Renouncing Magic's Child

"Potter! ... jumped and looked up.

Mrs Weasley looked ready to launch into a rant about listening during lessons. Fortunately, the book was too quick for her.

It was the end of the lesson; .... Harry, a rubber haddock.

Mrs Weasley glared at George as if it was his fault his younger brother was messing around.

"Now that Potter and Weasley ... socialize with our foreign guests.

Harry groaned while all the girls began to giggle and whisper excitably.

Now, the ball will be open ... she had just told off him and Ron.

Minerva frowned. Was she unfair?

"Dress robes will be worn," ... disapproving voice.

Sirius chuckled. "Did you let your hair down, Auntie Minnie?"

She glared at him, refusing to answer the question.

Lavender giggled harder .... her hair down in any sense.

Professor McGonagall sighed.

"But that does NOT mean," ... embarrasses the school in any way."

All the students from other houses looked surprised. They hadn't been given such a warning.

The bell rang,... a word, if you please."

Sirius narrowed his eyes at the head of gryffindor. She better not be about to tell him off for something both he and Ron had done.

Assuming this had something ... "What partners?" said Harry.

The girls giggled harder than ever.

Profesor McGonagall looked suspiciously ... "Your dance partners."

"I'm not my dad, you know," Harry said just as coldly. "You always think the worst."

Minerva blushed.

Harry's insides seemed to curl up ... "I don't dance," he said quickly.

More giggling. Harry frowned. Merlin, this was embarrassing.

"Oh yes, you do," ... their partners open the ball."

"You can't force him to," Sirius said pointedly. "He didn't even enter."

Arcturus nodded. "If its not in the rule book and it won't result in him losing his magic, I don't see why he has to do it."

Harry had a sudden mental image ... "I'm not dancing," he said.

Sirius nodded. If Harry didn't want to dance, then he shouldn't have to dance. Arcturus was slightly calmer about it. It wouldn't be a bad idea for Harry to dance at the ball, but they still shouldn't be trying to force him. Although he did make a mental note to get Harry dance lessons in the future. They would be necessary.

"It is traditional," ... a representative of the school.

"But Harry isn't a Hogwarts champion," Sirius argued. "He was entered under a different school name."

"We didn't know that," Minerva said.

"Whose fault is that?" Severus sniped.

So make sure you ... a very final sort of way.

Sirius looked ready to murder the professor. They couldn't force him to attend the ball, let alone open it.

A week ago... another round with the dragon.

More giggling from the girls.

Harry had never known ... their own to ask them?"

The girls all blushed at that. They didn't mean to make themselves seem inapproachable.

"Lasso one?" ... the nerve was something else...

Harry grimaced. He did not want to even want to think about how embarrassing this was.

Cho was a year older ... she was also very popular.

Harry blushed as he remembered that everyone would get to read about his first kiss... Merlin, they were going to laugh so hard at him.

Ron seemed to know ... queuing up to go with you."

"So, what you're really saying is that all the girls will want to go with Harry for the wrong reasons." Severus glared at Ron.

In tribute ... a bare minimum.

Sirius glared at Ron as the young man blushed heavily. He hadn't realised just how observant Harry was.

Moreover, to Harry's amazement, he turned out to be quite right.

Everyone laughed at that.

A curly-haired third-year ... all through History of Magic.

The adults looked unsure how to react to that. On one side, it must have taken a lot for the young girl to approach him. But even so, why would anyone expect Harry to attend the ball with someone he'd never even spoken to.

The following day, ... might knock him out if he refused.

The girls were still giggling but now even the boys were laughing. Harry was not impressed.

"She was quite good-looking," ... trying to dance with her."

"I think what matters more," Sirius said, "is that you don't seem to even know her name."

"Like that ever stopped you," Severus and Remus said together.

Hermione's words ... if Cho asked him.

"It would definitely bother you," Remus said. "Maybe even more."

Harry nodded. He thought Remus was probably right. It would be awful, liking someone who only liked you for being famous.

On the whole ... Harry's tip-off about the dragons.

Amos gave his son a proud smile.

There seemed to be fewer ... Hagrid had appeared in the Daily Prophet.

Harry grimaced. That had been short lived.

"She didn' seem very int'rested ... say yeh were horrible, Harry."

"Big surprise there," Harry muttered.

"'Course she did," ... it'll get boring."

Rita nodded. The boy was not wrong. Her younger self glared at her, but Rita did not notice.

"She wants a new angle, ... a mad delinquent!"

"I'd love to hear what you have to say about your mad delinquent best friend, Mr Weasley," Rita said, pulling out a quill.

Her younger self summoned the quill away from her.

"But he's not!" ... first arrived at this school. . . . '"

The chamber was full of laughter at that. Even Severus chuckled.

"Said that, did he?" ... Hagrid didn't pursue the subject.

Harry refused to look at anyone. He really hated how interested everyone was in the topic of who he would take to the ball.

The last week of term ... mulled mead from Madam Rosmerta.

"That was certainly untrue," Minerva said severely. "He did get butterbeer though."

It seemed to be fact, ... a very famous musical group.

The wixen-raised in the chamber began chatting away excitably.

Some of the teachers, ... first task of the Triwizard Tournament.

"Well, you did do exceptionally well," Filius said. "I was very impressed, especially after you'd struggled with it."

Other teachers were not so generous... no sooner let them play games in class than adopt Harry.

Severus laughed outright at that. He could easily imagine adopting Harry. Letting them play chess in class, not so much.

Staring nastily ... last lesson of the term.

"Oh, that's just mean," Sirius murmured into Severus's ear.

Severus smirked.

"Evil, he is," ... whole load of studying."

Molly rolled her eyes, for once not saying anything.

"Mmm... you don't want to learn your antidotes!"

The teachers shook their heads. They weren't sure who they should be telling off. The boys for not prioritising their school work or Hermione for trying to pressure them into it. That wouldn't work.

"Like what?" ... "That egg!" Hermione hissed.

Sirius groaned. Sure, Harry needed to work out the clue but he also deserved to enjoy himself. For once.

"Come on, Hermione, I've got till February the twenty-fourth," Harry said.

Hermione huffed.

He had put the golden egg ... screechy wailing meant, after all.

Sirius gave Harry a look that suggested he thought he might be crazy.

"But it might take weeks ... the next task is and you don't!"

"Miss Granger, while I commend your concern," Minerva said, "there really is no point trying to pressure him into studying the clue."

"But..." Hermione started.

Mrs Granger touched Hermione's shoulder, shaking her head.

"Leave him alone, Hermione, ... off delivering a letter," said Ron. "Why?"

Sirius sighed. He wasn't sure which of Harry's friends was worse. Ron who discouraged him from studying or Hermione who tried to force him to. There didn't seem to be any middle ground.

"Because George wants to invite him to the ball," ... keep writing to, eh?" said Ron.

"That really isn't any of your business," Mr Weasley said to Ron.

"Nose out, Ron, ... you lot got dates for the ball yet?"

Mrs Weasley tutted.

"Nope," ... ones will be gone," said Fred.

The girls all looked highly offended.

"Who're you going ... "Oi! Angelina!"

Angelina blushed as everyone looked her way.

Angelina, who had been chatting ... a bit of a grin on her face.

"How did he make that look so easy?" Theo asked Draco quietly.

Draco shrugged. He really didn't get it either.

"There you go," ... "piece of cake."

The boys all gaped at the book.

He got to his feet, ... end up with a pair of trolls."

"RONALD!" Mrs Weasley screeched.

Hermione let out ... with Eloise Midgen, say."

Ron looked abashed, knowing that Eloise was now in the chamber. The girl in question looked close to tears. She couldn't believe she'd just been compared to a troll.

"Her acne's loads... she's really nice!"

"Thanks Hermione," Eloise said.

"Her nose is off-center," said Ron.

"RONALD WEASLEY!" Mrs Weasley screeched again.

"Sorry, Eloise," Ron muttered.

"Oh I see," ... that sounds about right," said Ron.

Arthur looked highly displeased. He thought he taught his sons to be gentlemen. Apparently not.

"I'm going to bed," ... without another word.

"Don't blame you," Daphne said before eyeing Ron with distaste.