ғᴏʀ ʏᴏᴜ | ғʀᴇᴅ ᴡᴇᴀsʟᴇʏ ᴛʜᴇ sᴇᴄᴏɴᴅ

20.

Riley's mind is foggy, not only that but everything hurts. From her eyes to her toes, the pain is very apparent and the physical signs are forming on her body. As she slowly rises to sit up she looks around, this isn't the library and nor is it the Hufflepuff dorm. This is the hospital wing, somewhere Riley does not want to be. She sighs as her eyes slowly focus and look at her surroundings. It is empty, and silent, but most importantly it is the middle of the night. How did she get here? What happened? Riley tries to lift herself from the bed to the floor but falls to the ground. The loud thud must have woken up Madam Pomfrey as she comes rushing out in her nightclothes.

"Riley! You're awake?!" Madam Pomfrey looks at the girl who is in a heap on the floor.

"Yeah, I am, I tried to get up but, well I'm here now so." Riley nods to her current state.

"Of course, let me help you." Madam Pomfrey rushes to her side.

Madam Pomfrey puts Riley's arm over her shoulder and hoists her up and sit her into the bed. She fixes the warm sheets to be back around the girl.

"I think you should get some rest. Professor McGonagall and Longbottom will be here in the morning and once it's out you're awake that Weasley boy definitely won't ever leave." Madam Pomfrey shakes her head.

Madam Pomfrey doesn't stay for any questions to be asked and she heads back around the corner she came from. Riley sighs. Her body feels different, tense but she can tell it has been well-rested. She must've been in here for a while if Fred has had long enough to barely leave.

"Where do you think you're off to Weasley?" Professor McGonagall bellows at the tall Gryfindor, who's frozen in his steps.

"I'm going to see Riley Miss." Fred grits his teeth like a child who's just been caught drawing on the walls.

"At this time of the morning?" McGonagall pulls a pocket watch out of thin air.

"Yes, I thought I'd swing by before your meeting," Fred admits.

"Mr Wealsey," She sighs, walking toward the boy, "While I admire your dedication to checking up on Riley, I must ask you to come to help me in my classroom to prepare for the meeting."

"Can't I just go really qui-"

"Fred, I haven't heard any news, if I do, you'll be first to know, is that alright?" McGonagall bargains.

"Alright miss." Fred walks slumped to the transfiguration classroom.

Minerva instructs Fred to set up two rows of chairs facing each other, on opposite walls of the room and leaving a big gap in the middle. Fred lifts the chairs and places them one by one, doing as he's told hoping he might get to get away early to see Riley but before long, the rest of the Gryfindors' start to come in. James joins his cousin and they sit on the left side of the room. The boys and the girls being split up. Professor McGonagall stands at the top of the room and watches as the young teens filter in. Once all the seats are filled with sleepy-headed teens, she clears her throat.

"Good morning everyone! I know you're all wondering why I've called you here today, well, the Yule Ball has been a tradition of the Tri-Wizard Tournament since its inception. On Christmas Eve night we and our guests gather in the Great Hall for well-mannered frivolity. As representatives of the host school, I expect each and every one of you to put your best foot forward, and I mean this literally because the Yule Ball is first and foremost...a dance."

There are two reactions throughout the small classroom, groans from the boys and excited shrieks from the girls. Of course, everyone more or less knew about the Yule Ball but no one wants to dance in front of their classmates, at least not until the night of the ball.