He wanted to ask Dumbledore where he should sit, but Dumbledore had already vanished into the crowd without a trace. He had not even sat at the table.
As the people around him gradually took their seats, Hoffa began to lose his nerve. The sense of isolation amid the crowd was more unbearable than the cold wind of Helheim.
However, an unexpected rescuer suddenly appeared.
Argeleia happened to pass by him. She gave a slight cough and pointed at a seat.
"Sit there."
Then she left.
Hoffa silently sat down. Ten minutes later, Argeleia arrived laughing and chatting with another older girl, lifting her sky-blue pleated skirt as she sat beside him.
She did not act as though she knew Hoffa well. In fact, most of the time, Argeleia pretended he did not exist. She never showed any sign in front of others that their relationship had improved.
She kept chatting with the person beside her. Children of this era socialized as instinctively as children of later generations played with their phones.
The crowd was talking about a man named Albert Boot.
He was the head of the Ministry of Magic's International Affairs Office, Slughorn's distinguished Christmas guest. Rumor had it that the two had been classmates at Hogwarts.
"I can't believe Professor Slughorn managed to invite even Albert Boot."
A tall boy said, "My uncle invited him several times and never got him. He's too busy."
Miranda, across the table, smiled. "Boot? I've heard of him. He's a decent politician, a famous pacifist."
"Yes," Argeleia replied with a smile.
"I heard he's preparing to sign a peace agreement with Germany. I wonder if it's true."
"I think the Ministry of Magic is being a little reckless."
"I don't really agree."
The people around them all voiced their opinions on