Generally speaking, when young people attend dance parties, they always go to the boys or girls they like. Of course, for a special Christmas dance like today, many lower-grade students will be looking for dance partners just to be able to participate.
But don’t forget that since ancient times, dance has been a social etiquette event in a broad sense. There are many reasons to have a dance party, and even more reasons to choose a dance partner.
Today, Maka did something that surprised all the little wizards, but in the eyes of the elders, it turned into a warm picture.
Well, actually it's probably, maybe, maybe - "a little bit" visually striking.
At this moment, the walls of the auditorium were covered with sparkling silver frost, and the ceiling was a starry night sky, with hundreds of garlands of mistletoe sprigs and ivy hanging from the ceiling.
The four academy tables in the middle were gone, replaced by a hundred small tables lit with lanterns, with about ten people sitting at each table.
But Maka didn't look away. He ignored all the astonished and incomprehensible looks that were thrown at him. He and his dance partner walked steadily past the warriors who were stunned at the door, and walked calmly to the center of the auditorium.
"Is that... did I see it wrong?" Harry looked at Parvati next to him almost in shock, and couldn't help but turn his eyes back to Maka and his dance partner again.
Hermione, who was standing next to Krum, made no secret of the shock she felt in her heart. She even unknowingly let go of her arm around Krum's arm.
Even Snape, who was standing next to the guest of honor, had his eyes widened and his movements had frozen.
For a time, the originally bustling auditorium became audible.
"Ahem—Severus."
Dumbledore coughed dryly and reminded Snape beside him.
"Ahem, um..." Snape twitched the corner of his mouth, then cleared his throat and said, "The warrior enters!"
Harry and the others finally came to their senses, and together with their dance partners, they lined up two by two and walked in. They filed in and headed towards the guest seat where the referees were sitting.
Only then did people in the auditorium remember that it was time to applaud.
The warriors arrived in front of the guest of honor, and Dumbledore stood up. He just smiled without much expression on his face.
On both sides of Dumbledore, Professor Orson looked like he had a toothache; Madame Maxime carefully looked at Maka's special dance partner.
Only Ludo Bagman is still the same.
He was wearing a bright purple robe tonight with big yellow stars printed on it. At this moment, he was clapping his hands vigorously and looked quite excited.
It is worth mentioning that none of the three warriors or their respective dance partners dared to stand side by side with Maka. After all, his dance partner was too intimidating to the other warriors...
"Is this appropriate, McClain?" A serious and calm voice came from Maka's ear, seemingly unmoved by the strange looks around her.
"I think it's pretty good..." Maka said equally calmly, "Professor McGonagall."
Yes, that's right! Macca's dance partner, who was beyond everyone's expectation, was the Vice-Principal of Hogwarts, the Dean of Gryffindor House, and the Transfiguration teacher who was usually respected and feared by the students - Minerva... Professor McGonagall!
Today, our beloved Professor McGonagall is wearing an ordinary red tartan robe, with an ugly thistle garland on the brim of her hat, looking straight ahead with a sullen face as she usually does.
"Please take a seat. You won't have the energy to dance until after dinner!" Dumbledore stretched out his hands, and then took the lead in sitting back on his chair.
It was only now that Harry noticed that Mr. Crouch was not here today. Sitting in the fifth seat at the table was Percy Weasley.
The warriors and their dance partners walked to the table. Percy pulled out an empty chair next to him and moved his eyes from Professor McGonagall to Harry. Harry understood what he meant and sat down next to Percy.
Maca and Professor McGonagall sat next to Mrs. Maxim on the other side.
There was no food on the shiny golden plates yet, but a small menu was placed in front of everyone. Most of the little wizards picked up their menus and looked around - there was obviously no waiter here.
Dumbledore looked at his menu carefully, and then said very clearly to his plate: "Pork chops!"
The pork chop appeared on his plate immediately. The little wizards suddenly understood and followed suit one after another and ordered their favorite food on the plate.
Then, they regarded the food as a life-saving straw and ate it.
Maka's dance partners were so shocking that they haven't completely recovered yet!
"Mr. Maclean, you said you have something to tell me..." Professor McGonagall ordered the food calmly, then picked up the knife and fork and cut it gracefully, while whispering, "Can you tell me now?"
When Professor McGonagall spoke, Maka was still looking at the menu in her hand. After he heard Professor McGonagall's question, he shook his head slightly.
"Actually, it's not a big deal..." He said equally casually, "Just like I said at the Halloween party - no matter which school I belong to now, I can't erase the time I spent at Hogwarts. . These precious friends of mine are still my friends; and the teacher who enlightened me in magic will definitely always be my teacher... "
"Professor McGonagall, I think... there's nothing wrong with inviting my Transfiguration teacher to dance with her, right?"
Professor McGonagall's eyes flickered, and she nodded seriously.
"McLean, I am very happy that you can think so. I don't know what you are planning, but I have to remind you that at least I will always stand on the side of Hogwarts. I don't want One day we're pointing wands at each other, and that's going to be the most painful thing that's ever happened to me... Do you understand?"
Although Professor McGonagall's tone was not very strong, the persistence contained in it made Harry and the others slowly stop holding the knives and forks in their hands.
"Professor McGonagall, Macha... Oh!" As soon as Harry opened his mouth, he was kicked from under the table by Hermione, who was sitting not far from him.
He hurriedly leaned over and clutched the facing bone of his calf, grimacing in pain.
"Of course, I can understand that feeling -" Maka nodded calmly towards Harry, then continued to Professor McGonagall, "I have no intention of going against Hogwarts, at most..."
He glanced at Dumbledore and said: "At most, I just want Professor Dumbledore to give me an explanation for the original incident."
Dumbledore looked at Maka piercingly, but did not speak.
"Steak." Maka said, putting the menu aside and picking up the knife and fork.
At this time, Professor McGonagall also looked at Dumbledore - she had actually asked this question many times, but Dumbledore had never given a clear answer.
She looked at Dumbledore for a while, and finally returned her gaze to the plate in front of her.
"Speaking of which, can you say these things at ordinary times?" Professor McGonagall asked, "Why do you have to do it today? Someone is waiting for you. I believe you should know it, MacLean?"
When Hermione heard these words, although her expression did not change much, her right hand trembled suddenly, and the knife in her hand cut onto the dinner plate with a crunch.
But Maka didn't seem to notice it at all. He smoothly put the cut piece of steak into his mouth. The tender and juicy beef melted in his mouth, and he couldn't help but squint his eyes.
After the beef in his mouth slid into his belly, he answered Professor McGonagall's question.
"To be honest, we are all still young, and we have a lot of time to complete things that we have not yet had time to complete - we can miss, regret, think about, and try to save it again. This is the advantage of being young." He said, "But -Maybe it's a little rude, but as wizards, we shouldn't shy away from it -"
"I want to say... Professor McGonagall, you are no longer young. And as one of your students, if I can't restore your impression of me 'now'... who can predict what will happen in the future? "
Speaking of this, Maka suddenly forced a smile and said playfully: "What's more, back then, you were a genius girl who made the entire Hogwarts proud! Not only did you become a prefect and the president of the female student union, He also achieved the top results of 'Excellent' in all subjects in OWLs and NEWTs; as for the 'Today's Transfiguration's Most Potential Newcomer Award', that's not to mention—"
"I can't find another partner as suitable as you - can I?"
Professor McGonagall blinked in embarrassment. She didn't expect that Maka knew so much about it and even told her everything in public.
"Such an old thing... Why are you mentioning it..." Professor McGonagall couldn't help but blush, and complained in a low voice.
Maka's call actually made the atmosphere on the table much more lively. The little wizards were all whispering to their companions, and Mrs. Maxim, who was sitting on the other side of Maka, also started talking to him.
Krum looked happy that Hermione was finally talking to him - they hadn't exchanged a word since the beginning!
"Ah, we also have a castle. I don't think it is as big as here, nor as comfortable as here." He said to Hermione, "Ours only has four floors, and it can only be lit when magic is used. But our venue is larger than It’s spacious here—but the days are short in the winter, so we can’t play on the grounds. In the summer, we fly around outside every day, over the lake, over the mountains—”
He said, suddenly paused, and then glanced at Maka.
"But there have been a lot less people flying around recently, because McClain always leads a group of people to move rocks in the open space outside the castle..."