Lost and Found || Oliver Wood [2]

Chapter 5: Remedy

By the time December rolled in, the Yule Ball was all anyone could ever talk about. Teachers and staff would discuss decorations and program flows to one another while walking down the corridors, which some students would overhear. Girls talked about what their gowns would look like, and the boys did the same with their dress robes. Possible dates would be gossiped about during meals or at the back of the classroom during lessons. As the event drew nearer, more and more students could be found asking people out or being asked out in the corridors, courtyards, and even the Great Hall, whether it was during break times or even in class.

Jessica and her friends had admittedly been doing the same. Majority of their recent conversations revolved around the Yule Ball. This was exactly what they were doing as they trudged down the steps of the Owlery after Jessica sent Oliver a letter about their meeting time and place for the Hogsmeade trip the following day.

"Who knew looking for a date would be what I'd be stressing over this year?" Alista complained, wrapping her scarf and jacket tighter around her when a cold, winter wind breezed by.

"What, no date prospects for once?" Jessica asked.

"Salazar, no. Too many prospects is more like it."

Jessica rolled her eyes while Bethany scoffed at that answer.

"What? It's true!" Alista said, the snow crunching loudly under her boots when she stomped to make her point. "We've got Durmstrang and Beauxbatons men in the mix, now."

"That's actually a valid reason," Jessica mused.

"Don't indulge her," said Bethany in disapproval. Ignoring their words, Alista kept on talking.

"I'd like to go with this guy from Durmstrang, though — Nikolay's his name, I think."

"You think?" Jessica repeated.

"There's a lot of names to keep track of, okay? Either way, they're always at the Slytherin table, so I've gotten pretty well-acquainted with them."

"What if he doesn't ask you?" Bethany asked.

"Then I'll ask him," said Alista nonchalantly. "Or if someone cuter than Nikolay asks me first, I won't object."

Jessica chuckled under her breath at that, both entertained and amazed by the blonde girl's confidence.

"I'll probably just be going with Alden," Bethany said, neither sounding excited nor disappointed.

"Alden Brown? The sixth year Hufflepuff?" Jessica clarified, which Bethany responded to with a nod.

"Yeah, he's best mates with Diggory or something. He asked me the other day and I said I'd think about it."

"Do you want to go with him? You don't sound all too thrilled," Alista observed.

"It's not that I don't want to. I wouldn't mind going with him at all, but he's been a longtime family friend, so I'm growing sick of his face."

The girls giggled at that, their laughs echoing down the hall now that they had finally reached the warmth of the castle again.

"How about you, Jess?" Bethany asked.

"I don't —" Jessica was cut off when she and her friends nearly crashed into a group of students who had just turned the corner.

"Whoa, sorry 'bout that."

Jessica stepped back and found herself standing before Terence Higgs and another Slytherin she knew was named Wright (his first name, though, she had no idea). It had been a while since she had encountered Terence at all, what with them having different N.E.W.T. classes now.