Chapter 526: Stirring Up Trouble

When Kyle returned with the pudding and Pumpkin Fizz, he noticed a Durmstrang boy standing in front of Kanna, seemingly inviting her to dance.

Kanna declined politely, and the boy didn't press her, quickly shifting his attention to another Gryffindor girl nearby. Kyle vaguely remembered her name was Parvati—someone in the same year as Harry.

"Have some soda," Kyle said as he approached Kanna, handing her the pudding and Pumpkin Fizz. "Someone recommended this pudding as being really good."

Kanna accepted the pudding and took a small bite. Her cheeks were slightly flushed from the three dances she'd just had.

"Hogwarts has never been this lively before, has it?" she said with a soft smile. "Everyone seems to be having a great time. This is the best Christmas ever."

"Yeah," Kyle replied.

Though, of course, it could have been better if someone weren't staring at him constantly.

Kyle wasn't thinking about anyone else but Professor Snape.

Snape's piercing gaze had briefly vanished during the dancing, but just now, when Kyle had gone to fetch drinks, that unsettling feeling of being watched—like a bug pinned under a magnifying glass—returned.

Turning his head slightly, Kyle saw Snape standing near the table, his dark eyes fixed on him without so much as a blink. Beside Snape stood Karkaroff, looking nervous as he gestured toward the door repeatedly, as though urging Snape to discuss something urgent.

Kyle, curious, tilted his head and tried to listen in, but the distance and the noise in the hall made their conversation nearly impossible to decipher. All he could catch were scattered phrases:

"You know... Severus... this is important..."

"We've already had this conversation... Igor, you're making a big deal out of nothing..."

"Hello."

Kyle's concentration broke as a Beauxbatons girl suddenly stepped in front of him. "May I have this dance?" she asked.

"Sorry, I might need to regain some strength," Kyle said, raising the Pumpkin Fizz as if to emphasize his point. He took a sip.

The girl looked visibly disappointed.

"But I can recommend someone else," Kyle added quickly, pointing to the dessert table. "Harry Potter. Heard of him? I don't think anyone's asked him yet."

"The famous Boy Who Lived?" The girl's initial curiosity turned into confusion as she glanced toward Harry. "He looks... different from what I imagined."

"He's probably just hungry," Kyle said nonchalantly, "or embarrassed because no one's invited him yet, so he's pretending to keep busy."

"Really?" The girl seemed skeptical but walked off toward Harry anyway, glancing back uncertainly.

When Kyle turned back, he caught Kanna looking at him with an odd expression.

"Hogwarts only has a ball once in a while," Kyle explained with a shrug. "It'd be a shame to just stand by the buffet all night."

"That's... not what I meant."

For some reason, Kanna's face flushed even deeper. She looked at the Pumpkin Fizz in Kyle's hand and muttered in a barely audible voice, "That drink... I already drank from it earlier."

"Really? Well, just let me have this glass," Kyle said with a grin. "Dancing's exhausting, and I don't feel like making another trip."

"But... okay..." Kanna's voice was so faint it was almost a whisper.

"Thanks," Kyle said, taking another sip.

"Huh, it seems our Mr. Champion has developed quite a fondness for Pumpkin Fizz," came a cold, drawling voice from behind him.

Kyle stiffened as Snape appeared suddenly, his presence as intimidating as ever. Without warning, Snape snatched the glass from Kyle's hand and shoved another Pumpkin Fizz toward him, spilling much of it onto Kyle's gown in the process.

"If you don't want to move, that's fine. I can hold it for you," Snape said icily. "Don't be polite—drink up."

"Er... Professor," Kyle replied with a strained laugh, "I've just had a drink... so I don't really need another one right now."

The mere thought of drinking something handed to him by Snape sent a shiver down his spine. Even if he had ten lives to spare, he wouldn't dare.

"Really..." Snape drawled, his dark eyes narrowing as though he didn't believe a word.

It seemed Snape was about to press further, but fortunately, a commotion nearby drew his attention. The sharp voices of an argument carried through the hall, and Snape turned his gaze toward the source of the noise.

Kyle followed his line of sight and spotted Hermione and Ron in the midst of a heated exchange. Despite the obvious tension between them, Snape dismissed the scene with a flick of his eyes, clearly not inclined to intervene.

"Whenever you feel like a Pumpkin Fizz, just come and see me. I'll make sure you get plenty," Snape said ominously, before retreating to his previous position. He stood like a watchful sentinel, as still and unblinking as an owl on a nighttime perch.

Kyle let out a quiet sigh of relief but couldn't shake the feeling of being under constant surveillance. It was obvious Snape had no intention of allowing Kanna to leave the dance, likely because the Hufflepuff Common Room was practically deserted at this hour. At least here, in the bustling Great Hall, Snape could keep an eye on them and intervene if needed—or so Kyle assumed.

For now, however, the spotlight had shifted squarely onto Kyle. He was stuck—unable to move freely, unable to dance, and unable to leave the hall. Helpless, he resigned himself to join Harry at the buffet table.

Harry didn't seem to be faring much better. Hermione had disappeared entirely, leaving Ron in a foul mood. After grumbling under his breath for a while, Ron eventually stormed out of the Great Hall with Harry trailing behind.

Kyle and Kanna wandered to the farthest side of the table, away from the dance floor, and settled down. They spent the next while nibbling on pudding and muffins, chatting intermittently. Their conversation flitted from the Triwizard Tournament to speculations about the second task, to the hilarity of Cedric's clumsy dance moves that had left his feet flailing.

Despite the awkwardness of their surroundings, Kanna appeared genuinely content. A faint smile lingered on her lips, and her eyes sparkled as they talked.

Every so often, someone would approach to invite them to dance, but they both found polite excuses to decline. They seemed perfectly comfortable where they were.

An hour later, the tone of the ball shifted entirely. Fred and George Weasley had claimed the dance floor as their own, leaving their bemused partners behind to showcase an energetic tap-dance routine. Their antics were so infectious that even the Weird Sisters couldn't resist joining in, abandoning their soothing melodies for fast-paced drumbeats.

The crowd responded enthusiastically. One by one, students abandoned their quiet conversations and tentative waltzes to join the growing frenzy. Even Kyle and Kanna couldn't resist being pulled into the revelry when Cedric and Cho grabbed their hands and dragged them to the middle of the floor.

The energy in the room hit its peak.

...

It continued like this until midnight, when The Weird Sisters finally stopped playing.

The crowd erupted into another round of applause before gradually making their way toward the foyer.

"Awesome…"

"I love The Weird Sisters so much. I can't believe the school managed to get them…"

"I hope we get the chance to do this again—maybe every Christmas…"

"I don't think so; it's the Triwizard Ball…"

"That's why I said hope…"

Their chatter filled the corridors as they moved toward the exit.

Seizing the moment, Karkaroff dragged a red-eyed Snape outside to the castle grounds.

"Phew, he's finally gone," Kyle said wearily.

Kanna giggled beside him. "Never mind, there might be a ball next year."

"If there is," Kyle muttered, glancing toward the castle gates, "I hope the headmaster finds something for Professor Snape to do in advance—so long as it keeps him away from Hogwarts. He doesn't seem to have much interest in dancing, does he?"