* * * *
Stephanie Gates
"Icicle it has been a month since you said that you were going to make Fudge's life a living hell and all you have done is read that book and write in the other one!" exclaimed Ron one Sunday evening.
"Ron when I go into war I make sure that I am going to win. Trust me come tomorrow things will no longer be peaceful at Hogwarts."
Hermione looked upset at the fact that Icicle was going to take on the Minister of Magic, "You better not get expelled."
"Oh I there is no chance of that, there is no chance at that."
* * * *
It was a bright Monday morning and all the students were in the hall eating breakfast. Fudge was sitting at the head table talking to Professor McGonagall when he stood up, "A month or so ago Ex-headmaster Dumbledore announced that there was going to be a casual muggle ball. Well I have decided that instead of a causal ball we are going to have a formal wizard's ball. So make sure you all have appropriate attire and a date……..Icicle?! What are you wearing!
A more accurate question for Fudge to ask would have been what are you not wearing. Near the entrance to the great hall there stood Icicle wearing a black, low cut, top that was see through with a red bra, a red choker with a silver cross, a short leather black skirt that barley covered her butt, and black leather boots. Her hair was up in a messy yet sexy do and she was wearing red lipstick with heavy black eyeliner. "Oh I found this in my closet and decided that today was a good day to pull it out and wear it."
"There is a dress code at this school. I will not tolerate you running around looking like a slut."
Icicle smirked, "Why thank you for your concern but I can assure you that I am not a slut. And for your information there is no rule stating that we have to wear uniforms. Check your own rule book. In the letters we get ever single year it states that we need them but no where in the rules does it say that we have to wear them."
Fudge picked up the rule book that Icicle had handed him and started flipping through trying to find a rule that will back him up. Finally when he decided that looking was pointless he turned on Icicle and the rest of the student population, "Well if there is no rule then I make one up right now; all students must wear their uniforms on school days."
"Okay, I will be glad to obey you when you get it passed by the Board of Governors and it officially becomes a part of the rules. The soonest it can become law is in one day." replied Icicle sweetly, "Now what is for breakfast."
"How does her ass not show in that skirt?" asked Ron as he watched Icicle join a very embarrassed Fudge for breakfast.
Harry just stared at Icicle and shrugged when Hermione bopped them both on their heads. "What was that for?" asked Harry as he rubbed his head.
"Stop drooling over Icicle butt and pack up; we have class."
As the three packed up to leave for Divisionary or Aritmacy in Hermione's case, Icicle excused herself from Fudge and joined them, "Good Morning."
"Icicle we can all see your bra." scolded Hermione.
"That is the point, to be as skany as I can without being naked. Normally I hate Mondays and the classes we have to go to but this outfit might spice up all three classes."
Hermione walked her separate way as Icicle, Harry and Ron waked up to the tower to be met by Professor Trelawney. "Miss Vera I see that you are following your destiny."
Icicle rolled her eyes at Trelawney, "If my destiny is to be a pain in the ass to people that bug the crap out of me then yes."
"You know your destiny is to join your father child! Don't mock the fates!"
"That is what makes me different from you, I don't believe in fate. We all can choose who we are and what type of person we want to be no matter what gifts we posses. There is always a choice. You made the choice of teaching instead of being a seer for the Ministry. Because you made that choice you are still alive."
Trelawney face paled, "I don't know what you are talking about?"
"You know all the seers that worked in the Ministry 14 years ago were killed by Voldemort."
Everyone in the class gasped, "Don't speak his name child," Trelawney pondered something for a while," Would I have died if I had chosen to work for the Ministry?"
"Everyone else did, what makes you so special that you wouldn't have. You know it was a complete slaughter."
Trelawney looked very shaken yet relieved, "Let's hope that you are right about us making our own fate or we are all going to be in a lot of trouble. Class, today we will be reading tarot cards, read the passage in the book and then pair off."
"Do you enjoy torturing her?' asked Harry
"Immensely."
* * * *
The next couple of weeks were amusing for the whole school. Icicle had continued to spite Fudge without getting into trouble. She had dyed her hair a glowing neon yellow color, placed signs that said dumb things around the school such as if you have gas smile, enchanted everyone so that they sung all day long, had a flock of peacocks follow people around school, and walked around acting as a one man band. Today she was speaking nothing but Spanish so that no one could understand what she was saying. Right now Icicle was smirking at Fudge who had just received a letter from the school governors. They had denied his request to band students from speaking other languages on the grounds that Hogwarts host events for schools all over the world and they could not band these schools from speaking their own language.
Looking past all the normal yells heard from Fudge throughout the day, all of the students were not really ready for the approaching ball. No one wanted to listen and dance to classical music all night long. Harry had turned down several girls already and was turning down yet another girl when he looked back at his friends, "I don't want to go to the dance."
"Come on chap!" pleaded Ron, "You have to go; Hermione and I are going. Why don't you ask Icicle?"
Harry looked over at Icicle and she sighed, "Sorry Harry. I have some fine points to prove to Fudge by showing up stag. But I think that I may have the perfect date for you. Are you free tomorrow during the Hogsmeade trip?"
"Yes, but………"
"She is really sweet Harry. I think you two will hit it off so what do you say about taking her to Hogsmeade and the ball?"
"Icicle I haven't ever been on a date and who is she……."
"Okay, I will go ask her for you."
Icicle walked across the room to the Ravenclaw table to an average size blonde and sat down next to her. Icicle started chatting to her and Harry saw her turn beet red and nod. Icicle then stood up smiled and walked back to the table, "She said that she didn't have a date and she would be honored to go with you?"
"Icicle, what is her name," asked Harry for the second time.
"Oh yeah her name! Her name is Stephanie, Stephanie Gates."
* * * *
Harry's hands were sweating; today was the day of both the ball and the Hogsmeade trip. Ron and Hermione were coming along for support and Icicle had left just a few minutes ago for YBT practice. As she ran out the door she had yelled at Harry that he was suppose to meet Stephanie at the front door at 9:30. "Harry?"
Harry turned around and saw the girl that he had seen yesterday. Her long blond hair fell down the back of her blue sweater, which matched her eyes perfectly. Harry had to admit that she was pretty. "Hi, you must be Stephanie."
"It's nice that I finally get to meet the great Harry Potter." smiled Stephanie.
Harry rolled his eyes and saw Ron and Hermione waiting for them, "These are two of my best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger."
Stephanie shook their hands politely. Hermione looked at her watch, "It's time to go. Let's get going because we have to get ready for the ball this afternoon so we can't stay out all day."
"Come on Herms, how long can it possibly take to get ready?" moaned Ron.
"It depends girl to girl, Lavender and Pavarti are not even going to Hogsmeade because they are already getting ready. They have to paint on their mask."
Ron winced at Hermione's remark, "Ouch that was low. Icicle may be a bad influence on you……."
"One day Ron I will bring you in to my dorm in the morning and you will see what I mean. They literally paint on mask."
Hogsmeade was the same as usual. Stephanie got along with the group although she was quieter and not as rambunctious as Harry's Gryffindor friends were. "So Steph, do you like quidditch?" asked Ron as they were all waiting for lunch in the Three Broomsticks.
"I love to watch it and keep track of the teams but I am not that good at it myself."
"With the last name Gates I would think that you would be a great flyer."
Stephanie gave a faint smile, "My four older brothers that are all professional quidditch players so you would think that I would be a good flyer but alas, the talent seemed to skip over me."
The rest of the meal revolved around quidditch much to Hermione's dismay. At three o'clock the four headed back to Hogwarts. "Meet you at the front door to the great hall?" asked Harry.
"That is fine with me," replied Stephanie.
Harry, Ron and Hermione all walked down the hall and after a while of walking in silence Ron spoke up, "I like her Harry; she is very down to earth. You two would make a nice looking couple."
Harry blushed, She is nice and pretty but I'm not sure if I know her well enough. I just don't get that feeling around her as I did with Cho.
When they finally reached the common room Hermione said good bye and walked up to the girls dorms to get ready. Ron and Harry sat down to a game of chess and at about 5:00 Icicle literally waltzed in. When she saw Harry and Ron she bounded over and sat next to Harry. "So how was it? Did you two get along? Do you like her? Do……."
Ron burst out laughing and fell out of his chair at the look of shock and confusion painted all over Harry's face, "Look what you did to him Icicle. Poor guy doesn't know what to say to all of the questions that you dumped on him."
Harry regained his thoughts and said the lamest response that a typical guy would respond with, "She was nice."
"Nice? Is that it?"
"Umm… no she was pretty and I think we got along."
"Guys are useless when it comes to gossip. I am going to have to go harass Hermione or Steph for some information."
"Shouldn't you be getting ready for the ball?" asked Ron.
"What time is it?"
"5:15 and the ball starts at 7:00."
"Uuuummmmm……..I guess I'll go since I seem to be the only female out here. I think I am going to take a long long shower and dawdle around up there any ways. Bye you two."
* * * *
