December 24th, 1994. Thursday.
"Really? Damon and Kelly?" Renee asked.
Selena nodded, stroking Crescent's soft fur. The cat purred happily. "Yeah. He said it. They're even going to the Yule Ball together... It was a surprise to me, I'd had no idea, but I'm happy for them."
Renee nodded. She sat up on her bed, an issue of Which Broomstick? magazine dangling from one hand. "That's good. Now," a sly grin spread across her face, "I heard that Alisson was looking for you. And she has some big news."
Selena looked at her friend, curiosity piqued. "Like what?"
Renee shrugged and then smiled again. "Let's just say... you may be going to the Yule Ball after all."
December 25th, 1994. Friday
That Night
Selena sighed uneasily as she looked at the silky cloak. "I'm not sure about this..."
Alisson groaned. "Come on! It's going to be fun! And we won't stay the whole time. I mean, it's the Yule Ball, Sel! This won't happen again. At least not while we're at Hogwarts. Oh, by the way, Potter really needs to be more careful where he leaves this thing. I'm surprised the cloak hasn't been stolen more."
Before Selena could object again to using a stolen invisibility cloak belonging to Harry Potter, Alisson threw the cloak over both of them. Selena gasped as the fabric became translucent, like a sheer layer allowing her to still see the Gryffindor Common Room.
Alisson beamed smugly. "I know, right? C'mon, we have a Yule Ball to attend."
Walking together awkwardly to stay under the cloak, they headed out of the Common Room. The Fat Lady was confused, calling out a "who's there?" as she gazed around the seemingly empty air. Selena held her breath, still stunned as the painted woman looked right through them. Alisson nodded her head in the direction of the Great Hall. Together they descended the Grand Staircase, which proved to be interesting. However, the stairs seemed to be able to sense them standing, and switched platforms like usual. Selena's heart leapt when she saw a group of students in dress robes laughing ahead of them.
Earlier that day, after exchanging Christmas greetings and gifts and drinking hot chocolate, the flurry of the Yule Ball began. The Gryffindor dorms became slightly controlled chaos as the students rushed around trying to prepare for the gala. Wendy had been scurrying around with Alexanda and Parvarti Patil looking for their shoes and lip gloss. Peeves had hidden them no doubt. Selena had stayed in her own dorm with her friends, the twelve-year-old's too young to attend. Well, mostly. Elizabeth moped that she was nearly a year away, turning thirteen in February.
Selena came back to the present as Alisson lightly elbowed her. The two girls stopped at a corner of the Entrance Hall. Not one person noticed them, hidden under the cloak. Students were pouring into the Great Hall now, wearing robes of every shade and length, hair and makeup done up. Everyone was excitedly talking, even the portraits taking up the walls of the Entrance Hall. The Yule Ball had just started, not even two minutes ago.
Selena glanced over at Alisson, the two girls grinning. Selena could hardly believe it! She was actually going to see the Yule Ball!
Suddenly Alisson looked over and gasped. "Look! It's Wendy!"
Selena turned towards the right and saw a blonde girl descending the stone steps into the Entrance Hall. Selena's jaw dropped; her friend looked positively radiant. Wendy was wearing sky-blue dress robes, leading to an empire-waist. Her silver heels clicked faintly on the stairs, butterflies of the same color glinting in her hair, reflecting firelight. Her hair, which was normally straight, was pulled into a curly bun, fringe clipped elegantly to the side. She had a subtle amount of powder-blue makeup and diamond-looking earrings on.
"She looks so nice," Selena whispered.
Alisson bobbed her head before smiling mischievously at Selena. "Yeah, and now the question is - who is she here with?"
Selena was wondering the same thing herself. However, another familiar face appeared. She pointed and smiled. "Avery!"
Avery was wearing short, light-pink dress robes that shimmered near the hem and neckline. Her wavy hair was left down with a white headband, her flats a matching pearly color. The only makeup she was wearing was some shiny lip gloss.
"Wonder if Danny has started to hyperventilate yet," Alisson joked.
Selena nodded in confirmation. Danny was in rose-colored dress robes, greeting his date with awkward bow of his head. He held out his hand, which she accepted with a beautiful smile. Together they began to walk towards the Great Hall, Danny clearly using every ounce of self-control to not stare at her.
"He really likes her, huh? I wonder what Wendy will do," Selena said. "I'm hoping it all goes well, Wendy can be feisty and-" she stopped as Jojo walked past her to hug Damon, carrying an almond-scented perfume along with her. Selena sucked in almond air as she saw one of her best friends hug Jojo back. Damon look very nice in his emerald robes, hair combed neatly, and had no doubt tried to impress his girlfriend.
Jojo looked amazing herself, wearing floor-length green dress robes with a pair of brown ballet flats. Her hair was in ringlets and had a green clip on the side. It looked like someone had taken thin strings of glitter and cleverly placed it in Jojo's hair so that each turn she made created little glimmers.
Selena suddenly felt a flash of anger. Angry that Jojo was going to the dance with Damon. She then found her mind scolding herself. She knew it was right. What was wrong with Jojo and Damon going together? Nothing. Selena breathed in through her nose as the two Slytherins wove their fingers together, Jojo smiling up at Damon. Selena was happy for them. Just like she'd said.
Alisson pointed out some people like Neil and Luna who were going together, and Anne and Fred. Anne looked spectacular in her mid-calf red robes, her flaming hair in its normal curls. She sashayed in red heels, her usual confident smirk on her face, arm linked with Fred's. He looked dapper as well in his black dress robes, though his scarlet bow tie was charmingly crooked.
George winked at Fred as he walked into the room with his date, Angelina Johnson from the Gryffindor Quidditch Team.
For a moment, Selena's happiness sank. Seeing all the students laughing and talking animatedly, dressed up like they had all the Galleons in the world, she felt a tad upset that she wasn't here at the Yule Ball in a more, er, legitimate way. Glancing down at her jeans, azure jumper and sneakers, she imagined wearing flowing dress robes with her dark hair twisted into a cute plait. She could vividly picture dancing with her friends, writing to her parents about the this piece of the Triwizard Tournament.
Alisson looked at Selena, breaking her out of her own thoughts for the second time. "Shall we go in?"
Selena nodded, standing up straighter. She was still here with a friend. Sure, she wasn't in fancy robes and they were sneaking in, but it was better than nothing. Or, that's what she told herself. The two girls carefully wove through the crowd and into the Great Hall, stepping off to a side to admire the festive splendor.
"It's so amazing..." Selena whispered. It really was.
The Great Hall was covered in frost, sparkling like a winter wonderland. Snow was falling from the enchanted ceiling, glistening flakes dancing. Ivy and mistletoe garlands were strung about the Hall's ceiling as well. There were shimmering lanterns on each table (smaller ones than the House Tables, which were gone) with students dressed in every color walking around the room.
"Look!' Alisson said, motioning. "It's Wendy, she's with someone else!"
Selena squinted and saw that Alisson was right. Wendy was holding hands with someone. Someone with pale-blond hair.
Slytherin, pure-blood, blond hair... She and Alisson realized who it was at the same moment. "Draco!" they both said, possibly too loud. Nevertheless, the noise from the Hall covered it. Selena gaped in shock, blue eyes wide.
"Wendy is going to the Yule Ball with Draco Malfoy?" Alisson asked in disbelief, looking just as astonished as her friend.
Selena nodded, her gaze tracking them. Wendy seemed happy, her cheeks tinting pink as she peeked over at Draco. He was dressed in high-collared, velvet black robes, hair slicked back like normal. It seemed that Malfoy was having trouble looking away from Wendy himself. "I don't think Pansy Parkinson is happy about it," Selena mumbled, noticing Pansy beside a dark-skinned boy, glaring loathingly at Wendy.
"Ha! Serves her right! Pansy has never been nice to Dee from what I've heard," Alisson said. She turned to Selena, shifting the cloak. "But can you really believe they're going together? I mean, who would've thought! Wendy, our Wendy... with Draco Malfoy?" She shook her head, brown hair tossing. "She must be mad."
Before Selena could respond, a procession began, walking into the Hall. Professor McGonagoll entered first, black hair crowned with a hat encircled with thistles, and a red tartan. Behind her, four couples paraded to applause from the crowd. It was all the Triwizard Champions and their dates: Fleur Delacour and a boy Selena didn't know, then Viktor Krum and Hermione Granger, then Harry Potter and Parvarti Patil, and finally Cedric Diggory and the Ravenclaw Quidditch Team Seeker Cho Chang.
Selena turned her head and suddenly got the strange sense that someone was watching them. She looked over towards the applauding students in front of her and stared right at Professor Moody. He was walking towards them, his wooden leg dragging a bit behind the other.
"Can he see us?" Selena whispered, logically knowing that the cloak would shield her and Alisson from view as it had been. However, Professor Moody's two eyes (the dark real one, and the bright blue fake one) were staring intently.
"No," Alisson replied. "He's probably just coming over to get something to drink. We're near one of the snack tables anyways."
Professor Moody did indeed walk over and Selena gulped as he stepped in front of them and looked down. Alisson turned to look at Selena, her eyes alarmed.
"Girls," Moody said. "I can see through invisibility cloaks. Follow me."
Selena and Alisson had no choice but to follow Moody as he walked them out of the Great Hall. But on the way out, Selena looked back, the students all settling down at the tables. Avery was leaning in as if to kiss Danny, and Wendy walked beside them on her way to a seat, casually bumping into Avery and dropping her goblet, causing a cold drink to spill over Avery's robes. Selena turned away, not wanting to see the fake apology Wendy would no doubt give.
Moody led the two Gryffindors down a deserted corridor, the noise from the Yule Ball fainter than before. He waved his hand, frowning at them. "Cloak."
Begrudgingly, Selena and Alisson removed the invisibility cloak, Selena's hair frizzing as the material swept over her head. Alisson wound it up in her hands before relinquishing the cloak to the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. He tucked it under his arm, staring at them.
Moody's fake eye spun erratically between them. "Why did you sneak into the Yule Ball?"
"Professor," Alisson said innocently, "we thought the rule was unfair. Just because we aren't a Fourth Year, why can't we all go to the dance?"
"That wasn't your concern" Moody growled. He moved his real leg and Selena noticed the snake bite still on his ankle before she looked up again, trying not to let the teacher see her notice. "McGonagall established that rule for a reason. Detention tomorrow, see Mr. Filch at half ten. Both of you, off to bed."
"But-" Alisson started to protest.
"No," Moody said, holding up a scarred hand. "Goodnight." With that, the teacher walked back to the Yule Ball, holding the invisibility cloak.
Back in the Common Room...
"How did it go?" Renee asked once they had gotten back.
"It started well," Alisson replied, "but then we got caught by Moody."
"The Yule Ball was brilliant though," Selena gushed. "The decorations were so incredible, I'd never seen anything like it!"
Renee smiled. "Tell me all about it! How was everyone dressed? Who did all the Champions go with? How jealous was Wendy of Avery?"
So the girls told the story of seeing the Yule Ball, laughing and wildly animating their words.
Maybe the night hadn't been so bad after all.
So, the Yule Ball chapter is done!
And the next chapter will include more of Wendy and Draco. ;)
Also, what're your people's Amortentia? It's a potion that creates a person's favorite smell. So, I would like to know that...
Well, not much to say... OH! Take my poll to see what couples you like best in my stories. =)
Remember, only choose 1 of each. That means choose one of each that start with different names. Don't pick two of the same one. Like Anne and Fred, but pick Anne and Harry too. =)
Thanks for reading! Review?
~Meghan
5/21/17: I feel like I should point out that in the books, Fred Weasley went to the Yule Ball with Angelina Johnson. In my story, it was George who went with Angelina, as Anne and Fred are together in this fic. Oh, and Draco Malfoy had attended the ball with Pansy Parkinson, not our Wendy.
Also, funnily enough, when I edited this chapter it was the day after my prom.