Thursday, December 10, 1994 - Lunch
The Yule Ball was announced, and notices were posted in each common room, including Merlin House. At lunch, Susan asked Harry if he would escort her to the ball.
“I’m not going.” Harry poked his bottom lip out as though he was a two-year old.
“You have to go Harry. It would be a huge backwards step not to go.” Susan could not believe that Harry was so clueless.
“This is wizarding society Harry. We are all invited to the ball. It is a bad sign if you don’t show up. You are deliberately insulting the hosts. In this case it is Hogwarts and the Ministry.” Daphne was incredulous.
“I’M NOT GOING AND THAT IS FINAL! I’M SICK OF BEING TOLD WHAT TO DO FOR NO REASON!” Harry pushed his half-eaten lunch away, stood up and marched out of the hall.
The Merlin House students exchanged wary glances. They had heard rumours of Harry’s explosive temper. There had been no evidence of it in Merlin House until now.
“Perhaps it is a good sign. He may be feeling more like his old self.” Tracey murmured to herself.
The Merlin House students watched Harry leave.
“We can’t leave him alone! I will follow him.” Luna stood and hurried after Harry. Su Li made up two sandwiches on a plate and followed Luna.
The path to the Boat House was steep with more than a hundred steps. Luna managed to keep Harry in sight. Su li struggled to keep up.
The Boat House was not used in winter. The lake could be freezing over soon. Harry skulked around a corner, out of sight from the main pathway.
Su Li caught up with Luna. She was waiting at the main entrance to the Boat House. Harry could not leave without passing the entrance. Su Li wordlessly offered a sandwich to Luna.
“Thankyou. I think I know why Harry reacted.” Luna said.
“Why?” Su Li queried.
“He is afraid of being made to look foolish. He has never danced before. He hasn’t had any lessons. He knows nothing of how to behave at a ball.” Luna spoke in her dreamy manner.
“We can teach him. Why didn’t he ask us?” Su Li was surprised.
“Nearly all of us here at Hogwarts don’t know how deprived Harry was before he started here. He is ashamed of how ignorant he is of the most common things in the wizarding world. He doesn’t know much about muggle things either. You know he slept in a tiny storeroom under the stairs of his aunt and uncle’s house. He never had his own books, or new clothes. I think they beat him and treated him cruelly.” Luna ate her sandwich.
Su Li looked at Luna, she realised that her view of Harry was heavily tainted by the popular opinion that Harry was raised in a privileged environment and that he was essentially a spoiled brat.
“How can we change this?” Su Li found herself in a new place. She was starting to feel concern for someone else.
They heard approaching footsteps. Harry was coming. Luna placed her hand on Su Li’s arm and stepped in front of her. Harry caught sight of the girls and stopped. He looked down and shuffled his feet. “I’m sorry about yelling at you all. I don’t know what to do.”
Luna sighed. “Harry, we can teach you to dance and how to act at a ball. It isn’t that hard. We can have practices in the common room. Everyone will help.”
“I vill help too, if you like.” Harry looked around to find Viktor Krum sitting in an alcove behind them. They had not noticed him in his hiding place.
“Please let me help. I can dance and I know all about society balls.” Viktor stood and approached Harry.
“What are you doing here?” Harry blurted out.
“Hiding.” Viktor smiled.
“What? Why?” Harry was flustered.
“Sometimes, I need to get away from my Durmstrang people. This is my hiding place, I come here to get a few minutes peace. I usually manage to do that before I start shouting at them.” Viktor smiled again. Harry blushed and looked at his shoes again.
Su Li glanced at Luna and then took over. “We have to go to our classes. The practice dance will be this Saturday after dinner. We will take you if you wait for us at the Great Hall doors. You can bring one friend.”
Su Li made all that up on the spot. She hoped to persuade the others to make it happen.
Viktor smiled again and waved goodbye.
--ooOOoo—
Saturday afternoon slowly turned into Saturday evening. The nights in the Highlands were obviously starting earlier. Dinner was finishing. Daphne and Tracey waited at the Great Hall doors.
“Miss! May I introduce myself? I am Viktor, and this is my friend Boyan. I believe we are invited to some dancing practice.” Viktor smiled.
“Oh! Yes! Oh! Please come with us.” The former Slytherins were flustered by this unusual display of gentlemanly manners. Boyan offered his arm to Daphne and Tracey took Viktor by his offered arm. They then strolled to Merlin Tower.
Other dance partners had arrived for the practice session. Neville Longbottom, Michael Plantier from Beaubatons, Justin Finch-Fletchley and Ernie McMillan together with Harry made up the group. Harry had received his initial tuition in ball room etiquette and dancing from Susan Bones on the previous night and morning.
Waltzes and traditional ball dances were played on a magical record player.
At Su Li’s insistence they even tried some Scottish Country dancing which was highly amusing and a complete mess.
By keeping Harry’s first learning sessions in-house and private, Susan, Hannah and Daphne were able to keep Harry calm and engaged. He was a natural dancer and was able to quickly learn the movements if his partners didn’t lose their way themselves.
The practice dance was a hit. There was even talk of getting someone who knew Scottish Country Dancing to come in and tutor them. Harry finally overcame his own embarrassment and apologized to the ladies in Merlin House for his childish response to the Yule Ball. He also asked Susan to escort him to the ball. He was informed that all the Merlin House girls would expect dances with him. He was also assured that the score would be kept, and closely watched as there would not be that many formal dances that needed a partner. Harry held up his hands in surrender.
As the session wound down Viktor asked Tracey to accompany him to the ball. Tracey looked stunned and Viktor asked again. “Oh! I’m. Ah! Yes, of course, I’ll go to the ball with you. Why did you ask me? I mean, there are usually a whole line of girls waiting for you to even glance at them.”
Viktor laughed. “Your response is exactly why I asked you. You are not a silly fan girl. You talk to me normally. I am not fluent in English. You stop and explain to me if what I have said is too hard. You don’t get upset if I am silent for a long time. I would like to have pleasant conversation with you for the evening. I need someone who will make me work at speaking proper English.”
Viktor and Boyan smiled and left.
Tracey said, “Well! I don’t know whether to be pleased with that or not. He is so determined to do well at everything, and I might just be another coach for him.”
--ooOOoo—
The champions assembled in the Entrance Hall. Fleur Delacour was partnered by Roger Davies, the Hufflepuff Quidditch captain. Fleur looked fabulous in robes of silver-grey satin. Cedric Diggory was there with his girlfriend, Cho Chang. Harry arrived with Susan Bones and right behind them came Viktor Krum with Tracey Davis. Viktor had waited outside the Merlin House entrance to escort Tracey to the Entrance Hall. Tracey’s mother had exceeded the budget for Tracey’s ball gown. It was high collared and had long sleeves. It was form fitting to the hips and then flared to the floor. The material was snakeskin patterned and the colouring graduated from dark green at the collar and shoulders to silver at the hem.
All the Merlin House girls had partners for the ball. The one unhappy exception was Astoria Greengrass who was instructed by her parents to return home on the normal Christmas break Hogwarts Express. Daphne was escorted by Michael Plantier again. Luna was invited by a Beaubatons boy who asked her as soon as the ball was announced. Boyan, Viktor’s friend, had asked Su Li to the ball at the dance practice. Neville Longbottom went with Hannah.
Dinner at the ball started out being awkward and stayed that way. Harry was seated next to Cho Chang with Cedric Diggory on her other side. Cho talked to Susan and pointedly ignored Harry. Cedric tried to talk to Harry but was continually shushed by Cho. Next to Susan was Percy Weasley. He was the replacement for Barty Crouch Senior who was apparently unwell. Percy’s conversation was even more boring than usual. Across the table Fleur was getting annoyed with Roger Davies who struggled to find anything sensible to say. Viktor and Tracey on the other hand carried on lively conversations in English and German.
The dance began with the champions taking the floor for the first waltz. Harry and Susan managed to perform an actual waltz which was more than Roger and Fleur were able to as Roger keep tripping over his own feet. Viktor was obviously the best dancer and drew all the watching eyes to him as he effortlessly made Tracey look like a champion dancer as well.
The other Merlin House girls claimed their dances with Harry until the score card was filled in. Harry, Susan, Daphne, and Tracey had a conversation over drinks during a break.
“Did you notice any odd behaviour tonight?” Daphne asked.
“This isn’t odd, but it turns that Viktor is fluent in German and Russian as well as his native Bulgarian. English is his fourth language. I know a lot of German due to my holidays with relatives in Germany. He is also interested in music, opera, and art. I know some music, my parents got me to learn the piano. I can only just keep up with him. He is very nice and explains what he is talking about when it goes over my head.” Tracey shrugged.
“Malfoy and Parkinson are on their own. They are only talking to each other. The goons and Nott are in another bunch.” Susan murmured. “Neville and Hannah spoke to me a minute ago, Ron Weasley and Seamus Finnigan left the hall nearly an hour ago and haven’t come back. The Patil twins are their partners for tonight and they are furious.”
Harry smirked; he had an inspiring thought and beckoned Neville and Hannah over. “Neville, let’s you and I ask Padma and Parvati to dance with us. Knowing what Ronald’s general behaviour is now, that might get him insulted. I hope.”
“Yes! I’d like to do that. Hannah, you don’t mind, do you?”
“Not at all. I might go outside with Susan and see if we can get those two to come back and see you stealing their girls.” Hannah sniggered.
Harry and Neville did dance with Padma and Parvati. Ron and Seamus were dragged back into the hall, reeking of fire whisky.
“WHAT’S GOING ON? POTTER! WHAT ARE YOU DOING DANCING WITH MY DATE?” Ron was wobbling and slurring his words more than he usually did.
There was a widespread groan as the revellers realized that yet another embarrassing Ronald Weasley moment had arrived.
Ronald drew his wand and fired what might have been a Jelly-legs jinx. It went over everyone’s head and set fire to a mass of decorations suspended over the dance floor. The fire rapidly spread. Numerous fire extinguishing and Aguamenti spells put out the fire and soaked everyone in the hall.
The Yule Ball was over.
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