Ghost Banquet
"You may all be wondering why we are holding the dinner the day after school starts."
"Just now on stage, I heard many interesting speculations—a special contribution award for Harry Potter; a welcome-back party for the new Minister for Magic Amelia Bones; some even said it was because I banished all the ghosts."
"I'm sorry, you're all wrong." Dumbledore said, winking mischievously.
The students in the audience couldn't help but boo in disappointment.
The Gryffindor table clearly had more.
Surprisingly, the one leading the charge was Percy, the Prefect of Gryffindor.
Instead of Fred and George.
It's worth noting that he was so rigid that almost all Gryffindor students disliked him.
But now, he seems like a completely different person and has truly gained acceptance from the Gryffindor.
It wasn't because of good grades, being Gryffindor, or being liked and respected by professors.
"This doesn't mean you're not smart enough."
"Only I know the specific reasons."
"You should know that even the other professors on stage have the same thoughts as you."
"Like Professor Flitwick, who jumped up in the Headmaster's Office to shake my hand—very excited, saying he was thanking me for giving Harry the Special Contribution Award." At this point, Professor Flitwick awkwardly took a sip of sherry, as if he hadn't heard anything.
McGonagall, Sprout, and Professor Snape beside him, though trying their best to hide it, couldn't help but reveal the slight upturn of their lips.
Professor McGonagall was the best at hiding it; her tightly pursed lips barely showed any curve, but the crow's feet at the corners of her eyes, caused by her smile, became another piece of evidence of her schadenfreude.
However, it is clear that they were celebrating too soon.
"Professor McGonagall, and you, Minerva, too. Professor Snape, and even Professor Sprout, have all hinted to me that the Special Contribution Award could be given to Harry, but no points should be added." Hearing this, the smiles on the professors' faces vanished like a receding tide.
"Although they guessed wrong about the purpose of this dinner, Harry Potter certainly deserves a reward."
The loudest and most enthusiastic cheers came from the Ravenclaw table.
Next is Gryffindor, and unsurprisingly, Slytherin is the least popular.
However, Slytherin, with Draco and the others, had the fewest voices, but their decibel level was still comparable to Ravenclaw's.
This cheer unexpectedly revealed that Draco Malfoy also possessed the talent of a high-pitched singer.
After the outcry, there was a suffocating silence.
The students in the audience, and even some of the teachers who were being teased, all looked at Dumbledore, who was standing ramrod straight and was also the host of the evening and a stand-up comedian.
Dumbledore, with a wicked grin, finally spoke, "Unfortunately, there is no special contribution award—but—"
Before the students could even complain, Dumbledore's words had them holding their breath.
"But Harry will get bonus points, Ravenclaw 20 points!"
"It's a pity, Severus, Minerva, and Pomona, that you've all been disappointed."
"I almost forgot, there's also Filius. It's a pity he didn't receive a special contribution award."
"Although Harry deserves a hundred special contribution awards, plus a hundred points, for his contributions to us."
"But Harry has already received the best reward—ownership of the Ravenclaw's Diadem!"
Upon hearing this, thunderous applause erupted throughout the room once again.
"Okay, quiet down."
"This is not me being kind to Harry, or giving Hogwarts property to a private individual without my consent."
"Many people may not know that Ravenclaw actually has no offspring. The owner of the Ravenclaw's Diadem, or rather the only 'person' with the right to inherit it, is Lady Grey —the only daughter of the great Ravenclaw."
"Ravenclaw's friends may know that it was she who intended to give the Ravenclaw's Diadem to Harry —because with Harry's help, Ravenclaw's Diadem was brought back to light."
"Lady Grey might also think that Harry deserves it."
"And our dinner tonight is also related to the incident that happened this morning in the Ravenclaw Common Room."
"It could even be said to be related to Ravenclaw's Diadem." Dumbledore, as usual, became the riddle-maker.
Everyone else had gotten used to it, except for the first-year students who weren't used to it yet, who couldn't contain their curiosity.
But seeing that everyone else was listening silently, they didn't dare to speak.
"However— the Ravenclaw's Diadem in question is a Ghostification Ravenclaw's Diadem on Lady Grey's head, which has become like a ghostly garment."
"With Lady Grey's help, and with my own little effort, I have successfully mastered the basics of that magic."
Dumbledore stopped there.
Because he knew that he wouldn't be able to continue speaking smoothly from here on out.
We need to give the professors and the students who understood the explanation some time to adjust.
"Did I hear that right? Does this mean that ghosts can have wands again?"
Will they be able to eat from now on?
"Will they produce XX? Pearl white?"
"Could I pursue Lady Grey? And then hehe—"
"When I die, can I become a ghost?"
Because of Dumbledore's words, the stage and the audience erupted in cheers.
"Ahem, all of your guesses are very good."
"But Ravenclaw's magic is also difficult for me."
"I can now Ghostification- like inanimate, non-magical matter."
"And it has a time limit."
"I can only turn food into Ghostification."
"So, as you all guessed, tonight is a dinner party for the ghosts and us!"
"Dinner's ready!" Dumbledore waved his wand and sat down again.
The golden plates on the table were immediately filled with a dazzling array of food.
Beside the candles suspended in mid-air, a pearly white, translucent table also floated in mid-air, laden with pearly white, translucent food. One by one, ghosts emerged from the walls and hovered beside the dining table, which shared the same aesthetic.
They all wore joyful smiles.
"Sir Nicholas, you'd better be careful," the Fat Friar kindly warned.
However, due to his body structure, a piece of crushed steak accidentally leaked out from Nearly Headless Nick neck and passed through the body of Seamus, who was enjoying his meal.
"It's so cold! What is it?" Seamus raised his head slightly, but his hands continued to stuff something into his cheeks.
"Children are food."
"It's really amazing, though. The food just now went straight through the ground, I wonder where it went." Out of curiosity, Nicholas looked down into the ground and poked his head out at Seamus's feet.
However, only Nicholas, who was too lively to be a ghost, had the leisure to wander around.
The other ghosts were all feasting and eating, their usual dignified and elegant demeanor completely gone.
Even the perpetually Bloody Baron was drinking a bottle of wine—the kind of which was impossible to identify—over the Slytherin table in the corridor.