The Return to Hogwarts

"That's a shame. Well then, have fun."

After saying that, he hurriedly left, squeezing into the back of the crowd and disappearing from Harry and his friends' sight.

The ending of this little farce was quite dramatic. But the young wizards watching didn't seem quite satisfied. It would have been even more exciting if Roger Davis and Ron Weasley had a wand duel over the girl they loved!

The little wizard looked at the three people in the 'encirclement' who looked slightly embarrassed, and his eyes, which had been filled with regret, gradually lit up again. Maybe there's still a good show to watch!

Three best friends, two boys pursuing the same girl, and their friendship breaks down because of it?!

"Hehe, this is really interesting—"

A series of slightly hoarse laughs suddenly broke the awkward silence. All the young wizards, including Harry, his two companions, immediately looked down the marble steps at the source of the laughter.

It's Fleur Delacour!

She didn't know when, but she arrived at the castle and watched this interesting scene from the bottom of the steps.

Fleur carefully made her way up the icy, wet steps to Harry and his friends.

Even though the relentless north wind had already whipped her silvery hair into a wild dance, Fleur still subconsciously brushed it aside. She gazed at Hermione, a smile that could charm even a little wizard.

“Seriously—” Fleur glanced at Ron before looking back at the now wary Hermione.

"That boy who just left was pretty good, wasn't he? I heard he's very good at Quidditch, and he's quite handsome too. Going to the ball with him wouldn't be a bad choice—"

"is it?"

Hermione was willing to bet her final exam results that her dislike for Fleur was definitely not because she was her rival in the Hogwarts tournament; she simply disliked the way Fleur talked to people, as if she didn't care about anything. Moreover, Hermione had heard from various sources that Fleur had expressed a lot of negative opinions about Hogwarts.

"If that's the case, why did you reject him?"

The two female warriors in this year's Triwizard Tournament didn't have much of a personal relationship. Hermione remembered that she only seemed to have had one formal conversation with Fleur, which was when Harry bumped her nose and broke it. In the middle of the night, she and Harry went to deliver an apology to her on Professor Blaine's orders. The two of them were just acquaintances.

Fleur seemed oblivious to the sarcasm and impatience in Hermione's tone. When confronted with Hermione's question, she simply tilted her head, pretending to ponder. Her adorable appearance immediately elicited excited growls from the young wizards watching, and even Ron's eyes momentarily glazed over.

"Perhaps it's because—"

After a long pause, Fleur finally revealed her true colors. With her impeccable features perfectly coordinated, Fleur smiled radiantly, her gaze suddenly shifting from Hermione to Harry.

"I think there are better options--"

Chapter 692 Successful Hand-in-Hand

2024-01-14

Harry was still preoccupied with the fact that Hermione and Ron were going to the Christmas ball together!

To be honest, he didn't reject the outcome. It seemed that deep down, he had long realized that this day would come. However, when the two of them actually went to this ball with special significance together, Harry still felt a mix of emotions. Before he knew it, Cho Chang's lovely face jumped into his mind again.

In short, Hermione's troubles were over, but Harry's gloomy mood made him so absorbed in his own world that he barely listened to Hermione and Fleur's conversation. He felt a constant commotion around him and couldn't wait to get away from his current situation.

But suddenly, the noise around him stopped, and the atmosphere suddenly became much more tense. Harry immediately became alert.

"what happened?"

Suddenly, Harry realized that everyone's eyes were on him, including Ron, Hermione, and the young wizards watching the spectacle. Even Fleur was looking at him with a beaming smile.

"What happened?" Harry asked, his heart pounding and his expression blank.

"Oh, nothing?"

Fleur deftly bypassed Hermione, who was facing her, and walked up to Harry Potter. Before anyone could speak, she smiled.

"Harry--"

Harry got goosebumps just hearing Fleur call his name. It wasn't just because Fleur still couldn't completely shake off her French accent, but also because the way she called him... well, it was overly intimate.

"I bet you haven't agreed to go to the Christmas ball with the other girls yet, have you?"

"what?"

Harry's eyes still held a hint of confusion. He asked instinctively, but then, realizing what was happening, he instinctively told the truth.

"Oh, no--"

Hermione finally gave up trying to wink at Harry. She pursed her lips tightly, looking like Professor McGonagall catching a student daydreaming in class, while Ron's mouth was wide open, big enough to swallow two eggs!

"Then will you accept my invitation, Harry?"

With a gentle smile, just as the onlookers had predicted, Hibiscus extended an invitation to Harry Potter.

Although the young wizards who were watching this scene had some idea of ​​what was going on, when Fleur actually spoke, a gasp of cold air still erupted around them, and from the void, it seemed as if the sound of countless broken hearts could be heard.

If we were to ask who the most popular girl at Hogwarts is right now, then Fleur Delacour, the champion of Beauxbatons, would definitely be the top choice. Fleur has Veela blood, and ever since Ollivander examined the wands of the champions, it's no secret that Fleur has Veela blood.

Fleur perfectly inherited all the admirable qualities of the Veela, this wondrous magical creature. Whether in figure or appearance, no girl at Hogwarts could compare to her. Moreover, she was a brave warrior, fully demonstrating her courage and talent in her first match against the dragon. Aside from her somewhat arrogant personality, she had virtually no flaws.

Which little wizard could resist such a perfect girl?

The young wizards watching cast envious glances at Harry, secretly admiring his good fortune.

Harry noticed Ron winking at him and understood what Ron meant, but he didn't immediately agree. Instead, he frowned and looked at Fleur with confusion.

It would be impossible for Harry not to feel a little happy.

How can a boy of this age completely get rid of vanity?

The dancers' partners were always a hot topic of discussion among the students, with Fleur Delacour and Viktor Krum being the most talked-about. Most of the boys and girls at Hogwarts dreamed of walking hand-in-hand with these two exceptional individuals into the ballroom on that grand occasion.

After Cho Chang agreed to Cedric's request, even Harry had a fleeting thought: would Cho Chang regret her 'impulsive' decision if Fleur, the boy's favorite, appeared and gave everyone a beautiful dance?

but--

"why?"

Harry finally asked the question, and Fleur seemed to have been waiting for him to ask; she immediately replied,

“Remember, Harry, the night I arrived at Hogwarts, you gave me a bowl of fish soup, and you even showed me the way to a certain professor’s office!”

Hermione coughed loudly, but it sounded more like a snort. However, Fleur didn't even glance at her, and even Harry only gave Hermione a blank look before turning his gaze back to Fleur, still puzzled.

If that's all there is to it, and Fleur is going to invite him to the ball, then isn't Roger Davis's failure a bit hasty?

"--Remember, Harry, you also gave me a beautiful dress," Fleur said with a smile. "I loved that dress, Harry, and I plan to wear it to the ball!"

“That dress is—” Harry was about to explain when Fleur interrupted him.

"You made me feel the friendliness and warmth of Hogwarts, Harry, so would you like to come with me to the ball?"

"Uh"

Harry's head was spinning. To be honest, after Cho Chang was taken away by Cedric, he had lost interest in the Christmas ball. He was so afraid of seeing Cho Chang and Cedric dancing together that he even planned not to participate at all. However, the fact that Hermione and Ron were going to attend together had given him a little thought.

Harry blinked at Fleur, who was smiling at him, and his heart skipped a beat.

It must be said that Furong's appearance is impeccable, and being with her would not be a bad choice.

"What are you waiting for, Harry!"

Ron finally couldn't hold back any longer; he grabbed Harry's arm and shook it violently a few times.

"Hurry up and agree!"

"Ron!"

Hermione called out sternly.

"You shouldn't interfere if Harry doesn't want to."

"Okay, I'm willing."

Harry's words immediately drew a disappointed glare from Hermione. However, he was completely oblivious to Hermione at that moment, and only hesitated before speaking amidst Fleur's radiant smile.

"But I must say, I'm not very good at dancing, and I might make a fool of myself—"

“It’s alright, Harry—” Fleur said very understandingly, “I’m quite good at it, I’ll give you some pointers.”

"Potter, Granger, Weasley, you're here!"

They'd been blocking the entrance long enough. More and more young wizards were arriving at the Great Hall for dinner, and even Malfoy and his friends had finished their morning exercises and rushed back to the castle, standing at the bottom of the steps watching the scene with cold eyes.

Harry was saying goodbye to Fleur when Professor McGonagall's voice suddenly came from the top of the stairs in the foyer. She hurried down the stairs and squeezed through the crowd, frowning in surprise as she asked them...

"What happened? Why are you all stuck here instead of going to dinner?"

Upon entering the encirclement and seeing Harry and his two companions all healthy and well, Professor McGonagall muttered a quiet "Thank God."

"Oh, sorry, Professor, we were just about to go have dinner!"

Harry thought Professor McGonagall was blaming them for blocking the castle, and his tone was slightly tense.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Mr. Potter, and Miss Granger, and Mr. Weasley!"

Professor McGonagall stared at the three of them and said,

"Your dinner time will probably be delayed a bit. Professor Dumbledore and Professor Blaine have something important to ask you. They are waiting for you in the Headmaster's office!"

Have Professor Dumbledore and Professor Blaine returned?

Harry and Hermione were pleasantly surprised, but then they became nervous.

Do you have something important to ask them?

The three Harrys, who were being watched, looked at each other, racking their brains to figure out if they had gotten into any new trouble recently.

"Don't just stand there, come with me."