Things Fall Apart, But Then You Build Again

Chapter 9: The Ministry Ball

A Ministry ball (Halloween) is used to introduce his new intentions, which the Malfoys also attend. A man goes up to Harry after the introductions and he’s left alone. This tests his ability to sell himself as a proper Light Wizard. Even Lucius makes an appearance and dances with Hermione. Harry sees this at first and is astonished. He’s glad Ron is still stuffing his face and doesn’t see it. Harry wonders around and sees other things. Astoria is talking with some friends and she’s alof and snotty. Draco is chatting up a guy on the balcony. Harry overhears from below. Sees Malfoy in the moonlight. He goes back to the house and sees Ron screaming at Hermione and Lucius. The ball ends in a disaster. Harry spots Draco smirking at someone and follows his line of sight to see Adrian. He tries not to think about what the smirk means.

Costumes:

Harry - Dumbledore

Ginny - McGonagall

Arthur - Gawain Weasley - an ancestor who was a Chief Warlock. Is known for being always righteous. - Chief Warlock costume

Molly - stays home

Ron – Quidditch player

Draco - Janus Malfoy, who came over to England from France - 17th century French courtier

Astoria - a fairy with fluttering wings and all pink, but the base of the dress is 17th c. French

Lucius – Merlin

Narcissa – Morgan le Fey, 'Morgana'

(medieval, dates unknown)

Also known as Morgana, this bird Animagus was King Arthur's half sister. She was a dark sorceress, Merlin's enemy, and she affected many events during her time. She was queen of the island of Avalon, and she had great skill as a healer (fw/100). She appeared on one of the firstChocolate Frog trading cards Harry Potter ever saw (PS6).

"le fey" or "le fay" = French for "the faery."

Hermione - Cliodna

Famous Irish druidess, appears on a Chocolate Frog trading card (PS6; fw/6). Cliodna had three magical birds that used song to heal the sick. She was an Animagus who could take the form of a bird (CF). Cliodna discovered the properties of Moondew (fw/6).

Pronounced "CLEEV-nah;" also written as Cliodne.

Harry adjusted his purple robes in the mirror and cringed as the star pattern twinkled on them. Apparently Ginny’s idea of the perfect man to dress him as was Dumbledore. At least she had relented on him spelling his hair long and silver. No beard either. Just the robes. For the umpteenth time Harry wondered why Dumbledore insisted on wearing such clothes, but the again, the old man had probably never made it on any “Best Dressed” lists either.

Ginny entered their bedroom from the bathroom and smiled at him from behind old-fashioned spectacles. She was wearing a lot of tartan in her costume as McGonagall: tartan skirt, tartan robes, only her shirt was white. It was as if the clans of the Highlands had exploded on her, they all had a different pattern. Harry didn’t think it was very flattering on her, but he didn’t know anything about clothes, he reminded himself.

“Don’t you think we make the perfect couple? Just like they did,” she remarked as she gazed at the two of them in the mirror.

“Gin, they weren’t a couple,” Harry had to point out.

“Of course they were!” she cried in indignation. “Everyone at school talked about it all the time. They had the perfect partnership. I just can’t understand why they never got married.”

“Luv, Dumbledore was gay.”

“That’s just a nasty rumour,” she rebuked and wrinkled her nose. “Voldemort spread it to make us think less of Dumbledore.”