The man glared fiercely at the gathered students. All the fourth thru seventh years had been ordered to meet in the common room for an announcement. Heather couldn't help but wonder what it was that their Head of House had to say. It wasn't often that he called for a house-wide meeting, especially since the Prefects were capable of passing on any information he needed to convey.
The moment he opened his mouth, everyone sat up straighter, giving their fullest attention. Not that they hadn't been before, but one could never be too attentive when it came to Professor Snape.
"In accordance with Triwizard Tournament traditions, there will be a ball organised on Yule this year. Only students above fourth year will be able to attend. However, younger years may do so if escorted by any fourth to seventh year. That is the only," he narrowed his eyes warningly, "exception. I expect that all of you will comport yourselves with dignity and composure. Keep in mind that the foreign students and teachers will be present as well. Any misdemeanour reflects poorly on our house and on me, so do not give me cause to punish any of you."
"Yes Professor," Heather said dutifully, together with her housemates.
"Very well. As this is to be a formal ball, you are all required to be attired in dress robes and have a companion for the evening. Dancing will be expected - formal, not that foolish wiggling about you dunderheads do these days. All of you will dance gracefully, or not at all. Seeing as there is still three weeks' time left, I suggest you take the time to practise."
And with that, without so much as a farewell, he swept out of the room. As soon as he did so, murmuring broke out amongst the students. Most of them appeared excited. Heather figured it was probably because they were already accustomed to high society events. She didn't know how to dance, but Daphne, or even Astoria, would probably be willing to teach her. She turned to the side and asked as much to the younger witch.
"Oh, of course Heather! With your grace, I'm sure you'll pick it up in no time." With a sly look, she whispered, "And you'll charm your date right off his feet! Who do you think you'll go with? Of course, a boy will have to summon up his courage to ask first - Salazar knows you have a bit of a reputation."
Confused, Heather asked, "What reputation? I hardly talk to any males besides Fred, George and my brother."
"Exactly!" Giggling, the fourth year said, "People call you the Slytherin Ice Princess, you know, because you appear so standoffish. Not to mention you're top of your level, excellent at Quidditch, beautiful. No one can hope to match you!"
Heather simply furrowed her brows. She didn't get it, but whatever. No doubt Daphne was exaggerating, as she was wont to. At any rate, she wasn't looking forward to the ball at all. There wasn't any boy in school she was even marginally interested in, not in that way at least. When she tried to think of anyone she would like to go with, intense dark eyes flashed suddenly in her mind.
Startled, she put all thoughts of the ball out of her head as she settled down for her nightly meditation.
~~~
It seemed to Heather that the whole student body had been dosed with Amortentia overnight. New couples sprouted out of nowhere. Everywhere she turned, she saw students in various states of entanglement. Handholding here, kissing there. One particularly amorous couple had been caught in flagrante delicto near the Transfiguration classroom by the scandalised Professor McGonagall herself.
It had been a week since the announcement and the lovey-dovey atmosphere showed no signs of abating. If this kept up until the Yule Ball, it would be a very long fortnight indeed.
Heather tried her best to ignore the couples around her as she ate her breakfast. Even the Slytherins were caught up in the passion, albeit in a subtler manner than their peers. Focussed as she was on ignoring the world, the call of her name almost caused her to jolt in surprise. She looked up to see her housemate, Adrian Pucey. While they were in the same year and house, she had barely spoken five sentences to him, mostly during Quidditch practice years ago. She wondered what he wanted.
"Miss Potter, may I have the honour of escorting you to the Yule Ball?" the Prefect asked formally.
Stunned, she blinked rapidly as she tried to process the statement. Now that she was paying attention, she realised that most of Slytherin house was watching them. She gathered her wits enough to give a polite response. Somehow, she didn't think 'thanks, but no thanks' would cut it.
"My apologies, but I shall have to respectfully decline."
Disappointment flashed in the boy's eyes before he masked it. "Of course, thank you for your time." With an elegant nod, he walked off, paying no heed to the sudden whispering that stole across the table.
Well, that was bizarre.
~~~
For not the first time, Heather cursed Adrian Pucey. It wouldn't be the last time, either. His request seemed to have triggered an unending cascade. Some other Slyths in her year had asked her after Pucey. Then Slyths in other years. Finally, boys from the other houses tried as well.
It was extremely confusing to Heather, who hadn't even spoken to most of those boys before. Besides Rian and the Weasleys, the only males she had contact with were the younger years she mentored and the Professors.
Heck, even Draco Malfoy had asked her to the ball. She had given him the same answer she gave every single one of the other boys. The look on his face had made her feel a little guilty, but not enough to retract her refusal.
What she hated most were those who didn't want to take no for an answer. The scenes they'd made would have made a cranky toddler proud.
Like this Gryffindor.
"What do you mean no!?" The boy's face was an unattractive shade of red. "Do you know who I am?" People could say what they wanted about Slytherins, but they at least knew how to take a refusal graciously. (Well, most of them, that was, she amended, thinking of Rian's story about Malfoy on the Hogwarts Express in his first year.)
"Actually, no I don't," Heather answered honestly. All she knew was that he wasn't in Hadrian's year.
He sputtered in shock. Clearly, he'd meant it as a rhetorical question. Once he'd gotten over it, his rage returned. He advanced threateningly, trying to back her into the wall. He had a large build, towering over her easily. (Well, most people did, what with her diminutive stature.)
Most girls in her situation would have been afraid. Here she was, alone with a large, angry male. Heather wasn't most girls. Instead of feeling scared, she was furious.
The scenario reminded her painfully of Vernon.
Gathering her magic to blast the great brute into next week, she was reasonably startled by the third voice that cut in sharply.
"McLaggen! 100 points for harassment of a fellow student and two weeks' detention with me!"
They both turned towards the Professor. Heather was mildly disappointed that she didn't get to unleash her magic on the newly-identified McLaggen, but she comforted herself with the fact that he would suffer his detention with her Head of House. He was really in for it now. Professor Snape was notoriously protective of his snakes. The boy seemed to realise that as well, since he fled soon after.
"We have got to stop meeting like this, Professor," she said teasingly.
"Then perhaps you should manage your paramours more strictly," he snarked in return.
At that, she grimaced. "They are hardly paramours, sir. Lockhart was just delusional and McLaggen, well, he's a self-entitled thug."
"And your other suitors?" he sneered.
She shrugged. "I don't know why all those boys asked me. I don't even know them. You'd be better off asking them."
Severus raised a disbelieving brow. Did Heather Lyra truly not realise? The little maggots had followed her with their eyes long before the ball had been announced. For such an intelligent witch, she was remarkably oblivious about such matters.
"Anyway, thank you again for your help, sir." She smiled brightly before going off for her next class.
Unfortunately, that reminded him of the scene he had come upon. The unmitigated fury he had felt at seeing the disgusting boy advance on Heather Lyra had caused him to nearly curse the boy. He still wanted to, in fact.
He would have to settle for inflicting the worst two weeks of detention in Hogwarts' history.
~~~
"No, no. Here, step this way." Heather demonstrated the steps again with her arms raised to rest on an invisible partner. She wasn't quite as fluid in the leading position, but she did it adequately. Daphne was a good teacher. "Got it?"
"I think so," Rian said hesitantly. He tried again to lead her in the dance, making a few mistakes here and there.
"Better. But remember to look up at your partner. Don't just stare at your feet."
Hadrian nodded and started moving again.
"So, have you asked anyone to the ball? You'll be leading the first dance, right?" Heather asked.
Her brother groaned. "Don't remind me. If I had it my way, I wouldn't be dancing at all. I don't know who to ask!"
"Come on now, this isn't so bad, right?" Heather said, allowing herself to be twirled. She made an approving sound at the smooth motion. "Who do you have in mind?"
He blushed in a telling manner. "No one," he lied.
"Remember to look up, Rian," she teased, using a hand to lift his gaze away from his feet.
"You said to look at my partner's face. I have to look down for that," he retorted.
Heather pouted. "Not funny. Not my fault I'm short." Her nutrition potions had done wonders for her brother. He was now of average height amongst his peers, much taller than she ever hoped to be. "Anyway, don't try to change the subject. Your date to the ball?"
"I don't have anyone to ask!"
She smirked. "Are you sure? What about a certain Hufflepuff?"
His blush, which had previously faded, returned with a vengeance. "I can't ask Cedric!"
"I was going to say Hannah Abbott, but since you mentioned Cedric..."
"Heather!"
She laughed at her flustered brother. "Why can't you ask him? I'm sure he'd say yes."
"He's just a friend!" Hadrian protested weakly. "Anyway, I don't want to give Skeeter anymore fuel for her stories." Heather scowled at the mention of that detestable reporter. She'd written a lot of rubbish about Hadrian in the Daily Prophet. "I can just see it now - 'Boy-Who-Lived-To-Be-A-Poof!'" Rian said scornfully.
"And are you?" she asked carefully. While she was reasonably certain about his crush on Cedric, it could just be admiration he was feeling.
"Is that a problem?" he answered in the same tone.
Seeing the vulnerable look on his face, her heart melted. "Of course not! You can like whoever you want to. I'll always support you. You have pretty good taste, too. Cedric Diggory, Hufflepuff Hottie."
Hadrian groaned in embarrassment and remained silent until they finished their dance. "Okay, it wasn't horrible dancing with you."
An idea formed in her mind as he said those words. "Say, Rian. Why don't we go together to the ball?"
"What?" he asked, incredulous.
"Yeah. That way, you don't have to ask anyone and nobody would think we're involved since we're siblings! Wouldn't want to give Cedric the wrong idea, would you?"
Hadrian ignored that last line and thought about his sister's suggestion. It sounded pretty good. At least he knew he'd have fun with Heather.
"Okay, it's a date!"
~~~
"Hey, Heather, I was wondering if I could speak with you for a moment?"
Withholding her irritated scowl, she pasted a polite look as she turned around. To her shock, instead of the next hopeful boy trying to ask her to the ball, she saw Cedric Diggory looking at her sheepishly.
She shot a quick glance at her brother, who was studiously stirring his porridge with a focus more suited for Potions class. Grimacing, she stood before Cedric could speak and dragged him out of the Great Hall. Honestly, for one of the top students in his year, Cedric could be very dense.
Once they were out of the public eye, she spun around and glowered at the Puff. "Please tell me you're not going to ask what I think you're going to ask."
The older boy tilted his head to the side in confusion. Okay, that was pretty cute. She was still angry, though. "What are you talking about? And why did you pull us out of the hall?"
Resisting the urge to smack her palm against her face, she tried to explain. "Do you realise how that scene looked like to everyone else?" His confusion didn't fade, so she had to spell it out for him. "It looked like you were going to ask me to the Yule Ball," she said flatly.
"What?!" he exclaimed. "No! That's not what I wanted at all!" He looked worried at the thought.
"Thanks for that glowing compliment, Diggory."
He winced. "That's not-"
Heather held up a hand, sighing at the hopeless boy. "I know; I was just teasing. I think I know what you really wanted to ask," she said with a knowing look.
The boy blushed and sputtered. "H-how do you- Is it that obvious?"
"Only to those looking closely. And trust me, no one watches Hadrian as closely as I do." With a sly look, she added, "Though someone might give me a run for my Galleons."
Clearing his throat, Cedric tried to regain his composure. He straightened his back to an almost painful degree, almost looking like a soldier in front of his sergeant. "Right. Anyway, may I have your permission to ask Hadrian to the ball?"
"Why are you even asking me? Shouldn't you be speaking to Rian?"
"Because everyone knows how protective you are of your brother. I wanted to show you how serious I am about this," he said earnestly. Smiling nervously, he mumbled, "I also didn't want you coming after me if I asked him without asking you first."
Heather smiled internally. Oh, that was just sweet. Her Hadrian had chosen well with this one. That didn't mean she would make it easy for Cedric. It was her prerogative as an older sibling. "Unfortunately, Hadrian already has a date."
The Hufflepuff's face fell. It felt almost like kicking a crup. Not that she felt any remorse. About this, of course. She would never kick a crup.
"Ohh... Who is it?" Cedric asked, disappointment etched in his expression.
"Oh, just some older girl. She asked him and he accepted. Just yesterday, in fact," she said casually. His face fell even further. Chuckling, Heather attempted to lift his spirits. "Oh, cheer up, Cedric. It's not like he needs to spend the whole evening with the girl. It's acceptable to dance with other people too, you know," she hinted.
"Right." He perked up immediately at the idea. Hufflepuffs, really. "So you won't eviscerate me if I approach Hadrian at the ball?" he asked, only half joking.
"No promises. Depends on what Hadrian has to say after," she threatened lightly. Not that it worked on the older boy. His buoyant mood seemed impenetrable. Ahh, young love.
Now she had to go reassure Hadrian that she and Cedric weren't having some sordid affair.
~~~
Heather really didn't know how she got into situations like this. She would be glad when all this Yule Ball nonsense was over. It wasn't all puppy love and butterflies. It was apparently also about witches scorned. And everyone knew what they said about them.
"You're a horrid little girl, leading them on like that!" the girl, Angelina Johnson, was it, hissed.
Heather sighed in exasperation. The other girl had gone on and on in the same vein for about ten minutes already. Her two sidekicks, Alicia Spinnet and Katie Bell, merely nodded along with her words. And really, little girl? She was their age! Just because she wasn't very tall...
"I don't know what you did to have Fred and George fooled, but-"
"Look, Johnson," Heather cut in, bored. "I don't know why you're ranting at me when what you should be doing is asking Fred or George to the ball." Sneering contemptuously, she added, "If you can tell them apart enough to ask one of them, I mean. Or is either of them okay for you?"
"Why you-!" the girl glared viciously and raised a hand to slap her.
Gaze sharpening, Heather's own hand shot out and caught the incoming palm before it could connect. It had been mildly amusing before, but now she just felt annoyed. "You don't want to go there, Johnson." The girl tried to free her hand, but Heather just tightened her grip.
"Heather, there you are-"
"Angelina? Alicia? Katie?"
"What are you guys doing?"
Heather turned towards Fred and George, who were looking concernedly at where she was grasping Johnson's arm. Slowly, she let go and backed away in case the other girl tried something again.
Johnson was panicking at the interlopers. "F-Fred. G-George. Thank Merlin you're here. Potter just suddenly confronted us and started shouting. She said things about staying away from you two and tried to hit me when I refused."
The girl was clearly grasping at straws. She was also a bad liar. She kept looking to the side and wringing her hands. There was no way Fred and George would believe her.
Wasn't there?
"Angelina..." Fred said softly as he approached the trio of girls. Heather ducked her head, not wanting to see her friend comfort the lying bitch.
She looked up when George put a hand on her shoulder. "Just look," he said, jerking his head towards his twin. Reluctantly, she turned back to the scene.
Fred leaned closer to the Gryff chaser. Looking into her eyes, he said quietly, "Do not threaten Heather ever again, you hear me?" With a rare angry scowl, he said, "Leave."
Johnson ran off and Heather could hear the faint sounds of her sobbing. The other two girls followed soon after.
"That's done with," Fred said grimly. Stepping closer to her, he asked, "Are you okay, Heather?"
Lifting her chin, she said, "I can take care of myself. As if I'd let Johnson try anything."
"Has this happened before?" George asked worriedly.
She shook her head. "Don't worry, you two. I won't let anything happen to me."
Fred and George sighed at their best friend's stubbornness. Maybe they should have a tracking charm on her too. What was it about Potters that attracted trouble?
"What was that-"
"-about, anyway?"
Heather laughed as she remembered. "She saw through my nefarious plan of corrupting you two with my womanly wiles. As a good friend, of course she couldn't have taken it lying down."
"Oh, but it's-" Fred said, grinning.
"-too late for us," George continued.
"We would gladly-"
"-lay down our lives-"
"-for any scrap-"
"-of your attention-"
"-our Slytherin princess," they said together, lifting her hand to each place a kiss.
They shot each other a sidelong look when Heather chuckled delightedly at their antics. Mission Cheer-Heather accomplished.
Next mission, Clucking-Trio-of-Chasers.