To Hell ~ Fred Weasley

Chapter 54.

Why does it bother me? It's just a crush and it's Fred.

It does not bother me.

"It was just a question, Nina. You went a bit scary there," George chuckled nervously. "Changing of the subject is in order! Why do you think they want Gryffindors to meet in the Transfiguration classroom later?"

"Dunno. Maybe McGonagall wants to tell us something important," Helena said analyzing the matter.

When they had went for breakfast in the Great Hall that morning, Professor McGonagall approached Gryffindor table to let them know that every student above fourth year needed to stop by her classroom at 3 in the afternoon. And apparently, the other three Head of Houses had done the same with their students but inviting them to their respective classrooms. And that time was just around the corner when they finished their Herbology lesson.

Helena and George gathered their belongings and headed to the classroom where they had been summoned.

"You took ages to get here!" Fred complained as he was sitting by one of the windowsills, arms crossed over his chest. "Lucky for you two, I saved us this spot."

Helena was about to tell Fred he was being dramatic, but then she noticed how the room was starting to quickly fill up with the rest of the Gryffindor students who were called in. Chairs were already occupied when she arrived, so anyone who did not get a seat either stayed standing or went to grab a chair from the classroom next door. One or two students were clever enough to use the Summoning Charm and made some chairs fly across the room to get to where they were.

Professor McGonagall cleared her throat once everyone got settled.

"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 -"

"Are we really going to have a ball!?" Helena whispered excitedly to the twins who rolled their eyes at her teasingly. "Somebody pinch me – OUCH! Ok. I asked for it, thanks." The girl rubbed on both her arms after Fred and George had obliged to her wishes knowing it had been a rhetorical request, but still pinched her arms.

"It's just a ball, Hell," Fred said unamused about the event.

"... What's the big fuzz about it?" asked George sharing the same feeling as his brother.

The dark-haired girl turned to look at her friends in disbelief.

"It's a freaking ball!" she said through gritted teeth, her expression confused the twins, not knowing if she was happy or angry. "Dancing, music, gorgeous gowns! Just like in the movies!"

Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil from fourth year started giggling and nudging each other. But also, Angelina and Alicia Spinnet were doing the same. Professor McGonagall just turned to look at them from under her glasses to keep them behaved.

"Dress robes will be worn," Professor McGonagall continued, "and the ball will start at eight o'clock on Christmas Day, finishing at midnight in the Great Hall. Now then -"

Professor McGonagall stared deliberately around the class.

"The Yule Ball is of course a chance for us all to, er... let our hair down," she said, in a disapproving voice.

Fred and George snorted at the sentence coming from McGonagall, getting a slap on their arms from Helena to shut them up.

"But that does NOT mean," Professor McGonagall went on, "that we will be relaxing the standards of behavior we expect from Hogwarts students. I will be most seriously displeased if a Gryffindor student embarrasses the school in any way. The house of Godric Gryffindor has commanded the respect of the wizarding world for nearly ten centuries. I will not have you, in the course of a single evening, besmirching that name by behaving like a babbling, bumbling band of baboons!"