The Bard of Hogwarts

Chapter 350 A Dreamlike Christmas Dinner

In the quiet dormitory room.

Blue Lantern continued tirelessly unwrapping the gifts, the rustling sound of the packages being torn open filling the air.

Ino was no longer in the mood to unwrap the gifts.

Although he had just speculated on Voldemort's logic, he actually understood Snape's predicament.

Was Snape intelligent? Absolutely, he was brilliant.

A smart person who has been by Voldemort's side for over a decade, as long as they retain some rationality, would naturally notice the difference. Snape's letter, seemingly about the current situation, is essentially a plea for help and a request for his son's future.

Because at the end of the letter, Snape directly offered the key to Gringotts vault.

The wealth accumulated by a potion master over half a lifetime, though perhaps not all, is still considerable.

……

Time slips away quietly.

With doubts in her mind, Ino did not choose to leave her dormitory for most of the next day.

At noon, I had Lan Deng make do with some food, and I spent the rest of the time in a state of deep thought.

If possible, he still wanted to help Snape within his capabilities; it would be best to repay the debt of gratitude.

……

Before we knew it, the sky had gradually darkened.

Six o'clock in the afternoon.

Ino stood up and walked towards the wardrobe in her dormitory.

Inside were many formal attire prepared by the Ministry of Magic for Quidditch performances.

Although he only wore one outfit at the time, Bagman packed up the rest and gave them away as a favor.

In their words, these are all custom-made, and it would be a waste not to accept them.

Thinking it over, Ino slowly opened the cabinet door.

She chose a long robe made of silver-gray silk, with pale purple vine-shaped embroidery on the cuffs and hem.

After getting dressed, I pushed open the dormitory door.

……

tonight.

Hogwarts seemed exceptionally dazzling.

The young wizards were no longer all dressed in black robes; the castle was filled with colorful evening gowns, making it look like a medieval royal banquet.

Gryffindor Common Room.

Harry sat alone on the sofa, listlessly waiting for his dance partner. As for the others, both Ron and Neville had left the common room long ago.

"Sorry, Harry! I'm sorry to have kept you waiting." Ginny greeted him from afar at the girls' dormitory staircase.

Upon hearing this, Harry quickly turned around. However, upon looking at her, he had to admit that Ginny seemed to have changed overnight.

Wearing a form-fitting purple evening gown, she accentuated her shapely figure, while her long, red curly hair, with every curl, seemed to exude youthful charm.

"Um... Ginny...so pretty!" Harry interrupted three times with that one sentence.

Although it was a bit bumpy, at least the basic meaning was conveyed clearly.

Seeing Harry's dazed look, Ginny couldn't help but chuckle. "Alright, let's go! The warriors will be in charge of the opening dance."

……

7 PM.

The two towering oak doors of the auditorium were opened, but the familiar scene was long gone.

Instead, it has become a dreamlike place, like a starry sky.

The purple ceiling, the scattered starlight, and the little fairies fluttering around—these creatures, ranging from one to five inches in size, are just like elves from a fairy tale.

They flapped their colorful wings, drawing beautiful rainbows in the auditorium.

The walls around the auditorium seemed to be under a spell; the once empty walls were now covered with various three-foot-tall Christmas trees, each topped with a five-pointed star radiating orange light.

There are roughly several hundred of these Christmas trees, which have perfectly replaced the candelabra in the auditorium and become the lighting fixtures.

Of course, these mini Christmas trees are not just for lighting.

Because they are covered with Honeydukes candies, whenever a young wizard taps the wall with his wand, a candy will randomly fall from the tree.

……

Inside the auditorium.

Harry stared at the dreamlike scene before him, unable to find the words to describe it.

Sudden.

Harry noticed that it seemed to have quieted down behind him.

His long training with Moody made him turn around alertly at the first moment, while also making sure to shield Ginny behind him.

But looking back, he relaxed his guard.

Not far away, Ino was walking towards them with an elegant and beautiful girl.

"Phew, that's Hermione!" Noticing Harry's gaze, Ginny turned her head and blew a strong breath into his ear.

The strange sound coming from his ears made Harry stop looking, but he was still surprised that Hermione had this side to her.

……

Outside the auditorium doors.

Hermione linked arms with Ino as they walked gracefully.

She was graceful and poised, and every step she took seemed to be perfectly timed.

On her feet were a pair of three-inch black high heels, and with the swaying of her skirt, she exuded an indescribable elegance and grace.

As for the dress, it was a light blue fitted long dress. The dress seemed to have been modified, as elements such as the slit and open back of the long dress had been removed.

Even so, among all the retro-style dresses, this long gown stands out with its novel and beautiful design, especially when paired with the moonstone necklace on the chest.

The moonstone, the size of a pigeon's egg, emitted a soft white light. Paired with a light blue dress, the overall look was like that of Artemis, the moon goddess, who had stepped out of a painting.

……

Hermione's beauty is stunning, but she doesn't steal the spotlight entirely, as a large portion of the girls' attention is focused on those around her.

Perhaps because Ino always wears a long black robe in his daily life, coupled with his occasional reclusive lifestyle, many people have developed a kind of "stereotype."

Today, she suddenly changed her outfit, creating a striking contrast that impressed many people.

Wearing a silver-gray satin robe, Ino stood beneath the purple starry ceiling, reflecting an eerie and captivating light.

His handsome appearance, pure amber eyes, and gentle smile make him irresistible to many girls.

Of course, while enjoying the view, the girls also acquired a number of movie mirrors.

……

8 PM.

Professor McGonagall and two other principals entered together, but surprisingly, Dumbledore, who was supposed to be there, was nowhere to be seen.

However, even if Dumbledore hadn't attended, not many people would have cared.

After all, everyone's attention was focused on the upcoming dance.

"Warriors and your dance partners, please come this way!"

Professor McGonagall's voice rang out, and the four warriors slowly walked onto the stage.

It's worth mentioning that Ino wore the same outfit as Furong, the French lady, who was also wearing a silver-grey evening gown.

Feeling the strength coming from her arm, Ino smiled silently, and then, under everyone's watchful eyes, lightly touched her cuff with her finger.

In an instant, the silver-gray dress transformed into a sea-blue that echoed Hermione's.

In the arena, Hermione pursed her lips slightly, a fleeting hint of smugness in her eyes.

……

In the three-way battle for supremacy, the warriors traditionally perform the opening dance.

As the Warriors entered the arena, at the same time, Professor Flitwick stood on a stool, waving his wand, with a row of enchanted musical instruments in front of him.

The Charms professor, at that moment, acted like a conductor, and as his wand moved, a rhythmic waltz began to play.

The moment the music started, Ino took Hermione's hand.

At that moment, a pair of moonstone rings touched each other.

About two feet directly above their heads, the sky shimmered with a white halo like moonlight, and tiny specks of light fell like snowflakes.

"This dance track is called 'First Encounter,' the signature song of the eccentric sisters."

In the dance floor, Ino whispered in Hermione's ear.

(End of this chapter)