Chapter 1003: The Yule Ball
It was Christmas.
The School didn’t so much as hear a hint of what happened in an ordinary classroom yesterday.
None knew that Arlen Black, a Gryffindor student of the third year, had done the unthinkable, casting a Patronus Charm without using a Wand.
Those who did know about it were aloof to the true mystery, either, never learning that it wasn’t as simple as casting a silent spell wandlessly.
Dumbledore asked Lupin and Harry to keep the matter to themselves. He also urged the Dark Arts Professor to intensify Harry’s training in the Patronus Charm, which had been a secret between the two before, in the coming week.
Meanwhile, taking Black to his office, Dumbledore requested that the boy must not use the Patronus Charm anymore, following the Half-Deep One’s advice. Contrarily, he also added that Black was allowed to use it anyway, should he find it necessary.
When Black and Harry returned to the Gryffindor dormitory later, they told Ron and Draco about everything, of course.
Still, finding some sense in Dumbledore’s warning, they decided not to experiment with Black’s strange Charm for the time being.
They did guess one question, though—perhaps it was because of his Patronus that Black had been able to hear the Basilisk’s hisses last year without understanding them?
And that’s how Christmas welcomed them—with wild answers and wilder questions!
But this Christmas was the least Christmasy.
By the time evening approached, the entire School was buzzing with only one event — The Yule Ball!
At eight o’clock, students from four houses and three schools filled the Entrance Hall.
The doors of the Great Hall opened and light poured out, dazzling all eyes.
Black, dressed in a black suit, arrived first with a stunningly beautiful Fleur Delacour. The moment these two arrived, the entire Entrance Hall went silent. Not only because of their presence, but also because it meant that all the Champions were finally appearing.
Professor McGonagall appeared, then, dressed in a black gown. "Over here, please!" she called Black and Delacour, lining them in front of the Great Hall. "Where are the rest of the Champions?!"
As if her question was the cue, Harry appeared with Parvati Patil, and Ron appeared with Padma Patil. After not asking out anyone, Black had asked the Patil sisters to go with them, to their relief.
And then appeared Draco Malfoy.
A hushed murmur rang across the Entrance Hall.
Harry, Ron, and Black looked dumbstruck, McGonagall’s jaw lowering slightly in amazement, too.
Draco Malfoy looked as much as a Malfoy could ever look.
Dressed in a white suit, with sleek, silvery hair plastered back on his skull.
If it weren’t for Harry, Ron, and Black knowing him, even they would have thought him a rich, spoiled brat who liked to bully others.
But it wasn’t him who had brought out reactions from everyone.
It was the girl with whom he had arrived.
A small pinwheel held her blond hair in a knot over her head. She was wearing a sparkling silver gown, which Draco seemed to have bought for her, given how expensive it looked. He seemed to have also bought high-heeled sandals for her, but... she was wearing only one shoe presently, her other foot dangling on the floor in a sock.
It was a Ravenclaw from the second year... Luna Lovegood.
"..." McGonagall found herself lacking words as Draco came to stand in front of her with the girl. Then, taking a deep breath, she said, "Stand next to me, Mr. Malfoy. Yes... a step behind me."
It almost felt like McGonagall was trying to hide the two of them behind her.
As Draco stood next to the Professor, doing his utmost best not to make eye contact with either Harry, Ron, or Black, more Champions began appearing.
Cedric arrived with Cho Chang next, followed by George and Angelina.
And Champions kept flooding the Entrance Hall, drawing gasps one after another.
"Told you!" Ron hissed, leaning toward Harry, Black, and Draco. "Hermione’s got no one! Serves her right!"
Padma and Parvati gave him a nasty glance.
Delacour didn’t even do that, inching toward Black as she didn’t want to accidentally touch Ron.
And then the girls arrived, one after another.
Hermione looked nothing like herself. Victor Krum came out of the crowd to hold her hand as she stepped down the stairs, people gaping at the scene. It was more so for Harry, Black, and Draco. Even the girls were looking at her the same.
"She’z half Veela, too?" Delacour commented.
Only Ron kept a stoic expression, not recognizing Hermione at all.
Hermione and Krum came to stand among the Champions, and the stunned expressions hadn’t even rested properly when they reappeared; fiercer this time.
Darcie was not dressed richly.
She was wearing a very plain green gown, with her silver-gold hair tied into a neat bun. She was not even wearing jewelry or makeup, looking as... normal as a girl could.
Yet, that only made her eyes look like two gems embedded in a plain, elegant wall, making the entire scene picturesque.
But where was her partner?
It was then that a squeaky sound appeared next to Darcie, making all eyes fall on it.
In a neat, black suit, holding his head high, with large, green, bubbly eyes, was... Dobby the House elf.
"..."
McGonagall couldn’t even open her mouth this time.
Darcie came to a stop next to Hermione and Krum and faced the crowd with no smile or emotion, as if daring them to open their mouth and say something against Dobby.
Well, they didn’t dare do that.
Most of them, from third to fourth year, had already been battered and bruised by her in the Battle Workshops.
Now, they admired Darcie as much as they feared her very existence.
Suddenly, just as the people began talking again, forgetting that they were missing another Champion, another figure arrived... alone.
Daphne seemed to have drunk Polyjuice Potion, taking on Darcie’s appearance.
If it weren’t for her Nordic blue eyes and her height giving her away, no one would have differentiated her from Darcie at all.
"I am sorry, Ms. Greengrass..." McGonagall said, feeling horrible, "... but you must..."
A Grimoire, glowing reddish-black, suddenly appeared over Daphne’s head, making everyone take a step back.
Then, with her one thought, a magical force left the Grimoire, taking shape next to her.
Gasps, louder than ever, fiercer than ever, and truer than ever, echoed against the castle’s ancient walls.
Darcie had at least brought a House elf, but Daphne’s partner?
It was a magical being like nothing else they had ever seen.
Long, white legs. Green torso. A head resembling a gladiator’s helmet. White face, red eyes, and teal head crest. A red plate embedded through and through its green chest.
It was as much a knightly being as it was a magical one.
Under the astonished eyes of everyone, the creature bent its one knee next to Daphne and kissed the back of her hand, making all the girls’ hearts flutter.
Then, like a true gentleman, he brought Daphne in front of the Great Hall.
"My partner, Professor," Daphne told a confounded McGonagall. "Gallade."
"... Yes, well... alright," McGonagall put together some words. "Now that everyone’s here..."
"Wait!"
All heads snapped toward the middle of the Entrance Hall.
Black was storming away from the Great Hall. "Wait! I am changing my partner to Buckbeak!"
Laughter erupted from all corners, students wheezing as they held their stomachs, feeling knots.
"Get back in line, Mr. Black!" McGonagall roared. "Or I will turn you into a Hippogriff right here!!"
And, like that, the unusual Yule Ball finally began, the sound of music filling the entire School in the next moment.
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