That night, Avery scribbled a quick note to her mother in the owlery.
Mum, she wrote,
I'm sure you've read in the papers that Harry Potter was entered into the Triwizard Tournament, but no one knows how. Marilyn said she believes someone is "doing the Dark Lord's work" and entered Harry's name in an attempt to get him killed. She also implied that if I don't go over to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named's side, I will be in danger. Is that true? Have the Death Eaters plotted something? Is He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named back? I need to know. And I know you know.
Avery
She sent the note out with one of the school owls, wondering if she would get a reply at all, and if she did, what it would say. She returned to her dormitory that night, a ball of anxiety undulating deep in her chest.
The next morning, Avery hauled herself out of bed, dressed, and altered her appearance to someone unrecognizable. She had taken to doing this outside of classes ever since the champions had been selected and everyone seemed to believe her the one to have submitted Harry Potter's name. This way, she could blend into the crowd and would be subject to less criticism from her peers. This was unavoidable in her small classes, however, which forced her to switch back and forth between her regular appearance and whatever she made up for the day.
On this particular morning, she morphed her features into squarish, angular ones, rather than her usual rounded ones, swapped her gapped smile for a crowded one, and lightened her complexion a few shades. This, in combination with short dark hair made her a virtual stranger to anyone she passed on the way to the Great Hall that morning. This made her less of a target, but it also made her susceptible to hearing the nasty things people would say about her behind her back. She had experienced this several times now, but was surprised when she sat down that she overheard someone saying something positive about her.
"Did you see her face when Ced got burned?" Caroline Purvis was saying to another Hufflepuff Avery could not remember the name of.
"Yeah, talk about gutting. You would've thought they'd pronounced him dead," the other Hufflepuff girl replied.
"The more I think about it- I mean, after seeing the way she was yesterday, d'you reckon she really entered Harry's name? She seemed so... for Cedric. Just seems like she's so… I dunno… So-"
"Loyal? Invested?" the nameless girl interjected, pouring cream into her morning tea. "Yeah, the way she was reacting yesterday, I can't imagine she would've entered a Gryffindor. She's yellow and black, through and through. Besides, I always thought it was off. I mean, how would she have gotten over that age line?"
Avery couldn't help but smile at that. Finally someone was thinking logically! She wished she could remember the girls name so she knew whose praises to sing.
"But what about the parchment with her name on? How would it have gotten there if she hadn't been there?" Caroline pressed, serving herself a few sausages.
"Just because she was there doesn't mean she submitted Harry's name. In fact, it sort of proves she couldn't make it across the line, doesn't it? Otherwise her name would've been in the cup."
It took everything she had not to exclaim her thanks then and there. Instead, she ate her porridge quietly, grinning ear to ear.
It seemed this line of thinking had grown in popularity since the previous day, as when Avery got to Herbology that morning and transformed into her regular self, everyone was very friendly with her. Hannah Abbott and Susan Bones asked her to work at their table, and were sympathetic rather than amused when one of the bouncing bulbs wriggled out of her hands and hit her hard in the face. Even Zacharias Smith was less antagonistic in the lesson that morning when asking her to pass the watering can. The only person who remained positively icy towards her was Marilyn, but this was to be expected. It seemed word of her very emotional reaction to Cedric's performance in the task, and the fact that she didn't even stay till the end of the task to see how Harry did, had convinced many of her innocence.
Avery felt positively delighted that things had taken a turn for the better with her peers. So much so, that the ball of anxiety from the night before began to ease. Perhaps Marilyn had been making it all up to frighten her. Perhaps everything would only get better from here on out.
Then, Professor Sprout called for quiet so that she could make an announcement. An announcement which created an entirely new type of anxiety in Avery.
"Now, as some of you may know, the Yule Ball is fast approaching. It is a traditional part of the Triwizard Tournament, and a wonderful opportunity for us to socialize with our guests from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang, as well as the other houses. The ball will be open only to fourth years and above, although you may invite a younger student to be your partner if you wish," she took a moment to smile at them warmly. Avery looked about. Most everyone looked excited at the prospect, whereas she felt dreadful.
"You will want to wear your dress robes," Professor Sprout continued, "and the ball will begin at eight o'clock on Christmas Day. finishing at midnight in the Great Hall. The Yule Ball is of course a chance for us all to enjoy ourselves, but keep in mind I expect all of you to be on your best behavior! You are representatives of your school, and I trust you will not embarrass Hogwarts, or your house!"
With that, she dismissed them from class and the students began to clean the dirt from off the front of their robes and collect their belongings for their next class.
"I'm so excited!" Susan squealed, "I bought the most beautiful dress. It's dark purple with lace details-"
"It sounds so pretty!" Hannah started, cutting Susan off. "Mine is orange- it sounds a bit much, but it's really gorgeous and I don't think anyone else will have anything like it!"
Avery felt the ball of anxiety bouncing about in her chest. She, too, had dress robes somewhere in her trunk. She had forgotten all about them. They had been on her school list, so she bought them, but she hadn't known why at the time, and it had since slipped her mind.
"What about you, Avery?" Susan asked politely. Seeing as how she was grateful to have people talking to her again, Avery decided it would be counter-productive to ignore the question. So, she answered, despite the mounting pressure in her chest.
"It's a navy color… A dark blue," she reiterated, trying to force a smile.
"Pretty!" Susan replied, jamming her copy of Goshawk's Guide to Herbology into her bag.
"Who do you think you'll go with?" Hannah asked neither of them in particular as they shouldered their bags and made their way out of the greenhouse. Susan giggled before answering that she didn't know. Hannah took the opportunity to launch into a list of potentials she had considered, and Avery was grateful not to have to answer that question. Of course, she would have loved to go to the ball with Cedric. And it killed her to know that if they hadn't had gotten into their argument several weeks prior, she probably would be going to the ball with Cedric. As she thought more about it, the ball of anxiety darted around faster and faster in her chest.
Then, for just a moment, the tension eased. It certainly seemed that the other Hufflepuffs had forgiven her. That they had finally realized she hadn't entered Harry into the tournament. Wasn't it entirely possible that Cedric had also realized she was innocent? In fact, hadn't Cedric said the day prior that he wanted to ask her something? Was it possible he wanted to ask her to the ball?
The apprehension was certainly still there, but now it was joined by exhilaration. What if Cedric asked her to the Yule Ball? She imagined herself at the Ball, arm in arm with Cedric, and quickly decided she couldn't imagine anything that could make her quite as happy as that would.
As the day wore on, Avery found herself keeping an eye out for Cedric. She hoped that maybe if she bumped into him, he would ask her whatever it was he had wanted to ask in the first aid tent the day before- and, hopefully, that question was whether or not she would attend the ball with him. But he was no where to be seen that day, not at meal-times or in the halls. At dinner, Avery found herself continually scanning the hall for him, but to no avail.
By this time, she had morphed back into her standard appearance. She was delighted to find that most everyone, including students from other houses, had reverted back to their normal treatment of her. People who had avoided her gaze only the day before were waving at her or talking to her, and while she would've liked a formal apology, she decided that beggars couldn't be choosers and she was grateful for their small kindnesses either way.
Mid-way through dinner, the twins plopped down on either side of her. Without a word of greeting, they started in about the Ball.
"What'd'you make of this Yule-Ball-business?" Fred asked her, borrowing her fork and spearing a roll from her plate. He began eating it off the fork, waiting for her answer.
"I dunno," Avery sighed, "I mean, I've never been to anything like that before. And the idea of going alone sounds terrible."
"Why alone?" George chimed in from her other side. He was helping himself to some of her chicken. "Seems like your name has been cleared. The crowds don't seem to part around you like you've got Scrofungulus anymore."
"That may be true," Avery said, chuckling, "but I'm still not particularly popular, much less popular in a romantic way."
"Well, I suppose not everyone can be as desirable as us," Fred said solemnly.
"I mean, unless you fashion yourself as handsome as us," George mused. "What'd'you think, Fred? Think we could use a triplet?"
"Well-"
"Did you two come over here for something of actual importance?" Avery cut in, an exasperated smile playing on her lips.
"Yes, actually," Fred replied, tapping her on the nose, which made Avery flinch in surprise. "We want to work on the snackboxes. So finish your peas like a good girl and let's go."
And so they did. Avery helped them late into the night, attempting to recreate the recipes she had destroyed nearly a year earlier. This meant that by the time she made it back to the common room that night, there was no chance of catching Cedric.
It went on a few days like that- with her and Cedric having opposite schedules since they were in different years, and Cedric having Prefect duties, she did not see him. On that Friday she did pass him in a corridor, but since they were both on their separate ways to classes they could not be late for, they only had time for quick greetings.
Meanwhile, everyone in the castle seemed to be pairing off in preparation for the ball. All of her dorm-mates, including Marilyn, had a date for the dance. She had been approached by several students asking her to proposition a date to other students, most of which ended happily. She even found out that Anne had attempted to earn an invitation to the dance from an unlikely person.
"You did what?" Avery blurted out over dinner that Friday.
"Don't make me feel worse," she moaned.
"I'm sorry… It's just… You… You just walked up to him and… And asked him to the dance?" Avery stammered, completely awestruck by Anne's bravery- or recklessness, depending on how you looked at it.
"Yes… I pass him on his way to History of Magic. I just thought, 'why not?' and I walked up and asked him. He didn't even think about it, just said no. The worst part is that I did it in front of all his mates, so I just know they were all making fun of me afterwards."
"You… Asked Harry Potter… To the Yule Ball," Avery mumbled in utter amazement.
"I told you not to make me feel worse!" Anne moaned again, poking at her potatoes.
The next day being a Saturday, Avery hoped to see Cedric in the common room. She woke early and took a seat not far from the fire at her favorite table and waited for Cedric to come out of the dormitories, though she had brought her school bag with her so that she could wait under the guise of doing homework. Since it was a Saturday, students filtered into and out of the common room slowly, opting to sleep in instead. After over an hour of half doing her homework, half watching the door to the boys dormitory, Avery decided she ought to get breakfast- surely she would see Cedric later in the day, anyway.
Avery entered the Great Hall and took a seat at the Hufflepuff table and immediately helped herself to a piece of toast. A ways down the table Stebbins, a fellow Hufflepuff, grinned at her and gave her a thumbs up. He was sitting with Stacey Fawcett from Ravenclaw, whom had agreed to go to the Ball with him the previous day. Avery had asked her to go in his place, but Stacey did not know this. Avery grinned back at him, hoping that she, too, would get her ideal date to the Yule Ball later that day.
"Avery!" came an anxious voice from behind her. Avery turned her head to see the speaker just as she took a bite of toast, and was surprised to see it was Cho Chang.
"I'm so glad you're here. I've been waiting for you for ages!" she said, sliding into the seat next to Avery. Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes round with consternation.
"Oh?" Avery asked through a mouthful of toast. She quickly chewed, swallowed, and sat her unfinished slice on her plate before adding, "What's the matter?"
"Well, nothing's the matter, really. I just… I have a job for you, if you're willing," she said, wringing her hands in her lap. Avery thought she seemed awfully nervous for nothing being wrong.
"Uh, sure. Depending on what it is, that is."
"Well, it's just- it's my date for the Ball," she stammered.
"You want me to break it off with him?" Avery asked, concerned.
"No! No, of course not! It's just that we are supposed to dance at the ball in front of everyone, and I don't think I can do it," she replied quickly. "I'm too nervous! I'm afraid I'll mess it up and we'll look ridiculous. I don't want to embarrass him."
"You… Want me to go to the ball in your place? And do all your dancing for you?" Avery asked, furrowing her brow in disbelief. Something wasn't making sense.
"No, not the whole time. Just for the opening dance. Then we can switch back. I just don't want the entire school watching. I'll pay whatever it costs. 10 galleons, 20 galleons. Whatever you think is fair. I know it's a lot to ask since you'd probably rather be with your own date for the opening dance-"
Avery scoffed. "No need to worry about that. No one's asked me… At least, not yet, anyway," she added quietly, quickly looking about for any sign of Cedric.
"So you'll do it?" Cho asked hopefully.
"Sure, why not?" Avery said with a shrug. She wasn't sure what the big deal was- she'd dance the first dance quickly- which would be easy for her, as she wasn't too terrible of a dancer- and make a ton of money doing it. She still didn't really understand Cho's hesitation, but with that price tag, Avery didn't really care what her reasoning was. "We'll call it 10 galleons, then?"
"That's fine! Thank you so much. Please don't mention it to him, obviously. I don't want him to think less of me," She added, glancing about as though worried she might be overheard.
"Who? I don't even know who your date is," Avery asked with a small laugh.
"Cedric!" Cho whispered excitedly, the worry on her face quickly replaced with pure elation. Avery's heart plummeted in her stomach.
"Cedric?" Avery asked, in a hollow sort of voice.
"Yes! I'm sorry, I thought you knew. All the champions and their partners do the first dance in front of everyone while everyone else watches. Of course I'm thrilled he asked me, but I'm terrified I'll embarrass him in front of the whole school. So you'll just fill in for me for the first dance, then we can meet in the bathroom or something and swap back. Does that work?"
Avery stared at Cho. She looked so happy. So hopeful. She had been asked to the Yule Ball by the date of her dreams- the date of both their dreams. Avery could feel her features twisting into ones of disappointment, of sadness, of utter heartbreak. She quickly focused on the light in Cho's eyes and emulated it. She could not let her sadness show.
He had chosen. He asked Cho. And she had already agreed to portray her for the opening dance. How would it look to go back now, after she had already admitted she had nothing interfering with her ability to do so? After she found out it was Cedric? She tried to ignore the twisting feeling of her heart in her gut at the idea of dancing with Cedric at the Yule Ball, but not as herself.
"Yes, that works fine," Avery finally said, forcing a smile. "We can work out the details a little later, okay? I'll be in touch."
"Right! Thank you so much, Avery!" Cho said, absolutely giddy at this point. She stood and hurried back to her house's table.
Avery turned back to her plate, the gnawing feeling in her stomach having nothing to do with hunger.
"Morning!" George said brightly a few minutes later, taking Cho's empty seat. Fred sat down wordlessly on her other side. Avery did not respond, but continued to look down at her toast.
"Fancy working on the recipes today?" Fred asked tentatively. He seemed to pick up on the tension behind Avery's silence.
"Yeah," Avery replied almost immediately, "sounds good." Now that she knew Cedric had no intention of asking her to the Ball, she felt no need to hang around the common room today hoping to bump into him.
"Brilliant," George said, also sounding more subdued. Together, they left the Great Hall and climbed to the seventh floor.
They worked on the recipes rather quietly together, trying to piece it together from memory as much as possible before creating new prototypes. After a few hours, they had vague semblances of the recipes for fainting fancies and nosebleed nougat. They decided from there the only way to go about refining them was to create and test them.
"You two start," Fred told them, "I'll be back."
"Where are you going?" George demanded, "Trying to get out of testing the product?"
"I'm going to go have a wee, is that alright?" Fred fired back over his shoulder, already halfway to the door.
"Do me a favor and fall in, won't you?" George called after his brother's retreating back. Fred merely shook his head and exited.
"Something the matter between you?" Avery asked, more out of wanting to end the silence than out of genuine curiosity.
"Course not. Just gets boring if we get on well all the time," George chortled. "But, since you mentioned it, it sure seems like something's the matter with you today... So, what is the matter?"
"It's nothing," Avery replied after a moment's hesitation. She wasn't sure she wanted to get into it. She wasn't sure she could get into it without getting emotional, and that wasn't something she was willing to do.
"Come off it," George said, more softly than before. "Something's bothering you. You can tell me."
Avery heaved a heavy sigh. Keeping her eyes down and focusing hard on measuring her potion ingredients so as not to let the emotions carry her away, she simply said, "I found out Cedric is going to the Ball with Cho Chang."
"Oh," George replied heavily. Avery stole a glance at him and was grateful to see he was laser-focused on his ingredients as well. He wasn't scrutinizing her or judging her. He was listening while still giving her her space.
"I'm sorry you're upset," he added when Avery stayed quiet.
"The worst part is how I found out," Avery continued, counting her lacewing flies slowly.
"Oh?" George asked, sounding detached.
"Cho came up and asked me to go on the date for her."
Avery felt George freeze beside her. She looked at him, and though his eyes were still on his ingredients, they were wide with shock. Avery couldn't help but snort with laughter at his expression. Hearing this, George turned to look at her for the first time. He started biting his lip, his body shaking with repressed laughter, which made Avery start laughing. After a few moments, they were both cracking up, squinting at each other as they did.
After the laughter died down, Avery sighed and told him the whole story, start to finish. "Isn't it ironic?" she asked, "I couldn't tell her no… I guess the only plus side is I made 10 galleons for Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes."
George was looking at her, a residual grin still on his face from all the laughing they had done. "I won't lie to you- that is the most terrible, ironic thing I have ever heard… But, the gold doesn't have to be the only good thing to have come out of it." His face had grown more earnest as he went on, but Avery was not sure what he meant by this.
"What d'you mean? What am I missing?" she asked, genuinely curious of what he believed to be the silver lining.
"Well, we could go to the Ball together," George said, attempting to be off-handed. "I don't have a date and neither do you. It could be fun. We could… We could make the best of it."
Avery thought for a moment, not sure what to say. She didn't hate the idea, but couldn't help but think it might be awkward.
"You don't… You don't think it would be… weird?" she finally asked, turning back to her flies and beginning to count again. She could feel George do the same next to her.
"Considering the situation I don't think it could really get much weirder," he said matter-of-factly. Avery nodded unconsciously. He did have a point there.
"I think we would have fun," George continued. Avery suddenly noticed how very close George was to her, their elbows brushing each other every time they moved a fly from one pile to the other.
"Yeah. Alright," Avery finally said, a small smile starting at the corners of her mouth. "It'll be fun."
"Good," George replied, and she didn't have to look at him to know he was smiling, too.
