Annabeth Chase the Triwizard Champion

Chapter Eighteen

For the past few weeks they had been doing star charts and dream diaries (which Annabeth had been lying in). Currently the class was listening to Trelawny lament the different ways Saturn could ruin your life. Annabeth hated to say it, but she didn't disagree.

"I would think," Trelawny snapped at a certain duo who wouldn't stop sniggering, "that some of us might be a little less frivolous had they seen what I had seen during my crystal gazing last night. As I sat here, absorbed in my needlework, the urge to consult the orb overpowered me. I arose, I settled myself  before it, and I gazed into its crystalline depths... and what do you think looked back at me?"

Annabeth raised an eyebrow, smirking. Rachel would have a field day.

"Death, my dears. Yes... it comes, every closer, it circles overhead like a vulture, ever lower... every lower over the castle."

She pointed at Harry, who yawned.

Obviously, Annabeth believed in prophecies, because it would be crazy not to. But this was playing it up too much. Annabeth knew that prophecies and fortune telling always had dark subjects, but Trelawny talked about nothing but death and none of the double meanings Annabeth knew were a part of real prophecies. Nope, this was just death, plain and simple.

Trelawny looked more than annoyed, but she moved on.

***

"Potter! Weasley! Will you pay attention?!"

Annabeth looked up from her notebook. McGonagall was glaring towards the back of the classroom, where Harry and Ron were pretend sword fighting with a rubber chicken and a tin parrot. The boys looked up, blinking.

It was the end of class. The guinea fowl they were turning into guinea pigs (which sounded seriously complicated for a fourth year class) were safely in their cage, the homework was on the board, and everyone was packing up.

"Not that Potter and Weasley have been kind enough to act their age," McGonagall said as the head of Harry's rubber chicken dropped to the floor. "I have something to say to you all.

"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."

Two girls giggled, nudging each other.

"Dress robes will be worn," McGonagall continued, "and the ball will start at eight o'clock on Christmas eve, finishing at midnight in the Great Hall. Now then— the Yule Ball is of course a chance for us all to — er— let our hair down. But that does NOT mean that we will be relaxing the standards of behavior we expect from Hogwarts students. I will be most severely displeased if a Gryffindor student embarrasses the school in any way."

"So we're off the hook, then?" Vera said happily as the bell rang. Fortunately, everyone had just gotten up, and with the chattering of excited students and the scrape of chairs against the floor, McGonagall didn't hear.

"Potter, Chase— a word, if you please."

"Have fun," Vera said. She and Freddie went ahead, leaving Annabeth to approach McGonagall's desk. Harry joined her, looking gloomy.

"Potter, Chase, the champions and their partners—"

"What partners?" Harry said.

"Your partners for the Yule Ball, Potter," McGonagall repeated. "Your dance partners."

"Dance partners?" Harry's face went red. "I don't dance."

"Is this required?" Annabeth asked.

"Yes. and yes you do, Potter. That's what I'm telling you. Traditionally, the champions and their partners open the ball."

"I'm not dancing," Harry said.

"It is traditional," McGonagall said sternly. "You both are Hogwarts champions, and you will do what is expected of you as a representative of the school. So make sure you get yourself a partner, Potter, Chase."

"But— i don't—"

"You heard me, Potter."

Looking dejected and on the verge of panic, Harry left. Annabeth stayed behind, hoping to ask a few questions.

"About these dance partners," Annabeth said. "What if, in theory, a champion is not able to find a partner in time for the ball? What would happen?"

"You will find a partner, Chase," McGonagall said. "You should have no trouble, given your popularity."

"I wouldn't call it that," Annabeth said. "But that's not an answer."

"Your head of house would find someone for you to dance with. Is that enough of an answer, Miss Chase?"

"It is." Annabeth shifted her weight. "And what if I were to get a partner, but he lives across the ocean?"

"He would need to be physically here, Miss Chase." McGonagall was clearly getting irritated.

"Is there a way to get him physically here?"

"That would have to be arranged with your previous headmaster, Miss Chase."

"Right. Thank you."

Annabeth left with a very irritated McGonagall sitting at her desk. Freddie and Vera were waiting for her outside the classroom.

"What did she want from you?" Freddie asked.

"The champions are supposed to open the dance with their partners," Annabeth replied.

"Oh my god, partners," Freddie said, groaning. "Romance is so overrated."

"I wonder who I should ask," Vera said dramatically. "Who do i know?"

As if on cue, Daisy came barreling down the hallway and slammed into Vera, sending both girls crashing into Freddie, who crashed into Annabeth, who stumbled back a few steps and then fell, taking everyone down with her.

Daisy burst out laughing, which set everyone else off, turning them into a pile of snortling girls on the floor. People walking by stared, but that only made them laugh harder.

"Ok, seriously," Daisy said, wiping tears from her eyes, "did they tell you about the ball?"

"Yes!" Vera said. "Who do you think I should ask?"

"Oh, Draco Malfoy for sure." Daisy pushed hair out of her face. "You two have so much chemistry."

Vera gagged. "That's the grossest thing I've heard all week."

"Well, then you'll have to find an alternative."

"Ok," Vera said. "Will you be my alternative?"

"Wow, what an amazing offer." Daisy set her chin in her hand. "I'll have to think about that." Vera snorted, to which Daisy replied: "Of course, you idiot."

Vera let out a dramatic breath of relief. "Thank god that went well. I've been crushing on you for years."

"Really?" Daisy said happily, taking Vera's face in her hands. "I never knew."

"Aaaaaaand that's that," Freddie said, getting up along with Annabeth. "Should we go to dinner?"

"Yeah, don't wait up," Vera said.

Daisy laughed, kissed Vera on the nose, and got up, pulling Vera with her.

"Come on," she said. "Maybe they'll have chicken cutlets tonight."