The Alexander Chronicles Year 4: The Return of Darkness.
Chapter 23: A Date? Like a date date?
…
"Hey Alex, what is the longest word in English?"
"I don´t know Blaise." Alex answered not looking at his friend.
"It is a smiles – there is a mile between the first and last letters."
Alex snorted, "Wow and the award for the worst joke ever goes to Blaise Zabini."
"Ah come on Alex, give a smile eh –"
"Tell me Mr. Black and Zabini! Did you think when I ask Mr, Potter and Weasley to pay attention earlier this lesson that it meant that you were free to talk?" Both boys looked up at a stern looking professor McGonagall.
"No ma´am," Alex said giving a polite smile.
"Take that smile off your face Mr. Black. I have been teaching too long to fall for that."
"She got you there mate." Blaise said making Alex elbow him.
"Excuse me do you want detention?" That threat made both boys sit up straight and keep their mouth shut. "No that is what I thought."
It was the end of the transfiguration lesson; they had finished their work; and had copied down their homework from the blackboard ("Describe, with examples, the ways in which Transforming Spells must be adapted when performing Cross-Species Switches.")
"Now if you all will be quit and act your age," said Professor McGonagall. "I have something to announce. The Yule Ball is approaching - a traditional part of the Triwizard Tournament and an opportunity for us to socialise with our foreign guests. Now, the ball will be open only to fourth years and above - although you may invite a younger student if you wish -"
McGonagall was interrupted by the sound of giggling. Alex noticed that Blaise was grinning and looking briefly at Tracey. Lavender Brown let out a shrill giggle. Parvati Patil nudged her hard in the ribs, her face working furiously as she too fought not to giggle. They both looked around at Harry. Professor McGonagall ignored them, which Alex thought was distinctly unfair, as she had just told off him and Blaise for laughing.
"Dress robes will be worn," Professor McGonagall continued, "and the ball will start at eight o'clock on Christmas Day, finishing at midnight sharp in the Great Hall. Now then -"
Professor McGonagall stared deliberately around the class.
"The Yule Ball is of course a chance for us all to - er - let our hair down," she said, in a disapproving voice.
Lavender giggled harder than ever, with her hand pressed hard against her mouth to stifle the sound. Alex and Blaise exchanged a look, wondering what was so funny.
"But that does NOT mean," Professor McGonagall went on, "that we will be relaxing the standards of behaviour we expect from Hogwarts students. I will be most seriously displeased if a Gryffindor student embarrasses the school in any way."
The bell rang, and there was the usual scuffle of activity as everyone packed their bags and swung them onto their shoulders.
Professor McGonagall called above the noise, "Black - a word, if you please." What was this about messing around in class? Then what about Blaise? Nonetheless Alex moved over to her desk. Professor McGonagall waited until the rest of the class had gone, and then said, "Mr. Black, the champions and their partners -"
"Uh partners?" Alex asked.
Professor McGonagall looked suspiciously at him, as though she thought Alex was trying to be funny.
"The once you take to the Yule Ball, Black," she said coldly. "Your dance partner."
Alex raised his eyebrows. "My dance partner?" He felt face heart up. "I'm sorry, but not me. I can´t dance." He said quickly.
"Now Mr. Black, you can dance, I know for fact that Cyrina would have taught you."
"Well yeah," Alex admitted, "but I haven't done in a while so-"
"Nonsenses it is not something you simply forget. Now traditionally, the champions and their partners open the ball."
Alex had a sudden mental image of a himself in a top hat and tails, accompanied by a girl in the sort of frilly dress like the adults had for his mother's parties. It had been something Alex had found it extremely boring and dull. He had even been forced to dance with girls, not that he wound mind that so much now, but not if he had to do it in front of everyone.
"I'm not dancing," he said crossing his arms looking at his professor.
"It is traditional," said Professor McGonagall firmly. "You are a Hogwarts champion, and you will do what is expected of you as a representative of the school"
"Yeah and I am the champion that didn´t chose to be one, so I pass."
"It is not an option Black. So I suggest you find yourself a partner."
Alex felt himself blush again, "you mean like a date?"
Professor McGonagall raised an eyebrow, "that is the most common thing the students does."
"Sorry but I don´t-"
"You heard me, Black," said Professor McGonagall in a very final sort of way, "I expect you to have a partner when you have to open the ball.
…
A week ago, Alex would have said finding a partner for a dance would be a cinch compared to taking on a Hungarian Horntail. But now that he had done the latter, and was facing the prospect of having to dance at the ball, he thought he'd rather have another round with the dragon. He did of course knew whom he wanted to ask. He just had to muster up his courage and ask her.
There had never been this many students that stayed at the castle this Christmas. In fact it seemed like every student in the fourth year and above that was staying in the castle. Of course, Alex would have stayed no matter what. His grandfather had told him that he were busy that holiday. So given the choice of spending the holiday alone, only to see his family one evening or spending it here with his friends, there was no choice. Beside he didn´t really want to go home anyway, it reminded him too much that he had to celebrate Christmas without his mother.
Despite it was now almost a year since Alex´s mother had been arrested, he couldn´t really help but get carried away by the atmosphere at the castle. It had just been two days ago since the ball had been announced and everybody were talking about it, and about whom they could ask to the ball.
"I wish they wouldn't travel in packs!" Alex said as a dozen or so girls walked past him and Blaise, sniggering and staring at the two, making Alex blush. "How do you get one alone so you can ask them?"
"You can always use your charm like you did with those muggle girls."
"It is pretty easy for you to say, haven't you already asked Tracey?"
"Yup, and she said yes."
"Yeah it much easier to ask once girlfriend then some random girl."
"You could always ask Daphne." Blaise said innocently making Alex blush.
"Yeah maybe." Alex said as he saw Fred approve him. Alex was a bit surprised to see him without his twin.
Fred eyed Blaise for a moment before looking at Alex. "Hey Alex can I ask you something? You are friends with Mellissa Robinson right?"
Alex nodded, "yeah I am."
"Great uh" Fred paused a bit, "you wouldn't knew if she has a boyfriend or anything?"
"Sorry what?"
"I just asked if she had a boyfriend. We clicked at your second victory party, and she is pretty cool for a prefect."
"Wait you want to ask her to the ball?" Blaise blundered out.
To Alex´s surprise, Fred didn´t looked totally embarrassed; there was only a tiny blush on his face. "Yeah I do. Do you have a problem with that?"
"Well she haven't a boyfriend to my knowledge." Alex said as Blaise shocked his heard, "but you better treat her right."
Fred smiled, "you know me Alex I am a gentleman, beside I wouldn't really want to get on the dragon champion´s bad side."
"See Fred had no trouble asking a girl."
"Yeah but is um different."
"Really? And how is that?" Fred asked with an amused look.
"I don´t know you are more popular then I."
"Tsk Alex you are a triwizzard champion, you and the-boy-who-lived should have no trouble getting a date."
"Yeah I wish." However, Blaise was right, the girls were giving Alex and Harry a lot of attention, it was cool, but very weird.
A curly-haired third-year Hufflepuff girl to whom Alex had never spoken in his life asked him to go to the ball with her the very next day. Alex was so taken aback he said no before he'd even stopped to consider the matter.
The girl walked off looking rather hurt, and Alex had to endure Dean's, Seamus's, and Harry's taunts about her all through History of Magic. The following day, more girls asked both him and Harry out, a third year Ravenclaw asked Harry so out of the blue that he said no without thinking. To Alex´s horror a fifth year from Slytherin who looked as though she might knock him out if he refused, but still took the chance and said no.
"She was quite good-looking," said Ron fairly, after he'd stopped laughing.
"She was a foot taller than him," said Harry, still chuckling a little. "Imagine what he'd look like trying to dance with her." Harry and Ron continued to laugh. However; Alex got to laugh at Harry as well a few times. The funniest part was when a first year Hufflepuff asked Harry who was so surprised that he blundered out a no.
"Well if those girls can ask us," Alex said to Harry, "then we should as well. Like Harry you can ask Cho."
"What?"
"Come on, Harry we both know that you are crushing on her. So just ask her out."
"Oh yeah if you is that brave then why don´t you have asked a girl yet?"
"I have a girl in mind." Alex said making Harry snort.
"Yeah I know, but have you asked her yet? I mean you are telling me to man up and ask Cho out, maybe you should follow you own advice sometimes."
"Yeah maybe-"
"So what are you waiting for?"
Alex signed, "Right well I then I ask her now then,"
"Well will you do it now?" Harry asked as Alex didn´t move.
"Okay I do it." Alex said before leaving the common room and Harry. As Alex walked towards the library, where he knew Daphne was, he couldn't help but be happy, despite feeling terrible nervous. Now that he had decided to ask Daphne out, things seamed nicer, the castle seamed nicer and he could not help but smile. He was going to ask her to go to the ball with him. It would be so great, maybe he even could tell her how he felt about her. That he had a massive crush on her and that he was so happy to be around her. He could tell her while they were dancing, and ask her if she wanted to begin dating. Alex smiled again at the thought of dating Daphne if she felt the same as he did. Maybe they could even have their first kiss during the ball, and that would be so amazing.
Alex felt is heartbeat increase as he walked inside the library this was it. Alex began looking around for Daphne, he quickly spotted her. She was sitting at a table while talking with Tracey. Alex smiled as he walked over to her.
"Hey Daphne, do you have a moment?"
"Sure, what is it?" Daphne said smiling at Alex, who couldn't help but thinking that she had a great smile. Alex stood there for a moment feeling the butterflies in his stomach; he briefly looked over at Tracey. She appeared to know why Alex was here, because she gave brief smile before looking down at her book. "So what did you want?" Daphne asked again.
Alex blinked and then opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. He took a deep breath as he gathered all of his Gryffindor courage. "Daphnedoyouwanttogototheballwithme." Alex breathed out.
"Sorry I didn´t get that."
"Do you want to go with the yule ball with me?" Alex repeated more slowly while blushing madly.
Daphne´s eyes went wide and blushed as well. Alex quickly looked away not wanting to look at her, he was just too nervous. "Alex I-" Alex looked up at Daphne, her tone and her sadden expression really made him nervous. "Look Alex, I am really flattered, I really am, but I uh-" Daphne paused again. "I uh am sorry Alex, but I can´t go with you. I have already said yes to another guy, he just asked me yesterday."
Another guy? Alex felt as he had been stabbed in the heart. She said no, she had promised to go with another, who had beaten him by a day –one stinking day– no no that wasn´t like it was supposed to be. Alex gulped the joy he had been feeling since the first task was quickly replaced be sadness.
Daphne must have noticed his expression as she spoke again, "I am really sorry Alex, it was nice of you to ask."
"Right N-no it c-cool I-I j-just t-thought it w-would be great if we we-went as friends, but it is fine." Alex said as he slowly backed away.
"Alex are you sure you are okay?"
Alex opened his mouth to respond but no word came out. He swallowed and tried again. "yeah I am fine." He took a few more steps back as he just wanted to get away. "l-look I-I b-better b-be going so uh I guess we talk uh later?"
"Sure, but Alex I am really sorry about this."
"I am fine honestly." Alex took a few steps forward, but didn´t noticed the table on front of him making him bump in to it causing him to fall on the ground. Everybody expect Daphne and Tracey laughed making Alex´s face burn with humiliation. It was just great he had been rejected by Daphne and now this.
"Alex," Daphne said as she rushed over to him to help him up. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah," Alex paused thinking if he should tell Daphne how he really felt about her, maybe she just had said yes to go as friends with the other guy. But he decided against not wanting to be hurt a second time. He quickly got to his feet as he tried to fight the tears. "Look I got to go." He said and left before Daphne and Tracey could say anything.
Alex didn´t really know where he was going all he knew was that wanted to be alone. He felt absolutely terrible. Now that Daphne had said no, he had no idea who to take the ball nor if he wanted to find another. Sure there was some girls that he had a tiny crush on as well, or maybe he could take a good friend, but just thinking about it now was too much. Beside none of them was Daphne. Alex continue to walk in a fast pace still not knowing where he was going or really he just didn´t want to be anywhere. He blinked away few times trying to stop the few tears that had falling down his cheeks. Great now he was crying, he didn´t want to, but he couldn't stop.
…
The last week of term became increasingly boisterous as it progressed. Rumours about the Yule Ball were flying everywhere - for instance, that Dumbledore had bought eight hundred barrels of mulled mead from Madam Rosmerta. Dumbledore had also booked the Weird Sisters. Alex was a big fan of the Weird Sisters, he had spent many hours in front of the WWN (Wizarding Wireless Network) and listened to them when he had been younger, and he had even been to a concert with them when he was ten. So normally, he would be exited, but right now he didn´t really care, he didn´t really care about anything at the moment, he wasn´t even that happy when Skeeter interview with Hagrid hadn´t resulted in an article or care about she had tried getting trash on Harry and him. He were just still depressed because he couldn't go with Daphne to the Yule ball. Alex had also begun to wonder who had asked her out, despite having talked with Daphne he never asked, in fact he didn´t they didn't talked about what had happened. It wasn´t optimal but it worked sort off. Still he wondered who had asked her, was it someone he knew? Whoever it was Alex was sure he was a jerk, and he knew that no matter who it was Daphne deserved better.
Yet despite how down he felt as term was coming closer to a close, there were times Alex was distracted from wallowing and from his sad thoughts, like when he was in class or when he studied in the in the chamber.
Some of the teachers, like little Professor Flitwick, gave up trying to teach, since everyone minds were so clearly elsewhere instead he allowed them to play games in his lesson on Wednesday, and spent most of it talking to Alex about the brilliant spells he had performed during the first task. The charm professor was really impressed with the illusion spell Alex had used to distract the dragon.
Other teachers were not so generous. Nothing would ever deflect Professor Binns, for example, from going through his notes on goblin rebellions - as Binns hadn't let his own death stand in the way of continuing to teach, they supposed a small thing like Christmas wasn't going to put him off. It was amazing how he could make even bloody and vicious goblin riots sound as boring as Percy's cauldron-bottom report. Alex didn't care, he usually took this time to sleep.
Professors McGonagall and Moody kept them working until the very last second of their classes too, and Snape, of course, would no sooner let them play games in class than adopt Harry Potter. Staring nastily around at them all, he informed them that he would be testing them on poison antidotes during the last lesson of the term.
"You know I sometimes wish he would relax a bit." Alex heard Ron say to Harry the same night at the Gryffindor common room. "Springing a test on us on the last day. Ruining the last bit of term with a whole load of studying."
"Oh please you are hardly over working yourself!" said Hermione, looking at him over the top of her Potions notes. Ron was busy building a card castle out of his Exploding Snap pack - a much more interesting pastime than with Muggle cards, because of the chance that the whole thing would blow up at any second, and that would be really funny if it blow up in his face.
"Come on Hermione, it is Christmas." Harry said lazily; he was re-reading Flying with the Cannons for the tenth time in an armchair near the fire. Hermione looked severely over at him too.
Hermione huffed, "fine then slack off then." She said before glancing at Alex, who was lying on the ground starring at the celling. "But you Alexander!"
Alex lazily looked at her, "what?"
"Well if I had been you I would do everything to figure out what clue the egg had."
Alex signed another thing he had to do, but didn´t have the energy to do, "yeah sure, I look at it tomorrow." He muttered absentmindedly.
"Honestly what have gotten in to you? You been so lazy lately. The clue won´t tell you what to do."
"Relax He is just depressed that Daphne said no to go the Yule ball with him." Harry blundered out without thinking.
Alex blushed as he sat up and starred at him, a bit angry since he had thought Harry wouldn't have told anyone about what had happen with him and Daphne. "Harry!" he hissed.
To his credit, Harry did look embarrassed that he had talked. "Sorry,"
Hermione and Ron both looked at Alex, Ron looked disgusted while Hermione looked curious. "So you asked Greengrass?"
"Yeah, but s-she said n-no."
Ron snorted, "gee that a shock." Alex was about to give an angry answer when Ron had placed the last two cards on top of the castle and the whole lot blew up, singeing his eyebrows.
"Nice look Ron… go well with your dress robes that will."
It was Fred and George. They sat down next to Harry, Ron, and Hermione.
"Ron, can we borrow Pigwidgeon?" George asked.
"No, he's off delivering a letter," said Ron. "Why?"
"No reason, Alex what about your owl?"
"The same." Alex said looking at the twins.
"Why do you need owls?" Ron asked again, "come on tell me.
"Because we want to invite them to the ball," said Fred sarcastically.
"Because we want to send a letter, you stupid great prat," said George.
"Nose out, Ron, or I'll burn that for you too," said Fred, waving his wand threateningly. "So… you lot got dates for the ball yet?"
"Nope," said Ron.
"Well, you'd better hurry up, mate, or all the good ones will be gone," said Fred. Alex signed, the good ones were taken or at least the girl Alex liked were.
"Who're you going with, then?" Ron said.
"Angelina," George said promptly, without a trace of embarrassment.
"What?" Ron said, taken aback. "You've already asked her?"
"Yeah that is a good point," George said. He turned and called across the room. "Oi! Angelina!"
Angelina, who had been chatting with Alicia Spinnett near the fire, looked over at him. "What?" she called back.
"What do you say? Me you the yule ball?"
Angelina gave George a sort of appraising look. "All right, then," she said, and she turned back to Alicia and carried on a bit of chatting with a big grin on her face.
"There you go," George said to Harry and Ron. "Piece of cake."
"What about you Fred?" Ron asked.
"Mellissa Robinson, she is the Ravenclaw sixth year prefect."
Alex looked at Fred, "you asked her?"
Fred nodded while smiling. Yep Freddy asked, and I bet Alex did that with ease too when he asked his girl to the ball," George added, nudging Alex with his foot.
Once again Alex looked at the floor feeling sad once again. "No Black´s little girlfriend bailed out on him." Ron said.
"Shut it Ron!" Fred hissed before turning to Alex, "I am sorry about that Alex." He said while George nodded.
"Yeah it sucks mate, but Fred we better go now so we can find a good school owl.
They left. Ron stopped feeling his eyebrows and looked across the smouldering wreck of his card castle at Harry.
"They are right about one thing though. We should really try getting a date, while there still are good ones left, you know so we won´t have to with a pair of trolls."
Hermione let out sputters of indignation. "A pair of… what, excuse me?"
"Well - you know," said Ron, shrugging. "I'd rather go alone than with – with Eloise Midgen, say."
"How can you say that?" Hermione hissed, "You are really being a jerk right now. Eloise is really nice girl you know."
"Hermione her nose is of centre!" Ron exclaimed.
"So what Ronald? You are saying that you would take the best looking girl no matter if she was a horrible person."
"Yeah pretty much."
"You're so shallow, Ron. I'm going to bed," Hermione said, and stood up, moving towards the girls' staircase. Alex looked at her as she left, wondering if he should ask Hermione if she wanted to go to the ball with him as friend.
Alex decided to ask Hermione the following day, he finally caught her after lunch.
"Hey Hermione can we talk?"
The Gryffindor witch nodded and Alex her led her to a place where they could talk alone, causing her to look at him strangely. "What do you want?"
"I just wanted to ask if you wanted to go to the Yule Ball with me?" Alex asked hopefully.
Hermione looked surprised, "you are asking me to the ball?"
"Yeah"
Alex didn´t really know how he expected Hermione to react, but not annoyed. "So what I am your rebound girl now that Greengrass said no?"
"What no!" Alex exclaimed surprised that Hermione acted that way.
"Oh really but it seems like that now Greengrass said no then I am good enough."
"No it not like that Hermione! Look yes I wanted to go with Daphne, but since I can´t. I want to go with you – my best female friend, instead of a random girl. It is not as if I see you as a rebound girl or a second choice. I just see you as the one I want to go with as a friend. So I ask again will you go with me?"
"Alex I have to say no," Hermione said softly.
"Oh you have been asked that is okay. Who asked you?" Alex said with a forced smile, despite not having the same feelings for her as he had for Daphne, it still hurt being rejected.
"Yes, I never thought you would ask me, so I said yes to go with another guy." There was a small pause, "before you asked, I won´t tell you who it is. I am sorry Alex."
"It is okay Hermione, I am glad that you have a date, and I hope he will give you a brilliant time and I look forward to meeting him."
Hermione smiled, "he is sweet and I bet you be surprised." She paused a bit as she looked at Alex then she looked around. "Okay promise not to tell."
"I swear."
"It is Victor Krum."
Alex blinked in surprise, "Krum? As in the Dumstrang champion?" Hermione nodded, "wow I thought you didn´t like him."
"I never said that, I just hated all those girls running after him, but he began to talk in the library and he is really nice."
"Cool, I look forward to saying hey."
"Alex, I hope you find a partner to the ball, maybe you can ask Tracey Davis."
"No she is going with her boyfriend, but no worries I will find a date."
The Hogwarts staff, demonstrating a continued desire to impress the visitors from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang, seemed determined to show the castle at its best this Christmas. When the decorations went up. Alex noticed that they were the most stunning they had yet seen inside the school. Everlasting icicles had been attached to the banisters of the marble staircase; the usual twelve Christmas trees in the Great Hall were bedecked with everything from luminous holly berries to real, hooting, golden owls, and the suits of armor had all been bewitched to sing carols whenever anyone passed them. It was quite something to hear "O Come, All Ye Faithful" sung by an empty helmet that only knew half the words. Several times, Filch the caretaker had to extract Peeves from inside the armour, where he had taken to hiding, filling in the gaps in the songs with lyrics of his own invention, all of which were very rude.
"Come on Alex I know it sucks that you can´t go with Daphne, but you got to find a new girl." Blaise said as he and Alex were walking from transfiguration.
"Yeah I know, I just don´t know who."
"Well is there any other girl that you like?"
"Well uh I don´t know uh I guess uh Lisa is nice." Alex said thinking of the times he had talked to her in class and he actually found her really funny and cute."
"Lisa Turpin? Well I think she is in to you."
"Why makes you think that?"
"Well, I have noticed that see had been looking in your way,"
Alex felt himself blush, "come on I would have noticed that."
"Oh please you are my friend, but flirting girls isn´t your thing." Blaise said making Alex snort. "Oh you think I am lying then what about that muggle girl Rose, you didn´t spot that she was filtering with you."
"Well, we see."
"You better hurry, Lisa is pretty attractive so if you doesn´t hurry then she end up being taken and then there might not be any girls left."
Alex signed, "Yeah I know."
…
A few days passed and Alex hadn´t still gotten a date to the Yule Ball nor had he asked Lisa, but he had looked at her a few times during the meals in the Great Hall. Instead Alex had been working on his egg, and that hadn´t been more successful than getting a date, but it at least kept him busy. It was for that reason he was sitting at the Great Lake. "What are you trying to say?" Alex muttered while starring at the egg. "Just what are you hiding?" Alex took his wand out and cast the reparo charm before opening the egg. However it didn´t work and Alex quickly closed it again. "Dammit nothing works." He hissed getting up. This stupid egg was driving him crazy. Because Hermione was right figuring out the clue was only a part of the task, he also had to solve it. The question was just how, no matter what he had tried the egg was still screaming like a banshee. Not even his friends had been able to help solve it. Alex looked at the egg on the ground and felt great annoyance. This was stupid, how was he surpassed to solve this clue; he was just fourteen competing against people that was seventeen or older. What if he just didn´t know enough to solve this what if it was something that was taught in his fifth year or the sixth. Alex growled and kicked it into the lake, making it sink.
"Okay that was pretty stupid mate." Blaise said as he walked next to Alex, who looked at his mate giving him a quick nod.
"Yet it was very reliving."
"So feel better now?"
"Kind of yeah." Alex said looking at the lake that still had ripples.
"Whatever you say mate. Anyway let me get your egg." Blaise said as he drew his wand and said, "Accio golden egg!"
Nothing happen, and when that didn´t chance at Blaise third attempt Alex bust out laughing, making his Slytherin friend look at him in annoyance. "Yeah really funny Alex, why don´t you give it a try?"
"No I-I," Alex continued to laugh and it made forget all that had happened, Daphne´s rejection, him needing a date and failure with the egg. "Don´t you get it?" He asked, "imagine how stupid how I would have felt if it had worked."
"Huh?"
"Eh well if I could had summoned it with that spell, then I would have felt really stupid taking on a dragon."
Blaise's eyes widened in realisation, but then he turned at Alex and smirked. "You may laugh now, but you still have to get the egg."
"What didn´t you promise to get it."
"In your dreams Black, it is December. You can take the swim it will be good for you."
"It is freezing. I get a cold."
"Too bad mate, you were stupid enough to kick it in, and then you can jump in the water. It might even be refreshing."
"Yeah whatever!" Alex said as he took his winter robes, "but can you cast the drying and heating charm on me when I get up. Erik have showed them to you right?"
Blaise nodded as Alex began to walk out in the lake. He gasped as he realized how cold it was. "Shouldn't you take more cloths off?"
"I-it ca-can dry." Alex said though chattering teeth. "Just be quick about it." Alex walked until the water was at his waist, then he took a deep breath before jumping in the water. It was so cold that it literally hurt, Alex had to get up to get new air.
"Are you okay?" Blaise called.
"C-cold," Alex said before diving again, and begun to swim towards where he had thrown the egg.
The water was very muddy making it hard to see anything that was far ahead, so Alex to do most of his searching with his hands. After about a minute under water, Alex had to come up for air. Alex looked about around while catching his breath; the egg should be around here maybe a bit further ahead. He took a deep breath and dived again, and continued his searching. Finally, his hand hit something cold and metal. Grabbing the egg by the latch on its top, Alex bent down to kick off the lakebed when suddenly the egg shifted in his hands. As the latch turned and the sides dropped open. Alex was shocked to hear not the ungodly shrieking he was used to but a pleasant sounding voice singing.
"I did it. That is the clue!" Alex thought was he listened to the song; he stayed long enough for the egg to begin repeating.
"Come seek us where our voices sound,
We cannot sing above the ground.
And while you're searching ponder this:
We've taken what you'll sorely miss,
An hour long you'll have to look,
And to recover what we took
But past an hour - the prospect's black
Too late, it's gone, it won't come back"
"Alex, what´s wrong can´t you find it." Blaise yelled from shore, after Alex had come up gasping for air.
"N no I hav have it." Alex panted, "and I have found the clue."
"So are you coming up?"
Alex nodded and began swimming back, once he had gotten on land. Blaise cast the charms that dried and warmed him up.
"So what was it about?"
"You had to have the egg under water, in order to understand it – it was a song that explained the task." Alex paused for a few seconds trying to remember what had been sung before explaining to his friend.
"Wired, what do you think that means?"
Alex looked at the lake, "Merpeople!," he exclaimed as he smacked himself in the heard. "Of course that is why it only can be understood under water."
"So what you need to what? Hold your breath under water for an hour? How long can you hold your breath? I counted a couple of minutes."
Alex frowned, "yeah that might be a problem, and I am not certain that it is merpeople. I have to study up on them. I uh see you at dinner."
…
However, from what Alex just have read; it had to be merpeople. All the clues fitted, above water their voices were terrible screaming, screams that sounded exactly the same as his egg, and according to Hogwarts A History, there was a colony of them in the school lake. They didn´t have much contact with the surface world, but it happened every now and then. Alex looked from the book to the golden egg. It had to be them. Meaning the second task would be underwater where he had to find the merpeople colony to find something that they had taken from him. Alex was happy that he had solved the clue, but it have raised more important question; how could he stay under water for an hour. Anyway he had gotten this far and February 24th was still far away. Satisfied he had gotten this far Alex left the library.
As he walked, Alex kept thinking of ways he could stay under water, one way was to transform himself, but it was complicated magic. His father had been in his fifth year before mastering the animagus transformation, and he had started training last year. He could ask for notes, but even then there was no guarantee that he would be a water creature. Alex was so deep in thought had he didn´t see the person that came from the side corridor, before he was on the ground.
Alex groaned as he laid on the ground, luckily the golden egg hadn´t been opened in the fall, the screaming generally annoyed those around him that heard it.
"Aw that hurt!" another voice groaned, it was a girl voice. Alex looked and saw that it was Lisa Turpin. She was laying on the ground as well.
Alex quickly got to his feet, got over to Lisa and helped her up, "oh I am so sorry I should have seen were I was going, Are you okay?"
"I am fine; beside it is my fault as well." Lisa said looking at Alex. "Were you out studying?"
"Yeah kind of," Alex said as he picked up the egg, he was about the grab to book as well, but Lisa was quicker.
"Hmm why are you reading about merpeople?
"Yeah, there is actually a colony in the lake, or so it say in-"
"Hogwarts a history!" Lisa finished making Alex blush slightly. "I know, so they are in the task huh?" Alex hesitated should he tell her, he rather wanted to keep this to himself or at least from the other champions. However he couldn't really think of a lie to tell. "Don´t worry I won´t tell, it is you that I am rooting on, you are the best champion anyway."
Alex felt himself blush again as he watched Lisa smile and play with a lock of her hair. "T-thanks," he muttered and looked down, that is when he saw that Lisa had dropped some books as well. "Oh do you need help with the books?" Lisa nodded and the two teens began collecting the books, as Alex was about to pick up the last book his hand touched Lisa´s. Her hand felt very soft and it was sort of nice. However Alex still pulled away blushing again. "Sorry."
"It is okay," Lisa said, Alex noticed that she was blushing too. It made him happy for some reason. But he liked Daphne, still he found that Lisa was extremely cute and nice.
Alex was about to hand Lisa her books, when he noticed that some were defence books. "wow that is some impressive books."
Lisa smiled, "yeah, but they are really interesting. I mean some of those curses and spells. I mean they are just so impressive." Lisa blushed a bit, "sorry I am rambling."
"Nah it is okay, I like defence as well."
Lisa chuckled, "Well it is a great class, Professor Moody is really great, so was Lupin." Alex nodded, "It was some pretty cool magic you preformed at the first task, I mean that illusion trick you used were fantastic. I wish I knew that sort of magic." She said once again playing with her hair.
"Well oh I could uh you know give you uh so tips." Alex said scratching the back of his heard.
Lisa smiled, "wow that would be great Alex thanks I accept."
There was a silence where neither of them spoke. Alex kept wondering if Blaise was right, did Lisa like him. Had she been flirting with him? And did he like her? "Well I better get going." Lisa said, "I see you later." Lisa began walking away. Alex starred at her for a few seconds before making his decision.
"Hey Lisa wait up."
"Yeah," Lisa said as she turned to face Alex, who took a deep breath.
"I was uh just wondering if uh you would go with the Yule ball with me?" he said as he blushed madly.
Lisa blushed as well, before she smiled. "Is that a condition for you teaching me?"
"No!" Alex exclaimed, "n-no I just thought it would uh be fun, but if you don´t want to, it is fine."
"Hmm okay I say yes."
Alex heart began beating faster. "Really you mean it?"¨
Lisa nodded, "Yeah I do."
…
As Alex walked back to the common room feeling happy, he had solved the egg and he had a date for the ball. As he neared the portrait he saw Harry, the Gryffindor seeker looked annoyed at something.
"Hey Harry is something wrong?"
Harry looked up, he seemed a bit surprised but answered nonetheless. "Yes Cedric Diggory is what is wrong!"
"Yeah I know, is he starting the whole you evil to you too?"
"No," Harry said, "he have asked Cho to the ball, and of course she said yes."
"Oh bummer huh?"
"Yeah, it sucks," Harry looked over at Alex to before giving the Fat Lady the new password before waking through the portrait hole. Alex heisted for some seconds before following Harry.
Entering the common room, Alex looked around, and to his surprise, he saw Ron sitting ashen-faced in a distant corner. Ginny and Harry were sitting with him, talking to him in what seemed to be low, soothing voices.
"Why did I do it?" Alex heard Ron say as he walked over. "I don't know what made me do it!"
"What?" Alex asked Ginny.
"He - er - just asked Fleur Delacour to go to the ball with him," said Ginny. She looked as though she was fighting back a smile, but she kept patting Ron's arm sympathetically.
"You what?' Harry asked, as Alex had to try really hard not to laugh.
"I don't know what made me do it!" Ron gasped again. "What was I playing at? There were people - all around - I've gone mad - everyone watching! I was just walking past her in the entrance hall - she was standing there talking to Diggory - and it sort of came over me - and I asked her!"
Ron moaned and put his face in his hands. He kept talking, though the words were barely distinguishable. "She looked at me like I was a sea slug or something. Didn't even answer. And then - I dunno - I just sort of came to my senses and ran for it."
"She's part veela," Harry said voicing Alex´s thoughts. He had told Harry about Fleur´s heritage sometime after the first task. "Her grandmother was one. It wasn't your fault, I bet you just walked past when she was turning on the old charm for Cedric and got a blast of it - but she was wasting her time. He's going with Cho Chang."
Ron looked up.
"I asked her to go with me just now," Harry said dully.
"This is mad," said Ron. "We're the only ones left who haven't got anyone – well and Black."
Alex smirked, "I got a date Weasley." He said making Harry look at him, "I asked Lisa Turpin."
"Oh, great," Ron said, even more depressingly. "Even Black got a date."
Just then Hermione climbed in through the portrait hole.
"Why wasn´t you at Dinner?" she said to Alex, Harry, and Ron, coming over to join them.
"Because they've both just been turned down by girls they asked to the ball!" said Ginny. "If you meant my brother and Harry, if you meant Alex then he got a date."
"Really who?" Hermione said, looking interested.
"Uh you know Lisa Lurpin," Alex answered.
"Really?" Hermione said. Alex nodded. "Good, she seems nice." Hermione then turned to Ron. "All the good-looking ones taken, Ron?" She said loftily. "Eloise Midgen starting to look quite pretty now, is she? Well, I'm sure you'll find someone somewhere who'll have you."
But Ron was staring at Hermione as though suddenly seeing her in a whole new light.
"Hermione - you're a girl…"
"Oh well spotted," she said acidly, while Alex rolled his eyes.
"Well - you can come with one of us!"
"No, I can't," snapped Hermione.
"Oh come on," Ron said impatiently, "we need partners, we're going to look really stupid if we haven't got any, everyone else has…"
"I can't come with you," said Hermione, "because I'm already going with someone."
"No, you're not!" said Ron. Alex wanted to slap himself how could he be that stupid, and insulting. Even if Hermione didn´t have a date and would have considered saying yes, Ron had ruined that now.
Alex was right as Hermione's eyes flashed dangerously. "Just because it's taken you three years to notice, Ron, doesn't mean no one else has spotted I'm a girl!"
Ron stared at her. Then he grinned again. "Okay, okay, we know you're a girl," he said. "Will you come now?" This time Alex couldn´t stop face palming himself.
"I've already told you!" Hermione said very angrily. "I'm going with someone else!" And she stormed off toward the girls' dormitories again.
"She's lying," said Ron flatly, watching her go.
"Oh shut up will you," Alex hissed.
"Oh yeah you think she has a date?" Ron asked sharply, as Alex nodded Ron continued. "then who is it."
"None of your business."
Ron gave Alex the evil eyes before signing, "this is getting stupid. Ginny, you can go with Harry, and I'll just -"
"I can't," said Ginny, and she went scarlet too. "I'm going with - with Neville Longbottom. He asked me and I thought… well… I'm not going to be able to go otherwise, I'm not in fourth year. Now, if you excuse me, I think I'll go and have dinner," she said, and she got up and walked off to the portrait hole.
"Yeah I think I grab a bite too, and a bit of advice Weasley be more polite when asking a girl." Alex said before leaving Harry and Ron to place the egg in his trunk. When he got back he noticed that Harry were leaving blushing Parvati, before going over to Ron telling him they he had gotten them dates, Alex rolled his eyes, before heading to the great hall and to tell Blaise that he had gotten a date.
…
Chapter end.
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