Hurt | Remus Lupin

~24~ Yule Ball

I Apparated to Hogsmeade, and hiked my way up to the castle. It was a bit difficult in my dress and heels but I made it work. Walking through the doors, Percy greeted me there, with a smile.

"Sara!" he pulled me into a hug, and I melted into it, missing these moments with Percy before he became a workaholic. "You looks great."

"Thanks Percy, you don't looks so bad yourself." I nodded to his dress-robes as I pulled away.

"Come, the ball should be starting soon." I followed him into the hall, where he helped me settle into a seat with all the professors and judges. He sat down next to me. The professors greeted me warmly, including Snape. Ever since I gave him that scarf for Christmas, he'd always been a little bit kinder to me.

"Wait so, why are you even here?" I asked him softly, while we waited for all the students to be let in.

"I've been promoted. I'm Crouches personal assistant and I'm here representing him." he replied.

I had to admit, I was a bit impressed.

Soon, McGonagall let all the students in and the Champions walked up to our table. Percy pulled out the chair that was one his other side, and Harry slipped into it.

"I've been promoted," Percy said before Harry could even ask, and from his tone, he might have been announcing his election as supreme ruler of the universe. "I'm now Mr. Crouch's personal assistant, and I'm here representing him."

"Why didn't he come?" Harry asked

"I'm afraid to say Mr. Crouch isn't well, not well at all. Hasn't been right since the World Cup. Hardly surprising — overwork. He's not as young as he was — though still quite brilliant, of course, the mind remains as great as it ever was. But the World Cup was a fiasco for the whole Ministry, and then, Mr. Crouch suffered a huge personal shock with the misbehavior of that house-elf of his, Blinky, or whatever she was called. Naturally, he dismissed her immediately afterward, but — well, as I say, he's getting on, he needs looking after, and I think he's found a definite drop in his home comforts since she left. And then we had the tournament to arrange, and the aftermath of the Cup to deal with — that revolting Skeeter woman buzzing around — no, poor man, he's having a well earned, quiet Christmas. I'm just glad he knew he had someone he could rely upon to take his place."

"Has he stopped calling you Wetherby yet?" I asked, and Harry chuckled.

"I am now wondering why I asked you to come here." Percy rolled his eyes, though he was slightly smiling.

I was glad to see the old Percy was back. Sort of.

There were little menus in front of us. No one really knew what to do, until Dumbledore announced "Pork Chops!" and his plate filled with what he had announced.

Everyone else followed suit, and I ordered chicken. I glanced around at the table. I was surprised to see Hermione here sitting next to Krum. Damn, what a turn of events.

Dinner was awfully boring, Percy was droning on about work again, with Harry and I politely listening. Cedric was with Cho, not really surprising, and Fluer was with Roger Davis. Why, someone as pretty as Fluer was with someone like Davis was beyond me.

Davis noticed me and he his widened. "Merlin's beard! Your face looks horrendous!"

Everyone at the table turned to look at me as I glared at him, but in this moment, I was at a loss for words.

"Shut up Davis." Harry snapped.

"Yeah, but close your mouth and stop staring." Hermione snapped.

"Nothing eez wrong wit her face!" Fleur cried, now looking at Davis with pure disgust. "Whatever happened to her.....it shows that she is a strong girl!"