"Hagrid... If you're not sure if the skrewts hibernate, don't you think it's a good idea to not try and force them into crates?" I suggested gently as Hagrid started closing the lids of the crate.
Turns out, they did not hibernate, nor did they enjoy being forced into crate and nailed in.
The skrewts burst open the crates and began rampaging around the pumpkin patch.
Much of the class retreated into Hagrid's hut, and some spent their time running from the stinging, burning, blood-sucking creatures.
I jumped out of the way as one's end exploded.
"Don' frighten him, now!" Hagrid shouted.
"Don't frighten him?" Ron snapped in response as he ran away from one of the ones with blood suckers under them.
After a while, we managed to tie up nine of the ten escaped skrewts.
"Well, well, well, this does look like fun?"
I heard the irritating, blood curdling voice near the fence and my head snapped towards it.
Rita Skeeter.
The skrewt cornered Harry and Ron and I aimed my wand at it. "Incarcerous."
It was wrapped in coils and I grabbed it by the conjured ropes and began dragging it away, trying to keep my hands occupied so I didn't accidentally find them wrapped around Rita Skeeters neck.
"Who're you?" Hagrid asked.
"Rita Skeeter, Daily Prophet reporter," she replied, flashing her golden teeth.
"Thought Dumbledore said you weren' allowed inside the school anymore," Hagrid said, frowning.
"She isn't," I spat. "So, you should probably leave."
"What are these fascinating creatures called?" she continued, ignoring me.
I leaned over to Hermione. "The moment she gets on my last nerve, she is going to tragically disappear and be found drowned in the Black Lake."
Hermione looked at me, horrified, but didn't disagree. Maybe she'd help me do it.
•••
Being urgently called to the Great Hall was never a good sign. But from Professor Flitwick? That was a whole new definition of concerning.
He gazed at each of the faces that he held the attention of. "There is a tradition with every Triwizard Tournament: the Yule Ball. It is an opportunity for us to socialize with our foreign guests."
Mandy and Sue looked at each other, beaming.
"The ball will be open only to fourth years and above, but you may invite a younger student if you wish."
I saw many boys' heads turn to each other in anticipation and I knew exactly who they were going to try and invited: Ginny Weasley.
"Dress robes will be worn and the ball will start at eight o'clock on Christmas Day, finishing at midnight in the Great Hall. I expect all of you to put your best foot forward, and quite literally, because the Yule Ball... is a dance!"
The reactions were quite divided, with some groaning and others chattering excitedly.
"Now, Ravenclaw has always been known for its wit and ready mind, so here, you shall be learning... how to dance!" He clapped excitedly. "Ladies and gentlemen, step forward and grab a partner."
Roger Davies suddenly rushed to me and grabbed my hand, his eyes filled with determination.
"Ready into positions, men with your hands around the girl's waist," music suddenly began to play, "and create a synchronized box with your feet!"
As Roger placed his hand at my waist, he whispered to me, "You can speak French, right?"
"Yeah, why?"
"Could you teach me some words?" His voice went even quieter. "I'm trying to impress Fleur Delacour."
"The champion for Beauxbatons?" I looked around. "Roger, Cedric told me that she was part veela, you know? What if you're just being put in a trance - you know, as veela do?"
"So?"
"So, wouldn't you want to go with someone you like?"
"But I do like her!"
"You- Ow!" I kicked his shin with the foot he stepped on. "Watch it!"
"Please?"
I scoffed. "Fine!"
I glanced at Cho, who had another Ravenclaw boy as a partner, and noticed the pensive look on her face, seeming to be torn between something.
When the dance lessons were finished, I ran to her and grabbed her shoulder. "Cho!"
"Hm? Oh, Y/N." She smiled. "What is it?"
"Planning on going with Cedric?"
She hummed. "I'd like to, yes. But, I don't know if Cedric will actually ask me. There's so many people that would want him to ask them out and I don't know if he'd even consider me."
I stared and clutched my bag. Looks like I didn't learn my lesson the first time I tried to get them together. "We'll see about that."
•••
After school, I went to visit Cedric in his dorm and sat in the chair he kept at his desk as Cedric paced around his dorm. Damian was sound asleep and his other roommates were off searching for dates.
"Who has asked you?"
"Erm..." Cedric paused to organize his thoughts. "Some fifth years... A girl from Gryffindor, Fleur Delacour-"
My head tilted up from my book. "Fleur Delacour?! As in, Beauxbatons' champion?" As in the veela?
He nodded. "I kind of felt weird. Like, for some reason I really wanted to."
"But you rejected her, right?" Worry filled me. I was supposed to be helping Roger get Fleur as a date.
"Yes, I did. She's become a friend, yeah, but I don't think I would want that to change at all."
Thank goodness.
"I mean, the girls that have asked are nice, yes, but I've never even met them! I didn't know I'd need to know how to dance either! And I'm going to do it in front of the whole school. Merlin, I'm doomed!"
I turned the page of my book.
"You're not the least bit worried about going to the ball alone?"
I shrugged. "I've been asked."
I could basically hear the snap in his neck when he rotated his head in my direction, going deathly silent as if trying to penetrate my mind.
"...I can tell you who they are."
"There's multiple?"
I snorted. "It's only because I'm your god sister, Ced. They want to know you. I don't think anyone would ask me out if it weren't for that."
His penetrating gaze softened and he knelt in front of me, lowering my book so he'd be the centre of my attention. "That's not true."
Sighing, I answered, "Whatever you say."
Cedric clicked his tongue and sat down on the floor in front of me. "Why don't we go together?"
I stared at him, clapping my book shut in pure astonishment with what he had just said.
"Ced, there are a lot of lame things in this world," I said carefully, "but bringing your sister to a dance has to be just about the lamest thing you could do."
Not that I would be against going with him, but that would be a betrayal to my mission.
"Is there anyone else in mind? Anyone you're afraid to ask?"
Cedric thought for a moment. "There's the Ravenclaw girl that you introduced me to - Cho."
"Well, I have an amaz-" I nearly fell out of the chair in shock. "What'd you say?"
"Cho was her name, right?" Cedric shrugged, a light pink brushed on his cheeks. "She was really nice... Pretty, too."
My mouth hung open. "Yeah... Yeah, that- She is pretty." I blinked a few times, not used to my plans not completely backfiring on me.
"What's with that look?" Cedric scrunched up his face worriedly. "Did she tell you that she didn't like me or something?"
"No!" I gently kicked his shoulder. "She likes you, you idiot! That's why I introduced you to her in the first place!"
His lips quirked upwards. "Really?"
"Merlin, what am I going to do with you?"
He smiled to himself, almost childishly. It was like he had no idea that he was attractive.
"So you'll ask her?" I questioned excitedly.
He nodded. "Yeah, I think I will."
"Yes!" I pumped my fists into the air, accidentally startling Damian awake. "Hm? Oh, Ced... Y/N... is she here to help you with the golden egg?"
Cedric's eyes widened. "Right, the egg!" He went to his nightstand and opened the drawer. "I opened it the night I got it, but it just made a terrible screeching noise."
I tilted my head. "Well, let's see it."
Damian covered his ears, and rightfully so, because when the egg opened, an ear piercing shriek sounded through the dorm.
But something in me felt like it was yanked and I stood up, startling the both of them.
My eyes went wide and I clutched the back of Cedric's chair.
"Hey, are you okay?" Cedric closed the egg and ran to me, hands on my shoulders. "It's alright, I'm here."
My eyes shut tightly and I breathed, remembering that I was above water.
"She okay?" Damian asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine." I cleared my throat. "That's the sound of a selkie."
"A selkie?" Damian repeated, making Cedric "sh" at him.
"They're merpeople. You can only understand them underwater." I placed my hand on my chin. "Maybe you need to put the egg underwater to get the riddle, then?"
Cedric smiled. "Brilliant!"
"You're welcome."
•••
I followed Hermione out of the library with a book about sea creatures.
"Are you sure you don't want to join S.P.E.W.?" Hermione asked, dejectedly.
Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare was what the letters stood for. However, I wasn't quite sure how we were supposed to pay house elves when most of them wouldn't even take a hat.
I sighed, submitting to her disappointed face, and reached into my pocket to pull out two Sickles. "There. Although, I do hope you know that house elves like doing work, right? I'm only supporting the part about them not being treated badly."
"Thank you!" she said brightly, taking the two sickles in my hand and replacing them with a badge reading S.P.E.W. although I was sure that no one was reading it letter by letter.
Perhaps I could convince her that we should campaign for the better treatment of elves rather than trying to get them a salary.
"Anyway." She changed her tone completely, marking the end of the topic. "Do you have a date for the Yule Ball yet?"
My lip quirked in an awkward smile. "No..."
She let out a sigh in what seemed to be relief, then quickly hid it by asking, "Really? I've heard that plenty of people asked you."
"Well, yeah, but I don't know any of them. I'd rather go with someone I like, you know?"
Another sigh, which she then hid with a frown.
I couldn't imagine that no one had asked her out yet. She was smart, brave, kind, pretty, what else could you want?
Actually, the more astounding fact was that I hadn't heard that Ron or Harry had asked her. Of everyone, they looked the most stressed about finding a date. I would have thought that they'd ask their best friend first.
"Has someone asked you?" I wondered.
"I mean, yes, but I'm not sure if I want to go with him." Her voice went quiet. "It was Viktor Krum."
I nearly face planted.
She wasn't sure if she wanted to go with Viktor Krum? The famous Quidditch player that I also always see reading in the library?
There could only be one reason why.
"Do you wish someone else would ask you before you have to give him an answer?"
Now it was her turn to nearly face plant. She tripped over her own feet and the box of badges she held in her hands dropped to the floor with a loud clang.
"Accio box." The box flew into my hand, but I didn't give it back. "Who is it?"
"Nobody!"
"If you're innocent of it, you needn't get defensive."
Her face was burning red. "It's nobody important, okay?"
"Is it Ron?"
Her faced burned even redder. "No!"
"Yes it is. Unless it's Harry?"
"Oh, no, not him."
"So it's Ron."
"No!"
I shook my head. "Your sentences get doltishly short when you lie, Hermione."
Her face flushed and she gave in. "Yes... I'm waiting for Ron to ask me."
However, her face appeared dejected. I had seen Ron watch groups of girls pass in the hallway, perhaps with the intention of asking one out, but he always seemed to scared of doing it in case of rejection.
With that fear in mind, I thought he'd ask Hermione first.
I smiled and placed my hand on her shoulder. "He'll come around."
She hummed in response, not quite agreeing.