Ancient wizards return to Hogwarts.

"Viennese pork schnitzel!" Dumbledore picked up the menu in front of him and read it in a clear voice, and then a pork chop appeared on the plate in front of him.

It was still the ordering mode, and everyone present had gotten used to it. They picked up the menus and started choosing their favorite food.

This ordering mode means that the house-elves in the kitchen need to undertake heavier work, as they need to deliver the prepared dishes to the correct location in a very short time.

There were thousands of people in the hall, and after a quick look at the menu, dozens of orders were issued every second. This was undoubtedly a huge challenge, but the house elves of Hogwarts were no pushovers, and they successfully completed the task, accurately placing delicious dishes one after another on the plates in front of the guests.

"Tuna salad, French baked snails, oxtail braised in red wine, Marseille fish soup." Les quickly ordered the dishes he wanted to eat.

Four dishes appeared one after another, filling the table in front of him.

Rice noticed that Aries seemed to be in an abnormal mood. Upon closer inspection, he found that her sitting posture was a little stiff, and her eyes kept glancing at the staff seats.

After seeing who she was looking at, Lester immediately understood.

"There's no need to be afraid. This is Hogwarts, the safest place in the world." Rice whispered softly, giving Aries a shot in the arm.

After comforting Aries, Les couldn't help but complain about Rowena: That girl is too cunning, she actually came up with such a method, and she really took advantage of it. She just didn't consider Aries' feelings, look how scared he was...

Les's comforting effect was very good. Aries quickly got rid of her fear, and even had a hint of expectation in her heart: If that guy attacked her here, would the guardians of Hogwarts kill him on the spot?

But no matter what they think, Aries doesn't have the courage to provoke the other party.

The banquet began.

While enjoying the food, Rice could also hear the chatter of the players around him.

"The winter in Durmstrang is much colder than here, and there won't be such a grand celebration at the Christmas party. The winter nights there are very long, and the sun is visible for very short periods of time each day, so everyone becomes gloomy after staying there for too long. So almost no one chooses to stay on campus during Christmas. Everyone wants to go home and go on vacation with their family to sunny places like southern France." Krum obviously didn't like the climate in Northern Europe very much.

"Are you feeling okay?" Furong couldn't understand the pain of not being able to get sun exposure. She even thought that less sun exposure was good. "But the south of France is indeed a good place for vacation. The fish soup there is very good, and the oysters are also very delicious. You can try Spain next time. The pace of life there is more relaxed."

Krum nodded to show that he remembered.

After finishing his meal, Dumbledore stood up.

"I have one more thing to do before the dance starts."

The students shut their mouths and listened quietly. While Dumbledore was speaking, Mr. Henry, who was sitting next to him, took out a box from under the table.

Ludo Bagman took out his wand and knocked on the lid of the box. The lid of the box popped open automatically, revealing a golden flash.

There are hundreds of golden eggs the size of eggs in the box.

The students present stretched their necks to look towards the teacher's seat.

Those golden eggs instantly caught their attention.

Dumbledore drew his wand and drew a semicircle in front of him. The golden eggs rose from the box and flew towards the contestants.

Each contestant was given one, including Rice.

After the golden egg fell in front of him, Rice picked it up and looked at it carefully.

The golden egg was heavy in the hand, it should be a precious metal like gold or silver. Rice was thinking in his heart: If this golden egg can't be recycled, then the Ministry of Magic has spent a lot of money. However, according to the nature of the Ministry of Magic, it is highly likely that they will not use pure gold.

While observing the surface of the golden egg, Rice noticed a very thin ring-shaped crack in the middle of the egg, which looked like it could be opened.

Other contestants also noticed this detail and some were eager to open it to see the internal structure of the golden egg, but at this moment, Dumbledore spoke.

"Don't rush to open them. I suggest you go back and find a place where no one is around to open these golden eggs. As for the reason for doing this, you will know when you open the golden eggs." Dumbledore smiled, and his eyes behind the half-moon lenses were full of kindness.

"They are related to the content of your upcoming game. You have plenty of time to study them between the end of the party and the resumption of the game. Now let's enjoy the Christmas ball!"

Although Dumbledore told the contestants to enjoy the dance, few contestants were in the mood to dance after what happened. Everyone's attention was drawn to the heavy golden egg in their trouser pockets.

Is it related to the content of the competition? The golden egg is likely to contain information about the second stage of the competition. If I can crack the information as early as possible, I will have the upper hand in the second stage of the competition.

Thinking of this, the contestants couldn't wait to go back to the dormitory to uncover the secret inside the golden egg.

Professor McGonagall gave Dumbledore a reproachful look. She felt that Dumbledore had completely ruined the atmosphere of the ball. The golden eggs should have been distributed after the party, as she had suggested.

Dumbledore smiled awkwardly: This golden egg can only be distributed at this point in time, and it is not certain that all the people now will be gathered by the end of the ball - many people have disappeared with their dance partners halfway through the dance.

It’s not so difficult for contestants from Hogwarts, as they can just have the house-elves deliver their tickets to their bedside. However, it’s much more difficult for contestants from other magic schools.

In order to revive the atmosphere, Dumbledore waved his wand and moved some tables to the wall, making a large space in the middle of the hall. He then conjured up a stage with a drum set, several guitars, a lute, a cello and several organs.

Then, the singing group The Weird Sisters, invited by Dumbledore, rushed into the hall from the side room, walked quickly to the stage, and picked up their instruments to the applause of the audience.

At this time, the lanterns on the table went out one after another, and it was time to dance.

Rice took two steps toward Aries and saluted her.

"My dear lady, please forgive my intrusion, but would you like to dance with me?" Les stared straight into Aries' eyes.

Although the person being talked to is her, Aries' intuition tells her that it is not her turn to answer this question.

Sure enough, Ms. Ravenclaw temporarily regained some authority and answered for her: "I'm not good at dancing, so why not let someone who is good do it."

Aries really wanted to say, "Actually, I'm not good at it either," but her desire to survive made her shut her mouth.

"No one knows how to do it." Rice blinked, "Give me a chance, the smartest lady in Hogwarts - time is running out."

By now the Weird Sisters had already started playing, and it would be too late if they didn't go to the dance floor.

Aries, who was controlled by Rowena, wanted to say something, but Rice said seriously: "Not everyone is qualified to dance with me."

Aries wanted to say something in response, but suddenly everything went dark before her eyes, and she fell into a deep sleep, knowing nothing.

"Okay, just dance one." Rowena said softly.

"Just one dance." Les nodded, took a step forward, took Rowena's hand, and walked with her to the brightly lit dance floor.

To the slow, sad tune, Rice held Aries' hand with one hand and placed the other on her waist as they danced together on the dance floor.

A smile spread across Helga's face as she sat in the shadows far away.

The old viper and the old raven were dancing together! She had to record this scene and bring it back to Godric. Thinking of this, she quickly took out a crystal ball from her arms and turned on the recording of Les and Rowena.

Rice noticed that among the contestants present, he and Rowena were relatively proficient in dance steps, while many contestants were not dancing at all, but more like puppets in the hands of dancing partners. If neither of them knew how to dance, they were just spinning in circles.

Soon, the opening song of the Weird Sisters ended, and Les and Rowena returned to their seats together.

Then they played the second piece, which was much faster than the previous one.

Les gave Rowena a questioning look, and Rowena smiled and shook her head.

"Too fast for an old man like me."

"Nonsense, your body is very young now."

“Old mentality.”

The two laughed together.

"This reminds me of when we first met and you forced Godric and I to attend your family's ball..."

Rowena seemed to be lost in memory, a look of reminiscence appearing on her face.

"I was in a very difficult situation at that time. My family wanted to send me to an arranged marriage. I can't remember the name of the marquis's son. If I hadn't met you two, I might have become a reclusive marquise, right? But this is also my duty. After all, I relied on my family to collect so many spells..."

"Isn't she a widow?" Les made a little joke.

Rowena glanced at him.

"I wouldn't have done that then, would I? But who knows. If he hadn't allowed me to continue my studies in magic, I might have really gotten rid of him. By the way, what did you do with him? He disappeared after the dance."

Les smiled.

"The British Isles were not peaceful at that time. There were Vikings everywhere. Isn't it normal for a noble to be attacked and abducted by barbarians on the road?"

"Viking pirates using flaming swords and poison? You really think the Marquis is a fool." Rowena waved her hand and a glass of champagne flew into her hand. She began to sip it.

"Godric's image, if you dye his beard and hair black, can really look like a Viking pirate. But the key is to erase the traces so that the magicians employed by the big families can't notice anything unusual." Speaking of the past, Rice suddenly became proud: "I just happen to know some magic with Viking characteristics."

In fact, truth cannot be hidden. Les and Godric got into trouble because of their willfulness, but that was just a small episode in the long river of life.

Rowena didn't respond to him, and spoke slowly after a while.

"I originally thought that I could only gather all the magic in the world with the help of my family, but you showed me a different way... I have to thank you, otherwise I might just sit at home and waste my time."

"How can magic be done behind closed doors?" Rice shook his head. After two seconds, he laughed out loud as if he remembered something funny.

"What are you laughing at?" Rowena narrowed her eyes and her tone became unfriendly.

"I... saw something interesting, look--" Les pointed to the center of the empty dance floor: Madame Maxime and Hagrid had just "rushed" over there waltzing, and had carved out an empty path in the crowded dance floor.

Les didn't dare to admit in front of Rowena that the reason he laughed just now was to mock Rowena's original ideal, to collect all the magic in the world.

This was a very unrealistic thing, especially since Rowena was unwilling to leave even her family’s estate at the beginning.

Even if Les didn't say it, Rowena knew what he was laughing at. But since he didn't say it, she didn't intend to settle the score with him.

Of course, if they revealed each other's dark history, Rowena would not be afraid.

What was the first potion that Salazar Slytherin, the legendary wizard, the culprit of Ragnarok, the founder of Hogwarts Slytherin College, and one of the founders of potions, mastered in his life? Hint: This potion was also the potion that Salazar most often prepared and relied on when he was young.

Rowena believed that as long as she asked this question, Salazar would definitely admit defeat.

Thinking of this, Rowena's unhappy mood suddenly disappeared. Who didn't have some unrealistic dreams when they were young?

Well, some people’s ideals are too grand and unrealistic, while some people’s ideals are too down-to-earth and even seem a bit materialistic.

Les also got a glass of champagne, and halfway through the drink, he suddenly remembered something.

"Professor White seems to be enjoying it," Rice said with a deep gaze, "She is playing with the crystal ball in a very interesting way."

Rowena acted as if she didn't hear what Les said and just drank the champagne in the glass silently.

After she finished a whole glass of champagne, she said leisurely, "I hope she remembered to turn on the recording function."

Helga, who was not far away, looked stern: She clearly remembered that she had turned on the recording! How come it didn't record? !

Could it be that she had already grown so old? Helga began to doubt her life.

The dancing continued till late into the night.

Dumbledore was farsighted. After 10 o'clock in the evening, there were almost no people around the dance floor and the hall. Everyone ran to the cave outside the castle to relax with their friends or dance partners. A subtle and ambiguous atmosphere floated in the air.

At a time like this, it would be extremely difficult and offensive to gather the contestants together.

When the clock hand broke through twelve o'clock, the bell rang. After the twelve rings, the Christmas ball finally ended.

----

Here’s an update, good night everyone~

Next update at midnight