Inklings of Celebrity
Chapter Seven: To Eat, Drink and Be Merry
A/N: Right then, a new chapter. The Christmas gifts may sound stupid, but I couldn't really think of much. Oh, and let's all say that Hitomi learnt English in school, and the Gaeans automatically adapted to English when taken from their planet. The Gaeanese is the name of the club that they've formed. And the people who requested to be in this chapter? You are mentioned, and will be in the story more later.
For the Christmas holiday, Harry and his friends signed up to stay at Hogwarts, as usual. So did the members of the Gaeanese, as the group that included Ginny, Viole, Guimel, Shesta, Gatti, Dalet, Dilandau, Hitomi and Van had once again termed themselves. It was now an exclusive club, with only those ten and Folken as their caretaker. They had all celebrated Hitomi's birthday earlier that month, on December 9th.
As always, there was to be a huge Christmas feast, with presents on Christmas morning. The days before Christmas, Hogsmeade was a flurry of Christmas shoppers, including our Hogwarts friends. They all used their hoards of gold to buy presents for each other. This was excruciating, for at least ten presents were bought.
Gatti, in a burst of generosity, managed to buy Invisibility Cloaks for all his friends, and a beautiful necklace to his girlfriend, Sabby. Dalet had teamed up with him, and he got a similar necklace for his girlfriend Meliae. The others mainly stuck to books, sweets, clothing, novelty items, jewelry, and weapons (fighters must have more than one sharp, pointy object!).
Van gave Hitomi her pendant, along with a sketch he'd bought that looked like her and a fly around the land, while he gave his brother a statue of an angel (which, of course, looked like a Draconian). Christmas was new to most of them, but they embraced the holiday at once.
Professor Snape had even given Folken a Sneakoscope, trying to get on his good side. Folken was the new Head of Ravenclaw, since another teacher had backed down from the position. This suited Folken, as he'd always been the brilliant type anyway.
On Christmas Eve, Selena and Hitomi invited Ginny to their dorm to have a girls' night. Hitomi had relaxed her rule on tarot reading, and was going to teach them. The two fifth-year girls had magically moved their bed together. Ginny had found a book of interesting spells to change your look, which they were all anxious to try out. "Selena, how can you slap people so hard?" Ginny asked. She'd witnessed Draco being slapped by Selena earlier on that week.
Selena laughed. "Practice. Dilandau taught me, you know; he was always slapping people." All the girls there knew about Selena's previous adventures, so they knew what she meant. Hitomi laid the tarot cards out, and started to explain the meaning of individual cards and combinations.
"So what is it we do?" asked Selena, open-mouthed and bewildered after Hitomi had explained the basics of tarot. Hitomi sighed, and started again. At that moment, Hermione popped her head in.
"What're you doing?" she asked. This was the perfect time to find out more about Selena.
"We're trying to learn how to use tarot cards," replied Ginny. "It's the most complicated thing I have ever endeavored to learn, and beyond." Although Hermione didn't believe in any fortune-telling, she decided she might as well join. It wasn't like it would actually work, right?
"Can I join?" Hermione asked. The three other girls glanced at each other, but didn't want to be rude, so they let her stay with them. She picked up tarot reading eventually, long after the others did. Ginny decided that they should start on the look-altering charms next. After they sneaked some food out from the kitchen, that was.
"Where's the kitchen, anyway?" Hitomi inquired curiously.
"It's behind a still life of fruit," replied Hermione. "You tickle a pear. But we can't go there now, guys! We'll be seen, and Gryffindor already has -89 points!"
"Don't worry," Selena said cheerfully, "Gatti gave us Invisibility Cloaks for Christmas, we'll use those." She paused, and her face lit up. "I've got an even better idea! We'll have a Christmas party with the others!"
"Wonderful!" Hitomi exclaimed. "You go call Dilandau, Selena, and tell him to get the others, and we'll meet in the Common Room. We'll have to be quiet, though."
"No, we won't," Ginny joined in, "We can put a Silence Spell on to keep people away. It'll be brilliant" Hermione looked increasingly more nervous. "Don't worry, Hermione. You can stay here if you want," Ginny suggested.
Hermione relented, and promised not to tell on them. Then she went back to bed. Meanwhile, the others were preparing for a small party. Selena had snuck down to the kitchens with her Invisibility Cloak, and was attempting to carry back several heavy pastries, meat, soup and drinks.
After this was carried out, the Gaeanese party began. They ate, and talked, then shared all their presents. After this, Van and Hitomi went off in a corner by themselves, and Viole talked to Ginny. All the others kept on talking, and performing or making up odd spells to amuse themselves.
One of these spells must have gone wrong, for a shadow suddenly appeared in the room, then became solid. The figure formed into a man with dark hair. He surveyed the room, then laughed. "So, I'm in Hogwarts somehow. How did I get here?" he mused. He would've been afraid of being caught, but no one in the room seemed alarmed to see him there.
"We accidentally summoned you," Shesta lazily explained.
The man frowned. "What spell did you use?"
Guimel shrugged. "Something like seriuble, I think. We made it up."
The man was apparently in deep thought. "The spell is close to my name, so... it must have been..." he muttered in explanation to himself. At that moment, in one of the fifth-year boys' dormitory (the Gaean boys had their own dorm, while Harry and his friends had another), Harry Potter regarded his Marauder's Map in amazement.
Sirius Black was in the Gryffindor Common Room. Harry couldn't believe his eyes, even when he put on his glasses. How and why would his godfather be here? Harry grabbed his faithful Cloak, and went down to investigate. The library, where he'd wanted to go, could wait.
When entering the large room, the first thing he saw was Hitomi and Van kissing in a nearby corner. Averting his eyes from this, he saw his godfather in the middle of the room, with other fifth years and the remains of what had been a feast. "Sirius!" he called.
Sirius Black turned to meet him, his face breaking out into a grin. "Hello, Harry! You're looking quite well."
Harry's face wrinkled up in confusion. "How did you get here, and how come you came?" he asked.
Sirius ran his hands through his hair. "I don't quite know, actually. I think these people accidentally summoned me," he answered.
"That's exactly what happened," Ginny spoke up. Harry was truly amazed by now.
"Ginny? What're you doing here?"
"Eating, feasting, being merry," she shrugged, "We had a party, in other words. Don't worry, Harry" Harry noticed that she had lost her awkward manner when talking to him. This was good, in a way, but it had been nice to have an admirer. He also noticed that Ginny seemed to exude confidence, and that a fellow had his arm around her waist.
Harry smiled briefly, and wondered how Ron would've reacted to that interesting fact. "But what exactly happened, then?" he persisted. The group sighed, and Sirius took Harry off to explain in detail to him. The teenagers then toasted each other a few times with Butterbeer, then lapsed into a dull silence. Perhaps it was the effect of the drink, but at that moment, Selena started feeling very cold, and shivered.
Dilandau noticed this, and asked with concern by conveying to Selena, What's the matter?
I'm freezing now, I don't know why. Dilandau took off his robe, leaving him in his standard black leather pants, and then gave the robe to Selena to wear. Those sitting by them, which consisted of the five DragonSlayers and Ginny, weren't really embarrassed, since. For one thing, Ginny had brothers, and had accidentally walked in on them a few times, while the DragonSlayers had shared one room to change in.
Selena put on the robe over her thin nightwear, and smiled at Dilandau. Dilandau was always considerate to her, and never seemed to mind sacrificing anything of his for her. She yawned, putting her head on his shoulder, where she quickly fell asleep. Dilandau smiled and pulled the robe more snugly around Selena.
The party was coming apart by now, since half of the teenagers were asleep. No one had yet tried to leave, as if the party was a test of stamina between them. Eventually, as the Gryffindor clock struck four o'clock, Dilandau and Van silently brought the others up to their four-poster beds. They still weren't the best of friends, but respected each other, if nothing else.
Later on that day, snow fell. The students at the school went out to have a snowball fight with the teachers. Folken discovered a new way to make snowballs, that was faster and harder than the others. After the snowball fights, in which the teachers won (they'd cheated, with magic), the Gaeanese club went to sleep for the rest of the day. Their last night endeavor had been exhausting, although satisfying.
While the Gaeanese were sleeping, Harry had taken Sirius up to Dumbledore's office. Sirius was under the protection of an Invisibility Cloak, so the two of them had no trouble going to the office. Since neither Harry or Sirius knew the password, they were in for a long wait.
Eventually, Dumbledore showed up and invited them inside. As they were escorted in, the principal inquired, "What's the matter?"
"Sirius was conjured here, last night, by some of the newer Gryffindor fifth years," explained Harry, "and I wasn't sure what to do. That's why I came here."
Dumbledore stroked his beard and considered this new matter. "Summoning people is very powerful magic, Harry. I myself have not yet mastered it. Are you quite sure?" Harry nodded, and the three of them thought deeply.
Sirius spoke up, "The spell they used was one they made up - seriuble, I believe they said."
"Really? There aren't many self-made spells around nowadays. I wonder how that happened. However, Sirius, I would recommend you stay with Hagrid as an Animagus. I will speak to him and make the necessary arrangements. Just leave Sirius and I here for now," Dumbledore finished, standing up.
"Thank you, Professor," thanked Harry, and he left. His mind was full of muddled thoughts as he trudged down a stairway, which a little man was at the bottom of. He dumped a bucket of water on Harry. "PEEVES!" Harry yelled.
Peeves chuckled, "Ooh, poor Potter is dripping." Harry scowled, and broke off into a sprint to tell Hermione what had happened; Ron had gone home for the holidays. When he reached the Gryffindor Common Room, Hermione was already there waiting for him.
"Harry, guess what happened last night," she said.
"Sirius was summoned by Selena and her friends during a party of theirs. Ginny was there," he responded.
Hermione gasped. "I was about to say that Selena, Hitomi and Ginny were having a party last night, and Gryffindor actually didn't lose points!" She shook her head, then grumbled, "Like Selena Schezar hasn't lost enough points for our house."
Harry was beginning to think that Ron was right about Hermione being jealous of Selena. "Hermione... tell me the truth. Are you jealous of anyone?" She flushed.
"Well, maybe a little envious of Selena," she admitted.
"Why?"
Hermione started ranting, "She's the one that attracts the boys' attention, and you should see how close she and Dilandau are! And it's just not fair that..." Hermione continued, and Harry eventually got the gist of what she was saying.
Hermione had been insanely jealous of Selena ever since the first week. This was because she liked Dilandau, and with Selena around, she didn't have half a chance. Another peeve if hers was how Selena had instantly fit in, unlike Hermione, and was approaching Hermione's spot at the top of the class. She was also jealous of Selena's looks and her closeness to all the good-looking boys around.
While Hermione continued, Harry had a sudden idea. Since he liked Selena, and Hermione liked Dilandau, they could collaborate to get who they wanted. "Hermione!" Harry exclaimed, "I know what we could do. We'll team up - you help me get Selena, then we'll work on Dilandau."
Hermione glanced skeptically at Harry. "Why would you get to go out first?"
"Well, Selena is in your dorm. Just work on her, then if she goes out with me, I can mention a double date," Harry pointed out smugly. Hermione reluctantly consented, and the plan was set in motion.
Later on that day, Hermione was in her dorm, struggling to set up a Christmas bookshelf. Selena breezed in, so Hermione took the opportunity to talk to her. "Hey," she called, "can you help me set up this bookshelf?"
"Sure," Selena replied, and she nailed it into the wall for Hermione.
"Thanks," Hermione panted, "By the way, do you know Harry Potter?"
"Yes, he's your friend, isn't he?"
Hermione nodded, and continued with her plan. "He's been really depressed lately. I was going to bring him to Hogsmeade with me this weekend, but I think I'll probably annoy him by myself. Would you be able to come? You're always optimistic, so maybe you could cheer him up. You could bring Dilandau, too."
Selena considered this. "Well, I already promised Dilandau I'd go with him, so if we both come and you both come, we can walk around." Hermione smiled, and the two girls finished setting up the bookshelf.
Author's Note: Right then, this is chapter seven. Hogwarts will be having a few events in the future of this story, which will involve other Escaflowne characters. Should I involve any of the cat girls? Just because Naria and Eriya are supposedly dead doesn't mean that they are (I've thought f an explanation for this, if needed), so just give your opinions.