The Years of Blue [2]

Chapter 37: Rehearsal

"Mademoiselles! Do not make me ask this again. I want the taller girls in the far back and petite girls near the front. Get to it!"

There was a shift within the mass of students as they pushed amongst themselves to form three long lines as directed. A little less than half of the student body was in attendance in one of the long ball rooms. Having once been a music room, various instruments and stands were pushed hastily aside to maintain the numbers of witches present.

It was October 20th, ten days before our leave to Hogwarts where I was to spend most of my time avoiding the likes of Malfoy, my brother and probably even Sam. And while these thoughts came in waves, today during Reflection, a space in every student's schedule at Beauxbatons where guests or school meetings were placed, these thoughts seemed to be a permanent reminder of just how much of a fool I was going to be in front of Hogwarts.

Why you might ask?

"Alright mademoiselles, let's start from the top. Remember to strut as was instructed and remember your counts for releasing those butterflies!"

I was in the midst of rehearsing the most stereotypical entrance ever for Beauxbatons arrival.

You'd think that we could be a normal school and just walk in and say hello to everyone like normal people. But oh no, Beauxbatons just had to show off, and in the most mortifying way possible.

"I don't know what I find worse," Ana commented by my side. "Watching Benoît try to strut in front of us, or Marie...."

"Oh shut up! You can't even see me strutting!" Marie's voice flew over our heads, making the two of us turn to giggle at a grumpy Marie near the back of the 2nd line. She was one of the few third years in the back, standing amongst 7th and 6th years. But that's what you get when you have a father at 6'6 and a mother at 6'1 in height.

"Just because we can't see you does not mean we can't hear you tripping over your own feet," the cherry curls of Mila bopped out from the first line, a little closer to Marie than Ana and I were. Mila, who is nationally Dutch as well, was tall enough to be near the back, but not so tall to be amongst upper classmen as Marie was. While Ana and I were directly centered in the middle line, Gisele and Rosalie were a few people apart in the third line, where from what I was guessing, is the line that will walk past the Slytherin and Ravenclaw tables.

I was so relieved I wasn't a part of that line for obvious reasons.

"That is enough talking, if you please!" Benoît called out from the front of the room. I peered over a fourth year in front of me to see Benoît looking at attention, her expression giving way to just how tired she felt.

"On the count of three I will ask that each of the three rows start. Remember your counts to release your transfigured butterflies."

We all stood at attention, though it was a bit hard when Ana thought it funny to poke me in my lower back where I was ticklish just to make my body roll out of line. Thankfully I wasn't the only one to overstep, as Benoît only eyed the large clock in her hand and started to count, beginning our steps.

After rehearsal, the girls and I met up at the fountain with our book backs since deposited back into our rooms for the day. It was a Friday, and the lot of us were more than happy to finally be done.

Jacqueline, Marianna and her friend Isa were waiting for us, smoking as per usual with their feet submerged into the cold fountain water.

"So how'd it go?" One asked as Rosalie plopped herself onto the fountain ledge to submerge her own feet in, tights and all.

"That bad, huh?" Marianna mused with a humorous glint toward Rosalie who pouted at the water.

"Half of us can't transfigure butterflies on our own, but now Benoît is expecting everyone to transfigure butterflies inaudibly!" Rosalie exclaimed mournfully.