Dates & Dances
“Frankly, I don’t know what to do.”
An exasperated Ominis fell onto the old couch with a sigh. Both Sebastian and Enoch sat in their respective chairs listening to their friend whine ever since he entered the common room.
“Just ask someone to go to the Yule Ball with you,” Sebastian answered annoyedly. “It can’t be that hard.”
“Then why don’t you have anyone to go with?” Enoch chimed in, earning a foul glare from Sebastian.
“Are you going with anyone, Enoch?” Ominis asked.
“Poppy asked me earlier this month,” he answered. He chuckled slightly. “Or else I also would be dateless, I guess.”
“Professor Weasley is going to kill me,” moaned Ominis, shoving his head in his hands. “She asks me in every Transfiguration class if I've gotten a date already. Why do I have to follow that blasted rule? I didn’t sign up for this in the first place!”
“Why not Imelda Reyes?” Sebastian asked, attention pointing to the door of the common room that had just opened to said Slytherin student entering.
“Oh, please not her,” Ominis begged.
“Reyes!” Sebastian shouted, gaining Imelda’s attention and her walking over, albeit hesitantly.
“Can I help you?” She asked sarcastically.
“Are you going to the Yule Ball with anyone?”
She snickered. “Why, do you think I want to dance with the likes of you?”
“Not me,” Sebastian answered. “Ominis.”
At this point Ominis was almost hiding in his robe. Imelda glanced down at him and snickered once more.
“You cannot possibly be that serious?”
“Why not?” Sebastian asked. “You seemed to care about him during the tournament.”
Imelda scoffed. “He’s the Hogwarts champion. Am I not allowed to want my school to win?”
“So why won’t you go with him, then?”
“That’s like trying to compare cornish pixies to a phoenix. You really think I’d want to be seen with someone... like him?”
“What’s wrong with that?”
“Don’t you mean what’s wrong with him?”
Sebastian jumped up out of his chair, and Enoch threw his head back and groaned. “There’s nothing wrong with Ominis!” Sebastian shouted as he approached Imelda.
Enoch drew a sigh and lazily took out his wand, pointing it at his friend. “Locomotor mortis.”
Suddenly Sebastian’s legs froze together and he fell forward, face hitting the floor with a hard thud. Imelda bursted into laughter, taking that as her cue and walked away toward the girls’ dormitories, leaving Sebastian fidgeting on the ground.
“What the hell was that for?!” Sebastian shouted at Enoch as he tried to wriggle his way out of his invisible bind.
Enoch stood up with a breath and looked down at his pitiful friend, who was angrily squirming around like a fish out of water. “Because of your problem with always resorting to violence, and also never listening to us.” Enoch had half a mind to leave Sebastian like that on the floor, thinking it sort of funny to see him in such a state.
“Thank you,” said Ominis, now slightly smiling. “He deserved that.”
Finding a date to the Yule Ball for Ominis fared harder than the boys first imagined. It was just something not on their minds as of late, but the day drew even nearer now.
The boys sat at their lone table in the library, hurrying to finish their homework before the holidays. Enoch tried his best to stay focused, but Sebastian wouldn't stay quiet.
“How about that one Slytherin third year, the one with the big curls.”
“I don't know who you're talking about, Sebastian,” said Ominis, wishing Sebastian would finally drop it.
“Enoch knows who I'm talking about, don't you Enoch?”
Enoch looked up from his parchment he was writing on in confusion. “Who?”
“Ah, forget it.” Sebastian tapped the tip of his quill on the table. “That Pinch-Smedley girl?”
Ominis moaned and dropped his head to the table. “It's useless. I think we should stop trying and hope I don't get expelled.”
In that moment as Enoch was picking up another book from the corner of the table, he noticed Natty walking by and giving him a wave. He stopped in thought before jumping up from his seat and rushing to catch up to her.
“Natty, wait!”
Natty turned around, holding a few books close to her chest. Enoch caught up to her and continued.
“Are you going to the Yule Ball with anybody?”
“The Yule Ball?” She asked curiously, tilting her head. “No, no one has asked me. Are you interested in going?”
Enoch shook his head. “I'm going with Poppy, but I wondered if you'd maybe want to go with Ominis Gaunt?”
“Ah, Ominis Gaunt?” She let out a small chuckle. “I'm surprised to hear the Hogwarts champion hasn't had anyone asking him to go.”
“Well, are you perhaps interested in going with him?” He hoped she'd say yes, but with Ominis’s current record, not that many people were even interested in him. But Enoch was sure Natty was a good choice, and couldn't believe he hadn't thought of her sooner.
She made a ‘hmm’ sound and bounced on her feet. “I think it sounds fun, but I think I would rather hear it from Ominis himself.”
“Oh, of course!” Enoch quickly turned to retrieve Ominis. “One moment.” He rushed back to the table where his friends sat and spoke in a whisper. “Ominis, I need you to go over there and ask Natty to go with you.”
“Natty?” Ominis asked confusedly. “Natsai Onai?”
“You don't suppose Ominis goes with a Gryffindor?” Sebastian piped in in an offended tone.
“Natty’s a close friend,” Enoch said in defense. “It's not like I'm asking him to go with Prewett.”
“Then I'd really think you're mad.” Sebastian laughed quietly, earning an elbow to the arm from Enoch.
“Do I have to... do it myself?”
“What, are you nervous?” Sebastian asked. “Just go and ask her.”
“She'll say yes, Ominis,” said Enoch. “I promise.”
Ominis looked like he was going to be sick. “Fine, I'll ask her.” He stood up hesitantly from the table.
“Good luck,” Sebastian whispered roughly as they watched their friend sulk away from them.
Enoch sat back down, continuing to watch curiously. “Seriously, what is he so nervous for?”
Sebastian made a little ingenuine laugh. “Right...”
“Gentlemen.”
The two boys’ attention was taken from Ominis approaching Natty to a voice coming from behind them.
There stood Garreth Weasley, smiling so much his face was twisted.
“Garreth,” said Enoch in pleasant surprise. “Is there something you need?”
“Indeed.” Garreth took a seat beside Sebastian and looked at Enoch with what he could only describe as a look as crazy as a rabid animal. “I believe I have successfully perfected my soon-to-be patented Fizzing Whizz-beer.”
“That's great news, Garreth,” Enoch praised.
Garreth nodded his head. “And I also believe it should be debuted in all its glory, as it will be such a big hit once it's ready to be sold, in an event just grand enough to hold at such a high standard as the hard work I put into this creation.”
“Garreth...” Enoch said hesitantly. “You're not talking about the Yule Ball, surely.”
Garreth's smile grew wider. “I am. It'll be perfect, trust me. I realised my error from the last time, how I overcompensated just a smidge. But this time it's different. I have, you could say, diluted it. It's the perfect mix of wild fun and a chill relaxer, so you'll definitely keep your head with this one.”
“But you're barred from going,” said Enoch. “Your aunt would never let you in, and especially nowhere near the punch bowl.”
“And that's where you come in, Edevane. I need you to be my trusted compeer once again.”
“Hold on,” Sebastian said, throwing a hand up. “You are aware of what happened last time, right?”
“And that's what I've been working on since. I fully trust in my concoction this time, and I just need to see it in action. Well, I won't be there to see it, but I trust Enoch to do well.”
Enoch was about to speak before Sebastian cut him off. “No, he's not doing that again. We don't need your Fizzing whatever.”
“Fizzing Whizz-beer.” Garreth corrected him.
“I don't care.”
“Wait,” Enoch interjected. “Do you really need an entire hall’s worth of people testing it out?”
Garreth shrugged. “Well, I guess it doesn't matter how many people try it.”
“Alright, then what about I drink it at the Yule Ball for you? That way if anything bad were to happen, it'd just be me affected and not a bunch of students.”
“Wait, what?" Sebastian asked incredulously.
“I guess that could work.” Garreth caressed his chin in thought. “Better you than I, since I already know the effects to expect.”
“Now hold on.” Sebastian stood up and grabbed Enoch’s arm, pulling him up also. “Let's talk for a moment.”
Enoch was dragged over to the other side of a bookcase, and once they stopped Sebastian let go of his arm and gave him a stern look.
“What?”
“What? What?” Sebastian mimicked. “What do you think you're doing?”
Enoch shrugged. “Helping out a friend?”
“Weasley’s a friend? Do you really trust him?”
“Sure I do. He hasn't done anything to wrong me yet.”
Sebastian’s eyebrows flew up. “Oh, he hasn't? Do you not remember what happened last time? Oh, of course you don't, because his dumb potion made you and everyone else go mad and you can't remember a thing.”
“He said he perfected it this time.”
“You just can't listen to my voice of reason, can't you?”
“Sebastian, I'm going to be very honest with you. You are usually never a voice of reason.”
“Exactly!” Sebastian whisper-yelled. “And yet I'm somehow more reasonable than you right now.”
“He has no ill intentions, Sebastian, I promise you. It's just me taking the potion. I can handle it.”
They stared at each other for a moment in silence, Sebastian staring daggers while Enoch looked back pleading silently with his eyes. Eventually Sebastian softened his look and tore away from his glare with a huff.
“Fine. Do what you want, but I'm not going to take care of you again. You're on your own.”
“Thank you, Sebastian. I knew you'd come around.”
The boys walked back to their table, Sebastian huffing in annoyance that he lost the argument. Ominis was back, and looking a little brighter than he had been before.
“I take it she said yes?” Enoch asked as he sat back down beside Ominis.
“She did,” answered Ominis. “I'm just relieved it's over now.”
“So,” butted in Garreth. “Enoch, are you going to help me out?”
Enoch gave Garreth a reassuring smile. “Yes, I will.”
Garreth whooped happily, earning a couple shushes from students at nearby tables, and Sebastian put his chin in his hand and avoided eye contact from the rest of them. Enoch knew Sebastian wouldn't be on his side when it came to helping out Garreth, but he didn't care. Sebastian wasn't his only friend he cared about.
The days were flying by, lessons were being ignored, and Ominis’s stress levels were rising once more.
“As a matter of fact, Ominis, I don't recall you dancing at the masquerade ball,” Enoch said as he folded his clothes neatly to be put in his drawers. It was late in the evening and classes had just ended for the period, with some students already traveling back home for the holidays. The three boys retired to their dorm for the night, basking in the nice heat coming from the radiator in the middle of the circular room. The weather had gotten dreadful outside and they were more than happy to stay in their dorm earlier in the night just to stay warm.
“You say that as if you recall anything at all,” retorted Sebastian from his bed.
“I do recall some things, for your information.”
Sebastian laughed and laid back. “Of course, I suppose you did dress yourself.”
Enoch decided to ignore Sebastian. “Do you know how to dance, Ominis?”
“Not really,” Ominis answered, sulking in his corner of the room. If anything, the other two boys thought that Ominis was in worse spirits for the Yule Ball than he was for the first competition just almost a month ago.
“You don't?” Enoch asked incredulously, tossing a neatly folded dress shirt into his chest of drawers.
“Well, I was forced to take lessons as a child from my family, but I can hardly remember any of it.”
“Sebastian, do you know how to dance?”
Sebastian only answered with a small laugh.
“Seriously, am I the only one?” Enoch looked back and forth between his two friends, hoping for one of them to reveal they were lying to him, but they just stayed silent. “Alright, Ominis, stand up. I'm teaching you how to dance.”
Ominis shot his head up. “Wait, what?”
“Oh, this is going to be entertaining,” Sebastian said through a chuckle.
“I really don't feel like dancing right now,” pleaded Ominis, shaking his head vigorously.
“I'm not going to let my friend embarrass himself. The ball is all about you. Everyone's going to be watching you.” Enoch walked over to Ominis's bed and grabbed his arm, gently pulling him up.
“Please, Enoch, I really don't want to.” Ominis whined and complained, trying to pull out of Enoch’s grasp.
Enoch led Ominis to an open space in their room, turning to face him. “Pretend I'm Natty, okay? Put your hand on my waist.”
“No, I'm, I'm fine, really.”
“Put it on my waist.” Enoch grabbed Ominis’s hand and led it to his waist, letting it sit there awkwardly. Enoch then placed his own hand on Ominis’s shoulder, and grabbed ahold of his other hand. “We're going to do a simple step. I'll have you follow my lead first, and then I'll let you take over. You're going to be leading in the dance when you're with Natty, remember that.”
Ominis looked like he was going to cry. “But you're much taller than Natty.”
“Pretend,” Enoch ordered before he started counting aloud and moving his feet. Ominis sloppily followed suit, cringing his face entirely. Sebastian watched in awe as he sat with his legs crossed underneath him on his bed. They danced in imperfect unison around the room, Ominis stepping on Enoch’s feet here and there and tripping over nothing as he missed his steps. Enoch only continued his counts and forced Ominis around in circles until Ominis himself started getting the hang of it. And once he began to take over, Enoch stopped the dance.
“Now how difficult was that?” Enoch asked, standing back.
“I feel like I'm going to be sick,” Ominis whined, holding onto his stomach. “If dancing truly requires that much spinning I think I'd rather feign my death.”
“I think you did great, considering Natty would be so much easier to dance with than I,” Enoch said before turning to Sebastian. “Don't tell me you need help learning, too.”
Sebastian stared back with his mouth agape, seemingly searching for his words. “I mean, um, I think I have it down from watching you two.”
“Are you sure?” Enoch smirked slyly. “I could lead you around the room like I did with Ominis.” He approached Sebastian’s bed and outstretched his hand.
Sebastian’s eyes shifted from every direction. “No, I'm... I'm just fine.” He smiled and let out a chuckle.
Enoch smiled back. “Your loss.”