Just Like Magic (George Weasley)

Nine.

Harry told me he spoke to my father, but he didn't have much time. They had a short conversation in the fire about the Triwizard Tournament after he found out Harry was going to compete in it. He told Harry to keep an eye out, because someone was probably after him if his name was put in the Goblet of Fire.
   
There was also an article in the Daily Prophet about the school Champions. Except that it was mostly about Harry. There were two paragraphs about the Beauxbatons and Durmstrang champion at the end, and nothing mentioning the other Hogwarts Champion, Cedric Diggory.
   
I could tell Harry didn't like this. I felt for the kid. It must be terrible being him, honestly. I couldn't imagine it. I was lucky everyone avoided me. I wanted them to, and I was glad that they did.
   
Then it was time for the first tournament, Ron and Harry apparently weren’t speaking to each other, so Ron was cheering for Cedric. I knew that I should cheer for Cedric too, and I did. But Harry was my friend, so I wanted to cheer for him too. I just felt like a Slytherin traitor doing so. Either way, did it matter who won as long as it was someone from Hogwarts? I didn’t think so.
   
The first task was very dangerous. They had to get an egg from a dragon. Charlie Weasley was here, he and the rest of the guys he works with brought the dragons to the tournament. I sat with Nadine and our Yule Ball dates during the task. The Weasley’s weren't that far from us. I could hear them cheering on Harry and Cedric during the task.
   
Cedric came out first, up against a Swedish Short-Snout dragon. He used a Transfiguration spell to turn a rock into a dog to distract the Dragon. He seemed to be getting away with it, too. It actually worked long enough for him to get the egg. I sat there, nearly biting my nails the entire time. He got burned pretty bad on his face. It made me nervous to watch, but he made it out alive.
   
Then the chosen Beauxbatons Champion, Fleur Delacour, came out second, up against a Common Welsh Green Dragon and enchanted the Dragon to sleep long enough for her to get the egg.
   
The Durmstrang student Viktor Krum came out against a Chinese Fireball. He used the conjunctivitis curse on the dragon to get the egg.
   
Harry came out last against a Hungarian Horntail, which Harry had told me that Charlie Weasley said was the fiercest of them all. He used a Summoning Charm to retrieve his broom and zoomed around the dragon to get the egg, but he did get scratched by the dragon in the process.
   
Ron quit being angry at Harry after the first task. He said after watching that that Harry must have been bloody mad to put his name into the Goblet of Fire. He finally believed him that he didn’t put his name in there, and they made up and were best friends again.
   
The start of December brought a wind and sleet to Hogwarts, and Christmas came to the castle quickly. Before we knew it, it was time for the ball. Nadine and I got ready together and if I'm being honest, I was excited. She performed a spell on my hair to make it smooth and straight. To be honest, I loved it. I looked like an entirely different person.
   
I kept my hair down, I liked the way it looked down. I didn't do my make-up as heavy as I usually do. I kept it light for tonight. Nadine said she's never seen me so pretty. It made me feel good, but yet it didn't. If she thought I was pretty now, then what did she think of how I normally looked. I try not to let thoughts like that cloud my mind, but I couldn’t help it sometimes.
   
When we arrived at the Great Hall, we found Wyatt and Beckett, but Beckett was standing with another girl, someone from his school. I didn't know why, either. He smiled when he saw me. "Penelope, we should talk."
   
"Okay," I say, and he begins to walk out of the Great Hall with him.
   
"So, um, when your friend told me about you, she didn't mention that you are the daughter of Sirius Balck."
   
Oh I didn't like where this was going.
   
"She didn't?" I ask, trying to play dumb.
   
"She didn't, and I know that you're a nice girl, but I cannot be associated with a daughter of a murderer. My parents would not like that. So I found my own date."
   
"I see," I say, "He's my father but I don't know him," I lie to him trying to keep my cool. "He went to jail when I was young and I haven't seen him since."
   
"Still, it doesn't matter. He's your father. I cannot be seen with you. You understand, I'm sure."
   
"Yes," I say, crossing my arms over my chest. "Why didn't you tell me this sooner? I could have found a different date. I had another offer, someone who really wanted to go with me. And I turned him down for you."
   
"I just found out. Believe me I wish I knew sooner, too."
   
He walks back into the Great Hall, leaving me outside of it. My chest felt tight. I couldn't really breathe. I started for the stairs so I could sit down. I had to wrap my head around this. I was used to being ignored for who my father is. I was used to people looking at me differently and treating me differently because of him but this was the first time that it actually hurt.
   
Tears agreed pouring out of my eyes. I couldn't stop them no matter how hard I tried. I didn't want to cry, I was wearing make-up and I didn't want to ruin it. So I did my best to pull myself together. I was wiping my eyes when. Fred, Angelina Johnson, and George walked past me. They stopped, and I saw George say something to Fred I could hear, and Fred and Angelina went into the Great Hall without him, and George came my way.
   
"Why are you crying?" He asks, his tone soft. He kneels in front of me so he can look at me without looking down at me.
   
"It's nothing," I say, shaking my head.
   
He can see right through my lies. "Bullshit, Penelope. What's wrong?"
   
"My date decided he didn't want to be seen with Sirius Black's daughter," I say shrugging, "So he found another date and didn't tell me until just a few minutes ago."
   
He sits next to me now, "I'm sorry he did that to you," he says, his tone soft again.
   
"Yeah, well, I'm going to go back to the Common Room." I stand up then and I start walking, "I didn't even want to go to this stupid ball anyway. I'm going to go to bed. This is officially the worst Christmas ever."
   
"Wait," he says grabbing my hand before I could walk off. "You can still go with me."
   
"What about your date?" I ask, confused.
   
"I don't have one," he says, a slight smile, "I didn't ask anyone else. By the time I started asking around, everyone had already been asked. You can still go with me if you like."
   
"You sure you don't mind being seen with Sirius Black's daughter?" I ask.
   
"I'd be honored," he says, smiling fully at me.
   
I force a smile, "Okay, then, George. Let's go."

Nadine was coming to find me as George and I entered the Great Hall. Her voice was frantic. "There you are, Beckett just told me what he did. I am so sorry. Have you been crying? Your eyes look red. Oh don't tell me you were crying, Penelope, he's not worth it."
   
"It's okay," I assure her, "I have another date."
   
"What? Who?" She asks.
   
"Me," says George, proudly.
   
Nadine looks from him to me to him again. "Alright then, good, you guys have fun. I should get back to Wyatt. The dancing is about to start."
   
"I don't think your friend likes me very much," George whispers as we walked off to find his brother and his date.
   
"She was raised by parents similar to Malfoy. Don't mind her. She can't always turn it off."
   
"Sometimes I forget you're a Slytherin. You're nothing like the rest of them."
   
"We're not all bad, George," I say, a chuckle in my voice, "Some of us are actually nice people."
   
"I wish you were all like that," he says, a smile on his face.
   
I ended up having a great time with George. Other people from my house were giving me weird looks, but I didn't pay them any mind. I liked hanging out with George. Fred didn't seem to mind my company either, which was good.
   
While Fred and George talk to Ludo Bagman, the Head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports, I sit at the table drinking some Butterbeer alone. I didn't mind. He would be back in a moment, and we would be dancing again soon.
   
Nadine had found me, she sat next to me and said, "Is Weasley being a gentleman?"
I nod, "He is."
   
She nods back, "Good. He's not who I would have liked to see my best friend with tonight but hey, if you're having a good time then who cares."
   
I didn't like how she said that. I didn't like it at all.
   
"What's that supposed to mean? Because I'm pretty sure the guy you picked for me found another date behind my back and tried to leave me stranded. George was there to help me out, not your guy."
   
"I'm sorry Beckett did that to you, but you have to admit it's not like his reason isn't unjust."
   
"What?" I ask, speaking through my teeth.
   
"I mean, your dad is a murderer. My parents don't like that we're friends either, but i don't care."
   
I roll my eyes, "How sweet of you."
   
"Hey, you know it doesn't bother me who your dad is. You're not him."
   
"Tell that to Beckett, or half the people at this school. People are scared of me for no reason. I for one am starting to get sick of it. George truly doesn't care. I don't care if his family doesn't have money. I don't care that they're blood traitors. They're just people at the end of the day. Nice people, and I prefer the company of them over someone like Beckett, or anyone in Slytherin House."
   
She stands up, obviously full of anger. I was too. "Well then fine, go be with your precious Weasley. Since you like them all so much."
   
I stand up then, too. "I will."

____________________
Here's part 9!

Georgie was there to save the day!

He's too sweet!

-Emily Winchester.