The Raven's Call

The Yule Ball

Running short on time, it's time to pick up our dates from the Ravenclaw common room. "Alright, Atti. Lead the way." Alex says before jogging ahead of me. I raise my eyebrow in confusion for a moment before jogging along with him, making our way up the spiral staircase. The amount of stairs in this freaking school is honestly ridiculous.

We make our way to the top, being stopped by the brass eagle knocker, with its daily riddle.
"I am an odd number. Take away a letter and I become even. What number am I?" The voice asks. "Seven." I respond and the door swings open. I lead him inside as we begin our search for our ball dates. It doesn't take too long before one of them finds us. "Bonjour, Alexander, Atticus." A French voice spoke from behind up. It was Alex's date, Eleanor. "Bonjour." I reply in my best French accent, bowing my head lightly to her. "Parlez vous français?" She asks, I can only assume she's asking if I speak French. "Juste un peu" I answer, lifting my hand, gesturing a small amount with my thumb and forefinger. She laughs softly. "It is a nice effort, anyway." I smile and nod before turning back around, looking for Luna. At first, I start to grow concerned, had she already gone to the great hall? Was I supposed to meet her there? Did she change her mind about going with me?

"Hello Atticus." The familiar voice blessed my ears as a small hand tapped my shoulder from behind. I turn, and my jaw drops. There she stands, her long hair perfectly wavy as it frames her face, her dress is just perfect for her, quirky like her, beautiful.. just like her. Her blue eyes shimmering as they meet mine.
Wow.
"I- uh- a- hub-" I stutter, struggling to find the words. "Ley, Huna." I say confidently, the confidence dropping as soon as I realise what I've said. "Damn it.." I mumble, hearing the French girl giggle from beside me. "Damn it..!" I mumble again, very embarrassed.
"Oh, Atticus," Luna giggles, grabbing a hold of my arm as she looks at the other two. "Shall we go?" She asks, looking up at me with those eyes of hers. I almost melt. "Allons-nous?" (Shall we?) Alex says, absolutely butchering the pronunciation with his Scottish accent.
"Allons-y!" (Let's go!) I reply with a grin, at least I can get the pronunciation correct.
"Oui." Eleanor says with a smile as we make our way to the Great Hall.

***

The entrance to the Great Hall buzzes with excitement as we arrive, bordering on being late. "Oh, there you are! Don't you look dashing!" Professor McGonagall calls out to us as we head down the stairs. "Alexander, Atticus, you may proceed into the great hall with your partners," she says, quickly ushering us inside. We make our way inside, eventually standing next to the Weasley Twins, Angelina and Asteria. I feel Luna wrap her arms around mine, as she stands on her tiptoes to get a good look as the doors swing open. The champions enter in two by two as they prepare for the first dance. Fleur Delacour is first in line, with Roger Davies, the Ravenclaw Quidditch captain. I smirk, Roger, you dog! Next, are Viktor Krum and Hermione. Well, that's VERY unexpected. Behind them, Cedric and Cho.. both looking fantastic, and at the back, Harry and Parvati Patil. Parvati looks ecstatic to be going with Harry, but he quite obviously would rather be anywhere else right now. They shuffle their way inside, taking their positions on the dance floor, before the music begins.

Professor Flitwick conducts a beautiful melody while the others dance, soon Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall join in, soon followed by Ginny and Neville, Alex and Eleanor, Asteria and George, Fred and Angelina. I take a breath, looking down at Luna. "Shall we?" I ask her. She looks up at me, eyes wide with a smile on her face. "Of course!" She exclaims, dragging me onto the dance floor eagerly. I chuckle as my hand rests on her waist, my other intertwining fingers with her as she places her free hand on my shoulder. As I step onto the dance floor with Luna, the world around us fades away, leaving only her in my vision. The soft melody envelops us, guiding our movements as we sway together in a gentle rhythm. The muted chatter and laughter of other couples dancing around us become distant echoes as I focus solely on the warmth of Luna's hand in mine, the gentle pressure of her body against mine. Our steps synchronize effortlessly, each movement fluid and graceful, as if we're in our own intimate world. I lose myself in the depths of Luna's eyes, feeling a connection that transcends the music and the crowd. It's just us, moving in harmony, wrapped in the timeless embrace of the slow dance. With every turn and dip, I'm mesmerized by the way Luna moves, her grace and elegance captivating me completely. The soft glow of the ambient lights casts a dreamlike aura around us, enhancing the magic of the moment. In this fleeting moment, time seems to stand still, and I realise that there's nowhere else I'd rather be than here, lost in the enchantment of Luna's presence, dancing together in perfect harmony. Soon, the music fades into a piano rendition of 'Pure Imagination' from the Muggle film 'Willy Wonka and the Chocolate factory.' A lovely little melody, I'm very fond of.

As the music weaves its spell around us, drawing us closer with every beat, I feel an irresistible pull towards Luna. Our movements slow, our bodies inches apart, anticipation hanging in the air like a delicate veil. Without words, our gaze locks, speaking volumes in the silent language of longing and desire. At that moment, the world around us ceases to exist, leaving only the pulsating energy between us. With a gentle tilt of her head, Luna leans in, her lips brushing against mine in a tender caress. In that fleeting instant, everything falls into place, as if this kiss were written in the stars. Lost in the sweetness of her lips, I surrender to the magic of the moment, knowing that in this embrace, I've found a love that transcends words and dances across the endless expanse of time.