A/N An update! I'm almost as shocked as you guys are.

My apologies for the lack of progress with this fic. I really don't know what happened except that my interests turned elsewhere for a while. I have a handful of chapters saved up from this story and I read the whole thing through today. I had forgotten how much I love this fic. For the first time in two years, I was able to write some more today and I wanted you all to have this belated chapter. I hope you enjoy it.

Fourth Year - Part Two

It was audition day. Hermione's stomach had been fluttering with nerves even before she'd gone to sleep the previous evening, and only the knowledge that she'd need a lot of energy throughout the day had made it possible for her to stomach some breakfast. Harry and Ron had given her words of encouragement before she'd left them in the Common Room for the trials of the day. Whilst she knew that the older students had ballet classes on Saturdays, it felt a little odd to Hermione to be dancing at the weekend and it looked set to be a long day.

Two weeks ago, the Vittozzis had spent an afternoon giving details to their hopeful students about the performances that were to mark the arrival of their guests from the other magical schools, and taught them sections of the choreography so that the pupils could decide which roles they would like to audition for. There were to be two separate performances: a trio of dances on the thirtieth of October to specifically welcome the delegates and then, on the thirty-first, a spectacle to celebrate Halloween.

As soon as Hermione heard that the female dancers on Halloween would be wearing pointe shoes, she automatically ruled herself out of auditioning for that night. She was getting stronger in her pointe work but she was aware that she wasn't near a performance-level standard yet. However, she had expected pointe dancing to be featured so she knew she could only be a little bit disappointed. After all, it was one of the first things people associated with ballet. Her disappointment was soon swept away with a rush of adrenaline when Signor revealed that one of the three dances performed on Welcoming Night was to be a Highland reel. Hermione's breath had caught in her throat at his words and her eyes had immediately darted over to where Nott was sitting amidst his Slytherin peers. His features were typically devoid of much emotion but Hermione saw the spark of excitement in his eyes when his gaze caught hers. It almost didn't matter about the other two dances on Welcoming Night - the reel was their best chance of being included in the performances and they knew it: not only had they proven in the past that they had the stamina for it, but it became quite clear as Signor taught the assembled dancers a section of the choreography that not many other students would put themselves forward for such a punishing routine. There were plenty of raised eyebrows and murmured complaints about the exhausting steps all around Hermione, but she was secretly relishing the burn in her legs and lungs as she recalled fond memories of her rehearsals with Nott and Tam, and the final triumph of her examination (and she was now quite easily able to forget the earlier trauma of her cursed shoes).

The day after the pre-audition, she met Nott in the library and they excitedly agreed to rehearse the reel section together in order to prepare for the proper audition. Getting a spot in one of the rehearsal rooms had been impossible so they'd had to make do with an unused classroom on the Fourth Floor three times a week. The Vittozzis' version of the reel was more intricate than the one they'd learned for their exam and it took a bit of getting used to, but Hermione felt that she and Nott had prepared as well as they could have done and it was now a matter of putting all their hard work to good use.

The butterflies in her stomach increased in intensity as she trod the familiar path to the dance classrooms. There was to be an open warm-up class before the auditions formally got under way, but the class itself was enough to make Hermione anxious. She'd never warmed-up in front of the older students before and she knew she'd be under a lot of scrutiny from the Slytherins. She was also worried that the exercises would be too difficult for her given that most of the other students would have more than double or even triple the amount of experience in ballet that she did. Not only that but she was entering into the dance studio pretty much friendless. Neither Susan, Hannah nor any of the other Hufflepuffs or Ravenclaws in her year seemed to be auditioning and though there were older Gryffindors who took ballet, Hermione wasn't on speaking terms with them. Nott would be there with the other Slytherins - a silent and distant ally - and she would have to content herself with that.

The dance corridor was busy with activity as people made their way into the studio for class. Hermione tried to project an air of self-belief that she belonged amongst their company but she could feel her confidence shrinking with each passing second. She was greatly tempted to turn back but her eyes met Signor's as he stood in the doorway to welcome the students inside and he smiled, giving her an approving nod. Cheeks flushing with pleasure, she hurried into the studio and quickly changed into her ballet shoes.

"Hey, Granger, do you want to stand with us?"

Hermione looked up at the voice from where she sat charming her shoe ribbons around her ankles. She recognised the two girls that were standing over her - they were Gryffindors a couple of years above her. They had never spoken to her before but she knew that wasn't because they were particularly unkind or anything - they'd just never had a reason to talk.

The girl who had made the beckoning gesture to emphasise her invitation had lightly golden skin that spoke of a lingering effect of days in the summer sun despite the fact that they had completed their fourth full week back at school. The girl's sleek, caramel hair had been pinned back into a stubby ponytail but a few strands had been deliberately left down to frame her pretty face. Hermione was quite sure that her name was Charlotte but she was unsure about the pale, raven-haired girl with striking sapphire eyes next to her.

Hermione secured the ribbons in place with a tap of her wand and got to her feet with a shy smile. "Thank you," she said a little breathlessly. "That's really kind of you both."

"No problem - us Gryffindors need to stick together, eh?" the pale girl said with a pleasant, lilting Scottish accent. "I'm Hollie, by the way."

"Lottie," the other girl introduced with a friendly smile as they found space in the studio to prepare for their barre work. "What parts are you auditioning for, Granger?"

"Oh, Hermione's fine," she said quickly. "Just the Highland reel."

Lottie raised her lightly pencilled eyebrows in surprise. "The reel? Gosh, you must be a real glutton for punishment."

Hermione shrugged. "Maybe I am. I mean, I know it's hard work but I enjoy it, actually. Besides, I know I'm not good enough to be chosen for any of the other dances - my pointe work isn't strong enough yet."

Lottie revealed that she was auditioning for Halloween night and the dance that would pay tribute to the founders of Hogwarts during Welcome Night, while Hollie was giving herself a shot in all of the dances. She laughed at Hermione's dropped jaw. "I know it's not feasible to do everything on the night but I like trying new things."

Signora clapped her hands at that moment to show that class was starting and Hermione refocused to make sure that she didn't show herself up in front of all the older students.

Under different circumstances where she wasn't nervous about the audition or the company she was in, Hermione would've relished testing herself with more advanced versions of the typical ballet exercises. She watched the other students carefully to ensure that she wasn't making any mistakes but this prevented her from analysing the more experienced dancers more clinically to pick up any new tips or hints to improve her own technique.

When the barre exercises were complete, Hermione noticed that only she, the fourth year Slytherins and one fifth year student didn't change into pointe shoes as they moved on to the centre work. She caught Nott's eye as the less experienced students respectfully took places further back in the room and they found that they were able to complete the port de bras, grand battement and adagio exercises next to each other without attracting any unwanted attention. Even as the large class was set into groups to perform the exercises of jumps, pirouettes and travelling steps, the two of them managed to stick in the same grouping. Though they barely looked at each other, let alone dare talk, it was still comforting to be near someone who wanted you to do well: someone you trusted.

Once the class was over, the Vittozzis explained the ordering of the auditions. To Hermione's consternation, they wanted to view the Highland reel first. She tried to combat her nerves as the ballet master and mistress organised the pairings for the other dances to give those students time to rehearse together. The reel had limited partner work so it made sense to audition this one first, and soon the room contained only the twenty or so dancers that wanted to try out for it. Hermione discreetly cast her eyes along the dancers who had remained so that she could see who her competition was going to be. The majority of the hopeful students were fourth and fifth years, obviously reasoning, like herself and Theo, that this was their best chance for selection. However, there were also a few senior dancers putting themselves forward. Hermione didn't know how many dancers the Vittozzis had in mind for this dance on the night, but she knew that she had an edge over her fellow fourth-year students and maybe some of the others, too, given her relative familiarity with dancing a reel. She reasoned that as long as the Vittozzis selected on merit and not surname, she might have a decent shot at being chosen.

Hermione was paired with a fifth-year that she vaguely recognised as a Hufflepuff. He was a good few inches taller than she was but - given that the vast majority of the male dancers were Slytherins - there had been little choice. He gave her a friendly nod as she came to stand next to him but she was sure that her well-meaning smile looked more like a grimace thanks to her nerves.

The students all watched intently as the Vittozzis once again demonstrated the section of choreography they had been asked to prepare. It was so exquisitely and effortlessly performed by the legendary dancers and Hermione didn't think she even breathed throughout it. Her stomach roiled at the idea that she was now going to have to try and replicate Signora's perfection but there was no time to dwell, they had ten minutes to practise with their assigned partner before they would be called forward a pair at a time to perform.

Within the first minute of her practice with the Hufflepuff, Seth, Hermione could tell that he was nowhere near as suited to the dance as Theo was. Or perhaps he just hadn't practised enough. Hermione could feel the gazes of the Vittozzis passing over her as they observed the various pairings and she tried to focus on her own steps. The ten minutes sped past in no time for Signora was soon clapping her hands once again and the students all stilled at once.

Hermione had assumed that the older students would audition first to set the standard and lay down markers to the others, but Signor started with the Fourth Year couples. Blaise Zabini and Tracey Davis were called upon first and both managed to maintain their usual air of haughtiness, though Hermione was sure they had to be nervous inside. Zabini and Davis completed the steps, though their heavy footwork and weak arms showed that they actually had little confidence in their ability to perform the moves - apparently an arrogant expression could only cover so much. Malfoy and Parkinson went next and were notably worse. Hermione had a feeling they hadn't bothered rehearsing the steps once since the Vittozzis had taught them the choreography two weeks ago and were merely expecting their names to even up any faults in their audition. Hermione clenched her fists together at the very thought but she was distracted from her sense of injustice when Nott was called forward to dance with Daphne Greengrass, and she hid her hands behind her back and crossed her fingers instead. She needn't have bothered - Nott was in a different class to those that had gone before. His movements were sharp and strong, his springs light, and he just looked the part. Seth muttered a begrudging, "Wow," when the pair finished but Hermione had to try to force herself to clap with as much disdain as she'd given the previous Slytherin couples. Nott caught her eye as he returned to his place at the back of the studio and she gave him a discreet smile and nod which she hoped nobody else noticed.

After a couple more pairings, it was her turn to dance with Seth. Hollie whispered good luck to her but she could feel the baleful, disapproving stares of the Slytherins as she moved to the front. But now that it came to it, instead of feeling intimidated, a fighting resolve rose up within her and she determined to show all those watching what she could do. She was ready.

When Theo woke on the morning of the thirtieth of October, he knew he wasn't the only one who would be experiencing a sense of excitement. The school had been buzzing over the last couple of days thanks to the impending arrival of the delegates from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang. Interested though Theo was at seeing the guests, they weren't the main reason for his excitement: later that evening he would have a featured role at the Welcome Night performances.

The Vittozzis had decided that the reel would only contain three couples - making it the most exclusive dance of the night. Two seventh years were chosen to be the principal couple and there were two supporting pairs. Theo was partnered with Dawn Vaisey (a fifth year in his house) and the other couple were sixth-year Ravenclaw, Marius Buckmaster, and Hermione Granger. Theo sleepily grinned to himself as he recalled her shocked but gleeful expression at discovering her name on the cast list. He wasn't arrogant enough to assume that his name would be listed, especially when he didn't know how many dancers would actually be included in the reel, but he knew he'd given a good account of his abilities in his audition and he was thrilled to see his name on the parchment. Yet, if anything, he was more pleased for Granger than he was for himself. She also gave a very strong audition but he'd been worried that her parentage would count against her getting such a stand-out role. Once the casting had been announced, he'd overheard many of his housemates complaining that Granger had only been picked because McGonagall and Dumbledore had put pressure on the Vittozis to include her to promote their own inclusive, political views. That was, of course, nonsense. Granger had the fitness and artistry to perform the reel, as many of them had witnessed during the audition process. Allowances had possibly been made in terms of her magical lineage but only when it came to her partner. Height-wise, Vaisey and Buckmaster were more suited to each other as were Theo and Granger, but that was never going to happen even if she was a pureblood Gryffindor. Besides, it probably made more sense to pair the fourth-years with dancers that had greater experience than put them together. He and Granger still practised together once a week but the reel had long been drilled into them by now and they spent most of their time rehearsing the partner work they were studying as part of their Fourth-Year course. Hermione had progressed so far on pointe that they were even experimenting with more advanced partner work where he helped her balance during arabesques and pirouettes, and their trust in each other was growing stronger week by week.

There was only one small fly in the ointment of their friendship: house elves. Theo had followed through on his pledge to read up on the issue and, during their second boat trip of the year in the middle of October, they'd had a rather lively debate.

"Looking at books is all well and good," he'd told her, "but having a dialogue with the house elves, discussing what they actually want, has got to be part of your agenda going forward. I know your heart is in the right place but proposing to force changes upon them that they don't actually want might make things worse."

She raised her eyebrows in surprise. "How is giving them a say in their own lives and better working conditions going to make things worse?" she argued.

"Talk to some house elves," Theo repeated. "Find out if they actually want any of your proposals."

"How? We've already established that we don't see any around the castle anywhere," she pointed out.

"I don't know," he replied. "Maybe send a note to the kitchens asking for an audience?"

She considered his words for a few moments then said, "Well, if you offered to give your house elves a galleon per week for their work, how do you think they'd react?"

"I think they'd be very insulted," he told her honestly after thinking it over carefully. "They take pride in looking after the Nott family - their purpose in life is to serve wizarding families."

Granger shook her head. "No, they think that's their purpose in life because witches and wizards have told them so. How can a species of intelligent magical creatures purely exist to do our bidding? Why can't they have lives of their own?"

Theo frowned. He couldn't deny that she made some valid points but there were also things that she was overlooking. "I suppose they can if they want but that's the point - they don't want to."

"Because it's never been presented as a choice before!" she insisted, her hair bouncing with the passion of her argument.

Theo shrugged. "If you tried to convince a house elf to leave their job, I'm telling you they wouldn't do it - they're happy and proud of what they do."

She raised an eyebrow at him. "All of them? Are you sure all of them are happy?"

Theo paused. "Well, no, I can't be sure, can I? I don't know the circumstances of every house elf in the country."

"Exactly," she said. "I heard about a house elf in a pureblood household that had to frequently punish himself whenever he didn't meet his master's expectations. The elf would beat and burn himself. He was miserable but couldn't leave the household because his life was bound to that family. And if that's happened to one elf then who's to say that it isn't happening to more right now?"

Theo said nothing - a sure indication that Granger had the upper hand.

"Look, the society's aims aren't calling for elves to quit serving families. We want to put legislation into place to protect them - that'll treat them as intelligent beings instead of property, that'll give them a choice if they need one. If all that S.P.E.W is able to do in the end is to help a single elf, then I'd say that's worth it - don't bother trying to convince me otherwise."

He didn't. "OK," he said once he'd collected his thoughts, "the way witches and wizards have employed elves - "

"Enslaved elves," she interrupted.

"Taken advantage of elves," he corrected diplomatically, "it's wrong. I can see that - particularly if there are any that are suffering."

"Good - that's what S.P.E.W is all about," she said with a relieved smile now that she believed she had won.

"However," he continued, causing her smile to falter. "I don't think you're going about your campaign the right way. Look, I'm not saying this to be unkind or anything," he said quickly at the fallen expression on her face. "I want to help your society to succeed."

She glanced down and picked a fallen leaf from the ground and flung it away. "OK, that's fine. I can be open-minded and take advice on board," she claimed in as casual a manner as she was presumably able.

Despite her claim, Theo doubted that she was particularly good at handling criticism so he proceeded cautiously. "Well, my first suggestion isn't going to come as a shock to you: the acronym needs to go. Branding is important. No one is going to take your cause seriously if they're too busy laughing at your name."

"But I've already made the badges," she protested.

"We'll make new ones," he told her. "It's worth the extra time and effort to ensure that your endeavour isn't going to fail before it's even started."

She thought for a few seconds and then nodded. "All right, we'll rebrand if you think it's necessary."

"I do," he confirmed. "Secondly, you must make consulting with some elves your immediate priority. People who are familiar with house elves are going to argue that your proposals are unnecessary because the elves are happy doing what they're doing. If you can find evidence to the contrary then they might listen before dismissing your aims." He didn't mention that it might make her change her mind when she saw that her campaigning was futile.

"I want to talk to elves - it's just proving a little difficult," she pointed out. "I can try your note suggestion or put in a request through Professor McGonagall, I suppose."

Theo nodded. "That's a good idea. Now, when you've got the opinion of the elves to back your movement, you've got to look at getting contacts in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures at the Ministry."

She looked a little surprised. "So soon? I mean, I knew that I would contact the department about our aims when I had enough support but it seems a bit premature, don't you think?"

"It always helps to have contacts," he told her. "If you find someone in the department that agrees with your cause then it'll help get the word about and drum up support. In the long-term, having someone inside the Ministry on your side will make your chances of getting some legislation passed all the greater." He could see that she was getting excited about the way he was planning for the future. "Don't forget the sort of people you'll be putting under scrutiny by championing elf rights."

She scowled. "The rich pureblood families."

"Yep," he agreed, "and you can be sure they'll have their own contacts trying to stop anything that's going to cost them money or lose status."

"I hadn't thought about that," she murmured contemplatively and then looked at him brightly. "It's actually really useful to get a different perspective on this. Thanks, Theo."

He nodded grimly at the use of his name because he knew that she wasn't going to like what he had to say next. He considered holding his last bit of advice back but he'd pledged to help her and what he had to say might be key to the success of her movement, seeing as she was the figurehead. "How many other people have you talked to about your society?" he asked.

"Only Harry and Ron," she replied easily. "They've already paid their two sickles so we'll have to give them replacement badges when we come up with a new name."

"And they're just as enthusiastic about the cause as you are?"

"Well, no," she admitted. "But Ron's the treasurer and Harry's the secretary."

Theo was momentarily taken aback. Maybe he'd been wrong. "Oh, they volunteered?"

She blushed slightly. "Not exactly," she revealed. "To tell you the truth they're a bit sceptical about the whole thing - Ron in particular. He just believes that all the elves are happy and can't see the enslavement for what it truly is."

So, he'd been right after all, though he took no satisfaction from knowing it. "Right, my final piece of advice for now is about how you come across when you talk to people about this issue."

The corners of her mouth turned down. "What do you mean?"

The temptation to abandon this course was very strong but he respected her too much not to be honest - he was pretty sure that Potter and Weasley just paid their two sickles to please her but that wasn't Theo's style. "You come across as somewhat self-righteous - or at least you did with me. You won't gather people to your cause by trying to force people into agreeing with you."

"But - but I'm right," she said, looking troubled. "House elves are being enslaved - I can't help it if I'm the only one who seems to have not bought into all the brainwashing. People need to hear the truth!"

"I agree but you've got to be careful about how you do it," he told her calmly. "Like you said, this goes back centuries - witches and wizards think it's normal. You need to be patient, listen to the people you talk to and then educate them without judgement. You and I both know that the only reason that I have partially come around to your way of thinking is because I took the time to research it myself - most other people won't do that. You need to find a way of getting them to empathise with your cause without bullying them into it."

She gazed at him for a long time, looking like she might go into a sulk (particularly when she crossed her arms over her chest) but then she gave a deep sigh. "The mistreatment of elves just seems so obvious to me - I find it hard to comprehend how others can't see it." She picked up two more leaves that had fallen to the grass around them. "Like you said - you were open-minded and willing to listen but I don't think most others will be. How do I make the average witch and wizard hear me out without being a little forceful and in their face? I'm not going to bring about any changes by just smiling and nodding as people dismiss the house elf cause and continue to live in ignorance."

"Look, I'm no expert when it comes to strategies for campaigning or raising awareness," he told her truthfully, "but I think you need to tone it down a little. Keep the passion but lose the sanctimonious air, OK? You might be right but you don't need to make people feel bad about not seeing your viewpoint - especially when the elves themselves seem so happy."

She sighed deeply again. "Those poor, deluded elves," she murmured, half-exasperating, half-amusing Theo with her insistence that she was totally in the right. "If I can't meet the Hogwarts elves, will you talk to Wenna and Corm for me the next time you see them?"

He tried to picture himself having a conversation with the two elves about their rights and wages, and envisioned it most likely going terribly. But what if it didn't? He'd never taken any interest in their welfare before, taking his cue from his relatives. His stomach lurched a little at the possibility that, behind the smiles, Wenna and Corm were deeply unhappy serving his family. "Yes, I'll try."

She smiled at him. "Thanks, Theo," she said, making his uneasiness disappear at once. "You're a good friend."

As far as he knew, there had been little progress on the house elf front except for a change in its name: the Society for the Promotion of House-Elf Rights and Education or SPHERE for short. It had taken them a while to settle on SPHERE and even longer to change her badges, but they both agreed that it was better than SPEW even if the font had to be smaller to fit.

As the hours ticked down, he saw Granger proudly wearing her SPHERE badge when he spotted her throughout the day and later she teased him goodnaturedly about his lack of outward support for the society on their way up to the dance corridor. They had been given permission to leave their double potions lesson after only thirty minutes to give them time to prepare for the welcoming dances. He and Granger were the only fourth-years to be chosen and they'd both felt Snape's displeasure chasing them out of the dungeons for daring to leave his class early. That, combined with their excitement at dancing the reel shortly, had led to them feeling a little heady. With everyone else in class, they had never dared to walk the corridors together as they did now and it made him feel on top of the world.

"I'm so nervous," she told him, her voice trembling slightly as they ascended the marble staircase leading up from the Entrance Hall. "I mean, we're not just performing in a small group dance in front of the rest of the school - there's the visitors too. I bet that Durmstrang and Beauxbatons have good dance provision at their schools. Well, Beauxbatons must have - ballet is supposed to have originated in France and that's where their school is believed to be based. I don't know where Durmstrang is located but it's somewhere cold because they have fur-lined capes as part of their uniform." She groaned slightly. "I hope it's nowhere near Russia - they're really well-known for ballet in the muggle world."

Theo shook his head, intending to say something to soothe her worries but two seventh-year Ravenclaw dancers entered the corridor ahead of them and he automatically fell silent. He and Granger paced behind the two girls trying to make it look like they weren't actually walking together but the dancers paid them no attention - probably too focused on their own upcoming performances. Theo waited until the Ravenclaws had turned the corner and then he paused, pulling on Granger's arm slightly to make her stop. She gave a slight squeak in surprise but quickly quieted herself and looked at him with a questioning expression.

"I just wanted to say good luck," he revealed.

"Oh, thanks," she said and then chuckled slightly. "Yes, we'll be back to bare tolerance in a minute, won't we? Good luck, Theo, not that you'll need it - you'll be amazing." She squeezed his hand slightly and then disappeared around the corner, leaving him standing there with tingling fingers for a few seconds before he followed in her wake.

All the performing students took a class to warm-up their bodies and then they moved into the changing rooms to get properly dressed. Generally, the dancewear worn by males was quite form fitting so that the skills of the dancer could be clearly seen. Granger had told him that it was the same in the muggle world. Therefore, having to wear a kilt to perform the reel took a bit of time to get used to, with the way the fabric moved around him as he leapt from foot to foot. He'd also had to practise dancing with the doublet jacket he wore over his white shirt because, although it was fitted quite tight to his body, the black velvet didn't have a lot of give. This was particularly challenging given that one or both of his arms was held high above his head for most of the dance, but the more he'd practised over the last few days, the more comfortable he'd become. His look was completed with cream socks that came up to just below his knees and a pair of smart black dance shoes.

The atmosphere in the changing room frequently swung between rowdy and tense: the young men excitedly preparing for an unusual performance and then having spells of quiet contemplation as they concentrated on what was to come. Theo mostly kept to himself, only turning to a couple of older Slytherins when he needed advice about his costume or how to apply glamour charms so that he wouldn't look washed out under the lights of the makeshift stage that stood in place right next to the doors of the Great Hall. Signor Vittozzi moved between them, giving help wherever it was needed and offering encouraging words to his pupils.

And then it was just a waiting game. They knew the visitors were supposed to arrive at six in the evening but there was no way of knowing whether that would turn out to be the case. The students just had to keep their bodies warm so that the dances could start within minutes of all the visitors arriving. Theo nervously marked out parts of the reel with Dawn Vaisey and saw Granger doing the same with Marius Buckmaster. All six dancers of the reel wore the same tartan. It had a black base and featured all four house colours (red, green, blue and yellow) within its checks. The girls wore a tartan pleated skirt that stopped just above the knees. Their white, ruffled blouse had a sash of the same tartan pinned over one shoulder, and their hair had been smoothed back into a tight bun. Theo noticed that not a single lock of Granger's hair had escaped from the severe hairstyle and he was reminded of the embarrassing, stumbling compliments he'd made about her hair in the lake last summer.

He was saved from reliving his mortification for long because Signora called the different groups of dancers together for photographs. Word had been sent that the students from Beauxbatons had arrived and it was thought that there were less than twenty minutes until the first dance (dedicated to the Hogwarts founders) would take to the stage. Signora suggested different poses and combinations for the dancers as a camera floated next to her, flashing regularly.

All of a sudden, they were being hurried out of the dance classroom to start making their way down to the Great Hall.

"Mister Nott, Miss Granger," Signora called as students streamed past her, the camera continuing to document the frenzy around it. Theo paused, trying to avoid colliding with a trio of tutu-wearing ballerinas behind him. He weaved between the other dancers and came to a halt, curiously, beside his dance mistress. Granger appeared a moment later, looking somewhat apprehensive, but Signora smiled at them both as the stragglers disappeared out of the door. She motioned to the camera. "I think there's time for a couple of quick shots of just the two of you. I'm sure Tam would like to see evidence that his hard work from last year has set you both up well."

Theo was more than a little surprised that signora Vittozzi would acknowledge their secretive friendship in this way but he could practically feel Granger's body flinch in shock at her words.

"Come now, we haven't got long," Signora said, ushering them into mirrored poses with their outer arms raised and inner legs pointed towards each other. The camera flashed and Signora rolled her eyes. "Smiles would be preferable, if you please." Theo turned his gaze towards Granger and grinned at her wide-eyed disbelief. She caught his smile and the camera flashed again. "Much better," Signora said approvingly. "All right, one quick informal one and then we really must be going." There was a moment of slight hesitancy and then Granger stood right next to him and put her arm around his back. He responded by putting his arm around her shoulders and they both turned to the camera so that it could capture everything that they were feeling at that moment.

Signora gazed at them for a moment, her expression strangely sombre, and then motioned them to follow the other dancers down to the Great Hall.

"What in Merlin's name was that all about?" Granger whispered to him as they descended through the school. They were both very tempted to run to catch up with the others but it wasn't worth risking an injury or using up energy just minutes before they were due to perform. "It's like she was a completely different person for a few minutes!"

Theo had no explanation.

Nobody seemed to notice their late arrival and they departed to their partners with covert wishes of luck. They could hear the hubbub of conversation happening on the other side of the large closed doors and then suddenly everything went silent. Music started playing and the doors swung open - the show had begun.

As the Founders dance progressed, Theo kept his body moving slightly so that it stayed warmed up and mentally walked through the different sections of the reel. It was significantly shorter than the other two dances but extremely taxing, particularly on the legs and the lungs.

There was applause from the hall and Dawn Vaisey was suddenly gripping his hand and pulling him towards the backdrop so they could take their place in the wings. The Founders dancers streamed past him as the lights dimmed and he hurried to find his place on the stage.

The opening notes of the pipes started and Theo kept his opening position strong and still, grasping Dawn's outstretched forearm as she stood alongside him but facing the other way. Out of the corner of Theo's eye he could see the lead couple dancing, their forms bouncing up and down but their feet making no noise when they landed on the silenced stage. Theo took a steadying breath and literally leapt into action as he, Vaisey, Granger and Buckmaster all joined the dance with the exact same moves as the leaders, the six of them dancing in unison. Arms aloft, spring to the left with the right foot in front of the knee, hop and reposition the right foot behind the knee then spring to the right and repeat. Leap with both feet out to the side and then land with them together again, keeping perfectly still. The six dancers weaved between one another, one arm aloft, springing every other step with the feet positioned perfectly either in front or behind the knee. When Theo found himself back in front of Vaisey they circled each other, paused to do two tricky jumps and flicks, and then circled again.

The next section of the dance began, showcasing similar moves but with slight variances. Theo's legs started to feel the strain but he showed no outward sign of tiring. The leading couple took the spotlight during the next segment and Theo tried not to look like he was sucking in large gulps of air as he forced his body to stay still.

There were only two parts to go but this was the most difficult bit. The tempo of the music had been steadily increasing and now the pace required much quicker footwork. The problem was there was less time to make the moves precise and you could look sloppy and out of sync with the rest of the group if you weren't exactly on the beat, which was made even more difficult when your body was tiring. Theo fought through the fatigue and fed off the energy he got from performing in front of such a large crowd, knowing that Granger was just a few paces away.

Just two more springs to go… and hit that finishing position on the final note and stay strong.

There was a second of silence for the dramatic ending and then loud applause filled his ears. There had been no magical aspect involved in this dance: the sole attention had been focused on the skill and athleticism of the dancers, and the audience showed their approval.

Theo wanted to relax, to tell his body that it was over, but the illusion had to be maintained that the reel was easy for the likes of him and the other dancers. He hid the burning pain in his legs and his desperate need to breathe hard and took Dawn Vaisey's hand. He bowed to the audience, to Vaisey, to the audience once more and then took his leave away from the bright lights of the stage.

A/N To all those who have waited patiently, thank you. To all the newcomers, welcome!

Although it was fun to throw some dancing in, obviously, I think my favourite part was the house-elf bit! I would love to hear from as many of you as possible. Reading back the reviews from last time was just so, so encouraging - the only reason I didn't respond is because they were written two years ago and you would all have probably been very confused about this fic you'd forgotten.

As I said, I do have a couple more chapters up my sleeve and I promise I'll let you guys read them even if my muse disappears again.

I hope you've all been well during these horrendous couple of years.

Love,

Red