November turned into December, and everyone seemed to be growing restless.
Students were anticipating the winter holiday, and teachers were losing their patience. Transfiguration with McGonagall was no exception.
"Potter! Weasley! Will you pay attention?" Professor McGonagall's irritated voice cracked like a whip through the classroom.
I turned around to see that Harry and Ron were in the middle of a sword fighting match with a pair of fake wands.
Professor McGonagall scowled in their direction and the boys slowly lowered the wands.
"Now that Potter and Weasley have been kind enough to act their age, 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." she said.
"How exciting is that?" I whispered to Hermione. "I've never been to a ball before!"
"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."
***
By the last week of term, the Yule Ball was the only subject of conversation. In Charms on Wednesday, Professor Flitwick just let us play games the whole period.
"Ella, can I tell you something?" Hermione whispered as we watched Ron win yet another game of Wizard's Chess.
"Of course,"
"Well, I've been asked to the ball," she said quietly.
"Really?!" I exclaimed.
"Shush!" she shot me a look and I quieted down.
"Okay, so who?"
"Don't laugh."
"Spit it out Hermione!" I whisper-shouted.
"Viktor Krum asked me."
My eyes widened but I stayed silent.
"And I said yes."
***
That night in the common room, Ron was complaining about Snape.
"Evil, he is," he said bitterly. "Springing a test on us on the last day. Ruining the last bit of term with a whole load of studying."
"Mmm...you're not exactly straining yourself, though, are you?" said Hermione, looking at him over the top of her Potions notes.
Ron didn't respond, but instead continued to build a castle out of his Exploding Snap cards.
"It's Christmas, Hermione," said Harry lazily.
"We'll do it later," I added, playing with my locket.
"I'd have thought you two would be doing something constructive, even if you don't want to learn your antidotes!" she said.
I tuned her out and opened up the locket once more. It was still the same picture. My mother and Remus, then me in Remus's arms. James and Lily with baby Harry, and Miranda being held by Sirius. His face was still covered.
I was interrupted by a loud BANG!
Ron's Exploding Snap castle had exploded.
"Nice look, Ron...go well with your dress robes, that will." I watched as Fred and George came in and sat down at the table with us.
"Ron, can we borrow Pigwidgeon?" George asked.
"No, he's off delivering a letter," said Ron. "Why?"
"Because George wants to invite him to the ball," said Fred sarcastically.
"Because we want to send a letter, you stupid great prat," said George.
"Who d'you two keep writing to, eh?" said Ron.
I knew the twins were writing to Ludo Bagman, but I was forbidden to tell anyone. So I sat at the table quietly and pretended to be occupied by twisting my locket around my finger.
"Nose out, Ron, or I'll burn that for you too," said Fred. "So...you lot got any dates for the ball yet?"
"Nope," said Ron.
"Well you'd better hurry up, mate, or all the good ones will be gone,"
"Who're you going with, then?" said Ron.
Fred opened his mouth, but George spoke first.
"Ella, you got a date?"
"No, not yet."
George gave Fred a look.
"Well, come on now!" Ron demanded. "Have you got a date or not?"
But Fred was cut off once more when Dean Thomas suddenly came down the boys' staircase, with Seamus right behind him.
"Ella!" Dean called out. "Can I speak to you for a moment—" he glanced at everyone around me and added, "—alone?"
"Er— sure," I stood up and hurried over to Dean. "What's up?"
"I want your help," he said. "You see, Seamus already asked Lavender to be his date for the ball. So I want to ask Parvati, because, you know, those two are best friends."
"So why do I have something to do with this?" I asked.
"Well, you share a dorm with her, I just want you to ask if she's got a date yet." Dean said.
"Oh, of course. Yeah, I'll let you know." I gave Dean a quick smile and headed back to the table.
Fred and George gave me looks of surprise, and they both blurted out—
"What did he want?"
"Oi! Angelina!"
The twins turned to the other and expressed a confused look.
"What?" Angelina called back.
"Now wait—" George hissed at Fred.
"Want to come to the ball with me?" Fred asked, ignoring George completely.
Angelina grinned.
"All right, then," she said.
There was an awkward silence for a moment.
I felt an ache in my chest. But why? It wasn't like I wanted to go to the ball with Fred...right?
"So, what did Dean want?" George said hesitantly.
"He was wondering if Parvati had a date to the ball." I said slowly. "I told him I would ask. That was all."
More silence.
"We'd better use a school owl then, George, come on..."
The twins hurried to the portrait hole, but as the Fat Lady's portrait swung open, I heard George exclaim,
"You idiot!"
***
Harry and Ron only grew more desperate as the ball came closer. I seemed to be the only one who didn't care about getting a date.
I found myself studying my locket again one evening in the dormitory. The photo was still the same, but I felt as if something was missing from it.
I dragged my finger along the chain and down to the picture, hoping something would come to my mind.
But nothing happened.
I let out a groan of frustration and pressed my thumb to the inside of the locket.
"Come on, what am I missing?" I said out loud to no one in particular.
I pulled my thumb away, but suddenly the picture inside started to fade. Within seconds, it was completely gone.
I felt my stomach drop.
What if the picture didn't come back? Remus had given me this locket for a reason, and I had broken it!
I jumped out of my bed and hurried down the stairs. Hermione had to know something about this...hopefully.
But as I got down to the common room, I noticed something strange going on.
"Why did I do it?" Ron said wildly, sitting in a distant corner. "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, fighting a smile.
"He did what?"
"You what?"
Harry and I exclaimed at the same time.
"Oh, hey Ella!" Ginny grinned.
"I don't know what made me do it!" Ron gasped again. "What was I playing at?"
He went on moaning and babbling nonsense.
"She's part veela," said Harry. "It wasn't your fault. I bet you just walked past when she was turning on the old charm for Diggory— but she was wasting her time. He's going with Cho Chang. I asked her to go with me just now," he said dully, "and she told me.
"This is mad," said Ron. "We're the only ones left who haven't got anyone— well, except Neville. Hey— guess who he asked? Hermione!"
The boys burst into laughter, but Ginny looked furious.
"Don't!" she said. "Don't laugh—"
Hermione climbed through the portrait hole just then.
"Why weren't you lot at dinner?" she asked.
"Because— oh shut up laughing— because the boys have just been turned down by girls they asked to the ball!" said Ginny.
That shut Harry and Ron up.
"All the good-looking ones taken, Ron?" said Hermione loftily. "Well, I'm sure you'll find someone somewhere who'll have you."
"Hermione, Neville's right—" Ron said suddenly. "— you are a girl..."
"Oh well spotted,"
"Well— you can come with one of us!"
"No, I can't," snapped Hermione.
"Oh come on," Ron 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."
Ron didn't seem to buy this at all.
"She's lying," he said flatly as she stormed off.
"She's not!" I said sternly.
"Who is it then?" Ron questioned.
"It's none of your business," said Ginny.
"Right," said Ron, "this is getting stupid. Ginny, you can go with Harry, and Ella can—"
"I can't," said Ginny. "I'm going with— with Neville."
"That's fantastic, Ginny!" I grinned.
Her mood seemed to brighten at my remark and she left to go get dinner.
"Well, Ella—"
"Ron, I am not being a last resort! I'd rather go alone!" I snapped.
"What's got into her?" he mumbled to Harry.
Parvati and Lavender came in through the portrait just then, and Harry got to his feet almost immediately.
"Parvati? Will you go to the ball with me?" he said.
I gasped. I totally forgot to ask if she hadn't got a date. Now Dean wouldn't be able to ask her!
"Yes, all right then," Parvati said, blushing.
I hurried back up to the dormitory. This ball was more trouble than it was worth.