Chapter Ten
Where am I going to find Neville? he thought furiously. He started for the Gryffindor Common rooms and passed through the main entrance hall. The large doors to the Great Hall were open and there was a buzz of activity coming from them. He glanced in and stopped. The hall was decorated in drapes of scarlet and lace, gilded flowers sitting in large vases and flowers decorating every corner. The tables were replaced with individual tables and people were setting up an area for dancing.
Candle chandelier hung from the ceiling that had been transformed to resemble a vaulted palace ceiling complete with cherub painted panels. The entire room looked like a royal ballroom.
Lavender Brown came out, her head bent over a piece of parchment. She looked up, "Hello, Harry," she smiled brightly. "Isn't it going to be wonderful? You're not even dressed yet! Have you had a hard time deciding who you're going to be?"
"Be?" he repeated in bewilderment.
"For the Ball," she said. "The Masquerade Ball is tonight!" She stared at him as if he'd gone mad.
Harry supposed she had a right to look at him strangely. His mind was always occupied with Nadya and Hermione and other things and he'd entirely forgotten the Masquerade Ball was approaching. He nodded to Lavender. "Yes," he mumbled. "Have you seen Neville, by the way?"
"He's been ferrying flowers back and forth from the greenhouse, maybe you can find him there." She glanced back at the parchment. "The ball starts soon, though, and I think everything is almost ready. I don't know where he'd be if he's not there. Got to run. It's time to get ready." She went off down the hall. "I do hope Dumbledore makes it back in time!" she said over her shoulder.
Harry peeked once again into the Great Hall and saw that it was emptying fast. The tables were covered in scarlet table linen and gold place settings were laid out. He turned and went back out the door and rushed through the deepening night towards the greenhouses. His progress was impeded by the fog. He stopped halfway realizing the greenhouses were dark. He dashed back towards the school and up towards the Gryffindor Common rooms.
Harry grew alarmed when he saw people strolling through the corridors. They were all dressed in costumes and masks, headed for the Great Hall or to each others' Houses to pick up dates.
How am I going to find him if he's in costume? he wondered. "Hello, who are you?" he stopped a girl dressed as a cat.
"We're not suppose to reveal ourselves," the girl said.
"Pavarti, have you seen Neville?" Harry asked in frustration after recognizing her voice.
"Haven't, sorry," she answered. "You best hurry and get dressed, Harry. The Ball is starting."
Harry was already on his way to Gryffindor before she finished. The Common room was full of people gathering to leave for dinner and the dance afterwards. He began to ask each person he came across if they had seen Neville.
He stopped someone dressed in a long floor-length gown and wearing a white wig. "Have you seen Neville?" The cat-eyed mask looked back. She shook her head and said, "I haven't Harry, but I think he said he was going to dress as a French Knight." It was Angelica Porter a fourth year Gryffindor.
Feeling even more panicked as people began to leave the room, he shouted, "Has anyone seen Neville?"
Dean Thomas stopped on his way out of the room, and asked casually, "What you doing Harry, going as yourself?" He was dressed as a court jester in purple and orange tricolor hat with bells dangling from the points. He laughed at his own joke and then said, "He's in a full set of armor Harry, you shouldn't have a hard time finding him he's noisy when he walks. He got called to Lupin's office five minutes ago. You can probably catch him, he can't move very fast in that get-up."
"Thanks!" Harry pushed past costumed people and shoved someone aside to get through the portrait hole.
"Hey, what's your hurry, mate?" Seamus voice came from a person in a chimney sweep costume.
"Sorry," Harry yelled back as he retraced his steps and headed for Lupin's office.