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Chapter 18: Formals, Holidays, and Babies
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"Before you go," started Professor McGonagall, raising her voice above the din the ravenous students were creating in their efforts to escape for lunch. "I have an announcement."
The students queuing at the door turned.
"In celebration of Valentines Day this year, the professors have decided to sponsor a Muggle formal."
"A what?" called someone hidden behind the multitudes of impatient students. Several girls throughout the room began talking at once, while those who had barely any idea about Muggle social practices, such as Draco and Ron, stared dumbly
"A Muggle formal ... a dance," answered Professor McGonagall. Harry noticed that again, just as last year, she didn't look particularly thrilled about this.
"Since it is themed after a Muggle formal, dress robes are not required and you can wear traditional Muggle suits and gowns."
"You want us to dress as Muggles?" snapped Draco, rudely, a look of complete disgust on his already hideous face.
"Of course you don't have to, but if you want, the option is open," said Professor McGonagall, clearly thinking that this open option could only present problems, especially as she wasn't quite sure what Muggle formal attire actually was.
"What's a formal?" asked Ron quietly to Harry as they made their way out of the classroom, Hermione and Adrienne giggling behind them. Harry turned his head slightly.
"Girls wear big pouffy dresses and guys wear black suits," he said.
Ron raised an eyebrow, "suits?"
"Suits, oh come on, you've seen suits before," said Harry as they entered neared the Entrance Hall.
Ron screwed up his face in thought. "Nope, not suits, at least I don't think so," he replied.
Harry stopped walking. "You know those pictures of my parents' wedding?" he asked. Ron nodded. "The black jacket and pants my dad was wearing, that's a suit," finished Harry.
Ron thought for a moment, trying to picture it. "Oh, we have to wear one of those? That's a little dressy, don't you think?" he finally replied.
The two boys continued walking, almost making their way to the Great Hall; however, they were, or at least Ron was, distracted by a black-haired witch. Adrienne quietly walked up next to Ron and put a hand gently onto his shoulder. She smiled and stepped up on her toes to whisper in his ear.
"Well, Ron, how about you taking me to this formal?" she asked in a low voice. Ron jumped.
"Hermione?" asked Harry quietly and motioned for Hermione to come talk to him.
"Oh, that? Well, I told her he gets tongue-tied, so she just said she'd ask him herself," replied Hermione, knowing exactly what Harry was going to ask her. Harry smiled and looked back over at them: Ron was beat red and was saying something Harry couldn't hear, but he didn't need to because right away Adrienne stepped back onto her tiptoes and kissed his cheek.
"So, planning on asking me?" asked Hermione softly, grabbing Harry's arm and spinning him around to face her. He looked down into her eyes and put on a thoughtful face.
"Hmm . . .I'll have to give that one some thought," he said quietly.
"Ugh!" gasped Hermione and pushed him away. "I see how it is," she said, her eyes narrowing playfully.
Harry laughed. "Of course I was planning on asking you, Hermione, who else would I ask? So, what do you say?" he asked.
Hermione put her hands on her hips and tried fruitlessly to glare at him. "Well, now I'm not so sure," she began, but Harry interrupted her.
"Playing hard to get are we?" he asked. He stepped forward, put his arm around her shoulder, and steered her into the Great Hall.
* * * * *
"Tickets?" asked Hermione as she fell backwards onto Adrienne's bad.
"Check," replied Adrienne pulling an envelope from her open bedside cabinet.
"Holiday assignments and books?"
In response, Adrienne dropped a large pile of textbooks into her trunk.
"Check."
"Clothes?"
"How many pairs do you think I need?" asked Adrienne, rummaging through her cabinet. Hermione sat up.
"Well, you can always wash them, so only take about a weeks worth, that way you'll have less stuff to carry."
Adrienne stood up, nodding her head. "You're a genius, Hermi!"
Hermione rolled her eyes and lay back down.
"What are you doing, Hermione? Taking a break? We have work to do!" snapped Adrienne in mock exasperation.
"I feel like a mother," sighed Hermione, rolling over and crawling across the bed on her stomach to hang her head off the side where Adrienne stood.
"Ok, your wand, don't forget your wand," she said.
"Oh yeah," replied Adrienne, searching her pockets for her wand and tossing it into her trunk. Adrienne turned back to her cabinet and began tossing things overhead in the general direction of her slowly filling trunk.
"Adrienne, I don't think you need your school robes," sighed Hermione. She rolled off the bed, walked towards the open trunk and pulled out the now crumpled black robes.
"Right, forgot," muttered Adrienne, sticking her head into her cabinet to make sure she wasn't forgetting anything she'd need.
"I'm leaving my Firebolt here. I promised Ron he could use it while I'm gone," said Adrienne, her voce muffled from being inside the cabinet.
"Oh yeah, Christmas presents," she said, yanking out her head and whacking the back of it in the process.
"Ouch, stupid thing!" she yelled, rubbing her head and glaring at her cabinet as if it had maliciously attacked her. Finally, after most of the pain had subsided, she flattened herself out on her stomach and reached under her bed. After a second, she pulled out three wrapped presents.
"These are for you guys, Hermi; this blue one here, that's yours, the green is Ron's and the one in red is Harry's. Could you give 'em out on Christmas for me?" Adrienne asked, handing the packages to Hermione.
"You didn't have to get us anything, Adrienne," she said as she took the packages.
Adrienne shrugged her shoulders. "But I wanted to. It is so hard to shop when you can't leave the castle, gosh."
Hermione looked at her. "Yeah, how did you manage that?"
"Professors Glenn and Hartel, I sent them my list and they got the stuff at the Gallows and set it to me," said Adrienne, standing up and looking at her packed trunk.
"I can't believe it's already Christmas, Hermi!" said Adrienne quietly, sitting down on her bed. Hermione put the refolded black robes in Adrienne's cabinet and then sat down next o her.
"I know. You know what, Adrienne?" she said, leaning back onto her elbows.
"Hmm."
"I'm going to miss you," said Hermione quietly. Adrienne leaned back and smiled.
"I'm going to miss you too, Hermi."
"Good thing it's only three weeks."
"This has to be the first time I'm counting down the days of vacation, usually I'm always wishing they were longer," said Adrienne, staring up into the maroon canopy above her. Hermione looked up too and the two girls lay there in silence.
* * * * *
"I can't believe she's leaving tomorrow," moaned Ron, collapsing onto his bed.
Harry looked up from the present he was wrapping for Adrienne. He hadn't really know what to get her, but after much deliberation with Hermione, he had settled on a book entitled, "Chasing the Chasers: A Look at Britain's most famous Chasers."
"She's not leaving forever, Ron. She'll be back, and just think, she needs time to go buy her gown. It'll be worth the wait to see the girl of your dreams looking like an angel at the dance," said Harry, reaching up and brushing his unruly hair out of his eyes.
"Yeah, I guess so," said Ron sullenly. "How though is Hermione getting her gown?"
Harry shrugged his shoulders. "She says she already has one and that her parents are going to send it."
Ron pulled himself off the bed and strode over to the window.
"Where exactly are we getting suits, Harry?" he asked, while watching the sun set over the misty mountains in the distance.
Harry looked up quickly; he hadn't thought of that. "That could pose a problem."
* * * * *
"Now this check-in business," began Adrienne, pulling on a pair of jeans.
"You go up to the reservation counter. You check your trunk, follow the person's orders, and then find your gate," answered Hermione, tossing Adrienne a scarlet sweater, which she pulled on quickly.
"That's all. I don't need to do anything else?"
"Nope. First time flying alone?"
"Not really, I flew here alone, but my Professors did all that business stuff for me. I just stood aside and watched all the Muggles."
Adrienne walked over to the mirror and carefully pulled her hair back into a loose braid.
"And the train leaves at eight?" she asked, turning and walking over to her trunk to check one last time that she wasn't forgetting anything.
"Adrienne, we finished packing yesterday, don't worry," said Hermione, as their dormitory door slammed shut. The other girls in the dormitory were running in and out, all preparing to leave for the holidays. Hermione was the only one in the room staying.
"All right then," said Adrienne finally, clasping her hands to her hips, "I'm ready to go."
"I hope you don't expect to sit with us?" sneered Parvati as she walked into the room, her wet hair still wrapped in a towel. Adrienne glared at her.
"And risk catching your disease? I should think not," replied Adrienne coolly, reaching down and heaving her heavy trunk into the air.
"Hermi, could you get the door for me?" she called. Parvati and Lavender watched with pure loathing as Adrienne walked out of the room, Hermione right behind.
"Wouldn't it be great if she just didn't come back?" asked Parvati wistfully once she and Lavender were alone in the room.
"We wouldn't be that lucky," sighed Lavender.
* * * * *
Harry and Ron were waiting in the common room for Adrienne and Hermione; they had just made up their minds to sneak up to their dormitory and tell them to hurry up when the two girls appeared at the top of the stairs.
"Hey you guys! Happy first day of vacation!" called Adrienne as she began her descent, her trunk partially blocking her view.
"We were beginning to think you two had gone back to bed," grumbled Ron, standing up with the intention of helping Adrienne with her trunk; however, he wasn't quick enough.
"Impatient this morning are w. . .ahh!" Adrienne's foot missed a step and in an instant both she and her trunk were in the air. With a mighty sequence of thumps, her trunk made it to the bottom of the stairs, Adrienne right behind, toppling helplessly the rest of the way down.
Hermione rushed down after her and Harry and Ron ran over to the motionless girl.
"Adrienne?" asked Ron quietly, poking her shoulder gently.
"Hmm?" she moaned, pulling her face off the ground and looking around at her friends.
"Are you all right?" asked Hermione, reaching down to help her up. Adrienne rolled over onto her back and slowly sat up.
"Well, had to leave a last impression before I left ... I guess; however, falling down the stairs? Not the kind of last impression I quite had in mind," she mumbled, visibly embarrassed.
She stood up and brushed of her clothing, even though they were perfectly clean. She looked up and cast her friends a silly smile and began to laugh. At first Hermione just looked at her, there in her Muggle clothing, still brushing off invisible dirt from her clothes, laughing hysterically; then Hermione joined in. Soon the four were laughing, clutching their stomachs and gasping for air.
"That was priceless, 'Impatient this morning are w. . ahh!'" joked Ron. Adrienne stopped laughing to speak.
"From hence forth, Adrienne Miles is now the amazing tumbling American," she giggled.
Hermione shook her head and forced herself to stop laughing. "You sure you're not hurt though, Adrienne?" she asked, "That was some fall."
"Of course not. What time is it?" Adrienne asked suddenly, remembering that she had to catch the Hogwarts' Express. Harry looked down at the new watch he had purchased while in the states.
"7:20, you sure you're not going to eat breakfast?" he asked. "You still have time to grab some toast."
Adrienne shook her head. "No way, I'm going to buy some pizza at the airport; you have no idea how much I miss pizza!" she exclaimed, smirking, "I'm going to eat every piece there - you watch!" Adrienne walked back over to her trunk and turned it right-side up again.
"I got you guys presents," she called behind her. "I gave them to Hermi, so she can keep 'em safe until Christmas."
At this, Ron cast a furtive glance at Harry, who quietly walked over to a chair and from the seat drew out two beautifully wrapped presents.
"We got you something also, Adrienne, for Christmas," Harry added, indicating that he didn't want her opening them now. He knew that as an orphan, Christmas presents were few, and he wanted to make sure she'd have more than usual this year. Adrienne got the hint and took the two presents smiling.
"The blue one's from me," said Ron, blushing a deep maroon color.
"And the red one's from me," added Harry, not letting go of the presents until he was sure Adrienne had a firm grip on them.
"Thanks guys!" she exclaimed, "I can't wait until I open them." Adrienne strode over to her trunk, took out a key, and unlocked it.
"I already put your present in there, Adrienne," said Hermione, walking up next to her.
After making sure everything was arranged properly, Adrienne relocked the lid and turned back to Harry, Ron, and Hermione, tears welling in her eyes.
"Oh my goodness! I feel like I'm leaving forever," she exclaimed. Hermione gave her a hug.
"Only three weeks," she whispered, "And don't forget to buy a gown."
Adrienne smiled. "Wouldn't want to disappoint anyone in particular would I?" she whispered back. Adrienne pulled out of her embrace and reached down to pick up her trunk.
"I suppose I'd better go down to the Entrance Hall, don't want those coaches to leave without me," she said, shifting her grip slightly on her trunk, trying not to laugh as she watched the horrified faces of her friends, all praying that she'd be able to manage her trunk this time.
"I'm not going to pull off another stunt like that, don't worry," she snapped playfully and made her way towards the portrait hole, her braid swinging gently behind her.
* * * * *
The corridors were filled with students and their trunks, all making their way down to the Entrance Hall to claim horse-less coaches to catch a ride to Hogsmeade Station. Adrienne walked in silence, Harry, Ron, and Hermione behind her.
"Please, it is time to board the coaches," called out Professor Sprout above the rumbling of the many voices that were crammed into the Entrance Hall. Adrienne pushed her way through the crowd, cutting through several lines, and made her way out the double oak doors.
"Here comes the first coach, Miss Miles," said Professor McGonagall, who was standing on the top step, overseeing the departure proceedings.
"Thanks, Professor," said Adrienne, setting down her trunk and rubbing her arms, convinced they were about to fall off.
"Not much for waiting in line, eh?" called Harry, as he, Ron, and Hermione pushed their way out of the doors. Adrienne turned.
"No," was all she replied.
"Have a good Christmas," said Hermione abruptly, pulling her into another hug.
"I will, and you too, Hermi; and take lots of points from Slytherin, you don't need a reason, just pretend you have one."
Hermione laughed and shook her head. "I hate to think what would happen if they made you a prefect, Adrienne," she replied.
Adrienne grinned evilly. "Ever heard of negative numbers?" she said, raising her eyebrows up and down several times before turning to Ron. He looked a little pathetic, standing on the top step, blushing furiously and twisting his hands anxiously. Adrienne stepped forward and kissed his cheek.
"You have a good vacation too, and remember don't practice chess, that way I might have a chance of winning when I come back," she said quietly.
"Right, no chess," nodded Ron, dumbly, blushing even darker, his cheek burning where she had kissed him. He slowly raised his hand up to the lip gloss mark she had left and said, "Have fun with your professors, and don't forget a gown." And then on a brave instinct, leaned forward and kissed her, stepping back quickly, marveling at his own daring. Adrienne smiled and turned to Harry.
"Be careful now, Potter, don't do anything stupid," she said sarcastically. Harry glared at her.
"And you be careful too, especially in London, some parts can be a little dangerous," he said, "don't get lost." Adrienne smiled and gave him a quick hug. Professor McGonagall watched quietly from the edge of the staircase.
"Minerva, the coach is ready, are you going to add another student, there's only three in here," called Professor Flitwick.
"Yes, in a second," she called.
"Bye guys!" called Adrienne as she hoisted her trunk back into the air and half waddled over to the coach, trying hard to carry the weight.
"See ya later alligator," she called to Professor McGonagall as she walked past.
"Enjoy your holiday, and don't forget your holiday work, Miss Miles," replied Professor McGonagall.
Minerva stood quietly as Professor Flitwick directed students into the next coach. Her eyes followed Adrienne's as it made its way towards the school gates. She cast a glance back at Harry, who was standing, flanked on either end, by Hermione and Ron. Professor McGonagall shivered before turning her attention back to directing the departures.
* * * * *
Adrienne sat alone on the Hogwarts' Express, in the same compartment she had sat in on her ride to Hogwarts back in September. She sat on the floor, her trunk open, her schoolbooks piled around her, working frantically to finish the three essays she had as holiday work. Upon finishing her Potions and Transfiguration essays, she decided to take a break, and climbed up onto a window seat to watch the snow covered scenery whiz past her window.
Adrienne sighed and leaned back in her chair, pulling her sweater closer around her. It was going to be chilly and she didn't have a coat or any gloves besides her dragon-hide ones for school, which she was not about to wear while taking a taxi across London. She couldn't believe she was going back to Salem: She had so many things to tell Professors Glenn and Hartel. She wanted to speak with Professor Bell, and tell Professor Mondel about kicking Draco on the ride to Hogwarts. She wanted to show all the professors her success at Transfiguration, and tell them all about her new friends. She sat still, relishing the thought of seeing them all again, when a horrible realization struck her: her necklace.
Adrienne quickly looked down at her right palm: The triangle was still shining there. She had no idea how she was going to explain away this one.
* * * * *
Adrienne handed her money to the taxi driver and followed him to the taxi's trunk.
"Do you need help with your trunk, little lady?" asked the amiable man as he slammed the taxi's trunk shut.
"No thanks, I've managed so far," she called as she took it from the driver.
"Enjoy your trip then, and Happy Christmas," he called as he walked around the taxi.
"Happy Christmas to you too," Adrienne called.
She stood there in the street and watched the man drive away. It was a beautiful sight: Snow was falling slowly, dancing playfully in the air. A well-placed snowflake down the nape of her neck drew Adrienne back from her admiration of nature.
"Brr," she whispered as she turned to look at the entrance to the airport.
"This could be interesting," she mumbled and began to make her way towards the entrance.
* * * * *
"Can I help you?" asked a man in uniform standing by a booth next to the entrance doors. Adrienne looked up at him.
"Um, well, I have to check my luggage and get my seat assignment, I think," she said, shaking her head to try and get the snow to fall from her face.
"First time traveling alone?" the employee asked, walking around the booth and reaching for her trunk.
"Yep," replied Adrienne, handing her trunk to him and reading his badge: Charles.
"You can do all that here," he said, setting the trunk onto the counter. "Do you have your ticket and identification?"
"Somewhere," said Adrienne, pulling her bag into her hand and unzipping it to look for the envelope and the small identification card. After a few seconds of rapid searching, she set the two items on the counter and the man set to work.
"Has anyone one asked you to carry anything for them or has anyone left a package with you?" asked Charles, looking at her identification card, and then at her face, finally handing it back to her.
"Nope," Adrienne replied.
"Good. Ok, little girl, you have round trip First Class tickets here. I bet you want a window seat, eh?" he asked, smiling jovially.
"I'd love a window seat, if you have any," she said, smiling sweetly. She liked this Charles character. Charles smiled back and raised an eyebrow.
"Well, it just so happens I have an open window seat, and now it's reserved just for you. Ok, this ticket on top is for your flight today, and the one I'm putting back in the envelope is for your return ticket, you'll use that one in the states. Any questions, missy?" he asked, indicating which ticket was which, with short stubby fingers.
"I think I can handle it. Thanks, Charles," said Adrienne, putting her envelope back into her bag.
"Anytime. Enjoy the holidays," he said, moving towards the elderly lady standing behind Adrienne.
"You too," Adrienne called before turning and pushing her ways through the glass doors into the crowded airport.
Adrienne made her way through the airport, following the large signs hanging from the ceilings. The airport was crowded and Adrienne had to literally push her way through the people. She checked her watch; her plane didn't leave for another two hours. Adrienne smiled: She was going to go find some pizza.
* * * * *
"So, you think she made it through London all right?" asked Ron anxiously as he, Harry, and Hermione claimed chairs in the empty common room.
"Of course she did, it isn't that hard," replied Hermione.
Harry watched his friends quietly discuss what Adrienne was doing now, preferring to think about more pressing issues, such as why Sirius was coming back to the area and where he would be staying.
"Harry?"
"Haaarrryyyy?" drawled out Ron, "What you thinking about?"
Harry looked at his two friends and smiled. "About how great it is to be done with school for three weeks; I'm ready for a break."
"Me too," agreed Ron.
"Well, we have to study for our O.W.L.s, this would be the perfect time to . . ."
"Hermione! It's holiday! I'm not studying for a stupid test during the holiday!" snapped Ron.
"It's not stupid, Ron, they are essential for . . ." Hermione continued.
Harry leaned back and listened to them arguing, their voices drifting into another space, his mind becoming foggy. After a few minutes, he slowly drifted into sleep.
* * * * *
"Lucy, here's Adrienne, I just bathed her," said a young nurse, handing a bundled baby to the lady standing next to her.
"Why aren't you a cutie?" Lucy said, smiling down at her. "And which little Adrienne are you?" Lucy reached inside the damp towel and pulled out the baby's arm.
"Um, Sonja, where's her bracelet?" asked Lucy slowly, her eyes widening as she reached for the baby's other arm.
"It's there, I think; I might have taken it off when I bathed her," replied Sonja as she gently washed another little girl.
"No, Sonja, there is no bracelet," said Lucy frantically.
"I must have taken it off; the bracelet's on the counter over there then," said Sonja nonchalantly, obviously not worried whether the baby was labeled or not. Lucy walked quickly over to the nearby counter and looked down: Side by side were to little pink bracelets, both reading Adrienne.
"Oh no, Sonja, do you know which baby is which?" Sonja looked up from the little girl in her arms.
"Of course, that one there is Adrienne," she said, returning her gaze to the wet little girl who was beginning to squirm.
"THEY'RE BOTH NAMED ADRIENNE!"
"What do you mean they are both named Adrienne?" asked Sonja sharply, this was her first week on her new job and she couldn't afford to mix up babies: She'd get fired.
"They are both named Adrienne, what else would that mean, Sonja? Do you know which is which?" asked Lucy sharply.
Sonja took a deep breath, this couldn't be happening, she needed to keep this job, 'Think Sonja, think.'
"Um, of course I know, Lucy, that one there, in your arms, that's the twin," replied Sonja, not quite sure if she was right.
"Are you positive, Sonja?" asked Lucy skeptically, looking down at the little girl in her arms.
"Yes, you better take her back to her brother though, that way these two don't get mixed up again," said Sonja. She watched Lucy and the baby leave the room and turned her attention back to the little one in her arms.
"You two are just babies, your parents will love you as long as they think you belong to them, huh - no big deal," muttered the nurse.
She continued washing the infant, not realizing that she didn't hold Adrienne Miles, but instead Adrienne Potter. She didn't know that several hours later the little girl she had just sent back to the Potters would die suddenly from a pulmonary embolism. She didn't know anything except she would get to keep her job, and that was the only thing that mattered to her.