AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hey, I told y'all I'd work on it!! Okay, here it is! P.S. Hahaha, I used a word from the fourth book!!! It's funny, too!!!! Oh.and growing up with the Malfoys has made Harry more knowledgeable about the wizarding world. This chapter is also really long for me.

The Ball

The ball was only two hours away and Harry was already nervous. He had recovered from the "incident" quite nicely and had Lucius bring his brother and him two dress robes. Draco's was dark, midnight green and Harry's turned out to be a nicer, navy version of his school robes. They both had skipped the Hogsmeade visit that day in order to laugh at each other's robes. Plus, Anya and Leslie weren't going. They had ordered their dresses long before the Christmas holidays and forbid the boys from seeing them.

Harry paced anxiously beside his bed, waiting for Draco to give Harry his robes. They had put them in Draco's locked trunk and he was having problems opening it.

"Sorry, Harry. There's nothing I can do. Guess you'll have to go starkers," Draco told him.

"Sure, Draco," Harry said, pushing the taller boy aside. The trunk opened effortlessly.

"Oh, well then," Draco huffed and took out his robes. Harry changed into them and looked at himself in the mirror. The Harry who stared back looked like a pauper in prince's clothing. His hair was in disarray and his face was dirty from going outside that morning. As Draco changed into his robes, Harry washed his face and combed his hair back. No matter how hard he tried, the mass of hair would not lie flat. He finally opened a can of gel and tried to slick it back. It helped his hair to be flat and slick, like Draco wore his. Not wanting to look like his brother, Harry brushed it back again to get the gel out somewhat and his hair ended up looking like he had just gotten out of the shower. Sighing with exasperation, he left it as it was.

"What are you looking at?" Harry asked his brother as they were walking down the stairs to the common room. Draco laughed.

"You spent more time on your hair than most girls do," he commented. Harry shrugged and laughed. But stopped. The girls were already in the common room. They were waiting by the fire. Leslie had curled her hair and pulled it back on top of her head. Her dress was a deep blue with rhinestones going around the middle. Anya had left her hair down and it shimmered like silk down her back. Her dress was scarlet and split in the front, revealing a darker red underneath.

"Ready?" Anya asked, enjoying the expressions of surprise on the brother's faces. The nodded and Draco led the way, Leslie on his arm.

The Great Hall was already starting to fill up when Harry arrived. The teachers were all dressed for the occasion and most of them were already dancing. There was no band this year because Dumbledore had deemed it a more formal ball. However, Professor Flitwick had charmed an entire orchestra to play different songs, including some popular wizard songs. When the boys and their dates got there, the band was playing a song that seemed to be popular with everyone. Including Anya.

"I love this song, Harry," Anya exclaimed. Harry had to agree. It didn't even sound as if a band of classical instruments was playing. It sounded as if the songs were being played by the real thing. Words and all. Harry didn't understand it, but he wasn't going to complain. At the ball the previous year, Anya had taught the clumsy Harry to dance, and he found he liked it. Now he twirled Anya around the floor, to the delight of the spectators. The clapped and cheered his every move. Anya was breathless with delight when they were finished. She took the drink that Harry offered her and sat in a chair next to Leslie.

"Where's Draco?" Harry asked as he sat on the opposite side of Anya. Leslie shrugged.

"His dad came and got him. Well, actually, he pulled him away," she explained. Harry bit his bottom lip, worried. Anya noticed it.

"Don't worry, Harry," she told him, "Draco will be fine. I'm sure it's nothing." Harry nodded, but he wasn't convinced. He looked around the Great Hall, hoping to find his brother and father, but couldn't see them. But he did see Ron and Hermione. She looked, Harry had to admit, better than she did last year. Her hair was pulled back and she had curled it. It no longer was wavy and frizzy, it was shiny and curly. They hadn't arrived together, and Harry could tell they had not come with anyone. They sat near the teacher's table, discussing something quietly. Trying to act nonchalant, Harry made his way to the teacher's table. Luckily, Snape was there, and Harry had an excuse to stand near Ron and Hermione.

"What are you doing, Harry?" Snape asked, his voice low. He hated the formal balls and made sure everyone knew.

"Have you seen my brother?" he asked the professor. Ron and Hermione stopped talking when they heard Harry's voice.

"C'mon Hermione, dance with me," Ron urged, but Harry could hear the animosity in his voice. Laughing, he turned his attention back to Snape.

"They went outside. But I wouldn't go out there, Harry. Your father's not in the best of moods."

"Why?" Harry asked suspiciously.

"You brother's failing my class and Lucius is not happy with that." Harry cursed loudly.

"I need him Professor. If he fails, I'm short a Beater. Isn't there anything you can do?"

"Take a walk with me, Harry. Outside. We'll discuss it," Snape said and walked toward the door. Harry had no choice but to follow him.

The air was colder outside and Harry shivered in his robes. They looked nice, but there was nothing to them. They seemed to be made of air.

"So what can you do, Professor?" Harry asked when they were outside.

"Do you know the relationship between your date Anya and I, Harry?" Harry nodded his head. "Well, I've noticed that she hasn't been so hostile toward me when she met you, so I will make you a deal."

"I don't know Professor. Wasn't this how the bet with Father and Draco got started? Over a deal?" Snape turned suddenly and gripped Harry's shoulders.

"You don't understand, Harry. The Malfoys are slipping into oblivion. They serve the Dark Lord blindly. I know that even if you are one of them now, you harbor no love for him. He knows that now. That's why he attacked Anya's aunt and uncle. And that's why he attacked you."

"Attacked me?" Harry was thoroughly confused. There was no way the Voldemort could attack him. He wouldn't dare do anything under Dumbledore's nose. Snape must have seen the disbelief on Harry's face.

"Yes. Lucius confirmed it. It is a secret spell that many wizards have deemed so horrible that they have forgotten it. It was not meant to kill you, not yet. But it was a warning to me. That's why I need Anya with me. I can take her home and she will be protected." Harry shook his head.

"I still don't understand. You're not making any sense," Harry cried softly. Snape looked away and began to explain. Slowly.

"When you got ill, it was from what the Death Eaters called 'The Emotion Curse.' It was meant to make the sufferer slowly disintegrate into madness. The person that was cursed would go through every emotion possible and their minds would just, 'give up.' The dosage that you got was enough for your mind to recede into itself, and that's what made you pass out." Snape stopped walking and stared at Harry for a moment.

"Then how did Voldemort get to me?" Harry asked slowly. Snape shrugged.

"I have no idea. The spell is very hard to cast and it drains energy fast. Voldemort wouldn't have been able to disguise himself magically and cast the spell. He must have had someone else do it."

"Another spy in the castle?" Harry said in disbelief. Snape laughed.

"Probably. You remember what happened last year. It took Dumbledore an entire year to figure out that Moody was a spy. Defenses are higher, but that doesn't mean someone couldn't defect," Snape replied airily and walked faster. Harry didn't follow, knowing the conversation was over.