Forum Block
Stacked With: MC4A; Hogwarts; QL
Individual Challenges: Short Jog; Yellow Ribbon; Yellow Ribbon Redux; Gryffindor MC (x3); Slytherin MC
Prompts: Lace ball gown (auction); Long-time friendship (Insane Prompts); Write about a Gryffindor and Slytherin friendship (QL)
Team: Wigtown Wanderers
Position: Captain
Word count: 1,045
Beta: Aya Diefair
Note: We know nothing about the personal lives of Tracey and Alicia, so I have them grow up together in this story.


The school was abuzz with chatter as the Christmas holidays drew nearer and brought the Yule Ball with them. Alicia smiled to herself as she followed the rest of the Gryffindors out of the classroom that had become the place Professor McGonagall taught them all dancing. The lessons were always full of awkwardness and laughter as boys and girls were forced together to learn the finer points of moving their feet around with a partner to lead or follow.

Alicia had always been light on her feet and possessed the coordination required for ball dancing in spades. She had gained control over her body from a young age with lessons in both dance and martial arts. The thought had never occurred to her that she would be using those skills during an actual ball. They had merely been fun to learn, and her parents had figured it would be a good way to let Alicia get rid of excess energy not burnt off during the day.

As the other Gryffindors streamed in the direction of the Great Hall and food, Alicia split off down to the kitchens. Angelina and Katie waved at her and she returned it; the two other girls knew where she was going and why, but it was an otherwise unknown fact in the walls of Hogwarts.

Tracey was sitting at the table where the house-elves had placed a meal, waiting for Alicia. She smiled when Alicia came in and gestured to the food in front of her.

"We have apple pie for dessert!" the girl exclaimed with obvious excitement.

Alicia could see her eyeing the pie and laughed. "No dessert until you've finished your dinner," she said with mock sternness.

"Yes, Mother," Tracey returned with a pout before breaking off into peals of laughter.

Alicia joined her as she sat down at the table. She and Tracey had been friends before they had learned magic was very real and received letters from Hogwarts. When Alicia had first received her letter, she'd been so excited to tell Tracey but had been warned not to by Professor Sprout who solemnly informed the young girl about the Statute of Secrecy and the consequences of breaking it.

Then, two years later, Tracey had gotten her own letter. The first Alicia knew about it was when Tracey walked into the Great Hall with the rest of the first years to be sorted. She had nearly poked Katie's eye out with the fork she had been idly spinning when she spotted her childhood friend standing in the building of magic learning she'd had to keep a secret.

With the current political climate, and the fact that Tracey wasn't a pureblood as well as being sorted into Slytherin House (which rather like purebloods), the two had made an executive decision to keep their friendship on the down low. Hence the dinner dates in the kitchen while the rest of the student body ate upstairs. A friendship between the rivalling Houses of Gryffindor and Slytherin was not the safest of things in Hogwarts.

As they both loaded up their plates with dinner, Tracey asked, "So? Have you decided on a dress yet?"

"Maybe," Alicia replied. She stabbed her fork down onto a roast potato and waved the skewered vegetable around vaguely as she continued. "I've narrowed it down to two options."

"Please tell me the purple lace one is one of those options," Tracey begged, pouring gravy over her plate.

Alicia nodded and finally took a bite. "Mmhmm. It's currently winning over the other one, but there are perks to the green one."

"Green is Slytherin," Tracey pointed out. "That automatically makes it cool."

"It would, if I were in Slytherin. But I'm not, and besides, purple is both pretty and the official colour of our glamourous school."

"School pride, always good when we have intruders in our midst."

Alicia flicked a pea at Tracey. "Be nice. Some of them are risking their lives for this stupid tournament that we're all supposed to be so hyped up about."

"Just be glad you're not stuck in the Slytherin Common Room while Malfoy extolls Potter's faults."

"Instead I have to watch the kid try and not get killed by a tournament made for people who are studying for their NEWTs."


The ballroom was packed with people as the student body of Hogwarts from years four and up (with the occasional younger student) writhed together on the dance floor or stood to the sides getting refreshments. Alicia, wearing the purple lace ball gown she had settled on, danced in a trio consisting of her, Katie, and Tracey. All of the Houses were mixing tonight, and no one seemed to care what House you were from so long as you weren't personal enemies.

Angelina was off dancing with Fred Weasley and Katie had happily accepted Tracey as their third companion for the night. The Weird Sisters were playing on the stage, leading the throng below in their movements with the sound they created. It was the perfect night for Alicia. She had her friends all around her, including the one that was generally kept in the shadows for the sake of both of their safety.

Music was blasting out from the stage and she bounced up and down to it, clasping hands with Katie and Tracey as they whirled around the dance floor with careless abandon. Next to them were more groups of students from various Houses and schools. A Beauxbatons' student and a Ravenclaw were sweeping across the floor in a chaotic version of the tango while a Durmstrang and Hufflepuff whirled around each other with their arms waving above their heads to the music.

Tracey clutched Alicia's hand tighter and dragged her and Katie off the floor, picking up Angelina and Fred along the way. She made a beeline for the refreshments and they all revived themselves with nibbles and drinks as they watched the crush of people they had been a part of just recently. It was exhilarating.

Alicia bumped her shoulder into Tracey's and grinned at her friend. "You good?"

Tracey grinned back at her. "Definitely. You?"

"Oh, most certainly. I have my friends, I have an awesome purple dress, and there's dancing. What more could I ask for?"