CHAPTER FIVE: The Ball
*Story follows Daine and Numair*
When Daine woke up the next morning it was due to the Robin sitting on her pillow. I have been waiting for you to get up. it said. Daine replied, stroking her Robin friend. She looked at the note. It was addressed to her and Numair. As she opened the note she recognized the handwriting as the King's. The letter said:
Dear Daine and Numair,
I hope it went well yesterday. Today you need to only escort our visitors around the castle until lunch. There will be a ball at sunset to recognize our guests and I want to give you plenty of time to get ready. You have to show up, no matter what (Daine!). I will give the official announcement later this morning. I have already sent a similar note to Alanna and George.
King Jonathan
P.S. We have not yet discovered a way to send our friends home. But we are close!
Daine finished reading the letter, frowning. She really disliked formal occasions. It looked like this would be a pretty formal one. 'Oh well.' Thought Daine as she turned to the still sleeping Numair at her side. Daine woke Numair and showed him the note. Numair finished, sighed, and got dressed like Daine. They were right. Today was going to be a long day.
*Story follows Alanna and George*
Alanna picked up the letter again and reread it, scowling. She didn't want to go this stupid ball. George laughed as he saw his wife's face. And went to get dressed. He had already read the letter, it had said:
Dear Alanna and George,
We have not yet found a way to send our guests home, but we are working on it. We will be having a ball at sunset (Don't scowl Alanna! Daine and Raoul don't like them either and they are going; besides it is for our guests.) I expect you to be there, so the touring of the guests will end at lunch. I will tell Daine and Numair, so they will be prepared.
King Jonathan
P.S. If you don't show up you will be in huge trouble with me Lady Knight! George, make sure she doesn't run off!
"I don't see why we have to go!" Alanna snapped as she got dressed.
"Jon said we have to, so let's finish getting dressed and go see our guests. Alanna continued to scowl as she put on her breeches; she hated formal occasions!
*Story follows everyone*
The touring ended after lunch and everyone headed back to their rooms. Jon had made the official announcement in the morning like he said he would. After that the palace was busy with ladies going to tailors and servants cleaning. Ron, Hermione, Harry, Snape, and McGonagall (A/N: I am just going to call the professors Snape and McGonagall. I am too lazy to write Professor in front of their last names.) were happy to be back in their rooms. Unused to the hustle and bustle of a palace preparing for a ball. Numair, Daine, George, and Alanna were all used to it by now and were only glad that the touring was over. It was hard showing newcomers every sight of the palace.
*Story follows Ron, Hermione, Harry, Snape, and McGonagall*
"What are we supposed to wear for this ball, Professor?" Hermione asked McGonagall. Harry and Ron were sitting on the bed waiting for an answer; both hoping it wouldn't be dress robes. Snape sat in a corner, a look of disgust plastered on his face, brooding. He was thinking of the way Numair and George acted around Alanna and Daine, still unaware that Alanna was George's wife and Daine was Numair's fiancé.
"Well, I really don't know. We probably should wear what everyone else in Tortall wears." McGonagall replied.
"Which means no dress robes?" Ron asked hopefully.
"I don't know Mr. Weasley, but likely not." McGonagall said
"We'll go ask Numair, Professor." Harry said.
"Oh alright, but hurry back, the ball should be starting in a few hours." McGonagall agreed.
Harry Ron and Hermione hurried across the hall. They stopped at apartment number eighteen and knocked. There was a whistrle and the door opened to reveal Numair standing there, holding some papers. He scowled at Kitten (the one who opened the door).
"I wish you wouldn't do that." Numair told Kitten, "What if I was doing some sort of spell and couldn't be interrupted, hmm? Oh, well." He scratched the top of Kitten's head and turned to the three kids standing in the doorway watching him. "What can I do for you?"
"Er—Master Numair? We were sent over to ask you what we were supposed to where to this ball thingy. " Harry started
"Yeah, at a ball in Hogwarts we wear dress robes, but I don't think that is what we wear here." Ron finished for him.
"Oh, I totally forgot about dress attire. Ron and Harry come with me, Hermione stay here." Numair stated as he walked briskly out the door and across the hall to the open door. "Ahem. Professor McGonagall would you please step across the hall. Hermione is there. Wait there and Daine will be with you shortly. Snape come with me, Harry and Ron." McGonagall walked across the hall and Numair, Snape, Harry, and Ron left the room. As Numair passed his apartment he motioned with his hand and black fire spilled out. Then he muttered some Old Thak and continued walking. Ron and Harry exchanged questioning glances, but said nothing. They were becoming used to weird things happening. Numair led them to a room filled with cloth. A short balding man was there, examining some cloth.
When he saw Numair he exclaimed, "Numair, what are you doing here?"
"Hello, Jeremy! These people need some formal breeches and shirts for the ball tonight." Numair said as he indicated to the three people behind him.
"So these are the visitors. Yes I believe I can help them. Come over here." Said the man called Jeremy. He began to take measurements. Meanwhile…
*Story follows Hermione, McGonagall, and Daine*
Hermione and McGonagall had only been waiting a few moment when Daine came into the main room from a back one. She was covered in feathers, bird poop, and scratches on her clothes. She stopped when she saw the two other people and blushed.
"I'm sorry. I just finished healing a bird. What are you here for?" the two girls shrugged, as Kitten ran over and pulled on Daine's pant leg. "What is it Kit?" Kitten pointed to a note on a table. Daine walked over, read the note, smiled and said. "Well, it let's get you some clothes for tonight. We'll go to Kuri. She'll help. Then you will probably have to do your hair. " Daine led the two people away down the hall, to Kuri.
*Story follows Daine and Numair*
When Daine woke up the next morning it was due to the Robin sitting on her pillow. I have been waiting for you to get up. it said. Daine replied, stroking her Robin friend. She looked at the note. It was addressed to her and Numair. As she opened the note she recognized the handwriting as the King's. The letter said:
Dear Daine and Numair,
I hope it went well yesterday. Today you need to only escort our visitors around the castle until lunch. There will be a ball at sunset to recognize our guests and I want to give you plenty of time to get ready. You have to show up, no matter what (Daine!). I will give the official announcement later this morning. I have already sent a similar note to Alanna and George.
King Jonathan
P.S. We have not yet discovered a way to send our friends home. But we are close!
Daine finished reading the letter, frowning. She really disliked formal occasions. It looked like this would be a pretty formal one. 'Oh well.' Thought Daine as she turned to the still sleeping Numair at her side. Daine woke Numair and showed him the note. Numair finished, sighed, and got dressed like Daine. They were right. Today was going to be a long day.
*Story follows Alanna and George*
Alanna picked up the letter again and reread it, scowling. She didn't want to go this stupid ball. George laughed as he saw his wife's face. And went to get dressed. He had already read the letter, it had said:
Dear Alanna and George,
We have not yet found a way to send our guests home, but we are working on it. We will be having a ball at sunset (Don't scowl Alanna! Daine and Raoul don't like them either and they are going; besides it is for our guests.) I expect you to be there, so the touring of the guests will end at lunch. I will tell Daine and Numair, so they will be prepared.
King Jonathan
P.S. If you don't show up you will be in huge trouble with me Lady Knight! George, make sure she doesn't run off!
"I don't see why we have to go!" Alanna snapped as she got dressed.
"Jon said we have to, so let's finish getting dressed and go see our guests. Alanna continued to scowl as she put on her breeches; she hated formal occasions!
*Story follows everyone*
The touring ended after lunch and everyone headed back to their rooms. Jon had made the official announcement in the morning like he said he would. After that the palace was busy with ladies going to tailors and servants cleaning. Ron, Hermione, Harry, Snape, and McGonagall (A/N: I am just going to call the professors Snape and McGonagall. I am too lazy to write Professor in front of their last names.) were happy to be back in their rooms. Unused to the hustle and bustle of a palace preparing for a ball. Numair, Daine, George, and Alanna were all used to it by now and were only glad that the touring was over. It was hard showing newcomers every sight of the palace.
*Story follows Ron, Hermione, Harry, Snape, and McGonagall*
"What are we supposed to wear for this ball, Professor?" Hermione asked McGonagall. Harry and Ron were sitting on the bed waiting for an answer; both hoping it wouldn't be dress robes. Snape sat in a corner, a look of disgust plastered on his face, brooding. He was thinking of the way Numair and George acted around Alanna and Daine, still unaware that Alanna was George's wife and Daine was Numair's fiancé.
"Well, I really don't know. We probably should wear what everyone else in Tortall wears." McGonagall replied.
"Which means no dress robes?" Ron asked hopefully.
"I don't know Mr. Weasley, but likely not." McGonagall said
"We'll go ask Numair, Professor." Harry said.
"Oh alright, but hurry back, the ball should be starting in a few hours." McGonagall agreed.
Harry Ron and Hermione hurried across the hall. They stopped at apartment number eighteen and knocked. There was a whistrle and the door opened to reveal Numair standing there, holding some papers. He scowled at Kitten (the one who opened the door).
"I wish you wouldn't do that." Numair told Kitten, "What if I was doing some sort of spell and couldn't be interrupted, hmm? Oh, well." He scratched the top of Kitten's head and turned to the three kids standing in the doorway watching him. "What can I do for you?"
"Er—Master Numair? We were sent over to ask you what we were supposed to where to this ball thingy. " Harry started
"Yeah, at a ball in Hogwarts we wear dress robes, but I don't think that is what we wear here." Ron finished for him.
"Oh, I totally forgot about dress attire. Ron and Harry come with me, Hermione stay here." Numair stated as he walked briskly out the door and across the hall to the open door. "Ahem. Professor McGonagall would you please step across the hall. Hermione is there. Wait there and Daine will be with you shortly. Snape come with me, Harry and Ron." McGonagall walked across the hall and Numair, Snape, Harry, and Ron left the room. As Numair passed his apartment he motioned with his hand and black fire spilled out. Then he muttered some Old Thak and continued walking. Ron and Harry exchanged questioning glances, but said nothing. They were becoming used to weird things happening. Numair led them to a room filled with cloth. A short balding man was there, examining some cloth.
When he saw Numair he exclaimed, "Numair, what are you doing here?"
"Hello, Jeremy! These people need some formal breeches and shirts for the ball tonight." Numair said as he indicated to the three people behind him.
"So these are the visitors. Yes I believe I can help them. Come over here." Said the man called Jeremy. He began to take measurements. Meanwhile…
*Story follows Hermione, McGonagall, and Daine*
Hermione and McGonagall had only been waiting a few moment when Daine came into the main room from a back one. She was covered in feathers, bird poop, and scratches on her clothes. She stopped when she saw the two other people and blushed.
"I'm sorry. I just finished healing a bird. What are you here for?" the two girls shrugged, as Kitten ran over and pulled on Daine's pant leg. "What is it Kit?" Kitten pointed to a note on a table. Daine walked over, read the note, smiled and said. "Well, it let's get you some clothes for tonight. We'll go to Kuri. She'll help. Then you will probably have to do your hair. " Daine led the two people away down the hall, to Kuri.