The Wolf's Lion ~ Harry Potter (Editing)

Chapter Thirty-Three | The Yule Ball

It seemed like the Yule Ball had snuck up in the four Gryffindors overnight. Harry and Ron had managed to find partners in identical twins Paravati (Gryffindor) and Padma (Ravenclaw) Patil. Ariana liked the girls, she got on with them well.

Ariana hadn't had an opportunity to wrap her head around the situation with Snape. She had pondered over it for a while, but apparently failed to let it sink in completely.

Thankfully the full moon had passed and Christmas was free of a full moon, so she could spend the night having a, worry free, good time.

Hermione and Ariana began getting ready at five P.M., since it would take them a while to prepare. As much as Ariana would much rather not going to the ball at all, she was definitely going to make an effort, since it was compulsory.

Chaos. That's the only word Ariana could use to describe their dormitory with the greatest amount of accuracy.

The room was filled with four girls all rushing about, desperately trying to get ready for their dates in time. Clothing lay strewn about their beds, the air was thick with perfumes, and dressed were being adjusted using magic.

Ariana hadn't bought a dress, instead she managed to conjured one. It was a gorgeous red dress with accents of lace that flattered her figure, skin and hair. Her hair colour wasn't an incredibly easy one to match with outside, but when you did, it was amazing. She also wore two rings designed with inspiration from Celtic knots, and her Lion necklace from Remus.

When ten to eight came around, Hermione and Ariana were ready. The letter had her hair up in an elegant French knot on the back of her head, a few stray curls falling to frame her face. She had done her eyebrows and applied some light smokey make-up. She wore gold heels to accompany her dress, but they weren't huge, since she was already quite tall.

Hermione's hair was also up in a beautiful knot, a couple of curl falling down at the back. She work a lovely pink dress that faded to purple at the bottom of the skirt.

"Are you ready?" Ariana asked, heading for the portrait hole.

"Yes," Hermione grinned.

The two girls walked down to the Great Hall, pausing at the top of the steps that lead down. Ariana's body was thrumming as if electricity was jolting through it, both with anticipation and anxiety.

Ariana pulled Hermione's hand and led her to the top of the stairs. As the girls descended, all of the heads at the bottom turned to look at them. Harry and Paravati were down the bottom, looking up at the two Gryffindor girls in awe.

Ariana supposed it was a shock for them to be seen without twenty books weighing them down, wearing 'girly' clothes.

Ivan and Viktor were waiting for them at the foot off the stairs, looking quite dashing. They wore Durmstrang dress robes of scarlet, fur-lined red capes draped over their left arms.

Ariana reached Ivan, who had dark hair like his brother, but the difference between them was that Ivan had a head full of hear instead of a buzz-cut. He bowed his head when she arrived, then held his arm out for her. Ariana smiled and placed her hand atop of his, waiting for the ball to begin.

Ariana saw the other champions being lined up at the entrance doors. Fleur, wearing a beautiful silver-grey dress, was being accompanied by Roger Davies, the Ravenclaw Quidditch Captain; Cedric was with Cho Chang, Ravenclaw's Seeker, and Harry was with Paravati, who was wearing a lovely Sari of pink and orange. Four of the five champions are Quidditch players; three Seekers and a Chaser.

She felt awful for Harry, who had a large crush on Cho. He had asked her to be his date, but Cedric had beat him to it. On the bright side, she seemed genuinely sorry to have to turn him down.