A/N: Hi there!!! I'm really sorry I didn't update sooner, but this past couple weeks has been really weird. I've been alternately suffering writer's block, having great ideas, then when if try to transfer them to paper, I have trouble filling in the parts between the action parts. I've also started a second story (yes, I know it isn't a good idea, but I have to get out this idea) It sounds cliché, but its actually a new idea ( i think). I'm also thrilled to be at nearly 100 reveiws! I love you guys!
Anyway, sorry if this is kind of different, but Word has died on my computer, so I'm forced to use less user friendly software. There might be some grammar issues since this lacks spell check. Also, i would like to recommend a few excellent stories: Res Ipsa, by cottoncandy9128, Advanced Muggle studies, by FracturedFaerie(she is my all time favorite author), and Return to Eden, by DracoDew17 (this story actually has many similarities to mine, even though I only read it after I was to about chapter 5 of this). Enjoy!
Everyone Has A Dark Side
Chapter 11: Invited? ME?!
Hermione stared at the card. Glancing down the table, she saw that every Slytherin had been invited, as well as a few students from each of the other houses. Draco must have gotten hold of her invitation, however, and personalized it, since al the other cards she could see had only the top writing.
She looked up to find him watching her. She smiled shyly, he grinned back. Hermione blushed and stared into her oatmeal. Pansy whispered, "See, I told you! Well, are you going to go?"
"Of course. Uh, if this is on Halloween, are you supposed to dress up in a costume, or do you wear dress robes?" Asked Hermione
"A couple first years might wear costumes, but no one else does. Oh, and to answer your other question, this isn't the kind of thing you need a date to go with. The Malfoys just have a ball every year, and it is SO much fun! You'll enjoy yourself."
Over at the Gryffindor table, mild chaos had ensued. Ginny was staring at the green and silver envelope next to her plate with an expression of mingled shock and fascination. All her friends were goggling at it, too. "Why don't you open it?" suggested Pavarti looking envious. Ginny did so, and read:
Dear Ginevra Weasley,
You are cordially invited to the annual Malfoy Halloween Ball on October 31. We hope you will be able to attend.
Sincerely,
Lucius, Narcissa, and Draco Malfoy
She and her friends gapped at the card, until Ron snatched it out from under her nose. He and Harry scanned it quickly. "No way. Ginny, you are not going to this. Why on earth would you be invited, even? How did they know your first name? Have you been hanging around the Slytherins?" Ron demanded suspiciously, glaring at the far table.
Ginny's mind spun. While she had absolutely no idea why she had been invited to the Malfoy's ball, she was a social person and was excited to have the opportunity to go to a ball not hosted by Hogwarts; since the school dances were often rather boring. She wanted to go, but she knew she could not say this to her brother, he would have a fit. "Of course I don't want to go, Ron. And, I have no clue why I received this." she lied quickly.
"Good. Those Slytherins are trouble." Ron said shortly.
Ginny watched Hermione laughing with her friends. Why on earth had she been sent this invitation. Maybe the Slytherins intended playing a joke on her, but she could just avoid them. There were bound to be people from other houses at the Ball that she that could hang around with. She also wondered how the student's were supposed to get to the Malfoy Manor. Most were too young to Apparate, the train trip to London would take hours, and Floo powder, although efficient was not the best way to travel when you were dressed up for a dance. The Malfoys were rich, and Ginny guessed they would set up a port key to transfer all the students at once.
She looked back at the Slytherin table. A boy with longish, dark hair was watching her, but looked away quickly. Ginny blinked. "Oh, he is soooooo hot!" breathed one of her friends.
"Who?"
"That guy with the dark hair. He's in the 6th year, I think. I wish I knew his name." Ginny sighed. She hated it when her friends obsessed over guys. She had plenty of crushes, and had gone out with several guys, but she did not have to talk incessantly about them. She grabbed the invitation and shoved it in her school bag while Harry and Ron weren't looking, then left the table. She decided to go to transfiguration early, since she wasn't in the mood to start giggling about what to wear with her friends.
Back at the Slytherin table, Hermione got up and went back to the dormitories to change into her school uniform. She would gladly have worn her new clothes all day, however, since she loved them. She kept on the serpent necklace. It was too pretty to take off, she decided, and tucked it under the neck of her robes. She hurried down the stairs and out of the common room so she wouldn't be late for arithmancy.
That night at dinner, when the food appeared, so did a huge chocolate cake with Happy Sweet 16 Hermione written on it. Although she did not ask, she could tell her friends had arranged it by their grins. "I love you guys!" she said happily, as they all tucked into it, leaving dinner for later.
When Hermione fell asleep that night she was the happiest she thought she had ever been in her life.
On Thursday, just over two weeks after her birthday, while Hermione was chatting with her friends at break, her pocket burned her. She scooped out the DA galleon, looked at it, and then glanced at her friends. "Can you guess what this means?" she asked, grinning conspiratorially.
"There're having another meeting?" said Pansy.
"Yes. Its at 7 PM on the 5th, that's tomorrow. I suppose they didn't want to chance us 'overhearing' anyone talking about the next meeting." her eyes glinted and she smirked. "Do you think we should pay them a little visit?"
"Why not?" asked Blaise, her voice laced with mirth. "Lets tell everyone after class. Maybe we can plan a nice little surprise for Prince Potter and his friends."
When the Slytherins had all gathered in their common room, Blaise, Pansy, and Hermione called Draco, Sarah, Theodore, Millicent, Crabbe, and Goyle over. Eyes shining, the three friends told the others what they had found out.
"They're having another meeting -"
"- that defense club thing -"
"- and we thought -"
"- we could go by and pay them a bit of a surprise visit!"
The nine students grinned at one another and, in perfect unison, said, "Perfect!"
"Are you sure you know the wand movement for the conjunctivitis curse?" Blaise asked Sarah. The latter scowled.
"Blaise, we've been over this - I've got all the hexes stuck to my brain - permanently."
"Calm down, this will go fine, you worry too much." coaxed Pansy. Their group was currently secreted in the owlery. A few excited 4th and 5th years had come along too, as well as some 7th years from the Quidditch team who held grudges against Potter due to hard losses in the past.
Hermione glanced at her watch, and tugged on Pansy's sleeve. Their plan was for the two of them to go down the corridor of Barnabas the Barmy and lurk out of sight until the saw the last few people arriving for the meeting. Before the DA members could lock the door of the Room of Requirement, the pair was supposed to signal the rest of the ambush group by singing a loud chorus of Weasley is Our King, so the rest of the Slytherins would know they could approach without alarming arriving members. Then Hermione and Pansy were to enter the Room of Requirement and annoy the DA while the others came.
It was 6:45, so the two girls slipped out of the owlery to find a place to conceal themselves before anyone arrived. There were some small alcoves behind the suits of armor in the hall, but the girls weren't sure they would be properly hidden behind them. Hermione felt along the tapestry depicting Barnabas the Barmy attempting to train trolls for the ballet. She suddenly exclaimed, "Pansy, there's a space behind this!" She pulled up the corner and reveled a hollow behind the tapestry. It seemed as though it might be part of a secret passageway. However, the girls were to busy to notice or care, for they could hear faint voices echoing up the stone passageway. They slipped behind the ancient hanging and let the cloth flap down. Kneeling in the niche, the girls pushed the tapestry out from the wall just enough to se the hall.
The first person around the corner was Ron, closely followed by Harry, Neville, Dean, Seamus, Luna, Susan Bones, and Terry Boot. Harry proceeded to walk back and forth across the hall, forehead scrunched up in thought. Suddenly, a door appeared in the wall and, turning the ornate handle, the seven people made their way inside. Over the next 15 minutes, more than two dozen more people arrived. When Zacharias Smith finally came plodding along and went in, Hermione decided that just about everyone had arrived. She and Pansy slipped out. Pansy began singing loudly while Hermione stood by the door, out of sight of the DA members, but able to see if anyone came to close the door.
"Weasley can not save a thing,
He can not block a single ring,
That's why Slytherins all sing,
Weasley is our king!"
Unfortunately, Hannah Abbott came around the corner at that moment. She took in the two girls and Pansy's song and opened her mouth to yell a warning for the people inside the room. "Petrificus Totalus!" muttered Hermione and Hannah was immobilized, her mouth still only half open. Pansy signaled a thumbs up, and Hermione grinned, just as the remaining Slytherins dashed around the corner, wands out. The two girls quickly slipped through the door.
The Room of Requirement was full again of happily chatting people, but this time the atmosphere had a tense, fragile quality. Hermione was not sure whether the reason for the many glances at the doorway was the song or people waiting for Hannah to arrive.
As soon as the room's occupants set eyes on the girls, everyone froze and an impenetrable silence gripped the room.
In a sappy, sarcastically sweet voice, Pansy cooed, "Hi there!"
The girls observed as Ron turned scarlet and swelled threateningly, while Harry's eyes crossed as the attempted to keep calm. "I'm sorry, I think the Death Eater meeting was moved to the Forbidden Forest, didn't you hear?" He said sarcastically.
"Oh, no, we are here for the DA meeting," replied Pansy.
"No you aren't!" Ron yelled, "If you're here, you are here go get blow up. Get out!"
"I'm sorry, but I don't think any of us want to leave, Weasel King!" taunted Hermione.
"Any of you? Sorry, but you seem to have trouble counting. I only see two of you," snarled Harry.
Blaise and Draco entered, laughing. "So sorry you can't see, even with those glasses, Potter." drawled Draco, smirking.
"Whoops, who can't count now?" giggled Sarah, as she, Millicent, and Theodore sauntered in, too.
"What the f-" Ron's exclamation was drowned out by Harry's bellow.
"Get OUT Malfoy!" Some of the DA members in the background looked terrified and cowered. The bolder ones attempted to look disdainfully at the invaders, although when coupled with the anxiety the next arrivals incited, the disdain turned to fear. Crabbe, Goyle, and Montague lumbered in, followed by a few giggling 4th and 5th years.
Many people were now cursing under their breath and warily watching the Slytherins, all of whom had their wands out and ready. Even Harry and Ron looked a bit wary. "Leave!" Harry commanded angrily.
"Sorry Potter, we aren't planning on going until we choose to . You may either shut up and stop disturbing us, or you can leave. See, simple choice really, that is if your tiny little mind can comprehend such a difficult concept." said Draco scathingly. The Slytherins sniggered and Harry fumed.
"Just get out!" he hissed through clenched teeth.
"Are you going to make us Potter? All by your self? Because I don't think any of those other morons plan on taking us on." Draco taunted, clearly relishing making Harry furious.
Harry glanced at the quaking people behind him. It did look as though few there relished the concept of fighting Draco's group. Harry glanced at them. "Come on! What are you - a bunch of cowards? If this is how you act facing a few Slytherins, how can you expect to fight Voldemort? We outnumber them two to one. Lets get them!" He ended his speech by striding forward and crying, "Impedimenta!" Harry's grand display was ruined, however, when no one else in the DA crowd uttered a word, and the Slytherins simply cried, "Protego!" in unison, reflecting the jinx right back at Harry, who ducked, cursing.
Draco smirked. "If that's your attitude, Furnunculus!" He said, aiming his wand at Harry, who, lacking the time to put up a shield, had to dodge out of the way. The curse hit Dean Thomas in his face, which immediately became covered in large, red boils.
Promptly, chaos ensued, as everyone shot the worst jinxes, hexes, and curses they knew at each other. Hermione cried, "Flamacten!" while next to her, Blaise shot off a stunning spell, and Pansy shot a jet of hot sparks at a Hufflepuff.
Hermione reflected Ernies's stunning spell back at him, and hit Collin Creevy with "Tarantallegra!" The 5th year immediately began a wild tap dance, and fell down. To her right, Draco's yell of "Densaugeo!" caused Neville's teeth to grow rapidly. Hermione vaguely remembered a similar experience in the 4th year.
A few minutes later, the Slytherins stepped back to observe many people lying unconscious, frenziedly dancing, cradling enormous appendages, attempting to extinguish their burning robes, or nursing minor injures. Harry was searching for his glasses, which Draco had conveniently vanished, while Ron, whose hair was singed, had been stunned.
Hermione's friends had not escaped completely unscathed, however. Sarah was summoning the wands of a few of the younger kids, who had been disarmed. Montague had been stunned and Goyle was gazing mesmerized at his boil covered arm, as though he had only just realized that it existed. Luckily, the Slytherin's were in general much better at both defensive and offensive magic than they let on, and were much better off than the DA members.
After helping the people with difficulties, the group of friends slipped away, before their angry adversaries came after them. Back in their common room, the Slytherins chatted, laughed, and relived their exhilarating defeat of the DA.
A/N: Hey again! What did you think of it? The next chapter is mostly about the ball, so that will be good. I recently ran into , which has wonderful archives of info. That's where I found out Ginny's full name, Ginevra Molly Weasley, and that Mia's middle name is Jane. Anyway, please review, and tell me what you would like to see happen. I'm eternally gratefull for all your reveiws, unfortunatly, i'm on a tight schedule today, so i can only answer a few questions. Thanx!
-jtangel: they were shopping for the Christmas ball, the Halloween ball is at the Malfoy Manor, and they only found out about it after the Hogsmeade weekend
-Darkprincesspyro99: i love the dress, to. I actually draw for inspiration, so if i can get my scanner or camera working, i can email pics to ppl.
-artemisgirl: u got what u wanted didn't you?
Alianne