The Disgraced of the House of Black - A Multi-Character Fanfiction - Part One

94. The Unexpected Task

"Potter! Weasley! Will you pay attention," McGonagall snapped, glaring at the two of them as they fought with two of Fred and George's fake wands at the back of the class. When they had finally looked up, she resumed, "Now that Potter and Weasley have been kind enough to act their age, I have something to say to you all."

Althea exchanged curious looks with Hermione as the class fell completely silent with anticipation.

"The Yule Ball is approaching - a traditional part of the Triwizard Tournament and an opportunity for us to socialize with our foreign guests. Now, the ball will be open only to fourth years and above - although you may invite a younger student if you wish-"

Lavender Brown let out a shrill giggle as her friend Parvati nudged her in the ribs. Both turned and looked at Harry before breaking out into giggles again.

"Dress robes will be worn," McGonagall resumed, completely ignoring the two girls. "The ball will start at eight o'clock on Christmas Day, finishing at midnight in the Great Hall. Now then-" Giving them all a hard look, she said, "The Yule Ball is of course a chance for us all to - er - let our hair down. But that does NOT mean that we will be relaxing the standards of behaviour we expect from Hogwarts students. I will be most seriously displeased if a Gryffindor student embarrasses the school in any way."

The moment the bell rang, Althea and Hermione left the room together, both thinking about the ball.

"Well," Hermione said quietly, glancing over at her. "Do you know who you want to go with?"

"Oh, I hadn't even gotten that far yet," Althea admitted, feeling suddenly exceptionally shy. "I was just debating if I even want to go."

"Why wouldn't you?" Hermione asked in surprise.

Althea shrugged. The truth was, she highly doubted anyone would ask her to a ball. It was not that she was disliked or even that she did not think herself pretty, but she was well aware that very few of the boys in her year had any interest in her. It almost seemed easier to simply not go instead of opening herself up to expecting someone to ask only for no one to bother.

Finally, she said, "I'm not really the kind of person guys notice, Hermione."

"Neither am I, but I'm still going. It's not like I'll get asked either," Hermione replied. "Look, we can go together as friend dates."

Althea smiled before she sighed, "Okay. Friend dates it is."

.

"It's Christmas, Hermione," Harry said lazily as Althea sat down with her friends with a book during the last week of term.

Giving him a severe look, Hermione retorted, "I'd have thought you'd be doing something constructive, Harry, even if you don't want to learn your antidotes!"

"Like what?" Harry asked, not looking up from his Quidditch book.

"That egg!" Hermione retorted.

"Come on, Hermione, I've got until February the twenty-fourth," Harry said.

"Leave him alone, Hermione," Ron said, continuing to stack cards from his magical deck, "He's earned a bit of a break."

Before he had finished speaking, however, the entire deck exploded in his face, singeing his eyebrows.

"Nice look, Ron," Fred said, vaulting over the couch to sit between Harry and Althea as George sat on the other side of Thea. "Go well with your dress robes, that will."

"Ron, can we borrow Pigwidgeon?" George asked.

"No, he's off delivering a letter," Ron replied. "Why?"

"Because George wants to invite him to the ball," Fred replied sarcastically.

"Because we want to send a letter, you stupid great prat," George explained.

"Who d'you two keep writing to, eh?" Ron asked.

"Nose out, Ron, or I'll burn that for you too," Fred replied, waving his wand threateningly. Turning to the group at large, he asked, "So...you lot got dates for the ball yet?"

"Nope," Ron replied glumly.

"Well, you'd better hurry up, mate, or all the good ones will be gone," Fred replied.

"Who're you going with then?" Ron asked irritably.

"Angelina," Fred said promptly.

"What?" Ron said, clearly taken aback. "You've already asked her?"

"Good point," Fred said, turning his head to look for her. Finally spotting her talking to Alicia Spinnet, he called, "Oi! Angelina!"

"What?" she called back.

"Want to come to the ball with me?" he asked.

"All right, then," she replied, turning back to her friend with a small smile.

"There you go," Fred said, looking between Harry and Ron. "Piece of cake."

"Goodnight," Althea said, getting up and leaving with an amused smile.

.

The following morning, Althea woke up early and was surprised to find Hermione already awake as well.

When they got down to the Common Room, Althea explained, "I'm going to the library. Would you like to join me?"

"Sure," Hermione replied with a smile.

When they arrived, they were surprised to find the library not empty. A few rows down from where they were looking, Viktor Krum was sitting at a desk, reading.

"Oh, no," Althea said, looking very distraught. "I knew I should have checked out Nuance in Herbology instead of just hoping it was still available. It's gone."

"I'm sorry, Thea," Hermione said with a sigh. "But I did see a Herbology book I thought you'd like the other day. Give me one second."

As she was looking, however, Althea suddenly noticed that Viktor Krum had gotten to his feet and was approaching them, looking strangely shy.

"You vere looking for this?" he said, holding up the book in his hand.

"Oh," Althea said shyly, graciously accepting the book from him, but as she watched, she noticed he was looking at Hermione. Quietly, she told him, "She doesn't have a date yet, if you were wondering."

Viktor gave her a surprised look, but she merely smiled at him before slipping away to a table and picking up where she had left off.

Glancing up a few moment's later, she saw Hermione was blushing as she spoke with Viktor.

"One moment," she said quickly to him before rushing over to Althea.

"What are you doing?" Althea demanded in a whisper.

"He asked me to the ball-"

"And?" Althea interrupted incredulously. "Go back and say yes."

"But we were going to-"

"Go!" Althea said with a laugh.

Giving her an amused look, Hermione did as she said. Viktor left a few minutes later, a small smile on his lips.