Incendio

Harry insisted to Samantha that he hadn't intended to cheat. Hagrid had tricked him into coming. He begged her not to say anything or publish anything as they stumbled through the forest together to get back to Hogwarts.

She laughed and said, "Of course I won't tell. If Beauxbatons can cheat, so can Hogwarts."

"I wasn't cheating." Harry insisted.

Samantha snarked back, "And I'm brilliant at potions. See, I can be oblivious too."

Harry insisted, "Karkaroff was out here too. I tripped him on accident."

Samantha laughed. "See, everyone cheats. It's a long standing tradition of the Tournament. I read that in a history book while doing research for the paper."

Without warning, Harry Potter had disappeared. She was very jealous of his invisibility cloak. She thought real invisibility cloaks didn't exist anymore, her mother had told her they only existed as heirlooms now.

She kept her exchange with Harry a secret for the next few days. It seemed that every Champion was prepared for the task, even Cedric who Samantha had figured would be the one really above cheating. Samantha cheered as loud as she could for both Cedric and Harry as they battled the dragons during the first task. Ginny had nearly squeezed her hand so hard it had fallen asleep. As they left, she noticed the dragon keepers and Kai Jones waved to her slightly.

She partied with the rest of Gryffindor house as they celebrated Harry's great victory. An excitement hung over the whole school for several weeks and only increased when she received a paper from McGonagall that she was to publish in the Gazette the first week of December.

Finding out about the Yule Ball made Samantha more excited than when she found out she was to be Editor-In-Chief. Despite her occasional unkempt appearance, she loved dressing up and she adored dancing.

She imagined what her dress robes would look like and she wondered if she'd even be able to make her hair look as nice as it would need to be. Samantha's mother had already written that she would be bringing her and her brother's custom dress robes to their Hogsmeade trip the Saturday before the Ball. It had been one week since the announcement, and two weeks since she'd known about it.

She had at one point hoped that one of the boys she knew would ask to be her date, but unfortunately no one had yet. She knew she could be an overwhelming and loud person at times. She also knew she could be intimidating. She'd settled on the idea that she'd be comfortable going alone or she'd cave and invite Colin, mostly out of pity since he was too young to go on his own.

She nervously passed from her Transfiguration Class to a free period where she planned to spend her time in the Library writing her next article. She noticed her Beauxbatons friend, Nicolas outside the library. He had made a few more trips to the castle as of recent. They'd really gotten to know each other fairly well. He'd even started calling her by her first name.

She quickly fixed her pig tails and smoothed out her skirt before deciding to say hello.

"Samantha" Nicolas greeted her as she walked to him.

"What errand brings you back to the castle this time?" She asked smiling widely.

"Well, an errand of my own this time, I was hoping very much to run into you today." He admitted with a laugh.

"Really?" Samantha asked curiously.

He explained, "I have honestly never met a girl as interesting as you. I don't know many who would be brave enough to interview a real dragon keeper."

Samantha pulled a stray hair behind her ear and laughed. It wasn't every day anyone really called her interesting as a compliment.

"So, will you be attending the ball?" His voice cracked a bit as he asked.

"Of course, it'd be a real blow for the Gazette if I didn't." She admitted.

"Indeed. It would be quite a shame." Nicolas laughed and continued his questions, "Are you accompanying anyone?"

She answered Nicolas honestly, "I'm not going with anyone."

"Mademoiselle Fyre, it would be my honor, to escort you to the Yule Ball. If you would like to accompany me of course." Nicolas asked in a very straightforward way, looking into her eyes.

"Really?" Samantha asked, in shock slightly that anyone would have even wanted to be her date. She weighed it in her mind and realized she may not be asked by anyone else. Let alone, an attractive older friend from another school. "I mean yes. Of course."

"Then it is settled." He bowed slightly before taking her hand and kissing it. "I look forward to the ball."

Samantha nodded and found herself smiling from ear to ear. That smile continued a few hours later, even through Defense Against The Dark arts and as she sat in her Gazette meeting. She put her focus into her work, but couldn't help but be slightly distracted. She had a date to the ball! Samantha Fyre actually had a real date, and a nice one at that. As she wrapped up the meeting, everyone had noticed her jovial mood. She tried to keep everyone on track, reminding them that although it was almost Christmas, they still had stories to write

As everyone began to leave, Samantha noticed that Neville was straggling slightly behind.

"Everything alright Longbottom?" Samantha asked gathering her school bag.

He nodded before awkwardly blurting, "Would you want to go to the ball with me?"

"Oh Neville, I have a date." Samantha said with a nod.

"That's alright." Neville responded, looking around the room. Samantha suddenly felt bad for him. If he'd asked her a few hours earlier, she may have said yes, just because no one else had asked her. She liked Neville, as a friend, after all.

"After everything you've done for me this year. I decided I should ask you." He continued breaking her train of thought.

"Thanks Neville, I appreciate it, honestly." Samantha smiled uncomfortably. "You are a good friend."

"Thanks Sam." He nodded and he gave her a brief, but almost relieved smile.

No one else asked her and she found she didn't regret her decision one bit. Homework and articles began piling up over the next few weeks.

It was the Friday before term end and she wasn't nearly overwhelmed by the prospect of Christmas Homework as she should have been. It didn't seem to matter much at the moment, her mother would be in Hogsmead with her dress robes tomorrow. She was so excited, she couldn't imagine what kind of custom creation her mother could have thrown together.

She found Ginny in the great hall, barely touching her dinner. Just picking at it and looking sorrowful at her fish and chips.

"What's the matter Gin?" Samantha asked as Ginny looked back at her with red eyes.

"I made a mistake." Ginny explained. "I told Neville I'd be his date, because Hermione already has a date and she told him no, and I thought I wouldn't get to go. But then, after I found out I could have gone with Harry instead."

Samantha nodded and understood why Ginny was upset. She was also grateful poor Neville had a date. She had worried he'd end up being the only boy in her house without a date. She rubbed Ginny's back for a moment before focusing on the salmon pie before her.

"I'm absolutely gutted Sam." Ginny admitted. "What if I missed the only opportunity I had to ever be Harry's date?"

"Aw Ginny." Samantha said before trying to put another bite of pie in her mouth.

"It doesn't help I'll be in the most dull dress robes. Mum had to scrape something together for me, we were practically certain I wouldn't be going." Ginny grieved.

"At least you have dress robes, I haven't seen mine yet." Samantha admitted, knowing her dress would be gorgeous, but trying to help Ginny feel better.

"Can I show them to you?" Ginny asked. "Not that it matters much, but I don't want to look ridiculous."

Samantha nodded before looking back to her barely touched pie. She knew her friend needed her, but her stomach needed dinner. "Of course." Her stomach would survive.

The two girls made their way up to the common room and further up to their dormitories. Samantha decided to stop into her dormitory first to drop off her school bag when she noticed Hermione on her bed, and unlike normal she wasn't surrounded by her normal bag of books. Instead Hermione was holding a beautiful set of periwinkle robes in her hands.

"That's pretty." Samantha complimented. "For the ball?"

Hermione nodded. Samantha also couldn't help but notice Hermione's eyes also looked as if she had been crying.

"Do you really have a date?" Samantha asked with a shrug. "Ginny said you turned Neville down because you had a date."

"I do." Hermione said, suddenly sitting up a little more.

"Who are you going with? Harry or Ron?" Samantha asked, wondering if that was why she was crying.

Hermione shook her head. "No, Ronald didn't realize that I was even a girl until this evening."

"He is a bit obtuse if you ask me." Samantha laughed, Ron was a typical boy in that sense, totally dense.

"Has Ginny seen your dress robes?" Samantha asked trying to cheer Hermione up as well.

"No, not yet." Hermione shrugged.

"Ginny!" Samantha called for Ginny to come into their dormitory and to bring her dress robes.

Hermione laughed along and as they waited for Ginny she asked, "Neville said you also turned him down because you had a date. Who are you going with?"

"I'll tell you mine, if you tell me yours." Samantha bargained.

Hermione smiled a little more and Samantha wondered how her normally large front teeth looked so much smaller. "You can't tell anyone please. Ginny knows, but I'm a bit uncomfortable about what everyone might think."

Samantha put her hand over her heart. "It's off the record or I'll strike my reputation as a Journalist."

"Viktor Krum." Hermione blushed a little as she said it.

"Merlin's pants." Samantha exclaimed sitting down on her bed, "Well you've certainly got a more exciting date than I do."

Ginny rushed in, a brown box in her hands. "Oh, did Hermione tell you who her date is?"

Samantha nodded, "Yeah, how'd you two even meet?"

"In the Library." Hermione revealed. "He'd been trying to get enough courage to talk to me."

Both girls exclaimed a drawn out, "Awwww."

"Alright Samantha, your turn." Hermione quickly changed,

"His name is Nicolas, he's from Beauxbatons." Samantha felt color reach her cheeks.

Ginny interjected, "They met while Samantha was doing interviews for the Gazette."

Hermione giggled, "Is that the blond boy who is always loitering around the Library?"

Samantha nodded, "Alright, ladies, enough about the boys. Let's see some dress robes."

Hermione held her gown up and both girls fawned over it.

"Hermione, you will look positively radiant!" Ginny exclaimed as Hermione showed them both at full length her dress robes. They were periwinkle and the layers practically floated.

"The color is perfect for you." Samantha chimed in. "What are you doing for your hair?"

"I wasn't sure." Hermione looked nervously at herself in a mirror before turning to Samantha. "What would you suggest?"

"You are asking me?" Samantha asked nervously looking down at her curly pigtails. "I know exactly one hairstyle. I don't even know what I'm doing yet."

"Well, your hair still falls in perfect curls, I assume you use some kind of product." Hermione conceded.

Samantha would admit that her hair fell into perfect coils, where Hermione's was bushy and what curls she may have had, were brushed out.

"Well, for the curls I use Coshmere's Coil Oil for my every day hair. My mother uses Sleekeazy's Hair Potion when she pulls it up for fancy occasions." Samantha responded. "I can ask her to bring us some when she comes to Hogsmeade tomorrow."

It took a slight bit of convincing, but they were able to get Ginny to show them her dress robes for the occasion. They were second hand, her mother had scraped money to even send them to her. The color was a very dull pink and the skirt was far too long. Hermione and Samantha looked across to each other. Ginny couldn't be expected to go to the ball in something like that.

"It's dreadful." Ginny admitted. "I don't think anyone thought I'd be going to the ball."

"Oh no Ginny, it isn't dreadful. The style itself is lovely." Hermione argued. "The color I will admit has dulled from time, and it could use a hem."

"I'm sure we can improve those things." Samantha nodded before looking at Hermione. "I'll ask my mum, maybe she can show me how to change the color? She's coming into Hogsmeade to bring my dress robes before the ball."

Ginny's little face perked up into a smile. "Truly?"

Hermione nodded kneeling beside Ginny's dress, "And I'm sure I can hem it."

"We could pick a color that would compliment your hair!" Samantha insisted. "Let me write my mother."

She pulled out a pen and quickly wrote a letter to her mother and the next morning she was met with a very quick response.

My Little Lion,

Tell those friends of yours that although you are very skilled in Transfiguration, I do not think I would fully trust you to change the color of that dress. Please, if they would like, ask them to join you on your trip to Hogsmeade. I will happily help in any way I can.

I know how tight money can be this time of year. Tell Ginny not to worry, she can consider it a Christmas gift. We will make sure that sweet friend sparkles.

For your other friend, Hermione, if she has any hair questions, I would be happy to help. If she is anything like you, her hair is not her top priority. I will give you both lessons so that you may help each other.

See you tomorrow on the outskirts of Hogsmeade at noon sharp.

All of my love,

Mummy

The three girls were overcome with giggles as they made their way down to the village. It was a refreshing change to yesterday's despair. Samantha enjoyed walking arm in arm with them, talking about regular girl stuff, no writing, no studies, just traditionally feminine fun.

They waited on the outskirts of the village and Samantha kept her eyes peeled on the horizon. She was sure she would see the outline of a big black bird descending soon.

When she noticed it upon the horizon she began jumping and waving.

"That is a vulture." Hermione exclaimed in a concerned tone.

"Oh no, it's my mum." Samantha said reaching her arm out. Her mother's claws perched on her shoulder as her friends gasped.

Before anyone could become more excited, Samantha's mother transformed and instead of perching claws, Samantha felt arms wrapped around her shoulders.

"There's my baby girl." Her mom exclaimed before kissing her cheek. "I'm excited to meet your friends."

"Mum, this is Ginny Weasley." Samantha motioned to Ginny as her mum let go of her shoulders and shook Ginny and Hermione's hand. "And this is Hermione Granger."

The girls looked in awe of Samantha's mother. She was always wearing some kind of opulent creation and today was no different. She wore a long black winter trench coat with lace gloves and jet blue boots. Upon her head was a large hat with the carving of a vulture upon the front. The vulture had green eyes that almost seemed to follow the people around them.

"Thank you so much for coming Mrs. Fyre." Hermione insisted, her eyes darting between her hat and outfit.

"I couldn't leave Samantha's friends in a lurch now could I?" Her mother joyously asked and Samantha realized how much she missed her mother.

"Alright ladies, how about I treat us all to some Butterbeer and we can discuss how I can help?" Her mum asked and the two girls looked at each other before smiling widely and telling Samantha's mum everything they wanted for their dresses and hair.

Samantha's mother quickly got to work once they were inside the Three Broomsticks, first looking at Ginny's dress. She waved her wand, and the hemline was fixed. She then asked what color Ginny would like, an emerald green, before transfiguring it to offset her bright red hair. Ginny had rarely smiled so wide.

Jack did meet them at the Three Broomsticks to pick up his robes. Her mother tried to insist he stay for a drink, but he quickly brushed her off, insisting that he had plans with his friends. Samantha hated watching her mother's eyes when her brother brushed her off. Samantha could tell when her mother wanted to be brave and not show disappointment.

Samantha's mother then got to work showing Hermione and Samantha how to do their hair. Hermione wanted to have a beautiful slick updo and Samantha wanted her curls to be long and flowing.

"Alright, now before I am off, I believe we need to see Samantha's dress robes." Samantha's mother insisted before reaching into her bag, which had been enchanted with an undetectable extension charm. She pulled out a gold box tied with a silver ribbon.Samantha's heart began beating about fifty times faster than normal.

From the box, her mother pulled out the most beautiful garnet gown, it had little teeny tiny stars that each independently sparkled.

"I hope it's alright." Her mother pleaded.

Samantha nodded and responded, "Mum, it's perfect."