An Unexpected Invitation
Hey, I hope there are no issues with my grammar…not a native speaker of English…please review!
Disclaimer: I don't own HP.
After the excitement of the first task, the next day, no classes were held. Teachers and students spent the entire day talking about the happenings of the last afternoon. Luna had somehow got it into her head that the Ministry was providing an army of Umgubular Slashkilters , which the champions had to get by next. Dennis had snorted so loudly when she told him this, that Professor Mcgonagall had given him detention.
When Harry joined Kitty for breakfast, he told her that he had opened his egg, and a loud and screechy wailing had filled the room. They spent the morning thinking what kind of dark creature was it that made such noises, and how Harry would get past it.
Malfoy seemed to have been hoping that Harry would die during the first task. He had turned spiteful towards Harry, now that he was safe and well. "Won't get lucky twice, Potter!" he shouted to Harry as they left the Great Hall.
The start of December brought wind and sleet to Hogwarts. Drafty though the castle always was in winter, Kitty was glad of its fires and thick walls every time she passed the Durmstrang ship on the lake, which was pitching in the high winds, its black sails billowing against the dark skies.
"Kitty!" cried Hermione, one morning, "Kitty, have you seen Harry and Ron?" Kitty shook her head. "Well then, help me to look for them, will you? I have to show you all something." Vandyll was just about to ask what it was, when they heard a voice behind them. "Hermione, where have you been?" It was Ron, with Harry.
"Never mind that, just follow me, come on," she said, pulling Kitty along. "Hermione, where are we going?" Harry asked, after she had led them down through six floors, and started down the marble staircase into the entrance hall.
"You'll see, you'll see in a minute!" said Hermione excitedly.
She turned left at the bottom of the staircase and hurried toward the door through which Cedric Diggory had gone the night after the Goblet of Fire had regurgitated his and Harry's names. Harry had never been through here before. They followed Hermione down a flight of stone steps, but instead of ending up in a gloomy underground passage like the one that led to Snape's dungeon, they found themselves in a broad stone corridor, brightly lit with torches, and decorated with cheerful paintings that were mainly of food.
Hermione walked up a painting of a bowl of fruits, and started tickling the pear. It began squirming and chuckling, and turned into a large green door knob. Hermione seized it and pulled the door open. She rushed inside, followed by the others. Kitty found herself, in a large high ceilinged room with pots and pans all around. Next thing she knew, a small house elf had hurtled itself at Harry and knocked the wind out of him. "Dobby?" she said uncertainly. The elf turned to her and squeaked, "It's Harry Potter's sister!"
Kitty had last seen Dobby, when she was nine; it had turned up in their room at the Dursleys and told Harry that he must not go back to Hogwarts. Then he had made a pudding explode and the result had been a few sharp slaps and no food that day.
"Would Harry Potter and his friends like some tea?" Dobby asked. "Er—ok," said Harry. Instantly about six house-elves came trotting up behind him, bearing a large silver tray laden with a teapot, cups for Harry, Ron, Kitty, Vandyll and Hermione, a milk jug, and a large plate of biscuits. Hermione frowned.
Dobby told them how he had roamed the country, trying to find work, and Dumbledore employed him, paying him a galleon a week and one day off a month. "Harry Potter...can Dobby come and see you sometimes, sir?" Dobby asked tentatively.
"Of course you can," said Harry, and Dobby beamed.
"You know what?" said Ron, once they had left the kitchens behind and were climbing the steps into the entrance hall again. "All these years I've been really impressed with Fred and George, nicking food from the kitchens - well, it's not exactly difficult, is it? They can't wait to give it away!"
"I think this is the best thing that could have happened to those elves, you know," said Hermione, leading the way back up the marble staircase. "Dobby coming to work here, I mean. The other elves will see how happy he is, being free, and slowly it'll dawn on them that they want that too!"
That night, after dinner, Professor Dumbledore got up and made an announcement, "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. Dress robes will be worn. The ball will take place in the Great Hall on Christmas day and end at midnight. We will not be relaxing the standards of behavior we expect from Hogwarts students. The champions and their partners will be opening the ball, followed by the rest of you."
Kitty looked gloomily at Vandyll, who grimaced and said, "Well looks like we will have to find something else to amuse ourselves with. No one's going to ask us first years." Luna, leaned towards Kitty and said, "Thank goodness, we aren't invited. Dancing isn't really my cup of pumpkin juice." "Of course, you would say that," Kitty replied.
The next morning, Kitty was astonished to see so many people putting down their names to stay at Hogwarts for the Christmas holidays. Harry and Ron were trying to tail girls, hoping to corner them and ask them to the Yule Ball. Ron reckoned that girls would be queuing up to go with Harry, now that he had beaten a Hungarian Horntail. What surprised Kitty most, that she had become most popular suddenly after Harry's first task.
A large, bulky fifth year boy had walked up to Kitty, and asked if she would like to be his partner. "Um, I'm really not planning on going," Kitty had said to him, for she had seen the very same boy wearing a "POTTER STINKS!" badge before the first task.
The next person to ask her was Neville Longbottom, who had cornered her after she emerged out of the girl's toilet. Unable to conjure up an excuse, she had said yes, making him blush right up to the roots of his hair. What surprised her though, was Vandyll's reaction, when she told him that she was going with Neville. He had screwed up his face, as though in concentration, and the glass goblet he had been holding had smashed.
Fred and George were going with Angelina Johnson, and Alice Spinnet. Cedric was going with Cho Chang, the Ravenclaw girl whom Kitty had seen in the Three Broomsticks. She knew this for a fact because Harry had asked her and she had refused, telling him about going with Cedric. Ginny was going with Ernie Macmillan, a Hufflepuff fourth year. Luna, to Kitty's surprise had been asked by Michael Corner, a Ravenclaw fourth year.
On Saturday, Harry pulled Kitty aside and told her that she must go with Ron for neither he nor Harry himself had managed to find partners. She told him that Neville had already asked her, and Ron's face fell. "See, even Neville has got a date for the ball!" Ron had exclaimed. Kitty raised her eyebrows and he fell silent.
But the biggest surprise came the night before the ball. Kitty had received an owl, telling her to come to the Room of Requirement at midnight. The letter was not signed, and Kitty was unable to recognize the handwriting. Nevertheless, she set out at midnight and went to the Room of Requirement.
After, a few minutes of waiting, she heard a voice call her from behind.
"I know you must have not got a date, so I am offering you the chance of going with me to the Yule Ball," a voice drawled as Kitty whipped around. "A chance many would die for. Take it or leave it," said Malfoy.
Kitty was not able to believe her eyes, or ears for that matter. "What?" she said. "You heard me," Malfoy said calmly," Now don't give me the same excuse you gave Weasley back there. I know no one asked you."
Kitty narrowed her eyes and said, "Well, good for you, ferret boy, because I'm going with Neville. As for going with you, I'd rather eat nargles than go with you. I mean, after all that you've done, how can you ask me!"
Malfoy cocked a perfectly shaped eyebrow and said, "What're nargles?" "Never you mind," said Kitty as she stomped back to her dormitory.