The Yule Ball Part 3
Hermione came over ... Ron didn't say anything.
Molly didn't say anything. Although she clearly wanted to.
"It's hot, isn't it?" ... call him Vicky yet?"
Viktor glared at Ron. There was no need for so much animosity.
Hermione looked at him ... who shrugged.
Harry sighed. "Why do I always get stuck in the middle of your drama? If you want to go out, go out. If not, get the fuck over each other already."
Everyone stared at him in shock. Harry never swore.
"Ron, what -?" ... that's what you're doing!"
"Fraternising with the enemy?" Krum asked with a chuckle.
"This from the one that wanted his autograph," Daphne said.
"Not to mention you literally abandoned Harry when his name came out of the goblet!" Astoria added, her tone vicious.
Hermione's mouth fell open ... him up in their dormitory?"
Ron avoided looking at the others.
Ron chose to ignore this ... join spew, were you?"
Hermione grimaced. She might have tried... once. He wasn't overly receptive to the idea.
"No, I wasn't! ... pluck up the courage!"
Krum blushed. He had said that. But he didn't really want everyone else knowing it.
Hermione said this very quickly ... or get near enough to jinx him -"
Krum looked deeply offended by this.
Hermione looked as ... her voice quivered.
The adults looked deeply disappointed. And several looked close to berating Ron.
"For your information, ... cozy little library sessions -"
"I would never have asked Hermione for help with the clue," Krum said crossly. "I worked out the clue on my own."
"I'd never help him ... Harry knows that, don't you, Harry?"
Harry sighed. Of course he knew that. But he also knew that his opinion didn't matter.
"You've got a funny way ... making friends with them!" said Hermione hotly.
"Quite right," Filius said.
"No it isn't!" ... "It's about winning!"
"Really Ronald," Mrs Weasley said tersely. She was struggling to keep her temper, attempting to use all the different techniques the mind healers had shown her.
People were starting to stare at them.
"I wonder why," Dean muttered.
"Ron," ... But Ron ignored Harry too.
"I really hate it when you two do this," Harry said. "You bring me into your arguments. But really it has nothing to do with me and everything to do with the two of you. It's not fair."
He knew he sounded petulant, but he meant what he said. It wasn't fair.
"Why don't you go ... satisfaction on his face.
"Really," Mrs Weasley huffed. "That was quite unnecessary."
"Are you going to ask me ... still glaring after Hermione.
Several of the adults shook their heads at his attitude. He didn't have to dance if he didn't want to but he should at least be polite to his date.
"Fine," ... by a Summoning Charm.
The girls were all glaring at Ron and he silently wished he could become invisible.
"Vare is Herm-own-ninny?" ... "Lost her, have you?"
Mrs Weasley tutted loudly.
Bill and Charlie exchanged looks. They needed to have a chat with Ron about his manners... preferably before their mother tried to.
Krum was looking surly again ... international magical cooperation!"
Percy grimaced. He hadn't realised what he'd just walked in on.
To Harry's displeasure, ... Karkaroff was nowhere to be seen.
"That's suspicious," Tonks said.
When the next song ended ... "No respect. . . "
"We had good reason," George said crossly.
Ludo Bagman shook off ... Zonko's Joke Shop. . . . "
"Liar," George muttered.
Percy didn't look happy ... the moment he got home.
Percy blushed. That was exactly what he had done.
Apparently Fred and George's plans ... but Percy diverted him.
Percy groaned. That had been rude.
"How do you feel the tournament's going, ... Shame he couldn't come."
Barty looked green at all the mentions of his father.
"Oh I'm sure Mr. Crouch ... flying carpets into the country?
Arthur huffed at that. He'd been especially annoyed about that at the time.
And then we've been trying ... International Ban on Dueling.
"Why would you want to ban dueling?" young Draco asked.
"Because fighting is wrong," young Hermione said.
"It's tradition!" young Draco spat, only for his mother to put a hand on shoulder.
"It doesn't matter either way," Lucius said. "The ban didn't get far. Only five countries agreed to it and it lost the vote at the ICW."
"But..." young Hermione began.
"As my son said," Lucius said softly, "dueling is an honoured part of our history. And it certainly has its place within our society. Although regulations could be tighter."
"You're not in Kansas anymore, Hermione," Harry muttered.
Most people missed the reference, but Hermione understood. She might need to change her thinking. It was clear that the Wixen world was very different to the muggle world.
I've got a meeting ... they heard an unpleasantly familiar voice.
The teachers all grimaced. They were either going to find out more than any of them wanted to know about their students' extracurricular behaviour or the boys were going to overhear something dangerous. They weren't sure which would be worse.
". . . don't see what there ... I can't deny it -"
The aurors sat forward. What were they discussing?
"Then flee," ... am remaining at Hogwarts."
Severus raised an eyebrow. There was only one thing they could be discussing. He glanced at Lucius, who nodded his head in confirmation. Yes, it was exactly what he feared.
Snape and Karkaroff ... dark shapes emerged from them.
Several people blushed, remembering how they too had been caught in the rosebushes. They just hoped it wouldn't be mentioned in the book.
"Ten points from Ravenclaw, Fawcett!" ... as a boy went rushing after her.
Everyone sighed. It had been an expensive night for house points. For everyone. Well, except the Slytherins.
"And what are you two doing?" ... "Not against the law, is it?"
"RONALD!" Mrs Weasley had clearly had enough. "That is a teacher you are speaking to."
"Keep walking, then!" ... first-name terms?"said Harry slowly.
"Since my death eater days," Severus said. "We're not close though. Can't stand the man. Never could."
They had reached a large stone reindeer ... Harry heard Hagrid speak.
Harry glanced at Hagrid, offering him an apologetic look. Hagrid blushed. He knew what was coming.
"Momen' I saw yeh, ... ought to walk in on, somehow...
"You think?" Theo said with a smirk.
Harry looked around, back up the path ... half-concealed in a rosebush nearby.
Bill did not like the sound of that. He silently reminded himself that he hadn't been a monk before meeting Fleur, in a bid to rein in his jealousy.
He tapped Ron on the shoulder ... shadows behind the reindeer.
Fleur blushed as her grandmother tutted.
"What did you know, 'Agrid?" ... but that wasn't really an option.
Theo chuckled quietly. Harry was simply too cute.
Instead he tried to interest ... Was it yer mother or yer father?"
"You should have squished that beetle!" Hermione grumbled.
Harry's eyes widened in surprise. He couldn't imagine Hermione actually condoned murdering anyone - even Rita Skeeter.
Rita looked highly offended. "I want security!" she screeched. "I've just received a death threat."
She went ignored.
"I - I don't know what you mean, ... might be dead fer all I know..."
Everyone looked at the book feeling uneasy. They shouldn't be listening to this. Then again, much of the content of these books were personal. At least Hagrid was an adult. Unlike Harry. They'd been listening to Harry's inner most thoughts and feelings and he was barely an adult and certainly wasn't in these books.
Madame Maxime didn't say anything ... his childhood before.
"Isn't much ter tell, ter be honest," Hagrid said sheepishly. "Loved ma da. He was a good man."
"Me dad was broken-hearted ... jus' after I started school.
Everyone glanced at Hagrid, sympathy clear in their eyes.
Sorta had ter make me own way ... Which side you got it on?"
Several people gasped. They were surprised Hagrid felt comfortable enough to talk about this with a woman he barely knew.
But Madame Maxime ... I've never met another one before!"
"Oh dear," Minerva said.
"Anuzzer what, precisely?" ... "Another half-giant, o' course!" said Hagrid.
Young Dean looked confused. "Why is she so offended?"
"Because people are prejudiced against the giants," Harry explained. "People wouldn't be nice if they learned that about her."
"But isn't it obvious?"
"I thought so," Harry said, "but apparently wixen raised don't think the same way we do."
"'Ow dare you!" ... 'Alf-giant? Moi? I 'ave - I 'ave big bones!"
There were disbelieving looks being thrown about left, right and centre.
She stormed away; ... But Ron didn't move.
"I was shocked," Ron admitted.
"I don't see how," Dean said. "I mean have you met Hagrid?"
"What's up?" ... "About Hagrid being half-giant?"
Hagrid grimaced. He didn't really want the entire chamber discussing his heritage.
"No," ... ignorance of the wizarding world.
"Happens a lot," Harry said with a shrug.
"We're going to fix that," Lucius said, "and we're going to fix the wizarding world too. It really isn't okay that people like Mr Hagrid are vilified as they are."
"In fairness to Madam Maxime," Narcissa said. "It would be worse for her. It always is worse for women."
The women in the chamber all nodded their agreement and even some of the men seemed to think this wasn't wrong.
Brought up by the Dursleys, ... friends had a giantess for a mother.
"No. They wouldn't," Sirius said with a chuckle. "But they probably should."
"I'll explain inside," ... a more private clump of bushes.
Fleur was blushing heavily now. She did not need her husband and grandmother hearing about that.
Harry and Ron returned ... "What's the problem with giants?"
That got some awkward laughter.
"Well, they're ... ". . . not very nice," he finished lamely.
Everyone stared at Ron. That was the worst explanation ever. Hagrid bellowed with laughter.
"Who cares?" ... Didn't like to mention it... "
"As well you shouldn't," Molly said. "It would have been the height of bad manners."
"But what's it matter ... they're like trolls...
"That's a bit extreme," Bill said. "They're politer than trolls. Cleverer too."
they just like killing ... "What happened to them?"
"Wixen happened to them," someone muttered.
"There used to be at least a hundred different tribes of giants all around the world," Rookwood said. "But they are rather bloodthirsty and there was always a lot of infighting. And then, well, they didn't help keep the statute of secrecy, so they were sort of ostracised from our world."
"The First Wizarding War didn't help," Dolohov said. "The giants allied with the dark and were responsible for some of the worst atrocities our side committed against the muggles. That led to the Ministry of Magic targeting them. The aurors killed many of the giants in Britain, and those that had traveled from abroad to fight. The ministry then forced the rest into hiding, they've been living in the most remote regions of the world ever since."
Harry didn't like the sound of that. While he could admit that it made sense for the giants to live in remote areas, it felt wrong that wix had forced them into it. Just one more example of the wixen community thinking it had the right to decide the fate of all magical beings.
"The wixen community is terrified of them," Albus said. "Mostly fearing retribution."
"They mostly live in remote mountainous areas, such as Northern Europe," Krum said, surprising everyone. "Their cramped living conditions have led to them killing each other, reducing their population even further. I think my dad said there can't be more than a hundred giants left now."
"Well, they were dying out anyway ... They hide out in mountains mostly... "
Lucius frowned at this over simplified explanation. The boy had clearly tried his best, but it was ridiculous that the Prince's only sources of information were a couple of teenagers. One who knew almost as little about their world as he did, and what she did know was purely academic, and the other... wasn't quite academic enough. It wasn't the children's fault. But it wasn't right.
"I don't know who Maxime thinks ... her is a dinosaur."
The kids all laughed at that.
Harry and Ron spent the rest of the ball ... desire to kick something.
Harry blushed. They had looked like they were enjoying themselves. Looking back, he wasn't sure why he was so upset about it. It's not like he would have been able to have a relationship with either of them. He was practically destined to die. It seemed so trivial now, worrying about which one he liked most.
When the Weird Sisters finished ... the evening hadn't been much fun.
The girls all looked scandalised. They'd had a brilliant time. The only thing that could have made it better is if Harry had danced with them. Not that they were willing to tell him that. He'd probably think it was just because he was the Boy Who Lived and honestly, at that time, he wouldn't have been wrong. Now though, they thought it would be nice to get to know him. The real him. Harry.
Out in the entrance hall, ... marble staircase without speaking.
Harry grimaced. Always stuck in the bloody middle.
Harry and Ron followed her, ... ran up the stairs toward him.
Sirius rolled his eyes at his son's behaviour. Sometimes he was just like James. He'd never been very good at reining in his temper either. Then again, neither had Lily.
Cedric looked as though ... Does yours wail when you open it?"
Amos gave his son a proud look. Cedric was a good kid.
"Yeah," ... take a bath, okay?"
"What sort of a clue is that?" Daphne said. "If you said that to a Slytherin, they'd think you were trying to trick them."
"Yeah, Harry outright told Diggory about the dragons," Theo muttered irritably. "That's not a fair exchange at all."
Fair exchanges were important in Slytherin. You didn't want to be in anybody's debt.
"What?" ... Trust me."
"I wouldn't," said all the Slytherins together.
Harry stared at him ... Password's 'pine fresh.
"I'd definitely think he was trying to get me into trouble," Blaise said shortly.
'Gotta go ... even more by comparison?
"SEE!" the Slytherins all said.
"Harry is a Slytherin," Draco said, "even if he is a Lion, and he was never going to believe that."
Harry was taken aback by how much the snakes had all accepted him.
The Fat Lady and her friend Vi ... each scarlet in the face.
"Oh dear," Molly murmured.
"Well, if you don't like it, ... her face was screwed up in anger.
The girls all sat forward, eager to hear what the girl had to say.
"Oh yeah?" ... and not as a last resort!"
There was a round of cheering from the girls.
Ron mouthed soundlessly ... completely missed the point -"
The boys all snorted, trying to hold in their laughter.
Harry didn't say anything ... gotten the point much better than Ron had.
"Told you so!" Hermione said, only half joking.
Ron blushed scarlet before all three of them burst out laughing.
"Sometimes, I really don't understand how you three are friends," Molly said with a shake of her head.