"You guys look great," Blaise said once they entered the common room.
"Thanks," Celeste said, smiling. "Who are you three going with?"
"No one," Blaise grinned. "which means I can dance with whoever I want."
"I'm going with Astoria," Draco said. "there she is."
"You're going with my sister -- what!" Daphne stuttered.
"Yep," Astoria said. "the ball is about to start, shall we?"
"We shall," Draco said, linking his arm with Astoria.
"Yeah, let's go," Celeste said.
The entrance hall was packed with students too, all milling around waiting for eight o'clock when the doors to the Great Hall would be thrown open. Those people who were meeting partners from different Houses were edging through the crowd trying to find one another.
"I think I see Hermione," Melody said. "See you guys."
The oak front doors opened, and everyone turned to look as the Durmstrangstudents entered with Professor Karkaroff. Krum was at the front of the party, accompanied by Alicia Spinnet. Over their heads, she saw that an area of lawn right in front of the castle had been transformed into a sort of grotto full of fairy lights - meaning hundreds of actual living fairies were sitting in the rosebushes that had been conjured there, and fluttering over the statues of what seemed to be Father Christmas and his reindeer.
Then Professor McGonagall's voice called, "Champions over here, please!"
Celeste could see Cho and Harry smiling at each other as they walked up and started to talk to Cedric and Julian who both looked delighted that they wouldn't be hiding their relationship anymore.
"Look!" Daphne said, pointing at Cedric and Julian. "I didn't know they were dating!"
Celeste grinned. "They've been dating since like their 3rd year. Cedric told me he wanted to use the winnings to go to New York with him."
"That's so cute," Daphne squealed.
The Great Hall doors finally opened, allowing everyone in. Hermione looked amazing, smiling rather nervously as she linked arms with Melody and walked into the Great Hall. The walls of the Hall had all been covered in sparkling silver frost, with hundreds of garlands of mistletoe and ivy crossing the starry black ceiling. The House tables had vanished; instead, there were about a hundred smaller, lantern-lit ones, each seating about a dozen people.
Dumbledore smiled happily as the champions approached the top table, butKarkaroff wore an expression of deep disgust as he watched Krumand Alicia draw nearer. Ludo Bagman, tonight in robes of bright purple with large yellow stars, was clapping as enthusiastically as any of the students; and Madame Maxime, who had changed her usual uniform of black satin for a flowing gown of lavender silk was applauding them politely.
There was no food as yet on the glittering golden plates, but small menus were lying in front of each of them. Celeste picked hers up uncertainly and looked around - there were no waiters. Daphne, however, looked carefully down at his own menu, then said very clearly to his plate, "Porkchops!"
And pork chops appeared. Getting the idea, the rest of the table placed their orders with their plates too. Did Celeste glance up at Hermione to see how she felt about this new and more complicated method of dining - surely it meant plenty of extra work for the house-elves? - but for once, Hermione didna seem to be thinking about S.P.E.W.
"Mum and dad always bring me and Astoria to fancy restaurants like this," Daphne whispered to Celeste.
When all the food had been consumed, Dumbledore stood up and asked the students to do the same. Then, with a wave of his wand, all the tables zoomed back along the walls leaving the floor clear, and then he conjured araised platform into existence along the right wall. A set of drums, several guitars, a flute, a cello, and some bagpipes were set upon it.
The Weird Sisters now trooped up onto the stage to wildly enthusiastic applause; they were all extremely hairy and dressed in black robes that had been artfully ripped and torn. They picked up their instruments and struck up a slow, mournful tune.
The champions started to dance and soon after many others joined them.
"Do you want to dance?" Celeste asked.
"Of course," Daphne grinned.
Celeste led her towards the dance floor. Cho and Harry were dancing swiftly, giggling every time they looked at each other in the eye. Julian was earning glares from Cedrics Fanclub; looking more closely Cedric was also earning glares from Julians Fanclub.
After three songs they sat back down, red-faced.
Daphne looked quite nervous and kept playing with her bracelets."Are you okay?" Celeste asked holding her hand from under the table.
"Yes, well no, actually." Daphne breathed. "I need to say something and now is probably not the best time, but I don't want to hurt you even more."
"What's wrong?" Celeste said.
"I want to break up," Daphne sighed. "I'm -- I'm sorry."
Celeste let go of Daphne's hand. "What -- I thought we were doing well -- you seemed happy for the past four months --"
"I have been! But I just think I need to be single for a while, and not jump into relationships so quick. And I know how our relationship ruined your friendship and I don't want to be the reason for that.
"I'm okay with Ron being upset with me for a couple of months!"
"No, you aren't. I know you miss him, Celeste. And I know deep down you have feelings for him and he has feelings for you."
"I can't believe this. I'll see you in the dorms, Daphne." Celeste said, standing up. "Thank you for telling me the truth I guess."
Celeste walked over to Ron, his date already dancing with someone else.
"Hey," Celeste said, sitting down next to him.
"What do you want?" Ron mumbled.
"I want to apologize for saying those things on Halloween," Celeste said.
"I should be apologizing," Ron said. "I shouldn't have said those things about your girlfriend. I guess I was kind of jealous."
"Ex-girlfriend now," Celeste huffed. "She just broke up with me, but it's fine."
"Do you want to leave?" Ron suggested. "It didn't seem like we're both having a great time."
Celeste smiled. "You know what, why not." Careful to not be spotted by any of the teachers they snuck out into the Entrance Hall and ran all the way to the Astronomy tower.
"That was -- the worst ball -- I've ever been to," Celeste panted, clutching her side.
"Tell me about it," Ron said, laying down on the ground. "seeing all your friends having a great time while you're sulking at the table puts you in a sour mood."
Celeste laid down beside him. "I wish we apologized to each other a long time ago. I don't even know why we got in a fight in the first place."
"I think I was jealous," Ron said. "jealous and mad that you were dating someone. It was pretty stupid."
"Why?"
"Because I like you and I couldn't bear seeing you with someone else."
Something in Celeste's stomach irrupted. Maybe Daphne was right and Celeste did like Ron.
Celeste looked over to Ron and could see he had turned bright red even in the dark. "The last relationship I had with my best friend didn't work out, and I don't want that to happen."
"But you like me back?" Ron asked. Celeste nodded. "Then that's all that matters."
***
Everybody got up late on Boxing Day. The Gryffindor common room was much quieter than it had been lately, many yawns punctuating the lazy conversations.
"You aren't mad at me, right?" Daphne asked for the fifth time that morning.
"For the last time, no," Celeste said. "I had a nice time once I left the ball."
"I saw you leave with Ron, I'm glad you had a good time," Daphne said, raising her eyebrows.
"First, we didn't do anything but talk, and second, you were right, he does like me but we aren't dating."
"You aren't dating yet."
HOGSMEADE
There was a Hogsmeade visit halfway through January. Hermione was very surprised that Harry was going to go.
"I just thought you'd want to take advantage of the common room being quiet," she said. "Really get to work on that egg."
"Oh I - I reckon I've got a pretty good idea what it's about now," Harry said. "I took Cedric's help and figured that something I'll miss will be at the bottom of the lake."
"That's great!" Hermione said.
He, Ron, and Hermione left the castle together on Saturday and set off through the cold, wet grounds toward the gates. As they passed theDurmstrang ship moored in the lake, they saw Viktor Krum emerge onto the deck, dressed in nothing but swimming trunks. He was very skinny indeed, but apparently a lot tougher than he looked, because he climbed up onto the side of the ship, stretched out his arms, and dived, right into the lake.
"He's mad!" Harry said, staring at Krum's dark head as it bobbed out into the middle of the lake. "It must be freezing, it's January!"
"He's told me it's a lot colder where he comes from," Hermione said. "I suppose it feels quite warm to him."
"Yeah, but there's still the giant squid," Ron said. "And when do you talk to Krum!"
"At the library. He's quite nice," Hermione said. "He's not at all like you'd think, coming from Durmstrang. He likes it much better here, he told me."
They went to the Three Broomsticks to get away from the cold.
"Doesn't he ever go into the office?" Hermione whispered suddenly after they ordered their Butterbeers. "Look!"
She pointed into the mirror behind the bar, and Harry saw Ludo Bagmanreflected there, sitting in a shadowy corner with a bunch of goblins. Bagman was talking very fast in a low voice to the goblins, all of whom had their arms crossed and were looking rather menacing.
It was indeed odd. Celeste thought, that Bagman was here at the ThreeBroomsticks on a weekend when there was no Triwizard event, and therefore no judging to be done. He watched Bagman in the mirror. He was looking strained again, quite as strained as he had that night in the forest before the Dark Mark had appeared. But just then Bagman glanced over at the bar, saw Harry, and stood up.
"In a moment, in a moment!" Celeste heard him say brusquely to the goblins, and Bagman hurried through the pub toward Harry, his boyish grin back in place.
"Harry!" he said. "How are you? Been hoping to run into you! Everything going all right?"
"Fine, thanks," Harry said.
"Wonder if I could have a quick, private word, Harry?" Bagman said eagerly."You couldn't give us a moment, you three, could you?"
"Er - okay," Ron said, and he, Celeste, and Hermione went off to find a table.
"I'm glad you two are friends again!" Hermione said as they sat down at the table.
"Me too," Celeste said.
"What did he want?" Ron said as Harry sat down.
"He offered to help me with the golden egg," Harry said.
"He shouldn't be doing that!" Hermione said, looking very shocked. "He's one of the judges! And anyway, you've already worked it out."
"Right, I told him that," Harry said.
"Well, I don't think Dumbledore would like it if he knew Bagman was trying to persuade you to cheat!" Hermione said, still looking deeply disapproving. "I hope he's trying to help Cedric as much!"
"He's not, I asked," Harry said.
"Maybe he's got a bet with Fred and George," Celeste said. "explains why they keep talking to him and why he wants to help you."
"I hope they wouldn't gamble with someone from the Ministry!" Hermione said, sipping her butterbeer.
"Those goblins didn't look very friendly," Ron said, sipping his butterbeer. "What were they doing here?"
"Looking for Crouch, according to Bagman," Harry said. "He's still ill. Hasn't been into work."
"Maybe Percys poisoning him," Ron said. "Probably thinks if Crouch snuffs it he'll be made head of the Department of International MagicalCooperation."
Hermione gave Ron a don't-joke-about-things-like-that look, and said, "Funny, goblins looking for Mr Crouch... They'd normally deal with the department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures."
"Crouch can speak loads of different languages, though," Harry said."Maybe they need an interpreter."
"Worrying about poor 'ickle goblins, now, are you?" Ron asked Hermione."Thinking of starting up S.P.U.G. or something? Society for the Protection of Ugly Goblins?"
"Ha, ha, ha," Hermione said sarcastically. "Goblins don't need protection. Haven't you been listening to what Professor Binns has been telling us about goblin rebellions?"
"No," said Harry, Ron, and Celeste said together.
"Well, they're quite capable of dealing with wizards," Hermione said, taking another sip of butterbeer. "They're very clever. They're not like house-elves, who never stick up for themselves."
"Uh-oh," Ron said, staring at the door. Rita Skeeter had just entered. She was wearing banana-yellow robes today; her long nails were painted shocking pink, and she was accompanied by her paunchy photographer. She bought drinks, and she and the photographer made their way through the crowds to a table nearby. Harry, Ron, Celeste and Hermione glaring at her as she approached. She was talking fast and looking very satisfied about something.
"... didn't seem very keen to talk to us, did he, Bozo? Now, why would that be, do you think? And what's he doing with a pack of goblins in town anyway? Showing them the sights... what nonsense... he was always a bad liar. Reckon something's up? Think we should do a bit of digging?'Disgraced Ex-Head of Magical Games and Sports, Ludo Bagman... 'Snappy start to a sentence, Bozo - we just need to find a story to fit it -"
"Trying to ruin someone else's life?" Harry said loudly.
A few people looked around. Rita Skeeter's eyes widened behind her jewelled spectacles as she saw who had spoken.
"Harry!" she said, beaming. "How lovely! Why don't you come and join-?"
"I wouldn't come near you with a ten-foot broomstick," Harry said furiously. "What did you do that to Hagrid for, eh?"
Rita Skeeter raised her heavily pencilled eyebrows.
"Our readers have a right to the truth, Harry. I am merely doing my-"
"Who cares if he's half-giant?" Harry shouted. "There's nothing wrong with him!"
The whole pub had gone very quiet. Madam Rosmerta was staring over from behind the bar, apparently oblivious to the fact that the flagon she was filling with mead was overflowing. Rita Skeeters smile flickered very slightly, but she hitched it back almost at once; she snapped open her crocodile-skin handbag, pulled out her Quick-Quotes Quill, and said, "How about giving me an interview about the Hagrid you know. Harry? The man behind the muscles? Your unlikely friendship and the reasons behind it. Would you call him a father substitute?"
Hermione stood up very abruptly, her butterbeer clutched in her hand as though it were a grenade."You horrible woman," she said, through gritted teeth, "you don't care, do you, anything for a story, and anyone will do, won't they? Even LudoBagman -"
"Sit down, you silly little girl, and don't talk about things you don't understand," Rita Skeeter said coldly, her eyes hardening as they fell on Hermione. "I know things about Ludo Bagman that would make your hair curl... not that it needs it -" she added, eyeing Hermione's bushy hair.
"Don't talk to Hermione like that!" Celeste said, standing up.
Rita's cold gaze fell on Celeste. "Triwizard champion's little sister has been spending to much time with Gryffindors. Clearly doesn't know when to be shut her mouth."
"I have a name you bitch --"
"Let's go," Hermione said, "c'mon. Celeste - Harry - Ron..."
They left; many people were staring at them as they went. Harry glanced back as they reached the door. Rita Skeeter's Quick-Quotes Quill was out; it was zooming backwards and forward over a piece of parchment on the table.
"She'll be after you two next," Ron said in a low and worried voice as they walked quickly back up the street.
"Let her try!" Hermione said defiantly; she was shaking with rage. "I'll show her! Silly little girl, am I? And calling Celeste Cedric's little sister like that's all she is! Oh, I'll get her back for this. First Harry, then Hagrid..."
"You don't want to go upsetting Rita Skeeter," Ron said nervously. "I'm serious, Hermione, she'll dig up something on you, and calling her a bitch, Celeste, was a bad idea--"
"My father doesn't read the Daily Prophet and Hermione's parents don't either. They can't scare us into hiding!" Celeste said.
"And Hagrid isn't hiding anymore! He should never have let that excuse for a human being upset him! Come on!" Hermione said, now striding along so fast that it was all Harry, Celeste, and Ron could do to keep up with her.
Breaking into a run, she led them all the way back up the road, through the gates flanked by winged boars, and up through the grounds to Hagrid'scabin. The curtains were still drawn, and they could hear Fang barking as they approached.
"Hagrid!" Hermione shouted, pounding on his front door. "Hagrid, that enough! We know you're in there! Nobody cares if your mum was a giantess, Hagrid! You can't let that foul Skeeter woman do this to you! Hagrid, get out here, you're just being -"
The door opened. Hermione said, "About t-!" and then stopped, very suddenly, because she had found herself face-to-face, not with Hagrid, but with Albus Dumbledore."Good afternoon," he said pleasantly, smiling down at them.
"We-er-we wanted to see Hagrid," Hermione said in a rather small voice.
"Yes, I surmised as much," Dumbledore said, his eyes twinkling. "Why don't you come in?"
"Oh... um... okay," Hermione said. She, Ron, Celeste, and Harry went into the cabin; Fang launched himself upon Harry the moment he entered, barking madly and trying to lick his ears. Harry fended off Fang and looked around. Hagrid was sitting at his table, where there were two large mugs of tea. He looked a real mess. His face was blotchy, his eyes swollen, and he had gone to the other extreme where his hair was concerned; far from trying to make it behave, it now looked like a wig of tangled wire.
"Hi, Hagrid," Harry said.
Hagrid looked up.
"'Lo," he said in a very hoarse voice.
"More tea, I think," Dumbledore said, closing the door behind Harry, Ron, Celeste, and Hermione, drawing out his wand, and twiddling it; a revolving tea tray appeared in midair along with a plate of cakes. Dumbledore magicked the tray onto the table, and everybody sat down. There was a slight pause, and then Dumbledore said, "Did you by any chance hear what Miss Granger was shouting, Hagrid?"
Hermione went slightly pink, but Dumbledore smiled at her and continued, "Hermione, Harry, Celeste, and Ron still seem to want to know you, judging by the way they were attempting to break down the door."
"Of course we still want to know you!" Harry said, staring at Hagrid. "You don't think anything that Skeeter cow - sorry, Professor," he added quickly, looking at Dumbledore.
"I have gone temporarily deaf and haven't any idea what you said. Harry," Dumbledore said, twiddling his thumbs and staring at the ceiling.
"Er-right," Harry said sheepishly. "I just meant-Hagrid, how could you think we'd care what that-woman-wrote about you?"
Two fat tears leaked out of Hagrid's beetle-black eyes and fell slowly into his tangled beard.
"Living proof of what I've been telling you, Hagrid," Dumbledore said, still looking carefully up at the ceiling. "I have shown you the letters from the countless parents who remember you from their own days here, telling me in no uncertain terms that if I sacked you, they would have something to say about it -"
"Not all of 'em," Hagrid said hoarsely. "Not all of 'em wan me ter stay."
"Really, Hagrid, if you are holding out for universal popularity, I'm afraid you will be in this cabin for a very long time," Dumbledore said, now peering sternly over his half-moon spectacles. "Not a week has passed since I became headmaster of this school when I haven't had at least one owl complaining about the way I run it. But what should I do? Barricade myself in my study and refuse to talk to anybody?"
"Yeh - yeh're not half-giant!" Hagrid said croakily.
"Hagrid, look what I've got for relatives!" Harry said furiously. "Look at the Dursleys!"
"An excellent point," Professor Dumbledore said. "My own brother, Aberforth, was prosecuted for practising inappropriate charms on a goat. It was all over the papers, but did Aberforth hide? No, he did not! He held his head high and went about his business as usual! Of course, I'm not entirely sure he can read, so that may not have been bravery..."
"Come back and teach, Hagrid," Hermione said quietly, "please come back, we really miss you."
Hagrid gulped. More tears leaked out down his cheeks and into his tangled beard. Dumbledore stood up. "I refuse to accept your resignation, Hagrid, and I expect you back at work on Monday," he said. "You will join me for breakfast at eight-thirty in the Great Hall. No excuses. Good afternoon to you all."
Dumbledore left the cabin, pausing only to scratch Fangs ears. When the door had shut behind him, Hagrid began to sob into his dustbin-lid-sized hands. Hermione kept patting his arm, and at last, Hagrid looked up, his eyes very red indeed, and said, "Great man, Dumbledore... great man..."
"Yeah, he is," Ron said. "Can I have one of these cakes, Hagrid?"
"Help yourself," Hagrid said, wiping his eyes on the back of his hand. "Ar, he's righ', o' course - yeh're all righ'... I bin stupid... my ol' dad woulda bin ashamed o' the way I've bin behavin'..." More tears leaked out, but he wiped them away more forcefully, and said, "Never shown you a picture of my old dad, have I? Here..."
Hagrid got up, went over to his dresser, opened a drawer, and pulled out a picture of a short wizard with Hagrid's crinkled black eyes, beaming as he sat on top of Hagrid's shoulder. Hagrid was a good seven or eight feet tall, judging by the apple tree beside him, but his face was beardless, young, round, and smooth - he looked hardly older than eleven.
"Tha was taken jus' after I got inter Hogwarts," Hagrid croaked. "Dad was dead chuffed... thought I migh' not be a wizard, see, 'cos me mum... well, anyway. 'Course, I never was great shakes at magic, really... but at least he never saw me expelled. Died, see, in me second year..." Dumbledore was the one who stuck up for me after Dad went. Got me the gamekeeper job...trusts people, he does. Gives 'em second chances... tha's what sets him apart' from other heads, see. He'll accept anyone at Hogwarts, s'long as they've got the talent. Knows people can turn out okay even if their families were'... well... all tha' respectable. But some don understands that. There some who'd always hold it against yeh... there's some who'd even pretend they just had big bones rather than stand up an' say - I am what I am, and I'm not ashamed. 'Never be ashamed,' my ol' dad used ter say, 'there's some who'll hold it against you, but they're not worth botherin' with.' An'he was right. I've bin an idiot. I'm not botherin' with her no more, I promise yeh that. Big bones... I'll give her big bones."
Harry, Ron, Celeste and Hermione looked at one another nervously; Harry would rather have taken fifty Blast-Ended Skrewts for a walk than admit to Hagridthat he had overheard him talking to Madame Maxime, but Hagrid was still talking, apparently unaware that he had said anything odd.
"Yeh know wha, Harry?" he said, looking up from the photograph of his father, his eyes very bright, "when I firs' met you, you reminded me o' me a bit. Mum an' Dad gone, an' you was feelin' like yeh wouldn' fit in at Hogwarts, remember? Not sure yeh were really up to it... an' now look at yeh, Harry! School champion!"
He looked at Harry for a moment and then said, very seriously, "Yeh know what I'd love Harry? I'd love yeh ter win, I really would. It'd show 'em all... yeh don' have ter be pure-blood ter do it. Yeh don have ter be ashamed of what yeh are. It'd show 'em Dumbledore's the one who's got it righ', lettin' anyone in as long as they can do magic. How you doin' with that egg, Harry?"
"Great," Harry said. "Really great."Hagrid's miserable face broke into a wide, watery smile."Tha's my boy... you show 'em, Harry, you show 'em. Beat 'em all."