Volume 5: The Burning Golden Flame Chapter 373 Dance
Winters in the UK are significantly colder than in France.
However, Jon basically spent last winter in the Arctic Circle, so the cold weather after returning to the UK did not make him uncomfortable.
However, after entering November, there was still no news from Lyon, and Jon basically gave up hope of learning Animagus this year.
After entering winter, the probability of thunderstorms is almost the same as snow in July, but fortunately Jon was not so lucky that he could learn Animagus in just half a year.
At the end of November, Jon learned from Dumbledore that there would be a special event held on Christmas Day, a week before the competition began.
"Dance? This match is almost a life-and-death duel, and we still need to hold a dance?"
Jon's eyes widened, obviously confused after receiving the news.
Dumbledore leaned back in his chair and relaxed, with that gentle smile still on his face.
"Of course it will be held. No matter what the purpose of this competition is, it is the Triwizard Tournament, and the Christmas Ball is the tradition of the Triwizard Tournament. This will not be erased."
Jon already had that scenario in mind.
"So I still need those people to dance in a hall? And then start the life-and-death duel five days later?"
"It's gentlemanly, isn't it?" Dumbledore said with a wink. "Even opponents can dance together in formal occasions."
Jon curled his lips. "Really? According to their bloodline theory, shouldn't it be a humiliation to the purebloods for me to be able to enter the auditorium?"
Dumbledore suddenly looked at Jon strangely.
"You seem to really not want to attend this dance?"
Jon's little thoughts were discovered, but he did not deny it. He just spread his hands and said.
"You know, Professor, I was an orphan before I was brought to the carriage. After I came to the carriage, I had almost no free time. Even in my free time, I basically stayed in the library or by the lake."
"so?"
“So I can’t dance at all.”
Jon said bluntly.
Dumbledore smiled, a smile that was clearly filled with amusement and joy.
"No one can know everything, Jon. No one expects you to learn so much in this short career of just over a decade. There are still nearly two months until the Christmas Ball. I believe you only need to spare half an hour every day to practice, and you will find your talent in this area."
Jon had a gloomy face. Even though Dumbledore had expressed his full trust in him, Jon was still not very willing to attend the ball.
As mentioned before, he actually hated those kinds of activities that required him to be in the spotlight, especially dancing in public, which made Jon, who was half a socially anxious person in his previous life, subconsciously resist it.
"Can't you just not go?"
Dumbledore crossed his arms, as if he was seriously considering Jon's suggestion.
"If we want to control public opinion, we'd better attend this ball. Just like now, we come to the castle to participate in the competition, but as the owner of the castle, Riddle has been very cautious and placed us on the edge of the Forbidden Forest, not even letting us into the castle. It seems that we are being despised, but as the principal of a school and the nominal master of the British wizarding world, he will let the outside world see that his behavior does not have the spirit of a leader at all."
"It's the same at this dance. The more rude we are, the more it contrasts with his behavior. Of course, this kind of performance is meaningless when Riddle still maintains an absolute advantage, but it is very beneficial to us when the situation enters a stalemate."
He explained all the pros and cons to Jon, but he still smiled in the end.
"Of course, if you really don't want to attend this dance, then we can retaliate and not give Riddle this face. As long as we can win this game in the end, who will think of using this to blame us?"
Jon hesitated for a moment, then asked.
"Will the dance last long?"
"As a warrior, you have to lead the dance at the beginning of the dance, and after the dance, you can arrange your own time."
Having said that, Dumbledore winked at him mischievously.
"Are there any girls you like? If you're too embarrassed to ask her out, I can use my authority as the principal to help you."
Jon looked upset.
"Whatever. But professor, don't expect too much from my performance at the ball. I have no interest in dancing."
"Ha, I believe nothing can stump you, Jon. If you are sure you want to participate, I will ask Vida for help. She comes from a family that is very strict about etiquette. She is very good at dancing and can spare half an hour every day to teach you."
"Then let's follow your arrangement. When should I go to see Professor Rozier?"
"She usually has tea and a rest in the professor's lounge after dinner, so that's the perfect time."
After listening to Dumbledore's arrangements, Jon stood up from his chair and stretched.
"I will continue to squat by the Black Lake, hoping to find something today."
"Don't worry. There are still two months before the second project begins. Besides, this is not a major task. Even if you don't find out in the end, it won't have much impact on our final arrangement."
"I know, Professor, but I've been idle lately anyway, so I might as well find something to do."
As Jon spoke, he waved to Dumbledore with his back, and then left the headmaster's office.
The fire by the wall was jumping. Dumbledore was the only one left in the office. He leaned back in his chair, crossed his hands in front of him, and stared quietly at the orange-red fire with his deep blue eyes.
"Tom...what do you want to do..."
…
"When we were exiled in the carriage, we didn't feel much fear, because everyone knew that the professors would protect us. On some important festivals, such as the first day of school or Christmas Day, Hagrid, the coachman, would take us to a charming place where we could enjoy a wonderful dinner."
Hermione told Asia about life in the carriage, and the two of them searched for herbs that could be transplanted on the edge of the Forbidden Forest.
They chose a very suitable location, just behind the Quidditch pitch. With this huge building as a cover, people from the direction of the castle could not see them. It was a good protection for Asia.
Hearing Hermione's story about her life, Asia's face was filled with envy.
"I have never been out of the UK, not even out of Devon. My family lives there because we were judged as half-blood wizards by the Ministry of Magic. Therefore, all outbound activities must be reported to the Ministry of Magic and we can only move freely after obtaining permission. This will cost Dad a lot of money. In addition, Mom said that the wizarding world has not been peaceful in recent years, so my family has not traveled for a long time."
"The Ministry of Magic is also strict about half-bloods?"
"I heard from my father that things have become more relaxed in recent years. It's just that when you go to the Ministry of Magic to handle some key matters, you have to pay bribes to the pure-bloods, otherwise it's basically impossible to get things done."
Hermione frowned slightly.
“Is this all out in the open?”
"It's an open secret. Everyone knows it, but no one will say it out loud."
Hermione and Asia have known each other for almost a month, and after rescuing her from bullying, they have met here many times.
This sixth-grade mixed-race girl obviously didn't have many friends in the castle. Among the students who followed Dumbledore to Hogwarts Castle, Hermione didn't have many familiar friends except John, especially girls. So the two of them got along unexpectedly well in the process of getting along.
However, Hermione strictly controlled the scale. During their conversation, she did not reveal any more information except some daily life in the carriage, including last year's adventure at sea , which she did not even mention at all.
It's not that she doesn't trust Asia, but sometimes not letting her know too much is actually protecting her.
"Can we talk about that Jon Green?" Asia helped Hermione straighten a herb so that she could use the shovel to dig. "There are a lot of rumors about him in the castle. The pure-bloods almost hate him to death. They say he is a natural born dark wizard and they can't eat unless they cast a killing curse on someone every day."
Hermione couldn't help but laugh at her serious tone.
"If Jon heard these words himself, I don't know how many times he would roll his eyes. The professors in your school have tried their best to discredit him. In fact, if you just use your brain to think about it, if Jon is really as cruel as the rumors say, then why would he rescue so many students, including me, from the castle?"
"But everyone believed it." Asia tilted her head and said, "My classmates around me also believed it. Um... Diggory, on the other hand, has always felt that this rumor was suspicious. At the beginning of the school year, he stopped everyone from saying bad things about you. Then he was suspected of 'sympathizing with the Mudbloods', but later he stopped saying such things. However, he did not participate in the denigration of others ."
"Diggory?"
Hermione carefully took the herb out of the soil, and before the roots, which were waving around like tentacles after leaving the soil, could react, she suddenly pressed it back into the prepared flowerpot.
Asia supported her knees with her hands, bent over and watched Hermione's smooth operation, her face full of amazement.
"Yes, Cedric Diggory. I feel like he is the odd one out among all of them. He used to be very popular among his classmates. He was very friendly to everyone, and he would agree to help anyone who asked him for help. But in the past two years, because of some of his remarks and actions, many people felt that he had become dangerous, which caused many people to distance themselves from him. Professor Greengrass even talked to him alone a few times."
Of course Hermione knew about Cedric's affairs. She was also present when Jon came out of the Forbidden Forest and told about his experiences there.
In fact, she even knew that this boy had problems earlier than Jon, but of course she would not say these things in front of Asia.
"Then he is indeed an outlier."
After placing the herb in place, Asia prepared to say goodbye to Hermione. She couldn't leave the castle for too long. Doing so frequently would definitely let others notice something was wrong, so she tried very hard every day to limit the time she spent with Hermione, even though this was the happiest time of her day.
"See you next time."
In the sunshine, the girl with a shy smile waved at Hermione, and Hermione waved back at her with a flower pot in her hand.
"goodbye."
Asia turned around happily, her long light golden hair dancing happily behind her, just like the girl's mood at the moment.
At the beginning, she was humming a cheerful tune and skipping across the Quidditch field like a little girl. But after leaving the cover of the field and seeing the towering castle, she slowly returned to her normal walking pace. When she came to the shadow of the castle, her beautiful long hair stopped jumping and her steps became subconsciously heavy.
Under the watchful eyes of the Aurors guarding the castle, her face once again revealed that timid look as she walked into the castle cautiously.
It was lunch time, and the corridor on the first floor was filled with students coming in and out of the auditorium. They talked and laughed as they passed by Asia.
After arriving in the castle, Asia kept her head down, holding her robe with both hands in front of her, and her attention was all on the styles of the robes of the students around her. Whenever she saw students with gold-edged school robes passing by, she would try to stay away from these people like a frightened rabbit.
Walking into the auditorium, most of the students were still eating lunch, and Asia came to the long table belonging to the mixed-race students.
Seeing her sitting over, some people around looked up at her curiously.
"Asia, you seem to like going outside the castle a lot lately? Have you developed a new hobby?"
Asia picked up the knife and fork on the table and answered in a small voice.
"No, no, I just feel a little bored and want to walk around outside."
No one doubted her words. This was Asia's usual personality. She was very timid and easily bullied.
The student who asked the question lost interest in asking further questions after hearing her answer, and Asia was able to finish her lunch safely.
However, just as she finished her lunch and was leaving the auditorium , about to go back to the dormitory, a thin man with a faint smile on his face blocked her way.
"Conrad, do you have time to come to my office and talk?"
