CHAPTER 20: Stars In Their Eyes

February was dawning and the grounds of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry were still cold and probably bitter, too. The concert Dumbledore was planning to hold had now been elevated as there was news that had been admitted to by Dumbledore himself that there was going to be a drunken after show party. People were discussing who they could be for 'Stars in their Eyes' in and around the common rooms, and Harry could have sworn he heard Draco muttering something about it to himself in Potions.

Ron galloped over to Harry on a cold and windy Saturday morning when almost everyone else was in Hogsmeade.

'Harry! I signed up for 'Stars in their Eyes'!'

'Really?' Harry was curious as to why.

'Yeah! I'm doing Hanson!'

'Isn't there more than one person in Hanson?'

Yeah… erm… Harry?'

'No,' Harry said sooner rather than later.

'Please Harry! You don't know how much this means to me.'

'I don't really care, either.'

'Harry please? You don't have to do much, just backing vocals.'

'No.'

Ron thought he could try reverse Psychology.

'Fine. I'll do it by myself.'

'Good.'

'Damn.'

Ron was practising all day and all night for 'Stars in their Eyes' (for the show was on the Tuesday) by singing into Seamus' hairbrush (well, he thought it was his) in front of a full sized mirror, which he'd summoned himself. He was doing pretty well.

Down stairs in the common room, Ginny Weasley and Draco Malfoy were talking to Harry, rather politely as it happens. Ron came bouncing down being extremely pleased with himself, wearing a large grin.

'What?' asked Draco.

'He's been practising for 'Stars in their Eyes',' said Harry in a sigh.

'Really, and who are you doing?' enquired Draco.

'Hanson, Mmmbop.'

'YOU SHIT!' roared Malfoy. 'I WAS GONNA DO THAT!'

And with that, he stormed out of the common room.'

The night of 'Stars in their Eyes' had arrived, and the entire school was buzzing. This was mainly Neville's fault because he'd accidentally freed twenty two thousand and seven bumblebees in the school, which were his Herbology homework. The show started at half past seven and it was now seven. The audience were entering the specially decorated Great Hall and the acts were all backstage. The hall had a huge stage, which had blatantly been stolen as it said 'Party in the Hogwarts' with a large black ink scribble over the word 'Park' beneath the word 'Hogwarts'. Tiered seating had been put in, although hired from a company called "We Hire You Tiered Seating". Harry sat down with Ginny, Neville and Seamus, who kept asking if anyone knew where his hairbrush was.

The acts were interesting… first on were the Patil twins doing the Cheeky Girls and Harry saw Draco poke his head through the tabs pulling the same face he had done when he called Ron a "shit" for doing Hanson when he wanted to. Next on was Luna Lovegood with her rendition if "We All Live In A Yellow Submarine". It was a bit weird to be honest and she ended up getting heckled so bad she thought the crowd were cheering her on and then she proceeded to do a very weird dance that should only be performed at drunken parties and when the program "Newsround" ends. Ron was on next and Harry thought he did pretty well. He was actually a very good singer! Lavender Brown appeared on stage next portraying the Buggles' "Video Killed the Radio Star", when Draco stuck his head through the curtain again but this time shook his fist in anger. The next act surprised Harry more than he wished to be surprised. Hermione's version of "Suspicious Minds" by Elvis Presley was scarily accurate and frightening. Harry wanted to leave. He also thought that you had to be at least the same sex as the person you were portraying, but never mind. He supposed Hermione was. The next act was a bit scary because Dumbledore was doing "Sweet Child o' Mine" by Guns and Roses. Yes, you use your imaginations.

But last, and probably least, Draco Malfoy was welcomed to the stage. Crabbe and Goyle accompanied him on stage wearing sidewards baseball caps, baggy reebok shell suits and mahusive sunglasses. Malfoy was wearing exactly the same, with the imperative gelled back blonde German hair. The "music" that boomed around the hall was none other than 50 Cent's "It's Ur Birfday" or whatever that song is called. Harry was sure Draco was supposed to be rapping when the music had been playing for about a minute. Instead, him, Crabbe and Goyle were just "gangsta bopping". After a while, Draco began to actually do something.

'Yeah! Erm… Fuck, yeah! … Erm, oh, screw this!'

Draco threw the microphone down onto the stage, which caused a lot of feedback, during which he strolled grumpily off stage. Meanwhile, Crabbe and Goyle still stood there "gansta bopping". Dumbledore bounced on stage after Draco had left.

'That was truly wonderful! Well done, Mr Malfoy! After Show party in half an hour!'

Dumbledore left the stage.

He returned a few minutes later.

'You can leave now, boys.'

Crabbe and Goyle gansta bopped off stage.