Black and White

11

As the first task is about to begin, Fred and George are wandering the stands taking bets. Dumbledore is telling everyone to remain seated, for our own safety.

Cedric, Fleur, and Victor all face their dragons and retrieve their golden eggs. Next, will be Harry, vs the Hungarian Horntail. As soon as he comes out, he is under attack.

"Your wand, Harry!" Hermione is yelling. "Your wand!"

"Accio Firebolt!" Harry yells, calling his broomstick.

Unfortunately, the dragon breaks it's chain. Harry flies out of the arena, being chased by the dragon all the while. We are all silent, scared, until Harry comes back into sight, at which point we all cheer. In the end, Harry gets the egg. As soon as he's out of the arena, Hermione and I both wrap him in a hug. Later that night, he and Ron make up, too.

Maybe a couple weeks later, however, and we have a whole new adventure. One that the whole school will be participating in.

"The Yule Ball is first and foremost, a dance," Professor Snape explains in his classic monotone.

The majority of the girls start whispering excitedly, while the boys begin to groan and complain.

All the head of houses would be teaching their students to dance, so, of course, Slytherin has Professor Snape. Unfortunately, I am the female student he's known the longest, as he's been around practically since my... adoption, I suppose.

"Miss Black," he calls. "Come here, please."

My face turns red as I join Professor Snape in the center of the room. It doesn't help that Draco is snickering from the boys' side of the room. I face Professor Snape, who places one hand on my back and takes my right hand in his other. I try to ignore how awkward this is, but it's hard to focus on anything with all the stifled laughter flying across the room.

"Miss Black?"

"Hmm?"

"Put... your hand... on my shoulder."

"Oh. Yes, sir."

"One, two three; one, two three," Snape mutters as he guides me through a waltz, before telling everyone else to partner up as well.

As soon as the dancing lesson is over, I hurry out of the room and to the Great Hall. Ignoring the stares, I sit at the Gryffindor table with my friends. Why sit at the Slytherin table if my one Slytherin friend/family member just gained means to tease me with?

"You should have seen it, Luce," Fred laughs. "Ron had to dance with McGonagall!"

"It was the funniest thing I've ever seen!" George continues.

"Try dancing with Snape," I reply, and they suddenly get quiet.

"No," Fred whispers. "You danced with Snape? Like, he actually taught your class?"

"Yeah, we figured he would make the Head Boy and Girl do it," George explains. "How was it? Was it... romantic?"

"Ew, no!" I exclaim. "No, not at all! It was terribly awkward. And Draco wouldn't quit laughing. That is, until he had to dance with Pansy Pug-mouth Parkinson."

As the days pass, more and more people find their dates to the Yule Ball. It was almost funny, watching the boys tripping over themselves to ask the girls to the dance. However, I was so buried in my latest book that I didn't see the tall Durmstrang boy walk up to me until he cleared his throat.

"Oh, hi," I say, standing. "Can I help you with something?"

"I am Mikhail," he introduces himself. "I was wondering if you would attend the Yule Ball with me?"

His accent is difficult to understand at first, but with a few hand gestures, I begin to understand his meaning. I am surprised, to say the least.

"Obviously you don't know who she is, then," a voice laughs.

I turn to see Pansy and have to suppress a groan. Of course she would show up, just in time to embarrass me in front of someone I don't really even know.

"Then who is she?" Mikhail asks. Turning to me, he corrects, "Or, I should ask, who are you, princessa?"

Pansy laughs again as I try to answer.

"Are you kidding?" she sneers. "She's the daughter of Sirius Black, the mass murderer, and was raised by Bellatrix Lestrange. It's just a matter of time before she snaps and tries to kill us all, the way I see it."

"I'm also your boyfriend's cousin, Pansy," I remind, "so if I were you, I'd shut my pretty mouth before you say something you can't take back."

Mikhail steps between us. "Thank you, Miss Pansy, but I was not really asking you. I was asking this lovely lady with the blue eyes."

I give a small smile as Pansy stalks away. Mikhail turns back to me.

"I'm Lucida," I state. "Lucida Black. My father was framed, and I'm not like the people who raised me. Thank you for asking me and not the Queen of all Rumors."

Mikhail laughs. "You're welcome," he says. "However, I must be going, Lucida. I hope you find a kind heart to accompany yours to the ball."

I smile as he walks away. Then I realize. He had initially asked me to the ball. The jerk had used pretty words to make me forget he had asked me. He had probably changed his mind as soon as Pansy opened her pug-mouth. Angry at his deceit, I turn and punch the tree I had been leaning on. Only to scratch up my knuckles.

"Hey, what did that tree do to you?" Fred asks as he comes walking around the trunk.

"Nothing," I sigh. "It was that Durmstrang jerk and Pug-mouth Parkinson."

"Yeah, I heard," Fred admits. "Been there the whole time. Was going to ask if you would go to the ball with me, but if that's how you are to trees, then I don't know..."

I laugh. "Wait, seriously?" I ask. "You were going to ask me? You could have any Gryffindor girl you want, and your asking me? The daughter of Sirius Black, raised by Bellatrix Lestrange."

"Who cares who raised you, " Fred says. "You're my friend, aren't you? I'm not asking you to be my girlfriend, Luce, I'm asking you to wear a dress and dance with me."

"Ok, then," I smile. "I'll go. But, you know, whatever rumors spread, you got yourself into it."

"Then I'll tell them the same thing I told you," Fred laughs. "Now run along, second year. Don't you have a class to get to?"

"Wait a second," I smirk. "Fred Weasley, of all people, is telling me to go to class?"

"What?" Fred asks innocently. "I don't want my date in detention. That's a sucky reason to go to a ball alone."