Chapter 525: The Ball, Snape’s Gaze

The foyer was teeming with students, a lively sea of color and excitement. The doors to the Great Hall were still closed, leaving everyone mingling outside, finding their dance partners from other houses while waiting for the clock to strike eight.

Kyle and Kanna drew curious gazes as they arrived, their presence naturally commanding attention. However, any lingering stares quickly shifted when Fleur made her entrance. Draped in a long silver-grey satin robe, she was breathtaking, instantly stealing the spotlight.

As awe turned toward curiosity, the crowd's focus shifted to her companion.

"Fred?" Kanna blurted out in surprise.

"No, he's George," Kyle corrected calmly.

"That's right, it's me," George replied with a playful wink. "But, Kyle, how on earth did you tell us apart?"

"Fred mentioned he'd asked Angelina to the ball," Kyle explained.

"Oh, right! How could I forget?" George exclaimed, lightly patting his head.

At that moment, the oak front doors swung open, and the Durmstrang students entered, led by Karkaroff. Viktor Krum strode in at the head of the group, a striking presence with a beautiful girl in a flowing blue robe by his side.

"Wait…" George squinted, rubbing his eyes. "Is it just me, or does that girl look like Hermione?"

"You're not imagining things," Kyle confirmed. "It's Hermione."

"Merlin…" George muttered, his lips twitching into a grin. "Hermione looks incredible. This ball is full of surprises."

He wasn't wrong. Hermione's transformation was remarkable—her usually untamed hair was now sleek and elegant, giving her a completely different appearance. So striking was the change that Harry, as she passed by, didn't even recognize her and kept asking bewilderedly, "Where's Hermione?"

It was almost a shame no one had brought a camera. Capturing Harry's stunned expression would have been priceless.

At that moment, the doors to the Great Hall creaked open, and Professor McGonagall's voice rang out.

"The Champions, please!"

Kanna, looking slightly nervous, straightened her skirt and looped her arm through Kyle's as they stepped forward. The crowd's excited chatter parted around them as they made their way through.

"Wait here for a moment," Professor McGonagall instructed, guiding the Champions and their partners to a spot near a Christmas tree by the entrance while the rest of the students filed into the hall.

The wait felt a little drawn out, but since they were all familiar with one another, the Champions and their partners passed the time easily. The tension lightened as conversation flowed.

Once everyone had been seated in the Great Hall, Professor McGonagall returned. She directed the Champions and their partners to form pairs and follow her inside.

The moment they entered, the room erupted into applause. Kyle even caught a loud whistle amidst the cheers and turned his head to see Fred grinning impishly at him. George, halfway through raising his hand to respond, froze under the sharp glare of Professor McGonagall and quickly lowered it.

The Great Hall had been utterly transformed. Frost-like patterns shimmered on the walls, while the enchanted ceiling displayed a clear, star-studded night sky. Hundreds of mistletoe sprigs and strands of ivy hung down, their green and silver accents adding to the festive splendor.

The four long house tables had vanished, replaced by over a hundred smaller, lantern-lit tables scattered throughout the room. The teachers' table remained in place, where the five judges sat, smiling and watching the procession.

Kyle had planned to sit near Chris, but before he could take more than a couple of steps, Kanna firmly grabbed his hand and steered him toward a seat next to Professor Dumbledore. Reluctantly, Kyle followed her lead, realizing too late who was seated nearby.

To his dismay, Snape loomed behind their spot, his sour expression even darker than usual, as if someone had pilfered his most prized potion. The laughter and conversation filling the hall only emphasized his brooding silence.

Kyle eyed his plate warily, half-expecting Snape to somehow tamper with it out of sheer spite. Unfortunately, by the time he considered relocating, all the other seats were taken, leaving him stuck in this unenviable spot.

Kyle's concerns proved to be well-founded. The moment he sat down, a cold breeze brushed the back of his neck.

Like the transformed Great Hall, which bore little resemblance to its usual appearance, tonight's dinner followed an unconventional format as well.

After the Champions took their seats, Professor Dumbledore picked up the menu beside his plate and announced clearly, "Pork chop!" A pork chop materialized instantly.

Though Hufflepuff students were no strangers to ordering food in this manner, this was the first time such a thing had occurred in the Great Hall.

Kyle, however, had no appetite. The malevolent presence behind him was so tangible that a Sneakoscope placed nearby would undoubtedly spin and spark furiously—or perhaps drill straight through the table. He tugged at his collar uneasily. The urge to ask Professor Dumbledore whether Snape had been meddling in the kitchen was almost irresistible.

Unlike Kyle, who could barely stay seated, everyone else appeared calm. George was animatedly recounting a school anecdote to Fleur, who seemed genuinely engaged. She even asked him about the professor of Defence Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts, having heard of the notorious position even at Beauxbatons.

George hesitated briefly. Though the facts were indisputable, he wanted to defend Hogwarts' reputation, so he offered a vague response and quickly moved on.

Meanwhile, Krum was describing Durmstrang to Hermione, only to be interrupted by Karkaroff. The headmaster seemed intent on preventing Krum from revealing too much, particularly anything that might hint at Durmstrang's location.

"Igor..." Dumbledore said with a genial smile. "If you guard your secrets so fiercely, people might think you're discouraging visitors…"

"Oh, Albus…" Karkaroff replied smoothly. "We all wish to protect our private domains, don't we?"

"Huh..."

Kyle suddenly heard a sharp, unrestrained laugh behind him. Turning slightly, he saw that it was Professor Moody. Though Moody's back was to them, Kyle was certain the magical eye was fixed on their group.

"Dumbledore..." Moody drawled. "If I'd known Hogwarts was your private domain, I'd have asked for a pay raise."

"Hogwarts belongs to no one," Dumbledore replied calmly. "It belongs to its students. That said, I will certainly consider your reasonable request for a pay raise."

The exchange seemed to extinguish Karkaroff's interest in the conversation. "I was only joking, Professor Moody," he said, chuckling hollowly. But the coldness in his eyes betrayed his true feelings.

Half an hour later, the meal concluded. As Kyle's plate of untouched Hungarian goulash vanished, Dumbledore rose and signaled for the students to do the same. With a sweep of his wand, the tables disappeared, replaced by a massive stage in the center of the Great Hall, surrounded by an array of musical instruments.

A wave of excited cheers erupted as The Weird Sisters took the stage. Renowned as the only band to grace a Chocolate Frog card, they were beloved across the wizarding world. Their mere appearance sent the Great Hall into uproarious applause.

When they picked up their instruments, the Champions rose from their seats as well.

The first song they played was Do the Hippogriff.

Kyle stepped onto the brightly lit dance floor, nerves coursing through him as though this was a competition in itself. He reached for Kanna's hand, placing his other hand gently on her waist.

He felt Kanna tense briefly, but she quickly relaxed. The icy sensation at the back of his neck grew sharper, but Kyle pushed it to the back of his mind.

Recalling the movements Professor McGonagall had taught him earlier, Kyle waited for the music to swell, then led Kanna into the dance. They moved cautiously at first, but as the melody unfolded, Kyle's confidence grew. His steps became smoother, his movements more assured, and together they spun in perfect harmony.

Strangely, though all three Champions were on the dance floor—and Fleur and Krum were equally striking—it was as if a spotlight shone solely on Kyle and Kanna. The audience's eyes followed their every move, as though the entire stage had been created just for them.

"How wonderful..." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled as he leaned slightly forward to wipe his glasses.

Professor McGonagall was beaming with pride. The student who had captivated the crowd was one of hers. As for Professor Flitwick and Nearly Headless Nick, they were merely assisting and, in this moment, seemed not to warrant mention.

Naturally, there were those who were delighted and those who were not.

With a sharp crack, Snape snapped the dinner knife he had been holding. His gaze was fixed intently on the dance floor, entirely ignoring Sirius Black, who had been loitering nearby.

Feeling unacknowledged and perhaps bored, Sirius finally gave up trying to provoke Snape. Instead, he turned to Professor McGonagall and offered her a polite invitation to dance.

Professor McGonagall gladly accepted.

As the music continued, more people began to join the dance floor. The Champions were no longer the sole focus, yet the crowd instinctively left the center open, where Kyle and Kanna remained.

The first song soon came to an end, giving way to the next—a much faster tune.

"It's Wicked Witch," Kyle noted with a grin. "Their most popular song—the one that got them featured in the Chocolate Frog picture show."

As he spoke, Kyle released Kanna's hand and transitioned to a livelier dance step to match the upbeat rhythm.

...

They danced through three songs in total before stepping off the dance floor. It wasn't because they were tired—Kyle simply knew only these three routines. Staying any longer would have meant improvising awkwardly.

Kyle glanced at Kanna, her face flushed and her breaths coming quickly. "Want something to drink? How about Pumpkin Fizz?" he asked.

Kanna nodded.

Kyle made his way to the round table where the drinks and desserts were laid out. There, he spotted Ron and Harry, both devouring large portions of pudding.

"You two... you haven't been eating dessert this whole time, have you?" he asked, eyebrow raised.

"Yeah," Harry replied, swallowing a mouthful of pudding as if it were the most natural thing in the world. "We didn't have to dance, did we?"

"Lucky I'm not a Champion," he added with a shudder, "otherwise I'd have had to do that opening dance... Ugh." He visibly cringed at the thought, then quickly changed the subject. "You've got to try this—Custard Jam Pudding. Ron and I agree it's the best dessert here."

Kyle raised an eyebrow. Good grief, it really is a buffet.

Taking Harry's advice, he added a helping of pudding to his plate alongside a glass of Pumpkin Fizz. After all, Harry had been there for three songs—his recommendation was probably worth trusting.