0648 Happiness(LARGE-CHAPTER)

As the enchanting melody in the ice castle grew increasingly lively and bubbly, the young wizards and witches who had been shyly holding back could no longer resist the allure of the captivating music and poured onto the dance floor. These young children full of budding emotions and excitement eagerly sought out their dance partners with their hands clasped and eyes locked as they began to sway and spin to the tempo.

The Hogwarts faculty also responded with great enthusiasm to the infectious festive atmosphere. Headmaster Dumbledore in robes of deep purple embroidered with golden stars, courteously invited Madame Maxime to join him in a waltz.

Meanwhile, the high-spirited Ludo Bagman approached Professor Minerva McGonagall, executing a dramatic bow and flourishing his hand in invitation. Professor Sprout and Professor Flitwick entered the stage together. Even the normally gloomy-faced Professor Moody received an invitation from Professor Aurora Sinistra.

Perhaps the most shocking sight of all was the scary librarian Madam Pince and Filch. They stood awkwardly at the edge of the dance floor. This was very amusing and somewhat unexpected, as both of them were known for their strict and grumpy demeanor. Their dance was also very awkward, with Filch constantly stepping on Madam Pince’s toes.

Percy watched Fred and Angelina’s exaggerated dance moves in the dance floor and was momentarily dazed. His expression turned slightly melancholic, as if remembering someone, but soon, a sixth-year girl appeared before Percy. With a look of admiration, she extended an invitation to him, and the two also headed towards the stage.

As the energy and delight swelled to fill every corner of the ice castle, only two lone figures remained apart from it all. At the head table Snape and Karkaroff sat rigidly next to each other. Their expressions were strangely identical – stony, cold, and still like the frozen landscape beyond the glittering windows.

Amidst the jubilant laughter and blissful smiles surrounding them, Snape and Karkaroff alone seemed to exude an aura of disgust with distaste etched into every line of their sallow faces.

Unable to ignore the growing sense of foreboding any longer, Karkaroff leaned in towards him, his lips barely moved as his voice hissed out in a harsh whisper, “We need to talk, Severus–“

His pale gaze darted to Bryan Watson who was currently casting a shower of enchanted snowflakes from the tip of his wand high above. As the translucent snowflakes were drifting down from the ceiling, Karkaroff’s eyes narrowed before snapping back to Snape.

“There is nothing to discuss, Igor,” Snape said impatiently. “If you are feeling… scared…” His words trailed off as Karkaroff’s fingers clamped around his forearm in a strong grip, just above where they both knew an infamous tattoo hid.

Without another word, Karkaroff pulled the protesting Snape to his feet, and together they slipped out from behind the ice sculptures surrounding the hall. Behind a frozen trunk carved to resemble a weeping willow, they stealthily ducked down and were out of the ice castle.

Bryan noticed this scene but was too lazy to pay attention. In recent days, Karkaroff had been trying to talk to Snape in private about the frequent abnormal movements of the tattoo on his arm. Snape had truthfully reported all of this to Dumbledore, who then informed Bryan.

Karkaroff was probably planning to flee immediately if the situation deteriorated. But neither Dumbledore nor Bryan particularly cared whether this guy lived or died. However, the proper placement of those young wizards from Durmstrang required careful consideration.

Speaking of which, Professor Snape had only been reporting this information to Dumbledore and had always been reluctant to mention much to Bryan. It wasn’t a matter of trust, but rather that Snape never wanted to get Bryan involved in dealing with Voldemort.

He seemed to still hold the fantasy that once Voldemort returned to the wizarding world, he could distance himself from Hogwarts. With his strength, as long as he maintained a low profile, he should be able to protect his own safety. Bryan could only shake his head and smile wryly at this idea.

This was a life-and-death struggle. How could there be a possibility of staying out of it? From the moment Bryan decided to return to Hogwarts after graduation, he had already made up his mind.

Two rows of long tables appeared on either side of the magnificent ice castle hall. Bryan waved his wand, and various exquisite and tempting desserts and butterbeer immediately appeared on the tables.

“Mr. Watson, sir?” The quivering voice drew his eyes downward. Gabrielle Delacour, younger sister of Fleur, gazed up at Bryan with hope and nervousness appearing in her blue eyes. He crouched down to her level with an encouraging smile and a “how may I assist you, Miss Delacour?”.

She ducked her head shyly, before raising a finger to point at a snow-white reindeer standing beneath an ice-wrought elm tree some twenty steps away. Her voice was full of expectation, “Can I ride it, Professor?”

“Oh, of course, no problem–” Bryan said with a smile. He gestured to the reindeer, which then obediently trotted over. After gently nuzzling Gabrielle’s cheek, it half-knelt beside her.

With Bryan’s help, the little girl climbed onto the reindeer’s back. Then, with a whoosh, the reindeer suddenly dashed out, carrying Gabrielle as it slid around the spacious hall. In an instant, the girl’s clear laughter echoed in every corner of the ice castle hall.

This scene aroused the interest of many idle young wizards. They each sought out the ice and snow impersonating animals that could be seen everywhere in the hall. Gryffindor’s George and Lee Jordan even ‘fought fiercely’ with each other to compete for the majestic lion.

The relaxed and joyful atmosphere permeated the ice castle hall. Even Bryan, infected by the atmosphere, unconsciously hummed along to the dance music played by the ice piano. He waved his wand again, and bundles of Filibuster fireworks flew out of the open bag in his hand and were neatly stacked on a section of the long table for the young wizards to take.

With all this done, Bryan breathed a small sigh of relief. Holding his beer, he walked back to his own seat at the head table with brisk steps.

A small number of students had already left the dance floor and come to the dinner table to enjoy the refreshments and beer. The fireworks he had just left out were also warmly welcomed, with some students scrambling for the Filibuster fireworks.

Bryan saw Harry dismally jump off the stage and walk towards Hermione, who was resting to the side. The two whispered a few words and quickly walked out of the castle together.

Bryan also felt many eager gazes falling on him. Perhaps seeing him busy with some preparations earlier, those senior girls hadn’t come to bother him. But now that he had taken a break, these girls began to get restless. After all, this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that wouldn’t come again if missed.

And just as they were giving themselves pep talks, someone else had already taken action first.

Fleur took a few breaths after leaving Cedric. Then, she saw Bryan sitting alone at the head table. Almost without hesitation, she jumped off the stage and ran up to him, slightly lifting her skirt.

“You said you wouldn’t mind dancing a couple dances with others at the ball, right?” Fleur raised her stunningly beautiful face and looked at Bryan.

Indeed, Bryan was a little surprised. He thought his nearly rude rejection last time would have deterred Fleur, but unexpectedly, this proud girl was more tenacious than he had imagined.

Bryan frowned slightly. His sharp gaze shone into Fleur’s blue eyes, peering into her heart, and what he felt was an almost unwavering determination. He had to admit that he was somewhat moved. This girl’s emotions were not so shallow. Her honesty and bravery regarding her own feelings shone even brighter than her beauty.

“Of course, Miss Delacour–” After a brief silence, Bryan slowly stood up and said in a gentle tone, “I can find no reason to refuse a dance with you that symbolizes friendship.”

Bryan’s clearly pointed words did not make Fleur feel the slightest anger. Hearing Bryan agree, a genuinely happy smile finally appeared on her radiant face. She took Bryan’s hand and led him onto the stage.

Bryan held Fleur’s waist, while Fleur’s fair, delicate hands rested on Bryan’s shoulders. The two were not influenced by the lively tune and danced leisurely.

Fleur raised her face, gazing adoringly at the man dancing with her. Her voice was slightly hoarse, “I like this castle you conjured. It’s beautiful–“

“Perhaps you didn’t notice, Miss Delacour–” Bryan smiled, “Headmaster Dumbledore and the Hogwarts faculty also contributed quite a bit. It wasn’t completed by me alone.”

“But the idea came from you, didn’t it?”

“Oh– If you’re determined to credit everything to me–” Bryan pursed his lips, “As long as you’re happy.”

Fleur laughed lightly, but her smile stirred her sadness. Her somber eyes lowered, falling on Bryan’s chest, “After the ball ends, will this castle still remain here?”

Bryan’s eyelids fluttered. For a moment, he was speechless.

At the faculty table, Professor Moody, who was sitting and resting, watched Bryan Watson and Fleur Delacour in the dance floor. The hand holding his flask froze in midair, motionless. The blue magical eye in his eye socket also seemed frozen, as if petrified. Only his normal eye, deep in his gaze, was filled with a sense of loneliness.

As the final notes of the song faded away, Fleur reluctantly loosened her fingers from Bryan’s grasp.

“I hope my clumsy attempts at dancing did not cause you any embarrassment, Miss Delacour,” Bryan said politely, as he took a respectful step back without showing any emotion.

However, Fleur did not react to Bryan’s gentlemanly attempt to maintain a proper distance. Her persistent, affectionate gaze remained locked on Bryan’s eyes.

“I plan to come to England to work after graduation. Do you have any good suggestions?” Fleur asked.

Bryan stared deeply at Fleur, his brows unconsciously furrowing. “Although it is not my place to interfere with your personal choices, Miss Delacour, I hope you can consider it carefully and act cautiously. After all, this concerns your future life path,” Bryan said solemnly, giving heartfelt advice.

He made this suggestion not only because he did not want to see Fleur act impulsively, but also because it was foreseeable that the situation in Magical Great Britain would take a sharp turn for the worse in the future. If Fleur insisted on getting too close to him, it would be difficult to avoid retaliation from the fanatical Death Eaters.

In the early stages of the war, assassination and bloody revolts would be the main themes. Due to their position, he and Dumbledore’s side would instead be hesitant to act too extremely in some matters.

This was not because Bryan lacked sufficient awareness of the cruelty of war, nor would Dumbledore’s restraint be the main factor. It was just that they themselves could not take the initiative. He was well aware of how many of these children’s parents in Slytherin House had followed Voldemort.

However, judging from the determined look in Fleur’s eyes, Bryan knew that his persuasion probably had not had much effect.

Fleur’s bold invitation to Professor Watson to dance together did not go unnoticed by the young witches, who were still unable to distinguish between admiration and adoration. They would not miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. As soon as the two finished their dance, they swarmed around Bryan, their eyes full of hope as they invited him to dance.

In this environment, Bryan saw no need to dampen the students’ enthusiasm. Hiding his worries, he nodded with a smile.

And for the next half hour, he was unable to leave the dance floor at all.

Outside the ice palace, the darkened sky erupted in a dazzling display of enchanted fireworks. Fred and George, along with their mischief-loving good friend Lee Jordan, had smuggled an enormous hoard of explosives and embedded them deep within the frozen walls. With a mischievous glint in their eyes and a flick of their wands, the terrible trio sent the rockets screaming into the skies where they exploded into incomparably brilliant sparks.

The crystal-clear walls of the ice castle caught the shining light of the fireworks and splitted it into a thousand dazzling rainbows. The beams refracted through the translucent structures, transformed the palace into a multi-colored wonderland of mesmerizing patterns beneath the sky.

Even the villagers of Hogsmeade were drawn from their homes by the commotion, their eyes widened in awe as they caught sight of the unbelievable lightshow unfolding on the horizon. They huddled together against the chill in wonder, as snowflakes swirled around them like glittering diamonds upon the wind.

The symphony of music, laughter, and delighted screams rang out through the grounds of Hogwarts, like a final song of celebration before the impending storm.

It was a magical night of carefree festivities, perhaps the last of its kind before the long winter of war tightened its grip upon their world.

When an exhausted Bryan finally managed to disentangle himself from the endless queue of panting, flushed-faced witches, he nearly sprinted back to the staff table, desperate for a moment of relief. His fellow professors greeted him with knowing smiles and good-natured teasing.

“My goodness, Bryan, you’ve certainly become quite the heartthrob among the students!” Professor Sprout chuckled; her cheeks were rosy with laughter as she adjusted her freshly-cleaned pointed hat. “I daresay the difference from your own school days is absolutely earth-shattering!”

“Indeed, we’re all well aware that Bryan has never been one to put himself forward,” Professor McGonagall added, her stern face was softening with a smile.

“Ah, but I would wager that Albus saw our young colleague’s hidden depths long before the rest of us caught on,” Professor Flitwick squeaked, scrambling on top of the table to flash Dumbledore a grin.

“Oh, I must confess that Severus was the first to recognize Bryan’s uniqueness,” Dumbledore said with a hearty chuckle, his blue eyes were sparkling behind his half-moon spectacles as he rose to his feet. “I had no clue at the time that I was welcoming such a strong competitor.”

His playful remarks elicited a chorus of warm laughter from the professors, and even Bryan couldn’t help but shake his head with an amused smile.

It was moments like these that reminded him why Hogwarts held such a cherished place in his heart. The teachers who dedicated their lives to molding young minds were bound by a shared sense of purpose, their relationships were untainted by the petty jealousies and ruthless ambitions that poisoned the Ministry of Magic. Had a newcomer of Bryan’s talent and ability been affirmed as a potential successor there, he would have surely faced a turmoil of backstabbing and ruthless opposition at every turn.

“Simply marvelous,” Dumbledore sighed cheerfully, circling the table to clink his glass against Bryan’s. His eyes crinkled with happiness as he looked at the carefree students below – some thrashing with abandon to the irresistible rhythms pulsing through the air; others stuffing their faces at the overflowing banquet tables; some giving chase to the ice sculptures that frolicked between the frozen trees; and of course, the strongest ones in the frigid winds shrieking with laughter as they ignited yet another volley of fireworks in the courtyard.

Watching those precious children – his children – lost in the innocent magic of the evening, Dumbledore felt his eyes grow moist. He slowly removed his spectacles, and tenderly wiped his moist eyes.

“Who can say it isn’t?” Bryan said, taking a sip of wine and echoed with a faint smile.

“This beautiful moment belongs to everyone, Bryan. We shouldn’t leave anyone behind,”

Dumbledore said out of the blue, causing Bryan to furrow his brow. He turned to look at Dumbledore, only to see him slightly restrain his smile and glance meaningfully at the end of the staff dining table, where Professor Moody sat alone, quietly watching the playing children.

“I don’t quite understand,” Bryan said, shaking his head slightly after withdrawing his gaze and falling silent for a moment. “She’s our enemy, isn’t she?”

“Oh, about that,” Dumbledore said with a cheerful smile, “it wasn’t me who signed the advance salary application for Professor Moody, Bryan, and it wasn’t me who gave out the candy either.”

The corners of Bryan’s mouth twitched, his face was darkening, and his mood also turned a bit bad.

“On the night of the Quidditch final, she once saved Sirius,” Dumbledore said gently. “And look at those children living in the Forbidden Forest, Bryan. I don’t think Miss Cliodna is the kind of evil dark wizard people think she is.”

“No one’s life is smooth sailing, Headmaster. Everyone has unspeakable secrets,” Bryan said, unmoved. “With your life wisdom, I’m sure you’re aware that sometimes, good and evil don’t matter; it’s the stance that matters.”

“Oh, ho ho, perhaps you overestimate my wisdom, Bryan. I naively believe that good and evil should always matter more than stance,”

Dumbledore said softly.

“If my considerations still seem unclear to you, Consider the courageous sacrifice of Sirius’s brother, Regulus Arcturus Black, though he once worshipped Tom with the blind passion of youth, Regulus never fully abandoned the spark of goodness that burned within his heart. In the end, he willingly gave his life to defy the monster he had once called ‘Master’.

And let us not forget Severus, He too was seduced by Tom’s remarks in his youth, but he eventually returned to our side. I am quite certain that it was not only his enduring love for Lily Potter that guided Severus back to us, but also the fundamental decency that has always dwelled deep within his soul because love always comes from goodness.”

Looking at Bryan, who had lowered his head and was pretending to admire the crimson wine in the glass, Dumbledore’s expression was solemn. “I’m not shirking responsibility, Bryan, but in this matter, you are more suitable than I am to reach out to Miss Cliodna. I think, like Severus back then, Miss Cliodna’s heart must now be filled with confusion and pain. Perhaps you can guide her in the right direction.

Even according to your thinking, Bryan, if you can change her stance, wouldn’t that be a remarkable victory for us?”

Bryan sighed and set the goblet down on the table with a thud.

Professor Moody was still clutching his bottle, perhaps too engrossed in watching the great hall brimming with laughter and happiness. His vigilance and the blue magical eye in his socket had no effect until Bryan’s shadow crept across his scarred face. He then came to his senses and hurriedly stood up, leaning on his cane.

“Oh, do you have any advice, Professor Watson?” Moody said gruffly, gripping his flask tightly. He looked a bit nervous.

“Oh, I’m here to invite you to dance, Professor Moody,” Bryan said with a faint smile, but seeing the look of astonishment on that scarred face, he couldn’t help but laugh out loud. “Just kidding, Professor Moody. I’m going to patrol outside. Um… would you like to go for a walk with me?”

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