The Eye of the Storm

Slughorn Party

The next day I visited every teacher, gathering the schoolwork I had missed. Many of them asked where I was, and I had decided that I would tell everyone I slept walked into the whomping willow, and was sent to a more serious hospital.

Judging by the weight of my bag, and the homework I would get today, I was going to have very little free time or sleep for the next week. After I dropped my things off at the dorm, I checked my phone notifications. I hadn't done so since I got back. I realized I had a TON of messages. A good amount from Peter, and a bit from Shuri.

I looked through Peter's. Most of them seemed to be about all the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man stuff. He got his backpack stolen five times, which seems hard to explain to Aunt May. Then the texts started to get a little more serious. Something about an alien tech smuggler who was his prom date's dad, and Mr. Stark (so cute that he calls him that) was mad at him because he messed something up. So now he was going to fight this smuggler without a suit and—

I sent him a text back telling him why I went silent and asking him him he was okay. Then I started readying Shuri's texts. Apparently her brother was challenged to the throne by their long lost cousin their dad never talked about, and the her brother— died?? But then he wasn't dead, took the throne back and opened Wakanda up to the world.

I leave for two weeks and it's like everyone looses their impulse control.

After I responded to her texts, I put my phone in my pocket and went down to breakfast.

"Hey," I said a little meekly as I sat down with Hermione and the boys.

"Hey," they said equally as meek.

"So, I heard quidditch tryouts happened while I was gone."

"I wish you had been there to try out," said Harry, stubborn in his grudge.

I snorted. "Me?"

"There wasn't a beater at tryouts who were as talented as Fred and George. I've seen you play. You would have been a brilliant addition to the team."

"Well," I said. "Maybe next year, or if one of them gets hurt or something."

"Ron's still on the team," piped up Hermione after some awkward silence.

"That's awesome, Ron."

"It is." He puffed out his chest grinning. I resisted the urge to roll me eyes. He needed this, and I assume he earned it.

"Well, we better go to class," said Hermione. Harry and Ron walked ahead of us.

Hermione stopped me. "Slughorn wanted me to invite you to the party tonight."

I groaned. "You mean the showcases."

Hermione smirked a little. "They aren't that bad. They can be fun if you let it."

"How fancy do you have to be?" I wouldn't admit it but I loved dressing up, even if I had no idea how to do make up. That's what Lav and Jazz could help me with.

"Semi-formal to formal," said Hermione. With that new information, I went to class. After classes had ended and I was on my way to the dormitory, my phone rang.

A seventh year near my jumped and looked around. I quickly reached into my pocket and silenced it, the ducked into an empty passage way. I looked down at my phone and realized it was a text message from— my parents!

We heard from Agent Hill that you were given a phone that works at Hogwarts. Don't know how you managed it, but your dad is glad. He did not like the owls. They didn't like him either.

I am so proud of you for getting nine OWLS. Your dad is too, even if he doesn't know what they are. So sorry we haven't contacted you recently. Had to leave Europe and hide in Egypt.

Stay Strong.

A warmth swelled in my chest as I read the letter. They were proud of me, really proud of me. Proud of me for something that wasn't SHEILD related. I wanted to text back, but didn't know if any way to respond. I just held the phone to my chest and smiled.

I walked back to the dorm, the remnants of a smile still on my lips. Jazz and Lav were waiting for me at the dorm door.

"So," Jazz said as she shut the door behind me. "We heard we were invited to the slughorn party tonight."

"Umm, Yeah."

"Why didn't you tell us?" asked Lav. Hermione was sitting on the bed, very dolled up.

"I literally just found out today."

"You still could have told us in class." Lav pouted.

I glanced between the two of them. "Why is it so important?"

"Because we need to get you ready," said Lav like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"I barely had time to pick out a dress for you," said Jazz, pulling a blue bundle out of her suit case. "You're lucky we are both the same size. Even if you are a little more busty, and your shoulders are much wider than your hips."

I glanced at my hips self consciously. "Okay..."

"It's not a bad thing," chimed in Lav.

"Okay..."

"Hermione said Semi-formal was best, so this dress should do wonderfully," said Lav.

Hermione nodded in agreement, barely looking up from her book. The dress was tossed to me, and I was ordered to go change. I put on the dress and examined it. The dress was made out of a blue sweater material, and was in two pieces. There was a long sleeve crop top matched with a knee length pencil skirt made of the same material. I matched my eyes beautifully.

"Perfect," they both said the minute I stepped out of the bathroom.

"Minimal makeup?" said Jazz.

"Minimal makeup," agreed Lav.

They used foundation, mascara, and deep red lipstick (which I loved). I then slipped on some black flats, and was deemed ready by the rest of the dorm.

"We need to hurry, or we will be late," said Hermione.

The party was very posh and stuffy, or at least it tried to be. The food was good, but Slughorn kept going around the table prompting people to brag about their recent successes. Hermione was right though, it was fun if you let it.

Hermione explained to me that Lavender kept on flirting with Ron. Hermione seemed indignant . However we talked mostly about unimportant things. Things that made us laugh. Whenever I laughed, I would catch Draco looking at me out of the corner of his eyes.

I refused to look at him the whole night. He proved which side he was on when he gagged me. At the end of the party, Hermione and I walked back to the dorm. She filled me in on everything that happened while I was gone. Harry was having private lessons with Dumbledore, and he was being shown memories of the past.

I guess a lot can happen in two weeks.

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Hey Everyone, hope we are having a great holiday season.

Forever and Always,

Me.