Chapter 171: Iron Pot Stewed Goose
The first thing the three girls opened was the sweater that Mrs. Weasley made every year. Every year, she would knit a sweater for each of her children, Harry, and Su Yu. Moreover, the sweaters she made for Harry and Su Yu were always better in both material and workmanship than the ones she made for her own children.
"My dear, do you want to try it on?" Cassandra held the sweater and kept gesturing with it against Su Yu.
"Let's wait a bit. I'm still lying down. When I feel like getting up, I'll try it on then..." Su Yu yawned, rolled over, and just laid there on the bed, tilting his head to watch the girls open the "packages."
Ginny gave Su Yu a pair of socks, which Daphne put on Su Yu's feet. Hermione gave a box of heart-shaped chocolates, and Kurama, drooling, shared them with Su Yu.
"One for you, one for me, one for me and one for me, one for you, one for me, one for me and..." Kurama ate one, shared one, and then hid one. Soon, she and Su Yu had happily divided their chocolates.
Sirius gave Su Yu a Swiss Army knife, which even had various bottle openers on it. Professor Lupin sent an entrenching tool. Good heavens, are these two brothers trying to make Su Yu go for wilderness survival?
The Weasley Twins gave Su Yu a jar of candies that would make you turn colorful after eating them. This was their new invention, and it didn't have a name yet, so they let Su Yu try it first. Su Yu secretly hid the jar under the bed, intending to try it with the two girls at night, but Kurama saw it. She thought Su Yu had hidden something delicious!
Before long, Daphne was the first to notice. A colorful Kurama crawled out from under the bed; one ear was green, one ear was red, her forehead was blue, her mouth was purple, and her body had so many colors that they were impossible to count...
"My god! Kurama! Hurry and come with me to the Hospital Wing! Did you get poisoned?!"
Amidst Daphne's screams, Kurama looked into a mirror and then let out a loud shriek, furiously scolding Su Yu for poisoning her just so he could hide snacks and not share them with her!
—————————
The morning gift-opening session ended amidst everyone's bickering. Hermione and Ginny also came to the Slytherin Common Room to meet up with Su Yu and the others, then went together to the Great Hall for lunch.
Of course, on the tables were the same dishes that Hogwarts School made every Christmas.
100 turkeys, Christmas puddings stacked like towers, and piles of Wizard crackers that couldn't even be fit on the table.
For Great Britain, which was lacking in fine cuisine, these were definitely delicacies. After all, what else could you expect from a country that likes to put malt vinegar on French fries? If they didn't serve you a couple of shoe insoles, that would be considered good.
On Su Yu's table was still the Christmas Eastern delicacies set prepared especially for him by the Whisk. Today, the Whisk had prepared iron pot stewed goose for Su Yu, so it had specially dug a big hole in the middle of the Slytherin long table to place the pot.
When Su Yu and the others arrived at the Great Hall, the goose in the pot had been simmering on low heat for almost two hours. The moment the pot was opened, Kurama was so tempted by the aroma that she almost did a somersault into the pot. Fortunately, Su Yu was quick-eyed and nimble-handed, reaching out to grab her.
"Why? Why can Su Yu have special meals every day?"
Ron complained to Harry while gnawing on a turkey leg. The aroma smelled so good, and he didn't know if it tasted good or not...
"Ron, if you're envious, you can do it too, as long as you can afford a House-elf..."
"Forget it, I still feel like turkey is quite delicious. After all, I can't even afford a wand."
Su Yu drank some cola while scooping a big spoonful of gravy and pouring it over the fragrant rice. Kurama, while gnawing on a goose head, kept pointing at the goose leg that looked so tempting, asking Daphne to help her pick it up!
Daphne and the other girls weren't very good at using chopsticks, so she used her wand, waved it, and that goose leg flew into Kurama's bowl.
"I want that wing too!" Kurama was a classic case of looking at the pot while eating from the bowl. She was tapped on the head by Daphne with a wand, and only then did she honestly and frantically gnaw on the goose head in her bowl.
"Eat slowly, nobody is snatching it from you. We aren't eating it, it's just you and Su Yu, what are you panicking for..."
Daphne ate her Christmas pudding in small bites while having to constantly wipe Kurama's mouth; otherwise, she would have it all over herself in a moment.
"I just don't trust Su Yu! He's a big bad guy!"
"Hey, if you say that, I'm going to take away everything you like!"
"I was wrong, Su Yu... You're the best... Leave some for me..."
In the afternoon, outside Hogwarts School, everything was white. Su Yu brought the Slytherin group to the open space by the Black Lake, took out the guns he had used connections to buy for a long time from his ring, and started playing a live-action CS game with Malfoy and the others.
Every contestant activated Kurama mode to prevent injury from being hit by bullets. Everyone wore eight magazines, 240 rounds of ammunition, 6 grenades, and various smoke grenades...
Goyle and Crabbe transformed into terrorists, each with a grenade launcher, 40 grenades, 20 hand grenades, and a pack of explosives. They charged forward, howling, and blasted their boss, Malfoy, until he was dizzy.
Theodore became a sniper, specifically aiming at Blaise's lower parts, scaring Blaise into breaking out in a cold sweat.
"Look! Blaise, I've planted the explosives!" Callis, fully armed, waved excitedly at Blaise and pointed to the explosives buried below.
"Bang!" A gunshot rang out, and Callis fell to the ground instantly, covering her forehead and weeping.
"This Theodore is something else. He doesn't just take a sniper rifle; he even brings a Barrett! Is he afraid he won't kill me? My head hurts so much..."
"Sss... Ron, do you think these Muggle weapons are really this powerful?" Harry and Ron hid behind a hillside, not even daring to show their heads. But who could have guessed that Goyle would come flying over clutching a pack of explosives, directly blasting Harry and Ron more than ten meters away.
"I really believed your nonsense, Harry. You insisted that Su Yu and the others' game must be fun and that we should join. Hospital Wing... I need rescue..."
Throughout the afternoon, explosions and gunfire constantly echoed from Hogwarts School. In the end, Su Yu even took out a missile, wanting to go down with the other side, but was eventually stopped.
"Baka, are the students of Hogwarts School still training on Christmas? And why are they so terrifying? Is this their daily training routine?"
The students from Mahoutokoro School of Magic listened to the continuous explosions outside their tents, all sighing at how hard-working the Hogwarts School students were, still training on such a holiday.
But to be honest, playing with weapons using magic is indeed very satisfying. Not only do you get to carry a lot of equipment, but after you're done playing, a simple 'Reparo' restores everything, and you can't see a trace of the explosion anymore.
Chapter 172: The Ball (Part I)
Several girls went back early; they needed to prepare for tonight's Christmas party.
Su Yu, leading the lads from Slytherin, played until nearly six in the evening before unhurriedly returning to the Slytherin Common Room. They had to prepare for the party as well.
Before leaving, Su Yu reminded Ron not to forget the wager.
The bunch of silly Gryffindor students, after watching Su Yu take the Slytherin students back, started playing in a snowball fight again. It wasn't until seven o'clock, when it had grown dark and they could see absolutely nothing, that they reluctantly left and returned to their common room to change into their dress robes.
Ron sat in the common room with a mournful face, being pestered by Harry, who was asking if he looked handsome tonight. Ron looked up at Harry's not-so-handsome face, pursed his lips, and kept his true thoughts to himself. He was in no mood to worry about that; he was already a complete mess himself.
"By the way, Ron, why aren't you changing into your dress robes? If you don't change soon, it'll be too late; the party is about to start."
After Harry changed into his new dress robes, he began to urge Ron incessantly.
"Um, that, well, you guys go ahead. I'll be there in a minute. Don't wait for me, Harry."
Ron looked at the gift box on his right, which had been delivered by the Whisk, and answered Harry incoherently.
He felt as if Lord Voldemort were hidden inside the gift box next to him. If he opened it, it would cast an Avada Kedavra at him, followed by a mocking "Heh... heh heh..."
Neville was dressed very properly today and even had a handsome haircut.
"Don't you know, Harry? The fireplace in the Slytherin Common Room had the Floo Network specially opened today so we could go to Diagon Alley. My parents were waiting for me there; they brought me a newly made set of dress robes and even took me to get a haircut."
"Really? Maybe I was too engrossed in playing this afternoon and didn't notice..."
Harry recalled that Hermione had told him about this a few days ago, but he hadn't paid much attention to it at the time. It was just a party; was it really necessary to go to such lengths to tidy oneself up? He really couldn't understand what those people were thinking.
In the Gryffindor common room, they didn't have to wear those black robes today; everyone had changed into colorful dress robes.
"Look! Neville, your date tonight is gorgeous, isn't she?"
Seamus and Dean looked enviously at the beautiful and charming girl before them. Parvati was wearing a dazzling pink gown today, her jet-black hair tied into a braid with a golden ribbon, and a golden bracelet on her wrist that shimmered brilliantly.
"Neville, how on earth did you manage to ask out such a pretty girl?"
Neville ignored Seamus's comment and walked straight toward Parvati. When their eyes met, he couldn't help but be stunned for a moment, but it was only for a moment before he instinctively took Parvati's hands.
"I... I must say, you are always so charming. Tonight, you are like an elegant white swan. I am truly honored."
Neville was reciting the romantic lines his mother had written for him that afternoon to say when meeting girls. He didn't have the wit to come up with things girls loved to hear; the best assist came entirely from his mom.
Hearing Neville's gentlemanly words and actions, Parvati smiled lightly, then raised her slender fingers to gently tuck a stray lock of hair behind her ear.
"Thank you for the compliment, Neville. You really surprised me tonight," Parvati said, then linked her arm with Neville's, leaned in close, and whispered in his ear, "You have great taste; I'm really happy."
Harry looked at the pairs of students in the common room and grew increasingly anxious. What was going on with Ron? Why hadn't he come out yet? The time was almost up, and where on earth was his date? However, a helpless Harry followed the main group toward the Great Hall.
The entrance to the Great Hall was packed with people waiting for the doors to the Great Hall to open at eight o'clock. Some students were still looking for their dates from other houses, and the entire foyer was chaotic, just like a vegetable market.
Harry craned his neck to look around, but didn't see any sign of Hermione or the Slytherin students. He thought they were probably still preparing, but were they really not in a hurry? It was almost eight, and they still hadn't arrived.
He also saw Fleur Delacour, that captain from Beauxbatons Academy who had Ron completely infatuated. She was wearing a silver-gray gown today, and the person standing next to her was none other than the captain of the Ravenclaw Quidditch team, Roger Davies.
"I thought she would choose Su Yu..."
Obviously, Dean had seen it too and said to Harry casually.
"Er, she's probably terrified of Su Yu. She doesn't even dare to say a word to him..."
Harry knew a lot of inside information; Su Yu had done quite a few things in front of Fleur. This girl now hid far away whenever she saw Su Yu, fearing she would annoy him and get finished off just like that guy. She couldn't even stand the thought of being punished like Rita Skeeter.
Soon, the oak doors slowly opened. Professor McGonagall appeared at the entrance of the Great Hall, instructed the champions to stay behind, and let the other students go in first.
"Good luck, Harry." Dean whispered to Harry, then took his date and walked into the Great Hall first.
Harry looked at the empty space beside him. Where was his date? Hadn't they agreed on it? Ron wouldn't have pulled a big prank on him, would he?
"Potter, where is your date?" Professor McGonagall had clearly noticed Harry's unusual behavior and spoke up to remind him.
"Ah... this... that..." Harry stammered, unable to speak, and finally had to give up helplessly. "Professor, I might have forgotten to find a date..."
At that moment, a thundering sound of high heels running came from the doorway, followed by a shout: "Oh, Professor McGonagall, he didn't forget to find a date; it's just that I'm a little late..."
"Ron!!!!"
"Ron!!"
"Ron!"
The first was the surprise of the people around; the second was Harry's surprise; the third was Professor McGonagall's anger!
"What on earth are you two playing at!"
Professor McGonagall roared angrily. Ron was seen wearing a white dress, looking like he was rushing to get married, holding up the skirt with both hands. Because he was uncomfortable in high heels, he was walking with his feet splayed out, and his face was covered in white powder and lipstick...
For a moment, Harry seemed to suddenly understand the bet Su Yu and Ron had made...
"Are you trying to kill me tonight? Ron!"
Harry really wanted to punch Ron in the face right now; he really couldn't hold it in anymore!
Chapter 173: The Ball (Part 2)
"Listen to me, Harry, I really have no choice. Su Yu bet me that I have to find a partner for both of us. If I can't do it, I have to be your partner myself. Heavens, I haven't found a single one..."
Ron said breathlessly, constantly apologizing to Professor McGonagall, explaining that he and Harry were in true love. This was also part of the bet with Su Yu; he couldn't say anything else. If asked, it was true love, and no one could break them apart!
Professor McGonagall looked at the scene before her with a headache. She felt that after tonight, the reputation of Hogwarts School would be completely ruined by these two things!
No, that wasn't right, there were two more in the room! Professor McGonagall really wanted to throw the wand in her hand. It was truly a case of 'the upper beam is not straight, so the lower beam is crooked'; it was all the fault of those two old things!
Professor McGonagall didn't have time to manage them, because students and Professors from other schools were arriving, and she had to go receive them.
"What exactly are you doing? Ron!" After Professor McGonagall walked away, Harry pulled Ron over. His eyes seemed to be spitting fire.
"Just have pity on me, Harry. I really have no other way. This is all Su Yu's fault. If he hadn't made that bet with me, I wouldn't be like this..."
Ron seemed to be frightened by Harry's gaze, and his speech was a bit shaky.
"Then you can only blame yourself. Who told you to make a bet with him for no reason? Knowing what kind of person he is, how many people who go against him have a good ending? Aren't the lessons of George and Fred enough?"
Harry lectured Ron for a long time, and he hadn't finished even after Professor McGonagall had welcomed all the students from the other schools inside.
"Has Su Yu forgotten the time for the ball?" Cedric pulled his partner, constantly looking in the direction where the Slytherin students were supposed to come from.
Now, all the students, all the schools, all the Professors, the Principal, and the group from the Ministry of Magic were all waiting for them.
Just at this moment, the sky became overcast with dark clouds, and bolts of thunder fell out of thin air, as if it were the end of the world. Suddenly, dragon roars echoed from the clouds, and a huge beam of light shot from the sky to the ground.
The ceiling of the Great Hall stopped displaying the current weather and revealed everything happening outside, scaring the students from the various schools and the Hogwarts students, who thought the roof was gone.
"Is this... the end of the world?" Ron stared blankly at the sky, muttering.
"Oh, my god, George, come look at God!"
"Idiot, you don't need to tell me, I can see it!"
In the sky, following the beam of light descending, a huge throne appeared in the air. Wisps of blood-red aura entwined the entire throne, constantly leaking outward. The moment the throne appeared, the dark clouds behind it suddenly opened up, and the massive full moon behind it actually served as a backdrop.
On the throne, Su Yu was dressed in a black tailcoat (imagine the kind from anime, like in Code Geass), decorated with various rubies. He crossed his legs, one hand resting on the armrest, head tilted. Kurama stood proudly on Su Yu's shoulder, nine tails fluttering in the wind, and both of them showed an evil, charming smile at the same time.
Behind him, on both sides, Cassandra and Farley were each wearing white and black high-neck gowns today, paired with stockings, stepping on high heels, looking incomparably elegant.
Hermione, Ginny, Cho Chang, and Daphne stood behind them. Their exquisite evening gowns seemed to shine in the night light, making people feel as if they were purified just by looking at them.
Malfoy and the other students also stood on both sides. Their black tuxedos looked incomparably noble and arrogant, especially the corner of Malfoy's mouth, which was almost curled into a 'wry-mouthed dragon king' smile, revealing his irrepressible wild laughter.
Two golden long dragons appeared behind the throne, roaring in unison. This scene actually left everyone in the Great Hall stunned for a few seconds.
"Long time no see, everyone," Su Yu on the throne spoke slowly, his tone revealing incomparable dominance, "Are you ready to entertain us?"
Then, he stepped down from the throne, walking through the air step by step. Under his feet, lotus flowers bloomed one by one, slowly opening and supporting Su Yu, blooming all the way, as if in a fairyland.
Behind him, cyan steps slowly formed, and the students of Slytherin followed Su Yu's footsteps, stepping forward one after another.
"Didn't we just part ways this afternoon? Also, him playing like this makes us look very dull..." Fred said to George beside him.
"He actually didn't invite us to join! Really, I also want to be like this, I'd even be willing to be a dog by his side! Damn it, that evil Su Yu, he only cares about showing off himself!"
George was almost crazy with jealousy. Such a chance to show off in front of people, and he and Fred didn't even know!
Harry and Ron were also dumbfounded. Do Easterners all play like this? This makes them Westerners look like a primitive tribe. Until Su Yu and the others came down, Harry and Ron had not regained their senses.
"Hey, the bride over there, come back to your senses. Let me see, so it's Weasley, hahaha, are you in such a hurry to get married with this outfit today?"
The voice Ron least wanted to hear came over. That annoying Malfoy, he never forgot any opportunity to kick someone while they were down! But with Su Yu's bet, he could only bite the bullet and say.
"We are truly in love! No one can break us apart!"
"I wasn't planning on breaking you two apart. I'm here to wish you a hundred years of harmony and a lifelong union." Malfoy said, cupping his hands in a salute, laughing until Goyle and Crabbe beside him bent over.
This sarcastic tone made Ron's face turn purple. He could only pray for the Christmas ball to end quickly, because the last part of the bet with Su Yu was that he couldn't leave or change clothes until the party was over.
Su Yu's mouth was almost curled to his ears at this moment. This was an entrance method he had thought about for a long time. However, it would be even more perfect if he could match it with a 'Martial Soul Avatar' behind him. It's just a pity he didn't know how. Although the complete Susanoo could also do it, it didn't look as good, did it? Still, that kind of Martial Soul Avatar was more domineering.
The group from Slytherin followed Su Yu into the venue slowly. All the girls in the hall looked at Su Yu and the others with glowing eyes. They were really too handsome! This way of appearing, this figure, this clothing, I really want to be a dog...
Even Fleur, who had always been afraid of Su Yu, was staring at Su Yu intently at this moment, suddenly feeling a bit blushing. And the Roger Davies beside her didn't see Su Yu and the others' showing-off deeds at all; his eyes were only on Fleur. He was Fleur's loyal simp, after all, and had to do his job.
Su Yu and the girls sat down gracefully. Malfoy also pulled Astoria and Pansy on his left and right to sit down. Even Callis, who was usually noisy, sat quietly beside Blaise at this moment, looking like a lady. And Theodore helped Olivia pull out her chair elegantly.
Chapter 174: The Ball (Part 3)
The four long tables that usually occupied the Great Hall were nowhere to be seen today; instead, they had been replaced by over a hundred small tables, each topped with candles. Even these small tables were quite large, capable of seating a dozen people each.
Kurama jumped from Su Yu's shoulder onto the table, and just as she was about to rap on it to demand food, she was instantly snatched back by Daphne.
"Behave yourself today. Didn't I tell you that before we came out?" Daphne stroked Kurama, who was in her arms, and gave her head a gentle tap.
"But I'm hungry..."
Kurama said aggrievedly, struggling to squeeze out a few tiny tears.
The sides of the Great Hall were adorned with glistening ice crystals, which looked quite beautiful. The ceiling had returned to its starry night state, and the surrounding area was decked with garlands and twigs.
As Harry and Ron finally dawdled their way into the hall, a burst of unbridled laughter erupted throughout the room. This made Harry, who had no desire to attract attention in the first place, feel even more awkward. As for Ron, his brain had completely frozen; he looked like a fully cooked lobster and had been metaphorically dead for quite a while.
Percy was sitting at the table with the Ministry of Magic members today. Seeing Harry and Ron's awkward state, he had no choice but to rub his forehead, pull out the chairs beside him, and gesture for the two to come and sit there.
"What on earth are you two doing?" Percy asked hurriedly as soon as they sat down.
"We are actually..." Ron had already started babbling nonsense.
"I didn't say you two were fake, did I?"
Seeing Percy's reaction, Harry hurriedly began to explain.
Su Yu looked at the gold-gleaming plates, the exquisite tableware, and the menu beside them, then casually tossed the menu aside.
Truly a culinary wasteland; with such exquisite tools and such a formal occasion, they were only serving fried pork chops and stewed beans?
He then tapped the table, and the Whisk served up one course of a state banquet after another. During this time, Su Yu had specifically requested the menu and recipes for a state banquet and handed them over to the Whisk, just waiting for tonight!
The standard four cold dishes, four hot dishes, and two soups, symbolizing perfection. The first course was spiced beef.
Kurama also had a small plate prepared in front of her today. Under Daphne's supervision, she chewed on the spiced beef in small bites, then her eyes suddenly widened—it was so delicious!
Then, the moment she prepared to dive into the plate, Daphne tapped her head again. Having been with Kurama for so long, Daphne could understand what she was about to do with every single movement.
Su Yu also ate in small bites, but he found it truly uncomfortable to use a knife and fork for the spiced beef. He tapped the table again and switched to chopsticks; that was much more comfortable. Picking up food was certainly faster, and he would never use two wands as chopsticks—he found that unhygienic...
Soon, one delicacy after another appeared in succession. Every time a dish was finished, it was replaced by another, such as crystal shrimp, salted duck, smashed cucumber salad, matsutake chicken soup, Wensi tofu, Peking duck, Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, braised sea cucumber with scallions, and squirrel-shaped mandarin fish.
Kurama wasn't satisfied even after eating all that; she ordered five more servings of Peking duck and five more of squirrel-shaped mandarin fish, plus a plate of red bean buns, before finally rubbing her belly and letting out a satisfied hum.
Anyway, she wasn't dancing, so once she was full, she would just find a place to have a nice sleep.
Fleur was still boasting about how magnificent Beauxbatons Academy was and how it couldn't be compared to Hogwarts School. Roger Davies chimed in incessantly from the side, even slapping the table to agree with Fleur's suggestion to kick out those mischievous ghosts—he meant you, Peeves!
Roger Davies was so mesmerized that he even held his fork the wrong way and nearly poked food into his own nostril. Su Yu shook his head; after all, simp-like behavior existed everywhere, so there was no need to make a fuss.
After finishing his meal, Su Yu chatted casually with the girls, while his hand underneath the table didn't stop moving, teasing Ginny until her face turned red.
Not until all the students had finished eating everything on the tables did Headmaster Dumbledore stand up and ask everyone else to stand as well. He waved his hand, causing all the tables to fly to the wall and stack up. He waved his arm again, and several wooden chests flew over, leaning against the wall on the right side. They were covered with carpets, and various musical instruments and chairs were placed on them, forming a stage.
Once all this was done, the Weird Sisters appeared on stage. Harry looked at their thick hair—the chest hair on their chests was longer than the hair on his head—and they were dressed in rags, deliberately exposing their hairy areas, looking exactly like scavengers.
Malfoy and his group were about to vomit; this was another weirdo that only Headmaster Dumbledore would invite.
As the surrounding candles slowly extinguished, Su Yu knew his hellish Shura field was about to arrive.
"Darling, don't keep such a long face." Farley was the first to step out. She came before Su Yu, raised her hand to hook his chin, and winked at him, "So, my champion, have you chosen which girl you should dance with first?"
Cassandra also appeared behind Su Yu at this moment, one hand resting on his waist and the other placed near his neck, exuding an air that suggested his life would be in danger if he didn't choose well.
Su Yu turned his head stiffly, blinking continuously at Daphne, hoping she could give him an idea, but Daphne seemed not to see him; she covered her mouth to stifle a laugh and simply refused to look at Su Yu.
Seeing Su Yu breaking out in a cold sweat, Cassandra and Farley exchanged a smile and stopped teasing him. Cassandra yielded him to Farley, letting Farley be the first to dance with Su Yu.
Su Yu could finally heave a sigh of relief. He reached out his hand and bowed, "Then, Miss Gemma Farley, would you like to dance the first dance with me?"
The crystal chandelier cast a warm, soft light, and a melodious waltz flowed slowly through the Great Hall.
The moment the dance music started, Farley took the initiative to step forward. Su Yu followed suit, wrapping his arm around her waist, and the two spun into the dance floor.
Every step Su Yu took landed precisely on the beat of the rhythm, his entire demeanor carrying the unique aura of aristocratic elegance and propriety.
Farley's movements were light and graceful; she appeared to be dancing casually, yet her footwork was not in the least bit messy. Hidden within her shifting gaze was that kind of bloodthirsty madness, as if she wanted to devour Su Yu alive.
The distance between the two grew closer and closer. Their fingertips touched, passing a faint warmth. Sometimes they glided slowly, other times they turned nimbly, the hems of their skirts and their clothing brushing against each other with a soft rustling sound.
Although there were no overly intimate gestures, they possessed a tacit understanding that others could hardly match. In the dance floor where light and shadow intersected, they seemed somewhat mismatched, yet at the same time, oddly harmonious.
When the song ended, Su Yu patted his chest nervously and drained the pineapple juice beside him in one gulp, then smacked his lips. This wretched Hogwarts School actually didn't allow alcohol, which was a waste of this ball. However, recalling Farley just now, he had almost suspected that she was going to eat him on the spot—it was too terrifying.
Chapter 175: The Ball (Part 4)
Although everyone envied Su Yu's good fortune and marveled at the perfect synchronization between the two, the most eye-catching pair on the dance floor had to be Harry and Ron.
Ron, dressed in a long white gown, combined with Harry, who couldn't even lift his head, "danced" together on the floor. That scene—that iconic moment was so much that Colin, holding his camera, felt he couldn't capture it all.
"Oh, this is terrible, Ron. You stepped on my foot again."
"I'm sorry, Harry. I'm just too nervous. I'll be careful. Oh, shoot, sorry, I stepped on it again..."
Ron continued like this, constantly stepping on Harry's feet while apologizing incessantly. By the end of the dance, Harry felt his feet had lost all sensation.
"Harry, I think you should buy a pair of iron shoes with spikes on the top. The next time Weasley steps on you, you can give him a kick. Hahaha."
Harry didn't even need to look. Besides Malfoy, no one else could say such things while kicking someone when they were down.
"Malfoy, what are you so smug about?" Ron roared angrily.
"How did you know the watch I'm wearing is a Patek Philippe?" Malfoy completely ignored Ron's words. Seeing Ron's exasperated state, he instead showed off the luxury watch on his wrist.
"120,000 Galleons each, a limited custom edition. The Prefect ordered one for every Slytherin champion. And this outfit, tailored by a French master. Sigh, it's just too conspicuous. By the way, you've never seen anything this expensive, have you, Weasley? It's really a waste of time to say so much to you."
Watching Malfoy's smug attitude, Ron clenched his fists tightly. He couldn't help but think about when it started—he had long since been unable to beat this detestable bastard Malfoy. Now, he could only watch Malfoy's arrogance and rage helplessly.
"Forget it, Ron. Don't make yourself sick. Let's stop dancing and find somewhere to get some pumpkin juice."
Harry pulled the angry Ron away. He didn't want to see his "dance partner" beaten until he couldn't stand up by Malfoy later. He had already embarrassed himself enough tonight, and Harry didn't want to be the center of attention anymore.
But Harry forgot that today, wherever he and Ron went, they would be the only focus.
"Ron! Do you want to dance with me?" Just as Harry pulled Ron to sit down, Fred's cheeky smiling face appeared before them. "Oh, I forgot you're Harry's dance partner tonight. I'm really sorry. I'm sure Mom will be happy for you when she finds out. Er, wishing you true love? Hahaha."
On Su Yu's side, he had already taken the hand of a second girl and walked onto the dance floor.
Su Yu raised his hand in a graceful gesture, his posture composed and appropriate. Cassandra raised her hand to rest on his shoulder, her other hand lightly falling into his palm.
The two stepped out to the rhythm, their dance moves perfectly in sync. The hems of their clothes swayed gently with their turns, their steps neither fast nor slow, with just the right balance in their advances and retreats.
When their eyes met, Cassandra's eyes held a hint of casual liveliness, and a faint smile played on her lips. Her movements were agile and playful, occasionally changing steps on purpose to test him, but Su Yu always kept up with ease, a faint smile also blooming at the corners of his lips.
The surrounding noise seemed shut out; only their clasped hands, synchronized steps, and the music lingering in their ears remained. With each circle of dance steps, their dancing figures intertwined in the light and shadow.
While Su Yu was dancing, Hermione, Ginny, and the others were not idle either, dancing in pairs on the floor. And Neville's performance tonight truly dropped a lot of people's jaws.
He danced with Parvati to a brisk rhythm, his steps light and sharp, occasionally crossing over, occasionally spinning side by side, his hair swaying gently with the movements.
Seamus and Dean looked at Neville in surprise, not even noticing when their own partners stepped on their shoes.
"Am I seeing things? Is that really Neville? It's not someone who drank Polyjuice Potion in disguise, is it?"
For Neville to reach this level today, he really owed Professor Snape a few kowtows. Professor Snape not only had to teach him Potion-making but also had to secretly teach him how to dance elegantly. This even led to Professor Snape, who was watching them dance tonight, feeling his own feet ache...
Of course, Professor Snape would never have taught him to dance initially. When he heard the request, he almost slammed the cauldron lid in front of him onto Neville's head. But he couldn't stand Neville's desperate pleading, and in a moment of softness, he inexplicably started teaching him. He still found it incredible now, constantly muttering that Neville must have dosed him with a love Potion at the time.
Not far away, young Master Malfoy had to deal with Pansy while constantly comforting Astoria, whose little mouth was pouting high. He was accompanying two girls, constantly weaving back and forth in the center of the dance floor.
Blaise and Callis danced quite freely; in the end, Blaise even lifted Callis up to spin her around, causing a whole bunch of people to flee to the side, while the two of them giggled wildly on the dance floor.
On the side of the dance floor, Olivia and her Theodore danced as if they were strolling elegantly. Theodore took advantage of the gap when the music ended to kneel on one knee and put a ring on Olivia, sparking envious cheers from a group of girls nearby.
In the noisy party, Su Yu always felt something was missing. As the saying goes, a quiet child is bound to be up to mischief. He hurriedly turned to look around. For a long time, he hadn't heard a peep from Kurama. Oh no, this little one must be causing trouble somewhere!
At this moment, Kurama was waddling unsteadily, clearly looking like she had drunk too much. She had just run over to Hagrid's side to eat fruit. You heard that right; the just-fed Kurama saw Hagrid holding a watermelon and gnawing on it, licked her lips, and felt she could eat a little more.
So, taking advantage of the gap while Su Yu and the others went to dance, she secretly snuck up to Hagrid. In the entire Hogwarts School, there was no one who didn't like this little one, so Hagrid directly took another watermelon from his side, broke it in half, and handed it to the little one.
This watermelon was something else. Fruit was scarce in winter, and this was from a greenhouse, exceptionally precious. Kurama watched Hagrid eating in big mouthfuls and also dove headfirst into it, starting to gnaw. It was just one word: refreshing!!
Kurama shivered with excitement, feeling so refreshed. Her nine tails swayed wildly behind her, causing Hagrid to laugh out loud.
"Eat slowly, little one. If Su Yu sees you like this in a while, he'll scold you again."
Professor Graves, who was sitting nearby elegantly sipping whiskey, really couldn't bear to watch anymore. He took out the handkerchief he carried, wiped Kurama's mouth, and since Su Yu was considered his half-disciple, as an elder, Kurama didn't dare to bare her teeth at Professor Graves.
(A bit of an aside: I suddenly have an idea. In the fifth part, I won't write about the Order of the Phoenix. How about I write about Grindelwald taking Su Yu and all the Slytherins to the East as exchange students? Like the Tang Sect, Miao Territory, Wudang Mountain, Esoteric Buddhism, and also introducing the four major families on Su Yu's side. Of course, the Miao Territory one would be a fusion of corpse driving and gu poison. Spending a month or two in each place, the collision of various Eastern cultivation methods and Western magic. Young Master Malfoy's wonderful Eastern experience? Goyle and Crabbe eating like crazy? Introducing some ghost settings to make the story fuller. Blaise accidentally enters a withered locust tree village and is forced to marry a ghost bride, then Callis learns about Blaise's childhood memories—how do these kinds of little stories sound? Of course, if you don't like this, you can suggest it. I'll just change the outline. Anyway, since not many people are reading, I'll write as I please, or follow what you say. After all, it's easier to discuss with fewer people.
No need to consider the Ministry of Magic. After all, my idea is that capturing the Ministry of Magic is a very simple thing, but as the old saying goes, you have to have a justifiable reason to do anything, especially big things like this. It's easy to beat them up, but if you want to occupy them, you need a suitable excuse. A Ministry of Magic that digs its own grave, then packaging Su Yu and the others as great heroes appearing, bright and shiny on the surface, dark and shady behind the scenes—doesn't that fit us? Then slowly unify the British Ministry of Magic, and then force other Ministries of magic—isn't that more justifiable? After all, ordinary Wizards are people too. We don't need to learn from Lord Voldemort and Grindelwald. Knowing the plot, there's no need to rush to stomp them to death. After all, they'll die sooner or later. Killing them now, wouldn't I be the same as Lord Voldemort? Anyway, they can't run. And it just so happens to disgust Dumbledore. This is also the reason why I didn't write about dealing with Dumbledore at the beginning. You can't beat him up even if you want to, but there are plenty of ways to disgust him. Why must it be fighting and killing? I'm not writing a hot-blooded novel. Good people are the ones who get manipulated, and they are also the easiest to manipulate. This fits the Slytherin code. Which Slytherin would fight to the bitter end when they can't win? I don't know what the commenters are thinking. Do they really think Su Yu is a Gryffindor? Like today, it's either him or me? Even if I can't win, I have to fight? What is meant by "interests are supreme"? What is meant by "despicable and shameless"? Su Yu is a standard Slytherin. Can't help it, can't say. You see, did Su Yu ever hold back against anyone he could beat?
Lastly, one more point: at the end of the fourth part, which is this part, I will raise the villain's combat power again, give an unexpected enhancement method, and then have a mid-term grand melee. This battle will be the largest, most crowded, and most intense scene in these few parts. All top combat powers will go all out, no more slacking off. Of course, the East and other places won't be able to come, right? Hahaha.)
Chapter 176: The Ball (Part 5)
Just as Professor Graves was wiping Kurama's mouth, Kurama noticed the whiskey he was drinking.
"Is that drink of yours good?"
Kurama's little paw patted Professor Graves's glass, seeming rather curious. He wasn't angry; he simply took another glass, poured a drink for Kurama, and pushed it in front of her.
"But Su Yu doesn't let me drink alcohol. I'll just have a taste, definitely not too much!"
Saying so, Kurama stuck out her pink little tongue and took a tiny lick, smacking her lips. Well, she couldn't quite make out the flavor, so she took another sip to taste it...
Just like that, after half a glass of alcohol went down her throat, she became a bit lightheaded.
"With this level of tolerance, they really are a family."
Professor Graves sneered. Seeing that Kurama in front of him could barely stand on her feet, he decided to look for Isolde to have her take the little thing back.
While Professor Graves was looking for her, the dizzy Kurama wandered over to Headmaster Dumbledore. He had just finished a dance with Madame Maxime and had returned to his seat to rest. He was getting old, not like the old days. Back then, he could have danced with Grindelwald all night!
"Wow, long-bearded old man! I want to eat the grapes on your table, is that okay?"
Surprisingly, even though the little thing was drunk, she was still quite polite. Headmaster Dumbledore smiled as he picked up a bunch of grapes, placed them in front of Kurama, and even thoughtfully peeled them for her one by one.
Just like that, the two began to chat—or rather, Headmaster Dumbledore was listening to Kurama brag.
"You have no idea, Su Yu was still wetting the bed at eight years old!"
"Whenever it thundered, he'd be afraid of the dark and could only fall asleep by hugging two beautiful girls!"
"He only learned to speak at five, and at seven, he still couldn't run!"
"You wouldn't understand this, but my Su Yu even dares to eat shit!"
Fleur, who had come over to find Madame Maxime, took the opportunity to sit down as well. She eavesdropped on the conversation between Kurama and Headmaster Dumbledore, giggling behind her hand from time to time. This made Kurama think Fleur didn't believe her, so she began to gesture even more enthusiastically.
With a loud thud, a sharp rap was delivered to Kurama's head, instantly raising a large bump. Kurama clutched her head and wept bitterly. Fleur was startled by this sudden action, and then watched helplessly as Su Yu picked Kurama up by the scruff of her neck. Accompanied by Isolde, he walked back toward Slytherin, saying as he went, "You're the one who dares to eat shit! I don't have that kind of talent."
Unlike the bustling Great Hall, the rose garden outside was dead silent. Carriages used by students from other schools were parked all over the place, their cabins occasionally swaying to reveal the excitement and passion within.
The bored Harry and Ron came out for some fresh air. Because of Ron's bet with Su Yu, he couldn't back out and return to the common room yet. So, taking advantage of the fact that Su Yu was extremely busy right now, he followed Harry out for a stroll.
"Is dancing really that fun? Why can't I feel it? Look at Su Yu, Malfoy, and the others. They're so exhausted, yet they still have such genuine smiles on their faces?"
Harry was rather puzzled. As a straight guy, he felt that dancing was far inferior to playing a match of Quidditch. That was what a real man should do, rather than dancing with girls.
"Harry, are you mocking me? Personally, I only find it boring to dance with you. If it were Fleur, I think it would be great..."
At the thought of Fleur dancing with him, graceful as a startled swan and elegant as a soaring dragon, Ron couldn't help but chuckle foolishly.
"Come on, Ron. Whenever I think of you dancing with Fleur in a white wedding dress, I feel physically ill..."
"I'll say it again, this is a gown! Not a wedding dress! This is all Su Yu's fault. Merlin's beard! He is a demon."
The two continued forward, bantering, when Harry suddenly covered Ron's mouth and pulled him behind a nearby stone pillar.
"What's wrong, Harry? Did you see a Dementor?" Startled by the sudden move, Ron asked Harry in a low voice, not even daring to poke his head out to look.
"Quiet, Ron. I see Professor Snape." Harry turned back to make a shushing gesture at Ron, then poked his head out to look again.
"Karkaroff, I really do not understand why you are always making such a fuss, just like before."
"Severus! Don't tell me you haven't noticed the recent anomalies? How long are you going to keep pretending?" Karkaroff seemed terrified, his whispered voice rising slightly, but he quickly covered his mouth in fear. "Especially in recent months, it... it is really coming, isn't it? It's so obvious, I cannot deny it..."
"Then run away quickly," Professor Snape said with some disdain, looking at the cowardly man. "Run as far as you can. Don't worry, I will explain for you. You don't have to worry about me running too; I don't think I will ever leave Hogwarts School."
With that, Professor Snape suddenly ran forward, but because it was still snowy outside, his feet slipped slightly, and he nearly fell.
"Lumos!"
With a snap, the window of a swaying carriage was blasted open, illuminating the cabin at the same time. Professor Snape pulled open the door and ordered the two inside to get dressed and get out immediately!
"Look at yourselves, what on earth do you think you are doing!" Professor Snape said with a fake smile. Usually, this was when he was angriest. "Ten points from Ravenclaw, Fawcett!"
A girl hurriedly put on her clothes and fled. As they spoke, another boy inside also quickly dressed and chased after her.
"Hmph, ten points from Hufflepuff as well, Stebbins!"
Professor Snape glanced at the pillar where Harry and Ron were hiding. "What are you two doing here again? Don't disgust me, will you, Potter?"
"We are just taking a walk!" Ron said, showing a rare moment of backbone. "What's wrong? Is taking a walk against the law now?"
"Heh, taking a walk in a wedding dress? You two certainly have a romantic touch. Carry on then, but don't let me catch you!"
Professor Snape looked rather huffy as he strode away, his black robes billowing in the wind. Slytherin students were indeed much easier to manage; Su Yu and his friends would never go on such sneaky dates!
In fact, Hogwarts School never forbade puppy love among students. What the Professors forbade was crossing the line—such as public displays of affection, making out, or even more excessive things. Of course, he couldn't control Su Yu, so he simply turned a blind eye. After all, might makes right.
Chapter 177: The Ball (End)
Karkaroff left with Professor Snape, and Harry and Ron continued their slow stroll.
"What do you think those two were talking about? Karkaroff was actually terrified to that extent..."
Ron couldn't help but speak up first, but just then, they happened to walk past another couple. Harry saw the two hiding in a corner, secretly kissing.
"Get lost!" the boy spotted them and immediately cursed.
"Oh, alright," Harry turned and left, then shouted, "Professor Snape!" The couple, who were kissing, were so startled that their heads collided instantly. Ignoring the pain, they fled immediately.
"How did you learn to be as bad as Su Yu now..."
"Oh Ron, thank you for the compliment."
Su Yu accompanied the girls dancing until midnight. Only when the Weird Sisters stopped playing did he rub his aging waist. Today had been truly exhausting. Besides Farley and Cassandra, there were also Hermione, Ginny, Daphne, and even Isolde, who had danced with him for a long time. He hadn't even had a moment to rest, dancing straight until now. Was this truly a gentle burden? Or the retribution a scumbag deserved?
Kurama had long since fallen asleep in Olivia's arms nearby. She and Theodore had gotten tired from dancing earlier. Seeing Daphne and the others still dancing enthusiastically, they had taken on the task of looking after Kurama while she slept. After all, she was a bit drunk, and to prevent her from thrashing about in her sleep and falling, it was better for her to stay in someone's arms. Olivia gently patted Kurama in her arms, who would kick her legs from time to time, as if someone were chasing her.
The large bump on her head had already been reduced by Daphne's healing magic. However, the culprit, Professor Graves, had been scolded by Isolde. Professor Graves felt aggrieved too; who could have known that the pet would be just like its owner? She had gotten like this after just half a cup.
He was truly getting old if even a little girl could lecture him, and yet he could do nothing about it. Irritated, he went off alone to find Headmaster Dumbledore for a drink. Of course, whether that was just an excuse, no one knew.
When Su Yu led the girls out of the Great Hall, he happened to see Harry and Ron looking relieved. For the two of them, tonight's Christmas ball wasn't exactly a fond memory; in fact, looking back on it later, it might even be a bit terrifying. They had long wanted to go back to sleep. What an unforgettable day...
Neville walked Parvati all the way to the entrance of the girls' dormitory in the common room, where they bid each other a reluctant farewell. It seemed they had gotten along quite well tonight.
Over at the Slytherin Common Room, the second party had just begun. Everyone gathered together, with blasting music and unlimited beer and red wine. Malfoy and the others were like they had taken ecstasy, partying non-stop. Even Hermione and Ginny didn't return to the Gryffindor common room, choosing to party with Su Yu and the others until dawn.
The next day, Kurama woke up early. Seeing Su Yu, Farley, and Cassandra sound asleep, she stretched and left the dormitory alone, heading to the Slytherin Common Room.
"What's going on? Why is there no one here? Am I still not awake?"
Kurama rubbed her eyes again. After realizing the Slytherin Common Room was indeed empty, she started to panic. They had all disappeared!
Kurama frantically burst into Daphne's dormitory and saw her lying on the bed with Hermione and Ginny. Only then did she breathe a sigh of relief. She jumped onto the bed, placed her paws under their noses, and after confirming they were still breathing, she returned to the common room.
"I'm so hungry... Is anyone there... I'm going to starve to death..."
Having played alone in the common room for the whole morning, Kurama lay on the sofa, shouting in hunger. For the entire morning, not a single person had woken up. If she didn't know they were fine, she would have thought the entire Slytherin house had been wiped out.
What could she do when stuck with an unreliable owner? She had no choice but to go to the Great Hall alone and snuggle up to Cho Chang to mooch some food.
"Are they still not awake?" Cho Chang asked, ordering Kurama's favorite cheesecake for her.
"Don't mention it, they're dead to the world, and they almost starved me to death..."
Cho Chang's mouth twitched. To think Kurama had been angered to this extent. She hurriedly smoothed her fur and, together with Olivia, kept comforting the poor little thing.
After eating and drinking her fill, Kurama followed Cho Chang and the others to the Ravenclaw common room. She didn't want to go back to Slytherin; let them sleep until they died, hmph!
By the time Su Yu woke up, it was almost dark. He rubbed his still-swollen eyes and nudged Cassandra and Farley, who were still fast asleep after drinking until morning. The few of them then slowly got up and washed up.
When Su Yu and the others arrived at the common room, Daphne and the others had also just woken up not long ago and were elegantly drinking coffee and reading books.
"I'm never staying up this late again. My dark circles haven't disappeared yet. Sigh, I don't know how I'll be able to fall asleep tonight..."
Hermione and Ginny complained about their dark circles. Having not returned to the Gryffindor common room for the night, the two had long grown accustomed to sleeping in the Slytherin Common Room. After all, nothing was more important than Su Yu. Who would dare gossip? Even Headmaster Dumbledore hadn't said anything, so who else would dare wag their tongues? Did they really think that group of lunatics in Slytherin wouldn't dare eat people?
"Have you heard? Professor Snape caught so many sneaky couples last night! When I went to the entrance of the Great Hall this afternoon, I found that Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff had almost lost all their points!"
Malfoy walked into the common room mysteriously and came to their side to share what he had just seen outside.
"Wait, you woke up this early? Aren't you tired?"
Su Yu yawned as he walked over and sat down next to Ginny, casually picking up her milk and taking a sip, which made Ginny blush.
"It's all because of those two gluttons, Goyle and Crabbe. I only went to sleep at seven this morning. Just after two in the afternoon, they were already shouting that they were hungry, so I took them to eat, and that's when I saw it."
"Oh, then why didn't Gryffindor get points deducted?"
Pansy also came over, carrying a plate of cookies for Su Yu and the others to snack on first.
"Maybe they don't have the brains to date?"
Su Yu took a bite of a cookie. "It tastes pretty good, thanks, Pansy."
"Shouldn't your focus be on the gluttons? There are only two gluttons here, and one is missing..."
"Oh right, who is missing? Wait, where did my big Kurama go?"
A groggy Su Yu finally realized that his "precious son" was gone. A group of people immediately started searching frantically, turning the entire Slytherin Common Room upside down, but they couldn't find her.
Su Yu led the group to the Great Hall and asked several people, only to learn that Kurama had been seen going back to the dormitory with Cho Chang at noon. Only then did he feel relieved and sit in the Great Hall, waiting for dinner.
As long as she wasn't lost, that was fine. As for being with Cho Chang, she was perfectly safe, wasn't she? Why worry so much? Just let her go play.