"Dances and Secrets"
N/A: This chapter is a more relaxed breather, dedicated entirely to the dance. While it's not overly long, I hope it manages to capture the essence of the event and that you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
...
When the dinner ended, Dumbledore rose gracefully, and the students followed, watching expectantly. With a flick of his wand, Dumbledore moved the tables, creating an empty space in the center of the Great Hall. On the farthest wall, a stage began to rise, revealing a set of instruments that gleamed softly under the warm light.
The witches from Macbeth ascended the stage, their figures cloaked in dark robes, and immediately, the room erupted into excited applause. Meanwhile, the lights in the corridors gradually dimmed, and a spotlight shone on the four champions and their respective partners.
The witches began to play a slow, melancholic melody, a tune that seemed to resonate with the very souls of those present. In the brightest corner of the hall, the four champions took each other's hands. With an elegant gesture, they placed their hands on their partners' waists and began to dance gently, each movement perfectly synchronized with the music.
Harry and Parvati, although beautiful in their dance, couldn't hide the tension in their movements, their nerves exposed. In contrast, the other couples seemed much calmer, surrendering to the softness of the moment.
"I'm sorry, professor, I'm still upset about my silly words," Fleur said, her voice tinged with regret as she slid into Einar's arms, who displayed impressive skill as they danced.
"Don't worry, I don't usually hold grudges over such small things," Einar responded with a serene smile, causing Fleur to sigh in relief.
"Changing the subject... you dance incredibly well, professor," Fleur commented, admiring Einar's grace as he moved.
"Thank you. I was forced to learn this way; after all, it would increase my chances of getting a wife," Einar responded with a playful grin, making Fleur laugh cheerfully.
Meanwhile, other students began to join the dance, followed by several professors and headmasters, creating a lively and energetic atmosphere.
As the music began to wind down, Fleur and Einar gently separated, maintaining the calm and elegance that had characterized them throughout the dance.
The band, never missing a beat, prepared to play another song.
"How about you dance with your student now, the one who can't stop giving me competitive looks?" Fleur suggested, pointing at Hermione, who had just finished her dance with Viktor Krum and was still staring at Einar with an intensity that didn't go unnoticed.
"Well, it's strange that my dance partner tells me that," Einar commented, slightly confused.
"I wouldn't mind sharing a dance partner... of course, just for the dance. At Beauxbatons, we're understanding in that regard," Fleur said, realizing too late the implication of her words. She quickly corrected herself, blushing slightly.
"In that case, I'll take your permission... but don't go too far. After all, I'm still your dance partner," Einar responded with a knowing smile.
With that tacit agreement, Fleur and Einar approached Viktor and Hermione, swapping partners momentarily to avoid making the situation look strange under the watchful eyes of others.
Harry, seeing this, was completely frozen. As he walked away from the dance floor, he realized that the champions could swap partners, meaning he could've danced with Cho Chang. However, having already left with Parvati, he couldn't just go back to change partners, leaving him in a deep melancholy.
"Th-thank you for dancing with me, professor," Hermione said, somewhat nervously, as she stepped on Einar's foot for the fifth time due to her nerves.
"Of course. But you should relax, even though your steps don't hurt me, it would be better if you enjoy the dance," Einar responded with a reassuring smile.
"Y-yes, of course," Hermione quickly said, taking a deep breath to calm herself, and the two began to dance gently to the rhythm of the music.
Although Einar couldn't help but feel a jealous gaze directed at him. Ron, standing at the edge of the dance floor, seemed to completely ignore his own dance partner, his eyes fixed with intensity on Hermione and Einar. However, Einar wasn't bothered in the slightest.
When the music ended, Einar complimented Hermione before returning to Fleur. But what started as a gentle exchange of dances between him and the girls quickly turned into a competition, each one showing superior skill, their eyes full of pride as they tried to prove who was the best dancer.
Viktor, from his corner, couldn't help but laugh as he watched Einar, the most powerful man he had ever met at Hogwarts, caught up in a dance-off with two women.
At one point, both decided to take a break, leaving Einar alone with Viktor.
Einar took the opportunity to talk to Viktor, noticing that many of Durmstrang's customs had similarities with his homeland. After all, Durmstrang was near Scandinavia, a region rich in Viking history, which explained why both magical and mundane cultures shared certain traits. Einar found the conversation fascinating, as it seemed that many traditions had remained alive, especially in the magical world.
Meanwhile, Karkaroff watched from a corner, his gaze fixed on Viktor and Einar. Despite his hidden hatred, he looked clearly worried, knowing that in his wildest dreams, he could never face someone as powerful as Einar.
As Einar and Viktor talked, several women approached them, trying to court them. Einar couldn't help but laugh at the situation.
"Alright, I'll go have fun. I don't want to be a fly in your soup," Viktor said with a smile, joining the group of girls surrounding him. Despite his complaints, Viktor enjoyed the attention. After all, he was a 17-year-old, rich, popular, and famous young man, and couldn't help but bask in the attention.
After a few seconds, Fleur approached with Hermione, who seemed visibly upset. Their competition had been interrupted, paused by an evident discomfort, caused by Ron's words, who, blinded by jealousy, had done nothing but irritate her, ruining her attempt to enjoy the night.
"How about we take a walk?" Fleur suggested gently, her gaze reflecting empathy toward Hermione, even though they were rivals in the competition. She understood Einar's message about fair competition, without resentment.
Hermione nodded, her face still marked by anger, though she forced a smile. "Alright," she said, with a grimace that couldn't hide her frustration.
Einar, with his usual calm, simply followed them, not too concerned about the situation. As they walked through the corridors and the inner courtyard, a disturbing scene caught their attention. Snape, with a furious expression, appeared to be catching some students, punishing them for doing prohibited things between the bushes. Karkaroff, the headmaster of Durmstrang, was with him, trying to speak to him, but both stopped when they saw Einar, freezing for a moment before quickly retreating.
The atmosphere began to soften as Fleur and Hermione talked, their words lightening the mood of the young witch. However, Einar frowned upon seeing Hagrid walking alongside Madame Maxime, a fixed gaze that left him with an uncomfortable feeling. It seemed as though someone, or something, was watching him intently. Stopping abruptly, he began scanning the surroundings, searching for the source of that sensation.
"What's going on?" Fleur asked, noticing his unease as she stopped alongside Hermione.
Einar, still on alert, replied quietly, "Nothing serious, just something strange. Let me take a look." His eyes swept the landscape until they landed on a branch of a nearby tree. "Life detection," he murmured, activating the spell.
A fleeting glow appeared in his vision, revealing the true nature of the being that was there. A beetle, with a vitality that indicated it was actually a human, or more specifically, an animagus. Although the insect was tiny, the shape it took felt familiar. This made Einar think that animagi could be very useful, although in his case, he preferred not to become a mere animal.
The beetle tried to fly, but Einar, with speed and skill, captured it in mid-air. "If I'm not mistaken, animagi are illegal, right?" he said calmly, not mentioning names, but making it clear that his suspicion could be serious.
"Is... is it an animagus?" Hermione asked, surprised as she watched the insect in Einar's hands. "Maybe we should notify the professors," she quickly added, recalling that she hadn't registered any animagus in the form of a beetle.
The beetle, feeling the pressure from Einar, tried to fight for escape, but it was clear it stood no chance. Any attempt to free itself would only mean its destruction.
"But... now we're on a walk," Fleur murmured, annoyed, watching the small creature trapped in Einar's hands.
"The thing is, we don't know if it's dangerous. There could be an infiltrator at Hogwarts," Hermione replied seriously, her mind already processing the implications of what they had just discovered.
Einar nodded. "Let's go, let's keep moving."
The trio quickly headed toward McGonagall, who, upon learning of the situation, became extremely serious. She quickly called Dumbledore. When he was informed of the news, Ludo Bagman was also summoned, and upon seeing the beetle in Einar's hands, his face showed a mix of surprise and confusion.
"Is what you're saying true? An animagus has infiltrated Hogwarts?" Ludo asked, staring at Einar, still in disbelief.
"Yes, you can take it now," Einar said with unsettling calm.
"Professor Einar, please place it on the ground," Dumbledore requested in a grave tone, his wand already ready in hand.
Einar simply released it onto the ground, showing no further emotion. Dumbledore, with a gentle flick of his wand, cast a spell that transformed the beetle into a human figure. In seconds, the figure materialized, taking the shape of a woman known to all: Rita Skeeter.
"Rita Skeeter," Ludo murmured, surprised, while the journalist's face twisted into a mixture of panic and disdain.
"I... I was cursed by a transfiguration spell..." she began to stammer, quickly searching for an excuse that, though well-prepared, didn't convince anyone.
"It will be necessary to send a letter to the Ministry," Percy immediately said, his tone grave, reflecting the seriousness of the matter.
"No, please, no," Rita begged, her voice trembling, but Percy showed no mercy.
"I'm sorry, Ms. Skeeter, but we must take the necessary precautions. After all, you were on the school grounds in your animagus form when you were denied permission to enter," McGonagall said, looking at the journalist with disapproval.
Einar, for his part, walked away, no longer paying attention to the situation. Rita no longer posed a danger to him, and he had no interest in wasting his time on someone so insignificant.
The dance ended at midnight, the music ceased, and the students began walking toward their rooms. However, Einar had to stay with the professors to investigate further into the incident and ensure that no other infiltrators were trying to gather information.
Hermione and Fleur, as they bid him farewell, seemed to be filled with renewed satisfaction, their faces radiating happiness despite the strange events of the night. Einar, for his part, continued with his task, knowing the night was still not over and that in Hogwarts, surprises were never in short supply.