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I spent the day learning formulas, processing them with Rowena's help, learning wand movement, and analyzing the magical structure that results in the process. It's interesting that the action starts like the apparation - you have to envelop yourself in your magic. The second step is to create the structure within the resulting cocoon, and only then does the spell work. This transfiguration does not apply to free, and it is very important to know the formula precisely. No one knows how the process of structuring magic by formula works, but it works. I'm sure it's the same thing as in ordinary science - they fit the phenomenon to the numbers.
We ordered lunch from the house-elves in the room at the second exit of the dungeons, and afterward, we continued our studies again. There were problems, yes. There were serious problems. The completely spherical vision was incredibly disorienting. You couldn't see up or down. There's no point of focus for the vision to direct the movement. It takes some getting used to. And a lot of practice.
When Hermione came in the evening and started asking Delphine about the ball, I kept practicing. Of course, the girl was interested in such interesting magic, not described in books. She received a detailed answer and, of course, wished to learn the same, but was rejected, though only today - it is necessary to learn how to apparate, and the results will be the conclusion.
"Then what are we going to do today?" inquired Hermione reasonably.
"You will learn to dance!" pleased with her idea, Delphine pulled out a gramophone from a nook in the tent.
"I love gramophone," she shrugged in response to our surprised looks.
The atmosphere in the tent visibly brightened as the device appeared on Delphine's desk. With a gesture of her wand, she pushed all the other furniture into the corner, freeing up the center of the room. And we stood there as if waiting for an execution.
"What's wrong with you two? So beating each other with magic and physical training to the point of exhaustion is no problem. And when it's time to dance, you two look like pieces of furniture? Hermione at least has some interest in her eyes. But you? The apprentice. You knew that you would have to dance, inviting a girl."
In my head, I had pictures of my past life, where I tried to dance "free dance," so to speak. That's terrible! My achievements in this field can be compared with one well-known character in a computer game, bearing the popular surname Shepard.
Delphine pulled out a trunk of records from somewhere and began going through them.
"No... not that one... Oh, a good record, but the wrong one... Ah, here!"
Finding the right one, Lady Greengrass fiddled with the record player for a couple of moments, and lo and behold, a waltz tune played from the horn in very good quality, but not without those iron notes, giving the sound a distinctive touch.
"Why are we standing? There's nothing special at the ball in terms of dancing - they open with a waltz. That's what you'll have to demonstrate flawlessly. And a couple of simplified dances, too."
Hermione and I looked at each other.
"Do you know how to dance?"
"A little," Hermione nodded.
"Then, we'll learn."
"Fine," nodded Delphine. "So. Max. Take Hermione's right hand with your left. Well done. Pull it out a little to the side. Great."
It was amusing to watch the girl's embarrassment break through the occlumency, with her lips twitching in an attempt not to smile.
"Hermione. Put your left hand on Max's shoulder, elbow slightly raised. Max. Right hand on the girl's back. Great... Now I'm going to conjure a movement pattern on the floor..."
Arrows and foot patterns appeared beneath our feet.
"You could have been taught by the square, but I prefer practice in this matter. And for simplicity..."
Delphine created a faceless, ghostly illusion of a man and a woman with a flick of her wand.
"Watch, repeat. The rhythm is in the music. Let's go. One-two-three, one-two-three..."
It was unusual and long forgotten. Even in a previous life, I had taken some time to learn the basics, but back then, I didn't feel even a shadow of embarrassment holding my partner's hand, being this close, looking eye to eye. Depending on the dance, holding my hand on her back or her waist. It's both fun and exhilarating. Even learning the basics creates a wonderful sense of intimacy, but somehow... Insufficient. I want more. At the same time, if you embrace at all and move sluggishly in a so-called "slow dance," not even a tenth of these feelings arise. Oh, my God! I remember someone saying: "Dancing is a clumsy substitute for sex." There is definitely something in that phrase. And in the dancing itself. Not so much, of course, but yes ... Damn! Even in my thoughts appeared stuttering while learning the waltz in its perfect performance. And there are many other variations, with the hand not on the partner's back but on the waist. Of course, this is not tango with its expression, but also quite entertaining ... But how to do it all for another month - I do not know.