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Disclaimer I in no way own Harry potter or Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem. I'm just having some fun.
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10: the yule ball
The girls awoke once more in the secret room under the grate hall. All 4 of them were crying for Maximillian. Yes, even the emotionless Daphne was shedding tears for Jasmine's ancestor.
Drying her eyes Susan looked around at the group. She wore a scowl that would put McGonigal to shame. "Is this going to keep happening? People we get to know over the course of an hour are destroyed by the darkness?"
To everyone's surprise Luna shook her head. "I don't know who it is, but at least 1 person will survive their encounter with the Eternal Darkness."
Daphne dries her eyes with a handkerchief. "I guess we will need to find the next chapter page to find out how the story continues."
Jasmine nods. "I really don't like how it is being spread out like this, but these pages are the only clues we have to follow."
Susan used her wand to check the time, before blanching. "We need to get to breakfast without anyone seeing us. It's currently 7:35 in the morning."
Jasmine pulled out a cloak made from shining silver material and waved the other girls over. "This should make it easier to sneak out of the secret room. We then have to find a way to separate so we don't give anyone else ideas about what we are up to. After classes we can meet up again and talk about where to look for the next chapter."
The other girls nodded and bunching together under the cloak the girls snuck out of the secret room, the grate hall, and split up at the bottom of the grate staircase.
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The rest of the day was kind of slow for Jasmine. That is until the end of Transfiguration. With only 5 minutes before the bell, Professor McGonigal cleared her throat.
"The Yule Ball is approaching," McGonagall said, "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 -"
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 Neville, who ignored them, as did Professor McGonagall. Really, the immaturity of the girls, to interrupt the Professor when she was talking! Why were they laughing anyway?
Jasmine herself gave both girls a disappointed look before turning her attention back to the professor.
"Dress robes will be worn," Professor McGonagall continued, "and the ball will start at eight o'clock on Christmas Day, finishing at midnight in the Great Hall. Now then -" 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. Jasmine could see what was funny this time: Professor McGonagall, with her hair in a tight bun, looked as though she had never let her hair down in any sense.
"But that does NOT mean," 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 Hogwarts student embarrasses the school in any way."
The bell rang at that precise moment.
"Miss Potter" McGonigal called Jasmine as the students stood and made for the exit. "If you could wait behind for just a moment, please."
Nodding to the professor Jasmine continued to pack away her things as the other students left. When the last student had exited Jasmine moved to stand in front of the professor's desk. "What can I do for you professor?"
Professor McGonigal removed her glasses to rub her eyes. "Miss Potter the champions are opening the ball..."
Jasmine raised her hand. "Excuse me professor, but why are you telling me this? I after all am not a champion."
McGonigal blinked. "Nonsense" she said. "Your name came out of the goblet of fire on Halloween..."
Again, Jasmine raised her hand cutting off the professor. "If that is the case, then why do I still have my magic professor?"
McGonigal blinked in confusion.
Jasmine continued. "After all I didn't take part in the first task where Mr. Diggory was killed, and if my name had come out of the goblet of fire, I wouldn't have my magic now."
The look on McGonigal's face had Jasmine worried. She was rubbing her temples and scrunching her eyes as she tried to remember the champion's selection.
Jasmine straightened. "I must suggest you get checked out by a medical professional professor. I don't like what has been done to you over this issue."
With that Jasmine left the Transfiguration classroom. Closing the door behind her quietly.
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"She did what?"
Jasmine nodded to Susan as the 4 of them studied the tome. "To be fair to McGonigal it really seemed like she remembered my name coming out of the goblet of fire."
"But that doesn't make any sense" Susan continued looking troubled. "I know it is possible to erase memories, but not to replace them. This is something my aunt needs to hear."
Daphne looked up from her inspection of the tome. "Are you going to the Yule ball any way Potter?"
Jasmine frowned. "First please call me Jasmine. Second I planned on going even if I couldn't find a dance partner."
Daphne got a faraway look in her eyes. "Since none of us is a champion, why don't we go as a group?"
This question made Luna look up. "It would be the only way I would get to attend the ball. After all I am just a third year."
Jasmine and Susan exchanged looks. "Why not" Jasmine said giving Susan a speculative look.
Susan blushed. "I agree. Jasmine" she said turning toward said girl, "would you be my date to the Yule ball?"
"I would be honored" Jasmine replied causing the other girls to smile.
Daphne shrugged and looked over to Luna. "Luna would you be my date?"
Squealing in a manner none of the girls had ever heard from her before Luna launched herself into Daphne's arms. "I will happy being yours."
This statement confused the other three, but they just shrugged it off, and prepared themselves for the dance.
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The night of the Yule ball almost started with a disaster. Once again Minerva McGonigal tried to impress upon Jasmine she had been picked as a champion, and such was required to have a date with a boy, not a girl.
Jasmine had firmly shut that down by asking for the piece of paper that had come out of the Goblet of Fire with her name on it.
Of course no one could produce this piece of paper, and so the girls' plan went ahead.
After entering the grate hall and sitting at 1 of the numerous round tables the girls waited for the 2 remaining champions to make their entrance with their dates.
First to enter was Krum with Granger on his arm. Jasmine had no problem with Krum up to this point, and she was willing to admit that he may have chosen Granger simply because she wasn't a big quidditch fan.
Behind them walked Delacour with Roger Davis. It was clear not only to Jasmine but everyone else in the hall that Davis was completely under Delacour's allure. He kept tripping over his own feet as they walked across the hall.
Jasmine quietly sighed in frustration when both groups reached the head table. After watching how to order from the menus placed in front of each seated person, Jasmine Daphne, Luna, and Susan struck up a conversation about class work. It wasn't long however before everyone had eaten their fill, except for Ron Weasley.
"That boy can really put it away" Jasmine thought, not for the first time. "I hope he keeps a civil tongue in his mouth this evening." Jasmine was sure that was an impossibility.
Despite her misgivings Jasmine had a wonderful time at the ball. She not only danced with Susan, her date, but also with Neville, Deen, Daphne, Luna, Fleur, Roger, and to her surprise even Drako. Oddly enough it was Drako that was the best dancer out of the hole lot.
It was just before the last song of the night that what she had been fearing actually happened. Ron walked over to Hermione when Krum had left to get her 1 last drink of punch. The look he gave her looked out of place on a student. Drifting closer Jasmine and her dance partner Susan listened in on Weasley's rant/
"... And here I thought you had English pride."
"What are you talking about Ronald?"
Ron's sneer looked like it belonged on Snape's face. "I mean you consorting with the enemy. You should be ashamed of yourself."
Hermione tilted her head. "How am I consorting with the enemy, when we don't even have a champion in the competition?"
Ron's scowl got even darker. "It doesn't matter. You are a Hogwarts student, and so you are supposed to stick with Hogwarts students."
Raising 1 eyebrow Hermione pointed to the Patel twins. Each dance with a boy from 1 of the visiting schools.
Before Jasmine could hear Ron's reply, she and Susan danced away from them.
Thankfully that was the last dance of the night, and all 4 girls slipped out of sight until they could get down to the secret room.
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The 4 girls were sitting around the desk in the secret room. Jasmine was examining the tome, Luna was drawing pictures of the places the girls had seen while reading these chapters, Daphne was meditating, and Susan was searching for the room.
While studying a picture on 1 of the walls, Susan moved it, and discovered a small dresser hidden behind it. The dresser was unremarkable, except there was a 3-pointed sign where the lock would be. "Hay girls " Susan called. "Come look at this."
The 3 girls walked over, and examined the dresser found by Susan.
Daphne smirked. "I guess we have found our next puzzle to solve."
Jasmine nodded. "This sigil looks just like that sigil on the basement door that Max had to dispel."
Opening the tome Jasmine turned to the spells page. Finding the "Reveal invisible" spell Jasmine located the version that was aligned with Ulyaoth, and tapped it. The triangle, and Ulyaoth rune lit up. Along with the runes necessary for the spell. At once the tome zooms out to show a picture of the room, they were all in. Jasmine taps the sigil on the dresser and is rewarded by seeing the sigil disappearing. In its place appears a lock. After trying to open the dresser, and finding it locked, Jasmine casts the unlocking spell on the dresser.
Upon opening it the girls find their next chapter page.
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An: and that's this chapter. I'm really sory about how short these inbetween chapters are getting. It doesn't help my depression, witch kept me from writing chapter 10 for so long, is making it rather hard to write these chapters. I planned to have a hole fight between Ron and Hermione during the ball, but I just couldn't work up the necessary anger to help me write that sceen. Also I have left quite the large hint as to where Pious has been for the last few years. Even if he hasn't tried to kill anyone directly yet.
As always if you have a comment, complaint, or suggestion, you can leave a review, or send me a private message. I may not respond, but I do read every message and review I receive.
I'd like to thank you all for reading, and I'll see you all next time.