The Eye of the Storm

Invitation

Because of the whole Katie thing, I had no time to buy a dress at Hogsmeade. So Jazz, Lav, Hermione and I spent the rest of the day turning our dorm curtains into a dress. Needless to say, our dorm was a mess. Various spell books lay carelessly on the floor. Every part of the room was covered in scraps of fabric, but it looked okay.

Honestly it took our minds off everything. No one really knew if Katie was going to be alright.

"Isn't it a short?" said Hermione. The dress was a metallic blue with gold trimming and gold lions on it. The only reason it was blue and not red, was because Cho had magically turned the curtains blue, and not even Hermione knew how to turn it back. The dress was short, and had a low neckline.

"There isn't anymore fabric," explained Lav.

"I like it short," I said, posing in the mirror thoughtfully. "I look sexy."

"Kendra!" Spluttered Hermione.

"It's true," said Jazz. We high-fived as I walked towards the door.

"If you keep standing there gaping, we are going to be late," I said to Hermione.

The party was alright. I used it to gain information about wizarding politics. However I still spent time with Ginny and Hermione. They weren't as used to stuffy political parties as I was. I thought Ginny would die of boredom if we weren't there together.

During Herbology the next morning, Harry told us all about Voldemort's past. Apparently he was an orphan and grew up in an orphanage in London. He was a mini sociopath and tormented his classmates. I wasn't really surprised. Then our Herbology project began attacking us.

"Pass me a bowl," said Hermione, holding the pulsating pod at arm's length; Harry handed one over and she dropped the pod into it with a look of disgust on her face.

"Don't be squeamish, squeeze it out, they're best when they're fresh!" called Professor Sprout.

"Anyway," said Hermione, continuing our conversation as though a lump of wood had not just attacked them, "Slughorn's going to have a Christmas party, Harry, and there's no way you'll be able to wriggle out of this one because he actually asked me to check your free evenings, so he could be sure to have it on a night you can come."
Harry groaned.

"Harry, it really isn't so bad. It would help you navigate Wizarding politics better if you learned who the powerful people were," I said.

"I don't care who the powerful people are," Harry grumbled.

"Now that's just naive," I said.

Harry glared at me and was about to say something rude, so I cut him off.

"You're the Boy-Who-Lived. Whether you like it or not you will be involved in that sort of stuff."

"That's why I have private lessons with Dumbledore," said Harry defensively.

"From what I have heard about your private meetings seem more like a know your enemy kind of thing. Which is great, but isn't everything."

Harry grumbled something I couldn't make out.

Meanwhile, Ron, who was attempting to burst the pod in the bowl by putting both hands on it, standing up, and squashing it as hard as he could, said angrily, "And this is another party just for Slughorn's favorites, is it?"

"Just for the Slug Club, yes," said Hermione.

The pod flew out from under Ron's fingers and hit the green house glass, rebounding onto the back of Professor Sprout's head and knocking off her old, patched hat.