGonagall's voice rang out: "Champions, please come this way!"
As the Deputy Principal of Hogwarts, Professor McGonagall always had the most work.
Fleur linked her arm through Ethan's, a brilliant smile on her face, and walked forward.
The chattering crowd immediately made way for them to pass.
Professor McGonagall wore a red tartan robe, but its brim was decorated with a rather tasteless wreath of thistles.
Ethan and Fleur were the first to arrive, with Harryfollowing close behind.
His partner was naturally Parvati Patil, but she was wearing several golden bracelets and a golden necklace around her neck, which was just short of a nose ring!
Indeed, she was from that country.
The three Durmstrang Champions also arrived; they came together, and their partners were all seventh-year Slytherin students.
As for the other two Beauxbatons Champions, their partners were seventh-year Ravenclaw and Gryffindorstudents.
Professor McGonagall looked at this scene with some anxiety; all the Champions except Ron had arrived.
Although she had long prepared for the possibility that Ron might not find a partner, it was still somewhat upsetting when it actually happened.
A Champion of Hogwarts, no less, couldn't find a partner.
Although this Champion was a Champion in name only, even his own House was unwilling, which was truly a great loss of face.
"Harry, what's going on with Ron?"
Ethan had barely seen Ron since the holidays began, so he had no idea how he was doing now, but Harry, who shared a dormitory with Ron, definitely knew something.
"He seems to be unhappy with his robes, and he hasn't found a partner. I don't know anything else."
Harry said helplessly.
Harry had seen Ron's rather shabby robes and knew they were unsuitable. As for a partner...
Parvati Patil had told him that Ron had invited several girls in Gryffindor, and all of them had refused without exception. There were even rumors that he had gone to Beauxbatons, only to return with a darkened face.
"Alright!"
Ethan wasn't disappointed by Ron.
In the original story, Ron also couldn't find a partner, and in the end, Parvati Patil introduced her sister to him, but Padma Patil also disliked him considerably.
Now Ron's reputation was even worse; it would be a miracle if he found a partner.
Soon, the young Wizards had all entered in an orderly fashion. Although Professor McGonagall was anxious, she had no other choice.
Could she really go and grab Ron now?
At the appointed time, Professor McGonagall arranged the Champions and their partners to line up two by two and follow her inside.
The group followed Professor McGonagall towards a large round table at the front of the Great Hall where the judges were seated, and the young Wizards in the Great Hall applauded enthusiastically.
The Great Hall walls were covered in sparkling silver frost, the ceiling was a starry night sky, and hundreds of mistletoe sprigs and ivy garlands hung down.
The four House tables were gone, replaced by a hundred small, lantern-lit tables, each seating about ten people.
Fleur beside him seemed very happy, smiling continuously throughout the walk.
Could she have imagined this in a different setting?
The Champions arrived in front of the high table. Dumbledore smiled happily, but Karkaroff still wore a sour expression; he had been like that ever since the first task of the Triwizard Tournament ended.
Ludo, however, appeared quite enthusiastic, applauding warmly along with the young Wizards.
Madame Maxime had shed her usual black satin uniform and was wearing a flowing pale purple gown.
However, Barty Crouch still hadn't arrived, just as in the original story; an unfamiliar Wizard sat in his place.
After exchanging greetings, Ethan led Fleur to the table, pulled out an empty seat, and motioned for her to sit down first.
Dumbledore didn't ask why Ron hadn't come; he knew the answer from Professor McGonagall's stern face.
After sitting down, Ethan directly picked up the small menu on the table, preparing to order their dinner for the evening.
Although Ethan was also puzzled that this was different from other Ball procedures, for a school version, what else could he expect?
After dinner, Dumbledore stood up and told the students to stand as well.
Then he waved his wand, and all the tables zoomed to the walls, leaving a clear space in the middle.
He conjured a tall stage, affixed to the right wall, upon which sat a drum kit, several guitars, a lute (lyre), a cello, and several organs.
At this moment, the Weird Sisters surged onto the stage together, and the audience erupted in thunderous applause.
They wore tattered black robes and picked up their respective instruments, beginning to play.
Suddenly, the lanterns on the tables extinguished, and Ethan and the others stood up; it was time to take the floor.
Stepping into the brightly lit dance floor, Ethan held Fleur's hand tightly with one hand and placed the other on her waist.
Ethan hadn't known how to do these things before; after all, he wasn't interested and hadn't learned. However, Fleur had given Ethan special training these past few days, and now he was quite presentable and wouldn't make a fool of himself.
At this point, the others also entered the dance floor.
However, Ethan didn't know how Hagrid managed it, but he was still seated at the high table, and Madam Maxime's dance partner was Dumbledore.
How to put it?
It was too uncoordinated.
Originally, Dumbledore was definitely considered tall among humans, but next to Madam Maxime, he looked like a dwarf.
Besides this pair, another pair also drew considerable attention.
Fred and Angelina!
It wasn't that they danced particularly well, but rather that they danced too wildly, causing those around them to step back to avoid being hit.