The Ravenclaw Nine || BTS Harry Potter AU

Chapter 24

Chloe's Point of View

"Jungkook asked you to the ball?"

"You must feel like the luckiest girl alive!"

"I find it more nerve-wracking than anything else," Aviela admitted shyly, but the other fifth year girls would not be deterred.

Christmas was right around the corner – every inch of the castle was decorated with holly, tinsel, and a grand Christmas tree in the Great Hall. The teachers were hardly furtive about their enthusiasm over the arrival of Christmas – indeed, they relished in the idea of a few weeks away from troublesome students such as Jaelyn, Yoongi, and Nadya.

Of course, for the women of Professor Slughorn's Potions class, the holiday was overshadowed by that evening's ball.

Chloe had selected a turquoise dress for the occasion and spent a bit too long styling her hair. Her hands shook every time she thought about Jimin – he had sweetly asked her if she would be interested in attending the ball with him, and she couldn't refuse even though Jin's flirtations plagued her mind.

"This feels like the Yule Ball," Nadya remarked as they skipped down the steps to the common room, where a few of the boys were waiting. Jimin, dressed in expensive formal robes that complemented his skin tone, stood up straighter when Chloe's figure came into view, and his face brightened with an awed smile.

"What is the Yule Ball?" Jaelyn asked. She wore a stunning silver dress that accentuated the caramel hue of her skin. She had chosen to spend the evening with her friends, although Chloe had a sneaking suspicion that, whether she admitted it or not, she was dressing to impress.

"The Triwizard Tournament doesn't ring a bell?" Jaelyn shook her head, and Nadya sighed mournfully, "Muggle-borns."

"You look beautiful," Jungkook complimented Aviela right as Yoongi muttered, "You look stupid," to Nadya.

"Excuse you," Nadya snapped. "You should feel honored to be in my presence. And Jimin? Do you plan to talk to Chloe, or are you going to keep staring at her all night?"

Chloe finally met Jimin's dark-eyed gaze and shyly folded her hands behind her back. After glaring at Nadya with flushed cheeks, he smiled at Chloe and took her hand gently. "You look lovely," he murmured.

Chloe felt like her heart might explode as she responded, "You, too."

The ever-shifting Hogwarts staircases stayed almost completely still that evening, directing students to the Great Hall. The expansive room was already filled with students of all ages and houses. Gryffindor had a particular presence by the refreshments, Slytherins stayed remote by the open double doors, Hufflepuffs occupied the dancing space, and many of the Ravenclaws had remained in the common room in favor of completing schoolwork.

The room itself was illuminated with candles that cast flickering shadows on the walls, which had tinsel and holly strung across them. The Christmas tree stretched up towards the reflected sky, following the warm color scheme with red, gold, and green ornaments. A touch of magic made gold dust circle the ceiling above their heads, occasionally sprinkling small amounts over guests. Hogwarts had abandoned its choir in favor of classic Christmas songs on a record that reminded Chloe of her best memories at home – the ones where her days were not filled with busy despair.

"My father used to decorate like this for the holidays," Jimin noted, his eyes glistening with a faraway look.

"What made him stop?" Chloe asked, but she knew the answer as soon as she asked.

"My mother's death," he replied plainly.

Chloe's heart panged with sympathy and regret. "I'm sorry, Jimin."