A small elf in a dapper tuxedo approaches Harry. "Are you Mr. Potter sir?" it asked, its voice similar in tone to Dobby, the only house elf Harry was familiar with, but with significantly better diction.
"I am Harry Potter, yes. What is your name?" Harry asked, attempting to be friendly with the creature.
"My name is being Dikkie, sir. Please follow Dikkie to the waiting room Miss Daphne has been having mes prepare for you." Dikkie said. Harry noted that it seems not all of Dobby's bizarre speech patterns were unique to him. Perhaps all elves spoke like this.
Greengrass manor was an incredibly impressive building, filled with all of the luxuries and fixings of a grand Victorian era mansion. The only thing that separated it from a Jane Eyre television special was the presence of a few magical elements Harry recognized. Multicolored candles burned without heat in various sconces on the wall, shifting occasionally to provide the rooms with some extra life, several other house elves could be seen finishing up a few of their duties before the ball proper began, and a few of the paintings on the wall took the time to wave at him.
Dikkie opened the door to a room, and inside Harry found a few boys from around his age sitting and idly chatting to each other. Harry quickly saw Neville speaking with a boy Harry recognized as Theodore Nott. Harry thanked Dikkie before moving over to Neville.
"Harry! Glad you made it. I'll feel a lot better now that you're here. These events always make me nervous." Neville said, before turning over to Nott. "Theodore, I'm sure you know Harry, he's in our year after all."
"Neville, come on, EVERYONE knows Harry Potter. Pleasure to actually make your acquaintance for the first time though. Even if we've seen each other a couple hundred times the past couple years." Theodore said, chuckling a bit. "You can call me Theo if you like. Makes it easier to distinguish between me and my Grandfather, he's probably shmoozing it up with some of the other men, making business deals or something." Theo's eyes rolled a bit at that, before reaching his hand out to Harry.
Harry gave him as firm of a handshake as he could muster, before speaking up. "Pleasure to meet you as well. You two really have me at a disadvantage at these kinds of events though. This time last year I was still trying to deal with living in the magical world outside of school. Now I'm in some high society function." Harry said, a nervous smile on his face.
"It is still very strange to me how Harry Potter, saviour of the wizarding world, and heir to house Potter, ended up growing up with no knowledge of the magical world at all. Surely even if they wanted you out of the public eye, some preparations of what to look out for would be in order." Theo said, looking at Harry.
"You'd think, but I suppose that's not how things worked out. I'm managing now though, and I'd like to think growing up muggle gives me a good perspective on things. I'm adjusting pretty well now though, thanks to Mom, Dad, and Nym." Harry said. "Plus all my friends in the Sphinx Club. It really helps having people who grew up in this world to stop you from asking stupid questions about it." Harry laughed.
"I'm sure it does. You guys have been absolutely wrecking the curve on the tests and the like. Honestly, you're making the rest of us look bad." Theo said, a small smile on his face.
"We're just doing our best. We want to be good at what we do, so we're working hard for it." Harry said earnestly. Neville nodded in agreement. Theo admittedly seemed less enthused.
"I suppose. Oh well. You checking out any of the girls tonight? I wouldn't be surprised if Grandfather is going to try a marriage contract tonight." Theo said somewhat nonchalantly.
"Well, I am already dating Daphne and Susan, so I guess?" Harry said. He still felt weird about the prospect, but he did truly like all of his girls, and would take any chance he could to mention it.
"You sly dog. I had no idea. Figured if it was going to be anyone it'd be Granger, or one of the Patils." Theo said, causing Harry's blush to go deeper.
"Well, you aren't wrong, since he's dating Hermione and Padma as well." Neville said, which of course, caused Harry to blush even deeper.
"Man, I've got to step up my game. Harry's over here making me look bad." Theo said, before a clap caught their attention.
"Gentleman, the girls are about to make their entrances, please follow me to the main hall so you may watch them enter." A taller man in a formal suit said, before guiding the assembled boys out of the room and into the main hall.
The main hall of the Greengrass estate had been magically expanded for the night, now being over 60 meters wide and 70 meters long. Several tables full of refreshments lined the walls, with a few tables for sitting somewhat near them. A band sat on a stage half-way between the first and second floors, surrounded on either side by staircases that curved around the platform they were on. The floor itself was a beautifully maintained slab of polished marble, with light grey swirls that moved across its surface.
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T/N: I have a Patreon! Webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
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If you guys wanna check it out.