-Chapter Fourteen-
Get Ready; Get Set...Go!
'Will you go to the Yule Ball with me?' Ron asked Lavender Brown. Lavender just giggled, but clapped a hand to her mouth to stop from laughing harder.
'Ahem...sorry, Ron, but I have a date,' she said, still grinning.
'Oh...' Ron said disappointedly. 'Who're you going with? Just out of curiosity, of course.'
'I'm going with Ernie Macmillan,' Lavender said. 'It should be very lovely. I do hope you find someone to go with. I'm sure Professor Sprout is available!' She left quickly, her cheeks glowing as she giggled furiously.
*
'Hello, Percy,' Hermione said thoughtfully. She had walked into the library, and the only other person there was him, poring over some History of Magic book. He quickly looked up through his spectacles.
'Hello, Herm-I mean, Miss Granger,' he corrected himself. 'What are you doing up this late?' She sat down beside him, and puffed out a sigh.
'To tell you the truth,' she said, 'I came here to distract myself from the nervous feeling I have in my stomach. The one about the Yule Ball, which is tomorrow.'
'I'm the one who should be nervous,' Percy said slowly, 'for I have no date. Though I'm sure you've had the entire population of boys at school ask you.' He blushed as he said this. 'I...um...will you go to the Yule Ball with me?' Hermione's eyes widened a bit.
'I'm....I'm so sorry, but I'm already going with someone,' she said. 'You know, I've had a boyfriend for almost a year now....so I'm going with him.' Percy removed his glasses, rubbed his eyes, and set them down on the table.
'Yes...Draco Malfoy...I'm quite aware of that,' he said bitterly. 'I suppose I could ask Millicent Bulstrode! I daresay, she doesn't have a date yet...'
'Percy, is something bothering you? You haven't been your..."normal self,"' Hermione said sympathetically. 'Maybe you're coming down with the flu.'
'I'm fine, Hermione,' he replied with a heavy sigh. 'Things have been getting worse at the Ministry, and Professor Binns has...well, as long as you can keep a secret...' He lowered his voice just enough for Hermione to hear. 'Professor Binns was abducted. We suspect another one of the teachers will be next, so we have been on very close guard.' He cleared his throat, and straightened up again. 'Now then, you should be getting back to your dormitory, Miss Granger.' He lowered his voice again and said, 'have a good evening. You look...absolutely beautiful...'
Hermione shifted awkwardly, and quickly got to her feet. 'Good evening, Professor. I shall see you at the ball tomorrow.' She bowed politely, and left.
*
'So, Harry, who're you going to the Yule Ball with?' Ginny Weasley asked abruptly; according to her, this was a subtle way to find out if he was available or not, but Fred and George found it absolutely hysterical.
'Oh, uh...no one yet,' Harry replied. 'What about you?'
'Well, I haven't decided who to go with yet...' Ginny replied squeakily. 'Of course, that isn't to say I haven't been asked yet! Loads of times!'
'I'm sure you have,' Harry smiled calmly. 'Ginny, if you want to ask me to the Yule Ball, just do it.' She blushed furiously.
'I.....ohh....will....w-will you g-go t-t-to the Yule Ball with me, H-Harry?' Ginny stuttered. 'I...I understand if-if you don't want t-t-to!'
'Sure. I'll go,' he replied coolly. 'I'll pick you up tomorrow at four thirty. Be ready.' Ginny looked shocked, and nearly fainted.
*
'I'm worried...' Hermione said. She was pacing the floor of her bedroom, and Draco heaved a huge sigh, as he sat down on the bed.
'What is it this time?' he asked. 'If it's about the giant squid, I'm sure he's sorry for splashing you.' He stifled down a laugh.
'No, silly!' Hermione scolded. 'I'm worried about what to wear to the Yule Ball!'
'Oh, that? I have that under control.' He leant down, and took a gift box out from under the bed. 'I was planning to give it to you for our eight month anniversary, but I decided it would look even nicer if you wore it to the ball.'
Hermione stared at the gown inside. It was so beautiful, words couldn't describe. She was rather tongue-tied, so she just summed it up in three words: 'I love it.' Purple velvet, with a white stripe down each side, making it the most gorgeous dress she had ever seen.
'Good,' Draco said, rather relieved. 'I had it altered and everything, just to fit you. You wouldn't believe how much it cost...but, it was well worth it for you.' He flashed her a gentle smile.
'Thank-you very much,' Hermione beamed. She gave him a huge hug. 'I hope in all that time you spent picking out my outfit, you bought yourself one, too.'
'Oh, don't worry; I did,' he answered.
*
'Will you please go to the Yule Ball with me??' Ron pleaded. He was asking the one person he would least go with. Pansy Parkinson.
'Ewwwwww! Of course I will not!' Pansy shrieked, utterly disgusted. 'Now, get away from me, worthless slime!' Ron grimaced. Don't hit a girl, he kept telling himself. Sure-he didn't have brand new robes, nor did he have the best looks in school, but that gave Pansy no more right to call him slime than Snape does to curse someone.
He sauntered off, back into Gryffindor common room, where, to his surprise, sat Hermione.
'Have a date for the Yule Ball yet?' she asked with a smile. Ron puffed out a huge sigh, and plopped down beside her.
'Of course not.' He closed his eyes and shook his head. 'Not that anyone would ever want to anyway...'
'Oh, please. I bet there's someone out there who would go with you,' Hermione replied. 'I wonder if we'll have any special guests this year? Last year, Dumbledore got that band....oh, what's their name? Oh, well. Not important.'
'Don't you have any femanine company who would go to the Yule Ball with me? I am absolutely desperate!' Ron pleaded.
'Well...have you asked Parvati?'
'Going with Ernie Macmillan.'
'Lavender?'
'Seamus.'
'Hmm...I suppose you could go with Neville,' she giggled. 'I'm sure he'd gladly go with you.' Ron folded his arms.
'What's that supposed to mean? I'm not gay!' Ron said testily. 'Sheesh...I'd rather go with Professor Trelawny then with a guy.'
'Hmm, well, you could go with Ginny. I know she's your sister and all, but I reckon she'd be willing to go,' Hermione offered. Ron shook his head.
'Her and Harry are going together,' he sighed warily. 'D'you reckon Moaning Myrtle goes to the Yule Ball?'
'Oh, Ron! You can't honestly go with her, she's a ghost,' Hermione responded flatly.
'Oh, by the way, d'you know where Harry is?' Ron asked.
'Yeah, he went up to bed early,' she said shortly, 'but not after apologizing to me. He seemed really tired...what did you two do, stay up until dawn?'
'Oh, yes, Hermione! We were up all night talking about girls, love letters we plan to send, and who to send them to!' Ron babbled sarcastically. 'Of course we weren't up all night. He just had a...rough day, I suppose.'
'Oh, I see....well, when you get the chance, tell him we have double potions tomorrow. But tell him...that...' Hermione lowered her voice to barely more than a whisper, 'we're doing Polyjuice Potions tomorrow...so tell him not to seem like he knows how to brew one too well, all right? Then Snape'll know that we were the ones in his private storage a few years ago. Not that he seems to care about anything, right now...maybe he got put on drugs.'
'Dunno...either way, I'm heading up to bed now. G'night, Herm,' Ron said with a yawn.
'Yeah, good night...'
*
Harry awoke from his sleep in the middle of the night. He didn't know why, but he had the strange urge to sneak into the kitchens and steal some food. 'Just get a glass of water, you bozo,' he kept saying to himself.
Harry crept out of his four-poster, and into the washrooms, where he got himself a glass of water, and drank it down. He looked into the mirror. 'Just an ugly boy with a disgusting scar on his forehead. Why me? I never wanted to be famous...'
'Ah, but you are...' said a voice. His scar began hurting so immensly, he bumped into the wall and fell down. 'Harry Potter....you were destined to have that mark on your forehead...do you know why?' Harry couldn't speak; he was in too much pain. 'It is because of your rueful Father...' The voice seemed to be echoing throughout the washroom, never staying in the same place. 'You see, James Potter grew up in a far-away land....
'Its name...was Lious Tri-light. I believe it to be somewhere in space, though no one knows for sure...
'Your Father was born and raised by none other than a man who was pure evil...Albus Dumbledore's brother. Now, why, do you ask, was he raised by someone other than his own Father?
'His own Father had died. He was a Muggle, and died one day in the Navy...but he didn't die without a fight; just like his son had done for you. Now, Flenn Dumbledore, which was his name at the time, had been put under the Cruciatus Curse since the young age of five...
'He learned to fight it off at about age twelve, I believe...but not before inheriting his own immense strength. He was not a wizard. He was not human. He was nothing but an element...' Harry shook uncontrollably on the ground. He heard footsteps. Thank God, he thought. Ron swung open the door, and arched an eyebrow.
'Er...what are you doing on the ground, Harry?' he asked quizzically. Harry pointed to his scar, and Ron immediately knelt down beside the shaking figure that was Harry Potter. 'Did you...you know, have a dream again?' Harry shook his head, and tried to talk, but the words just wouldn't come out. 'Come on. I'm taking you to Dumbledore.'
Ten minutes later, Ron was knocking on the huge oak doors of Dumbledore's office. Silence. He knocked again. They heard a huge snore, but then footsteps. Dumbledore opened the door.
'Good heavens. What have we here?' he said softly, waving them in. Harry was pressed into the side of Ron's body, unable to walk without help. Ron sat him down in the chair, and sat beside him in a different chair.
'Harry's scar hurt,' Ron said hesitantly. 'I've been trying-'
'Yes, he seems quite shaken, indeed...' Dumbledore replied calmly. He let out a deep breath before asking, 'was it a voice, Harry?' Harry nodded, but didn't speak. 'Voldemort's voice?' Another nod. 'I see...' He pressed his fingertips together, and let out a low whistle. 'I presumed as much, yes...'
'What d'you mean, sir?' Ron asked seriously. 'How could you know that he heard a voice?' Dumbledore stared at him with his piercing blue eyes.
'I am afraid that is information which I cannot tell you, Mr Weasley,' he said calmly. 'It is for Harry's ears only, and apparently, he is quite unwilling to speak; which he'll have to do.' Harry still shook violently, his body numb with cold. Ron placed a hand on Harry's shoulder.
'It's OK, Harry, really it is,' Ron said comfortingly. 'Dumbledore'll help us.' He turned towards Dumbledore, 'won't you?' Dumbledore nodded slowly.
'I shall try my best, of course,' he said softly, 'mind, that you don't come rushing to me in the middle of the night next time this happens! Joking, joking,' he chuckled. 'Have you heard any good jokes lately? There's one about a boggart and a duck, they-'
'Professor! No offence, but this is not the time,' Ron said urgently. They stood, staring at each other with rapt attention, before Dumbledore broke the silence.
'Mr Weasley, please leave Mr Potter and I alone.' Ron could tell by the tone in Dumbledore's voice, that he had no choice but to leave. He couldn't help but wonder, though, what they were going to talk about...
*
It was the day of the Yule Ball. The events of the night before still made Harry shiver, though he didn't show his fear from it. Instead, he decided to pretend he knew nothing of last night, and just bottled up all of his feelings.
Ron was worried about him, sure; but he wasn't going to force Harry to tell him anything that he wasn't ready for.
Everybody in the school had a date (yes, even Crabbe and Goyle), except Ron. It was double Potions, and there was a surprise waiting for everyone...
'Class, before we begin this lesson, I would like to announce something,' Snape said coolly. A girl with dark brown hair (though it looked black) spiked out at her shoulders, came up to the front of the class. She had bright blue eyes, a palor tone of skin, and lips cherry red. She wasn't the best looking girl Harry or Ron had ever seen, but still...there was something about her. 'This is our new student. Her name is Elyptis. Please, make her feel welcome. She has just transferred over from a Wizarding Academy in New Zealand.' She walked over to the Slytherin side of the room, and sat down next to Pansy Parkinson. 'I will pair you up now.
'Potter, Malfoy. Weasley, and Miss Elyptis.' Harry found it strange that he didn't call out her last name. 'Granger, Parkinson-oh, I'm sorry...that is wrong.' He gave a wry smile. 'Mr Potter, Mr Malfoy will be working with Miss Granger instead. My deepest apologies. Now, moving on...
'We will be doing a hair-colour potion. This will enable you to have any hair colour you wish. It will go away, of course, in one to three hours. Now, take your seats, and begin.' Elyptis walked over to Ron and sat down.
'Er, hi. Welcome to the school,' he said nervously. She merely got out her things and began to work. 'Um...nice hair?' Elyptis blinked at him a few times.
'You don't have to talk to me. You obviously don't want to,' she said coldly, and turned back to the ingredients. 'So, just shut up and let me do all the work.' Nice girl, Ron thought airily.
'Hey, what's your last name, Elyptis?' he asked abruptly, before even noticing he was talking at all.
'Excuse me? Why should I tell you?' Elyptis sneered. 'Are you a spy? Where's your wire?' Right on cue, Hermione piped in.
'Pardon me, Elyptis? But, given that you're a new student here and all, you obviously haven't read Hogwarts: A History,' she said softly with a smile. 'Bugs and wires don't work inside the Hogwarts grounds, nor can you Apparate or Disapparate inside the grounds.'
'Lemme guess; she's the brain of the school?' Elyptis shot wryly at Draco, who was sitting beside Hermione. Hermione blushed.
'Um...I guess so...but try not to think of it that way,' he said calmly. 'Oh, and by the way....' he whispered, 'I know who your Father is. Try anything funny, and I'll tell everyone.' Elyptis' eyes widened with shock.
'You wouldn't?!' she said shrilly. 'How dare you?' Draco merely turned back to Hermione, as she passed him some herbs and lacewings.
*
It was four o'clock in the afternoon. Hermione had been in the Head bathroom for ages now, cleansing her supple skin, fixing her silky hair, and masking her beauty with make-up (what female Muggles use; different colours and powders to cover their faces).
'Aren't you ready yet?' Draco asked. 'Did you fall in the toilet or something?'
'Of course not!' Hermione said shrilly. 'Just sit down or go do something else; it'll take awhile! So stop scolding me, Drac!' He shrugged and threw up his hands in the classic "I give up" wave.
She put on light red lipstick, glittery gold eye-shadow, and put just enough blush to give her a healthy glow. She put her hair in to two big braids, and wrapped them around each other, giving her a sort of 17th century goddess touch.
And now, it was time for dinner; and then the infamous Yule Ball.
Get Ready; Get Set...Go!
'Will you go to the Yule Ball with me?' Ron asked Lavender Brown. Lavender just giggled, but clapped a hand to her mouth to stop from laughing harder.
'Ahem...sorry, Ron, but I have a date,' she said, still grinning.
'Oh...' Ron said disappointedly. 'Who're you going with? Just out of curiosity, of course.'
'I'm going with Ernie Macmillan,' Lavender said. 'It should be very lovely. I do hope you find someone to go with. I'm sure Professor Sprout is available!' She left quickly, her cheeks glowing as she giggled furiously.
*
'Hello, Percy,' Hermione said thoughtfully. She had walked into the library, and the only other person there was him, poring over some History of Magic book. He quickly looked up through his spectacles.
'Hello, Herm-I mean, Miss Granger,' he corrected himself. 'What are you doing up this late?' She sat down beside him, and puffed out a sigh.
'To tell you the truth,' she said, 'I came here to distract myself from the nervous feeling I have in my stomach. The one about the Yule Ball, which is tomorrow.'
'I'm the one who should be nervous,' Percy said slowly, 'for I have no date. Though I'm sure you've had the entire population of boys at school ask you.' He blushed as he said this. 'I...um...will you go to the Yule Ball with me?' Hermione's eyes widened a bit.
'I'm....I'm so sorry, but I'm already going with someone,' she said. 'You know, I've had a boyfriend for almost a year now....so I'm going with him.' Percy removed his glasses, rubbed his eyes, and set them down on the table.
'Yes...Draco Malfoy...I'm quite aware of that,' he said bitterly. 'I suppose I could ask Millicent Bulstrode! I daresay, she doesn't have a date yet...'
'Percy, is something bothering you? You haven't been your..."normal self,"' Hermione said sympathetically. 'Maybe you're coming down with the flu.'
'I'm fine, Hermione,' he replied with a heavy sigh. 'Things have been getting worse at the Ministry, and Professor Binns has...well, as long as you can keep a secret...' He lowered his voice just enough for Hermione to hear. 'Professor Binns was abducted. We suspect another one of the teachers will be next, so we have been on very close guard.' He cleared his throat, and straightened up again. 'Now then, you should be getting back to your dormitory, Miss Granger.' He lowered his voice again and said, 'have a good evening. You look...absolutely beautiful...'
Hermione shifted awkwardly, and quickly got to her feet. 'Good evening, Professor. I shall see you at the ball tomorrow.' She bowed politely, and left.
*
'So, Harry, who're you going to the Yule Ball with?' Ginny Weasley asked abruptly; according to her, this was a subtle way to find out if he was available or not, but Fred and George found it absolutely hysterical.
'Oh, uh...no one yet,' Harry replied. 'What about you?'
'Well, I haven't decided who to go with yet...' Ginny replied squeakily. 'Of course, that isn't to say I haven't been asked yet! Loads of times!'
'I'm sure you have,' Harry smiled calmly. 'Ginny, if you want to ask me to the Yule Ball, just do it.' She blushed furiously.
'I.....ohh....will....w-will you g-go t-t-to the Yule Ball with me, H-Harry?' Ginny stuttered. 'I...I understand if-if you don't want t-t-to!'
'Sure. I'll go,' he replied coolly. 'I'll pick you up tomorrow at four thirty. Be ready.' Ginny looked shocked, and nearly fainted.
*
'I'm worried...' Hermione said. She was pacing the floor of her bedroom, and Draco heaved a huge sigh, as he sat down on the bed.
'What is it this time?' he asked. 'If it's about the giant squid, I'm sure he's sorry for splashing you.' He stifled down a laugh.
'No, silly!' Hermione scolded. 'I'm worried about what to wear to the Yule Ball!'
'Oh, that? I have that under control.' He leant down, and took a gift box out from under the bed. 'I was planning to give it to you for our eight month anniversary, but I decided it would look even nicer if you wore it to the ball.'
Hermione stared at the gown inside. It was so beautiful, words couldn't describe. She was rather tongue-tied, so she just summed it up in three words: 'I love it.' Purple velvet, with a white stripe down each side, making it the most gorgeous dress she had ever seen.
'Good,' Draco said, rather relieved. 'I had it altered and everything, just to fit you. You wouldn't believe how much it cost...but, it was well worth it for you.' He flashed her a gentle smile.
'Thank-you very much,' Hermione beamed. She gave him a huge hug. 'I hope in all that time you spent picking out my outfit, you bought yourself one, too.'
'Oh, don't worry; I did,' he answered.
*
'Will you please go to the Yule Ball with me??' Ron pleaded. He was asking the one person he would least go with. Pansy Parkinson.
'Ewwwwww! Of course I will not!' Pansy shrieked, utterly disgusted. 'Now, get away from me, worthless slime!' Ron grimaced. Don't hit a girl, he kept telling himself. Sure-he didn't have brand new robes, nor did he have the best looks in school, but that gave Pansy no more right to call him slime than Snape does to curse someone.
He sauntered off, back into Gryffindor common room, where, to his surprise, sat Hermione.
'Have a date for the Yule Ball yet?' she asked with a smile. Ron puffed out a huge sigh, and plopped down beside her.
'Of course not.' He closed his eyes and shook his head. 'Not that anyone would ever want to anyway...'
'Oh, please. I bet there's someone out there who would go with you,' Hermione replied. 'I wonder if we'll have any special guests this year? Last year, Dumbledore got that band....oh, what's their name? Oh, well. Not important.'
'Don't you have any femanine company who would go to the Yule Ball with me? I am absolutely desperate!' Ron pleaded.
'Well...have you asked Parvati?'
'Going with Ernie Macmillan.'
'Lavender?'
'Seamus.'
'Hmm...I suppose you could go with Neville,' she giggled. 'I'm sure he'd gladly go with you.' Ron folded his arms.
'What's that supposed to mean? I'm not gay!' Ron said testily. 'Sheesh...I'd rather go with Professor Trelawny then with a guy.'
'Hmm, well, you could go with Ginny. I know she's your sister and all, but I reckon she'd be willing to go,' Hermione offered. Ron shook his head.
'Her and Harry are going together,' he sighed warily. 'D'you reckon Moaning Myrtle goes to the Yule Ball?'
'Oh, Ron! You can't honestly go with her, she's a ghost,' Hermione responded flatly.
'Oh, by the way, d'you know where Harry is?' Ron asked.
'Yeah, he went up to bed early,' she said shortly, 'but not after apologizing to me. He seemed really tired...what did you two do, stay up until dawn?'
'Oh, yes, Hermione! We were up all night talking about girls, love letters we plan to send, and who to send them to!' Ron babbled sarcastically. 'Of course we weren't up all night. He just had a...rough day, I suppose.'
'Oh, I see....well, when you get the chance, tell him we have double potions tomorrow. But tell him...that...' Hermione lowered her voice to barely more than a whisper, 'we're doing Polyjuice Potions tomorrow...so tell him not to seem like he knows how to brew one too well, all right? Then Snape'll know that we were the ones in his private storage a few years ago. Not that he seems to care about anything, right now...maybe he got put on drugs.'
'Dunno...either way, I'm heading up to bed now. G'night, Herm,' Ron said with a yawn.
'Yeah, good night...'
*
Harry awoke from his sleep in the middle of the night. He didn't know why, but he had the strange urge to sneak into the kitchens and steal some food. 'Just get a glass of water, you bozo,' he kept saying to himself.
Harry crept out of his four-poster, and into the washrooms, where he got himself a glass of water, and drank it down. He looked into the mirror. 'Just an ugly boy with a disgusting scar on his forehead. Why me? I never wanted to be famous...'
'Ah, but you are...' said a voice. His scar began hurting so immensly, he bumped into the wall and fell down. 'Harry Potter....you were destined to have that mark on your forehead...do you know why?' Harry couldn't speak; he was in too much pain. 'It is because of your rueful Father...' The voice seemed to be echoing throughout the washroom, never staying in the same place. 'You see, James Potter grew up in a far-away land....
'Its name...was Lious Tri-light. I believe it to be somewhere in space, though no one knows for sure...
'Your Father was born and raised by none other than a man who was pure evil...Albus Dumbledore's brother. Now, why, do you ask, was he raised by someone other than his own Father?
'His own Father had died. He was a Muggle, and died one day in the Navy...but he didn't die without a fight; just like his son had done for you. Now, Flenn Dumbledore, which was his name at the time, had been put under the Cruciatus Curse since the young age of five...
'He learned to fight it off at about age twelve, I believe...but not before inheriting his own immense strength. He was not a wizard. He was not human. He was nothing but an element...' Harry shook uncontrollably on the ground. He heard footsteps. Thank God, he thought. Ron swung open the door, and arched an eyebrow.
'Er...what are you doing on the ground, Harry?' he asked quizzically. Harry pointed to his scar, and Ron immediately knelt down beside the shaking figure that was Harry Potter. 'Did you...you know, have a dream again?' Harry shook his head, and tried to talk, but the words just wouldn't come out. 'Come on. I'm taking you to Dumbledore.'
Ten minutes later, Ron was knocking on the huge oak doors of Dumbledore's office. Silence. He knocked again. They heard a huge snore, but then footsteps. Dumbledore opened the door.
'Good heavens. What have we here?' he said softly, waving them in. Harry was pressed into the side of Ron's body, unable to walk without help. Ron sat him down in the chair, and sat beside him in a different chair.
'Harry's scar hurt,' Ron said hesitantly. 'I've been trying-'
'Yes, he seems quite shaken, indeed...' Dumbledore replied calmly. He let out a deep breath before asking, 'was it a voice, Harry?' Harry nodded, but didn't speak. 'Voldemort's voice?' Another nod. 'I see...' He pressed his fingertips together, and let out a low whistle. 'I presumed as much, yes...'
'What d'you mean, sir?' Ron asked seriously. 'How could you know that he heard a voice?' Dumbledore stared at him with his piercing blue eyes.
'I am afraid that is information which I cannot tell you, Mr Weasley,' he said calmly. 'It is for Harry's ears only, and apparently, he is quite unwilling to speak; which he'll have to do.' Harry still shook violently, his body numb with cold. Ron placed a hand on Harry's shoulder.
'It's OK, Harry, really it is,' Ron said comfortingly. 'Dumbledore'll help us.' He turned towards Dumbledore, 'won't you?' Dumbledore nodded slowly.
'I shall try my best, of course,' he said softly, 'mind, that you don't come rushing to me in the middle of the night next time this happens! Joking, joking,' he chuckled. 'Have you heard any good jokes lately? There's one about a boggart and a duck, they-'
'Professor! No offence, but this is not the time,' Ron said urgently. They stood, staring at each other with rapt attention, before Dumbledore broke the silence.
'Mr Weasley, please leave Mr Potter and I alone.' Ron could tell by the tone in Dumbledore's voice, that he had no choice but to leave. He couldn't help but wonder, though, what they were going to talk about...
*
It was the day of the Yule Ball. The events of the night before still made Harry shiver, though he didn't show his fear from it. Instead, he decided to pretend he knew nothing of last night, and just bottled up all of his feelings.
Ron was worried about him, sure; but he wasn't going to force Harry to tell him anything that he wasn't ready for.
Everybody in the school had a date (yes, even Crabbe and Goyle), except Ron. It was double Potions, and there was a surprise waiting for everyone...
'Class, before we begin this lesson, I would like to announce something,' Snape said coolly. A girl with dark brown hair (though it looked black) spiked out at her shoulders, came up to the front of the class. She had bright blue eyes, a palor tone of skin, and lips cherry red. She wasn't the best looking girl Harry or Ron had ever seen, but still...there was something about her. 'This is our new student. Her name is Elyptis. Please, make her feel welcome. She has just transferred over from a Wizarding Academy in New Zealand.' She walked over to the Slytherin side of the room, and sat down next to Pansy Parkinson. 'I will pair you up now.
'Potter, Malfoy. Weasley, and Miss Elyptis.' Harry found it strange that he didn't call out her last name. 'Granger, Parkinson-oh, I'm sorry...that is wrong.' He gave a wry smile. 'Mr Potter, Mr Malfoy will be working with Miss Granger instead. My deepest apologies. Now, moving on...
'We will be doing a hair-colour potion. This will enable you to have any hair colour you wish. It will go away, of course, in one to three hours. Now, take your seats, and begin.' Elyptis walked over to Ron and sat down.
'Er, hi. Welcome to the school,' he said nervously. She merely got out her things and began to work. 'Um...nice hair?' Elyptis blinked at him a few times.
'You don't have to talk to me. You obviously don't want to,' she said coldly, and turned back to the ingredients. 'So, just shut up and let me do all the work.' Nice girl, Ron thought airily.
'Hey, what's your last name, Elyptis?' he asked abruptly, before even noticing he was talking at all.
'Excuse me? Why should I tell you?' Elyptis sneered. 'Are you a spy? Where's your wire?' Right on cue, Hermione piped in.
'Pardon me, Elyptis? But, given that you're a new student here and all, you obviously haven't read Hogwarts: A History,' she said softly with a smile. 'Bugs and wires don't work inside the Hogwarts grounds, nor can you Apparate or Disapparate inside the grounds.'
'Lemme guess; she's the brain of the school?' Elyptis shot wryly at Draco, who was sitting beside Hermione. Hermione blushed.
'Um...I guess so...but try not to think of it that way,' he said calmly. 'Oh, and by the way....' he whispered, 'I know who your Father is. Try anything funny, and I'll tell everyone.' Elyptis' eyes widened with shock.
'You wouldn't?!' she said shrilly. 'How dare you?' Draco merely turned back to Hermione, as she passed him some herbs and lacewings.
*
It was four o'clock in the afternoon. Hermione had been in the Head bathroom for ages now, cleansing her supple skin, fixing her silky hair, and masking her beauty with make-up (what female Muggles use; different colours and powders to cover their faces).
'Aren't you ready yet?' Draco asked. 'Did you fall in the toilet or something?'
'Of course not!' Hermione said shrilly. 'Just sit down or go do something else; it'll take awhile! So stop scolding me, Drac!' He shrugged and threw up his hands in the classic "I give up" wave.
She put on light red lipstick, glittery gold eye-shadow, and put just enough blush to give her a healthy glow. She put her hair in to two big braids, and wrapped them around each other, giving her a sort of 17th century goddess touch.
And now, it was time for dinner; and then the infamous Yule Ball.