The oak doors swung fully open, and thunderous applause and cheers poured out through them.
The Great Hall had been completely transformed.
Glistening silver frost covered the walls, while a star-filled night sky stretched across the ceiling, hung with hundreds of sprigs of mistletoe and ivy wreaths.
The four House tables were gone, replaced by a hundred lantern-lit little tables, each seating around ten people.
With these decorations, the normally venerable Hogwarts Great Hall resembled the ice palace in Frozen. As outside, fine snow drifted down from the Enchanted Ceiling, turning the entire hall into a breathtaking fairyland.
A long, exquisite red carpet extended from the doors deep into the hall, where an enormous stage stood. Its floor was smooth and crystalline, as though an entire sheet of ice had been lifted out intact.
Dumbledore, the other headmasters, and the Ministry of Magic officials stood there, smiling and applauding softly.
The Magical Projection Company's cameras were fixed on Zhang Xiao and Glove Lady, almost wishing they could shove their lenses right into their faces.
"Merlin-what kind of dress robes are those? And who is that beautiful lady?
"Damn it, why don't I have any information?"
A plump man in a tailcoat paced in agitation, constantly directing the camera operators as their lenses lingered over Zhang Xiao's robes and Glove Lady's face.
The viewers were much the same. They put down their snacks and gazed spellbound at the projected images. Even through a screen, they were captivated by the sheer beauty before them.
Some of the more perceptive viewers had already realized that tonight's ball would inevitably shape formalwear trends for some time to come.
Wealthy witches with money to spare had already begun writing to their usual bespoke robe shops, asking who had made the outfits these two were wearing.