Skeleton Dance Troupe
"Look! Something seems to be coming out over there!"
A commotion arose at the Hufflepuff table, directing the students toward the Teachers' Table.
The open space in front of the Teachers' Table turned into muddy ground, on which stood several tombstones. As the tombstones swayed and collapsed, several skeletons emerged from the ground.
These skeletons, adorned with Winky silver decorations on their necks and wrists, lined up and moved swiftly to the academy's long table.
Anthony, who was standing nearby, said, "This is the Skeleton Dance Troupe."
Wizet's gaze swept over the skeletons. "At least Levitation Charm was used, and probably also Transfiguration..."
The deep sound of a pipe organ filled the air, and the skeletons danced to the rhythm of the music.
Their movements are sometimes stiff and strange, and sometimes full of wild vitality, as if they are walking on the edge of life and death.
As the sound of the glockenspiel joined in, the skeletons moved even more frantically, throwing their bones into the air to form the emblems of the four colleges.
The bone emblem of the academy danced and swirled in mid-air, emitting various colors;
It could be azure and bronze, emerald green and silver, warm yellow and jet black, or bright red and gold...
These colors sometimes stand alone and sometimes blend together, like the clear and ethereal sound of a glockenspiel, creating a magical and mysterious feeling.
As the skeleton danced faster and faster, the entire Great Hall was enveloped in dazzling, mesmerizing colors.
Just as the colors were about to become blinding, the music stopped abruptly, the entire Great Hall returned to calm, and the skeleton stopped dancing and stood quietly on the stage.
As a puff of smoke appeared and dissipated, the patch of earth with the tombstone disappeared, and a dozen or so white-haired wizards took their place, appearing in the open space in front of the Teachers' Table.
These wizards were the real members of the Skeleton Dance Troupe; they all had smiles on their faces and waved to the students.
Thunderous applause erupted in the Great Hall, as everyone cheered for the spectacular performance.
Wizet was naturally one of them. The Skeleton Dance Troupe didn't use much magic, mainly a combination of Levitation Charm and Transfiguration.
The Levitation Charm controls the movement of the skeleton, while Transfiguration is used to create different performances...
The fact that two seemingly ordinary magic spells could produce such an extraordinary stage effect is undoubtedly a very difficult thing that requires a long period of practice.
Wizet took out her notebook and wrote down her thoughts, "Through extensive practice and precise application of magic, grasp every detail and movement..."
"Finally, it is presented through Levitation Charm and Transfiguration, which requires a high degree of focus and control... Trial and error are also important... Patience and perseverance are also required..."
At the Teachers' Table, Flitwick noticed Wizet taking notes, stroked his beard, and said, "Precise control... that's very important for spells."
Professor McGonagall's eyes revealed a hint of envy. "Yes... it's obvious that Wizet understands this, and he's a perfect fit for Ravenclaw!"
Lockhart had just finished shaking hands with the members of the Skeleton Dance Troupe when he returned to his seat and overheard Professor McGonagall's words.
He immediately flashed his signature bright smile and said, "Suitable for Ravenclaw? Are you talking about me?"
Filius Flitwick didn't say anything, just stared straight ahead as the Skeleton Dance Troupe left the Great Hall.
Professor McGonagall did the same, ignoring Lockhart's increasingly awkward smile.
Lockhart's embarrassment didn't last long. Dumbledore left his seat and walked to the podium to announce the official start of the Halloween Feast.
Dumbledore waved his hand, and a sumptuous feast immediately appeared on the house table.
Unlike the Start-of-Term Feast, the food served at the Halloween Feast is much more distinctive.
The black pepper sauce that completely covers the steak, seasoned with squid ink, not only adds a marine flavor but also makes the overall color much darker, literally a "dark cuisine".
On the college's long table, there were also several giant pumpkin-shaped cakes;
The cake is topped with various tombstone-shaped chocolates, and a ring of bright red jam is drizzled around the chocolates, making it look like the color of fresh blood.
Next to the cake were plates of realistically decorated "eyeballs" and "fingers";
Although it looks gruesome, it is actually just ladyfingers decorated with candy or chocolate to make it look bloody, as if it had just been chopped off.
In addition, the long table was filled with many ingenious foods, such as chocolate bats that would fly when touched, and chocolate spiders that would shoot peanut butter silk...
"Look! The professors seem to be drinking Coolick too!"
The sharp-eyed Hufflepuff spotted Coolick on the Teachers' Table as well.
For Dumbledore, a sweet-tasting Potions held a special appeal.
He even helped Professor McGonagall unscrew the bottle cap and demonstrated how to drink the beverage.
As white smoke billowed from his ears and head, Dumbledore chuckled, his long beard trembling.
Even Snape opened a bottle of Coolick, but instead of drinking it down, he used magic to transfer the drink to a glass and took a few sips.
And so, the students who were watching the Teachers' Table saw Snape's smile, a smile that stemmed from pure joy, slightly unnatural yet perfectly natural.
"Cool... Rick!" Fred whistled. "Can you believe... Snape actually has that kind of smile?"
George chuckled and said, "I thought he only knew how to smirk, grin, and sneer... a fake smile. I never expected him to have such an 'innocent' side."
Not only were the Weasley twins surprised, but the other students were equally astonished, raising the level of mystery surrounding the Coolick drink in their minds to a whole new level.
George's tone was full of eagerness, "I've asked the Ministry of Magic... Once they finish evaluating the Potions next week, Madam Pomfrey can issue the Coolick!"
Fred rubbed his hands together. "Once the cloudy days end and the Hospital Wing stops supplying Coolick, it'll be our turn to shine!"
This was the result of discussions between M·S·G, who are experienced in selling various Prank Item and have more experience in how to buy and sell them.
The Great Hall was filled with a joyful and excited atmosphere, as students enjoyed the food and immersed themselves in the Halloween spirit.
The Halloween Feast is simply about enjoying special food and experiencing the festive atmosphere.
After the students had eaten and drunk their fill, Dumbledore stood before the Owl Podium once more, white smoke still rising from his forehead and ears.
Seeing the students' barely suppressed laughter, he smiled as well, "I'm so glad... we were able to fully enjoy the Halloween Feast this year..."
He picked up his wand and held it above his head. "Like the holiday gifts I prepared last year... I can deliver them to you all smoothly this year..."
As he gently raised his wand, the unburnt candy candles turned into flames, showering down countless colorful candies...