Chapter 318: Dance Insulator
Hogwarts' champion couldn't dance, so naturally needed guidance before the Christmas Ball.
For this, Dumbledore specially approved three dance lessons, with Professor McGonagall providing instruction. Students in their fourth year and above could choose to attend, though among them, Sean was the only one required to participate in dance class.
"Sean, that's not right; you need to step with your left foot."
"Sean, you need to straighten your back."
"Sean, your hands, don't keep them so stiff."
"Sean..."
"Sean..."
"Sean..."
Sean followed Professor McGonagall's dance steps in bewilderment, moving like a marionette with tangled strings.
After one dance, Professor McGonagall looked at Sean with visible despair. Sean, who was normally brilliant in every subject, proved uniquely rigid when it came to dancing. His steps weren't technically wrong, but they appeared stiff and awkward, completely lacking any grace or natural flow.
Professor McGonagall felt despair, but Sean experienced something far worse.
If McGonagall's despair stemmed from the embarrassment of Hogwarts' champion not being able to dance, then Sean's despair was the soul-crushing feeling of being publicly humiliated and then critiqued for it.
If Sean could know what Professor McGonagall was thinking, he would comfort her. Fortunately champions only needed to lead the opening dance. If champions also had to sing, then between singing and dancing, Sean would show McGonagall what hell-level despair looked like. He would completely destroy Hogwarts' thousand-year reputation with his energetic song and dance performance!
After three dance lessons ended, Professor McGonagall had completely abandoned hope of making Sean dance gracefully. She even considered whether it would be easier to find someone skilled at dancing to use Polyjuice Potion and replace Sean for the dance than to expect him to perform competently.
As the saying goes, good news doesn't travel, but bad news spreads like wildfire.
The topic of Sean's terrible dancing spread throughout Hogwarts in no time.
Even Antonius and Nicolas heard about it.
Looking helplessly at Antonius and Nicolas, who were clearly enjoying his predicament, Sean said resignedly, "Teacher Antonius, Teacher Nicolas, you two have been laughing for quite a while now. I think that's enough."
"Sorry, I just..." Nicolas coughed lightly and said with feigned seriousness, "I simply never expected that someone as clever as you would stumble on such a basic skill as dancing."
In the European magical world, dancing was a very important part of wizard social interaction, considered a fundamental skill. For wizards like Sean who had reached such high levels of ability and status, there really weren't many who couldn't dance.
"Alright, Nicolas, let's discuss business."
Hearing Antonius' words, both Sean and Nicolas became serious.
Seeing their expressions, Antonius smiled and asked, "Sean, have you deciphered the clues in those six golden eggs you obtained?"
"Already solved them. Inside the eggs are mermaid songs. The first egg's song tells me there's someone most precious to me in the Black Lake that I need to rescue. The second and third eggs provide specific directions. The fourth and fifth eggs detail traps and mechanisms to watch out for. The sixth egg reveals a hidden time limit. When time expires, a team will come to capture me, probably merpeople or other aquatic magical creatures."
"In that case, we'll need to prepare some underwater alchemical puppets. It's worth noting that underwater visibility is extremely low and movement will be severely hindered, especially breathing. Have you prepared for that? If not, we could design some convenient alchemical equipment, like an underwater breathing apparatus."
"No need for underwater breathing equipment. I've already prepared the potions I need to brew. After taking them, I can maintain breathing and movement underwater for extended periods. I want some underwater alchemical puppets to assist my movement and some simple underwater traps."
"Perfect, no problem. Nicolas and I will help you design them."
Antonius accepted the entire task readily. Of course, what Sean needed was quite manageable for Antonius and Nicolas.
While Sean steadily prepared items for the second round, the Christmas Ball was also quietly approaching.
Sean set down his quill and exhaled deeply.
Three years. Sean had been writing for three years, and this paper connecting alchemy and transfiguration was finally complete in its initial form.
After multiple revisions, the paper was officially titled "On the Correlation Between Particle Changes in Transfiguration Processes and Particle Alteration in Alchemical Processes."
An impressively long name that sounded scholarly without being easily understood.
With the paper finished, Sean took it to find Professor McGonagall.
This startled McGonagall, who almost thought Sean wanted to secretly practise dancing with her.
"Sean, what is it?"
"Professor, I've finished that paper and wanted you to review it."
"Oh?" McGonagall immediately perked up, straightening her posture and extending her hand. "Let me examine the paper."
Sean's achievements in Potions needed no elaboration. The entire British magical world knew his capabilities in that field.
But how much academic ability he possessed in Transfiguration, no one could say for certain.
This world wasn't without multi-talented individuals, but such "polymaths" were still within certain limits. True Renaissance scholars who achieved top-tier accomplishments in multiple fields could be counted on one hand throughout magical history.
So while Professor McGonagall looked forward to Sean's paper, she didn't expect his first Transfiguration research to reach any particular heights.
However, after reading Sean's paper, McGonagall suddenly realised she had somewhat underestimated him.
After quickly reviewing the paper once, McGonagall considered for a moment and said to Sean, "Sean, come with me. We're going to see Dumbledore. I'm not sufficiently skilled in alchemy to fully understand some of the alchemical aspects in your paper. But Dumbledore excels in both Transfiguration and alchemy. He can definitely point out promising directions for your research and offer valuable suggestions."
"Professor Dumbledore must be very busy lately. Maybe I should wait..."
"No need to wait. Schools and professors exist primarily to teach and educate students. Nothing is more important than reviewing a student's paper, not even the Triwizard Tournament!"
With that declaration, Professor McGonagall immediately stood up, holding the paper in one hand and grasping Sean's arm with the other, quickly leaving her office and heading toward the headmaster's office.
The students outside who witnessed this scene all shared the same thought:
Had Professor McGonagall finally been driven to a complete breakdown by Sean's dancing?