~The Big Five at Hogwarts: The Triwizard Tournament~ *Sequel*

Chapter 5

Hiccup

I am sitting at the Staff Table taking a sip of butterbeer when Professor Mim, the Transfiguration teacher, comes up to me. The crazy lavender-haired old lady usually takes a very direct approach to things, but this time her scratchy voice especially startles me.

"You! Haddock!" She calls, making me lose the butterbeer in my mouth.

"What? What is it?" Being the youngest professor always makes me paranoid that I'm doing something wrong, and that the others won't hesitate to point it out.

But her proposition was much worse.

  "Listen, young man." her sharp green eyes bore into mine. "Do you know how to dance the waltz?"

"Wait, huh?" I had not been expecting a question like this. But I nodded. "Well yes, I've read tutorials. It's a pretty simple 1-2-3 box, though I haven't actually ever executed--"

"Excellent!" A sick grin spread across Mim's face. "And you know what the Yule ball is?"

"Of course. It's the dance that's hosted every Triwizard Tournament."

"Then you're the perfect professor to give each of the classes a dance lesson today!" She turns around, leaving me stunned.

"Wait! I'm just about the worst choice for the job! I'm extremely clumsy, I can't keep control of a class of dancing teenagers, I...I...I only have one foot! This is a terrible idea!" I'm desperate to get out of this.

The professor glares as if to scathe me using the sheer power of her eyes, but then her tone lightens.

"Nonsense, dear. You'll do fine. Besides, I don't want to deal with those kids, and the other teachers refuse to." Professor Mim leaves before I can stop her, and all the other employees are conveniently busy with other conversations when I look around.

"Oh, this'll be fun." I grumble.

* * *

Most of the Gryffindor seventh years settle down after Toothless roars grumpily at them. We're outside my hut, where I usually hold class.

"The Yule Ball is a formal dance that will be held in between the first and second Tasks of this year's Triwizard Tournament," I recited the words that I had already uttered about ten times today. "And that means that you guys need to...you know...not embarrass us in front of the two other wizarding schools. Which also means everyone needs to know the waltz."

Of course, all of the boys groaned in anticipation of this, while all the girls giggled excitedly.

"All right, everyone. Grab a partner and follow these steps." I point to a chalkboard standing on the grass, where I have drawn a diagram of the waltz steps.
"What are we going to do, just dance out here on the grass?" Snotlout scowls as if we're on the moon.

"Oh Snotlout, it's not like you could've danced any better in a classroom," Astrid remarks, earning a bunch of laughs from the students.

Eventually I'm able to get them all into semi-orderly pairs. That's when I run into Astrid in the crowd, whom I have sort of purposely left without a partner.

"Hey," she greets.

"Hi."

"Uh, care to dance, milady?" I stutter.

"I thought you'd never ask."

I take her waist, she rests her hand on my shoulder, and we begin to sway right there on the frost-tipped grass. The first chills of winter are blowing by as we fall into the steps for several seconds of silence. I try my best to direct the class, but it's difficult when Astrid's blue eyes are focused on me.

"A knut for your thoughts?" I ask after a little while.

"Hiccup, are you going to ask me to the ball or what?" She asks just as I finish lifting her up and spinning around, making me stumble. "Sorry," she apologizes.

"No, it's fine," I mutter. "You just ruined the surprise." I grin at her eye roll.

"And I accept," she says. Then Astrid steps away from me, signaling for everyone else to do the same.

"Are we done?" I hear Snotlout call.

"You can't just accept before I offer!" I chide her, but I'm still smiling. I also flinch when she throws me a playful punch, before starting over.

"Will you Astrid, be my date to the ball?"

"Absolutely." she rests her hands on her hips.

"Say, Hic," Snotlout yells as he's walking back to the castle with Fishlegs, "is Astrid gonna get top marks because she's dating the teacher now?"