Hogwarts: I will not become the Dark Lord

Since the announcement of the Christmas Ball, its popularity was subtly overshadowing the Triwizard Tournament. No matter where you went, whether it was the hallway, the entrance hall, or the Great Hall, you could hear discussions about it, talking about dance partners and what to wear on the night of the ball.

In the past, very few students chose to stay at school for Christmas, but this year was completely different. It seemed that all the fourth-year students and above had chosen to stay and prepare for the ball.

"Look at them, why do they always have to gather together?" Harry asked Ron and Neville, his eyes following a group of girls who happened to be passing by. They occasionally cast curious glances, mixed with shy smiles. "I think... I'll ask them when they're alone!"

"Perhaps we could try using a lasso to catch one first," Ron sighed. "Harry, Neville, do you have anyone in mind?"

Neville didn't know how to answer. He couldn't exactly say, 'I asked your sister!'

Harry remained silent, already having an answer in his heart, but having an answer and having the courage to ask were two completely different things. Harry wanted to ask Cho Chang, a Ravenclaw student one year above him, but...

"I don't understand, why is it that the boys have to ask the girls?"

"Duh, have you ever seen a socket go looking for a plug?"

"Harry, I think finding a dance partner shouldn't be too difficult for you and Jerry. You're both champions of the Triwizard Tournament!" Ron sighed, a little bit sourly.

"Not necessarily, I think Jerry is having a pretty hard time right now."

It's just that his difficulties seem to be different from ours!

Harry signaled Ron and Neville to look towards the corner of the hall, where they saw Jerry weaving back and forth between Hermione and Fleur, constantly saying something, but judging from the situation, neither Hermione nor Fleur seemed to want to pay attention to Jerry.

Harry finally mustered up the courage and found Cho Chang after the end of the Defense Against the Dark Arts class.

"Uh, Cho Chang?" Harry's voice was slightly trembling. He tried to control his nervousness, even though the giggles of the surrounding girls made his cheeks quickly heat up. "I... can I talk to you for a few words in private?"

Cho Chang nodded slightly, and then followed Harry to a relatively quiet corner.

"Be my date... to the ball?" Harry's words blurted out, but seemed fragmented due to excessive nervousness. Each word was like a fallen leaf scattered by the wind, making it difficult to capture its complete meaning.

"Sorry, I didn't hear clearly. What did you just say?" Cho Chang didn't hear Harry's words at all.

Harry took a deep breath, trying to make his voice sound more firm: "I wanted to say, would you... like to go to the ball with me?" His cheeks were like ripe apples, dazzlingly red.

"Harry, I've already agreed to go with someone else, I'm really sorry."

"Oh, it's okay, it's fine, it's really fine, I was just asking." Harry forced a smile, trying to maintain a calm tone, but his heart was already churning.

"Who are you going with?" Harry couldn't help but ask.

"Cedric," Cho Chang said with a smile, "I already accepted his invitation before."

Cedric? Harry thought of his experience of being defeated by the other party in the Quidditch match last semester, and felt a little unfair. He figured Snape could understand his mood right now...

...

Night, Slytherin, Prefect's exclusive bathroom.

Jerry lightly recited the password, and the bathroom door slowly opened. The luxurious scene that came into view instantly shocked him speechless.

No wonder the Slytherin seventh-year prefect stammered, hesitated, and looked worried when Jerry asked to borrow the bathroom, as if he was very reluctant. Now it all made sense.

Okay, Jerry said that the Slytherin prefect's worries were right. From now on, this bathroom would be borrowed by Jerry. As for when it would be returned... hey, no rush, he'll return it to him after Jerry graduates from Hogwarts!

Inside the bathroom, a delicate chandelier of candles hung high, casting a soft and warm light, enveloping the entire space in a dreamlike atmosphere. All around, everything was constructed of flawless white marble, and the central bathtub was even more spectacular, like a small rectangular swimming pool.

Along the edge of the bathtub, golden faucets were neatly arranged, each handle inlaid with a gemstone of a different color, and even a diving board was equipped on the side of the bathtub.

Between the window frames were white linen curtains; in the corners, soft white towels were stacked. And on the wall, within a gold-framed painting, a golden-haired mermaid slept peacefully on a rock, her long hair like a waterfall, gently brushing her cheeks, swaying gently with her even breaths.

Jerry, holding the golden egg, slowly strolled to the edge of the swimming pool-sized bathtub, curiously twisting the switches of several faucets one by one. He was surprised to find that what these faucets released were various types of bubble bath solutions mixed with warm water.

One faucet spewed out soccer ball-sized pink and blue bubbles; another faucet poured out crystal-clear, dense and delicate foam, gently covering the surface of the water; and the third faucet released a fragrant purple mist, which slowly rose and filled the entire bathtub, dreamlike and ethereal.

Jerry tirelessly turned the switches on and off, and in an instant, the huge bathtub was filled with hot water and various foams.

When everything was ready, Jerry deftly turned off all the faucets, took off his shoes, socks, and clothes, and stepped into the bathtub without hesitation. The water temperature was just right, and the water level almost submerged his shoulders.

In the water, he swam back and forth twice before returning to the edge of the bathtub. Around him was hot, foam-filled water, and those dreamlike mists.

Jerry slowly reached out his wet arm, carefully lifted the golden egg placed on the edge of the bathtub, and gently submerged it in the water. As he gently pried along the delicate seams on the surface of the golden egg with his fingernails, a gurgling song suddenly sounded, coming faintly from the depths of the water, the melody ethereal, the words vaguely indistinguishable.

He took a deep breath, dived underwater, and sat on the marble-paved bottom, gently surrounded by countless bubbles. At this moment, the strange sound inside the golden egg became clearer.

It's a mermaid's song! After Jerry heard it clearly, he surfaced, his eyes flashing with certainty. It seemed he hadn't misremembered, the second task was in the Black Lake, and it was related to mermaids.

Just as he was immersed in his thoughts, a light footstep quietly sounded, breaking the silence of the bathroom. Jerry looked up and saw that Katherine had come to the bathroom at some point.

"Katherine, why are you here? This isn't the girls' restroom!" Jerry said jokingly, while swimming back to the pool and lazily lying on the marble.

"It seems Your Majesty has already discovered the secret of the golden egg!" Katherine's lips curled into a smile. Before she finished speaking, she unhesitatingly untied the ties of her pajamas, gently tossed them aside, and gracefully stepped into the bathtub.