The Yule Ball Part 2
The entrance hall was packed ... led her over to Harry and Ron.
Harry groaned. He really didn't understand how hearing about his experience of the Yule ball could possibly help magic.
"Hi," ... Ron as a partner, though;
Ron's ears were pink and he gritted his teeth.
her dark eyes lingered ... she looked him up and down.
"Well, that's just rude," Daphne said. "I mean, your robes were awful but she should have been polite about it."
Ron blushed even brighter. He was surprised that the Slytherin girl had taken his side.
"Hi," ... "Oh no. . . "
Daphne laughed. "I take it back. You guys deserved each other. You were both rude."
Ron laughed at that. She wasn't wrong.
He bent his knees slightly ... Roger Davies.
All the Ravenclaw girls sighed. They had all had crushes on Roger Davies at some point during their time at Hogwarts.
When they had disappeared, ... "Where is Hermione?" he said again.
Hermione rolled her eyes. Her and Ron had been so stupid. They'd clearly both liked each other but never did anything about it. And now it all just seemed a little... childish. She wasn't sure how she felt about Ron now. The kiss they'd shared had been nice but did she really want to be in a relationship with Ron? She really wasn't sure.
A group of Slytherins ... him look like a vicar.
The muggleborns all laughed in delight as Malfoy asked, "What the hell is a vicar?"
"A muggle priest, dearest," Narcissa answered, surprising everyone. "I told you those dress robes would make you look too severe."
Draco blushed.
Pansy Parkinson ... clutching Malfoy's arm.
Narcissa sighed. She hadn't been happy to hear that her son was dating the Parkinson chit.
Crabbe and Goyle were both ... managed to find a partner.
"Moss covered boulders?" Draco asked, laughing. "That's an apt description."
The oak front doors opened, ... blue robes Harry didn't know.
Hermione gaped at him. He hadn't recognised her?
Over their heads ... Father Christmas and his reindeer.
"How crass," Narcissa remarked. "It's supposed be a Yule ball, not Christmas."
"What would you have had instead?" Harry asked eagerly.
"Everything should be natural," Narcissa said. "Evergreens and mistletoe, cinnamon and dried oranges. The fairies is a nice touch, I'll admit. Pine needles, holly and ivy. I'd have placed a felled tree as the centrepiece of the garden and burned it as the Yule log."
Harry grinned. Now that sounded awesome.
Then Professor McGonagall's voice ... parting to let them through.
Harry grimaced, remembering how nervous he was.
Professor McGonagall ... thistles around the brim of her hat,
Narcissa smiled at the Professor's small personal acknowledgement of the sabbat. Many wouldn't even notice it as such, it was very skillfully done. People would simply think she was showing off her Scottish heritage. "Thistles would have been a good option too. They're semi evergreen and fitting seeing as you were in Scotland."
"Do you celebrate the Old Ways, professor?" Hermione asked.
Minerva frowned. As teachers they were discouraged from sharing their personal beliefs. But this was different. "I do. When I can. It is harder at Hogwarts. Although some of the teachers go into the forest to perform the sacred rites on the sabbats."
"Why don't the students get to participate?" Dean asked.
Minerva sighed. "In the time of the founders, they did. But over time that died out as the school aligned its holidays with the Sabbats and the students would return home to perform their rites. This worked well because the rites are often quite different from family to family. But then one of the headmasters, I can't recall which, decided that the school would be better to mirror the academic year used in muggle schooling. It was thought this would help the muggleborns settle into the school better, but it wasn't ideal for celebrating the Old Ways as the students would be at school for Mabon, Samhain, Imbolc, Beltane and Litha, and only occasionally going home for Ostara, because of the strange way the Easter holidays fall in the muggle world. Allowing the students to celebrate at school has never technically been prohibited, but neither has it been encouraged. It was believed that practicing the Old Ways was too personal a choice for the school to have any say in what the students do."
Minerva paused, considering her words. "In my own time as a student, we practiced our rituals in the grounds. The headmaster made sure that students knew that whatever religion they followed, they could use the grounds for their worship. Of course, as our world has either turned away from the Old Ways or practiced in greater secrecy the school has been less vocal in their allowance for it."
Harry nodded. He could understand the idea of having a secular educational system. But there was a very big difference between informing and enforcing. "But we celebrate Christmas?" he asked. "You can't tell me that the school is secular and then refer to muggle religious holidays so freely when you won't even acknowledge magical ones. We celebrate Christmas and we have an Easter holiday - those are both Christian religious festivals."
Lucius nodded. "Now you appreciate why many purebloods are so up in arms about the exclusion of the Old Ways from the school."
"We do have feasts for each of the sabbats," Minerva said.
"But you don't acknowledge why," Lucius pointed out. "It's not celebrating magic, if the children do not know why you're having a feast."
Minerva sighed again. She'd had this very same argument with the headmaster. "I quite agree."
"That is going to have to change," Harry said. "We're not muggles."
"Harry, the muggleborns grew up with Easter and Christmas," Hermione began. "It will..."
"If muggleborns want to celebrate Christian holidays, then that is their choice, but we need to make sure magicals who want to celebrate the Old Ways can." Harry took a breath. "If we are going to fix the damage done, this is essential."
told them to wait ... nearest the doors;
Bill rolled his eyes. That was just like his wife. She loved being first.
Davies looked so stunned ... hardly take his eyes off her.
Young Bill couldn't blame the kid. He was still surprised to realise that he'd end up marrying the girl.
Cedric and Cho were close to Harry ... It was Hermione.
No one except those that had attended seemed to have been expecting that.
But she didn't look like Hermione at all.
Hermione blushed crimson red.
She had done something ... how he hadn't spotted it before.
"I told you carrying around so many books was bad for your posture," Mrs Granger said with a smile.
"You really should invest in a feather light school bag, Miss Granger," Narcissa said. "I've always loved reading and probably had just as many books in my bag during my own time at school but my bag was enchanted so that I wouldn't feel its weight."
"Hi, Harry!" ... unflattering disbelief.
"Rude much," Susan huffed.
She wasn't the only one either; ... past Hermione without looking at her.
Ron grimaced. Merlin's saggy tits, this was embarrasing.
Once everyone else was settled ... not tripping over his feet.
Several of the girls cooed at how adorable Harry could be.
Parvati seemed to be enjoying herself; ... she was putting through its paces.
"That's how you looked too," Draco said with a grin.
He caught sight of Ron and Padma ... Padma was looking sulky.
"That won't end well," Arthur murmured to his wife.
Dumbledore smiled happily ... watched Krum and Hermione draw nearer.
"Karkaroff was very against me taking a muggleborn to the ball," Krum said coldly.
Ludo Bagman, tonight in robes of bright purple ... Mr. Crouch, Harry suddenly realized, was not there.
Barty jumped at the mention of his father.
The fifth seat at the table ... Harry thought it ought to be fined.
Percy looked slightly put out to hear that Harry thought he looked smug.
"I've been promoted," ... I'm here representing him."
Several people looked at the young man in question. That was impressive. He'd only been out of school a few months.
"Why didn't he come?" ... he could rely upon to take his place."
Percy groaned. Yes. He'd been smug alright. Although in his defense, he wasn't in his right mind.
Harry wanted very much ... but resisted the temptation.
Percy blushed. "He hadn't."
There was no food ... notice what she was eating.
Everyone was relieved that they wouldn't have to discuss House-elf rights again.
It now occurred to Harry ... very enthusiastically at that.
"Really? Was that true?" Krum frowned. He'd clearly been a bit of a jerk to the younger champion without even realising it.
"Veil, ve have a castle also, ... over the lakes and the mountains -"
Harry sighed. That sounded perfect. Although, he couldn't really imagine attending Durmstrang. Especially with Karkaroff as headmaster.
"Now, now, Viktor!" ... right to protect them?"
"I would never dream of assuming I know all Hogwarts' secrets," Albus said.
"Oh I would never dream ... exceptionally full bladder."
"The Room of Requirements," Harry muttered, causing the headmaster to look at him in confusion. "It will be mentioned in the next book. The elves call it the Come and Go room."
Tom smirked. He'd liked that room.
Harry snorted ... a very small wink.
Albus chortled. He'd have to speak to the elves about this Come and Go room.
Meanwhile Fleur Delacour ... hand onto the table impatiently.
Bill rolled his eyes. Fleur could get herself worked up about anything and everything. It was simply adorable.
Roger Davies was watching her ... a word she was saying.
Fleur's grandmother tutted. "Control, dearest. You must practice control."
"Absolutely right," ... "Like that. Yeah."
Several of the girls who had had crushes on the Ravenclaw were seriously reconsidering.
Harry looked around the Hall ... he kept calling her "Hermy-own."
Several people laughed at this.
"Her-my-oh-nee," ... Harry's eye and grinning.
Harry rolled his eyes, laughing slightly.
When all the food had been consumed ... some bagpipes were set upon it.
Everyone looked at the book excitably. The real party was just about to start.
The Weird Sisters now trooped up ... their partners were standing up.
Harry hid behind Sirius. He really didn't want to have to remember this. Let alone have the others read it.
"Come on!" ... holding the other tightly in hers.
Narcissa tutted. "She's supposed to let you lead."
"I can't dance," Harry said.
"Did she know that?"
"Er... I don't think so."
"Then she should have followed your lead," Narcissa said. "It's a show of very poor manners."
It wasn't as bad ... (Parvati was steering).
Narcissa tutted once more. She decided then and there that she would teach Harry to dance.
He kept his eyes fixed over the heads ... Neville trod on her feet -
Neville blushed as his grandmother chuckled. "Your dance instructor always said you were too focused on your feet. You should look up more. If you watch them, you're guaranteed to put them where they ought not be."
and Dumbledore was waltzing ... nervously avoiding his wooden leg.
The aurors could hardly believe their ears. Moody did not dance.
"Nice socks. Potter," ... knitted them for me," said Harry, grinning.
Lucius smiled. Potter was a good kid, wearing a gift from a house elf to a formal event. Most wixen would never even consider doing such a thing.
"He is so creepy!" ... "I don't think that eye should be allowed."
Moody laughed.
Harry heard the final, ... which was much faster.
"Harry, if the lady wants to keep dancing, you keep dancing," Sirius said with a chuckle. "It's good manners."
"No, I don't like it," ... Ron didn't answer.
"Oh, dear," Molly muttered, counting to ten. It was something the mind healers had suggested to help her control her temper.
He was glaring at Hermione and Krum, ... who was completely ignoring her.
The girls all looked horrified. Imagine not dancing!
Parvati sat down ... watching Cho and Cedric.
Harry blushed. He hadn't even heard her question. He'd been too distracted by how great Cho and Cedric looked together. He hadn't been sure who he was more jealous of. Cedric for attending with Cho. Or Cho for being Cedric's date.
"Oh never mind," ... she did not return.
"That girl has terrible manners," Narcissa said. "That said Prince Myrrddin, we will have to do something about your formal etiquette."
Harry didn't see much point in arguing with the woman. If he was lucky she wouldn't give him dance lessons... Oh, who was he kidding. He was not lucky.