DINNER PARTY-063
A WEEK LATER
"So tell me, Cormac, do you see anything' of your Uncle Tiberius there days?" Slughorn spoke, from the other side of the table.
Diana sat at the table next to her boyfriend, playing with her dessert. It was chocolate, so she couldn't eat it and didn't want to tell Slughorn about it either.
"Yes sir. In fact, I'm meant to go hunting with him and the minister for magic over the holidays." McLaggen answered.
Slughorn smiled. "Oh, well. Be sure to give them both my best. What about your uncle, Belby? For those of you who don't know Marcus' uncle invented the Wolfsbane Potion."
Diana's head shot up quickly as she heard Wolfsbane and Remus pop into her head. She looked over to Marcus Belby
"Is he working on anything new?" Their teacher asked.
Marcus shrugged as he fiercely ate his dessert. Hermione, Harry, and Diana grimaced, watching the boy eat.
"Don't know. He and Dad don't get on. Probably because my dad says potions are rubbish. His only potion worth having is a stiff one at the end of the day." Marcus said making Diana scoff quietly.
Slughorn turned his attention to Hermione. "What about you, Miss Granger? What exactly does your family do in the Muggle world?"
Hermione cleared her throat. "My parents are dentists." Everyone went silent as they stared at her. She shifted awkwardly. "They tend to people's teeth."
"Fascinating," Slughorn said in wonder. "And is that considered a dangerous profession?"
"No," Hermione said as her best friend glanced at her with an amused smile. "Although, one boy Robbie Fenwick did bite my father once. He needed ten stitches."
The door suddenly opened and walked in Ginny. Diana smiled at her sister as the little redhead hurried over to her.
"Ah! Miss Weasley. Come in, come in." Slughorn said.
Diana noticed her sister's red and puffy eyes, causing her to sigh. Ginny and Dean have been fighting for the past week.
"Sorry. I'm not usually late." Ginny said, sitting next to her sister.
"No matter. You're just in time for dessert." Slughorn smiled. " That is if Belby's left you any."
Diana leaned down towards her sister and whispered in her ear. " We need to talk after this."
Ginny just nodded as she started eating her dessert. The blonde looked up and saw Cormac staring at Hermione. Diana glanced at her best friend, who tried to make herself smaller as McLaggen stared at her, he dipped his finger into his dessert before sucking it off.
Diana shuttered in disgust, wishing the party would be over soon. When the party did end, Harry told the girls that he was going to stay and talk with Slughorn, he would meet them but in the common room. They nodded, Diana gave him a quick kiss before the trio walked back to the common room in silence until she broke it.
" What's happening with you and Dean, Gin?" Diana asked. " You've been crying non-stop and it's worrying us."
"It's nothing, Ana," Ginny said, trying to dismiss the conversation.
"It's not nothing, Ginny." Diana looked at her. "Crying after something happened with you and Dean isn't nothing. Please tell me."
Ginny looked irritated. "Just leave it, Ana."
"I'm not going to just leave it. Is Dean hurting you? I'm your sister, Ginny. I need to know." Diana pleaded.
"I said leave it alone, Diana!" Ginny snapped as she stopped. "It's none of your business!"
"It is my business if he's hurting you, Ginevra!" Diana snapped back, her hair fiery red. "I'm your sister and if he's doing something that is making you upset, I need to know."
"You may be my sister, but this is not your fight, Ana," Ginny said, face red. "I can handle it."
Diana scoffed. "What if you can't? What if he takes it too far and hits you? What if he gets so angry in one of you fighting and hurts you?"
"He's not like that," Ginny said.
"Yes, Dean is kind and never will hurt fly Gin. But you never know if he'll turn. I will stay out of it, but promise me you will tell me if he hurts you in any way?" Diana says.
Ginny sighed. "Of course, Annie."
"Because I will kick his ass if he does. And you have seven brothers who will also kick his ass." Diana said, her hair turning blonde again.
"I know." Ginny smiled. "I'm sorry for snapping at you. You were only looking after me."
"I'm sorry too." She says, taking ahold of her sister's hand.
***
The day of Ron's first quidditch game was today and Diana was nervous for him. She hadn't seen her brother all morning and it worried her. Diana glanced at the doors of the Great Hall every so often, waiting for her brother to walk through and when he finally did, he looked as pale as a ghost.
"He looks like he's going to vomit," Sammy commented, looking around his brother.
Diana slapped her twin's on the head, causing him to yelp. "Shut up, Sam. He's just nervous. It's his big day."
Ron and Ella sat down at the table across from his twin siblings and Harry and said, bitterly. "So how was it, then?"
"How was what?" Hermione asked, looking up from her book.
"Your dinner party?" Ron said, his voice shaking with nerves.
"Boring," Diana answered. " I couldn't even eat the dessert."
Harry smiled at her with sympathy as he rubbed her back and planted to kiss on her head.
"Slughorn's having Christmas, do you know?" Hermione said. "And we're meant to bring someone."
"I expect you'll be bringing McLaggen. He's in the Slug Club, isn't he?" Ron says.
"Actually, I was going to ask someone," Hermione revealed, glancing at the Slytherin table.
"Really?" Ron said thoughtfully.
"Oh no." Ella sighed as she spotted Lavender Brown coming towards them.
"Good luck today, Ron." Lavender smiled. "I know you'll be brilliant."
Ron surprisingly smiled at her as she walked away. He then looked at his best friend, and his smile faded. "I'm resigning. After today's match, McLaggen can have my spot."
"Have it your way," Harry said not worried at all. He gave a cup to Ron. "Juice?"
Ron nodded and Diana glanced at her boyfriend suspiciously, raising a brow.
"Hello, everyone." Luna Lovegood greeted. "You look dreadful, Ron."
Sammy chuckled as he sipped his drink. "That's what I said—Ow! Mione, what was that for?"
Hermione had whacked Sam in the chest, causing the dirty blonde boy to spill his drink all over himself.
"Is that why you put something in his cup?" Luna said, motioning towards the spiked cup. "Is it a tonic?"
Diana looked at her smirking boyfriend as he placed the vial of Liquid Luck in his packet.
"Liquid Luck," Hermione said. "Don't drink it, Ron!"
"Drink it, Ron!" Sammy said with the bushy-haired girl.
"I agree," Ella says, her hand rubbing Ron's back.
"Sam! Ella! Don't encourage him!" Hermione snapped at them.
Sammy rolled his eyes. "Merlin, Mione. Ron needs it. Go on now, Drink it, Ronald."
Ron downed the drink, causing his friends and siblings to smile as Hermione sighed.
"You can be expelled for that."
"I don't know what you're talking about." Harry immediately said.
"Come one, Harry, Ana." Ron grinned, standing up from his seat, and took Ella's hand in his. "We've got a game to win."