The ghostly blue apparition, which had been bristling with rage, instantly froze.
A translucent hand shot out and snatched the red envelope.
"Ahem, ahem..."
Ankh-Ka's sinister face softened a little, though it still carried an air of death.
"Since it is a gift from that cunning Eastern wizard... I shall reluctantly accept. However..."
He turned to look at the Uagadou students.
"Your gestures are too slow! You might as well be tickling the air! Let me teach you what a true sandstorm burial, Professor Holmes, is!"
Ankh-Ka swung his spectral arm.
Rumble-!
The sand dragon that had merely been wheeling through the air instantly split into twelve enormous Sphinxes with lions' bodies and human faces.
They lined up neatly in midair, then opened their mouths together and sang an ancient, mysterious, soul-shaking Egyptian hymn.
Though no one could understand the song, it made everyone in the Hogwarts Great Hall feel their souls tremble and be cleansed.
"That's more like it."
Bill wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and gave the camera a thumbs-up.
"As you can see, in this place full of curses and yellow sand, every day is a carnival as long as you know how to get along with Professor Holmes, our venerable elder, Professor Holmes."
Amid the ancient hymn, Hogwarts, Rome, Paris, Egypt... all the images began to converge.
Amid the laughter, time quietly slipped by, drawing close to midnight.
"Now, let's move on to our grand finale."
Douglas straightened his collar.
"This is a sketch about a misunderstanding, called 'Dumbledore asked calmly.'"
An enormous prop Goblet of Fire stood on the stage.
Dumbledore himself walked on, his beard tied in a bow and his body clad in purple pajamas.
Opposite him stood a thoroughly embarrassed Harry, playing himself.
His face kindly and his eyes gentle,