CHAPTER NINE- The Fall Ball
Ron and Peggy walked to Filch's office Monday evening. "What do you have detention for?" Ron asked.
"Running in the halls. And running into Filch." Peggy giggled.
Ron was in too foul a mood to laugh. They went into Filch's office where he glared at them. He looked over their papers and was muttering stuff. "I think the perfect detention for you two is to scrub the Front Hall." He said.
"Scrub the-the entire front hall?" Ron sputtered.
"Yes. The Muggle way." Filch said and handed them two buckets. "Well?" He barked and they went to the Front Hall. The buckets magically filled themselves up when they got near-empty.
"Feels like this is all I've been doing is working." Ron muttered, falling to his knees and scrubbing.
"I don't mind these detentions." Peggy said, kneeling on the floor and using the scrub-rags.
"What do you mean?" Ron asked, scrubbing furiously.
"Back home I got in detention lots of times." Peggy explained. "And back home our detentions were. not exactly the best."
"What were they?" Ron asked.
"Well. for instance when I was caught out of my dorm at 4 in the morning I was locked in a dungeon for hours." Peggy said, making a face.
"Locked in a dungeon?" Ron asked in surprise.
"Yep. But that was nothing compared to hanging by my wrists."
"Hanging by your wrists." Ron repeated.
Peggy nodded. "Yep. Brackets that hold my wrists. And you just hang there with your arms stretched out tightly with your feet a foot or so off the ground. Ouch."
"Sounds like Filch would like it." Ron muttered.
"It was like torture. Most the rule-breakers were First years who never had detention before. I can tell you one thing, nobody broke the rules twice at our old school." Peggy said with a laugh.
"You said you got detention a lot.' Ron pointed out.
"Heh, heh. I was the exception. I was the only student in detention more then three times. In the history of our school." Peggy said, tossing her hair back. "I think I'm added in the history of our old school."
"Why did you keep breaking rules?" Ron asked.
"Oh I don't know. That's just me." Peggy said with a shrug. "Peggy Morlins- troublemaker. That was my title."
"You really need to talk to Fred and George." Ron said, shaking his head.
"I already have." Peggy said with a giggle.
"Is that why you like secret passages so much? Because you like to break rules?"
"I dunno, probably." Peggy shrugged and waited for her bucket to refill. "Plus I think passages are so cool."
Ron laughed and shook his head. "After all that begging I know how much you like passages."
Peggy gave him a grin and continued scrubbing. "So, are you allowed to go to the dance this Saturday?" She asked.
"Yeah but I don't have a date and don't know where the hell I'd find one five days before it." Ron said, scowling.
"I don't have a date." Peggy said quietly.
"Really? That's uh. surprising." Ron said.
Peggy snorted. "Yeah real surprising." She said, looking at her reflection in the floor she just scrubbed.
"What do you mean by that?" Ron asked.
"Oh come off it. You know perfectly well what I mean by it. Nobody wants to go with me because I'm ugly." Peggy snapped.
"You're not ugly." Ron said.
"Ron. Don't lie to me." Peggy said.
"Okay well not that ugly." Ron said slowly.
"I suppose that's as close to the truth as you'll say." Peggy said and sat back on her legs. She pushed her hair out of the way and sighed heavily.
Ron felt immensely bad for her but not bad enough to ask her out to the dance.
"Earning extra money, Weasley?" They looked up as Malfoy appeared.
Peggy threw her arms around Ron's shoulders and held tight, making sure he couldn't jump up and attack. Not that he didn't try.
"Let go of me!" Ron said, trying to pry Peggy's arms off.
"No." Peggy snapped. Malfoy flicked back some of his blonde hair and smiled a nasty smile.
"Preparing for the job you'll take later in life?" He asked.
"I swear Malfoy if she wasn't holding me back-" Ron began.
"Its probably very easy for a girl to hold you back." Malfoy continued. Ron threw all his weight against Peggy's arms, trying to get free. What happened was he slipped and fell backwards into Peggy and knocked over both buckets. Since they refilled themselves, a never-ending stream of soapy water poured out.
Malfoy laughed uncontrollably as he walked off. Peggy let go of Ron and they got up, both soaked with soapy water.
"You should of let me go." Ron said as they picked up the buckets.
"And have you suspended again? Maybe even expelled? I don't think so." Peggy said, shaking her head.
*** (Harry's point of view)
"How do I look?" I asked, desperately trying to flatten down my hair.
"Fine. Me?" Seamus asked.
"Great." I mumbled, grabbing a brush and trying to brush it down.
"You're fighting a losing battle." Dean laughed, buttoning up his dress robes.
"Shaddup." I mumbled.
"Ron, I thought you weren't going." Neville said as Ron appeared wearing one of his new dress robes. It was a very dark pine green that went well with his hair. That summer Fred and George had bought him a couple of new dress robes to his surprise. The only one who knew why was me.
"I changed my mind. I'll go. Just. by myself." Ron said with a shrug. He pushed me out of the way and peered at himself in the mirror. He ran his fingers through his long, floppy hair and got out of the way again.
"Well, let's go." Seamus said and they went down the stairs. The first ones down were Lavender and Parvati. Lavender was wearing very form-fitting lavender dress robes and darker purple high-heeled shoes. Her hair was pulled back in a tight bun on the back of her head. Parvati was wearing pale yellow, form-sitting dress robes with darker yellow high-heeled shoes. Her hair was down and in curls with a few yellow ribbons that matched her dress. Dean and Seamus gaped at them.
'Well?" Parvati asked, slipping her arm through Dean's.
"Let's go." Lavender giggled. Donnie went with them for he was meeting Padma near the Great Hall. The next girl down was Rose. I could not help but stare at her. Her hair was down and she was wearing very tight and rather revealing dark yellow dress robes. She saw me staring and tossed back her hair.
"You could've had me." She said to me before walking off.
After a while a round-faced Fourth year came down. Her pale brown hair was in a thick braid and she wore ruby red dress robes that swished around her legs and matched her red shoes. Neville's face broke into a grin and he took her arm and they left.
"What're you waiting for?" I asked Ron who shrugged.
"Nothing I guess. I'll save you a seat." He said and left. I sat back on a couch, eyes on the girls stairs. Hermione was the next one down. Her hair was no longer bushy but straight and. down. It was clipped back with pale blue clips and waved slightly around her face, framing it very well. She wore lovely dress robes. It was dusky blue and very form-fitting. I saw curves on Hermione I never noticed before.
"Hi Harry. Amy said she'll be down shortly." Hermione said, smiling.
"Okay. You look. beautiful." I said and Hermione blushed.
"Thanks. You look handsome." She said.
"Thanks." I said, looking down at my emerald green dress robes.
"See you at the dance." She said and walked off. I checked my watch and looked back up at the stairs, trying to be patient.
"Coming, Harry! Coming!" I heard Amy's voice shout. Soon she rushed downstairs, followed by a scowling Peggy behind her. As soon as they came into full view I didn't notice anything other then Amy. I felt my jaw dropping and my eyes getting wide at her.
She wore deep purple dress robes, tight and low scooped and the under-part was knee-length. It showed her curves very well. She wore matching purple high-heeled shoes. Her hair was down like usual but curled and pushed back with a matching purple headband. She wore a pale purple choker around her neck with a blue gem in the middle.
She blushed as I stared. "Sorry it took so long." She mumbled.
'Its. its. perfectly. fine." I stammered then shook my head and glanced at Peggy.
She was wearing baggy denim jeans, a tight white shirt and a long black vest. Her hair was down and she had a Muggle baseball cap on sideways. "I'm the DJ." She said.
"Oh yeah." I said and turned back to Amy. Her beauty outshone anyone else.
"Let's go." Amy mumbled, blushing as she took my arm.
We headed to the Great Hall, followed by Peggy. As we stepped into the Great Hall I gasped. "Wow Amy, it looks great." I said. There were red, brown, yellow and mixes of all those colors of leaves falling from the ceiling. They disappeared as soon as they touched the ground. There were four maple trees in each corner, with the fall leaf colors. Live maple trees. There was a stack of bales of hay against part of one wall, with a few baskets of apples in it. The five tables were gone. Instead, around the four walls were round tables leaving a large dance area in the middle. Each table had a red or golden tablecloth on it with a small basket of either apples or leaves in the middle of them for centerpieces. The air even smelled of autumn.
"Thanks. I couldn't of done it by myself, ofcourse. I did have help from Lee, Karl, Candy, Michael, Bonall and Malfoy." Amy said.
"Were they the others on the decoration committee?" I asked.
"Yep. You know who Lee is. Lee Jordan. Karl Mittle is a Seventh year Hufflepuff- he asked Hermione to the dance. Candy Janson is a Fourth year Ravenclaw, Michael Bottles is a Sixth year Ravenclaw, Jessica Bonall is a Fourth year Slytherin and Malfoy is well. Malfoy." Amy explained. I could listen to her voice all evening. "Uh-huh." I said and spotted Ron sitting at a round, empty table. We walked over followed by Peggy.
"The place looks great." Ron muttered, running his fingers through his hair.
"Thanks." Amy said, giggling as we sat down.
"Whose idea was it for the live trees?" I asked.
"Er, mine.." Amy replied.
"Its neat. Did Malfoy give any ideas?" I asked.
"Yeah, the falling leaves actually." Amy said. I glanced in surprise over at a table where Malfoy was talking to Pansy Parkinson. Malfoy still had the black robes with the high collar that reminded me of a vicar. But he still had his arm in a sling and bandages around his head and he looked so totally dorky. Parkinson wasn't wearing her frilly pink robes. Instead she had frilly silver and green robes that looked just as stupid.
Malfoy saw me looking at him and gave me an extremely rude gesture and turned back to Parkinson. I scowled and turned back to Amy.
Dumbledore was at a large oval table where all the teachers sat. He stood up and spread his arms out wide. "Let the feast, begin!" Food then appeared across the tables. The plates were a pale golden with red leaf designs around the edges.
"Oh boy." Ron and Peggy dug in happily. After a while, Peggy slipped up to a platform where there was a chair and table, a book and something that looked like a computer keyboard. Peggy tapped on it and music began.
"Want to dance?" Amy asked me.
"Um." I muttered. I didn't really know how to dance and but I wanted to make Amy happy so I smiled and took her hand. It felt as soft, silky and smooth as rose petals. "I'd love to."
"Great." We walked out onto the dance floor where other couples were walking out onto as well.
"What music is this?" I asked.
"Peggy got to choose whatever music she liked. So she got oldies. I think this is by the Beatles." Amy explained.
"Ah." After a few more faster songs, a slow song began.
"Well?" Amy asked as I stopped.
"Um." I muttered. Amy put my hands on her waist, and put her arms around my neck and shoulders and we began swaying to the music.
I don't know how long we were out there. I paid only attention to her and not the passing of time. But sometime later we were knocked over onto the floor. I looked over at George and his date, Alicia Spinnet (one of the Chasers on the Gryffindor team).
"Oh sorry Harry." George said laughing.
"Oh. my. God." Alicia moaned, slowly standing up. She looked extremely dizzy.
"Wanna continue?" George asked.
"Need to. sit down." She mumbled and dizzily walked off.
"But-but Fred and Angelina are still-never mind." George mumbled and followed her. I looked over and saw a whirl of red, brown and gold that was Fred and his date, Angelina Johnson. It was a slow song but apparently the twins were twirling around furiously. I watched, trying not to laugh, as Fred and Angelina toppled into another couple and crashed. Angelina was as angry and dizzy as Alicia and sat with her. Fred and George begged them to continue but after they refused, Fred bowed to George.
"May I have this dance?" Fred asked in a deep voice.
George went into giggles and rested his hand against his own cheek and began battering his eyelashes. "Oh certainly!" He said in a high, falsetto voice. They grabbed hands and twirled off, becoming a whirl of red and brown.
"They're very odd." Amy said as we sat at a table with Ron.
"Try living with them." Ron muttered.
"Hi guys." Hermione appeared with her date, Brian Jacobson.
"Hi Hermione." We said as they sat down.
"How's your evening so far?" Hermione asked.
"I've been having fun." Amy said, smiling.
"So've I." Hermione giggled. Brian smiled.
"Until we were knocked over by one of your brothers." He told Ron.
"You too, huh?" I asked, shaking my head.
"Yep." Hermione said, shaking her head as well.
"Ooh I love this song!" Amy suddenly said, grabbing my arm and dragging me out to the dance floor. As we danced, her face shone with happiness.
I grinned back as we danced with autumn leaves twirling around us. I felt I could get no happier.
"Oh Frederick you silly boy!" I heard George giggle in his high voice and I started laughing.
*** (Nagini's point of view)
I listened as Sera reported everything to me. She kept shaking nervously and flitting her tongue wildly. "Where is he now?" I asked.
"Dance, Nagini. At the dance. With the other Parselmouth." She hissed at me.
"He'll be safe there for tonight. he won't try anything when Dumbledore is near." I hissed, turning to face the statue of Salazar Slytherin, the greatest Parselmouth ever.
"Who is he? You've never told us." Hissed Quantin quietly from near me.
"He." I hissed and shook my head angrily. "He is the one who betrayed me." My eyes focused on something that was not there. The image of his face appeared. "He depended on me with his life. and then cast me aside when he was strong." I hissed so low only Quantin and Sera heard.
"Who?" Sera asked quietly.
"The voice." Jarxo slithered up.
"Get out of my mind!" I shouted angrily. Jarxo flinched back.
"Yes master." He hissed. I slithered quickly over to him and pushed my face into his.
"What." I hissed angrily. "did you call me?"
"Uh. master." He said. I struck out, tail whipping him. He screamed in pain as I bruised him badly.
"NEVER-" I screamed whirling towards the horde of snakes. "call me master."
"Y-yes." Jarxo whimpered. I angrily slithered to the feet of the statue.
"I am not like him. ugh, stupid! I should of let him die!" I screamed, banging my forehead against the statue.
"Nagini?" Quantin asked.
"The voice." I hissed, looking at him. "is my old master."
With this the snakes gasped and backed off quickly. "Is it?" Sera whispered. I nodded and turned towards the statue again.
I flitted my tongue out and shook my head. "I had the chance. he was depending on me for life. I should of let him die." I hissed, wincing on the inside. "Its my fault."
"Nagini, don't beat yourself up. we all make mistakes." Krighton said, slithering over to me.
"Not mistakes as bad as that one." I whispered. "and he. he has enough power now to kill the boy."
***
"More detention after the feast." Ron moaned.
"You shouldn't of attacked Draco like that." Peggy said.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Ron mumbled, shaking his head.
"Before we start." Dumbledore stood up and the room hushed off. "there is 3 new transfer students." With this Harry shot up, eyes wide. Jasmine? He looked at the door and saw McGonagall leading Jasmine in.
"Is that her?" Ron whispered.
"Yeah that's her." Harry replied.
'Wow she's beautiful." Ron said. Harry swung his fist and it connected with Ron's jaw. "Ow." He moaned. He glared at Harry. "Whadja do that for?"
"I don't want you looking at her that way." Harry warned.
"Okay you've gotten into 'big brother' role quickly." Ron moaned, rubbing his jaw.
Harry just scowled then looked up at his sister. She looked very nervous as McGonagall introduced her. "Miss Jasmine Potter." McGonagall said as she sat down. The Hat was placed on her head.
"GRYFFINDOR!" It announced right away. Harry was basically the only one cheering but others began cheering. Jasmine ran down, hair streaming behind her. Harry gave her a tight hug and she sat beside him. Harry looked up at the teachers table. Dumbledore was pale and Flitwick had toppled out of sight. The other teachers that knew his parents were very pale.
McGonagall then looked around and then called out the Great Hall doors. "Come in here, please." She said. The doors burst open and two students tumbled in, laughing.
Harry blinked.
They were identical twins. They looked about an inch or two shorter then Fred and George. They had flaming red hair, both in twin braids. They had many freckles, curvy bodies and wide grins. Both wore baggy denim jeans. One girl wore a gray sweatshirt, with the words "I'm with Stupid!" plastered on the back. Her twin had a gray sweatshirt with the words "Which means she's with herself!" on that back. They tumbled up to the stool and stood there, grinning from ear to ear.
"Miss Frederika Halls?" McGonagall asked. The twin with the "Which means she's with herself" on it strode forward and sat down.
The Hat was placed on her head. "GRYFFINDOR!" It announced. Frederika ran over to the table and watched as McGonagall introduced her sister.
"Miss Georgette Halls?" Her twin skipped forward and sat down and was placed in Gryffindor as well. She gladly joined her sister.
"Let the feast. begin." Dumbledore said and food appeared.
***
Beauty. Pure beauty. Fred and George looked at each other then back at the new girls. Frederika and Georgette. Pure beauty. Music was playing somewhere in the distance. Music that Percy would like. Ewwww.
"Are you thinking." George asked.
"What I'm thinking?" Fred finished. They quickly went over and sat across from them.
"Welcome to-"
"Gryffindor."
The girls looked at each other then back at Fred and George. "Well."
"Thank you." They said.
The two set of twins just looked at each other. 'They are so hot'. Fred thought staring at them. 'Goddesses of hotness'. George thought. 'Oh my gosh those two are hot'. Frederika thought. 'I wonder when Frederika will eat that trick cream I gave her'. Georgette thought.
Frederika bit into a cream and suddenly changed color. "Georgette!" She snapped but was laughing.
"Yes?" Georgette giggled.
"You did that?" Fred asked.
"The original idea was mine." Frederika said.
"We have ones that turn you into canaries." George said.
"Awesome!" Frederika and Georgette chorused.
"Have we ever met before?" Fred asked.
"I don't think so." Georgette said.
"Why?" Frederika asked.
"You two seem really familiar." George said.
"Come to think of it you two do too." Frederika said.
"Hmm." All four thought.
"So, you two like tricks?" Fred asked.
"We are the masters of trickery." Frederika said.
"Oh no, no, no. We are the masters." George said.
"Oh really?" Georgette asked.
"Yeah, we are." Fred said.
"If you think you can out-trick us." Georgette began.
"We're gladly up for a contest." Frederika finished.
"Oh you two-" George began.
"Are so on." Fred said. Fred and Frederika shook hands while George and Georgette did. Then they switched twins.
"You two are-" Frederika and Georgette began.
"Going down." Fred and George finished.
Ron and Peggy walked to Filch's office Monday evening. "What do you have detention for?" Ron asked.
"Running in the halls. And running into Filch." Peggy giggled.
Ron was in too foul a mood to laugh. They went into Filch's office where he glared at them. He looked over their papers and was muttering stuff. "I think the perfect detention for you two is to scrub the Front Hall." He said.
"Scrub the-the entire front hall?" Ron sputtered.
"Yes. The Muggle way." Filch said and handed them two buckets. "Well?" He barked and they went to the Front Hall. The buckets magically filled themselves up when they got near-empty.
"Feels like this is all I've been doing is working." Ron muttered, falling to his knees and scrubbing.
"I don't mind these detentions." Peggy said, kneeling on the floor and using the scrub-rags.
"What do you mean?" Ron asked, scrubbing furiously.
"Back home I got in detention lots of times." Peggy explained. "And back home our detentions were. not exactly the best."
"What were they?" Ron asked.
"Well. for instance when I was caught out of my dorm at 4 in the morning I was locked in a dungeon for hours." Peggy said, making a face.
"Locked in a dungeon?" Ron asked in surprise.
"Yep. But that was nothing compared to hanging by my wrists."
"Hanging by your wrists." Ron repeated.
Peggy nodded. "Yep. Brackets that hold my wrists. And you just hang there with your arms stretched out tightly with your feet a foot or so off the ground. Ouch."
"Sounds like Filch would like it." Ron muttered.
"It was like torture. Most the rule-breakers were First years who never had detention before. I can tell you one thing, nobody broke the rules twice at our old school." Peggy said with a laugh.
"You said you got detention a lot.' Ron pointed out.
"Heh, heh. I was the exception. I was the only student in detention more then three times. In the history of our school." Peggy said, tossing her hair back. "I think I'm added in the history of our old school."
"Why did you keep breaking rules?" Ron asked.
"Oh I don't know. That's just me." Peggy said with a shrug. "Peggy Morlins- troublemaker. That was my title."
"You really need to talk to Fred and George." Ron said, shaking his head.
"I already have." Peggy said with a giggle.
"Is that why you like secret passages so much? Because you like to break rules?"
"I dunno, probably." Peggy shrugged and waited for her bucket to refill. "Plus I think passages are so cool."
Ron laughed and shook his head. "After all that begging I know how much you like passages."
Peggy gave him a grin and continued scrubbing. "So, are you allowed to go to the dance this Saturday?" She asked.
"Yeah but I don't have a date and don't know where the hell I'd find one five days before it." Ron said, scowling.
"I don't have a date." Peggy said quietly.
"Really? That's uh. surprising." Ron said.
Peggy snorted. "Yeah real surprising." She said, looking at her reflection in the floor she just scrubbed.
"What do you mean by that?" Ron asked.
"Oh come off it. You know perfectly well what I mean by it. Nobody wants to go with me because I'm ugly." Peggy snapped.
"You're not ugly." Ron said.
"Ron. Don't lie to me." Peggy said.
"Okay well not that ugly." Ron said slowly.
"I suppose that's as close to the truth as you'll say." Peggy said and sat back on her legs. She pushed her hair out of the way and sighed heavily.
Ron felt immensely bad for her but not bad enough to ask her out to the dance.
"Earning extra money, Weasley?" They looked up as Malfoy appeared.
Peggy threw her arms around Ron's shoulders and held tight, making sure he couldn't jump up and attack. Not that he didn't try.
"Let go of me!" Ron said, trying to pry Peggy's arms off.
"No." Peggy snapped. Malfoy flicked back some of his blonde hair and smiled a nasty smile.
"Preparing for the job you'll take later in life?" He asked.
"I swear Malfoy if she wasn't holding me back-" Ron began.
"Its probably very easy for a girl to hold you back." Malfoy continued. Ron threw all his weight against Peggy's arms, trying to get free. What happened was he slipped and fell backwards into Peggy and knocked over both buckets. Since they refilled themselves, a never-ending stream of soapy water poured out.
Malfoy laughed uncontrollably as he walked off. Peggy let go of Ron and they got up, both soaked with soapy water.
"You should of let me go." Ron said as they picked up the buckets.
"And have you suspended again? Maybe even expelled? I don't think so." Peggy said, shaking her head.
*** (Harry's point of view)
"How do I look?" I asked, desperately trying to flatten down my hair.
"Fine. Me?" Seamus asked.
"Great." I mumbled, grabbing a brush and trying to brush it down.
"You're fighting a losing battle." Dean laughed, buttoning up his dress robes.
"Shaddup." I mumbled.
"Ron, I thought you weren't going." Neville said as Ron appeared wearing one of his new dress robes. It was a very dark pine green that went well with his hair. That summer Fred and George had bought him a couple of new dress robes to his surprise. The only one who knew why was me.
"I changed my mind. I'll go. Just. by myself." Ron said with a shrug. He pushed me out of the way and peered at himself in the mirror. He ran his fingers through his long, floppy hair and got out of the way again.
"Well, let's go." Seamus said and they went down the stairs. The first ones down were Lavender and Parvati. Lavender was wearing very form-fitting lavender dress robes and darker purple high-heeled shoes. Her hair was pulled back in a tight bun on the back of her head. Parvati was wearing pale yellow, form-sitting dress robes with darker yellow high-heeled shoes. Her hair was down and in curls with a few yellow ribbons that matched her dress. Dean and Seamus gaped at them.
'Well?" Parvati asked, slipping her arm through Dean's.
"Let's go." Lavender giggled. Donnie went with them for he was meeting Padma near the Great Hall. The next girl down was Rose. I could not help but stare at her. Her hair was down and she was wearing very tight and rather revealing dark yellow dress robes. She saw me staring and tossed back her hair.
"You could've had me." She said to me before walking off.
After a while a round-faced Fourth year came down. Her pale brown hair was in a thick braid and she wore ruby red dress robes that swished around her legs and matched her red shoes. Neville's face broke into a grin and he took her arm and they left.
"What're you waiting for?" I asked Ron who shrugged.
"Nothing I guess. I'll save you a seat." He said and left. I sat back on a couch, eyes on the girls stairs. Hermione was the next one down. Her hair was no longer bushy but straight and. down. It was clipped back with pale blue clips and waved slightly around her face, framing it very well. She wore lovely dress robes. It was dusky blue and very form-fitting. I saw curves on Hermione I never noticed before.
"Hi Harry. Amy said she'll be down shortly." Hermione said, smiling.
"Okay. You look. beautiful." I said and Hermione blushed.
"Thanks. You look handsome." She said.
"Thanks." I said, looking down at my emerald green dress robes.
"See you at the dance." She said and walked off. I checked my watch and looked back up at the stairs, trying to be patient.
"Coming, Harry! Coming!" I heard Amy's voice shout. Soon she rushed downstairs, followed by a scowling Peggy behind her. As soon as they came into full view I didn't notice anything other then Amy. I felt my jaw dropping and my eyes getting wide at her.
She wore deep purple dress robes, tight and low scooped and the under-part was knee-length. It showed her curves very well. She wore matching purple high-heeled shoes. Her hair was down like usual but curled and pushed back with a matching purple headband. She wore a pale purple choker around her neck with a blue gem in the middle.
She blushed as I stared. "Sorry it took so long." She mumbled.
'Its. its. perfectly. fine." I stammered then shook my head and glanced at Peggy.
She was wearing baggy denim jeans, a tight white shirt and a long black vest. Her hair was down and she had a Muggle baseball cap on sideways. "I'm the DJ." She said.
"Oh yeah." I said and turned back to Amy. Her beauty outshone anyone else.
"Let's go." Amy mumbled, blushing as she took my arm.
We headed to the Great Hall, followed by Peggy. As we stepped into the Great Hall I gasped. "Wow Amy, it looks great." I said. There were red, brown, yellow and mixes of all those colors of leaves falling from the ceiling. They disappeared as soon as they touched the ground. There were four maple trees in each corner, with the fall leaf colors. Live maple trees. There was a stack of bales of hay against part of one wall, with a few baskets of apples in it. The five tables were gone. Instead, around the four walls were round tables leaving a large dance area in the middle. Each table had a red or golden tablecloth on it with a small basket of either apples or leaves in the middle of them for centerpieces. The air even smelled of autumn.
"Thanks. I couldn't of done it by myself, ofcourse. I did have help from Lee, Karl, Candy, Michael, Bonall and Malfoy." Amy said.
"Were they the others on the decoration committee?" I asked.
"Yep. You know who Lee is. Lee Jordan. Karl Mittle is a Seventh year Hufflepuff- he asked Hermione to the dance. Candy Janson is a Fourth year Ravenclaw, Michael Bottles is a Sixth year Ravenclaw, Jessica Bonall is a Fourth year Slytherin and Malfoy is well. Malfoy." Amy explained. I could listen to her voice all evening. "Uh-huh." I said and spotted Ron sitting at a round, empty table. We walked over followed by Peggy.
"The place looks great." Ron muttered, running his fingers through his hair.
"Thanks." Amy said, giggling as we sat down.
"Whose idea was it for the live trees?" I asked.
"Er, mine.." Amy replied.
"Its neat. Did Malfoy give any ideas?" I asked.
"Yeah, the falling leaves actually." Amy said. I glanced in surprise over at a table where Malfoy was talking to Pansy Parkinson. Malfoy still had the black robes with the high collar that reminded me of a vicar. But he still had his arm in a sling and bandages around his head and he looked so totally dorky. Parkinson wasn't wearing her frilly pink robes. Instead she had frilly silver and green robes that looked just as stupid.
Malfoy saw me looking at him and gave me an extremely rude gesture and turned back to Parkinson. I scowled and turned back to Amy.
Dumbledore was at a large oval table where all the teachers sat. He stood up and spread his arms out wide. "Let the feast, begin!" Food then appeared across the tables. The plates were a pale golden with red leaf designs around the edges.
"Oh boy." Ron and Peggy dug in happily. After a while, Peggy slipped up to a platform where there was a chair and table, a book and something that looked like a computer keyboard. Peggy tapped on it and music began.
"Want to dance?" Amy asked me.
"Um." I muttered. I didn't really know how to dance and but I wanted to make Amy happy so I smiled and took her hand. It felt as soft, silky and smooth as rose petals. "I'd love to."
"Great." We walked out onto the dance floor where other couples were walking out onto as well.
"What music is this?" I asked.
"Peggy got to choose whatever music she liked. So she got oldies. I think this is by the Beatles." Amy explained.
"Ah." After a few more faster songs, a slow song began.
"Well?" Amy asked as I stopped.
"Um." I muttered. Amy put my hands on her waist, and put her arms around my neck and shoulders and we began swaying to the music.
I don't know how long we were out there. I paid only attention to her and not the passing of time. But sometime later we were knocked over onto the floor. I looked over at George and his date, Alicia Spinnet (one of the Chasers on the Gryffindor team).
"Oh sorry Harry." George said laughing.
"Oh. my. God." Alicia moaned, slowly standing up. She looked extremely dizzy.
"Wanna continue?" George asked.
"Need to. sit down." She mumbled and dizzily walked off.
"But-but Fred and Angelina are still-never mind." George mumbled and followed her. I looked over and saw a whirl of red, brown and gold that was Fred and his date, Angelina Johnson. It was a slow song but apparently the twins were twirling around furiously. I watched, trying not to laugh, as Fred and Angelina toppled into another couple and crashed. Angelina was as angry and dizzy as Alicia and sat with her. Fred and George begged them to continue but after they refused, Fred bowed to George.
"May I have this dance?" Fred asked in a deep voice.
George went into giggles and rested his hand against his own cheek and began battering his eyelashes. "Oh certainly!" He said in a high, falsetto voice. They grabbed hands and twirled off, becoming a whirl of red and brown.
"They're very odd." Amy said as we sat at a table with Ron.
"Try living with them." Ron muttered.
"Hi guys." Hermione appeared with her date, Brian Jacobson.
"Hi Hermione." We said as they sat down.
"How's your evening so far?" Hermione asked.
"I've been having fun." Amy said, smiling.
"So've I." Hermione giggled. Brian smiled.
"Until we were knocked over by one of your brothers." He told Ron.
"You too, huh?" I asked, shaking my head.
"Yep." Hermione said, shaking her head as well.
"Ooh I love this song!" Amy suddenly said, grabbing my arm and dragging me out to the dance floor. As we danced, her face shone with happiness.
I grinned back as we danced with autumn leaves twirling around us. I felt I could get no happier.
"Oh Frederick you silly boy!" I heard George giggle in his high voice and I started laughing.
*** (Nagini's point of view)
I listened as Sera reported everything to me. She kept shaking nervously and flitting her tongue wildly. "Where is he now?" I asked.
"Dance, Nagini. At the dance. With the other Parselmouth." She hissed at me.
"He'll be safe there for tonight. he won't try anything when Dumbledore is near." I hissed, turning to face the statue of Salazar Slytherin, the greatest Parselmouth ever.
"Who is he? You've never told us." Hissed Quantin quietly from near me.
"He." I hissed and shook my head angrily. "He is the one who betrayed me." My eyes focused on something that was not there. The image of his face appeared. "He depended on me with his life. and then cast me aside when he was strong." I hissed so low only Quantin and Sera heard.
"Who?" Sera asked quietly.
"The voice." Jarxo slithered up.
"Get out of my mind!" I shouted angrily. Jarxo flinched back.
"Yes master." He hissed. I slithered quickly over to him and pushed my face into his.
"What." I hissed angrily. "did you call me?"
"Uh. master." He said. I struck out, tail whipping him. He screamed in pain as I bruised him badly.
"NEVER-" I screamed whirling towards the horde of snakes. "call me master."
"Y-yes." Jarxo whimpered. I angrily slithered to the feet of the statue.
"I am not like him. ugh, stupid! I should of let him die!" I screamed, banging my forehead against the statue.
"Nagini?" Quantin asked.
"The voice." I hissed, looking at him. "is my old master."
With this the snakes gasped and backed off quickly. "Is it?" Sera whispered. I nodded and turned towards the statue again.
I flitted my tongue out and shook my head. "I had the chance. he was depending on me for life. I should of let him die." I hissed, wincing on the inside. "Its my fault."
"Nagini, don't beat yourself up. we all make mistakes." Krighton said, slithering over to me.
"Not mistakes as bad as that one." I whispered. "and he. he has enough power now to kill the boy."
***
"More detention after the feast." Ron moaned.
"You shouldn't of attacked Draco like that." Peggy said.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Ron mumbled, shaking his head.
"Before we start." Dumbledore stood up and the room hushed off. "there is 3 new transfer students." With this Harry shot up, eyes wide. Jasmine? He looked at the door and saw McGonagall leading Jasmine in.
"Is that her?" Ron whispered.
"Yeah that's her." Harry replied.
'Wow she's beautiful." Ron said. Harry swung his fist and it connected with Ron's jaw. "Ow." He moaned. He glared at Harry. "Whadja do that for?"
"I don't want you looking at her that way." Harry warned.
"Okay you've gotten into 'big brother' role quickly." Ron moaned, rubbing his jaw.
Harry just scowled then looked up at his sister. She looked very nervous as McGonagall introduced her. "Miss Jasmine Potter." McGonagall said as she sat down. The Hat was placed on her head.
"GRYFFINDOR!" It announced right away. Harry was basically the only one cheering but others began cheering. Jasmine ran down, hair streaming behind her. Harry gave her a tight hug and she sat beside him. Harry looked up at the teachers table. Dumbledore was pale and Flitwick had toppled out of sight. The other teachers that knew his parents were very pale.
McGonagall then looked around and then called out the Great Hall doors. "Come in here, please." She said. The doors burst open and two students tumbled in, laughing.
Harry blinked.
They were identical twins. They looked about an inch or two shorter then Fred and George. They had flaming red hair, both in twin braids. They had many freckles, curvy bodies and wide grins. Both wore baggy denim jeans. One girl wore a gray sweatshirt, with the words "I'm with Stupid!" plastered on the back. Her twin had a gray sweatshirt with the words "Which means she's with herself!" on that back. They tumbled up to the stool and stood there, grinning from ear to ear.
"Miss Frederika Halls?" McGonagall asked. The twin with the "Which means she's with herself" on it strode forward and sat down.
The Hat was placed on her head. "GRYFFINDOR!" It announced. Frederika ran over to the table and watched as McGonagall introduced her sister.
"Miss Georgette Halls?" Her twin skipped forward and sat down and was placed in Gryffindor as well. She gladly joined her sister.
"Let the feast. begin." Dumbledore said and food appeared.
***
Beauty. Pure beauty. Fred and George looked at each other then back at the new girls. Frederika and Georgette. Pure beauty. Music was playing somewhere in the distance. Music that Percy would like. Ewwww.
"Are you thinking." George asked.
"What I'm thinking?" Fred finished. They quickly went over and sat across from them.
"Welcome to-"
"Gryffindor."
The girls looked at each other then back at Fred and George. "Well."
"Thank you." They said.
The two set of twins just looked at each other. 'They are so hot'. Fred thought staring at them. 'Goddesses of hotness'. George thought. 'Oh my gosh those two are hot'. Frederika thought. 'I wonder when Frederika will eat that trick cream I gave her'. Georgette thought.
Frederika bit into a cream and suddenly changed color. "Georgette!" She snapped but was laughing.
"Yes?" Georgette giggled.
"You did that?" Fred asked.
"The original idea was mine." Frederika said.
"We have ones that turn you into canaries." George said.
"Awesome!" Frederika and Georgette chorused.
"Have we ever met before?" Fred asked.
"I don't think so." Georgette said.
"Why?" Frederika asked.
"You two seem really familiar." George said.
"Come to think of it you two do too." Frederika said.
"Hmm." All four thought.
"So, you two like tricks?" Fred asked.
"We are the masters of trickery." Frederika said.
"Oh no, no, no. We are the masters." George said.
"Oh really?" Georgette asked.
"Yeah, we are." Fred said.
"If you think you can out-trick us." Georgette began.
"We're gladly up for a contest." Frederika finished.
"Oh you two-" George began.
"Are so on." Fred said. Fred and Frederika shook hands while George and Georgette did. Then they switched twins.
"You two are-" Frederika and Georgette began.
"Going down." Fred and George finished.