◣ 𝗦𝗢𝗙𝗧 𝗦𝗣𝗢𝗧 ◥

𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗙𝗘𝗦𝗦𝗢𝗥 𝗠𝗖𝗚𝗢𝗡𝗔𝗚𝗔𝗟𝗟

PROFESSOR MCGONAGALL
"—𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝗇𝖾𝖾𝖽 𝗍𝗈 𝗁𝖺𝗏𝖾 𝖺 𝖽𝖺𝗇𝖼𝖾 𝗉𝖺𝗋𝗍𝗇𝖾𝗋."

—"POTTER! WEASLEY! WILL YOU PAY ATTENTION?" PROFESSOR MCGONAGALL'S IRRITATED VOICE BOOMED THROUGH THE CLASSROOM AND THE TWO BOYS JUMPED AND LOOKED UP. It was the end of the lesson; they had finished their work; the guinea-fowl they had been changing into guinea-pigs had been shut away in a large cage on Professor McGonagall's desk and they had copied down their homework from the blackboard. The bell was due to ring at any moment, and Harry and Ron Weasley, who had been having a sword fight with a couple of fake wands at the back of the class, looked up, Ron now holding a tin parrot, and Harry, a rubber haddock.

"Now Potter and Weasley have been kind enough to act their age," said Professor McGonagall, with an angry look at the pair of them as the head of Harry's haddock drooped and fell silently to the floor– Ron's parrot's beak had severed it moments before– "I have something to say to you all. The Yule Ball is approaching – a traditional part of the Triwizard Tournament and an opportunity for us to socialise with our foreign guests. Now, the ball will be open only to fourth-years and above – although you may invite a younger student if you wish—"

Lavender Brown let out a shrill giggle. Parvati Patil nudged her hard in the ribs, her face working furiously as she, too, fought not to giggle. They both looked around at Harry. Professor McGonagall ignored them, which Harry thought was distinctly unfair, as she had just told off him and Ron.

Alexandria, who was on the other side of the classroom with the rest of the Slytherins, rolled her eyes— not seeing what the big deal was. It was only a stupid ball, anyway.

"Dress robes will be worn," Professor McGonagall continued, "and the ball will start at eight o'clock on Christmas Day, finishing at midnight, in the Great Hall. Now then—"

Professor McGonagall stared deliberately around the class. "The Yule Ball is of course a chance for us all to– er– let our hair down," she said, in a disapproving voice.

Lavender giggled harder than ever, with her hand pressed hard against her mouth to stifle the sound.

Harry could see what was funny this time: Professor McGonagall, with her hair in a tight bun, looked as though she had never let her hair down in any sense.

"But that does not mean," Professor McGonagall went on, "that we will be relaxing the standards of behaviour we expect from Hogwarts students. I will be most seriously displeased if a Gryffindor student embarrasses the school in any way."

"Highly unlikely," muttered Alexandria.

"Did she just forget us?" asked Daphne; a hint of hurt in her voice.

"No, Daph. It's just that she knows that we have manners and doesn't need to remind us of it," Pansy pointed out.

The bell rang, and there was the usual scuffle of activity as everyone packed their bags and swung them onto their shoulders.

Professor McGonagall called above the noise, "Slytherin— a word, if you please."

Alexandria nodded and motioned for her friends to leave.

Professor McGonagall waited until the rest of the class had gone, and then said, "Slytherin, the champions and their partners—"

"What partners?" asked Alexandria, cutting her off.

Professor McGonagall looked suspiciously at her, as though she thought she was trying to be funny. "Your partners for the Yule Ball, Slytherin," she said coldly. "Your dance partners."

"I have to have a dance partner?" asked Alexandria in the same tone.

"Oh, yes, you do," said Professor McGonagall irritably, but then her eyes softened. "Are you.. are you alright?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" scoffed the girl in confusion.

"Well, you got kidnapped by you-know-who and—"

"Professor, I really don't want to talk about this."

"Right." The Professor cleared her throat, suddenly professional again. "Forgive me, miss Potter—"

"Slytherin." Alexandria corrected coldly.

"Miss Slytherin," corrected Professor McGonagall with an apologetic look. "Anyways, you need to have a dance partner. It is a tradition for the three champions— in this case, four— to have their first dance with their partners."

Alexandria had to refrain her shoulders from slumping. "Right," she nodded. "Thank you, Professor."