Easy - The Girl who Lived Forever (Harry Potter's Sister)

FCK THE YULE BALL

The start of December brought wind and sleet to Hogwarts. Draughty though the castle always was in winter, I was glad of its fires and thick walls every time I passed the Durmstrang ship on the lake, which was pitching in the high winds, its black sails billowing against the dark skies. I thought the Beauxbatons caravan was likely to be pretty chilly, too.

But then I went with Savannah and Charlotte for Emeric's birthday on the ship and felt the heated barrier underneath the deck, and assumed the caravan had the same sort of thing.

Then we heard about the Yule Ball.

The Yule Ball was a traditional part of the Triwizard Tournament. Unfortunately, it was only for fourth years and above, unless you were invited.

"It's bullshit!" I groaned as I threw myself on the couch, and Freya laughed.

A few weeks ago, Ellarose and Savannah found a hidden room on the seventh floor called the Room of Requirement that no one else knew about, it wasn't even on the map. We began hanging and studying there, since the library was always filled with giggling girls stalking Viktor, we weren't allowed in other common rooms, and there wasn't enough room on the ship.

Right now, Sarah, Aubrey, Ginny, Matilda, Kella, Candace, Caridy, Charlotte, Nina, Rebekah, Remus, Dove, Nevaeh, Lawrence, Lucas, Celeste, Halley, Luna, Maye, Michelle, Prada, Ashley, Ellarose, Kiara, Marella, Savannah, Bridget, Della, Freya, Millie, Nora, Kyla, April, Davina, Emeric, Kris, Greta, Vanya and I were chilling.

"Well there's not much to do there anyway, trust me, I've been to a million of those things," Kris sighed. "They are boring."

"It's just a beauty contest! If we're pretty enough for the desperate older people than we get to go. It's narcissistic and shallow," I folded my arms.

April shrugged. "Then fuck it."

Matilda glanced over at her. "What?"

April shrugged. "If we can't go without dates, than we throw our own dance."

Celeste nodded at her. "No formalities, and all of the kids under fourth year can just come chill. Kids over can come as well, we're not restrictive unlike the stupid traditional dance," she grinned.

I sat up. "April Gaunt-Riddle-Berkshire and Regina Adelaide Viola Evelyn Nyla Celeste Laine Amberly Winter Matthews​ you are freaking geniuses!" I launched over the couch and tackled her into a hug. "Let's throw our own party!!!!!!!"

I had never known so many people to put their names down to stay at Hogwarts for Christmas; This year, however, everyone in the fourth year and above seemed to be staying, and they all seemed to be obsessed with the coming ball – or, at least, all the girls were, and it was amazing how many girls Hogwarts suddenly seemed to hold; I had never quite noticed that before. 

Girls giggling and whispering in the corridors, girls shrieking with laughter as boys passed them, girls excitedly comparing notes on what they were going to wear on Christmas night ...

The last week of term became increasingly boisterous as it progressed. Rumors about the Yule Ball were flying everywhere - that Dumbledore had bought eight hundred barrels of mulled mead from Madam Rosmerta. It seemed to be fact, however, that he had booked the Weird Sisters, a very famous musical group.

The Hogwarts staff, demonstrating a continued desire to impress the visitors from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang, seemed determined to show the castle at its best this Christmas. Everlasting icicles had been attached to the banisters of the marble staircase; the usual twelve Christmas trees in the Great Hall were bedecked with everything from luminous holly berries to real, hooting, golden owls, and the suits of armor had all been bewitched to sing carols whenever anyone passed them. It was quite something to hear "Oh Come, All Ye Faithful" sung by an empty helmet that only knew half the words. Several times, Filch had to extract Peeves from inside the armor, where he had taken to hiding, filling in the gaps in the songs with lyrics of his own invention, all of which were very rude.