— — — — — —
Another week passed in the blink of an eye.
By Sunday afternoon in Hogwarts, the number of students around the school had visibly thinned out, while the common rooms and dormitories had beco unusually lively.
At long last, the formal robes listed in the school’s admission supplies had finally found their purpose. And after a frantic round of preparation, nearly two-thirds of the students had dressed themselves to the nines before gathering in the Great Hall and traveling through the fireplaces to attend the banquet in Dalaran.
One thing never changed, no matter where you were: people follow the herd.
Once sothing grows large enough, montum alone is enough to make it spread on its own.
That was exactly what had happened with the banquet being held for Astoria.
Even Tom himself hadn’t expected the news to spread so widely. More and more people across the wizarding world heard about it, and plenty of them decided they wanted to join the festivities too.
Honestly, it made sense.
The parents of Hogwarts students made up a huge portion of Britain’s wizarding society. When the young witches and wizards started preparing gifts, they naturally turned to their families for help, and word spread from there.
Because of that, the nature of the event gradually changed.
It was no longer just a small school gathering. It had beco a grand occasion for the entire magical Britain.
Tom figured he might as well take advantage of the opportunity and officially introduce Dalaran to the public, letting the British wizarding world, and eventually wizards around the globe, get their first glimpse of the City of Magic.
The banquet itself was being held at the very heart of the city: Karazhan Tower.
If Tom had actually transmigrated into Azeroth, the mages there probably would’ve cursed him to death for using Karazhan as the centerpiece of Dalaran.
Unfortunately, nobody in this world understood his terrible sense of humor.
...
..
Karazhan Tower, Dalaran City | 9:00 PM
Not long after the public fireplaces were connected to the Floo Network, guests began arriving one after another.
The first group to step inside was instantly stunned by the magnificent golden hall before them, unconsciously slowing to a stop.
The vaulted ceiling stretched more than a hundred feet overhead, its surface adorned with gold-leaf illustrations depicting the chronicles of the gods.
Vast frescoes wrapped around the walls, portraying the Twelve Labors of Heracles in exquisite detail.
Braziers flickered against the walls, illuminating priceless oil paintings and gemstones embedded directly into the stone.
Even the floor itself was made from polished Carrara marble, smooth as a mirror and extravagantly expensive.
"This place is grander than the Ministry of Magic’s entrance hall..."
Soone muttered it under their breath, but many others imdiately nodded in agreent.
Most influential figures in Britain’s wizarding world either worked for the Ministry or dealt with Ministry officials regularly. After comparing the two, they realized there really was no comparison at all.
"Riddle really went all out. And this is just the entrance hall. How many treasures must’ve gone into the entire tower? Not to ntion the city outside."
As he spoke, the wizard wandered over to one of the stained-glass windows and gazed into the night beyond.
Unfortunately, darkness had already fallen. He could only make out the vague outlines of countless buildings without seeing their true appearance.
"Please follow ," a smiling Catherine said as she approached the guests. "After the banquet, there’ll be a large fireworks display throughout the city. You’ll all have a chance to see the full view of Dalaran then.
She guided the arriving guests up the spiral staircase and toward the banquet hall on the second floor.
Karazhan Tower had nine floors in total.
The second floor served as the banquet hall.
The third floor was dedicated entirely to entertainnt. Thanks to his mastery of Expansion Charms, Tom had shalessly moved all kinds of outdoor activities indoors. He’d even built a Quidditch pitch inside.
Above that were private areas: Tom’s residence, laboratories, storage vaults for magical materials, and other restricted facilities.
No outsiders were allowed there.
All the money Tom had earned from the Codex, the Lu-Lenses, and his various alchemical products had been poured directly into this city. The amount spent was astronomical. Even Lady Greengrass had clicked her tongue in disbelief after seeing the expense reports.
It wasn’t just the scale of the numbers that shocked her. It was also how quickly Tom had made that fortune.
In only a few short years, he’d accumulated wealth comparable to nearly a thousand years of the Greengrass family’s savings.
"Serafina, congratulations. Astoria’s finally recovered."
Alia Bones stepped forward with a warm smile, placing her gift on the reception table by the entrance before congratulating Lady Greengrass, who was personally welcoming guests.
"Thank you, Alia." Lady Greengrass smiled back and gave her old friend a quick hug.
There was still a long line of guests waiting behind her, so the two won didn’t chat for long. Bones soon entered the hall, while Lady Greengrass continued greeting arrivals with the stone-faced assistance of Ikaros.
At this point, Lady Greengrass honestly didn’t know whether to be happy or get angry.
On one hand, it was amazing how Tom had sohow turned a small celebration into a sensational event that had shaken the entire British wizarding world. On the other hand, she genuinely felt touched by how much care and affection he showed Astoria.
As for why she was annoyed...That lazy brat had seen the scale of the event spiraling out of control and imdiately dumped all the tedious preparation and guest reception work onto her and Ikaros.
Ikaros, oblivious to everything, was working hard... all because Tom had promised her a special magical waterlon if she did a good job.
Ikaros was really Ikaros.
...
..
anwhile, at the banquet hall’s opposite entrance, things looked much the sa.
Draco Malfoy stood there practically glowing with pride as he led Rosier, Nott, and the others in welcoming students and guests attending the banquet.
Draco swore this was the single most glorious day of his life.
His father, Lucius Malfoy, had worked hard for decades and still had never looked as impressive as Draco did today.
After all, he was effectively representing the highest authority in Britain’s wizarding world while receiving guests.
For the first ti, Draco truly understood a certain truth: when you attach yourself to power, you beco part of it.
Before this, he’d never really grasped its aning. He’d only instinctively borrowed influence and thrown his weight around under stronger people’s nas like his father.
But after spending days being flattered and courted by classmates desperate for invitation letters, he was finally beginning to understand.
This was the true essence of Slytherin. To crave glory and power.
And if you couldn’t reach it through your own strength, then join the one who already had.
...
..
It took nearly half an hour before all the guests had finally entered the banquet hall.
Thanks to Expansion Charms, the hall itself was enormous. And at the center stood four magical fountains carved from deep crimson gemstones. But instead of water, rich red wine flowed endlessly from them.
Soft golden streams of light crisscrossed the hall overhead, carrying trays of prepared food through the air at high speed. Only when they passed near dining tables did they slow down, allowing guests to choose whatever they wanted.
Just as everyone was marveling at the extravagant setup, the massive golden doors at the far end of the hall slowly opened.
Tom stepped out first, holding Astoria’s hand as he led her into the banquet hall.
She wore a silver-gray crinoline gown, clearly dressed with painstaking care for the occasion, and the mont she appeared, every eye in the room turned toward her.
Astoria had always been beautiful.
But because of her illness, her complexion used to be sowhat pale and lacking vitality.
Now, however, the blood curse had been removed. On top of that, she had fused with the mutated Snow Woman bloodline, making her features even more refined and perfectly balanced, revealing the breathtaking potential of a peerless beauty.
Under the glow of the enchanted spotlights, the shy smile on the young girl’s face left countless people montarily dazed.
Had the wizarding world... just gained a Disney princess?
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.
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