An unexpected announcement
With all the work the sixth year students had to cope with, the first week of school seemed to fly by. Harry wasn't the only one panicking about all the homework he had to find time for. Neville was already on the verge of a nervous breakdown, and Hermione took pity on him and spent a lot of her spare time helping him with his work. The only thing he could understand and was good at was Herbology, and he'd spend hours chatting to anyone who'd listen about his latest Herbology lessons.
Quidditch practices were going to start at the beginning of November, and to his great surprise Harry found himself voted in to be the Gryffindor Captain as Angelina had left at the end of last year along with Katey Bell and Alicia Spinet . Both he and Ron were trying to cope with their massive work load on top of drawing up tactical diagrams and discussing this year's team line-up for the upcoming quidditch season. So far they had decided on Harry as Seeker, with Ginny as a reserve. Ron would be Keeper…and that's as far as they had got. As their former chasers and beaters had left school they found themselves stuck. They decided to hold trials a week from now, on Friday 14th after classes had finished. They hoped that some of the new second years would show promise, and Dean and Seamus had both expressed an interest in becoming Beaters. "Well if we have Dean and Seamus as Beaters, then we just need to get the Chasers." Harry said over breakfast on the first Saturday of term. "Yeah, Seamus is a good flyer, but I dunno about Thomas though, I reckon he's not good enough." Ron replied predictably. Hermione followed his gaze and saw that he was staring down the table where Dean and Ginny were talking animatedly, as far away from Ron as possible. "Ron, you and Harry have had this same conversation at least seven times already! Why don't you just spread the word that the trials will be for the Beater and Chaser positions, and everyone who wants to try out can come. So everyone has a fair chance, even Dean Thomas!" This must have been the fifth time she'd said this, but they still managed to have the same conversation over and over again, and she was really getting quite bored of it, and she told them so. "Well you don't have to join in!" Ron said irritably. Hermione snapped back at him "Fine I wont! Don't mind me, getting in the way of your stupid, pointless conversations!" Hermione got up and left as Ron opened his mouth to argue back at her. She quickly joined Ginny, Dean and Seamus leaving the Great Hall and walked back to the common room with Ginny, leaving the boys in the entrance hall; they were going down to the quidditch pitch to practice.
As the girls entered the common room they found their way blocked by a throng of Gryffindors crowding round the notice board on the wall of the common room by the portrait hole. "The next Hogsmeade weekend dates must be up." Ginny suggested doubtfully; Hogsmeade had never caused this much excitement. The two girls waited until most of the people had moved away, then finally got a look at the notice board. Covering half of it was a large parchment with the announcement:
Halloween Masquerade Ball
On Saturday October 31st there will be a Masquerade Ball open to all students fourth year and above. The doors to the Great Hall will open at 8pm and the Ball will end at 1am. The idea of the Ball is as follows:
If you wish to attend, sign up on the list attached to this notice. The list of names will be collected Sunday evening.
You will each receive a number which corresponds with that of a member of the opposite sex. This will be your partner for the Ball. You will also receive a theme for your costume which will also correspond to your partner's.
You must contact your partner before the Ball to arrange a time and place to meet up. But you must remain anonymous, so we suggest you use a school owl to send messages, and do so at night time, not during the day.
You must dress according to the theme you have been given, and may discuss with your partner the colour and style of your costume.
You may not tell any member of the opposite sex your number for the Ball, or you and your partner will be refused entry. You may also not give anybody else's number to anyone.
You will remain anonymous at the Ball by a simple identi-spell that will be placed on all students attending the Ball. This will take effect at 7pm on the 31st. This will make people unable to recognise your face and voice until midnight, when the spell will be lifted and you shall see who your partner is.
You will be unable to speak anyone's name during this time as this would defeat the object of the event.
You must wear a costume to the Ball. Feel free to use your imagination, a prize will be given to the best dressed couple at the end of the Ball at 1am.
Good luck!
"Oh my god! Hermione this is great! I can't believe it 'Mione, we've got to go to this!" Ginny squealed excitedly. Hermione agreed just as excitedly. This may actually be good she thought its about time I had some fun! She was quite surprised that she was so excited about this, but she couldn't help but look forward to it. Ginny suddenly grabbed her arm "Oh no! we've only got three weeks to do our costumes! And we don't even know what they will be yet!" Hermione prised Ginny's fingers off her arm and assured her that they would probably have plenty of time to get costumes, and she pointed out a Hogsmeade notice below the Ball announcement. "See? Next weekend we can go to Hogsmeade, we'll get our costumes there. Calm down Gin, it'll be fine." she signed up both of them on the already foot-long list of names and waited for the boys to come in and see the notice.
By Sunday morning the whole school was exchanging rumours about the upcoming Ball. Only the first, second and third years were not buzzing with excitement, but even they were speculating on what would be happening and what band Dumbledore had hired for the evening. The most popular rumour was that Yellow Hell, an increasingly popular all wizard band would be playing all night. "Apparently the lead singer, Waldo, is McGonagall's nephew. Just think! McGonagall's nephew in a rock band! I wonder what she thinks about that?" Ron grinned. Hermione frowned at him, "Well actually Ron, her nephew is the lead singer, and Professor McGonagall is very proud of him!" She informed him loftily. Seamus and Neville were listening intently. "How do you know?" Neville asked her. Hermione looked around and saw that half of the Gryffindors in the common room were looking over at her with interest. "Oh, well, she told me after Transfiguration on Friday." Hermione said, not used to so much attention. She also didn't like the fact that she was adding to the already bursting network of rumours that spread through the school like wildfire. "You know," said Harry "by tonight it will be all over the school that McGonagall herself will be singing!" Hermione sighed. "Your probably right Harry, its like Chinese Whispers. All the facts end up changing as people hear things wrong, and then repeat it wrong and soon everyone will believe something completely ridiculous and untrue."
They were sitting in the common room in their favourite armchairs by the fire, Hermione checking over the boys' Charms homework while they played chess next to her, Ron this time only just beating Harry. "You know, I reckon you're getting better at this Harry, you actually nearly won the last game - no! hit it you idiot! it's a bishop, drag it away, watch out for that knight!" he urged on his pieces, with Harry wincing as his bishop got smashed up for the fourth game in a row. "Naw, chess obviously isn't my game… we should play gobstones next." he said hopefully. He had more luck at gobstones than chess, he actually won sometimes. "Or," Hermione suggested, "You could finish your Charms essays. Ron, you've got the spelling of petrificus totalus wrong five times…you've spelt it different each time! And Harry, what on earth has cheering charms got to do with anything? You've done your whole essay wrong! Honestly! Don't you ever listen in class?" she asked, scribbling out some of Harry's messy writing and replacing it with a correct sentence in her own neat script. "So have you boys wrote your names down on the list for the Ball yet?" she asked them hopefully. She didn't fancy going on her own, but even if they didn't go, Ginny would be there, but it would still be nice if they decided to go. "What do you thing mate?" Ron asked Harry. "it could be good, but what if your partner ends up being some spotty little fourth year?" he pulled a face and shuddered. "Ronald Weasley!" scolded Ginny, who had come to join them when she heard the word 'Ball'. She scowled at him. "I can't believe you just said that! Is that all you care about? What your partner looks like? And anyway, you won't end up with a 'spotty little fourth year' because all partners will be in the same year, or just one year above or below!" she informed him. "And anyway, maybe your partner wont be too thrilled on having you tread on her toes all night when you try to dance!" Hermione and Harry tried hard to hide their laughter, but failed. Ron's ears went red as he saw them trying not to laugh. "That's not fair Gin! I've got loads better since mum made us all have dancing lessons in the summer. And besides, Harry was just as bad as me, remember?" this wiped the grin off Harry's face as he remembered Mrs Weasley giving them all dancing lessons in the holidays. He couldn't see the point to it, but he soon realised how unbelievably bad at dancing he was, but now, with a lot of help and giggling from Mrs Weasley, Hermione and Ginny, both Harry and Ron could get through a whole dance without falling over or treading on anyone's toes. He quickly steered the conversation away from his dancing skills. "I'm going to put my name down anyway. D'you want me to put yours down too?" he asked Ron as he walked over to the notice board. Ron nodded and brightened up. "Well" he said "at least this time we don't have to ask a girl to go. We'll have no problem getting dates this time, because someone else is doing it for us!" Harry privately agreed, but didn't say anything when he saw both Hermione and Ginny scowling at Ron.
Once again guys, thanks for your reviews. And don't worry, there will be some H/Hr very soon!