BETWEEN REVENGE AND LOVE

61

Saturday,16/12/1995

The Potions classroom is hardly recognisable.

Chairs and tables have vanished and all the cauldrons are stacked next to other utensils at the side.

Someone arranged for enough space. Enough space to dance. Yes, dance.

Snape must be here any minute now, everyone's waiting for him, to silence us, to teach us.

"Can you imagine it?" Tracey laughs, "him dancing?"

I shake my head, "who would possibly fit the job of a dancing teacher less than Snape? Filch?"

"Who knows," shrugs Daphne, "Filch could be an exceptional dancer. Many have hidden talents, right?"

When the time has come and Snape bursts through the door, I still have Filch dancing all through my head. Snape rushes through the classroom, cloak fluttering and fast-stepped: Angrier than usual.

"Silence!" He shouts through the room, which works like a charm. A flick of his wand heaves an ancient-looking gramophone from behind his desk onto the tabletop.

"Let me make this clear for all of you," he puffs, making his way around his desk, "you are playing a dangerous game here, today. If one of you does not exactly follow my instructions, that is a week of detention. If one of you laughs, it is two. Do you understand?"

He leaves a long pause in which everything and everyone is quiet. Before he speaks up again he makes his way behind his desk again, opening drawer after drawer, on the search for something, apparently.

"As you all know," he starts, still rummaging through his stuff, "the Yule Ball will be taking place soon. One of the many traditions of this event is dancing, obviously."

He's finally found what he was looking for, a vinyl record. Expertly, he places it on the gramophone.

"One would assume being able to perform a classic waltz would count as general knowledge, still, I am obliged to show you the steps. Pair up!" he commands, loudly, despite the persistent silence.

Suddenly the room's all voices and rustling again, many steps across the stone floor, many people searching for the one they have in mind. I also have someone in mind. My eyes meet Dracos from across the room, his smile is smug, mood good.

But before I can reach him someone gets in my way, intentionally, with no explanation whatsoever of what this is supposed to be when it's done.

"Waltz with me, fair lady?" Blaise asks, bowing down lowly before grabbing my hand, a broad grin playing over his face.

Snapes "Attention!" stops me from throwing my questions at him. We focus on the front, on our hateful-looking teacher.

Quickly and without another word, he overcomes his reluctance and walks through the waltz-step sequence. Twice. Although it looks outrageous, we know better than to laugh as he makes his abrupt, rigid movements, face all twisted.

Right afterwards, the gramophone starts filling the room with music, bouncy and bright. Before I know it we are dancing, waltzing through the Slytherin-crowded room.

"Ah," Blaise sighs, smiling incessantly, "what's better than a good waltz with nice company like you?"

"What do you want, Blaise?" I ask, suspicious of his suck-up.

"Patience, Y/n," he shushes, "a little patience, please. Can't a man catch his breath?"

"Fine," I agree, fairly annoyed, still wondering what he wants from me and why he wants it now of all times. I spot Draco some distance away, dancing with some fourth-year girl I only know from sight. He also looks rather annoyed. It almost makes me laugh.