Intuition is one of those things you'd rather trust it exists than doubt it, of course, this excludes moments like spending a fortune on a loot box, being chased with near-zero health, or judging your relationship with a girl, because during those times, a little thing called illusion can totally mess with your judgment.
Right now, however, this situation didn't fall into those forbidden zones. Allen immediately fixed his gaze on the place that made him most uneasy, a tall, thin wizard, presenting a completely harmless expression outwardly. His mouth showed a perfect set of eight gleaming teeth, and when Allen's eyes met his, the wizard smiled warmly.
Unfortunately, this expression fooled everyone else but not Allen. Behind the wizard, the students stood at a distance, as if some terrifying man-eating beast could awaken from him at any moment.
Wait, that's not right. If this wizard were truly ferocious, the people around him wouldn't look a mix of fear and admiration. Moreover, the aura he radiated to Allen wasn't domineering power, it was the kind of shameless creepiness that could trick children into handing over candy.
But at a first-meeting, ceremonial conference, neither side was familiar with each other. Allen couldn't just go asking about this guy's background, so he silently made a mental note, he wasn't afraid, just too lazy to deal with trouble. People like this? Best to avoid, no benefit to his pocket.
The three-way meeting concluded quickly. Soon, the two visiting schools were invited to dine. How Ilvermorny students felt about it was unknown, but Hogwarts students were ecstatic. Their transportation had been too small, leaving the house-elves struggling to provide meals; they'd practically survived on rations during the trip.
Unexpectedly, the meal wasn't held inside Mahoutokoro's dining hall. Instead, it was set on an enormous lawn. Though the school did an excellent job decorating, it was clear from the corners that the area had been hastily converted into a dining space. Sprinkler marks were still wet in some spots. The tablecloths, neatly arranged, didn't match perfectly in several places, revealing the rushed preparations.
Of course, this wasn't Mahoutokoro's fault. Hogwarts and Ilvermorny had sent all their students. With so many unplanned guests, Mahoutokoro had done remarkably well, after all, it was a school, not a special task force.
Even so, Mahoutokoro's principal offered apologies for not being able to provide a grand welcoming meal. Dumbledore and Ilvermorny's principal, however, smiled politely, unaffected by the minor flaws.
Don't sweat the small stuff. After the school heads exchanged greetings, the meal began.
Despite the rushed preparations, Mahoutokoro's craftsmanship was precise. The tablecloths were symmetrical and beautiful, with a long red carpet in the center as a welcome. Magical vines twisted into circular arches, decorated with Hogwarts and Ilvermorny crests.
Professors and students were seated separately. Most of the decorators focused on the professors' area. Woven tables and magically enhanced chairs were provided, with floating red cloud-like cushions, looking extremely comfortable.
The headmaster's seat was, of course, the most important. Even in early autumn, flowers magically recreated a lavish wall behind the seat, blocking students' view and ensuring all attention was focused on the principals.
Although Mahoutokoro's principal was the host, Dumbledore's age, achievements, status, and power decisively outclassed him. The seat of honor was given to Dumbledore, with the other two principals seated to the side.
Even under these rushed conditions, a clear hierarchy remained, just as one would expect from a Japanese school.
Allen couldn't shake the feeling that something was off, but he couldn't pinpoint what.
Suddenly, a hand tapped his shoulder. In perfect American English: "Excuse me, could I ask about the contact information of the lovely lady over there…?"
The young man's voice trailed off. His finger pointed at Hermione, teeth chattering.
"You-you-you, "
"Hm? I didn't catch that." Allen wasn't intimidating him; he genuinely hadn't heard the latter half and was focused on analyzing something off.
"Sorry, nothing, my apologies, I was wrong, I'll leave immediately!!!" The handsome young man turned ghostly pale, a cold sweat covering his head, and launched into a frantic, incoherent apology. Receiving no response, he spun around and fled, as if Allen were a dragon with blood-stained claws and teeth.
"Ha ha, bro, see what happens when you don't let me eat ice cream? That guy got scared crying!" Annie chimed in with a sharp remark.
Everyone watching and eating burst out laughing. Allen grimaced, using magic to protect the food. All because I didn't let you have ice cream this morning? Dead girl, hold a grudge much!
Thanks to Annie, Hermione gradually recovered from the embarrassment and even joined in teasing Allen. They debated what crazy thing Allen had done in the past to scare someone so badly at first sight.
Soon, the story spread, and laughter filled the dining area.
Amid the laughter, Allen realized what had been wrong.
Quietly manipulating his magic, he caused the flowers on the wall to shift. In the center, red blossoms formed a large double happiness character.
Exactly. He finally understood the scene's dissonance. With this setup, it looked just like a wedding: Dumbledore as master of ceremonies, the two principals as a newlywed couple, professors and guests witnessing the union.
"Pfft!" Allen couldn't contain his laughter, earning Hermione's massive eye-roll, of course, the topic inevitably centered on her.
"Nothing, nothing, come on everyone, let's eat!" Allen suppressed his amusement and called everyone to begin the meal.
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100 Power Stones = Bonus Chapter
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