Harry Potter and the Dream Book

Chapter 10: the Night of the Yule Ball

CHAPTER TEN: THE NIGHT OF THE YULE BALL

"There you go, your new dress robes. I also brought your old ones in case these don't fit," said Harry's mother.

She was sitting on top of his bed in the dormitory with a large parcel on her lap. She pulled out a long black cloak from softly folded paper wrapping and held it upright in front of him. It was the same nice dress robes that Mrs Weasley had bought for him in Diagon Alley the last time.

"Do you like them?" she asked.

"They're nice," said Harry with a large grin on his face. In his mind, anything that his mother was giving him was the most beautiful thing in the world.

"I promise that I won't bother you or watch you too closely or anything like that," she said hurriedly. "I'm just coming to spend some time with your father."

Harry couldn't help but smile at her fondly. It was the third time ever since she had arrived that she making this comment about her presence at the ball.

"It's fine, mom," he said with his best tone of approval.

He was actually glad that his mother would be spending Christmas at Hogwarts. It seemed like his father was avoiding him ever since the first Defence Against the Dark Arts class where he had killed the Boggart. Or perhaps it was the other way around? Had he, Harry, been avoiding his father? He wasn't sure. So far, his relationship with his father consisted only in awkward moments.

"Sirius and Audrey will be joining us as well," continued his mother. Audrey has been telling me about her dress for weeks," she added with an exasperated sigh.

"Hi, Mrs Potter!"

It was Neville. He looked very disturbed about something and almost dropped Trevor as he tripped over a parcel on the floor.

"Sorry, Nev," said Lily Potter. "I got carried away and bought Harry too many clothes again."

"It's OK," said Neville, catching Trevor and putting the toad on the box besides his bed.

"Harry," he said nervously, "Ginny wants me to tell you that she's not going to the ball with you anymore."

Neville had said the phrase quickly. He was now avoiding Harry's wide-eyed stare.

"Did she say why?" asked Mrs Potter when she saw that Harry was not having any reaction.

"I don't know. Girl's stuff. Something's wrong with her dress," said Neville. He seemed quite put off by this turn of events.

Lily Potter, however, seemed to understand something that the two boys had not grasped. She dumped the parcel on Harry's bed and picked up her handbag. She was suddenly full of activity. There was light in her eyes. Harry thought fondly that he liked her eyes best and also her smile.

"Boys, this is something for me to handle. Forget that thing about Ginny not going to the ball with you anymore, Harry. Everything shall be under control in a few minutes, I promise."

And with a quick kiss on his forehead, she stormed out of the room.

"Your mom is awesome," said Neville, sitting besides Harry.

Harry's thoughts dwelled on Ron's dress robes that were hidden under Ron's bed. Then he remembered that Ginny had also worn a dress that looked like it came from thirty years ago, which was probably the case as Mr and Mrs Weasley could not afford new robes for their five children currently attending Hogwarts. Not only did Harry have new dress robes, but he had two sets now.