When Cedric returned a short while later, the first thing I felt was an indescribable sense of unease.
"Elaina… s-san."
His breathing was ragged, and his eyes were wild, like a beast's. He looked almost like a large primate in heat.
"Um, Cedric?"
"Y-yes?!"
Oh my? At some point, even his manner of speaking had changed.
"Has Cedric always talked like that?"
"I-I'm just nervous, you see… ahaha."
It seemed that when he got nervous, he switched to polite speech.
(I have heard that some people do that. Maybe Cedric is the type who's surprisingly weak under pressure.)
Thinking back, when he heard he would be fighting a dragon, he had been throwing up too. Even if he looked like a flawless superhuman, that image was probably just the result of constant effort. Deep down, he might be a perfectly ordinary male student who gets anxious and worries like anyone else.
"By the way, what did Ms. Saya call you out for?"
"I-I dunno…?"
Even though he had just been summoned, he looked as if he didn't remember at all. From the tension, his memory seemed to have dropped to the level of Crabbe and Goyle.
"Um, if you're not feeling well, we could still go to the infirmary now…"
"I'm fine! Totally fine, really!"
After vehemently denying it, Cedric shouted, "A-anyway!" as if to change the subject and stepped in front of me.
"Th-this is just a small thing, b-but please accept it!"
Cedric bowed deeply and thrust his arms forward. In his hands was a small box, and when he opened it like he was proposing…
"A necklace?"
Inside the box was a lovely necklace. Two dolphins faced each other, encircling a heart-shaped red gemstone. The necklace was made of silver, giving it an elegant, high-class feel.
As a gift, it scored very high points, almost too high. In fact, it made me worry about Cedric's finances.
"This here is something I bought for you, Elaina, after spending all my money and even going into debt!"
That was absolutely not fine.
"But since it's the holy night, I wanted to give you something you'd remember for the rest of your life! Please treasure it as if it were me!"
"Uh… that's a bit heavy."
Hit with such a sudden, intense push, my face stiffened. I tried to refuse several times, but Cedric's oddly forceful "No, no, no, no, no" wore me down, and in the end, I gave in.
"Haah… all right. Thank you very much."
"Ah!"
Cedric's face lit up brilliantly, and he happily moved behind me.
"Then I'll put it on you!"
"Eh… that's a bit…"
Wasn't he getting a little carried away? Still, having accepted the gift, I couldn't very well reject him outright.
"Please don't hesitate!"
Pushed along by Cedric, who was more aggressive than usual, I found myself lifting my hair from the nape of my neck.
"…"
Having someone else put a necklace on you was a strangely intimate sensation. I couldn't see his expression, and being forced to simply entrust myself to him like that was nerve-wracking, even knowing he was someone I knew.
"Wow! It looks great on you!"
"Ah, thank you."
"Now we're matching!"
Seriously? I turned around to look, and sure enough, Cedric was wearing the same necklace around his neck.
This was what people called a matching look, wasn't it? Yeah, he was completely riding the high.
(I had no idea Cedric was the type who wanted to do stuff like this, like a high-energy couple that just started dating…)
As for the other students watching us, far from being put off, they were screaming excitedly in shrill voices or roaring in deep ones.
"Matching accessories are so cute! I want to do that too!"
"Sennnpaaaai! You're super handsome! I love you!"
"That's Cedric for you! He does things we could never pull off like it's nothing!"
It seemed that handsome guys were not only forgiven for anything they did, but were enthusiastically praised for it. Encouraged by this, Cedric closed the distance even more.
"Elaina… ♡"
The dance hadn't even started yet, and he was already trying to hold my hand.
"Haah… haah…"
On top of that, he moved in really close.
"W-wait, please… the dance hasn't started yet."
"You're so cute… cute no matter how I look at you… I like you."
"…"
Hasn't his personality completely changed?
Cedric kept getting stranger and stranger, to the point where I started thinking, "Could this be a different person who just looks like Cedric…?" when—
"Diggory, you…!"
Putting a stop to this chaos was Euphemia Rowle, a Slytherin prefect dressed in a deep crimson gown.
"So you've finally made up your mind?"
"Huh? Yes!"
Seeing Cedric nod along without really thinking, Rowle-senpai let out a big sigh and shook her head.
"When I consulted Farley-senpai, she told me, 'You'll definitely need this♪,' but I never imagined I'd end up having to use it on you two…"
Rowle-senpai rummaged around inside her robe and handed us two small vials. One was red and contained tablets, and the other was white. Both were labeled with the product name "Maverick."
"What are these?"
"GreenGlass Pharmaceuticals' best-selling product."
"I see…"
The label bore GreenGlass Pharmaceuticals' logo, a regular octagonal parasol design in green and white, supposedly inspired by a four-leaf clover that brings happiness. It certainly looked like a genuine magical potion.
"The red one's for the girl, and the white one's for the boy, so don't mix them up."
"If possible, could you also tell us what they're for?"
"Oh, you know, for a bright family-planning kind of thing?"
I reflexively replied, "No, thank you," and Rowle-senpai quickly covered her mouth with both hands.
"Elaina, no! No matter how much you love each other, it's still three years too early for you to become a mother!"
"That's not what I meant…"
Between Cedric and Rowle-senpai, I had to wonder if some kind of magic was cast over Hogwarts at Christmas that lowered students' IQs.
"Shouldn't a prefect's job be to prevent improper relationships in the first place?"
"I told you, I'm not heartless enough to tear apart two people in love."
"Now is exactly the time to be heartless."
However, Rowle-senpai's eyes drifted off into the distance.
"Seriously, telling hormonally charged adolescents to restrain themselves is like telling a Niffler standing in front of a jewelry shop to 'stay still'… heehee."
It seemed she had gone through many hardships and reached some kind of enlightenment.
Before long, it was time for the dance party to begin, and Professor McGonagall arrived.
"Now then, the champions and their partners will enter. Pair up and follow me."
Following Professor McGonagall, Fleur, Krum, myself, and Harry lined up with our respective partners.
Honestly, I wanted to keep my distance from Cedric for a while, since his nerves had clearly fried his brain. But entering with your partner was part of a champion's duty, so there was no point in complaining. I let out a deep sigh and steeled myself.
"Well then, shall we go?"
When I gestured for him to link arms with me, Cedric's expression rapidly shifted from surprise, to tension, to excitement.
"A… ah… ah♡"
In the end, while linking arms with me, he stared intensely at my face as if overcome with emotion, occasionally letting out strange, wordless noises.
"Um, maybe we should have Madam Pomfrey check you once in the infirmary to see if there's anything wrong…"
"I'm fine! I'm just really into Elaina!"
I see. So it's an illness.
"Champions, enter!"
Feeling uneasy about my partner, I followed Krum and the others into the Great Hall, where an otherworldly sight spread out before us.
The walls were completely covered in sparkling snow, and beneath a black ceiling twinkling with stars, hundreds of mistletoe sprigs and flowering vines were intertwined. Instead of the usual long house tables, over a hundred small tables had been set up. Softly glowing lanterns floated magically in the air, making it feel like an entirely different world.
"Whoa! Elaina's insanely beautiful!"
"Elaina's so cute, Elaina!"
"Man, Diggory's face is totally melting."
As we entered the Great Hall, applause broke out along with voices praising my beauty. I was used to being complimented, but being told so by this many people at once still made me blush.
"Granger's really polished up too."
"Also, Fleur's figure is insane."
"Cho's slender, but she's got more curves than you'd think…"
"Krum is so cool! The world's greatest Seeker for a reason!"
"Roger's totally head over heels for Fleur."
"Oh, Harry's blushing! So cute!"
The other champions also received cheers, and although Hermione and the others seemed a bit overwhelmed at first, they didn't look entirely displeased.
While moving to the center of the Great Hall with the other champions amid the applause, I glanced around the teachers' table and noticed something.
"Huh? Professor Snape's partner… isn't there?"
Even Professor Moody was seated beside Professor Sinistra from Astronomy, yet Professor Snape stood alone with a blank expression, looking lonely.
I wasn't the only one who noticed something was off. Several other students were also glancing at Professor Snape and whispering among themselves.
"So Snape couldn't find a partner after all… I lost my bet."
As expected, who Professor Snape's partner would be had become the subject of bets. Fred and George were clutching their heads in despair, while Ron, for reasons only he knew, kept sneaking glances at Snape and smugly grinning beside his partner, Padma.
"I really had high hopes for Snape! I even thought there might be a long-shot upset with Professor Flan."
"Brother, explain how your older brother feels right now after betting five Galleons on that belief."
"...Serves you right?"
"I wasn't asking about your feelings, Ronny-boy."
When we took our seats at our respective tables, there were only empty golden plates set out before us. The students looked puzzled, but when Mr. Bagman shouted "Chicken burrito!" at his plate and food appeared, everyone else immediately began placing their own orders.
"Then I'll have one kürtőskalács."
Since it was a special occasion, I ordered a slightly unusual bread, and before long, a chimney-shaped loaf appeared just as requested.
Kürtőskalács is a Hungarian bread made by wrapping dough around a wooden rod, baking it, and then coating it with sugar. The inside is soft and chewy, the outside crisp and sweet, and it is absolutely delicious.
As for Cedric, after some thought, he declared,
"Okonomiyaki!"
What appeared was a mysterious dish that looked like a pancake, a pizza, or perhaps even a Spanish omelet.
On top of a crepe-like base were layers of alfalfa and cabbage, piled with bacon and peperoncino, then covered with a thin omelet. An enormous amount of Worcestershire sauce and mayonnaise had been poured over it, and it was sprinkled with parsley and something that looked like chopped beets. What even was this?
"Huh, Hiroshima-style, huh… well, whatever."
Cedric seemed momentarily caught on something, but he shrugged it off. The instant he cut into it and took a bite, his face broke into a grin, humming happily as his expression melted into pure bliss.
"Is it good?" I asked.
"Yes! Would you like a bite too, Elaina?"
"Then I'll take you up on that."
"Say ahh♡"
"No, I'll eat it myself."
Leaving the dejected Cedric to sulk, I took a bite of the okonomiyaki.
(Oh, it's good.)
The various ingredients blended together under the heat of the sauce and mayonnaise, creamy yet still letting the vegetables retain their crunch. The crisp texture combined with the noodles made it satisfying to eat, creating an exquisite harmony of flavors.
"Looks like everyone's just about finished eating," Dumbledore said.
When nearly everyone was full, Dumbledore stood up and gave a flick of his wand. A stage formed along the wall to the right.
A full drum set, several guitars, a lute, a cello, and bagpipes were set up, and the much-talked-about Weird Sisters took the stage to thunderous applause. With the appearance of such a famous band, the students clapped so hard it seemed the hall might burst, excitement and anticipation reaching their peak.
"Wait, seriously? The Weird Sisters live?!"
"Oh my gosh, this is amazing. I can't thank Dumbledore enough."
"Our generation is so lucky! Let's totally brag about this to the seniors who already graduated."
Millicent bounced around excitedly, Tracy predictably flipped her opinion on a dime, and Zabini cheerfully slapped Draco on the shoulder. It wasn't just Slytherin students who were fired up. Students from the other houses were also squealing with excitement.
Soon, the lanterns on the tables dimmed, and when the Weird Sisters began to play a slow waltz, everyone stood up at once.
"Shall we dance too?" I asked.
"Y-yes?!"
Taking the hand of an overexcited Cedric, whose nerves were already shot, I performed the flawless dance we had practiced in our lessons. Thanks to his training, Cedric managed to keep up without stepping on my feet, even if his movements were a bit stiff.
However…
"Elaina… s-san."
About five minutes into the dance, Cedric's condition started to look genuinely alarming. His face was flushed all the way to his ears, and between ragged breaths, he gasped as though burning with a fever.
"Haah… haah…"
"Um, are you all right?" I asked.
He clearly did not look well. Perhaps because of his earnest nature, he seemed determined to endure it out of a sense of duty as a champion, but pushing himself until he suffered like this was not healthy.
Helping the clearly distressed Cedric in front of me felt like the top priority.
"Are you sure nothing's wrong? It's pretty cold tonight…"
I stopped dancing, placed a hand on his forehead, and gently rubbed his back.
"I-I'm fine!"
But Cedric refused my help, took my hand again, and resumed the dance.
"Haah, haah…"
"Um…"
On top of that, he wrapped his arm tightly around my waist and pulled me close, panting all the while.
"Elaina… s-san."
"Uh…"
This time, he brought his face so close that it felt like he could kiss me if he wanted to.
"Haaaah…♡"
Cedric's face, flushed as if feverish, did not look sick so much as dazed and unfocused.
"Elaina… Elaina…"
Now his eyes were bloodshot, and his gaze had taken on an intense, glittering edge.
"Um… don't you think you're a bit too close?" I said.
I was starting to get a very bad feeling about this.
"Maybe we should put a little more distance between us…"
"Elaina… Elaina…♡"
Murmuring my name over and over like he was delirious, Cedric gave off a sense of imminent danger. This was not just my imagination.
"Beautiful… cute…"
"…"
To be honest, the atmosphere had become extremely dangerous.
"Haaaah… loooove you♡"
Oh no.
Cedric's vocabulary and reasoning ability had deteriorated severely, and his words and actions were completely incoherent. While I stood there, too stunned to respond, Cedric seemed to interpret my silence as some kind of approval and slowly leaned his face closer to mine.
"Elaina… I've been thinking about you this whole time… and I never imagined I'd actually get to dance with you! This must be destiny, right? It has to be destiny! Then the only thing left is for us to get married, right? From now on, we'll stay in the same room and live together! And while we're at it, we can bathe together. Even use the toilet together. And of course, sleep in the same bed…"
"Hold it right there!"
Just inches before contact, a loud shout cut between us. I turned toward the voice, and in the next instant, I could hardly believe my eyes.
Standing there was a single handsome male student.
While most of the boys were dressed in neatly tailored tuxedos, this one looked as though he had thrown on his uniform in a hurry. It was wrinkled and untidy, and his breathing was uneven, as if he had come running. His cheeks were flushed, sweat beaded on his brow, and a few loose strands of hair clung to his face. Strangely enough, it only enhanced his wild charm, giving him an undeniable air of allure.
So who exactly was this handsome boy?
"…Cedric?"
Yes. There were now two Cedric Diggorys standing there.
(End of chapter)
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