"Potter! Weasley! Will you pay attention?" Professor McGonagall's irritated voice cracked like a whip through the Transfiguration class on Thursday, and Harry and Ron both jumped and looked up. It was the end of the lesson; they had finished their work; the guinea-fowl they had been changing into guinea-pigs had been shut away in a large cage on Professor McGonagall's desk (Neville's guinea-pig still had feathers); they had copied down their homework from the blackboard ('Describe, with examples, the ways in which Transforming Spells must be adapted when performing Cross-Species Switches'). The bell was due to ring at any moment, and Harry and Ron, who had been having a sword fight with a couple of Fred and George's fake wands at the back of the class, looked up, Ron now holding a tin parrot, and Harry, a rubber haddock.
"Now Potter and Weasley have been kind enough to act their age," said Professor McGonagall, with an angry look at the pair of them as the head of Harry's haddock drooped and fell silently to the floor – Ron's parrot's beak had severed it moments before – "I would like to remind all of you about the house meetings after class." She said with a pointed look at Ron and Harry. The class bell rang and we exited the classroom.
"What do you think the house meetings are about?" Astoria asked as we walked down to the dungeons. I shrugged.
"Probably something to do with how we should be nicer to our guests or some shit like that." I say. Once we reached the dungeons we headed into a big old empty classroom. On one side were girls and on the other were boys. Snape in the middle of the room. He cleared his throat and began speaking.
"I have something to say to you all." He started saying, we all looked around nervously. "The Yule Ball is approaching – a traditional part of the Triwizard Tournament and an opportunity for us to socialise with our foreign guests. Now, the ball will be open only to fourth-years and above – although you may invite a younger student if you wish –" many girls let put a squeal of delight. Snape ignored them.
"Dress robes will be worn," Professor Snape continued, "and the ball will start at eight o'clock on Christmas Day, finishing at midnight, in the Great Hall. Now then –" Professor McGonagall stared deliberately around the room. "The Yule Ball is of course a chance for us all to – er – let our hair down," he said, in a venomous voice.
"But that does NOT mean," Professor Snape went on, "that we will be relaxing the standards of behaviour we expect from Hogwarts students. I will be most seriously displeased if a Slytherin student embarrasses the school in any way." He looked around is disapproval.
"Now the Yule ball is unfortunately a dance-" he said in disapproval being intercepted by the chatters erupted. With one icy glare they stopped. "Now you all will need to get partners. They don't have to be from Hogwarts they can be from one of the visiting schools if you wish." Many murmurs erupted again. He looked around. "For now we will be practicing dancing get into partners." Everyone got up quickly and got into pairs. Lucille and Theo together and Astoria with Blaise. Which left me without one. I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned around and Harper was there with a outstretched hand. I smiled and took it. We began ballroom dancing. Harper was fairly good but Narcissa had taught me and Draco to ballroom dance when we were five. So I was a natural at it.
"You're good." He commented.
"Thanks, I was taught when I was young." I say as he spins me.
"So who do you want go to the ball with?" He asks me after a while. I shrug.
"Alone." He spins me again. I look around Lucille seemed to be doing fairly fine with Theo and Astoria seemed to be struggling with Blaise. I guessed his mum never got around to teaching him how between all her marriages. He chuckled.
