☤ Pseudonym ☤

~Chapter Eleven~

It was only a couple of weeks until the Yule Ball and I had assumed that I was going with Cedric as we were now officially dating. However, he was yet to ask me and was slightly concerned he wanted to go with someone else. Someone prettier and more popular. We haven't told anyone we were dating yet and I was nervous what people's reactions would be.

Hermione and I were trying to revise for a surprise end of term potions test down by the black lake. Meanwhile Harry and Ron were still trying to figure out how to get dates for the ball. I couldn't believe that neither of them had asked Hermione yet. She was their best friend and they hadn't even considered her. 

In the distance I saw a figure approaching, behind them a crowd of giggling girls. As he got closer I saw it was Viktor Krum. I nudge Hermione and she looked up and made eye contact with him. He smirked at her and she cleared her throat and went back to her textbook. I smiled at the faint blush that had appeared on her cheeks. 

Harry started complaining about how unfair it was that he can get so many girls and he couldn't even get one. Ron let out a loud groan and lay back heavily on the bank. 

'For God's sake. Have either of you two even asked anyone?' Hermione said, frustratedly.

They both muttered angrily, but shook their heads.

'You're pathetic, the both of you. Just man up and ask someone out. If they say no maybe then you will actually have a reason to complain.' I snapped at them. 

Ron frowned. 'Oi, Hermione. You're a girl.'

Hermione looked up, annoyed, 'Oh, well spotted.'

'Come with one of us?' Ron made some odd movement with his arms which seemed to suggest dancing.

'Well, despite the very tempting offer, Ron. I think I will pass on that one.' 

'Come on. You don't want to end up going alone. That's just sad.' What an idiot.

'I won't be going alone, because, believe it or not, someone's asked me.' Hermione gathered her things and turned to me, 'I've got to go meet Professor Flitwick, but I'll see you later?' I nodded a little in shock about her outburst. 

Ron watched her thunder back to the castle, astonishment painted across his face. Recovering quickly, he spoke to me. 'Renn?'

'What?' although I already knew what he was going to ask.

'Have you got a date?' I saw Harry tense, but brushed it off. 

'Yes.'

'Who?'

'Why?'

'Why won't you tell me?'

'Tell you what?'

'Stop dancing around the question. Who are going to the ball with?' Ron demanded.

I fiddled with the pages of the book and looked at the ground. 'Diggory.' I mumbled.

'Who?' they both said.

I sighed, 'Cedric Diggory.' 

'What!' Harry cried. 

'I mean I'm not sure, he hasn't actually asked me yet.' I bite the nail of my left pinky.

Ron scoffed, 'Sorry Renn, but if he hasn't asked you then I don't think you are going with him?'

'Why would you think that?' Harry asked, his eyebrows furrowed confused.

'Well I mean, it is common for a guy to go with his girlfriend.' 

I wish I had a camera in that moment to capture the looks on their faces. The pure shock was quite amusing. 

Ron spluttered, 'You are dating Cedric Diggory.' Harry pushed his glasses up his nose and suddenly became very interested in his potions book.

'Yes, why is that surprising?' I glared at Ron.

'It's just that I thought he had a thing for Cho Chang.' 

My glare relented a bit. 'He said that they were childhood friends and that he didn't like her that way.'

Ron slapped my back, 'Well good going Renn. Done better than us.' 

I smiled at him and buried my nose back into my textbook.

-----

On the last night of term there was a grand feast to celebrate the coming of Christmas and the going of another term. I was sitting between Dean and Seamus, and across from us was Fred and George. I had never really been friends with the twins, but their antics never failed to elicit a smile from me. 

Currently they were trying to see how many brussel sprouts they could put in the hood of Ron's cloak without him noticing.

Dean and I were now back to being best friends. Our moment in hallway was forgotten as Dean had scored a date to the ball with Fay Dunbar. And he seemed to be enamoured by her. I was relieved as it had removed the strain on our relationship, although I think Fay was a little jealous about our closeness.

I ate more food than I had ever done in my life. I have never been too concerned about my weight. Although I would say I was about average size, I definitely wouldn't consider myself to be skinny. Yet whenever I returned home for the summer I always seemed to come back a stone lighter. 

After my third slice of Christmas pudding I decided to head to bed. Hermione said she would be up in a bit, she had ended up seated next to Krum and seemed to be having a great time. Despite the occasional glares she received from Ron.

Outside the Fat Lady's portrait I noticed a small yellow enveloped with 'Renn' written in large capital letters. I picked it up and examined it carefully. I was worried it was another message from Barty and I anxiously chewed on my nail. 

I cautiously pried the envelope open and pulled out a small note which said "You who have two eyes can read this note, but please do join me with those that don't." This is very weird I thought. I am not sure if I want to know what this will lead me to. 

I deliberated for quite some time. But my curiosity won me over.

If the note is suggesting a place to go to, it must have something to do with eyes in the name. So the only thing I could think of was the One-Eyed Witch Passage. I sighed and made my way back down the staircase. 

The passage was a creepy one and I wouldn't put it past Barty for a meet up here. But he was never one for rhymes. Something yellow caught my eye. Another envelope was clutched in the hand of one of the suits of armour. I ripped it open, my patience wearing thin.

"Even though late is the hour, I am sure you can check the time in this tower."

This was an obvious one; the clock tower. Whoever wrote these was no great wordsmith. 

It was freezing cold at the top of the clock tower. I could see my breath hanging in the air. But I couldn't see another note. As the clock struck ten and the great hand shifted, a piece of paper fluttered to the floor. I picked up and read the final clue,

"For those who seek to find, look no further than right behind."

I gasped and turned around to find none other than Cedric Diggory. 

'Hey Renn.' he smiled at me.

'Ced! It was you?' 

'Yep.' I whacked his shoulder playfully

'Why the wild goose chase?'

'I just wanted to have a bit of fun.' I laughed in disbelief, 'And I also had an important question to asked you.'

'Oh really? You did did you?'

'Will you, Florence Wilde, accompany me to the Yule Ball?'

I gasped, not expecting the question, although I really should have known. 

'Of course I will!' I placed my hand on the back of his neck and kissed him passionately.