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Chapter 610: The Yule Ball

That woman could twist everything, whether for the good or for the bad, it was not what Evan wanted to see.

He needed to keep a low profile now, and he didn’t want to attract the attention of Rita and the Death Eaters when Voldemort was about to return.

Thinking about it, it had been so long since the first task ended. Hogwarts Magic report on the task had been published long ago, but Rita Skeeter and the Daily Prophet seemed not to be in a hurry at all.

Obviously, their focus was not at all on the task.

Evan was not ready to give Rita Skeeter a chance to twist information, and it was a dead end to have a long talk with her like Hagrid.

When Evan told Harry, Ron, and Hermione about it, the three of them also agreed with his point of view.

“You’re right, Evan, she will twist everything Hagrid says,” said Harry anxiously.

“Just as long as he didn’t import those skrewts illegally or anything,” said Hermione. They looked at one another; it was exactly the sort of thing Hagrid might do.

It was impossible for him to get Fire Crabs from regular channels. They were magical species protected by the Fijian Ministry of Magic.

“Don’t worry, Hagrid has been in loads of trouble before, and Dumbledore has not sacked him,” said Ron consolingly. “The worst that can happen is Hagrid will have to get rid of the skrewts. Sorry … did I say worst? I meant best.”

Everyone laughed and felt a lot more cheerful.

Next, Evan began to look down on the ancient magic words, and Hermione also took out a lot of parchment to write and draw.

After Harry and Ron finished their homework, they picked up two of Fred and George’s fake wands and began a sword fight.

They fought fiercely, and a group of people gathered around to laugh and watch.

Professor McGonagall had informed everyone that they must gather at the Common Room at 8 o’clock this evening, so everyone did not run around.

“Potter! Weasley!” Professor McGonagall said angrily, walking into the Common Room, “What are you doing?!”

The two looked up in surprise, Ron holding a tin parrot and Harry, a rubber haddock.

“Can you be kind enough to act your age?” said Professor McGonagall, with an angry look at the pair of them as the head of Harry’s haddock drooped and fell silently to the floor. Ron’s parrot’s beak had severed it moments before. They looked up at Professor McGonagall in fear.

“Sit down over there; I have something to say to you all.” Professor McGonagall glared at them again and turned her eyes to the others in the Common Room. “Maybe you all know that the Yule Ball is approaching. This is a traditional part of the Triwizard Tournament and an opportunity for us to socialize with our foreign guests. Now, the ball will be open only to fourth years and above, although you may invite a younger student if you wish.”

Evan blinked and unconsciously turned to look at Hermione, but Hermione didn’t look at him.

She looked at Professor McGonagall in dismay, not even noticing that the parchment she had dropped to the floor.

Evan also put down the parchment full of ancient magic words and looked at Hermione for a while, suddenly a little nervous.

Since December entered, the Yule Ball had been put on the agenda.

Everyone needed to find their own partner. Normally, it was the boy who invited the girl, but Evan did not seem to have this qualification.

He was only a third year, and if no one invited him, he couldn’t go to the ball at all.

So, would Hermione invite him?

After hearing Professor McGonagall’s words, the Common Room suddenly became excited.

Everyone was muttering, especially the girls, and many of them had a sharp giggle.

“Dress robes will be worn,” Professor McGonagall reacted a bit dissatisfied, but she did not stop them and continued, “The ball will start at eight o’clock on Christmas Day, finishing at midnight in the Great Hall. Now the …”

She paused and looked at everyone calmly.

“The Yule Ball is of course a chance for us all to … er … let our hair down and relax,” she said, in a disapproving voice.

The girls, especially Lavender Brown, giggled harder than ever, with her hand pressed hard against her mouth to stifle the sound.

Professor McGonagall, with her hair in a tight bun, looked as though she had never let her hair down in any sense.

Everyone was imagining how she would let her hair down!

“Hmm, but that does not mean,” Professor McGonagall went on, “that we will be relaxing the standards of behavior we expect from Hogwarts students. I will be most seriously displeased if a Gryffindor student embarrasses the school in any way.”

Then, instead of managing the mess in the Common Room, she waved to Ron.

“Weasley, come here for a minute. I have something to say to you.”

She led Ron out into the empty corridor, where they could still hear the excited shouts coming from inside.

Ron stared nervously at Professor McGonagall, wondering what she was going to say to him.

“Weasley, the champions have their own partners!” Professor McGonagall said, “You must invite a partner.”

“Partner?!” Ron was taken aback. “What partner, I don’t dance!”

“Don’t say stupid things, you have to dance,” said Professor McGonagall irritably. “That’s what I’m telling you. Traditionally, the champions and their partners open the ball. You have to find yourself a dance partner, Weasley!”

“I’m not dancing!”

“You have to, it is traditional,” said Professor McGonagall firmly. “You are a Hogwarts champion, and you will do what is expected of you as a representative of the school. So make sure you get yourself a partner. That’s all. You can go back!”

When Ron returned, everyone was still talking about it.

Everyone was very excited, talking about the Yule Ball and partners. Everyone was choosing their own goals.

Evan, who was not qualified to invite others, could only sit there. He hoped Hermione could invite him.

Hermione didn’t seem to mean this, or, rather, didn’t intend to invite Evan when there were so many people.

Now everyone was discussing, but no one was acting rashly. Everyone was waiting…

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