Magic Behind The Pages (Fred Weasley)

Chapter 119

Two large groups of boys and girls stood across the room from each other in the Great Hall.

Professor McGonagall stood in the middle, anxiously waiting for Filch to get a hang of the music. The tape scratched violently.

McGonagall decided to begin, nevertheless. "The Yule Ball has been a tradition of the -" McGonagall looked down at Filch and his static crackling of the record player, "Triwizard Tournament,"

Filch finally satisfied the record player's vinyl and backed away cautiously. McGongall continued, "since its inception. On Christmas Eve night, we and our guests gather in the Great Hall for a night of well-mannered frivolity."

After a small pause and a glance toward the boys group, McGonagall proceeded, "As representatives of the school, I expect each and every one of you to put your best foot forward -" McGonagall paused, "And I mean this literally because the Yule Ball is first and foremost ..." McGonagall paused for anticipating effect, "a dance."

Instantly, the students erupted into whispers and mutters and excited squeals. Lylie leaned into Addison and whispered with a grin, "A dance? With fancy dresses and hair clips and suits and ties?"

Addison clapped her hands together, "I think so! Oh, how lovely!" Addison took a long sigh of awe.

McGonagall winced at the outburst of noice, and so she demanded, "Silence!" She paused, "The House of Godric Gryffindor has commanded the respect of the wizard world for nearly 10 centuries. I will not have you in a course of a single evening besmirching that name by behaving like a babbling, bumbling, band of baboons."

Lylie noticed Fred lean into George and mutter something inaudible. She then watched George repeat an inaudible phrase too many times.

Lylie merely rolled her eyes and turned her attention back to McGonagall, "Now, to dance is to let the body breathe. Inside every girl, a secret swan slumbers longing to burst forth and take flight." McGonagall turned to the rowdy boys, "Inside every boy, a lordly lion prepared to prance - Mr. Weasley!"

Fred and George both looked to each other with pure fear, and Lylie heard Fred mutter, "She found out."

However, McGongall swayed over to Ron, who looked shocked and petrified both at once.

Ron shrivelled at McGonagall's touch as she asked, "Will you join me please?" Ron hesitated, but obeyed. He stood, and the boys all sitting near him muttered with amusement, "Hey."

McGonagall brought Ron to the middle of the hall and instructed, "Now, put your right hand on my waist."

Ron slowly pulled away with embarrassment, "Where?"

McGonagall replied, "My waist." Almost all the boys whistled with great joy. Lylie laughed heartily alongside Addison and a few other girls.

The murmurs triggered Ron's actions, as he yanked his arm away from McGonagall's light grasp. She murmured with struggle, "Extend your arm." She pulled Ron into position.

Fred and George both grumbled happily, "Hey."

McGonagall called to Filch, "Mr. Filch, if you please." Instantly, a slow waltz song bounced off the walls of the hall. McGonagall began to sway with Ron.

She counted with hidden glee, "One, two, three. One, two, three." A permanent look of embarrassment and disgust was plastered on Ron's pale face. Lylie laughed with a happy grin, enjoying herself.

Fred and George mocked Ron and danced, staying in their laid back position, leaning on the wall. They rocked with ecstatic looks on their faces. They swayed and hummed along to the tune of the waltz. Lylie rolled her eyes but enjoyed their foolish dance.

Lylie then saw Harry whisper, "Oi!" He drew the twins close, Harry muttered, "Never gonna let him forget this, are you?"

Fred and George tried not to laugh, resulting in goofy grins stuck on their faces, "Never."

McGonagall demanded, "Everybody come together!" Lylie and Addison, along with every other girl jumped up with excitement and raced forward to choose a boy to practice dancing with.

"Boys, on your feet!" McGonagall tried but failed to encourage the boys not to repel at the sight of the anxious girls waiting for them a few feet away.

Neville, bravely, stood up and approached Ginny. He took her waist and began to dance. Acting as an example, only for show, George jumped forward and took Addison's waist. The whistling from the boys' side only grew louder.

McGonagall smiled, her work had paid off.