Back with another chapter, and another round of review replies. Here we go:
morganna12 - Your wish is my command.
Love . Fiction . 2017 - I'm glad you are, buddy.
cinnamon roll scorp - Well, this is Tom Riddle Jr; he finds it hard to express any positive emotion. I'm glad you liked this chapter.
She had a lot of work today.
First, they had the final match between Hogwarts and Durmstrang, and after lunch, the play. Then, dinner and the Ball would be combined, after which on Christmas morning the schools would be taking their leave, and life would return to its previous form of NEWTS and games.
The Slytherin table was abuzz with excitement, and their corner was constantly being crowded with inquisitive first years who wished to speak to Orion, Abraxas and Alden, who were more than glad to be tending to the adoring and inquisitive Gryffindor table was abuzz with chants, while someone on the Hufflepuff table was collecting bets on the game.
"Ready?" She turned to Alden, who was calmly munching on piece of toast, taking sips of pumpkin juice in between.
"Yes - a little worried about Beating. Lyall is excellent as always, and so is Erik - as far as that is concerned, we'll be fine. And our Chasers are good too. Vance is on top form - her being lighter than Vulchanov helps a great deal. But Beating - boy, those Durmstrang Beaters look like the bloody Great Wall of China. I don't know how Jameson and Rogers have managed so far; I am a tad worried about them."
"You worry about scoring enough to secure us a victory -," when he began to look tense, she put a hand on his arm, smiling reassuringly. "The team has been magnificent in the previous match; I'm sure you'll do just fine today."
"Thanks a lot, Katie." As if on cue, Tom joined the table (terribly late and sleep deprived, might she add), and after a cursory glance in their direction, sat down, his face a less severe version of that look on the Quidditch pitch that day.
She didn't withdraw her hand, instead choosing to scowl at him.
"What is ailing Mister Grumps?"
"Nothing," she smiled back at her best friend. "Riddle's just sleep-deprived, aren't you, Tom?"
"You cannot expect anything less, what with Potions and Arithmancy homework still left to do," he replied, having eaten through two toasts and beans with record speed. "But don't you worry, Katherine - I can handle this just fine."
"Your face speaks volumes against that." Contrary to her expectation, he just smiled at her, teeth bared in a sharklike manner.
"I think we have gone over the subject of my emotions and their expression fairly well before." He rose, heading for the door. "Malfoy, Black - do you not have a match to play?"
They had reached the stands when Alden stepped aside, beckoning her to do the same. "Is something wrong, Kate?"
"Why?" She looked at him, puzzled.
"Well, I was with Lupin, Davies and Orion yesterday when I saw the two of you walking back to the castle." He looked at her, not pushing further. "For Merlin's sake, don't lie, especially if he's giving you any trouble."
"We were just walking when he stopped midway to clear the snow off my face."
"Okay, then." He sighed, putting on a hopeful smile. "Wish us luck." She hugged him, a smile on her face as well.
"Make Hogwarts proud, Greengrass." She headed to the stands, joining the rest of her group of friends and acquaintances.
The first hour of the match was filled with four goals apiece and a bludger barely dodged by Lyall Lupin, who had made a rather difficult save in the last two minutes. The current fifteen minutes had just been passes of the Quaffle, the game moving fast yet uneventful - and no side was allowing the other to score.
"That Durmstrang Keeper is giving our boys a run for their money," Druella's cousin Albert spoke to her.
"Don't fret - Abraxas will make sure we emerge victors," she replied, clapping enthusiastically as Malfoy neatly swiped the Quaffle off a Durmstrang Chaser, heading straight for the posts. After zigzagging through the opposing Chasers and constantly tossing the ball between him and Alden, he finally scored by tossing it straight through the central hoop.
"And Malfoy's feint pays off as the Quaffle goes straight to the centre hoop - that's 50-40 now, ladies and gentlemen!"
After that, they were on a roll.
The situation looked bleak for Durmstrang as the scoreboard stood at 200-40 against them, with Hogwarts' victory nothing if not assured.
"Ladies and gents, it seems like the game is in the bag for Hogwarts. Chaser Mikkelsen makes a beeline for the hoops, dodges the Beaters and the ball barely brushes past Lupin and goes just through the third hoop! The game now stands at 200-50, folks."
The Quaffle had quickly changed hands then, passing through Mikkelsen and intercepted by Orion, who shot for the hoops, Durmstrang's second Chaser colliding with Black, arm yanking his broom.
"And that's a foul, committed by Durmstrang's Kurt Jorgensen - a penalty is guaranteed to Hogwarts. The team has collected for a quick dekko, and it seems like Black will be taking the penalty shot. He aims, throws and he's blocked! Fabulous save by Keeper Erik Holm - really, the lad is a powerhouse and what's that - Vulchanov has the Snitch! It's a tie!"
The crowd collectively fell silent, watching him hold the ball in his hand - then the Durmstrang crowd let out a deafening roar, and their Seeker disappeared amidst arms and brooms.
"By mutual consent of the captains, there will be no penalty shootout and the game is ended at a tie. Well played, Hogwarts! And well played, Durmstrang!" She headed towards the dressing room.
"Well played, Lyall." The Gryffindor grinned, extending a hand towards her. She went on to meet Alden, Abraxas and Orion, the boys animatedly discussing their goals. "Good job, lads."
"Orion stole the show," Abraxas spoke, thumping said boy's back, "10 goals out of 20. Really, something." The person in question smiled, then sunk into a disappointed sigh.
"But I missed the penalty."
"Vulchanov was going to catch that Snitch anyway - Vance was a whole two lengths above the Snitch's height - no way she would've got it."
"Come on, boys," Alden put his arms around their shoulders, "Lighten up. We have a play to see, and a ball to attend, not to mention a sumptuous lunch that awaits us all in the Great Hall."
Lunch was just as animated, everyone discussing nothing but the match and the ball. Walburga was discussing with Druella about the enchantments involved in the various set changes for the play. "Well then darling, I have to scoot. Better get ready soon, shan't I?" She quickly headed out of the hall. The hours and went by and before they knew, it was five thirty: half an hour left to stage the play.
The enlarged Ashwinder looked rather good as the snake, and Professor Kettleburn surveyed the beast with an air of pride. Professors Dumbledore and Beery were with the students, doing one final check of all costumery and props. Beery was asking the students to go over their lines one final time when 'Asha' and 'Amata' stormed in, fiercely arguing with each other.
"You can't keep your hands to yourself, can you, Walburga?" The girl in question smiled coolly.
"Well, Sir Luckless' title better applies to you, given your ability to only attract silly little boys with weak wills."
"Why, you little -"
"Girls, please!" Professor Beery implored. Professor Dumbledore stepped in, pushing the two girls out of arm's length.
"Miss Black, Miss Atkinson, I expect the two of you to maintain your composure and play your parts well, and behave until the play is over. Is that clear?" A stern look silenced Jennifer, who was about to argue while Walburga joined the rest of the cast (namely the townsfolk, Althea and Sir Luckless). Jennifer followed suit, glowering at the pair of 'Asha' and 'Sir Luckless', who were talking animatedly.
"Are my sleep deprived eyes deceiving me, or is that Ashwinder leaving a trail of sparks on the floor of the hall?" Tom whispered in her ear, and her eyes followed said creature as it slunk behind the hill.
"It's five minutes to opening," she groaned. Students had begun pouring into the Hall, which for the time being had been transformed into an auditorium, chairs arranged row-wise and the 'stage' separated from the audience with a massive red curtain. "A standard Freezing Charm wouldn't work either on a beast of that size. The best we can do is hope for the storm to pass and the hall to not erupt in flames."
"Should we inform the professors?" She saw Professor Dumbledore discussing something with Professor Kettleburn, the former's face drawn in concern.
"I think Professor Dumbledore caught wind of it before us." She pointed to the two, Professor Kettleburn patting Dumbledore's back reassuringly. The curtain rose, and the actors stepped forward, the narrator beginning to speak. There were a few hoots before they were silenced, the play going as planned; for the first two minutes, that is.
Smokes and sparks had begun to fill the hall, and while the students were watching in awe and pleasure, the professors, Tom and her had begun to move towards the stage.
"Oh I've had enough!" Jennifer yelled, brandishing her wand at Walburga. "Stupefy!" Walburga ducked, then stood up, eyes blazing with anger.
"Confringo!" Fortunately for Madam Pomfrey and unfortunately for the stage, both girls were excellent duelers, and as Jennifer deflected the spell, it hit the hill, which went up in flames. This was followed by a large blast as the Ashwinder went up in a shower of sparks and smoke, bits of the set ricocheting of the walls and into the audience.
"Aguamenti!" Tom and her them doused the curtains while Professor Dumbledore cleared the Hall of smoke and sparks. Professor Beery had been caught in the crossfire, stuck between the two girls as they fired hex after hex at the other.
"Do you smell lavender and sandalwood?" She turned to Tom, eyes widening.
"The eggs." He shot off towards the end of the hall. "Immobulus!" At first the spell seemed to hold, but then the eggs went up too, swallowing the floor in fire. While the women dueled in the center of the fiery stage, 'Sir Luckless' ran away and 'Althea' helped the rest of the students leave.
"Seal the Hall!" Professor Dumbledore turned to them. "Colloportus!" 'Althea', her and Tom pointed their wands at the doors, the massive iron and wood structures moving slowly, locks snapping in place as the Hall sealed itself shut. Professor Dumbledore had managed to separate the two duelers by casting a Protection Charm in between, Professor Beery was shaking like a leaf and Professor Kettleburn stared at the remains of the set in utter shock.
"Miss Smith," he turned to 'Althea' - Hufflepuff Florence Smith - "I suggest you take your cast members and Professor Beery to Madam Pomfrey. Tom, Kate, Silvanus - stay behind." While Florence escorted the shaken Professor and her two sullen colleagues out of the Hall, the remaining four were gathered by the front chairs.
"I suppose it is time to go to Headmaster Dippet."
The four of them marched off to the Headmaster's office, where the man was now seated, fingers pinching the bridge of his nose. He let out a deep sigh, the Heads of both schools seated across him.
"Albus, Silvanus," he turned to the students, "Tom, Kate. Kindly explain exactly why this incident happened. Albus, please begin." Professor Dumbledore launched into the backstory behind the Ashwinder, at which the Headmistress of Beauxbatons looked at Headmaster Dippet with utter scandal.
"Monsieur Dippet, c'est inacceptable! Zis simply cannot stand! My students were in mortal danger!"
"Madame Aguillard, it vasn't zat bad," the Headmaster of Durmstrang piped up. "Your students vere out of harm's way as soon as possible, unlike the treatment meted out to my boys and girls."
"Monsieur Dragovich, your boys and girls had managed to escaped un-singed - the same cannot be said for my students!"
The two heads had begun to argue between themselves, and, seeing the situation, the two students were excused from the room, where voices and people were rising from their seats. They were a fair distance from the office when she subsided into laughter, Tom following suit.
"I don't think we should find this funny," he told her as she clutched her stomach with an arm, the two standing in the dungeon corridor.
"But you cannot help but do," she replied, beginning to laugh again.
"You and I have a lot of cleaning up to do." He pointed at their soot-ridden robes, patches of the same on their faces as well.
"Here, rub it off your nose," she pulled out a handkerchief, passing it to him.
"Thank you, but I think a shower was in order nevertheless. See you at the Ball now, Kate."
Walburga was back in their dormitory, surrounded by Druella, Antonia and a few of her other friends, recounting the event with an air of condescension. "I say it's time we forget about these happenings, and get ready, ladies." Kate gulped down the feeling of dread, thinking of the mess that was her hair right now and the challenge that would be putting on her mother's dress.
May God help us all.
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