Hi to all of you, just a quick note to say thank you to everyone who has reviewed although you are not all mentioned by name. Just a few quick responses to some of my reviewers.
Lord of Darkness13 – Thank you for your forgiveness oh merciful one, as for the rest just
wait and see. Hope you like this chapter – the party Hooray!!!
Katana Midori – The beetle is our reporter friend, true in book four she promised not to write anything, but that was only for a year.
OsuwariTetsusaiga - I meant mate as in your friend not like that. I'll word these responses more carefully in the future.
This chapter is being dedicated to Lord of Darkness13 for the continuous reviews and the bugging me about when the party will happen as well as the excellent ideas that are posted either with the reviews or on my yahoo group, see link at the end of the chapter.
THE PARTY!!
An hour after they had left the Three broomsticks, Harry, Ron and some of the other sixth year Gryffindors were anxiously awaiting the arrival of their dates, or in Harry's case awaiting the departure of those who would be attending the party and the appearance of a certain sixth year girl.
Ron could be seen pacing in front of the fireplace in his new dress robes which Fred and George had brought him. They were a classic black with silver trimming and lining; underneath the dress robe he wore a plain white shirt with black trousers and dress shoes. Dean and Seamus were wearing almost matching outfits with Ron except that the dress robes were different colours, Dean's was a simple robe of charcoal grey with a navy lining while Seamus' was a forest green robe with light grey lining. Unlike Ron these two boys were not pacing in front of the fire, Seamus seemed to be quite calm and talking with Neville while Dean kept smoothing out his robes and hair nervously.
As the grandfather clock in the corner of the room chimed the hour, the girl's dormitory door creaked open, as though this was a signal all the boys stopped their activities and stood opposite the stairs. Waiting patiently for their respective date. Dean kept shooting nervous glances at Ron and Harry, both of whom had spoken to him about how he had better treat Ginny. Although they were not blood siblings Harry was still was protective of her and insisted that he would not hesitate to hex Dean to Timbuktu and back, which earned a confused look from Ron. Harry couldn't help but smile at the memory.
"Now Dean I know that I do not have to point out how important Ginny is to me she is my baby sister and if you hurt her in any way and I mean any way you had better learn some shielding charms very, very quickly. Clear?" Ron lectured in the boys' dorms, as he paced the length of the room, stopping every now and then to glare at Dean who was sitting on his bed, attempting to tie his tie neatly.
"I know Ron, I would never hurt her, I wouldn't want to risk having you and your brothers come after me or Ginny and her bat bogey hex" Dean answered, inwardly smiling at how protective Ron was, before remembering that Ron had five other brothers.
"And Dean you know that if you hurt her or didn't treat her right I would also hex you from here to Timbuktu and back right?" Harry added waving his wand for extra effect. He could almost hear the lump of air Dean swallowed before nodding.
"Where's Timbuktu?" Ron asked
"It doesn't exist its just a muggle way of saying further than you can imagine"
Hermione waving her hand in front of his face calling him snapped Harry out of his thoughts.
"Harry, Harry are you okay?"
"Yeah fine Mi… Hermione" he answered blinking looking at her properly. 'Wow' he thought. Hermione was wearing the same dress as she was wore to the Yule Ball in forth year, though obviously she had altered it magically to fit. The periwinkle blue dress now hugged her figure closely, enhancing her natural shape. Her face was lightly made up with pale blue eyeshadow and a light layer of glittery gloss graced her plump lips. Her hair had been straightened once again and was positioned in a high ponytail with small tendrils of her hair falling lightly over her face and neck.
"You look great Hermione," Harry said standing up he noticed the other girls, all of who looked very nice.
"We'd better go, you sure you don't want to come Harry?" Ron asked as the others made their way out of the portrait hole.
"Yeah I'm sure I'll probably just stay in here and do some homework, or take a walk dunno yet."
"Well we had better go Ron, bye Harry." Hermione said.
"Bye" chorused the two boys and a few minutes later Harry was left alone in the common room, with a particular long essay for Professor Sprout about the properties of the Venomous Tentactula plant. Pulling out his herbology book, he started his essay.
Meanwhile Hermione and Ron were entered the Great Hall astounded by the transformation that had happened the long house and staff tables had disappeared to be replaced with smaller round tables which could seat eight people at a time. Twelve large pumpkins, grown especially by Hagrid where placed around the perimeter of the hall. Each giving off an eerie glow as the candles inside flickered in the breeze as students and staff alike passed by. The candles that normally lit up the hall had been magically dimmed to create a low light over the hall and the occupants, and if you looked up to the magical ceiling you would of seen hundreds of flapping bats and a hundred more hanging from the rafters and beams.
"Oh Ron its brilliant isn't it" Hermione exclaimed as she was led to one of the small tables where Ginny, Dean, Neville, Luna, Seamus and Lavender were already sitting. Greetings were exchanged and the conversation continued.
"We were just guessing who Harry wanted to bring" Lavender told the pair,
"He's caused quite a stir by refusing to come as the girl he wanted to ask is already here." Ginny added.
"Hmm to some it is a puzzle but to others it is as easy to see as the crumple horned snorkak in Sweden." Luna added dreamily gazing around the Hall at the other couples.
"We (Hermione sent him a look as if to say excuse me) I mean I have asked but he is not saying anything." Ron said.
"Yes well I'm sure that if he wanted us to know he would of told us. So why don't we get on with our evening, I'm sure he wouldn't want us to sit around talking about him and this girl." Hermione said silently adding 'although I would really like to know. All I know is that she is in our year, smart and funny or so he said the other day. What am I doing thinking about Harry when I'm here with Ron.' She scolded herself mentally.
Soon Dumbledore stood up from his seat at the front of the hall, "Ahh welcome, welcome to Hogwarts first Halloween party. I hope you all have a wonderful time here tonight and now enjoy." He said smiling at everyone in the hall before sitting down and in the same manner as he did at the Yule Ball ordered by speaking the words "Roast beef" in to his plate. Following this lead everyone started ordering his or her chosen meal. Hermione and Ginny ordered a meal chicken and salad while everyone else ordered various roasts.
Harry meanwhile was walking through the halls on his way to the kitchens to get some food. Wandering the halls Harry thought to himself that that there were many halls and rooms in Hogwarts that he had not in his five years visited them all. Something, which he decided to rectify, just as soon as he had eaten something to stop his stomach from growling. 'Ironic really, that I can survive weeks at the Dursley's on little food and tons of chores, but can't even go a day here.' He thought to himself, tickling the pear on the painting to reveal the door to the kitchens. The house elves were busy running and teleporting back and forth the kitchen sending all the meals up to the great hall above, and to the awaiting students and staff.
"Harry Potter sir" squeaked the excited house elf that had attached himself to Harry's knees.
"Hi Dobby how are you and Winky doing?" he asked prying his friend from his knees.
"We is fine, but Winky is still drinking one bottle of butterbeer a day. What can I do to help Harry Potter?"
"Could I get something to eat? I've been studying and haven't eaten since lunch."
"Of course sir Dobby will just be a minute, sit" he replied leading Harry to one of the tables, his eyes shining with happiness.
Everyone in the Hall soon finished their meals, and with a wave of Dumbledore's wand the tables disappeared, "Ladies and gentlemen, please give a warm welcome to our guests who have kindly agreed to return to us from the Yule Ball two years ago, the Weird Sisters." Gesturing to the far wall where a stage appeared and the famous group started to play an upbeat song.
Everyone was standing nervously around the edges off the hall; no one wanted to be the first to dance. Sensing this apprehension, Dumbledore and McGonagall began dancing on the other wise empty floor. Following this example Hagrid and Professor Sprout joined in, the tip of her witches hat barley reaching Hagrid's chest. The other staff joined in dancing with their colleagues except Snape who just sat in the corner with a bored look on his face. Embolden by the staff the students started to join in the festivities.
"Do you, erm… do you want to dance Herm?" Ron asked nervously
"Sure Ron why not" She answered standing up and taking his hand in hers, they walked to the side of the 'dance floor' just as the song changed to a slow one similar to a waltz but not quite the same.
"Herm, I'm not very good at this I ended up more on Padma's feet than the floor last time." He confessed sheepishly.
"That's ok Ron, we'll just give it a go," she answered placing his left hand on her hip while holding the other one at shoulder height. "It's really quite easy, here I'll count a beat and you move with your right leg back then bring you left leg to join it, that's right then side step with your left leg then together. Excellent Ron see your not that bad, okay now left leg forward, bring the right next to it then side step to the right. That's the basic box step ready to give it a go?"
"I think so"
"Good now on each number make one step, ready? One two three four, one two three four, one two three four." She continued counting all the while looking in to his eyes. Suddenly feeling the urge to lower his hand to her hip he made to do so but thought better of it, "It's ok Ron, just do what feels natural, if its not comfortable I'll stop it" He just nodded and moved his hands to her hips making Hermione move her hands to behind his neck, whilst resting her head on his shoulder. Slowly they began turning around on the spot, 'He really is quite a good dancer when he's not nervous' she smiled to herself. "Ouch" she whispered in pain.
"Oh sorry, I tried to tell you."
"It's ok"
Shortly Harry left the kitchens, in no hurry to get back to the essay, he decided to walk around the halls to explore for a bit. Not really paying attention to wear his feet were taking him, he began to wander the halls. He began looking at the paintings and statues as he passed them, and only when he passed the familiar statue of Hogwarts crest did he realise he was near the Hall, 'No harm in taking a quick peek in through the window' he rationalised proceeding to do so, only to be struck by the wish he did not do such a thing.
A/N Hehehehe I thought I'd be evil :) or at least try to be. Want me to update? Then leave a review please, let me know what you think he saw, also what where Draco and Wormtail talking about? I've only had one guess so far by Lord of Darkness13 and that was wrong. Whoever guesses correctly to the Draco/Wormtail thing will get a preview of the chapter after their review.
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