The Stars on the Staircase

Mind The Mistletoe

As was promised the first night of break the teachers did invite the 7th years to their party to try Professor Sprout's famous punch. The invitation was extremely specific. The party began at 9:30 and us three students were invited for only one hour so that the teachers could still have their private party time. I put on my cutest dress and transfigured it slightly so that it was more nighttime party appropriate. I charmed a necklace to expand into a glittery decoration that nestled around the neckline of the otherwise plain dress.

I made my way to the classroom turned party room. When I arrived I was greeted at the door by raucous versions of my usually tame teachers. I enjoyed watching them dancing with each other and sipping wine. The headmaster himself looked serene, seated on a loveseat with a goblet in hand, head bent together with Madam Hooch talking and laughing.

When Severus enters we make eye contact almost immediately. He stalks off to a corner and I try my best not to stare at him. He had warned me this morning to be cautious when they bring out Professor Sprout's punch. He said just a sip too much and I would spill my guts about our secret.

"You look lovely." He says in my head as we stand across the room from each other.

"Thank you, Severus." I say back, moving over to the food table and grabbing a savoury puff pastry off a huge pile.

"In a different circumstance I would be dancing with you scandalously close."

"Imagine what even a rather sedate dance together would do right now. Throw the room into chaos? Twitters of shock?"

"Most assuredly."

When everyone was in attendance Professor Sprout made great fanfare of revealing the punch bowl. Albus himself conjured everyone's glass. The three students' goblets were quite literally thimble sized and I was worried what this punch would do to me if it was this potent.

We all got our punch and raised our glass to each other. "Sip it!" Severus warned in my head and I didn't down the entire thing. The effects were quite fast acting and soon giggles spread through the room. People started to circulate again and as soon as I took a step I felt it. The world was a little off kilter. A laugh bubbled up from my chest at nothing. The colourful Christmas lights seemed to flood the room, the sparkly lights twinkling coloured starlight everywhere.

I discreetly put my half finished thimble somewhere because I knew if I had any more I might not be trustworthy with Severus and I's tawdry secrets. Even this one sip made me want to run over into his arms. I had only an ounce of self control left.

On jelly legs I ran into Flitwick who asked if I felt it yet. I replied that I did. He pulled me over to the dance floor where the other two students were also being cajoled into dancing. They had downed their whole glass and I could tell. They danced with absolutely no inhibitions. The punch made me feel giddy and I happily consented to dance. I think I held it together better than the boy student who was gyrating in a way that had the faculty gasping for breath with laughter.

Flitwick danced on a conjured cloud so he was at eye level with me and he twirled me around. The room spun dangerously and I had to hold onto his hands for support. "No more spinning please!" I begged Flitwick, not that I felt sick but I was laughing so hard I couldn't stop. It was all too much.

"Steady on, girl. Just keep hold of my hands and you'll be fine." He assured me. We finished the rest of the song, hopping around excitedly and laughing a lot. Everyone was overly merry. I tried to find Severus and found him with goblet in hand, sipping sedately in an armchair near the tree.

"Did you have some?" I think to him.

"A very small amount."

"This stuff is loony."