Staying Alive // D.M *On Hold*

1.3 - A Chance to Dress Up, as if Mia Needed It

"Potter!" Damn! She really thought she could slide away without him noticing but Flitwick had eyes everywhere. Mia runs a hand through her hair before turning to look at the short man with a 'cute' smile. He wasn't impressed. "I personally told you to attend the meeting you're currently trying to flee from." He tapped his foot against the floor. "Why am I not surprised?"

"Because I've been the same since I arrived in my first year? Because you're my head of the house? Or quite possibly because we see each other far more than we see other people. Honestly, Professor, you feel like family with all the time spent together." She was quite sassy, yes, but she was also sincere in what she said. Due to her detentions spent with the charms professor, she was sure she saw him more in the past four years than she saw Harry, and they were together all summer. "I promised Susan, can I please ditch it? Only for this once?" 

Professor Flitwick gasped at her honesty and courage to bluntly ask him to give her special treatment. Well, he was giving her special treatment but it was beside the point! "Of course, not! Miss. Potter, how could you ask such a thing from me? Our monthly house meetings are not to be 'ditched'." Mia opened her mouth once more, ready to protest with her newly arranged 'doe-like' eyes ready to manipulate. Luck wasn't with her that Flitwick knew her moves good enough not to fall for them, unlike her Astronomy Professor Sinistra who let her get away without detention after seeing her leave Slytherin's common room with Draco and his friends this very morning. What she had to do in the dungeons was a wonder on its own but Mia wouldn't dig it for her own good. "Start walking, Euphemia. I won't tolerate your shenanigans." 

"Whatever you say, Professor," she muttered, knowing fully well that she had no escape from this. They started to climb up the Ravenclaw Tower's stairs that Mia just climbed down a few minutes ago. She knew it was a mistake the moment she chose to go leave her bag in her dorm. She should've figured Flitwick would catch her. So much for wiseness then? "Why are we having this meeting on a Saturday, Professor?" 

"It is not an ordinary meeting." the Professor beamed up at the thought. Mia looked at him with her eyes squinted but waited for him to continue. "I had to book the gramophone for this one." 

"The gramophone?" Why would they need music in a simple meeting? She, once again, chose to stay quiet and say nothing else once she saw the man nodding at her question. They continued their way till they reached the eagle-shaped doorknob on what seemed to be an empty wall. Upon their presence, the eagle moved, spreading its bronze wings and directing its sapphire eyes to them.

"What can you break, even if you never pick it up or touch it?" both Mia and Flitwick thought about it before answering at the same time.

"A promise/ Silence." Of course, Mia with her big mouth would know how to break the silence so it was what she said but her Professor's answer was just as valid. She looked at the shorter man to see him grinning proudly at her. Flitwick was pretty sure any other Ravenclaw student, maybe not including Luna Lovegood, would answer the riddle with his answer but Euphemia Potter lived out of the norms when it came to the way her brain worked. 

"Always a pleasure Miss. Potter, dear Professor as both are correct." The eagle said just as a door appeared on the wall, spinning open in an instant. Mia stepped inside before Flitwick could think about it. She turned to look at him, still walking backward as she did so. 

"I got to send a letter to Susan, Professor, but I'll be there before you even start." She promised before turning around to run to her dormitory. Flitwick tried calling after her but like his every try, it was of no use. If Mia decided she was doing something then she was doing it, that was it, end of the story. 

Professor Flitwick told the students in the common room to get up from their chairs and sofas so he could pull them closer to the wall to create a space in the middle. Older students, while they didn't know why they were doing it, helped him re-arrange the common room. As they were doing so Filch entered with a second-year student carrying a big gramophone. They settled it on one of the tables. Flitwick told younger students, third years or younger, that they may leave as the upcoming event didn't affect them unless they were invited by an older student which wasn't very likely. 

Mia wrote a quick note to her best friend saying that she was imprisoned by Flitwick and they had to delay their trip but asking her to buy some herbs from the apothecary for Harry's nourishment potions that Mia was brewing in the second-floor girl's lavatory. Myrtle was actually good company when you get to know her, they being at the same house helped build their companionship. Besides, she hid in her favorite toilet most of the time anyway. 

Mia ran down the stairs after handing her letter to Hedwig who was with her due to her brother's incapability of keeping her company between all his studies. Neither the owl nor the girl minded it though, they liked each other. Mia sometimes wished she had an owl instead of her cat that their neighbor Arabella Fig gifted her just before her tenth birthday. Aunt Petunia hated her cat, often calling it an abomination as it was much bigger than normal cats with pointer ears. But since Arabella gifted the cat in front of the neighbors in a meeting, Petunia had to take care of it. People often asked how their 'kitten' were doing in their daily conversations. Mia knew her cat, Mylia, was not a cat the moment she saw her alikes in Diagon Alley. She didn't know how her old neighbor managed to find a kneazle to breed but Mylia was a half-kneazle, just like Hermione's Crookshanks. 

"Now, focus!" Flitwick clapped his hands to gather attention, looking around him to see all the students clearly. The chatter ended as he spoke. "With the Triwizard Tournament, we will hold a Yule Ball this year as it is a very old tradition. You will all wear dress robes, pick yourselves dates and have fun for one evening with music, food, and dancing." The chatter started again, some boys and girls eyeing each other at the mention of dates. Flitwick smiled at their excitement. "As I may not be every one of you's type, you will practice the dance with each other." Being mature as always, all of the students came closer to the professor. Mia stepped into the circle too. "Okay, pair up, children," he said cheerfully, starting the gramophone with a flick of his wand. 

The couples were the first ones to pair up, starting the dance. Other ones were a bit more hesitant but Mia smiled when she saw a reached-out hand in front of her. Looking up to see who it was she came across Roger Davies's brown eyes. She offered him a bright smile alongside a wink as she took his hand. He was her Captain in Quidditch. Mia was only a spare but they actually saw each other quite often around the common room and for some compulsory practices with the whole of the team. 

"Miss. Euphemia, you look ravishing today." Roger rolled his eyes, pulling Mia into him with a hand on her back. He kept his hands where they were supposed to be, not once slipping anywhere else as he led her into the dance. Mia laughed at his playful antics. She already knew Roger had no real interest in her since she had seen him around the Beauxbatons beauty Fleur Delacour more than once. 

"Oh, mighty-captain Davies, your skills in dancing charm me beyond measure." Mia faked in awe as Roger extended his arm, indicating a turn for her. She turned graciously, her newly cut hair swaying around her shoulders. She found Lisa dancing with Antony. She smiled at them, she knew Antony had been crushing silently on her for some time now. 

"Who do you think will ask you?" Roger asked, smiling down at Mia. He liked how she was one of the girls you could actually be friends with, without them or yourself getting any wrong ideas. Even under her playful antics, Mia drew a clear line with keeping her distance as they moved.

"A lot of boys, Davies. Look at me, I'm the only one worth asking." Roger laughed loudly as he fluttered her eyelashes before becoming serious once again. "I don't know who will, but I know you won't." 

He raised one eyebrow at her, clearly amused. "Oh? Why is that, little lady?" 

"You are pining over Fleur Delacour." She said simply causing Roger to drop his smile. She chuckled at him. "I'm not going to say anyone or make fun of you, though it is best if you ask her as soon as you can. She is a veela and many boys are already planning on asking her." 

"Will do, Potter, will do," he muttered, spinning her once more before Flitwick decided it was enough dancing for today. It pleased their professor to see besides many other artistical aspects, his Ravenclaws were also talented in dancing. Most of them had been taking dance lessons since they were children and the ones who didn't were good enough not to embarrass themselves as long as their partner led. Mia thanked silently Petunia for making her suffer in her younger years as she forced Mia to be Dudley's practice partner. She had learned how to dance better than that bloke could ever learn thanks to their practices.