Author's Note: Hey, Here's chapter 5: Yule Ball, let's just say that this chapter is very awkward for me to write and funny for you to read, yay! go teenage awkwardness!
Previously:
The Champions walked up and greeted them before they all walked down to Hogsmead.
The girls all insisted on picking out the boy Champions' clothes for Yule since the boy Guardians already have their outfits. Viktor politely declined because he was already going to wear the school dress robes from Durmstrang which left Cedric and Harry. They both looked at the other Guardians with horror as the girls dragged them away to a robes shop. The rest of the boys decided to just hang out in Hogsmead but Viktor left after he saw Hermione walking towards one of the bookshops, Julian followed closely after because he needed to watch him which left Shade by himself. He sighed quietly before walking towards the Hog's Head Inn to get a Butterbeer.
Victoria, Alice, and Fleur were having a ball finding the guys dress robes, yet they knew it wouldn't last because the boys had to wear black and white dress robes.
Alice grinned a little insanely before grabbing Cedric, pushing some dress robes into his arms, and pushing him rather roughly towards a dressing room, "Hurry up and change!"
Victoria spotted some very nice dress robes that looked to be Harry's size before doing the same as Alice.
The girls all waited for the guys to come out, "Are you coming out or not?!" Alice shouted when the guys didn't come out for a few minutes.
Finally the boys came out from behind the curtain, Cedric wore a black vest with a white button up shirt, he paired it with a black bow tie and black slacks. Over everything was a nice black robe paired with some nice black dancing shoes. Harry looked to be wearing the same thing except he wore a white bow tie instead of a black one.
The girls squealed and gently pushed them up to the counter to buy the clothes, "We'd like to buy these please!"
The cashier looked at the girls and sighed, "I'm sorry but you can't buy men."
The girls looked at each other in confusion until they realized that the boys were still wearing the clothes. They pushed the guys back into the dressing room waiting for them to take the clothes off. After the boys came out a little confused and scared, the girls bought the clothes and they all went to find the other Guardians and the last Champion.
Viktor and Julian were the first to be found, Krum had just asked Hermione to the Yule Ball when the girls and Champions walked up.
"Hey Julian, have you seen Shade?" Victoria asked.
"Yea, where is he? He should've protected me from these rabid women," Harry said slightly scared.
Julian shook his head, "I haven't seen him, last time I saw him, he was headed towards the Hog's Head Inn."
All the Guardians froze, confusing the Champions, before sprinting off to the Inn. As all of them entered the Inn, they all stopped as the Guardians sighed slightly resigned. The Champions pushed past the Guardians to see what they were looking at only to stop themselves. In front of them was a very drunk and very competitive Shade who was trying to beat all the men there in an arm wrestling contest.
Julian sighed before grabbing Shade and tossing him over his shoulder while Shade whined, "Awww~ stop being a party pooper Julian, I was about to beat all of them!"
When they all made it back to the castle, Shade had a headache, Harry and Cedric were still afraid of the girls, the girls were trying to come up with a way for the boys to add a little color to their robes, Julian was trying to keep Shade from falling over, and Viktor was watching all of this with an amused smile. Finally they all entered the Great Hall for dinner, the Champions going to their tables and their Guardians following them.
After dinner, Dumbledore got up from his seat and looked around at the students, "All Gryffindors will be meeting Professor McGonagall in the Great Hall tomorrow for a preparation on the up coming Yule event. That is all, have a good evening."
He then dismissed the students, all of them walking a bit sleepy from all the food and the announcement. The Guardians all got up from their chairs before walking out of the hall, they all then split up, Alice, Julian and Shade going to their rooms, and Victoria going back to the Library for some last minute reading from books that she didn't have.
Three of the Guardians slept in the next morning, copying their Champions since they didn't have to do anything that day. Shade however had to get up early and fly to the Great Hall to accompany his Champion, Harry for the Gryffindor preparation.
When they both got to the Great Hall, Harry and Shade waved to each other before walking in together, "What do you think she could be planning?" Shade asked.
"I don't know, all she said was to dress nicely for today," Harry tried to explain but he was cut off as Professor McGonagall and Filch came in with an old record player. All the Gryffindors took seats, girls on the left, boys on the right, before McGonagall stepped forward.
"I have something to say to you all. The Yule Ball is approaching, a traditional part of the Triwizard Tournament and an opportunity for us to socialize 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." She was cut off when Filch was trying to make the record player work.
"Dress robes will be worn," Professor McGonagall continued loudly, "And the ball will start at eight o'clock on Christmas Day, finishing at midnight, 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.
"But that does NOT mean," Professor McGonagall went on, "that we will be relaxing the standards of behavior we expect from Hogwarts students. I will be most seriously displeased if a Gryffindor student embarrasses the school in any way."
She turned towards Harry slightly, "Potter, the champions and their partners–"
"What partners?" said Harry
Professor McGonagall looked suspiciously at him, as though she thought he was trying to be funny.
"Your partners for the Yule Ball, Potter," she said coldly. "Your dance partners."
Harry's insides seemed to curl up and shrivel. "Dance partners?" He felt himself going red.
"I don't dance," he said quickly.
"Oh, yes, you do," said Professor McGonagall irritably, "That's what I'm telling you. Traditionally, the champions and their partners open the ball."
"I'm not dancing," he said.
"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. So make sure you get yourself a partner, Potter.'
"But – I don't –" he tried one more time.
"You heard me, Potter," said Professor McGonagall, in a very final sort of way.
Harry groaned and leaned back against his chair, Shade flew over to him silently and patted him on the shoulder sympathetically.
Then after McGonagall finished her little speech, she turned to Ron, "Now, if you would join me Mr. Weasley."
Ron paled and groaned before taking her hand, they stepped into the middle of the room.
"Now, put your hand on my waist," she said, wolf whistles followed shortly after.
"D-Do what now?" he asked in embarrassment.
Shade sighed and shook his head slightly, this is going to take a while.
After dancing for a good few hours, they all left, some with sore feet, others with chills from the girls looking at them, the girls were giggling, Shade watched silently as Harry and Ron made their way up to the tower, an amused smirk on his face.
"Oh you weren't that bad," he said to Harry.
"I am mortified, I kept stepping on her feet!" he grumbled.
Shade giggled softly before looking back at the portrait, masking his surprise as he saw that Alice and Victoria were waiting in front of the Fat Lady. As Harry saw them, he paled greatly before hiding behind Shade.
"Y-You can go first," he said in a meek voice, to scared of the girls to raise his voice.
The girls giggled before looking around Shade at Harry, "We aren't here for you so relax, we're here for him."
They both pointed at Shade before dragging him away, Ron went up to Harry and stared confusingly at the girls.
"What was all that about?" he asked.
"I don't know and I don't want to know, let's just get back before Hermione gets mad at us," he said before they both shuffled into the Common Room, unaware of the silent pleas for help from Shade.
The rest of the day and week went by rather quickly for everyone, the Guardians were trying everything they could to help the Champions uncover the truth behind the hint from the last task. Shade and Charlie still hung out, they didn't believe they were a 'thing' yet but everyone around them knew from the way they acted to the way they spoke about each other. Julian and Viktor were also growing closer, their love of sports and physical activity compelling them to interact even though they tried to look tough on the outside. Victoria and Fleur were also growing closer, their love of books and knowledge drawing them closer to being friends. Alice and Cedric were also growing closer, they loved to fool around and play pranks, who knew Cedric was a hidden prankster? Draco was still being a prat yet whenever Alice was nearby, he started to become an actual human, not so conceited and arrogant, Harry and Draco were trying to be friends but years of supremacy and arrogance drilled into Draco's mind by his father was making it a slow process.
Finally it was time for the Yule Ball. Fleur was taking a boy from Hogwarts, Viktor was taking Hermione though they both knew that was for convenience because Viktor would've taken someone else had he known they had no date. Harry was taking Parvati Patil because the one he wanted to ask was taken, and Cedric was taking Cho Chang who was his girlfriend.
The Guardians on the other hand were all going stag, except for Shade who was going with Charlie. For the event, they all hid their wings by calling them back into their bodies. As they were getting ready, they all got a note from M
it read as follows:
Have fun tonight and wear those clothes I gave you, they are in the parcel you opened a week ago, they are all for mobility so you won't have to conform to your outfits, enjoy the dance! ~M.
The Guardians were all excited to see what M did to their outfits. After changing they all made their way to the Great Hall. The first to arrive was Alice, she wore a brilliant red floor-length dress that flared out at the knees until it started to drag behind her, it was strapless with a heart shaped cut on her chest. Gold flowers and ringlets were sewn onto the dress around her bust and from her knees in a spiral pattern to the edge of the dress. She wore dark red heels and ruby earrings matched with a ruby necklace, her hair was curled and pulled up into a loose bun which let a few loose strands of hair frame her face. Her outfit hid a secret though, she had her wand strapped to her thigh with a wand holster and if she wished, she could tear off her skirt to reveal a knee length skirt underneath. Her necklace could also be turned into a slingshot while her heels hid switchblades in them.
The next to arrive was Julian, he was wearing black dress robes with a white shirt and black slacks, he also wore a light yellow vest with a light yellow bow tie and shiny black dancing shoes, he also had with him a plain black cane with a bird head as the handle. He charmed his hair to grow a few inches, just enough to brush against his shoulders yet look elegant. The secret to his outfit was that his vest and shirt were made with feather light chain mail which had shielding charms cast on it. He also had his wand with him though it was strapped to his forearm and in his cane was a hidden sword.
The third to arrive was Victoria, she wore a light blue with white floor length strapless dress. It had a heart shaped cut above her chest and her skirt started to flare from her waist down. From just under her bust, dark and light blue flowers were trailing from there, across her stomach in a vine pattern until it ended at her knees. She wore a white diamond bracelet with dark blue diamond earrings. Her hair was tied back in a pony tail yet it was also curled and she wore a dark blue shawl around her shoulders. Her secret was the same as Alice's except that her shawl could be turned into a whip/grappling hook and that she wore dark blue combat boots hidden under her skirt which hid throwing daggers keyed into her magical core.
The last to arrive was Shade, he also was wearing black dress robes with a white shirt and black slacks, he also wore an emerald green vest with a matching bow tie and shiny black dancing shoes. He had tried to style his hair but it was a never ending battle so he went with the just shagged look. His secret was the same as Julian's except subtract the cane and replace it with flame resistant material which allowed him to breath fire whenever he wanted.
The four of them slowly walked towards their Champions (weird how the Champions turned into their Champions) and stood beside them until their dates arrived. The entire time they were standing there, Charlie couldn't take his eyes of Shade and Viktor couldn't do the same with Julian. Draco entered and stood shell-shocked as he saw Alice, he knew that he shouldn't like red and gold yet it looked perfect on her. Two pairs of light blue eyes were watching Victoria from the shadows, smiling slightly as they saw her before disappearing into the crowd. The Champions' dates arrived and they all went into the Great Hall for either a great night or a horrible one.
Author's Note: Hey guys! Sorry if the next few chapters are late, I got Lice so I might be spending my days either washing my clothes or in the shower, washing my hair and scalp with insecticide shampoo. I'm getting a nit comb tomorrow so it'll be easier to get rid of but i'll have the little buggers for a while, anyway, see all of you beautiful people in the next chapter, bye!