Black! Davis! pay attention?"
Professor McGonagall's irritated voice cracked like a whip through the Transfiguration class on Thursday, and Cassiopeia and Nataniel both jumped and looked up.
It was the end of the lesson; they had finished their work; the guinea fowl they had been changing into guinea pigs had been shut away in a large cage on Professor McGonagall's desk (Neville's still had feathers); they had copied down their homework from the blackboard ("Describe, with examples, the ways in which Transforming Spells must be adapted when performing Cross-Species Switches").
The bell was due to ring at any moment, and Cassiopeia and Nathaniel, who had been having a sword fight with a couple of Fred and George's fake wands at the back of the class, looked up, Nataniel holding a tin parrot and Cassiopeia, a rubber haddock.
"Now that Black and Davis have been kind enough to act their age," said Professor McGonagall, with an angry look at the pair of them as the head of Cassiopeia's haddock drooped and fell silently to the floor — Natnaiel's parrot's beak had severed it moments before — "I have something to say to you all."
"The Yule Ball is approaching — a traditional part of the Tri- wizard 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 —"
Lavender Brown let out a shrill giggle. Parvati Patil nudged her hard in the ribs, her face working furiously as she too fought not to giggle. They both looked around at Harry.
"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.
Lavender giggled harder than ever, with her hand pressed hard against her mouth to stifle the sound. Cassiopeia could see what was funny this time: Professor McGonagall, with her hair in a tight bun, looked as though she had never let her hair down in any sense.
"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, yes miss black. I'm looking at you."
The bell rang, and there was the usual scuffle of activity as every- one packed their bags and swung them onto their shoulders.
Professor McGonagall called above the noise, "Potter's — a word if you please."
Harry and Nico proceeded gloomily to the teacher's desk. Professor McGonagall waited until the rest of the class had gone, and then said, "Potter's, the champions, and their partners —"
"What partners?" said Harry.
Professor McGonagall looked suspiciously at him, as though she thought he was trying to be funny.
"Your partners for the Yule Ball, Potter," she said coldly. "Your dance partners."
Harry's insides seemed to curl up and shrivel.
"Dance partners?" He felt himself going red. "I don't dance," he said quickly.
"Oh yes, you do," said Professor McGonagall irritably. "That's what I'm telling you. Traditionally, the champions and their partners open the ball."
"I'm not dancing," Nico said.
"It is traditional," said Professor McGonagall firmly. "You are a Hogwarts champion, and you will do what is expected of you as a representative of the school. So make sure you get yourself a partner, Potter."
"But — I don't —"
"You heard me, Potter," said Professor McGonagall in a very final sort of way.
"Any maybe Mr potter," the professor started, looking at Nico, "You may use this as a chance to invite Miss Black,"
Cassiopeia had never known so many people to put their names down to stay at Hogwarts for Christmas; she always did, of course, because the alternative was usually going back to her mother, (Archie would also be with his younger friends at this time) but she had always been very much in the minority before now.
This year, however, everyone in the fourth year and above seemed to be staying, and they all seemed to Cassiopeia to be obsessed with the coming ball — or at least all the girls were, and it was amazing how many girls Hogwarts suddenly seemed to hold; he had never quite noticed that before. Girls giggling and whispering in the corridors, girls shrieking with laughter as boys passed them, girls excitedly comparing notes on what they were going to wear on Christmas night.
Every time Cassiopeia walked down the hallways and saw Nico, he would turn around and walk the other way. She would be lying if she said it didn't bother her.
The last week of the term became increasingly boisterous as it progressed. Rumors about the Yule Ball were flying everywhere, though Cassiopeia didn't believe half of them — for instance, that Dumbledore had bought eight hundred barrels of mulled mead from Madam Rosmerta (It did spark an idea though). It seemed to be a fact, however, that he had booked the Weird Sisters.
Some of the teachers, like little Professor Flitwick, gave up trying to teach them much when their minds were so clearly elsewhere; he allowed them to play games in his lesson on Wednesday.
Other teachers were not so generous. Nothing would ever deflect Professor Binns, for example, from plowing on through his notes on goblin rebellions — as Binns hadn't let his own death stand in the way of continuing to teach, they supposed a small thing like Christmas wasn't going to put him off. It was amazing how he could make even bloody and vicious goblin riots sound as boring as Percy's cauldron-bottom report.
Professors McGonagall and Moody kept them working until the very last second of their classes too, and Snape, of course, would no sooner let them play games in class than wash his hair. Staring nastily around at them all, he informed them that he would be testing them on poison antidotes during the last lesson of the term.
Since Harry had given Nico the egg, he had put the golden egg upstairs in his trunk and hadn't opened it since the celebration party after the first task. There were still two and a half months to go until he needed to know what all the screechy wailing meant, after all.
All the Gryffindors were in the common room, discussing the ball. Cassiopeia was 'quietly' freaking out.
"So how did he do it again?" she asked her best friend exciting
"I told you, we were by the black lake and he said, 'Wanna go to the ball with me?'. I said 'sure' and he said 'cool'." Nathaniel recounted for the 25th time.
"My Cousin Theodores, Asked you to the ball! Soon you'll be married and we'll be related! And I'll be an aunty and-" Cassiopeia rambled.
"Slow down, you sound like Nico discussing your future," Nathaniel asked and raised his eyebrows when he saw him go bright pink,
"What are you not telling me, I said this sentence last year and you literally threw up. Now your hair is pink," asked Nathaniel.
"I don't know, maybe it's because he got hot this year or when he accompanied me during my mental breakdown or maybe it was that date or maybe his goofy smile or his dork attitude or-"
"Cassiopeia," Nathaniel cut in, "You have a crush,"
Her eyes widened in shock. It made sense. The laugh. The Smile. The Eyes. The Butterflies. Pink hair. She needed to talk to someone. She got up and made her way to James' room.
Nico saw Cassiopeia get up and head out of the common room, having a sudden burst of courage. He ran up to her, ignoring the bewildered boy's he left behind.
"Hey Potter," said Cassiopeia grinning.
"My dear Cassiopeia, will you do me the honor of accompanying me to the Yule Ball," Nico asked nervously. He could hear the entire common room go silent, waiting for the response.
"Alright," said Cassiopeia, the roots of her hair a rose pink.
"W-What," Nico spluttered out, while the people in the common room were whispering to each other.
"I will go to the ball with you, Nico James Potter," Cassiopeia said with a smirk, and headed out the portrait hole, leaving a heart-struck boy staring at her retreating figure.
Nico looked around, and to his surprise, he saw Ron sitting ashen-faced in a distant corner. Ginny was sitting with him, talking to him in what seemed to be a low, soothing voice.
"What's up, Ron?" said Nico, joining them with a smile on his face.
Ron looked up at them, a sort of blind horror on his face.
"Why did I do it?" he said wildly. "I don't know what made me do it!"
"What?" said Harry.
"He — er — just asked Fleur Delacour to go to the ball with him," said Ginny. She looked as though she was fighting back a smile, but she kept patting Ron's arm sympathetically.
"You what?" said Harry.
"I don't know what made me do it!" Ron gasped again. "What was I playing at? There were people — all around — I've gone mad — everyone watching! I was just walking past her in the entrance hall — she was standing there talking to Diggory — and it sort of came over me — and I asked her!" Ron moaned and put his face in his hands. He kept talking, though the words were barely distinguishable.
"She looked at me like I was a sea slug or something. Didn't even answer. And then — I dunno — I just sort of came to my senses and ran for it."
"She's part veela," said Harry. "You were right — her grandmother was one. It wasn't your fault, I bet you just walked past when she was turning on the old charm for Diggory and got a blast of it — but she was wasting her time. He's going with Cho Chang."
"I asked her to go with me just now," Harry said dully, "and she told me."
Ginny had suddenly stopped smiling.
"This is mad," said Ron. "We're the only ones left who haven't got anyone — well, except Nico Neville. Hey — guess who he asked? Hermione!"
"What?" said Harry, completely distracted by this startling news.
"Yeah, I know!" said Ron, some of the color coming back into his face as he started to laugh. "He told me after Potions! Said she's always been really nice, helping him out with work and stuff — but she told him she was already going with someone. Ha! As if! She just didn't want to go with Neville . . . I mean, who would?"
"Don't!" said Ginny, annoyed. "Don't laugh —"
Just then Hermione climbed in through the portrait hole.'
"Why weren't you two at dinner?" she said, coming over to join them.
"Because — oh shut up laughing, you two — because they've both just been turned down by girls they asked to the ball!" said Ginny.
That shut Harry and Ron up.
"Well my Alhena is coming with me," said Nico, falling onto the couch.
"Great, our love lives are really switching places," said harry.
"Thanks a bunch, Ginny," said Ron sourly.
"All the good-looking ones are taken, Ron?" said Hermione loftily.
"Eloise Midgen is starting to look quite pretty now, is she? Well, I'm sure you'll find someone somewhere who'll have you."
But Ron was staring at Hermione as though suddenly seeing her in a whole new light.
"Hermione, Neville's right — you are a girl. . . ."
"Oh well spotted," she said acidly.
"This isn't going to go well," Nico whispered to harry.
"Well — you can come with one of us!"
"No, I can't," snapped Hermione.
"Oh come on," he said impatiently, "we need partners, we're going to look really stupid if we haven't got any, everyone else has . . ."
"I can't come with you," said Hermione, now blushing, "because I'm already going with someone."
"No, you're not!" said Ron. "You just said that to get rid of Neville!"
"Oh did I?" said Hermione, and her eyes flashed dangerously. "Just because it's taken you three years to notice, Ron, doesn't mean no one else has spotted I'm a girl!"
Ron stared at her. Then he grinned again.
"Okay, okay, we know you're a girl," he said. "What will you do? Will you come now?"
"I've already told you!" Hermione said very angrily. "I'm going with someone else!"
And she stormed off toward the girls' dormitories again. "She's lying," said Ron flatly, watching her go.
"She's not," said Ginny quietly.
"Who is it then?" said Ron sharply.
"I'm not telling you, it's her business," said Ginny.
"Right," said Ron, who looked extremely put out, "this is getting stupid. Ginny, you can go with Harry, and I'll just —"
"I can't," said Ginny, and she went scarlet too. "I'm going with — with Neville. He asked me when Hermione said no, and I thought . . . well . . . I'm not going to be able to go otherwise, I'm not in my fourth year."
She looked extremely miserable. "I think I'll go and have dinner," she said, and she got up and walked off to the portrait hole, her head bowed.
Ron goggled at Harry.
"What's got into them?" he demanded.
But Harry had just seen Parvati and Lavender come in through the portrait hole. The time had come for drastic action.
"Wait here," he said to Ron, and he stood up, walked straight up
to Parvati, and said, "Parvati? Will you go to the ball with me?" Parvati went into a fit of giggles. Harry waited for them to subside, his fingers crossed in the pocket of his robes.
"Yes, all right then," she said finally, blushing furiously. "Thanks," said Harry, in relief. "Lavender — will you go with Ron?"
"She's going with Seamus," said Parvati, and the pair of them giggled harder than ever.
Harry sighed.
"Can't you think of anyone who'd go with Ron?" he said, lowering his voice so that Ron wouldn't hear.
"What about Hermione Granger?" said Parvati. "She's going with someone else."
Parvati looked astonished.
"Ooooh — who?" she said keenly.
Harry shrugged. "No idea," he said. "So what about Ron?"
"Cassiopeia?" asked Lavender, she looked behind him and saw Nico's face, "Nevermind, expected her to say yes,"
"Well . . ." said Parvati slowly, "I suppose my sister might . . . Padma, you know . . . in Ravenclaw. I'll ask her if you like it."
"Yeah, that would be great," said Harry. "Let me know, will you?"
K, I'm gonna just post all the chapters I have already written and then somebody can private message me if they want to take over the story. I've just had no inspiration and I'm getting kinda over the story.
Have a good morning/night
@27TheEnd