51 Friday, December 20th

"Oooh. Look who got all dressed up." Margaret waggled her eyebrows at Noelle, who had just finished getting changed.

"Does it look alright?" She asked, turning to look in the mirror. The red dress was fitted at the waist and showed off her figure. Silver sequins formed an x-shaped band around her middle, and white snowflakes patterned the skirt, growing in number towards the bottom hem.

"It looks great. Who are we trying to impress? I hope it isn't Slughorn." Margaret sat on the edge of Noelle's bed.

"Azraeyn." Noelle admitted.

"The Ravenclaw boy you've been hanging out with right?"

"That's the one."

"Well, I'm certain that'll do the trick." Margaret smiled and Noelle turned back to the mirror to hide her embarrassment, doing another once over of her reflection.

Hogwarts was cold. Walking through the corridors to the party, Noelle found herself hugging her arms and practically running to keep warm.

"You'd think that a magic school would do something about the cold." She muttered, her teeth chattering together. Whoever had been on temperature control needed to get kicked into gear.

She knew she was close when she could hear voices up ahead. No individual words could be made out, there were too many of them. That worried her. How big exactly was this party? But, before she could think to back out, she'd already been seen.

"Noelle!" Azraeyn turned, straightening a black vest down over his white button-up shirt.

"You clean up well." She tucked a strand of her hair back behind one ear.

"And you as well." He stared at her a moment and then seemed to shake himself, offering her an arm and turning towards the closed door. "Shall we?"

She paused and then took his arm. "We shall."

Noelle had immediate regrets. The group of small rooms to which they entered was packed to the hilt with students and teachers and Hogwarts alumni. To an introvert, it was like a slap to the face. Some of the current students she saw weren't even Slug Club members. At one point she even saw Neville go by with a tray of glasses, wearing a white jacket. The both of them stopped just shy of the door, taking in the din.

After a moment, Azraeyn recovered first. "Would you like me to score us some drinks?"

Noelle just nodded dumbly and watched him disappear into the crowd. Someone bumped into her from the side and she stumbled, turning. "Oh sorry!"

Hermione looked up at her, a look akin to terror in her gaze. It faded somewhat as she recognized Noelle. "Terribly sorry. I'm afraid my brain and my feet have different ideas of what to do."

Noelle's eyes watered as Hermione breathed a foul smell. She coughed. "R-right. No worries." She choked out.

Hermione frowned and put a hand over her mouth. "Is it that bad? I'm sorry. I ate one of those dragon tartars to try and keep my date away. It seems though that it only serves to keep everyone but him at bay." She looked over her shoulder and then bolted past Noelle into the fray. "Got to go!"

Noelle turned in time to see Cormac McLaggen storm by. "So that's who she brought? I don't blame her for running…" She muttered as he brusquely shoved past. She watched as he stopped by Harry Potter, who she hadn't noticed up until this point. Curiously, he was holding a tray of what looked like the dragon tartars Hermione had mentioned. She saw the two boys exchange words and then Cormac pop a tartar in his mouth. After Harry responded to him, he froze, turning towards an overhanging curtain that Noelle knew led outside. Harry sidestepped the boy and started heading away, when suddenly the curtain was pulled aside and Professor Snape stepped into the room. Even from where she stood, across the room, she felt the man's commanding presence seize her attention.

With that, Cormac doubled over and vomited on Snape's shoes. Noelle felt her horror grow. Snape looked at him cooly and then snapped something, to which the boy ran off.

Despite the awkward situation, Noelle remembered the last time she'd seen Snape outside of class functions, and she felt drawn across the room. Absently she wondered where her date had disappeared to and what was taking him so long. But then, perhaps it was her who had been drawn away.

She stopped and plucked an horderve from a tray, turning her back to the two of them to listen but look otherwise occupied. She was just in time to hear the middle of their conversation.

Harry was trying to escape, looking away as he finished his statement. "My date…"

"Can surely survive your absence for another minute or two." Snape interrupted, his tone not asking for a rebuttal. "Besides," he continued, "I only wish to convey a message."

"A message?" Harry looked intrigued now, his body turning back to Snape.

"From Professor Dumbledore. He asked that I give you his best and that he hopes you enjoy your holiday. You see, he's traveling and won't return until term resumes."

"Traveling? Where?" Noelle's thoughts echoed Harry's words. It explained why the Headmaster had not approached her for another lesson either.

There was only silence after that and Noelle sneaked a look, noticing that Snape had disappeared. Just as suddenly, she heard another dreaded voice.

"Get your hands off me, you filthy squib!" Malfoy shouted as he was dragged in by Mr. Filch. The party quieted considerably as many turned to regard the boy.

Filch ignored the boy, addressing Slughorn. "Professor Slughorn, sir! I've just discovered this boy lurking in an upstairs corridor. He claims to have been invited to your party."

"Okay, okay, I was gate-crashing. Happy?" Malfoy defended himself, even as he tried still to wrest himself free.

Snape had reappeared and folded his arms. "I'll escort him out." Again his tone demanded no contradiction, and Filch released Malfoy without a word.

"Certainly…" Draco straightened himself out with a look of defiance. "Professor." His voice dripped with sarcasm.

The two exited the room, and, after a second, Harry followed. Doing the same, Noelle made her way through the crowd as the noise picked up once more. Someone caught her arm and she looked up at Azraeyn, who cradled two drinks in his other arm.

"Here you are milady." He handed her a drink and then his look turned to concern. "You okay?"

"Yeah…" She handed the drink back. "Would you just excuse me for a minute?" She didn't wait for an answer, following the others. Using her best guesswork, she managed to find them in a dark corridor nearby. She ducked into an alcove, steadying her breathing.

"Maybe I did hex that Bell girl. Maybe I didn't. What's it to you?" She heard Malfoy hiss.

"I swore to protect you. I made the unbreakable vow." Snape responded in irritation.

Noelle's heart jumped. The unbreakable vow was not something one made lightly. You were bound by magic and would die should you break your promise. Why would he make such a vow on someone like Draco?

"I don't need protection. I was chosen for this! Out of all the others. Me! And I won't fail him." Malfoy retorted.

"You're afraid, Draco." Snape reasoned. "You attempt to conceal it, but it's obvious. Let me assist you-"

"No!" Draco cut him off, his voice retreating further down the corridor. "I was chosen. This is my moment!"

She heard both their footsteps disappear and then watched as Harry dropped down from another alcove and went back to the party. He was so deep in thought that he didn't even notice her across the hall.

And though she still didn't know the details, Noelle now knew exactly who Malfoy was playing for.

The Dark lord.

What she didn't know was what she was going to do about it.