A/N ::sighs:: No reviews. I feel so lonely. I was glad that a lot of people reviewed "Tale as Old as Time'. It made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
I don't think anyone will read this but my friends, so I have to strongly question the point of this fic. It is just taking up energy that might otherwise be put to uses in the real world, from which I have been in exile lately. So, the fourth installment of this fic…
"Nothing Endures but Change"
Chapter 4
"Dealings with Balls"
By marzoog
The crisp October air was piercing through Mari's robes as she walked up from Herbology. She shivered. The books in her arms were like lead weights and it only made the walk up to the castle on the crisp, cool, clear morning more tiring. Mari longed to be up in her cozy, warm, four-poster, curled up asleep without a care in the world. Bah Humbug, why did flying class have to be right before lunch on Fridays? Mari would have rather had any other class in this cold, windy weather.
Mari got on her blue flying robes, not like Quidditch robes, just Ravenclaw blue robes that were shorter than ordinary robes, and headed down to the pitch. Mari was thoroughly annoyed with the professors for putting her with a bunch of Hufflepuff girls and boys and Ravenclaw boys, she was the only Ravenclaw girl. And not even Kate was in her flying class! She was just with Pari, Katie, Tanya Aber, Jenny Butcher, as well as some of the second year Hufflepuff girls, including Marie Stylobouche. Mari was glad that Alex Rent and Andrew Gewstone were not in her class, but to her utter disgust Peter Mc Greg was.
Flying class had become almost unbearable since her "incident" with the tree. No single class since then Peter had ever failed to say "be careful of the trees". Frankly Mari wanted to strangle his egotistical, Scottish, neck.
Mari wanted to run away, run into the castle and go to sleep, but she knew she couldn't. Think Irvine, she told herself, that some kids are starving, and worried about merely surviving with enough food, and you are worried about having to fly on a broomstick on Friday morning. That is what is so screwed up about human society.
Mari mounted her broomstick and began to soar. Who cared about the problems with society when one was soaring away on a broom, the fresh piercing their cheeks? Mari couldn't think who would. It was too beautiful out to think of ugliness and problems of the world. Even in the rain…
Then the new teacher, Madame Hooch, conducted the lesson. Mari spent the entire time just staring out onto the lake, not really paying attention. She was plain sick of having to pay attention.
The lesson droned on. Marie Stylobouche was used as an example and Madame Hooch commented on how perfect Marie's scoring technique was. Mari scowled. This was stupid, and she knew that Tabitha could do better than that. If Marie was perfect, than what was Tabitha, incredibly perfect at scoring goals? Mari laughed inwardly as she saw Marie's smug look after Madame Hooch's comment.
Mari found herself being forced to pass Quaffles with Jenny Butcher (a nice, to the border line of annoying, rather stupid Hufflepuff in third year) and Jason Dropper (who's slicked back hair and glasses gave him a reputation for being a geek). Mari was fairly good at passing Quaffles, and she rather enjoyed it. Mari could hear Katie Woody's conversation with Pari and Tanya, as they were right behind them.
"Oh, yes, I think that it's awful that we don't have balls." Katie was saying.
Mari had this annoying habit of breaking into other people's conversations without listening.
"But we do? What do you think we are passing right now?"
The girls laughed, Mari could be daft sometimes.
"No, a ball, a dance." Katie explained
"Oh…sorry" Mari said while a look of realization drew over her face.
Mari couldn't help laughing at the humor in the situation, this is what she got for prying into other people's conversations.
"We really should have a ball!" Mari couldn't help exclaiming
"Yeah, I wish someone would talk to Dumbledore about it." Tanya said
"Someone really should!" Pari looked as though she didn't particularly care, but it would be nice if they did.
"Hmm…" Mari became lost in her thoughts as she flew around for the rest of the class. She would have gotten hit with the Quaffle if Mc Greg hadn't yelled out "Hey Irvine, you're going to fall off your broom. Wake up."
Once Madame Hooch dismissed the class Mari sprinted up to the castle. She went into the Great Hall, still wearing her dirty flying robes, and went up to the head table. She cautiously approached Professor Dumbledore, and asked in her meekest tone (which really wasn't that meek because Mari was in no ways a meek person)
"Sir, do you think that it would benefit all if we had several, or just one, ball this year?"
"Kindly explain Ms. Irvine. I was under the assumption we had plenty of balls for Quidditch."
"Well…well, not those kind of balls" Mari's voice stuttered, she was out of breath partly from the almost run up to the Head Table, partly from embarrassment. She felt all the eyes in the hall on her backside and wished she had at least changed into her uniform.
"Speak up Irvine" McGonagall instructed
"I mean ball as in a dance. I think that it would be pleasant if we students had something to look forward to, like a dance or ball, to keep us from being bored or feeling overworked. Hogwarts has had balls in the past, why couldn't we have one now?"
"I like the idea Ms. Irvine. I think that if you were to bring the idea to our Head Boy and Girl you could possibly carry it through."
Mari bowed. "Thank you Sir"
As she walked back to the Ravenclaw table she noticed the eyes of her fellow students on her. Not only had she just gone up to speak to Professor Dumbledore, but also she was still in her Ravenclaw blue flying robes, which were covered in dirt. She suddenly realized that she might stink like a pig!
"Mari, what the hell did you do to yourself, and why did you just go up and talk to Dumbledore?" Emily was the first to ask
"Flying class, I decided to ask Dumbledore if we could have a dance or a ball, and he says that I have to talk to the Heads and see if they will do it. Maybe we could get one for Halloween!"
"That'd be so cool!!" Chat was saying
"I've always wanted a ball." Lauren commented
"What would we dress up as?" Alex pondered
"You could be a little freak, it wouldn't take much makeup." Ellie said teasingly
"HA HA HA! I just think you are so funny Ellie. You know you could be a stand up comedian, or the Queen of Sarcasm. You're just so wonderful at it." Alex shot sarcastically in Ellie's face.
"I know, aren't I?" Ellie looked rather smug hearing this sarcastic insult. Ellie's way of dealing with sarcasm was to ignore, or make fun, of it.
"No, because I am the Queen of Sarcasm" Mari shot out
"Yeah, well, I'm the dictator of sarcasm. Everyone knows Queens do nothing but cut ribbons. You have no power" said Ellie, coming up with the impressive analogies.
Mari's face squashed up like a red tomato and she balled her fists. To keep her rage energy in, she bounced up and down. Most times for Mari rage was just a release of energy, not from pure anger.
"I do to have power in this made up land of sarcasm…." Mari knew she was speaking in what others called "book talk." Mari liked "book talk".
"No you don't…." Ellie looked as though she wanted to argue, but was stopped by Janice.
"It would be fun to see Alex in her element if she dressed up as a freak." Said Janice sardonically wistful
"Yes, it would be fun to see Alex as her natural self. Pity she has to put on that makeup of normalness on herself." Chat continued on in the joke
Mari faked a sigh and added "To bad it will never happen, its to scary so they banned it I'm afraid." All the girls laughed as Alex huffed and puffed, like a big bad wolf, wanting to get the three little pigs badly, but not succeeding.
After lunch Mari approached the Head Boy and Girl and questioned them if they could have a ball.
I'll see. It would be hard at such short notice you know." Head Boy Jonathon Bones admonished
"I could help organize it, I just need your approval." Mari put forth
"Oh, well then, you have it."
"Thank you." Mari was glad that the Head Boy was a level-headed Gryffindor, rather than a mean and close-minded Slytherin who would reprimand all ideas but his own.
The Head Girl, a Ravenclaw named Emma Prewet, was harder to win over. Mari constantly badgered her for twenty minutes after classes before she could make her point. Mari was exceptionally good at badgering, so it worked well. Emma finally gave up in despair and said that Mari could have her way. This pleased Mari greatly, as you could imagine, and she went upstairs to gloat.
Once in her dorm, Mari's news dropped like a bombshell, all her friends asking questions at once.
"What will you do for theme?"
"When will it be?"
"Will you need help?"
"What are we going to wear?"
"I don't know," was the only reply Mari could make.
"So when are you going to get started?" Emily asked reasonably; Emily was often the reasonable one behind her outward silliness.
"I think I'll get started tonight, I don't have too much homework. I'll try and get theme ideas and have a poll for what it should be at breakfast tomorrow. Halloween is only three weeks away, I'll have to get working."
"And, of course, you're going to ask Jason aren't you? Oh Jason…I love you!! Jason!" Anne was enjoying the venomous look on Mari's face as she pretend to imitate her.
"No, but I think you'll want to invite Alex Rent."
"Me and Alex? See, we're not meant to be, like you and Jason!" Anne's eyes danced
"UGH!" Mari groaned, and went off to see Professor McGonagall about finding a theme for the ball.
Mari found the Professor in her office and asked to talk about the Ball idea.
"Well, Irvine, to be frank I don't know if you can pull it off by yourself. "
"I could have a friend do it with me." Mari suggested
"No, I know all you Ravenclaw girls are responsible enough, but I want some male input."
"Oh," Mari's face fell, "Who did you have in mind?"
"Gewstone."
Mari choked back horror.
"Oh, I know you don't like him, but I think he's the best for the job."
"Alright then Professor." Mari's eyebrows were knitted in a serious expression; she was not going to like this…
"I think you need to do this with someone who doesn't already have the extra duty of being a Prefect, and I think if you two pull this off, you would have a shot for a Prefecture in Fifth Year."
"I see…."
"Yes, and since you two are top of our lists to become the Ravenclaw Prefects tin two years, I would recommend doing this."
"I see…. so do I have much choice in the matter?" Mari was the kind who could easily see through a grindstone
"No, you do not if you want this ball to be a success and you want to become a Prefect."
"Alright, I'll tell him." Mari sighed.
"I know you don't like this Irvine, but just think of the chance to put Prefect on your resume."
"I know. Thanks Professor, for everything."
"You're welcome Irvine."
"Goodbye Professor." Mari started out the door
"Goodbye," McGonagall called out," Oh and Irvine," Mari turned around, "Good luck."
Mari smiled and walked out the door.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Mari trudged to the Common Room. Spending time with Andrew Gewstone!! AH! That was not high on Mari's list of priorities…
She glumly announced the password (Merlin) to the Bird Lady and walked in. All the girls, except Tabitha, were up in the dorms.
"Why so sad?" Tabitha asked
"Oh, McGonagall will let me have my ball, but only if I organize it with Gewstone."
"What?" Tabitha sat up straight in her seat
"I know…" Mari's head was hung. This was the ultimate defeat. To have to run HER ball with Gewstone!
"It's better than if you had to do it with Peter." Tabitha offered some optimism
"True," Mari admitted, "I better tell Gewstone."
"Why do you call Andrew "Gewstone" and why do you call Peter "Mc Greg"?"
"Because I always have."
"You know, I think you really do like Peter."
"Maybe as a friend, but sure as hell nothing more."
Tabitha brooded over this for a second before Mari continued
"Well, I guess I better get this over with."
Jason Dropper was seat near by on a couch reading a Stephen King novel. Procrastinating from his homework no doubt, thought Mari.
"Jason, where is Gew-Andrew," Mari stopped herself from calling him Gewstone, old habits die hard, she thought bitterly
"He's probably up in the dorm, doing his Herbology. He had an obsession with Herbology."
"And I'm the one that's pathetic," Mari mumbled under her breath, "I need to talk to him about the ball thingy. Can you go up and get him for me?"
"What, are you going to ask him or something?" Jason looked amused
"No," Jason's eyebrows lifted, as if he doubted it, "He has to organize it with me. McGonagall said." Mari was annoyed at all of this.
"Fine, I'll get him, but I still think you should ask him. That'd be funny."
"No, I won't. If I'm organizing the damn thing I can't have a date." Mari was getting impatient with Jason. In a few seconds she'd go up there herself and drag Gew-Andrew by the collar to the Common Room and explain.
Luckily for the Ravenclaws who wanted a peaceful evening to do their homework, Jason went up right then and a few seconds later Andrew Gewstone came down the stairs.
"What gives Mari?" Gewstone, unlike Mc Greg, usually called her Mari. Mari never knew why. Maybe it was one of his dumb habits, like her calling him Gewstone.
"McGonagall. I told her I got the Heads approval for the ball, and..." Mari was cut off
"What does this have to do with me?" Andrew was impatient
"She says you have to run the ball with me."
"Why?" This did not look like a pleasing prospect to Andrew
"Two reasons. She says that: one, I can't run it by myself, which I can, and two, she says that if we do a good job we'll probably get to be Prefects in Fifth Year."
"Oh, I see." He didn't seem to understand, "Do I have any choice in the matter?"
"McGonagall says not. You know if you don't do this the likelihood of your being a Prefect is almost down to nil."
"I know, and I've always wanted to be a Prefect…."
"I see, but the question is will you do it?"
"Why do I have to do it with you though?"
"Because it was my idea."
"But you're so irritating." Gewstone was trying to get a rise out of Mari, Mari tried to keep cool.
"Thank you for the compliment." She shot back, but there was fire in her eyes. When Mari's eyes glittered almost black behind her glasses, it was not a good sign.
"Well, I'm not going to like it…" Gewstone never screamed back at Mari, that was one of the things that irritated her most about him, he never yelled. He almost did sometimes, but never as loud as Mari. He was always infuriatingly calm.
"Do you think I like it any more than you do Gewstone?" Mari was almost yelling. Gewstone smiled. He had always like to get a reaction out of Mari Irvine. She was so fun to push around, but still infuriatingly smart.
The next day, after classes, Mari got her poll out to Professor McGonagall. The results came in and Mari and Andrew found they would have to plan a costume ball. This suited Mari. She already had ideas for what she could be...
Mari got the other girls to help her design the Great Hall. It would be full of evergreen garlands and fairy lights…Mari also made sure Hagrid would put plenty of pumpkins around. Big gigantic ones! Mari went down one day with Andrew and picked them out. Andrew teased that the pumpkins were almost as tall as Mari(this annoyed Mari, or course) and she had hit him in the arm.
This time proved to be really stressful for Mari. She was overworked, and she knew it. But no matter what she tried to keep a serene smile. McGonagall was worried. Mari was becoming too serious for her liking. She never joked now…and her laughter wasn't half as loud, or real. Everyone, well most everyone, could tell it was fake.
Finally all the plans came into place. All of the work seemed to have paid off. Gewstone wasn't so sure, but Mari was. Gewstone seemed to be sort of cynical to the whole thing. Mari hated his cynicism.
The day of the ball Mari was still setting up the punch bowl (charming it so Sirius Black couldn't spike it) when Janice and Chat came whizzing in.
"Mari-girl!" Janice exclaimed, "You only have an hour before the ball! And with that costume you have it will that more than that to get ready…"
"Come on Mar!" Chat insisted
"I can't go now…" Protested Mari faintly, "I still have to set up so much…Maybe I won't dance, I'll just watch."
"No," Andrew Gewstone's voice was firm, "You should go."
"Are you sure you can finish up?" Mari was doubtful
"Of course, I get better grades than you don't I?"
Mari scowled.
"Shut up! Are you sure you can handle it?"
"Yes, now get out of here."
"Well fine then…" And before Mari could help with Chat and Janice were dragging her off
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The Ravenclaws had decided to go as fairy tale Princesses. Mari was being Cinderella. Tabitha was Belle from Beauty and the Beast. Anne was going to be Sleeping Beauty. Lauren was being Maid Marian. Janice was to be Snow White. Chat was Jasmine from Arabian Nights. Alex and Ellie had decided to go as the Little Red Riding Hood and the Granny from Little Red Riding Hood.
Mari looked at her reflection in the mirror. Her blue dress robes with the short silver sleeves made her look very small and curvy. She had looked like a little wood sprite. Then her hair had been curled and piled on top of her head. Now she looked like a small, vivacious, princess. Just like she was supposed to. Mari Irvine was usually described as "cute looking" but not "pretty, strictly speaking". Now she looked pretty.
Anne looked like a queen with her long ice blue robes and magic hair extensions. She looked exactly like a blond fairy tale Princess….
Tabitha was a lovely Beauty. Her tan certainly didn't make her look like a perfect fairy tale princess, but she looked very pretty. Her brown robes were just the color to make Tabitha look her best and, with her hair done in a mop of curls, she was certainly a Beauty.
Lauren's forest green robes with a girdle and green garland for her hair (Mari had nicked it from the Great Hall as they were decorating) made her look like a Medieval Princess.
Janice's costume was funny. The dress was intentionally short and made her look hilarious. Her hair was done standing out at different parts and her lipstick had been smeared over her lips and around them.
Chat looked like an Arabian Princess for sure with the peacock colored three-piece robe set. Mari prophesized that she would get some attention from it…
Alex and Ellie were hysterical. Ellie's American accent was indulged to the full. It was very funny to watch their "routine" with Alex acting as Little Red and Ellie as Granny. Ellie pretended to act stupid and did a very good job (not that she was mind you).
Mari, as always, was the first done and trotted down to the Common Room.
"My God Mari, you look so pretty!" Where the first words out of Bobbie's mouth
"Oh, thanks." Mari smiled, "Your clown costume is great!"
Bobbie and Jane were clowns, complete with fake red noses. They were a gas as they showed Mari their "act."
"Irvine, you have to get down to the hall now…" Andrew trailed off as he saw her He was in a dorky Muggle suit with large, horn rimmed, glasses. Mari assumed he was trying to be a Muggle dork.
"What? Do I have to go now? I'm Cinderella, I have to wait for my fellow fairy tale Princesses to come and escort me to the ball…" Mari laughed
"No. Get your bum down there."
"Fine then." Mari sneered, "See ya Jane and Bobbie!" She called out going through the Bird Lady
Andrew followed a few seconds later with Jason Dropper. Jason was dressed as some kind of old man. He wore a suit with a fake beer belly. He talked like an old geezer. Yep….he defiantly fitted the old man part. Mari stooped down to get the glove she dropped and Lauren and the other girls were flying down right behind to meet her.
"Lauren! How did you get here so fast?" Mari exclaimed
"Well when Bobbie told us that Andrew made you go I insisted that the others hurry up and follow you." Mari laughed and Lauren smiled.
Lauren really did look like a Maid Marian. Her cheeks were tinted a light brown and looked very creamy. Mari envied her. Lauren was also very skinny. Mari wasn't. But Lauren was so nice and good…Mari sighed. She must look like some puffed up, fat, girl with frizzy hair next to Lauren and the others. She didn't know, though a few of the other students noticed, that she really did look lovely for the first time in a long while.
Mari chatted with Lauren on the way down to the ball, mostly about Transfiguration. Lauren was always worried about her Transfiguration grade.
Finally they reached the Great Hall before everyone else and Mari stepped in. It looked like some kind of Halloween heaven, and Mari deiced then and there it had been worth all the work.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
As everyone crowded in to the Great Hall Mari began to address them, Andrew behind her. Mari insisted on doing this speech, Andrew always stuttered with he spoke.
"Good evening everyone! I hope you will all have a wonderful time tonight, and I'm just glad that we had the opportunity to have this ball. So let's all thank the people who made this possible: our Head students, Professor McGonagall and all the other Professors, and my colleague, Andrew Gewstone." Mari cringed at the word "colleague" Colleague my ass….She thought.
Andrew suddenly spoke up
"And let's all thank this girl right here who organized everything and thought the idea in the first place, Marissa Irvine." Mari blushed at all the people clapping. Or what it what he said? Or was it part of the fact she was always blushing? Mari's cheeks were, at their lightest, light pink.
Everyone had been assigned seats, this had been Andrew's job not Mari's, and she found herself sitting by Alex, Janice and Chat, as well as Jason (cringe) and….ANDREW? Mari was puzzled. Alex winked. Mari scowled.
Mari barely avoided catastrophe by barely talking to Gewstone, but when brought up the subject of how the ball was going, she couldn't resist.
'Well…I think it's going great for all that planning I did."
"You did? You did? Do you think I did nothing but sit around?"
"Most of the time. Yes, you did your share of work, but I came up with the original plan." Mari knew she was right. Some people never know when they are right, some people never know when they are wrong; Mari was neither.
Dumbledore raised his glass to a toast and cut off what would have been a large argument.
"Let this be a glorious occasion for our school. Let us toast to the small joys we have left in our lives that can never be destroyed, even by the forces of darkness." With that all of the students, with the notable exception of the Slytherins, raised their glasses and toasted.
When everyone was finished and the plates disappeared soft music began straining into the room.
"Let's have our Head Boy and Girl, as well as our two organizers, start out the dancing." Mari gulped. She in no way wanted to dance with Andrew Gewstone.
Mari trotted out on to the dance floor, she noticed Lauren looked whiter than usual, and that Ellie and Alex were winking their eyes out. Once there she turned around to Andrew, and when the dance started she kept as far away as civilly possible. She felt no heart thumping, except that cause by the student body's eyes on her, and she felt absolutely no attraction to Andrew. Despite Ellie, Chat, Janice and Alex's theory she was NOT in love with Andrew Gewstone. He might be a stimulating companion sometimes….but…
Mari turned away from these thoughts as she noticed the look on Jonathon's face as he held, much tighter than Andrew was gripping, Emma Prewet. He was in love with her. Mari felt no surprise. Jonathon was much taller than Emma and had placed his head on top of hers for a moment, then quickly lifting it to give no sign of emotion. Emma's eyes were closed as she leaned again Jonathon. Mari sighed.
The song ended, and a fast one turned on. Mari broke arm contact with Andrew immediately. She did, however, shake his hand.
"Well…we managed not kill each other." She joked before turning away
As the songs progressed Mari started being able to not worry about the punch being spiked (Sirius hadn't been able to break the charm) and start to have fun dancing. She felt she "could have danced all night" and her feet seemed excessively light. So, although she sat out every slow song because she hadn't been asked, she had a great time.
After the dance Jonathon and Emma agreed to clean, because Mari and Andrew had set up. As she walked away she could they were holding hands.
Once released from the Great Hall Mari trudged up the stairs, her light slippers pinching. Mari took down her hair, the pins were hurting, and she didn't notice a boy in the shadow of the corridor gaping at her. Mari wouldn't have thought it possible for a guy to gape at her. But this boy was….
She reached the Common Room and flew up the stairs, thanking God her dealings with balls were over.
A/N Well, that was a long chapter…..Sorry if it was boring. The guy gaping…well that's some one you'll get to meet later…. And no, it's not a Cannon Character. You'll find out soon enough. Okay, so like in ten chapters….or more. It is, for reference, the same person I imagined finding Mari asleep in Chapter 2.
Hope you all review. I want reviews!
Have a great day!!!
The Minnesotan in England
aka Maren of Minnesota
aka Cinderella
aka Mr. Zelgadis
aka
@@@@gnome girl aka marzoog@@@@