I guess no one knew what it meant it was the Yule Ball just to be clear
But now let's get on with the chapter
Goku and the goblet of fire
"Hermione" Harry said with wide eyes looking at Hermione in her periwinkle corset dress with flowing floor length skirt Harry noticed her scars were covered by make up
'If I didn't know where they were I wouldn't even see them' Harry thought sadly Anya gave him a small squeeze on his arm Harry looked to Anya his date's ruby red eyes shined with concern
"Is something wrong" she asked seeing Hermione over Harry's shoulder "is that girl an old lover or something" Harry shook his head blushing like a ripe tomato "no just an old friend"
"Friend in past tense"
Harry didn't answer instead he sat down with the other champions and their dates at the professors table in a flash of gold a veritable feast of food appeared on the plates everyone began to help themselves to the food until Madame Maxine stood up signaling to a string quartet of nymphs
The nymphs took out their instruments and began to play a waltz with a hypnotic melody
"And now ze champions shall lead us through ze firs danc" Maxine announced Harry looked to Anya and audibly gulped 'Dear god please stop me from stepping on her feet' Harry stood up offering a hand to Anya she nodded and took it letting Harry lead her onto the dance floor
"Harry take my waist" Anya whispered in his ear Harry nodded doing that and they began to dance it was not smooth it was the farthest thing from graceful since Goku was three and tried to imitate a flamingo but he didn't step on her toes and he didn't make an arse of himself
Did he
"You dance better than I thought of English boys have a lot of partners back home" Harry shook his head with a blush "no not really to be honest your my first real date"
Anya smiled "that's very sweet and very romantic when you get to it Mr. Potter" Anya stood up on her tip toes and placed a kiss on the side of Harry's jaw bone Harry's face turned as red as his mothers hair redder even
"And a girl likes a bit of romance now and then" she said with a grin just as the song ended the champions and their dates applauded the nymphs who soon began to play another song Harry took a step towards Anya when he felt a tap on his shoulder
Harry turned to see Hermione with a small smile "Happy Holiday's Harry" she said Harry nodded "Happy Holidays Hermione"
Hermione looked to Anya "may I borrow him for a moment" she asked in perfect Russian Anya nodded "I expect him returned in this condition" Hermione nodded "of course shall we Harry"
Harry looked unsure but with Anya's approval he walked with Hermione the werewolf pulling herself against his chest as they began to dance
"You dance wonderfully" Hermione said Harry nodded "thank you so are you and Ron- Harry began
"Merlin no he wrote to me at Hogwarts said it was better to go to a friend for help then brave the packs of girls around Beauxbatons" she said "quite ironic"
Harry laughed his best mate avoided packs by asking a girl in a much more dangerous pack
"Hermione"
"I don't blame you Harry I knew the risks rushing off after you and going to rescue Ron the sorting hat said I would've made a superb Ravenclaw"
"But I we-
"Haven't spoken all summer or throughout the school year" Harry nodded Hermione sighed "I'm much better with books then people Harry it's much easier writing an essay on the obscure spells of Gaelic Druids then to tell my friend I'm not upset about him altering my entire genetic structure" Hermione sighed "this is coming out all wrong what I'm trying to ask is are we still friends"
Harry spun her out then pulled her back towards him "I want to think so but if we aren't" Hermione nodded "we are most certainly"
Harry nodded "good"
"And as your friend I want to warn you keep your guard up around your friend you don't want to end up going cold"
Harry looked at Hermione "that's the second time someone has asked me that but what does it even mean the first time it was that reporter who wrote about Goku in first year"
Hermione nodded remembering Rita Skeeter all too well
"Going cold was is a term dating back to before Voldemort a group of wizards in Russia they began to protest the statue of secrecy first it was just protests in Moscow then I'm sure you know about the revolution"
"Didn't the king end up dead and get replaced by someone Lendin" Harry asked not really remembering the name all too well
"Lenin" Hermione corrected "but yes Lenin was secretly the Minister of magic so he ruled both wizard and muggles in Russia the wizards wanted to be free of the statue to use magic as they pleased and live in peace but Lenin refused soon they found him dead his wand snapped placed over his chest
The movement grew spreading all over Europe important members of wizarding governments politicians school teachers all dead dark wizards rose from the chaos like wildfire people like Grindelwald Shetan-
"Voldemort" Harry said
Hermione nodded "yes using the movement to fuel their own objectives their own ambitions it ended when Dumbledore razed their headquarters the rest of the colds fled went into hiding after that"
"but why do they say going cold" Harry said "do they breathe ice or something" Hermione shook he head "going cold is a metaphor Harry of men who care for no one but themselves to use the deaths of the innocent as fuel for their ambitions only a cold ruthless man could be capable of that that's what it means to go Cold"
Just as the dance ended the windows shattered and fire rained down into the hall the professors acted quickly shielding the students with spells and Ki barriers as the students fled behind them
Harry saw a little girl probably eight years old running a large fire ball broke through the cracks Harry ran to her activating his Olloverdes he held out a hand absorbing the fire and with his other hand sent it flying back to the source a large red boom exploded somewhere outside
Everything stopped and Harry fell to his knees he could see a lot of people around him looking at him with wide eyes full of panic and fear
And then he passed out the Yule ball was over for him and who knows what else