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Harry clinked his glass again, drawing the crowd's attention back to him. He cast a brief glance at his friends near the front, then spoke, "Now that we're all here, I invited some of my classmates to showcase a few of their latest inventions. Think of it as a bit of fun, and maybe something we'll make a tradition." He looked over at Neville, Hermione, and Luna, gesturing them forward. "Let's see what they've come up with."
Neville, looking a bit nervous but determined, stepped up first. He held a small, vibrant green plant cradled in his hand. "This here is my latest attempt with Venomous Tentacula," he announced. "With a bit of selective growth charm, I've managed to breed a variant that doesn't bite—most of the time."
Some guests chuckled, clearly amused by the boy's sincerity. Neville looked around, explaining further. "It can be used for medicinal purposes, especially for pain relief potions and to boost plant-based wards."
Lady Longbottom nodded approvingly, a hint of pride flickering across her face. Harry grinned at Neville's nervous excitement and gave him a thumbs-up as he stepped back into the crowd.
Next was Hermione. She adjusted her grip on a small, hexagonal device about the size of a snitch, holding it up for everyone to see. "This is a Portable Lumos Sphere," she explained, her tone confident. "It can be activated without a wand and provides a steady light source for up to eight hours. You just tap it, and it stays lit until tapped again. Great for emergencies or camping—wherever a wand's not practical."
Several people leaned forward, intrigued, while the younger students exchanged impressed looks. With a nod from Harry, she demonstrated, tapping the device, and a soft, steady light glowed from it, illuminating the nearby tables. It wasn't showy magic, but it was practical—exactly the kind of thing Harry expected from Hermione.
Then, Luna stepped forward with something as unassuming as a knotted rope in her hands. She raised it for all to see, her expression serene. "This is a Distraction Knot," she announced. "It's charmed to release random, unidentifiable noises for about ten seconds when activated. It's good for distracting someone if you need to…slip away unnoticed."
Luna's soft voice and expression didn't quite match the slyness of her invention, but Harry couldn't help but smile at her straightforward delivery. She pulled at one of the knots, and a loud clang sounded from across the room, causing several people to turn their heads in confusion.
One by one, the students from Hogwarts continued showing off their inventions, each piece sparking curiosity and laughter among the crowd. A fourth-year Ravenclaw introduced a weather-charmed cloak, designed to ward off rain and snow—a hit with the adults. A third-year Hufflepuff displayed a self-filling teapot that brewed based on the drinker's mood, drawing amused nods and polite clapping.
A few older students brought out more ambitious ideas. Anthony Goldstein demonstrated his "Spell-Proof Spectacles," which he claimed could reveal the direction and power of incoming spells. It worked, though its accuracy was questionable—judging by the way his lenses flickered. Meanwhile, Terry Boot's auto-quill turned out to be more trouble than help, jotting down exaggerated nonsense even after he waved his wand to stop it. The crowd laughed, enjoying the spectacle despite the malfunction.
When the last invention was displayed, Harry returned to the stage, tapping his glass to call for quiet. "Alright, now that everyone's seen what my fellow students have come up with, it's time to vote. Let's pick the top three inventions of the evening and me and my business partners will fund them. If anyone else would also like to fund other projects, you can speak to students directly."
Chatter erupted as the audience debated their favorites, some casting approving glances at Hermione's Lumos Sphere, while others seemed keen on the practical use of Neville's new Tentacula strain. A few voices from the elder guests chimed in, suggesting that Anthony's Spell-Proof Spectacles had potential—if he worked out the "minor issue of its accuracy," as Mrs. Weasley remarked with a grin. Several Hogwarts mothers seemed taken with the self-filling teapot, and Molly Weasley even declared it "a genius solution to early mornings," to which Arthur heartily agreed.
"I vote for the Tentacula," said Lady Longbottom, eyeing her grandson proudly. "Practical, and perhaps useful to many of us who dabble in potions."
"Have to admit, the Lumos Sphere might come in handy around here," commented Andromeda Tonks, who nodded approvingly in Hermione's direction.
Someone from the crowd added, "I'm putting my vote toward the auto-quill—makes paperwork a bit more entertaining," which drew a laugh and a few mutters of "Not if it won't stop."
"Alright, let's see where the votes stand," Harry said, raising his hand to quiet the crowd. "For the Tentacula, one, two… about seven votes." He counted quickly through the raised hands. "The Lumos Sphere, nine votes. And…" He paused as Mrs. Weasley raised her hand, "the self-filling teapot with six."
The final tally came in, and it looked like the Lumos Sphere took first place, the Tentacula second, and the teapot just edged out the Spell-Proof Spectacles for third. Hermione was practically glowing with pride, while Neville managed a modest smile under Lady Longbottom's approving nod.
"Well, congratulations to everyone," Harry announced, clapping for the winners. "Let's make sure to keep these new inventions going. Next year's challenge will be even tougher, so I expect a bit of competition from the rest of you!"
The crowd cheered, and students and guests alike returned to the evening's festivities, talking excitedly about the inventions and how they might improve Hogwarts life.
Harry stepped off the stage, nodding approvingly at Hermione, Neville and Anthony. "Good job, three of you. And Boot, maybe get that quill under control before next year?"
Terry Boot chuckled, waving off Harry's comment. "Consider it a work in progress, Potter."
The rest of the evening passed in a lively blur. Harry, as promised, turned the entire hall into a giant snow globe, enchanting a soft flurry of snow to swirl in the air without bringing any of the cold. Guests looked up, mesmerized as the snow fell gently around them, melting the moment it touched their skin. Someone gasped, pointing to where snowflakes seemed to float mid-air before vanishing—a small touch Harry had added for effect. The whole room buzzed with fascination as they watched, and Harry couldn't help but smirk at how easily magic could amaze, even here.
Then, the real spectacle began.
With a flick of his wand, Harry sent small, chocolate-made dragons soaring up over the tables, and immediately the guests were transfixed. These dragons whipped through the air, each with intricate detailing down to their chocolate scales, breathing spurts of sugary flame as they "battled" mid-flight. The crowd's astonished gasps grew louder as the dragons collided in the air, shattering into pieces that tumbled down, only to melt and form rich, bubbling chocolate "volcanoes" on the tables below. The tables were soon covered in tiny chocolate rivers, each emitting a sweet aroma that made several guests lean closer to get a better look.
"How on earth did you pull that off?" someone in the crowd asked, half-laughing, half-marveling at the confectionary chaos.
"Trade secret," Harry replied with a grin, waving off further questions. "Won't be on the market for a while." The guests murmured, impressed, and Harry moved on, enjoying the amusement on their faces.
As the hour grew later, Harry excused himself from a small group gathered around the refreshments table, where Ginny was attempting to coax Ron into trying an unknown dish that Harry knew very well was loaded with pepper. Leaving them to it, he checked in one last time with each of his closest friends.
Finally, as guests began gathering their belongings and filtering out, Harry let himself relax a bit. It had been a long night, and as successful as the event had been, he was ready to wrap things up.
Before heading out, Harry took a moment to walk over to where Grimbletack and the goblins had gathered. "Grimbletack," he said, giving the goblin a nod of respect, "thanks for coming. And for keeping things...professional."
Grimbletack gave a curt nod in return. "Always, Mr. Potter. You certainly know how to host an interesting evening. Do invite me next time."
Harry chuckled. "I'll keep that in mind."
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