On Christmas night, before the ball had officially begun, the students had already arrived early at the Great Hall of Hogwarts.
This was probably the year with the highest number of students staying at school during the holidays in history. Even Prince Henry had turned down the request to go home for Christmas, choosing instead to stay at Hogwarts and witness this grand celebration of the wizarding world.
Today, all the students were dressed in neat formal wear, as if they were attending some exceptionally solemn gathering.
Chapter 331