In the desolate world, the fierce wind roars ferociously, sweeping snowflakes across the earth. The little wizards by the black lake are almost crushed by the wind and snow, but they still endure the pain of being blinded by the storm as they squint and strain their eyes to search for a place on the now completely frozen surface of the black lake, hoping to find a spot where they can both eat and dance.
However, with the faint light coming from the castle, the little wizards discovered that there was nothing on the lake surface!
"What's going on, Albus, Amosta?"
Even Mrs. Maxim, with her good breeding, couldn't contain her anger any longer; she questioned the two individuals.
"So it is, madam--"
Amosta smiled and said,
“The initial plan was to decorate the auditorium and celebrate this special day together. However, I later realized that it might lack creativity. Besides, I learned about some traditions of Busterton's Christmas celebrations and the icy terrain at Durmstrang, so I came up with an idea —”
"Don't keep us in suspense, Amosta--"
Karkarof rarely said a fair word, "Or else I fear that Hogwarts Hospital can't accommodate so many little wizards!"
"Watch this—"
Amosta nodded and then looked at Dumbledore,
"Let's go together, Professor. I can't do this on my own."
"Oh, of course--"
Dumbledore nodded and smiled, his silver beard flowing in the breeze.
Then, to the astonishment of everyone, Amosta and Dumbledore leaped nimbly off the ice surface. They gave no chance for anyone to ask questions, instead each drawing their wands and turning their backs on the crowd as they walked towards the center of the lake. In no time, they disappeared into the snowflakes that filled the sky.
"They don't want to live anymore?!"
Ron stared in disbelief at the oppressive darkness of the ice surface,
"With this cold weather, if they fall into the lake, they're done for. What on earth are they trying to do?"
No one could answer Ron's question, not even Hermione who was completely baffled. She huddled in Ron's cloak, shivering with cold, her eyelashes even forming ice crystals.
"You hear that?"
The wait of five minutes was an unbearable agony. Although not quite willing to get too close to Fleur, Harry, shivering in the cold, subconsciously huddled close to her. Of course, he had no romantic thoughts in his mind, only hoping that whatever whimsical ideas Prof. Dumbledore and Prof. Blaise had would be over soon.
And just as the little wizards were about to give up, Neville, who was supporting Ginny, seemed to sense something. He suddenly shouted out.
Neville's voice was painfully piercing against the monotonous howling of the wind and snow. The little wizards immediately straightened their ears and listened to what was happening on the other side of the black lake.
"Look! The ground is shaking!"
Dean also pointed to the ground and exclaimed.
More and more little wizards began to notice that the ground they were standing on was shaking slightly. By the lake shore, the row of willow trees were swaying in the increasing turbulence. Snow accumulated on the tips of their branches fell one by one!
"What's going on, Severus? What are they planning to do?"
Now, the world was trembling intensely before everyone's eyes, as if a severe earthquake were occurring. Karkaroff even drew out his wand and barked a question at Professor Snape, but Snape paid no attention to him at all; he was squinting his eyes towards the center of the black lake himself!
Suddenly, a glimmer of ice-blue light flashed through the darkness in the unseen area of the black lake. Then, like summer thunder, a rumble echoed outwards from the black lake, shaking everything around it and disrupting the original path of the wind and snow.
Thundering!
The rumble was deafening, and the ice-blue light at the center of the black lake grew even brighter. People could barely see, through the snow, two figures of unequal height on the lake surface, separated by nearly a hundred feet, raising glowing wands.
"There's a pillar --"
Cedric held onto Zoe tightly, protecting her from the fierce gusts. As he shouted across the lake,
"A pillar has grown out of the ice!"
"Not a column --"
Harry, with his extraordinary vision, was trying to see through the darkness as well. He dismissed Cedric's assertion and shouted to Hermione and Ron beside him,
"It's a tower, the tip of the castle, growing out of the ice surface!"
As Harry finished speaking, the commotion suddenly intensified.
As if at the creation of the universe, the ice-blue light before Professor Blaise and Professor Dumbledore burst into a dazzling brilliance, a tangible glow rolling out in all directions. This wondrous, mesmerizing ice-blue light illuminated this cold and desolate night as brightly as day for a moment.
Thundering!
The entire black lake was trembling, but now there were no more little wizards screaming in fear. They had been stunned by the incredible sight before them.
Another castle, identical in design to Hogwarts' main castle, was growing up from the ice surface like crops.
The castle on the lake was rising up by dozens of feet with every breath, almost as if it were sprouting up like crops. The walls of the castle were completely made of distorted ice blocks, not as ornate and detailed as the real Hogwarts castle, but its shape was still so beautiful that it took one's breath away!
Each of the ice blocks that formed the walls of this ice castle was incredibly pure and emanated an ethereal blue glow, as if it were not real.
Thundering!
The tremors continued, and the little wizards' gaze followed the newly 'grown' castle, unconsciously lifting their heads high.
At this moment, the other Hogwarts faculty members by the shore began to take action as well.
Professor McGonagall, with a proud smile, took out her wand. With a deft twirl of her wrist, the solid ice along the shore began to 'melt' into intricately shaped animals: a male lion representing Gryffindor, a majestic eagle representing Ravenclaw, a badger representing Hufflepuff, and a snake representing Slytherin—all appearing one after another.
In addition to these, Professor McGonagall also created many other animals such as reindeer, squirrels, unicorns, etc. These ice creatures immediately spread their hooves and ran towards the ice castle as soon as they took shape. The sound of animal calls, both crisp and high-pitched or low-pitched, echoed across the lake.
"Oh, it's my turn!"
Professor Flitwick shouted excitedly with a sharp voice. He had somehow found a pocket, and after opening it, a group of fairies enveloped in pink shimmering light and tiny sprites in the shape of Eros were gathered in mid-air to form a river of stars, flying towards the ice castle.
"Go on, go on –"
Professor Sprout, smiling contently, threw something like plant seeds onto the ice surface. As soon as they made contact with the ice, these seeds began to grow. Seemingly sensing the powerful magic of the castle's main body, they furiously raced towards it and clung to the ice walls. Soon after, many vibrant purple flowers blossomed.
Snape, unwillingly, pulled out a glass bottle from his robe. Inside was a silver-gray liquid. He tapped the bottleneck with his wand, and the silver-gray liquid suddenly swelled and kept oozing out of the bottle, forming a vast ocean in mid-air.
These silver-gray liquids emitted a delightful aroma, flowing towards the castle and forming a fountain in front of it.
Each of the professors used their special abilities.
Professor Sinistra conjured stars with her wand, which streaked across the night sky and embedded themselves into the flawless blue ice walls of the castle, adding a dreamlike touch to the beautifully intricate ice structure with their golden sheen.
Whoosh!
At this moment, from the real Hogwarts castle, a group of ghosts rushed out of the grand hall. They were Peeves, Nearly-Headless Nick, Fat Friar, Mrs. Grey, and many other ghosts who never left the castle. They flew over the crowd and soared into the ice castle above, laughing jubilantly.
The tremors finally subsided, but the little wizards, gazing up at the castle on the ice surface that dyed the night sky ice blue, remained so enchanted they couldn't find their words.
Too wonderful, too incredible!
Everyone, including the creators of the castle, felt this in their hearts. The ice castle was a masterpiece, an absolute work of art. They looked at it as if they were seeing the light of fairy tales shining into reality!
"I love magic so much."
With a warm smile, Professor Dumbledore and Professor Blaise walked back into everyone's view, eliciting a heartfelt exclamation from Harry.
(End of chapter)
