Harry and Amelia Potter

6.14

In the girls dormitory, Hermione and I get ready for Slughorns party. She's wearing a beautiful dress that fits her flawlessly. I picked out something from one of the shops in Hogsmeade, considering I don't have anything nice from the Dursley's.

My dress is white, covered in lace. Ginny helped me curl my hair before she went off to meet Dean. I pinned bag a front portion so that it was out of my face. Hermione helped me with my makeup.

"You look beautiful, Mia." She tells me, then looks at the time. "Oh, I need to go meet-" she stops herself before she says the boys name. I still don't know who she's taking. "I'll see you there."

"See you." I say to her, but just before she leaves, I call after her. "You look amazing too!"

She smiles and leaves. I head down the stairs and meet Neville waiting for me by the fire. He looks dashing, in what looks to be a tux.

"Don't you clean up nice, Longbottom." I tell him as I walk up to him.

"Me? What about you?" He extends his arm forward for me to grab ahold of it. I smile and he guides me to the party.

We enter the room, and as soon as we do, we're blinded with a flash.

A camera pops into focus as Neville and I blink away the bright light. The ceiling and walls are draped with hangings of emerald, crimson and gold, so the room feels like a tent or the inside of a gift box. It is loud and packed with people.

"Thank you, Adrian!" Slughorns voice fills my ears. Then he looks to me. "One of mine. Class of '78. I had hoped for more out of him, but at least the pictures are in focus." Then his eyes wander and land on a man across the room. "Oh my! Excuse me, Mia. I must greet the new Minister of Magical Transportation. Class of '67." As he goes, he turns back to me. "Mingle! Mingle! We're all friends here. And we run the world."

I watch Slughorn make a beeline across the room, along the way nodding to the Patil twins, who have apparently come with each other.

Then I look over and see Harry entering the party with none other than Luna Lovegood. I smile. He said he was going to take someone cool. And she's about as cool as cool gets. He notices me immediately, and they both come up to us.

"Hello, Mia. Hi, Neville." Luna greets us. Neville gives her a warm smile.

"Hello, Luna. I'm so glad you're here. We could use a cheery, fun spirited person like you to liven up this party." She giggles at my sentiment. Then Neville looks to me.

"I'm gonna go  get some punch. Want some?" He asks. I nod. Then Luna speaks up again.

"I'll come too. I'm a bit parched." Then the two walk together over to the table of refreshments. I smile at my brother as we're left awkwardly standing here alone.

Then we notice a pair of girls feet protruding from beneath a crimson hanging. Our gaze rises, finding Hermione peeking out. So we walk up to her.

"What're you doing?" Harry ask her.

Hermione yelps, turns, pulls Harry and I behind the hanging. Her hair is slightly askew, her lipstick a bit blurry.

"And what's happened to you?" I ask, noticing her disheveled look.

"Hm? Oh, I've just escaped, I mean, left Cormac. Under the mistletoe."

"Cormac! That's who you invited!" Harry exclaims.

"I thought it would annoy Ron most." She defends.

"Well, you're probably right about that." I stifle off.

"But he's a menace. He's got more tentacles than a Snarfalump plant."

We turn, finding a waiter peeking in, tray in hand.

"Dragon tartar?" He asks.

"No thank you." Hermione declines politely.

"Just as well. They give one horribly bad breath."

"On second thought..." she grabs the tray from his hands. "maybe it'll keep Cormac at bay." She stuffs a couple in her mouth. "Oh no, here he comes!"

Hermione shoves the tray in Harry's hand and flits away.

Snape, looking bored, stands on the periphery of a conversation, when he sees Hermione exit one side of the hanging and Cormac enter the other.

The boy stands in front of us, looking at us, confused.

"I think she went to powder her nose." Harry tells him.

I look past Cormac's shoulder, out past the hanging and I see Slughorn laughing with a guest. Cormac plucks a dragon blob off the tray in Harry's hand, pops it.

"Slippery little minx, your friend. Likes to work her mouth too, doesn't she? Yak yak yak." Harry and I glance at each other. "What is this I'm eating, by the way?"

"Dragon balls." I answer him.

As Cormac's face freezes, Harry starts to head toward Slughorn when the hanging is swept aside by Snape.

"What's going on back here?" Cormac spews raw dragon all over Snape's shoes. Snape surveys the damage, then his eyes rise darkly. "You've just bought yourself a month's detention, McLaggen." McLaggen dashes off. Harry and I make to follow. "Not so quick, Potters."

"I think we should rejoin the party, sir. Our dates..." I trail off.

"Can surely survive both of your absences for another minute or two." Harry and I sigh, unsure of what Snape wants. "Besides, I only wish to convey a message."

"A message...?" We both ask.

"From Professor Dumbledore. He asked that I give you his best and that he hopes you enjoy your holiday. You see, he's traveling and won't return until term resumes."

"Traveling? Where?" Harry questions.

Snape merely stares a Harry silently, briefly, then exits, taking Harry's gaze with him, to Slughorn once again, wildly gesturing with a full glass of wine.

"Take your hands off me, you filthy squib!" A frown overtakes Slughorn's face and he turns toward the source of the commotion. Harry and I emerge from the hanging, finding Malfoy in Filch's rough grip.

"Professor Slughorn, sir! I've just discovered this boy lurking in an upstairs corridor. He claims to have been invited to your party."

"Okay, okay, I was gate-crashing. Happy?"

"I'll escort him out." Draco's eyes shift, regard Snape. He shrugs free of Filch.

"Certainly... Professor."

Harry and I glance to each other, both deciding, in that moment, to follow.