Stardust

Chapter 13

"Potter! Weasley! Will you pay attention?" Professor McGonagall's irritated voice cracked like a whip through the Transfiguration class on Thursday, and woke Stella up. She was sitting at the far end next to Lizzie who was now laughing at two Gryffindor boys. Stella stretched her arms and looked around.

It was the end of the lesson; they had finished their work; the guinea fowl they had been changing into guinea pigs had been shut away in a large cage on Professor McGonagall's desk; they had copied down their homework from the blackboard ("Describe, with examples, the ways in which Transforming Spells must be adapted when performing Cross-Species Switches") and were now just waiting for the bell. Stella slept for most of the class.

The bell was due to ring at any moment, and Harry and Ron, who had been having a sword fight with a couple of Fred and George's fake wands at the back of the class, looked up, Ron holding a tin parrot and Harry, a rubber haddock.

"Now that Potter and Weasley have been kind enough to act their age," said Professor McGonagall, with an angry look at the pair of them as the head of Harry's haddock drooped and fell silently to the floor — Ron's parrot's beak had severed it moments before — "I have something to say to you all. "The Yule Ball is approaching — a traditional part of the Triwizard Tournament and an opportunity for us to socialize with our foreign guests. Now, the ball will be open only to fourth years and above — although you may invite a younger student if you wish. Dress robes will be worn," Professor McGonagall continued, "and the ball will start at eight o'clock on Christmas Day, finishing at midnight in the Great Hall. Now then —" Professor McGonagall stared deliberately around the class. "The Yule Ball is of course a chance for us all to — er — let our hair down," she said, in a disapproving voice. Leigh giggled harder than ever, with her hand pressed hard against her mouth to stifle the sound. Stella could see what was funny this time: Professor McGonagall, with her hair in a tight bun, looked as though she had never let her hair down in any sense. "But that does NOT mean," Professor McGonagall went on, "that we will be relaxing the standards of behavior we expect from Hogwarts students. I will be most seriously displeased if a Gryffindor student embarrasses the school in any way." Stella grinned because she knew if someone was going to embarrass the school it was going to be someone – probably Ron – from Gryffindor. "So, please stay behind in the Great Hall after lunch. We will be going after some basic steps, professor Snape asked me to help out his house so we will be working together."

No one was satisfied with this new information but the bell rang, and there was the usual scuffle of activity as everyone packed their bags and swung them onto their shoulders.

Professor McGonagall called above the noise, "Potter, Jones — a word, if you please."

They both proceeded gloomily to the teacher's desk. Professor McGonagall waited until the rest of the class had gone, and then said, "Potter, Jones, the champions and their partners —"

"What partners?" said Harry.

Professor McGonagall looked suspiciously at him, as though she thought he was trying to be funny. "Your partners for the Yule Ball, Potter," she said coldly. "Your dance partners."

"Dance partners?" he was going red and Stella looked at him amused. "I don't dance," he said quickly.

"Oh yes, you do," said Professor McGonagall irritably, which only made the blonde look down trying hard to hide her smile. "That's what I'm telling you. Traditionally, the champions and their partners open the ball."

"I'm not dancing," he said.

"It is traditional," said Professor McGonagall firmly. "You are a Hogwarts champion, and you will do what is expected of you as a representative of the school. So make sure you get yourself a partner, Potter."