Immortal Magic (Book 1)

Chapter Fifty-Three

Allison's Point of View.

The Great Hall buzzed with noise as usual during breakfast. Owls swooped overhead dropping letters and parcels while students talked loudly over plates of toast and eggs.

I sat between Hermione and Harry with my nose buried in a book, though every couple of seconds my attention kept drifting toward Harry. Or more specifically, toward where Harry was staring.

Cho Chang sat a few seats down the Ravenclaw table, laughing at something one of her friends had said, and Harry looked completely mesmerised.

I rolled my eyes just in time to watch him attempt a smile in her direction, only to knock over his goblet of pumpkin juice all over the table. Smooth.

"I can't believe she's done it again," Hermione groans beside me, slamming the Daily Prophet onto the table hard enough to rattle the plates.

I ignored the paper completely, considering I had already read Rita Skeeter's article that morning and nearly hexed the thing afterwards.

Instead, my attention shifted toward a small first-year making his way nervously down the Gryffindor table holding a parcel. "Parcel for you, Mr Weasley," Nigel says brightly as he hands it to Ron.

"Thank you, Nigel," Ron replies while taking the package from him. Except Nigel didn't leave. He just stood there awkwardly staring at Harry before glancing at me every couple of seconds.

Hermione and I slowly looked toward Ron at the same time and gestured subtly toward the poor kid still lingering beside the table. Ron looked up and sighed under his breath. "Not now, Nigel," he mutters quietly.

Nigel immediately looks embarrassed. "Oh, right." He hurried away, looking sheepish. Hermione and I both turned back toward Ron with identical looks. Ron paused mid-opening the parcel when he noticed us staring at him.

"I promised him I'd get him Harry's autograph," he admits sheepishly. "Why did he keep glancing at Allison?" Harry asks suddenly, a sharp edge entering his voice that immediately caught my attention.

Ron snorts. "If you lot haven't noticed, tons of guys stare at Allison. Even the girls." I frowned slightly while Ron continued opening the parcel. "The only difference is the girls are staring at her with envy," he finishes smugly.

Curious despite myself, I glanced around the Great Hall. Unfortunately, Ron was right.

A couple of boys from Hufflepuff quickly looked away when I caught them staring, while two girls from Ravenclaw whispered to each other while glancing in my direction.

I immediately dropped my gaze back to my book. "Mum's sent me a dress," Ron says in horror. That got my attention. Ron yanked a hideous set of maroon robes out of the parcel while looking personally betrayed.

Harry burst out laughing. "Well, it does match your eyes," Harry tells him while digging through the box. "Is there a bonnet?" Ron looked genuinely offended.

Without another word, he stood up and marched over to Ginny. "Ginny, these must be for you," he says confidently while holding the robes out. Ginny looked at them in disgust.

"I'm not wearing those," she says immediately. "They're ghastly." Ron blinked. "Well then, who are they for?" Hermione and I both burst into laughter. Ron turned toward us with a betrayed expression. "What are you laughing at?"

"They're not for Ginny," I tell him through my laughter. "They're dress robes," Hermione explains. "For what?" Ron asks blankly. Nearly the entire table erupts into laughter around him.

Time Skip.

"The Yule Ball has been a tradition of the Triwizard Tournament since its inception," Professor McGonagall announces while pacing in front of the Gryffindors assembled in the classroom.