A/N: Hmm, cliffie back there. What fun. Anyway, it's time for a new chapter of my boo-tiful tale…
Chapter 14
Harry checked his watch impatiently. It was about seven-thirty and dessert was almost over with. Dumbledore would be making his announcements sometime soon. Harry poked at his pie with his fork, bored.
Next to him, George and Fred were chatting with some of their seventh-year friends. Alicia Spinnet was flirting mercilessly with George but he seemed to like it quite a bit. Fred was too preoccupied with Angelina Johnson, who was practically sitting in his lap, to care about what was going on around him. (Which really wasn't much.)
All noise and movement in the Great Hall stopped as Professor Dumbledore stood up and tapped his spoon on his glass. "Quiet down, students, I have a few announcements to make."
The golden plates cleared when Dumbledore began to speak. Several students sat straighter and looked up at the High Table attentively as Dumbledore started to talk again. "My first announcement is to say that Quidditch season officially starts next Monday, November 1st. For those of you that don't know, that's in two days. Captains, reserve your spots on the practice field with your Heads of Houses." He cleared his throat. "The second announcement I have is that tomorrow evening Hogwarts will be having a Halloween Ball for students fourth year and up after the usual feast. The Halloween Ball will be held from eight-o-clock to midnight in the Great Hall. This is an excellent time to get to know people from other Houses."
Harry, Ron, and Hermione's jaws dropped. After all that had been going on, they had completely forgotten about Halloween. Looking around the Gryffindor Table, Hermione noticed from the looks on some of their faces that several other students had forgotten as well. She turned her face back up to Dumbledore at the High Table as he said,
"Those are all the announcements for this evening. You may all head back to your houses, and remember that tomorrow you have no classes. However, I would like to meet with the prefects of each house and the Head Boy and Girl to discuss some things with you before you leave."
The Great Hall began to clear as everyone headed back to their houses. Harry and Ron started to walk back to Gryffindor Tower, but stopped when they saw Hermione heading up to the High Table.
"Where're you going, Hermione?" asked Ron.
"Don't you remember? I'm a prefect!" she said haughtily with a nasty grin. She stopped in her tracks and made a complete turn to face her friends. Hermione's face then brightened up with a smile that Ron found entrancing. "I'll be back to the common room in about ten minutes!" Hermione spun on her heel and went to join the rest of the prefects and Heads at the High Table.
Harry shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly, and he and Ron continued their walk to Gryffindor Tower, not noticing the small, shadowy figure following them again.
*At the High Table*
"What did you need us for, Professor?" asked a girl named Lisa, a prefect from Ravenclaw.
"Well, the teachers and I have done a lot of the planning already for the ball tomorrow. We decided on decorations, and we decided on refreshments. But we also decided that we needed some student input. Do any of you have any ideas that you think would make the ball more interesting?" asked Dumbledore.
"Do you think we could play some American Muggle music?" asked dark-haired Devin Lynch, the Gryffindor Head Boy. He tugged uncomfortably on his school uniform as he spoke.
Professor Dumbledore closed his eyes as he considered Devin's request. "Yes, that sounds fine. What did you have in mind?"
"Maybe some blink-182, or New Found Glory, stuff like that. Maybe we could even have one of those bands play here!" Devin's foot scuffed the floor in his excitement. "Or Britney Spears!" he shook his head and grimaced. "Whoa, where did that come from?"
"Mr. Lynch, if you'd like to help me arrange the music, I'm sure we can play whatever the students would like," said Dumbledore. "We may even be able to get the boys from New Found Glory to play here- they attended school here for several years before they moved to California to start their band. They would probably enjoy playing here. I knew Jordan, Cyrus, Ian, Chad and Steven well. Almost like the Weasley twins- very mischievous, they were. I'll contact them tonight- it's only, oh, noon or so where they are."
Devin practically fell on the floor. "Wow," he said, dumbstruck.
"What if we have special lighting or something so it looks like we're on another planet?" asked another prefect.
"That sounds like a good idea. I can arrange that as well," said Dumbledore.
Hermione then spoke up quickly, worried that she wouldn't be able to speak otherwise. As she began to share her idea, no one heard the crash of a suit of armor falling over and Draco Malfoy skidding into the Great Hall. He blushed to the roots of his peroxidized hair, looked down at the blocks of ice on his feet and ran as fast as he could away from the scene.
"Do you think we could wear costumes instead of robes? I mean, students who want to wear their robes could, but it IS Halloween. We could have a costume contest, too…?" she left her statement unfinished.
"That sounds wonderful, Miss Granger. I can make all the announcements at breakfast tomorrow for the ball. Devin, if the boys from America will be able to come, they'll be here in the morning- do you think you could help me greet them?"
"Sure, Professor," said Lynch.
"All right. Well, you all are dismissed. Have a good night's rest, and remember, no classes tomorrow," said Dumbledore, and left.
"The effects of the powder must have worn off," said Hermione to herself as she walked with Devin up to Gryffindor Tower. "Nothing really crazy happened tonight."
"What did you say?" Devin asked.
"Nothing," she squeaked and said the password. She slipped past the Fat Lady and entered the common room.
"Well, g'night," grumbled Devin and he walked up to his dorm.
"Well, what did Dumbledore have to say?" asked Harry. "And who was that bloke you walked in with?"
"The ball is going to be a costume ball. There's a costume contest, and Professor Dumbledore is going to have the American band New Found Glory come and play, too," Hermione said unexcitedly, whipping her hair into a quick ponytail.
"New Found Glory? Are you mad? That's the best band EVER!" said Harry, positively writhing with excitement.
"Lovely. I'm heading up to bed- I'm tired. I'll see you all at breakfast in the morning," she said.
"She's so pretty…" Ron said, and fell on the floor.
"Is Mr. Wheezy all right?" squeaked a shadow.
"Dobby?" asked Harry.
A/N: lol, that was retarded at the end, but I don't care. I cranked out a niiiiiice long chappie for you- be happy!
