Chapter 209
In that moment, the lights in the Great Hall caught every detail of the attendees, and the eyes of everyone in the hall were drawn to Hermione Granger and Albert Black. They were descending the stairs together with unmatched radiance and elegance. Hermione's left hand was within Albert's right hand, where he was guiding her gently, and every step they took together was like a cinematic scene, reflecting the complete harmony between them.
Hermione's smile was radiant and full of happiness, as if she carried all hope and joy in her eyes, while Albert was also smiling, and the features of happiness were clear on his face. Their steps were synchronized as if they were an inseparable part of each other. Hermione was laughing a light laugh, reflecting her deep happiness from being in that moment, with a person who had become an important part of her life.
As for Albert, he was completely happy to share this moment with her, and his eyes were looking at her with admiration. The features between them harmonized, as Hermione shone in her beautiful dress and wonderful style, while Albert possessed no less attractiveness, and together they added an exceptional presence to the place.
When they descended the stairs, a state of astonishment and surprise prevailed among the attendees in the hall. Everyone was looking at them in silence, as if they were a couple from another world. The looks were full of amazement and admiration, and the conversation among everyone revolved around this wonderful moment that brought them together. The two, despite all the eyes directed at them, walked confidently, as if they were in their own world, concerned only with their mutual happiness.
Ron, who was with Padma, spoke, saying, "Were they upstairs all this time?! That darn Albert will take all the attention for himself!!"
Padma, who was with Ron at the ball, glanced at Ron, saying, "Are you jealous of Albert or something?!"
Ron stuttered, saying with difficulty, "No!!... All that matters is that... well, in fact, he is elegant... but he--"
Ron did not finish his speech until he heard Professor McGonagall's voice saying, "Champions, please come forward here with your partners for the dance!"
Albert glanced back to see the Durmstrang students entering the hall with Professor Karkaroff, and Viktor Krum was advancing, accompanied by a beautiful girl wearing blue clothes whom Albert did not know.
The students in the middle of the hall parted to allow the champions to pass towards the place where Professor McGonagall was standing, while the rest of the students sat down. Fleur Delacour and Roger Davies were the closest, followed by Albert and Hermione, then Krum with that beautiful girl...
Hermione's hair was longer and shinier, and she had tied it back behind her head, and she wore a dress of shiny pink fabric and stood next to Albert in a way different from what everyone was used to, as she looked very happy, unusually so.
Hermione glanced at Albert, saying, "Albert, I see you have used the same potion that you put on my hair, unusually. Where did you get it?! I heard about it but couldn't buy it, only Professor McGonagall gave me a little of it."
Albert was looking at her, saying with a slight smile on his face, "Well, I got it simply because I made it!!"
Hermione was surprised, saying, "What?! Impossible!!... Is what you're saying really true?!" Hermione was talking as she walked forward with Albert.
Albert spoke again, laughing, "Hahaha, no, I was just kidding, I got it as a gift that my father gave me for Christmas!"
As soon as everyone settled in the hall, Professor McGonagall asked the champions and those accompanying them to stand in two rows and follow her, and they did so amidst the applause of everyone in the hall until they reached the table where the members of the judging committee were sitting, and all that mattered to Fleur Delacour was not to stumble while walking... As for Roger Davies, he looked happy with himself as he looked at everyone.
Dumbledore smiled happily when the champions approached the table, while Karkaroff's expression was no different from the expression that appeared on Moody about Albert. Ludo Bagman was wearing a scarlet suit with yellow stars and began clapping a greeting to the champions like any of the students, and Madame Maxime had changed her usual black silk robe to a light blue silk gown, so she greeted them gracefully, but Mr. Crouch was not there. The fifth seat was occupied by Percy Weasley, who was photographing the champions with their partners, and he was focusing well on Albert, as Percy took several photos of Albert and his partner Hermione, and then pointed to the empty seat next to him, so Albert sat in it before Percy said, "I got a promotion and became Mr. Crouch's personal assistant, and I am acting on his behalf here!"
Albert asked him, "And why didn't he attend?"
Percy answered him, "I don't know... but Mr. Crouch is not well, not well at all, and that's since the World Cup and what happened there, and Mr. Crouch suffered severe distress because of the strange behavior of his house-elf named Winky or... never mind, he immediately fired her after that, but this matter affected him. He needs someone to take care of him, and I think he misses rest at home since the chaos that resulted after the World Cup left him, especially after he saw his son, who was the main cause of that incident in the Quidditch World Cup. What a poor man, he couldn't even enjoy the Christmas celebration with us, but I am happy that there is someone he can rely on and put in his place."
Albert strongly wished to know if Mr. Crouch still called Percy "Weatherby" or not, but he resisted this desire and did not ask Percy.
Until now, no food had been served on the golden plates that stretched over the tables, and there were only menus lined up in front of them. Albert picked up his menu and looked around, but there was no waiter to take these orders, but Dumbledore explained the matter when he picked up his menu, as he spoke the name of the meal he wished to eat out loud, and here his plate filled with the potatoes he requested, and the others began to choose what they wished to eat in the same way.
Hermione engaged in conversation with him, sitting next to him and pointing with her hand around the table in the middle of the Great Hall, which was full of delicious foods, saying happily, "Look, Albert, in the middle!! Isn't that white candy full of cocoa with toasted sesame and also cream?! Should we order it from the waiter?!"
Albert agreed to Hermione's request, saying, "Alright... take whatever you want!!"
Hermione walked, holding the plate from the waiter that contained the candy Hermione wanted.
On Albert's left side, there was a duo of a boy from Durmstrang school and a girl from Hogwarts engaged in a deep conversation, and the boy was looking at the girl with admiration.
The boy spoke, saying, "Well... our school is also a castle, but it is not that big and not that comfortable. All we have is four floors, and the fireplaces are only lit for magical purposes, but the courtyards of my school are larger in area than this, but because the sun does not rise much in our country, we do not enjoy it much in winter, but in the summer, we fly daily over the lakes and hills and..."
Karkaroff said, letting out a laugh whose effect did not show on his face, "And now, Igor... do not provide any more details, or your captivating friend will know our location."
Dumbledore smiled, saying, "Igor, with all this secrecy, it seems as if you do not want to receive visitors."
Karkaroff answered him, and his cold smile widened, "We keep our special places, don't we, Dumbledore?? We do not feel jealous of being away from your classrooms, so are we not right if we feel proud, because only we know the secrets of our school and protect them?"
Dumbledore said in a peaceful tone, "I would not dream of claiming that I know all the secrets of Hogwarts, Igor. I lost my way to the bathroom this morning to find myself inside a room I had never seen before containing a collection of beautiful vessels, and when I returned to check the matter more clearly, I discovered that the room had disappeared, but I will monitor this matter, as perhaps this room is only available at five-thirty in the morning or perhaps it appears when the crescent moon appears in the sky."
At the same time, Fleur Delacour was criticizing the decorations that filled the school, so she began talking to Roger in her distinctive accent, "This is nothing... in the Beauxbatons palace, there are ice sculptures everywhere, and it is non-melting ice, of course, and the sculptures look like giant diamond statues sparkling and radiating brilliance in the place. Also, our food is light, and there is a group of beautiful girls who serve us while eating, and we do not have all these gloomy statues in any hall, nor all this number of defenses. If anyone infiltrates Beauxbatons, they will be thrown out of the place immediately!"
To be continued....