Chapter 21: Dumbledore's Announcement

"I'm glad you could all get here so quickly," Dumbledore said, his deep voice resonating throughout the Great Hall. As soon as they had stepped into the Entrance Hall, Malfoy and Melissa had split off to their respective houses as the students hurried into the Hall. Melissa was now sitting on the end of the Ravenclaw table between Seamus and Hermione.

"I have called you from your very busy lives to tell you about an event that will happen later in the year," Dumbledore announced. "In light of the tragic happenings of last year and the past several months, I—we've decided something needs to be done to bring the two rival houses closer together. That is why the sixth-year Gryffindors and Slytherins are going to be participating in a little…project that Professors McGonagall and Snape and I have thought up. For the month of March and the first two weeks in April, each sixth-year Gryffindor will be paired with a sixth-year Slytherin—"

There was a roar of indignation at this new development. Dumbledore tried in vain to calm everyone down. After ten minutes of shrill, screaming noise, the headmaster gave up and resorted to magical means in order to quiet the students down. He let off several loud firecrackers and, after a collective gasp from the students, silence reclaimed the Hall.

"Please allow me to continue," Dumbledore requested, killing a few dirty glares he was receiving with a Look©. He glanced over everyone sitting in front of him. "You will spend your free time with your partners; you will not necessarily have a partner of the same gender; you will be required to learn about your partner—what they like, dislike, their hobbies, what they like to do in their spare time, their friends, favorite subjects, least favorite subjects, et cetera. You will also eat meals with your partner."

"Professor, when will we find out who our partners are?" Melissa called over the quiet, voicing the one question that everyone was dreading the answer. Dumbledore glanced at her and smiled.

"Excellent question, Miss Potter, and thank you for reminding me," Dumbledore replied. "Your Heads of Houses and I will be meeting all this week in their free time and we will then choose a way to pick partners. Now, go. Savor the last day of Christmas vacation," he dismissed merrily, ignoring the murderous look the two houses gave each other.

"This project is going to make me very nervous," Melissa said anxiously as they climbed the stairs.

"I really hope I get paired with someone good!" Hermione cried while Harry frowned and nodded worriedly.

"Wouldn't it be absolutely awful if one of us got paired with…Malfoy?!" Ron asked, wrinkling his nose.

"Or Crabbe!" Seamus added. "He's such a dolt!"

"Or Goyle!" someone else exclaimed.

"Or Millicent Bulstrode!"

"Pansy Parkinson!"

This was met with groans and laughs from everyone. Ten minutes later, the Gryffindors, still gasping for breath, turned a corner and came face-to- face with the Gryffindor guardian portrait. They told her the password ("Treacle tart") and headed into the common room to tell their older and younger friends the news.

A/N: Hope you enjoyed it! Partners will be chosen in the next chapter or so.