Winter in the UK is significantly colder than in France.
However, Jon basically spent last winter in the Arctic Circle, so the coldness after returning to the UK did not make him uncomfortable.
However, after entering November, there was still no news from Lyon, so Jon basically had no hope of learning Animagus this year.
After entering winter, the probability of thunderstorms is about the same as that of snow in July. Fortunately, Jon was not so lucky to be able to learn Animagus in half a year.
And it was at the end of November that Jon learned from Dumbledore that a different kind of event would be held on Christmas Day, one week before the start of the game.
"Prom? This game is almost turning into a life-and-death duel, and there is still a dance?"
Jon's eyes widened, obviously confused after receiving the news.
Dumbledore leaned back in his chair relaxedly, with the gentle smile still on his face.
"Of course it must be held. No matter what the purpose of this competition is, it is the Triwizard Tournament, and the Yule Ball is the tradition of the Triwizard Tournament. This will not be erased."
Jon already had that scene in mind.
"So then I still need those people to dance in a hall? And then start a life-and-death duel five days later?"
"It's very gentlemanly etiquette, isn't it?" Dumbledore said with a wink, "Even opponents can dance together in formal occasions."
Jon curled his lips: "Really? According to their blood theory, shouldn't it be a humiliation for pure blood that I can enter the auditorium?"
Dumbledore suddenly looked at Jon strangely.
"You don't seem to want to attend this dance?"
Jon was aware of his little thoughts, but he didn't deny it, he just spread his hands and said.
"As you know, Professor, I was an orphan before I was taken to the carriage. After I came to the carriage, I was rarely idle for a few days. Even in my free time, I basically stayed in the library or by the lake."
"so?"
"So I can't dance at all."
Jon said bluntly.
Dumbledore laughed, his smile obviously full of joy and happiness.
"As long as you are not a master of everything, Jon, no one asks you to learn so much in this short career of more than ten years. There are still nearly two months until the start of the Yule Ball. I believe you
You only need to spend half an hour every day to practice, and then you will discover your talent in this area."
Jon held his face, even though Dumbledore had expressed full trust in him, Jon was still not very willing to attend the ball.
As I said before, he actually hates activities that involve publicity, especially dancing in public, which made Jon, who was even half-socially afraid in his previous life, subconsciously resist.
"Can't you just go?"
Dumbledore crossed his arms, as if he was seriously considering Jon's proposal.
"If we want to control public opinion, it is best to attend this dance. Just like now, we come to the castle to participate in the competition, but as the owner of the castle, Riddle has always been very wary of placing us.
On the edge of the Forbidden Forest, even the castle is not allowed to enter. It seems that we have been despised, but as the principal of a school and the current nominal master of the British magical world, he will let the outside world see that there is no trace of his behavior.
The spirit of a leader.”
"The same goes for this dance. The more rude we are treated, the more we can contrast with his behavior. Of course, this kind of performance does not mean anything when Riddle still maintains an absolute advantage, but now
When the situation reaches a stalemate, it is very beneficial to us."
He explained the pros and cons to Jon clearly, but in the end he said with a smile.
"Of course, if you really don't want to attend this dance, then it's okay for us to retaliate and not give Riddle face. As long as we can win this game in the end, who will think of using this to accuse us?
Woolen cloth?"
Jon hesitated for a moment, and then asked.
"Will the dance last long?"
"As a warrior, you should be the lead dancer at the beginning of the dance, and after the lead dance is over, you can freely control your own time."
At this point, Dumbledore winked at him narrowly.
"Is there a girl you like? If you're too embarrassed to ask, I can use my authority as the principal to help."
Jon had a look on his face.
"Whatever, professor, don't put too much hope in my performance at the dance. I have no interest in dancing to begin with."
"Ha, I believe nothing can stop you Jon. If you are determined to participate, I will ask Vida for help. She comes from a family with strict etiquette. She is very good at dancing and can spare half of her time every day.
It will take me an hour to teach you.”
"Then according to your arrangement, when should I go see Professor Rozier?"
"She usually drinks tea and rests in the professor's lounge after dinner. That time is just right."
After listening to Dumbledore's arrangements, Jon stood up from his chair and stretched out.
"I continue to squat by the Black Lake, hoping to find something today."
"Don't worry, there are still two months until the second project starts, and this is not the main task. Even if you don't find out in the end, it won't have much impact on our final arrangement."
"I know Professor, but I've been idle lately anyway, so I thought I'd find something to do for myself."
As Jon spoke, he waved with his back to Dumbledore, and then left the principal's office.
The fire beside the wall was dancing, and Dumbledore was the only one left in the office. He was leaning on the back of his chair, with his hands folded in front of him, and his blue eyes were quietly staring at the orange fire.
"Tom...what do you want to do...?"
This chapter is not over, please click on the next page to continue reading!......
"When we were in exile on the carriage, we actually didn't feel much fear, because everyone knew that the professors would protect us. During some major festivals, such as the first day of school or Christmas Day, Hagrid, that is,
The driver of the carriage will take us to a charming enough place where we can have a wonderful dinner.”
Hermione told Asia about life on the carriage, and the two of them searched for herbs that could be transplanted at the edge of the Forbidden Forest.
They chose a very suitable location, right behind the Quidditch pitch. With this huge building as a shield, people from the direction of the castle could not see them, which was a good protection for Asia.
Hearing Hermione talk about her life, Asia's face was full of envy.
"I have never been out of the UK, not even Devon. My home is there, because our family was judged as a mixed-race wizard by the Ministry of Magic, so all outbound behaviors need to be reported to the Ministry of Magic, and we can obtain
You can move freely only with permission, which will cost my father a lot of money, and my mother said that the magic world has not been peaceful in recent years, so my family has not traveled for a long time."
"The Ministry of Magic also has strict jurisdiction over mixed-races?"
"I heard from dad that he has been relatively relaxed in recent years. It's just that when he goes to the Ministry of Magic to deal with some key matters, he has to spend money to bribe purebloods, otherwise it's basically impossible to get things done."
Hermione frowned slightly.
"Is this all obvious?"
"It's an open secret. Everyone knows it, but no one will tell it directly."
Hermione and Asia have known each other for almost a month. After rescuing her from bullying, they met here many times.
This sixth-grade mixed-race girl obviously doesn't have many friends in the castle. Among the students who followed Dumbledore to Hogwarts Castle, except for Jon, Hermione doesn't have many close friends, especially girls.
, so the two got along unexpectedly during the process of getting along.
However, Hermione strictly controlled the scale. During the chat between the two, except for some daily life on the carriage, she did not reveal any more information, including last year's adventure at sea.
Not mentioned.
It's not that she doesn't trust Asiya, but sometimes it's to protect her by not letting her know too much.
"Can we talk about Jon Grimm?" Asia helped Hermione straighten an herb plant so that she could dig it with a shovel. "There are many rumors about him in the castle, and the purebloods almost hate him to death.
He said he was a born dark wizard and couldn’t eat without killing someone with a life-killing curse every day.”
Hearing her serious tone, Hermione couldn't help laughing.
"If Jon heard these words himself, he would roll his eyes so many times. The professors in your school have really tried their best to slander him. In fact, just use your brain to think about it. If Jon really has what the rumors say,
If he was so cruel, how could he rescue so many students and me from the castle in the first place?"
"But everyone believed it." Asia tilted her head and said, "So did the classmates around me, well... But Diggory always thought this rumor was suspicious, and when school first started, he stopped everyone from talking about it.
After your bad words, he was suspected of 'sympathizing with mudbloods', but later he stopped saying such things, but he also did not participate in other people's disparagement."
"Digory?"
Hermione carefully took the herb out of the soil, and then, before the roots that were waving around like tentacles after leaving the soil could react, she suddenly pressed it back into the prepared plant.
In a flower pot.
Asia held her knees with both hands, bent over and watched Hermione's smooth operation, her face full of amazement.
"Yes, Cedric Diggory, I feel that he is an outlier among all the others. He was very popular among his classmates before. He was friendly to everyone, and as long as someone asked him for help, he would agree to it.
Agree. In the past two years, some of his remarks and actions have made many people think that he has become dangerous, which has caused many people to alienate him. Professor Greengrass even talked to him alone several times.
.”
Of course, Hermione knew about Cedric. After Jon came out of the Forbidden Forest, Hermione was also present when he recounted his experiences there.
In fact, she even knew that this boy had problems earlier than Jon, but of course she would not tell these things in front of Asia.
"Then he is indeed an alien."
After settling the herb, Asia was ready to say goodbye to Hermione. She couldn't leave the castle for too long. Doing so frequently would definitely make other people discover the problem, so she worked very hard to limit the time she spent with Hermione every day.
Even though this is the happiest time of her day.
"see you later."
Under the sun, the girl with a shy smile waved to Hermione, and Hermione waved to her in return, holding a flowerpot in her hand.
"goodbye."
Asia turned around happily, her long pale golden hair jumping happily behind her, just like the girl's mood at this time.
At the beginning, she was humming a brisk tune and skipped across the Quidditch pitch like a little girl. But after leaving the cover of the pitch, she saw the towering castle.
, she slowly returned to her normal walking pace. When she came to the shadow of the castle, her beautiful long hair no longer jumped, and her steps became subconsciously heavy.
Under the watchful eyes of the Aurors guarding the castle, her face showed that timidity again, and she walked into the castle cautiously.
It is lunch time now, and the corridor on the first floor is full of students who are constantly coming in and out of the auditorium. They are talking and laughing as they pass by Asia.
Since Asiya was in the castle, she has always lowered her head, holding her robe with both hands in front of her body, focusing all her attention on the styles of the robes of the students around her. Whenever she saw students passing by with gold-edged school robes, she would
She would try to stay away from these people like a scared rabbit.
Entering the auditorium, where most students were still eating lunch, Asia came to the long table belonging to mixed-race students.
Seeing her sitting over, some people around raised their heads and looked at her curiously.
"Asia, you seem to always like to go outside the castle recently? Have you picked up any new hobbies?"
Asia picked up the knife and fork on the table and answered in a small voice.
"No, no, I just feel a little bored and want to walk around outside."
No one had any doubts about her words. Asia's character was usually like this, she was timid and easily bullied.
The student who asked the question lost interest in continuing to ask after hearing her answer, and Asia was able to finish her lunch safely.
However, just after she finished her lunch, she left the auditorium and was about to go back to her dormitory, when a thin man with a slight smile on his face stood in front of her halfway.
"Conrad, do you have time to talk to me in the office?"