Harry Potter and The Salvatore School Students

Chapter 18: Dance Practice

At Lunch, Landon, Rafael and Hope were sitting with Harry, Ron and Hermione; Hermione was reading the newspaper and gave Hope a solemn look, "She's done it again. But this time it's you and Cedric, look!" she said, pointing to Rita Skeeter's article about Hope and Cedric's "friendship". Hermione then spotted a bit about her, "She didn't! Oh my gosh! She wrote a bit here about how I'm switching boys from "Harry to Bulgarian BonBon Victor Krum"! Could that woman make me hate her any more?" Hermione asked rhetorically.

Just then, a boy from first year walked up to Ron with a big wrapped box, "Package for you, Ron!" he said cheerily, giving Ron the package. Ron thanked him and expected him to walk away but he just looked at Harry expectantly. "Not right now, Nick, later, I promise!" Ron told him, sending him away.

"What was that all about?" Harry asked.

"I told him I'd get him your autograph!" Ron admitted.

Hope raised an eyebrow, "What's that?" she asked, nodding her head to the package.

"Me mum's sent me something!" Ron exclaimed, unwrapping it. He opened to it to reveal a mess of brown and pink-laced material. Ron stood up and held it to his body, "Mum sent me a dress..." he exclaimed with a disgusted tone in his voice. Harry chuckled. Hope smiled, "That's not a dress, Ron. It's a dress robe!" she giggled.

Rron shook his head, "These must be for Ginny!" he said, refusing to believe his mother sent him something so inhumanely ghastly.

Hermione laughed, "Hope's right! It must be for the Yule Ball!"

Their next lesson was with Professor McGonagal who had asked Gryffindor House to meet her in the ballroom. "The Yule Ball," Professor McGonagal began as the students had finished sitting down- boys on one side and girls on the other, "has been a tradition of the Triwizard tournament since its inception. On Christmas Eve night, we and our guests gather in the great hall for a night of well-mannered frivolity. As representatives of the host school, I expect each and every one of you to put your best foot forward- and I mean this literally- because the Yule Ball is first and foremost, a dance-"

The girls started whispering excitedly as the boys moaned loudly. Hope looked at Landon and winked and Landon smiled back half-heartedly. Hope frowned but Landon and looked away already.

"Silence!" Professor McGonagal yelled as she continued, "The House of Godric Gryffindor has commanded the respect of the Wizarding World for nearly 10 Centuries, I will not have you in the course of a single evening besmirch that name by having you act like a babbling bumbling band of baboons-"

Fred and George looked at each other, trying to say "Babbling bumbling band of baboons" as fast as possible.

"And to dance, is to let the body breathe, inside every girl - a secret swan slumbers, longing to burst forth and take flight-" McGonagal continued.

Ron leaned over to Rafael, "Something is about to burst out of Eloise Midget but I don't think it's a swan," Ron joked.

"And in every boy, a lordly lion prepared to prance-" she then noticed Ron talking and targeted him, "Mr Weasley, will you join me please?" she asked, offering her hand. Ron then stood up as McGonagal yanked him by his jumper. Harry and Rafael Chuckled quietly as Ron stood in front of Professor McGonagal.

"Now, place your right hand on my waist," McGonagal instructed.

"Where?!" Ron exclaimed, embarrassed.

"My waist," McGonagal repeated, putting his hand on her waist. She then told Mr Filch to turn on the music and Waltzed with Ron who had a pained expression on his face the entire time.

Harry called up to the Weasley twins, "You're never gonna let him forget this, are you?"

"Never!" They replied, in time with each other.

"Everyone come together," McGonagal demanded, the girls standing straight up and the boys staying slouched down. Then suddenly, Neville Longbottom stood up.

As Ron, Harry, Landon and Rafael went into their dorm that night, they saw Neville, dancing with thin air and humming the waltzing tune.