Authors' Note: Another kind of short chapter, sorry, but we wanted to have a chapter just for the ball, and this is what we have for it.

-Al & Scor

Disclaimer: Do we look like J. K. Rowling? Okay, you wouldn't actually know that, but trust us, we don't.

Chapter Ten: Windows to the Soul

In spite of the fact that he no longer had a date and Scorpius was still too ill to go, Albus couldn't help being a little excited about the dance. Call him girly and un-Slytherin-like, but he was tickled pink at the idea of a masquerade ball. There was the mystery of it, trying to figure out which of your fellow students was under which mask; the excitement of being someone completely different for the night; and, of course, getting to stay up until the wee hours of the morning stuffing one's face with Halloween treats. That was certainly the part the majority of his friends were most excited about. As for Albus, he challenged anyone to not be excited about wearing such an epic costume.

"Holy crap, Al, where did you get that?"

"Scor made it," said Albus, twisting this way and that in an attempt to lace up the back of his costume, a task which was actually physically impossible to do on one's own.

"Al, Al, let me do it before you hurt yourself," said Alice, taking the laces of the vest into her hands.

"Malfoy can sew?" said Terrence in surprise.

"Apparently," said Albus. "Isn't it wicked?"

Ryan snorted. "Yeah if you're a girl. Is that a bodice?"

"Do you have a problem if it is Ryan?" Alice asked, while she was lacing up the vest properly.

"Well, yeah," said Ryan. "Bodices are for girls."

"Bodices also lace up in the front," said Terrence. "Let him wear what he wants to; it's Halloween for Merlin's sake."

"Yes, you're so narrow-minded, Ryan." Alice said. "At least his costume is well-make. Yours...well... " The girl eyed the other boy. "Cutting two holes in a sheet and putting it over your head...you are such a genius"

"It's a classic," defended Ryan. "At least I did it myself."

"Guys," said Terrence, checking his watch, "what our costumes are isn't going to matter if we never make it to the ball."

"Oh, it's that late?" Alice hurried to finish the lacing. "There you go."

"Thank you," said Albus, placing the cape over his shoulders and fastening it around his neck.

"I still think it's a girly costume," said Ryan, standing up.

"And I still think you're being a prat," said Terrence, snapping his piratical eye patch over his eye. "Is everyone ready?"

"Yes." Alice nodded, tossing a lock of hair behind her shoulder, fixing the veil on her dead bride costume.

The four Slytherins exited the common room and made their way to the Great Hall, where the dance was just starting to really pick up. Ryan and Terrence headed straight for the refreshments. Albus looked toward the dance floor. "Would you like to dance, Alice?"

"Yes, sure," nodded the girl.

The two of them stepped out onto the dance floor, joining the other dancing bodies congregated there. Albus danced with Alice for a few songs, and then with a couple other girls. When he found himself dancing by himself, Albus excused himself from the dance floor and went to the refreshments table to pour himself some punch. He was having a good time, but he had just caught sight of Trish, wearing her swan princess costume, dancing very close with Ewan McAdams, and it had rather dampened his mood.

He leaned against the table, sipping his drink, which tasted as though it may have been spiked, and watching the couples and groups moving on the dance floor and conversing (or kissing) in corners around him.

"Excuse me?" A soft melodious voice came from behind Albus. Behind the boy stood an angel, literally. It was a tall boy, with long hair and wings so realistic it looked like he'd be able to fly with them. "You seem a bit sad, care for a dance?"

Albus gaped slightly at the taller boy. His face was completely hidden by his mask, making it impossible for Albus to discern his identity.

"Er, h-hi," he stuttered.

Belatedly, his brain registered the fact that the mysterious angel boy had asked him to dance. "Er," he said again. "I don't—I mean, I don't usually dance with blokes..."

Even as he said it he realized with some surprise that he rather would like to dance with this boy, whoever he was. Even with his face hidden he was obviously good looking. And he had asked Albus specifically, which was rather flattering, when Albus was quite sure he could have had any girl he wanted—Albus could see several shooting longing looks in his direction right now; the same girls, actually, who had been eyeing Albus himself all night.

"But sure," he found himself adding, "I'd love to."

The angel bowed, holding out a gloved hand; white, like the rest of him. "Do you mind if I lead, Master Potter?" he asked.

If people believed angels were real this person could pass for one. His wings moved a bit—they must have been charmed—and looked stunning. The boy's blonde locks hung loosely over his shoulders.

He smiled under the mask as he dragged Albus out on the floor with him, placing one slender arm around the other boy's waist.

When the angel boy smiled at him Albus felt his heart flutter strangely. Finding himself suddenly and unusually tongue-tied, he nodded mutely and allowed the other boy to guide him onto the dance floor, hyper-aware of the blonde's hand on his waist. It somehow felt at least as intimate as anything he had done with Trish.

The blonde angel turned out to be an excellent dancer. It felt more like flying across the floor really. No wonder people were looking at them. Though a dark vampire and a bright white angel were hard not to notice, even in a full, dimly lit room.

"Enjoying youself more, now?" the angel asked Albus, giving him another one of those beautiful smiles. The smile seemed somehow familiar and completely foreign to Albus; it sent a thrill of some unnamable emotion through him.

"Yes," he said, nodding. And then, because he felt he should say something more, "Your costume is amazing.

"Why, thank you. I like yours too; made by a steady hand I can tell." The boy spun Albus around, letting everyone watching them get a good look at what he had gotten.

Violeta Parkinson stood in the crowd with her date, watching, "Wow..." she muttered, "He is such a good dancer..."

"Yeah," said Albus, enjoying the feeling of being spun around the dance floor by his capable partner. "A friend made it. It was supposed to be his costume, but he couldn't come." A shadow passed over his face.

"Oh? Are you sad? That he isn't here?" The angel dragged him closer, so Albus was tight against the white-clothed chest. Somehow their heartbeats seem to be in sync.

Albus caught his breath, his heart suddenly beating wildly. The scent of the other boy filled his nostrils—something light and faintly spicy—and he had to swallow several times before he found his voice again.

"I'm upset about why he isn't here. My friends—well, I thought they were my friends—attacked him. Beat him up. He's still in the hospital wing."

"I see. I hope he'll be well soon."

The song was coming to an end now. But the angel didn't let go of Albus's waist, "You have really stunning eyes," he said, looking into them, "They say the eyes are windows to the soul, and if that is true, yours must be like an emerald."

Albus didn't say anything; he was too enthralled by the angel's own eyes, which were a brilliant shade of silver that seemed to sparkle with all the colors of the rainbow.

The song had stopped now, and the angel led Albus of the floor, taking him with him to the corridor outside.

"I have noticed you for a while, Albus Severus Potter, and, bold as it might sound, I have taking quite a strong liking to you," he said.

Albus felt himself blushing, not exactly a usual occurrence. He felt awkward and wrong-footed and...honestly kind of...attracted to this mysterious angel boy. Attracted to a boy?

"I, er, you have?"

"Yes," nodded the white creature. "You can't blame me for it, you are rather handsome." He took a breath. "I won't force myself on you, I am not like that. Just think about it, Albus." He took Albus' left hand in his and kissed it. "Until the next time our paths cross, Master Potter," he said, then disappeared down the corridor.

Albus stood there, staring after the other boy, his mouth, which was very dry, hanging slightly open, his hand still tingling where the angel had kissed it.

"Al?" A female voice came from behind him.

Rose Weasley was standing there, dressed in an old Greek gown like a goddess, Athena perhaps. "What are you doing here?" she asked.

"Erm-huh-wha?" said Albus intelligently.

"Oh, honestly Albus. Sometimes I wonder how you manage a day." Rose sighed. "Are you blushing? Al, what happened? Wait, back in there, you were dancing, with a boy. An angel, don't tell me...oh Merlin..."

Albus blinked. "Don't tell you what? He asked me to dance. It would have been rude to say no. And he was a really good dancer..."

"Yes, so we noticed, Al. He was good, really, but…that look in your eyes..." Rose sighed, running a hand through her reddish hair. "You felt attracted to him, didn't you?"

"I-I—maybe, I don't know... He said he liked me."

"Likes you? He was homosexual? Figures, I guess." Rose sighed. "Come on Al, don't think about it."

Albus shook his head. "I don't even know his name..."

"Well, we'll figure it out. If he likes you I am sure he'll make contact again, right?" Rose said, taking his hand. "Come on, James was asking for you."

Obviously as far as Rose was concerned, that was the end of that. Not so for Albus. The angel boy did not reappear for the rest of the night; Albus knew because he spent the entire rest of the dance looking for him. He even forgot to be resentful of or even notice who was dancing (or making out) with Trish. And when he finally fell into bed, more than a little tipsy from the spiked punch, it was little white angels that spun dizzyingly behind his closed eyelids.

AN: Thanks for reading; we'd love it if you were to review too :)

-Al & Scor