Royalty [A One Direction AU]

{9} The Winter Celebration

I look at Louis nervously, pacing back and forth in my room. "What if Zayn and Liam and Harry and the others get mad at me for not telling them? What if the other Casters in my class gang up on me? What if-"

"Niall, shut up." Louis says, cutting me off right before I ask the one important question I have. "Our hallmates will understand once they hear about the Wizard Rebellion. The Casters in your class won't gang up on you because the the most powerful people in the class are you, the teacher, and Cher, who is on your side. Stop worrying." He says, giving me a pointed look. "Besides, you can't back out now, it's too late for that." I nod, looking at my feet.

"I just don't want to be treated differently." I complain, sighing.

"Neither do I, Niall. But we don't have a choice." Louis replies, heaving his own sigh. Oh yeah. I'm so sucked up in my problems that I keep forgetting that my dad is going to reveal who Louis is as well. Everyone will know that he's the Advisor, so he'll be treated like a member of the Court, which he technically is. I hate technicalities.

A knock at my door gets our attention, and with a clap and a glance toward Louis my door swings open, revealing Liam in a nice tux. Louis and I are wearing tuxes as well, ready for the dance part of the celebration. Zayn is taking Perrie, Liam is taking an earth bender named Sophia, Harry and Louis are going solo, together, if that makes sense, and I'm going with Cher as friends, not dates. Both of us were very clear about that. Cher has a completely human boyfriend in her hometown who knows about her, and she visits him every chance she gets, which I find incredible. So yeah.

"You two ready? Cher, Sophia, and Harry are in the main room." Harry and Louis are pretending to be dates, ready to have a laugh about anyone who thinks they're really dating. I want someone to make them kiss, just to see their reactions.

"What? Oh, yeah." I say, realizing that Louis and Liam are waiting for my response.

"Then let's go! We can't keep our 'dates' waiting any longer." Louis exclaims, running out of my room. Liam shrugs and follows him, and I turn off my lights and close my door before running after the two idiots I consider friends. We meet up with Cher, who is wearing a long black dress that is tight at the top and flows out at the bottom, Sophia, who is wearing a knee-length white dress with a green sash tied around the waist, and Harry, who is wearing a tux like the rest of us guys. The six of us head to the cafeteria, which is where we'll eat before heading to the gym, which has apparently been transformed into a not-so-ordinary high school dance. Towards the end of the dance is when my dad will announce who I am.

"Wow." I say as soon as we step into the cafeteria. The entire room has been transformed into an Italian paradise, so I'm going to assume we're having Italian. Unlike the banquet, this time we still have the round lunch tables, just covered in tablecloths and candles with nicer looking chairs. The six of us join Zayn and Perrie at a table, along with Ed, who apparently came with Jade tonight. Jesy and Leigh-Anne must be sitting with their dates somewhere. We all chat for a while, no one mentioning the eleventh chair at every table, the one that remains completely empty because no one came alone. That is, until someone comes and sits in it, shocking all of us.

"Hello, ladies and gentlemen." One of the members of the Court says, smiling at all of us.

"Hello." We all chorus in reply, looking at the man curiously.

"Oh, I guess I should explain. All of the Royal Court, as well as King Bobby, will be rotating tables and just talking to all of you tonight. Something about getting to know the school better. The last person to visit your table will sit there the rest of the time." The man explains. "Oh, and I'm Mark Savera, the Were Head." That explains the look on Harry's face. Each type of magic has a specific leader, called a Head, for some reason, that is usually the most powerful of that type. Mr. Savera is the strongest Werewolf anyone knows of, for instance. The big alpha.