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Chapter twenty three
Publicity issues
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The following days were rough for both Angela and Harry. In fact, it had become a test of their relationship. If they were able to maintain it despite the fact that almost everyone was against them.
It already started on the very day of their confrontation with Pansy. As soon as Angela walked into the Great Hall for dinner, many hateful and ominous glances focused on her. Majority of her own House classmates had eyed her like that already before, after she turned against Voldemort, so she was rather used to them. However, now she was out of favour with most of the students from other Houses as well, especially the girls, since Harry still enjoyed some popularity with them.
Their looks accompanied her to the very edge of the table where she sat down tensely. Then they began to whisper among themselves and sometimes, they even pointed at her mockingly. Not even the professors could hide that she had attracted their attention. Snape in particular was staring at her more than usually, which meant he did not take his eyes off her.
Harry was in a similar situation, although slightly better. Only Slytherin glared at him, but the other Houses seemed to be rather disappointed or disdainful. He could imagine what the topic of their conversations was, not to mention he could also hear some of it more than clearly…
How can he have anything in common with such a Slytherin scum? He sank quite low with this!
What did she do to wrap him around her finger? She must have cast a spell on him!
What does he see on her? I did not think that about Harry. What do you think, how long did they keep it a secret?
More and more not very muffled comments reached Harry´s and Angela's ears as the students made no effort to keep their voices down.
Ron and Hermione kept an eye on Harry to see if it would do anything to him, but he did not seem too bothered. He was pretending not to hear the noise around him, just like Angela was trying to.
Pale Daria, sitting not far from the trio, watched her friend Ginny confused, since the Weasley girl was sending burning, hateful glares at Angela.
"They're morons," Hermione stated disgusted, more to herself than to Ron and Harry, shooting the nearest students with a look of disdain.
"Yeah, ignore them at all, Harry," agreed Ron.
"I do," Harry replied calmly. "After all, we expected it. That's why we kept it a secret for so long."
"Listen, Harry, how could Pansy have revealed this so suddenly? How did she find out about you two?" asked Hermione about what had already occurred to her this morning.
"Well…" Harry trailed off, lowering his voice. "When Bill and I told you about what happened at that castle, I left out that our relationship… let's say it leaked right before the Death Eaters. So, she must have this information from someone close to Voldemort," he explained hesitantly. "Actually, we thought someone would come up with this sooner."
"Well, shit…" Ron responded. "Then He already knows about it too..."
"I´m sure of it," nodded Harry.
"You both need to take care of each other," Hermione noted carefully.
"I know," he sighed, glancing past his friends to the Slytherin table where Angela sat unusually hunched over. She caught his eyes and gave him a not-so-convincing smile.
/
Harry repaid her with the encouraging smile as well, and Angela felt a bit better thanks to it, but not for long. There was just too much of everything weighing on her shoulders. Everything came crashing down at once – her betrayal of the Dark Lord, her mother's death and shocking letter, Draco as a Death Eater, that scumbag Snape and his outrageously confident behaviour, Daria's grandmother unconscious because of Draco, and now even her relationship with Harry was revealed.
She did not remember ever feeling so tired and down. She just did not have the strength anymore. If it were not for Harry, she would have probably ditched everything and gone away somewhere very far away.
"Hey, Rosier!" she heard a boy's voice and out of the corner of her eye she saw that the attention of all the closest seated Slytherins focused on her. She did not turn to them, nor did she make any sign that she heard Blaise Zabini addressing her.
"You know what we´re interested in?" Zabini continued, calling out so that the other tables must have heard him as well. "How can our holy Potter stand a bitch like you? You enchanted him, didn't you?"
Mischievous laughing from the Slytherins followed his words.
"For how long have you been pouring him a Love Potion, huh?" Pansy added with a sneer. "Why not to boast to us about it?"
Angela stared intently at the plate, her hands shaking.
"And what was it like with him, huh? The first time…" Zabini asked with a smirk. "Though probably not for you, right?"
The group of seventh and sixth graders began to howl with laughter.
"You've always struck me as a whore, anyway," added Zabini, more quietly so that his voice would not reach the professors´ desk.
Angela gritted her teeth until her jaw tingled. She felt tears burning in her eyes, and she would not look at them now for anything. Harry clenched his hands into fists angrily.
"Hey, Potter!" Blaise exclaimed. "How was your time with her? Is she as good as she looks?"
Hermione grabbed Harry's elbow, who was definitely starting to notice the Slytherins now, just to be sure.
"Fuck off, Zabini!" snapped Ron scornfully.
The response was a burst of new laughter.
"Well, yes, Weasley here is a similar case!" Blaise responded. "He's been going out with nerd Granger for a while now, hasn't he?"
Ron turned his back on them and jabbed his fork sharply into the meat.
"Idiots," he muttered curses at the Slytherins under his breath.
"They're pathetic," Hermione stated, releasing Harry, who surprisingly remained seated.
In the end, the scofflaws got bored from the lack of reaction and started talking among themselves again.
/
Suddenly, Angela felt a gaze on her that felt more intense than others. She looked up to find Ginny Weasley looking at her like that. She watched her for a moment uncomprehendingly, but then she understood. After all, she had treated her with disdain and intolerance already before. It was clear to her. The redhead was still in love with Harry Potter and insanely jealous of her. This alone could explain her look and behaviour. There was no other explanation.
To her right, the girls were still giggling mischievously and the boys were openly making obscene gestures at her. She could see that Harry was red with rage and she herself had just had enough. Daria was perhaps the only one who looked at her sympathetically.
She got up from the table and hurried out of the Hall, spurred on by more taunts and her own tears that she could no longer hold back.
Harry wanted to get up and go after her, but Hermione stopped him uncompromisingly.
"I don't think you should try and talk with her now, Harry…"
"Why not?"
She leant closer to him: "If you want to keep going, each of you has to deal with this on your own first to make it work."
Her words did not convince Harry, but when he saw that Daria was already quickly heading outside the Hall as well, he sat down again. After all, her friend's company would probably be better for Angela now.
/
When Angela arrived into the bedroom late that night after talking to Daria, she found all her notes and books torn up and scattered on the bed. She was not even surprised, just disgusted.
Using her wand, she bundled them all into a trunk and slid it under the bed, deciding to try and fix them somehow tomorrow.
Her roommates pretended to be asleep, but it was clear to her that they were secretly watching her. She did not even undress, threw in two pills inside her mouth and after an hour of tossing and turning, fell into a fitful sleep.
/
It continued on Tuesday at breakfast.
It should not have surprised her, but she froze completely when the first thing she saw on the front page of the Wizarding Weekly which someone placed on the table in front of her was:
Harry Potter in clutches of the Death Eater´s daughter!
She did not even have time to take another breath and a flurry of owls was already descending on her, each one trying to get to her first. Everyone present in the Hall shamelessly stared at her.
She realized what that mail fuss meant. She had seen this rush of letters a few times before at Hogwarts. For example, in the fourth grade, when an article about Hermione Granger, written by Rita Skeeter about her relationship with Harry and Krum, was published.
She glanced at the Gryffindors. Well, sure enough, Harry was not bothered by any bird postmen. Why should he, since she was the worst character in this story? Her boyfriend was just discussing something with Ginevra Weasley. Merlin knew why she felt chills on her back at the sight.
She hastily started untying all the letters. She had no intention of opening any of them; she could imagine what was in them anyway. Just threats like: Leave Harry alone or I'll send a dragon at you plus a collection of vulgarisms. She really did not need that to worsen her mood.
Later, she pulled out the Daily Prophet from the pile of letters.
Malfoy Manor inaccessible! Aurors Headquarters at the end of their wits!
Dark guesses confirmed!
The Minister of Magic threatens: We will catch the Malfoy family!
She just skimmed the article with her eyes. This was predictable; Malfoys secured their lands in advance. On the next pages, she found slightly different headlines…
Angela Rosier – gifted after her mother?
Harry Potter unhappily in love! Or rather enchanted?
She found the end of the article and the name of Rita Skeeter flashed at her.
Well, sure, who else, she thought.
Of course, the Slytherin House immediately used the articles for new insults, but Angela was sleepless and tense and somehow managed to ignore their shouts. She was about to gather all the letters into a pile and take them to the nearest fireplace, but then she stopped.
One of the envelopes was fiery red and definitely looked a lot more menacing than others did. It was not a Howler though, everyone here would have gone deaf a long time ago in that case. She did not feel good about it at all. She turned it over in her hands for a while, but finally told herself that opening one would not hurt anything. At least, she would know what she must deal with.
Somewhat rattled, though she had no real reason to be, she tore open the envelope and pulled out a folded piece of paper of the same colour.
How does it feel to be hated by the whole school?
Her stomach turned from the first sentence that hit her.
You disgusting piece of shit! It was about time your fake sugar rush was revealed!
Harry is no fool and he will surely realize that you do not even reach his ankles! I cannot wait to see your expression when he breaks up with you! He cannot stay with a whore like you! You are just messing with his head the whole time!
Leave him alone immediately! You have already poisoned his life more than enough! If I see you anywhere with him, I swear I will kill you!
Angela stared wide-eyed at the trembling sheet, finding difficult to swallow the hatred that spewed directly at her from the letter. Who could have written that for Merlin? Who hates her so much?
"It was about time..." she repeated to herself. Then, it had to be someone who knew about their relationship long before. But whom?
She could have crossed out all the male gender because this was definitely written by a girl feeding on jealousy. She started arguing with herself.
Hermione? No way, she has Ron.
Daria? Not even in a dream!
Who else knew? Ginny…
No, that's bullshit. Why?
Well, she would not be able to write that! Really? What do you know?
She lifted her head again and peered over to where Ginny was leaning toward Harry, blocking her view of his face.
Could it be her after all?
/
For the next two weeks, the topic of conversation at Hogwarts did not change in the slightest. Harry´s and Angela's relationship was constantly at odds, so they saw each other as little as possible, not to create a reason for more taunts and speculations. Even the professors treated Angela Rosier strangely. The only positive thing about those two weeks was Remus´ release from the Hospital Wing. Everyone went to say goodbye to him, even Dumbledore, and Tonks escorted him out of the castle, accompanied by conspiratorial smiles.
Unfortunately, the condition of Daria's grandmother in the hospital did not change.
With only a fortnight left until the end of October, the students' attention was partly focused on something else. In the evening, just before food appeared on the tables, Headmaster Dumbledore got up and Snape actively arranged the Hall to be quiet.
Albus Dumbledore spoke in a noticeably weaker voice than ever before. Harry was looking at him quite worried.
"You've all known since the beginning of the school year that the Masquerade Ball will be held on All Saints' Eve. I would like to acquaint you with a few details."
The entire Great Hall immediately began to listen intently to Dumbledore.
"You must have noticed that a trip to Hogsmeade was not organized yet, and I think the reasons for this measure are more than understandable. However, we will still allow you to buy a costume for the Hogwarts Ball this weekend. I warn you that this will be the only option. On Saturday and Sunday, the Ministry guaranteed the safety of the village, so it will be carefully guarded. I ask everyone to take advantage of these two days, because we probably won't be organizing another trip in the near future."
Disgruntled murmurs echoed through the Great Hall.
"Furthermore, you should know that we have entrusted the organization of the Halloween Ball to your Head Girl and Head Boy, who can take anyone with them to help with the decorations or creating the program. I suppose you really have something to look forward to."
"How come you didn't tell us?" Ron immediately turned to Hermione.
"I wasn't allowed to," she smiled a little. "It should have been a surprise."
"It will start after dinner. Participation is not mandatory, only voluntary. We set the evening hours for…" Dumbledore paused, and the Hall became tensely silent. "For two in the morning. It's really the latest hour we agreed on, so I hope you'll stick to it."
Most of the students looked extremely satisfied.
"But be careful," Dumbledore stopped their enthusiasm. "Everyone is welcome to attend the ball, but first through fourth year students can only be present until ten o'clock."
Timid protests began to be heard from the places at the tables where the juniors were sitting, but the faculty looked implacable.
"We can't give your parents a reason to complain about letting you spend the night here like that," Dumbledore reassured them. "The faculty almost unanimously agreed on this."
The Great Hall fell silent again.
"I emphasize especially to our Head Boy and Girl that no alcohol is allowed to be served at the event," Dumbledore remarked conspiratorially. "Kindly remember that, everyone."
All the older students put on the expressions of complete innocents.
"And one more thing," Dumbledore said with a sigh. "We haven't let you know yet, as we've been negotiating with the Ministry of Magic's Security Department until the last few days, but… the Quidditch Tournament is being cancelled completely this year."
A roar of protest and a flood of complaints rang out in the Hall, silenced only by dangerously looking Snape.
"Unfortunately, that's how it is. The playground is at the very border of our grounds, near the Forbidden Forest, and the Ministry does not want to allow us to organize it. I'm sorry," added the headmaster, sitting down.
A rich dinner appeared on the tables, as always, but many people had no thought of food. Some thought of Quidditch – the one thing that brought them all together and entertained them throughout the year. Others, however, were only thinking about the upcoming ball.
/
On a sunny weekend, perhaps the entire school from the third grade and up went to Hogsmeade. Not because no one thought about it and did not buy masks already during the holidays, but because they could finally get out of the grounds of Hogwarts Castle for a while. After a long time, they could go somewhere else and they took full advantage of it.
However, there was not one new costume shop, as Dumbledore had said, but two. The Weasley twins built their colourful shop in the middle of the little square. It was crowded for the entire opening time, as they were the only ones with costumes that moved or spoke or made animal sounds. Hermione and Ron also bought their costume there, but each one separately so that the other's disguise would be a surprise for them, which Hermione insisted on.
Harry still could not choose. Although he tried to get out of Angela at school what she would go for, since he knew she already had a costume, but she did not even give him a hint. He went through tens of options, but still could not think of anything, even though the selection was rich.
Finally, in a row with costumes mostly from Muggle fairy tales and legends, a black suit with a hat, a mask covering the upper part of the face and a cord caught his eye. He came upon it mainly thanks to Ron knocking it off the stand when he was pulling the hawk mask from behind it. He realized that he had seen this disguise before in a Muggle movie. The saleswoman was excited about it when he tried it on and kept telling him that it suited him outrageously. In the end, she almost forced it on him at a discounted price.
Then they went to sit in the crowded Three Brooms, where they found Angela and Daria at a table in the corner. They conjured their chairs to them and started talking, oblivious to the hostile looks from the other students.
Yet, when Harry wanted to take Angela's hand, she pulled away. He looked at her uncomprehendingly, but she did not meet his eyes.
Angie, what's up? he asked in thoughts.
There are many people here, Harry. Why should we add fuel to the fire?
It does not matter who sees us together anymore, he objected. I'm tired of hiding when everything is out in the open anyway!
But…
No buts! Are you telling me you won't even dance with me at the Ball?
She looked at him with her eyes shining: I would love to, but…
Angie, finally, we have no reason to hide anymore, so we will go to the ball as a couple.
Do you really want it that way?
Yes. And I don't care what anyone thinks about it.
All right then. I'm really looking forward to it already, Angela finally agreed.
Me too, Harry smiled.
/
They had not even finished their dinner yet, and Hermione, along with the Head Boy, the prefects of all the years and a few more students, were showing them out of the Hall as quickly as possible. In a moment, they closed the door in front of them. A few students danced curiously in front of the door, but Professor Flitwick, who was guarding, sent them away.
Harry, Ron and the other boys changed into their costumes in the bedroom. Neville went for a chestnut stallion with a tail, Dean for a lion – his head made really scary noises – and Seamus for a pirate. Ron's hawk head was making believable screeches and Harry felt more comfortable and cosy in the black suit of cloak and hat than he had ever hoped for.
At half past eight, like most of the other Gryffindors, they eagerly made their way downstairs. Everyone who entered through the already open door was literally speechless.
The Great Hall was breath taking. Gone were the long tables of the Houses. In their place were many smaller tables with red and orange tablecloths around the walls, each set with drinking glasses and a tall candle burning with bright multi-coloured flame.
Among the tables with comfortable chairs were regularly placed tables with a rich selection of all kinds of canapés, sandwiches, sweets and drinks of all kinds, but no alcoholic beverages, yet, as it was known that even the professors would only be at the ball until ten. All the windows had colourfully painted glass, mostly with spooky scenes and skulls.
In the place where the professors´ table usually stood, a dark stage hung with garlands and confetti and the lights still off was set up, where the favourite group Weird Sisters was tuning their instruments. Above it all, a plethora of glowing pumpkins and blue, white and green flickering candles hung in the air, giving the Hall an eerie feel. Spiders of various sizes unexpectedly appeared among them on long fine webs; Ron was not the only one looking at them with considerable distaste. And temporary muffled dark music wafted from an indeterminate place before Weird Sisters were supposed to start playing live.
Harry and Ron occupied a table for six and kept looking around admiringly as they waited for their partners. Finally, Hermione entered in a beautiful phoenix bird disguise, literally shining in all directions. Ron jumped out of his chair and waved at her. When she reached them and looked at Ron's hawk costume, she immediately reached a conclusion.
"I knew it! You were watching while I was shopping for the costume, weren't you?"
"Not at all! What do you think of me, Hermione?" Ron argued.
"You always wanted to go for something like me! How else would you know I'd go for a bird, huh?"
"Come on, Hermione," Harry involved to calm the situation down. "Are you really going to argue this evening?"
"No," sighed Hermione.
"See? Just have a nice seat," Ron pulled a chair out for her. "By the way, it suits you very well."
Hermione smiled happily and the argument was over.
When the one Harry had been eagerly waiting for walked in, he recognized her immediately, even though she covered her face with a pale blue veil. He watched her in fascination from a distance until Hermione poked him to get up and go get her.
With her disguise, Angela reminded him of only one person – the legendary princess Scheherazade from the Muggle fairy tales of One Thousand and One Nights. She was dressed in a long, pale blue and very light multi-piece pleated skirt, wearing moccasins of the same colour as if were her scarves, and a short blouse with translucent sleeves that ended high above her waist, revealing her midriff. Bracelets glittered on her hands and a necklace with a dragon on her neck. She still wore it, even though Harry did not like it. Her hair was pinned in a simple hairstyle with long strands falling down her back.
She did not notice the black clad figure approaching her, until he stood in her way. Only then did he notice that on her left arm was a black mark of a snake coiling around a rose.
"May I invite you to our table, beautiful lady?" he addressed her with a smile, taking her hand in a black gloved palm.
"I almost didn't recognize you," Angela declared with a bright face, that even her veil could not hide.
"I'll always recognize you, everywhere," Harry answered confidently, leading her to the table. "How come you chose a Muggle disguise?" he asked curiously. "I get it for myself, but you…"
"What?" Angela wondered. "Well, actually… You probably know Scheherazade from Muggle stories, don't you?"
"Well, sure," Harry nodded and set up a chair for her.
"But Scheherazade was a real person. A witch, and quite a famous one at that."
"Exactly, I read something about her," Hermione confirmed.
"Really?" wondered Harry, who really did not know so much about wizarding history yet.
"Once upon a time she married a Muggle king. That is how the Muggles found out about her. She was famous for her ability to charm everyone and the mark on her arm," Angela explained more about the person she was disguised as and the reason for the tattoo. "She loved white roses and had a snake's tongue."
"An extremely interesting person," noted Ron.
"But she certainly wasn't more beautiful than you," Harry surmised.
After a while, also Daria and Ginny joined them. Ginny came in a rather sexy cat costume that Ron wondered if she was even his sister and Angela was literally scared by Daria's appearance. She came as a fairly believable vampire with loose hair, red contact lenses and sharp protruding fangs.
Ginny looked askance at Angela and Harry hugging each other with a rather strange look and left to dance after a while. The band had already started playing and the place under the stage was filling up quickly. It was teeming with ghosts, magical and ordinary animals, figures from wizarding and Muggle history, and sometimes even completely unidentifiable disguises.
At exactly ten o'clock, the Head Boy and prefects, with the help of the professors, escorted all persons under the age of fourteen from the Great Hall. After a while, the professors also moved away, and that was the moment for the two bears with baskets on their backs, who had arrived a moment ago, to throw off their masks.
"Fred! George! Where have you been for so long?" Hermione hurried to them.
"Well, it took us a while to get everything we wanted," the twins defended themselves in unison. "But it was worth it!"
They took two huge baskets crammed with various bottles of alcohol from their backs.
"Great!" beamed Ron. "People! There is a proper drink finally!"
"The real fun begins!" commented someone in the crowd that had formed around the twins as they started to pass the bottles around.
