In the common room, Sniff Valen enjoyed special treatment.

After sending off wave after wave of people who came to watch the fun, Harry and his friends sat in their old seats in the corner. Ron and Hermione were too embarrassed to talk because Valen saw their embarrassing side. Harry thought that it would be easier to talk to Valen.

"Would you like some candy?" he asked.

Valen shook his head and took out a box of crackling exploding cards from his pocket, looking at them with his bright black eyes. Does that mean, is there anyone who wants to play cards?

Hermione, who had been silent, laughed, "Valen, you also learned this?"

Ron also blinked and whispered in a secretive tone, "I'll teach you a new way to play, my exclusive invention... It's not the traditional way to play, nor the Bavarian way to play, just watch!"

He opened the box and quickly built the foundation of a castle with exploding cards, "Next is the second floor, keep stacking up, and make sure your hands are steady at this time... Oh..." Ron's face was long, because the second floor of the castle had begun to flash with sparks.

Valen jumped up from the table nimbly and jumped into Hermione's arms, looking back at the two-story simple castle.

"Bang!"

Ron's card castle exploded, and a ball of fire and black smoke rose from the table. Valen watched it all with great interest.

Harry and Hermione wanted to laugh but didn't dare to. Ron wiped his dirty face with his sleeve and said with a smile: "It's actually quite exciting, isn't it? I recommend you and the professor play together, each of you build a card, and someone will definitely get caught in the end. Believe me, I'm on your side!" He said to Valen with confidence.

"Oh, right." Hermione said suddenly, she raised the Niffler and let its eyes face her, "Valen, do you know that hourglass, is it the one you exchanged for Harry?" She gave Harry a look.

Harry understood, and took out a gray hourglass from his pocket and held it in front of it, "This is it. I heard Hermione say, uh, she actually only heard Professor Happ mention it once, that you robbed the gems of the goblins of Gringotts in the middle of the night, and then the professor ordered you to return them..."

The Niffler stared at the hourglass for a long time, and it didn't have any impression. This kind of thing didn't have much attraction to it. What happened at that time?

Harry, Ron and Hermione looked at the Niffler and gestured, and guessed and almost understood the whole thing.

"So, you returned all the gems, but I don't know how, the hourglass was left... Later, when you counted the treasures, you didn't take it seriously." Hermione concluded. The

Niffler nodded and continued to gesture.

"You have too many treasures... You didn't pay attention to this hourglass." Hermione said with some difficulty, and Valen nodded vigorously. Yes, that's it. Ron on the side widened his eyes and stared at the Niffler's pocket, "How many things have you hidden? Can I see-"

Valen immediately turned his head away.

"——Okay, I understand what you mean." Ron said.

At this time, Ginny came over and sat next to Hermione, "Hey, little Valen, it's you..." Hermione was combing its hair, and Ginny teased Sniff and asked in a casual tone: "Have you thought about it, will you take the initiative to invite a dance partner, or wait for others to invite you? You won't be the only one left at the end."

Harry and Ron on the side widened their eyes, they were worried about this matter. In the Transfiguration class yesterday, Friday, they finished the class assignment in advance - turning guinea fowl into guinea pigs, so they decided to play a duel game. Harry and Ron held two fake wands, Ron held a tin-plated parrot, and Harry held a rubber haddock. The two of them competed with swords in the back row of the classroom.

Hermione looked at them with an annoyed look. She was sorting out her Transfiguration notes. "Gentlemen, can't you do something appropriate for your age?"

"You see, we are practicing swordsmanship, imitating the first head of house, Godric Gryffindor." Ron defended his childish behavior, and took advantage of Harry's inattention to attack.

"Really, then do you know Gryffindor's favorite spell?" Hermione asked lightly.

Harry and Ron stopped and looked at each other.

"Sharp Blade, this spell can add magic to weapons, making the sharpness and toughness of weapons greatly improved, just like the effect of solidifying the Cutting Charm, of course, it is more outstanding. When Gryffindor holds the goblin sword, it can easily cut the skin of a dragon." Hermione explained while completing the last part of the notes.

At this time, Professor McGonagall came over and looked at the tinned parrot that Ron was holding - Harry's rubber haddock head was broken off during the fight. She pursed her lips and said nothing. Then

, she turned and walked to the podium to announce the news of the Christmas ball to everyone.

"The dance is open only to students above the fourth grade. If you plan to, um...let your hair down and relax yourself," Professor McGonagall paused and said disapprovingly, "you must find a partner for yourself...Of course, you can invite students from lower grades..."

Lavender Brown gave a shrill giggle, but she was not alone. Parvati Patil poked her hard, and they both turned to look at Harry. In fact, more than half of the girls in the class were looking at Harry at this time. Harry had never felt such a fiery gaze.

After the class, Professor McGonagall kept Harry, Hermione and Ron and told them a shocking news.

"You should know." McGonagall said dryly.

Harry looked at Hermione in confusion and nodded as a matter of course. He looked at Ron again. Ron was also confused. Harry thought that Professor McGonagall kept them for his headless rubber haddock, but now it seems that his understanding was wrong.

"Potter, the warriors have their own partners-" Professor McGonagall said.

"Companion-what!" Harry took a breath and interrupted her.

"Partner, dance partner, whatever you want to understand," said McGonagall. She noticed that Harry blushed and smiled in understanding. "Yes, according to tradition, the dance is opened by the warriors and their partners."

Harry was still stunned. He wanted to make a happy expression, because Professor McGonagall obviously thought that this was a privilege and honor for the warriors, but he just imagined the funny picture of himself wearing a top hat and a tuxedo, and he couldn't wait to throw this honor away.

Maybe Ron would like it, Harry thought, but he soon realized that Ron was also one of the warriors, and so was Hermione.

Coming out of the classroom, Harry and Ron were a little listless, which made them not notice Hermione who was also worried beside them. Professor McGonagall's last words were like a whip that hit their hearts and crackled in their hearts-"

As the most important representatives of the school, you must do what everyone expects. So, you must find yourself a dance partner."

As they walked towards the Great Hall, Ron said bitterly, "You're actually not that bad, Harry. You've always been popular. The girls can't wait for you to invite them. Maybe... someone will even invite you. It's much harder for me. Also, did you hear what Professor McGonagall said? Everyone must wear a dress robe... Damn it, I only have a dress embroidered by my grandmother..."

In fact, what Ron said made sense. Harry was indeed more popular than he thought. The next day - that is, this morning, when he and Ron were having breakfast in the Great Hall, a third-year curly-haired girl from Hufflepuff invited Harry to the Christmas dance, and he hadn't even spoken to her before.

The scene was a bit awkward. He was discussing dance partners with Ron, and they were both worried about it. Ron even pessimistically suggested using the Binding Curse to get one back. "Don't use the most powerful curse." Ron said with deep feeling.

Harry chuckled and stuffed pumpkin porridge into his mouth. At this time, the girl came over to invite him.

"Oh, uh, what did you say... Sorry, I haven't thought about it yet." Harry looked at her in surprise. Because it was too sudden, he refused without thinking.

The girl walked away with a hurt expression on her face.

After that, Hermione hurried downstairs and dragged them to the Ilvermorny residence. "We are looking for dance partners, Hermione!" Ron complained at the time, but Hermione dismissed his excuse on the grounds that there was still half a month before the Christmas ball. Harry and Ron both wanted to escape, so they followed Hermione - until they squatted in front of the Ilvermorny residence for two hours in extreme boredom.

If you ask him now, Harry can't say which is more terrible, challenging the dragon, inviting a dance partner, or squatting in the snow for two hours, but the terrible thing is that it is now evening, and he is ready to take a bath and go to bed after receiving the Niffler Warren. Ginny's question suddenly brought him back to reality.

...

When he lay in bed tossing and turning at night, Ginny's words to Hermione echoed in his mind: "Have you thought about it? Will you take the initiative to invite a dance partner, or wait for others to invite you? You won't be left alone in the end."

He originally had a name in his mind, but he knew it was just his own fantasy. But a secret thought told him, what if, what if Cedric didn't invite Qiu? That Collins is also very beautiful, isn't she?

But now, he is not so sure.