The Daughter of Sirius Black

Chapter 46

"Don't worry about it 'Mione," Leona said as she listened to the girl rant about the article Rita Skeeter had written about her and Harry being together, not to mention her and Viktor Krum as well. "I might not be in the Tournament, but she wrote an article about me as well. She had a picture taken of me and Fred kissing and said that it was George. That I was, how'd she phrase it? A manipulative tramp."

"Hear that, Freddy? You got some competition now," George smirked as he threw an arm over Leona's shoulders.

"Sod off. Go and get your own girlfriend," Fred retorted as he pushed George away and pulled Leona to his side, pushing him towards Angelina who sat on George's other side.

Leona just rolling her eyes at them before nabbing a piece of bacon from Fred's plate and staring strangely at the parcel Nigel had just brought for Ron.

"I told him I'd get him Harry's autograph," Ron explained as he urged Nigel away.

"Shameless," Leona admonished as Ron opened the parcel.

"Oh look, mum's sent me something," he said excitedly as he pulled out a rather old and frilly set of robes. "Mum sent me a dress," Ron said in disbelief as he stood and held up the robes to him, the group of four laughing.

"Well, it does match your eyes. Is there a bonnet? Aha!" Harry laughed as he held up an even frillier necktie and vest from the box.

"Nose down Harry," Ron said as he pushed it away. "Ginny. These must be for you," Ron said as he moved a few steps down the table towards his sister who stared up in disbelief.

"I'm not wearing that. It's ghastly!" she exclaimed.

"What are you on about?" Ron asked as Hermione laughed.

"They're not for Ginny," Hermione said as she tried to stop laughing, a smile on her face, and a smile growing on everyone else's as they watched the scene unfold. "They're for you."

And laughter erupted from the table.

"Dress robes," Hermione explained with a smile.

"Dress robes?" Ron asked. "For what?"

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"The Yule Ball has been a tradition of the Triwizard Tournament since its inception," Professor McGonagall explained as all the Gryffindor's sat inside a large room, girls on one side, boys of the other and Mr Filch fixing up a large record player. "On Christmas Eve night, we and our guests, gather in the Great Hall for a night of 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."

And the girl's side of the room burst out in conversation as the boys merely groaned in their seats.

Leona, Hermione and Ginny instantly looking for each other.

"Both of you get no say when I tell you that I'm buying you dresses," Leona said with no room for argument.

"But I've already got mine," Hermione said and Leona sighed.

"I'm not surprised. But I'm doing your hair at the very least."

"Deal," Hermione smiled.

"What about dates?" Ginny asked.

But no one got a chance to reply before McGonagall called," Silence!"

And they sat straight as their eyes fell on Professor McGonagall.

"The house of Godric Gryffindor has commanded the respect of the Wizarding world for nearly 10 centuries. I will not have you and the course of a single evening besmirching that name by behaving like a babbling bumbling band of baboons."

And Leona's stormy eyes were instantly drawn to the twins where they mocked McGonagall by seeing who could say babbling bumbling band of baboons faster.

"Now to dance, is to let the body breath," McGonagall continued before turning to the lady's side of the room. "Inside every girl, a secret swan slumbers longing to burst forth and take flight."

And though he tried to whisper, the entire room could hear it as Ron said, "Something's about to burst out of Eloise Midgen, but I don't think it's a swan."

And Leona glared at him before laughing as McGonagall spoke again.

"And inside every boy, a lordly lion prepared to prance. Mr Weasley."

"Yes?" Ron asked nervously.

"Will you join me please?" she asked even though she wasn't asking as she pulled him from his chair. "Now place your right hand on my waist," she ordered, and Leona had to bring her hand to her lips as she held back a laugh, sharing a look with Ginny that said he deserved this and she was enjoying it equally as much.

"Where?" Ron asked in horror.

"My waist," McGonagall repeated, unimpressed as George wolf-whistled and then the music started.

McGonagall counted in threes as she led Ron through the dance, the twins mocking them as Leona's cheeks hurt from smiling so much.

"Everyone come together!" McGonagall called, all the girls instantly rising to their feet, the boys however staying put.

"Boys on your feet!" she ordered as Neville stood and Fred walked over to Leona and gave a flourished bow.

"Might I have the honour of leading you through this dance, Lady Black?" he asked with a smile, still in a bow as he tilted his head up to look at her.

"You're such an idiot. Let's do this then, Lord Weasley," Leona laughed as she pulled Fred up and they took their positions.

It was fairly simple to grasp, George struggling a little but Angelina finding it cute as they practiced together.

This was going to be a night to remember.