Werewolf's first ball

"I still don't understand the point of doing it."

Harry fed the thestral who swallowed the dead rat in one gulp with gusto, which made Harry fuss over and the winged horse preen, before turning to Theodore who was standing far from him and Luna and the herd of invisible creature.

"I mean, they're literally invisible to most people's eyes and are well fed by your father, so why do we have to do it too?"

"Come on, we're one of the rare people who can see them and appreciate their intelligence and beautifulness, don't you find them fascinating?"

"In a distasteful way, maybe. And I wouldn't say appreciate, I'm mostly keeping up with them."

"You're such a killjoy. Your partner will have a feast tonight with you."

"Daphne Greengrass ony accepted to go with me because her parents told her to not mingle with the likes of Mrs. Zabini, so Blaise was out of the equation, and because Draco had already asked Parkinson. And She certainly wouldn't consider Crabbe or Goyle."

Who didn't even waste any effort to find a partner and went together.

"Couldn't she go with someone older?" Luna asked in a dreamy voice. "I'm sure her name is impressing enough for older Slytherin boys to ask her out."

"She beat any of their attemps and accepted to go with me despite I never said wanting to attend."

"Oh, you were not? And you couldn't have politely decline her offer, could you?"

"I think you're all fooled by her prim and proper attitude, Daphne's not the kind to accept no for answer."

"Well, at least you got to spend time with your only pals that could see invisible horse like you!"

Harry didn't let his grin down when he was met with an unimpressed look that turned repulsed when a thestral nudged Harry's shoulder to rush him to be fed.

"You're lucky they're very well behaved or your look could set them off."

"It's because I know they're so well trained that I reacted as such. And the blood of their meal is rubbing on your robes, you're going to stink before tonight's event."

"As if you couldn't magic it away. Are we not in a magic school learning magic?"

"The memory would be engraved in me even after the trace had disappeared."

Luna tutted. "It's not that bad. They're just horses."

"With really icky appearances."

"And you have rabbity features."

"Harry, that's not nice."

"I'm just stating fact like Theodore did. Sure, they're not the prettiest creatures but that does not change they're intelligent and super useful as mount. Theodore may look like a rabbit but that does not change the fact he's a terrible wizard that should not be let unsupervised when talking about delicate subjects."

"I may be quiet, I'm not deaf."

"Relatable," Luna expressed.

"Luna may be excentric, her beliefs is what set her above everyone else. And I may have scars, I'm also the next greatest alchemist in training."

"And full of arrogance because last I heard, your training is only still going on."

"Han, who's complaining about the pace of the creation of my Philosopher's Stone? Let's see if you could do better!"

"Certainly we could not, but since you were trained personally by Nicholas Flamel, people would think you could do...better."

"It's super imrpessionnable already! The stone's in perfect shad of red and even had the liquid inside, it just takes time to be extracted-"

Harry's left arguing alone about the feats of his creation, despite knowing fully well it needed improvement. The thing's he's trying, alright? And he had enough nagging from professor Snape who at least knew a little about alchemy, but others were just being malicious and ignorant at this rate.

"And Ron may be the best at playing chess, he's also quite obtus in some area."

"Please, it was such a pain to see him behave like brainless gorilla around Granger who could not spit it out."

"Well, you can't really blame her, she doesn't really have any allies around her."

"Can you blame us about this? We can't help it if she's acting like such an uptight bitch."

"Watch your mouth! Such language with this rabbity mouth."

"Don't make me to hex you, Potter."

"If you could reach me. Anyway, no swearings even though I don't know who we're talking about."

"We're talking about Hermione having a helpless crush on Ron who could not see it."

"What, Granger had romantic feelings for my best mate? But they're arguing any giving time like- oh!"

"Add oblivious for Harry Potter's flaws. Miwed with arrogance, it's a terrible combination."

"You have no idea how much. This summer's taken the summit of what it could do."

"Stop half-insulting before me just because I'm too oblivious to understand it! And let's go back to Granger having a teenage crush for the one and only Ron Weasley. How did it happened?"

"Theodore may be the best to answer you, he witnessed it, I think."

"Hard not to when the ginger knight came in the rescue of the poor peasant who's not educated enough to know when she's insulted of mudblood."

"Theodore, how dare you!"

"That was Draco, you dumb creatures lover! Didn't Lovegood just said I witnessed it? I was not a participant!"

"Well, you never know. So Ron went in her defence?"

"It was almost comical, really. That time, Granger was infatuated with our scammer of professor Lockhart, who just laughed it off when it happened in his classroom, and only Weasley said anything back despite both were known to not be in their best relationship. In fact, you could say Weasley despised Granger as much as us Slytherin because that girl was acting like a textbook know-it-all, recalling any facts she read in the books she purchased before going to Hogwarts. She was so proud to act as substitute for our first year D.A.D.A. professor, another joke who only postulate for the year pay, but the lack of response she got was karmic pleasing."

"Alright, that was really mean."

Theodore shrugged at both of his audience disapproving looks. "Now, she know to never initiate anything again."

"So that's why she was so adamant the dada lesson went smoothly after the stunt I did."

"That was still one of your least favorable moment, Harry."

"I'm more of an instinctive bloke than second guessing, it saved my life multiple time in dealing with creatures."

"Delightful. I can't wait to spread the words that you see professor Quirrell as one of those beastly creatures you're so fond of."

"Pff, I'm not scared of bad reputation. And it can't be so bad since the concerned not present."

Although all the staff chose to stay in the castle just to attend the inedit event of Yule Ball, professor Quirrell was the only one absent, saying both it wasn't his cup of tea and that he needed alone time during winter holiday after some traumatic moment he experimented during one of sabbatical year. Fine with Harry, he still felt the man's little off and if no one would believe him, he will use any time not in the presence of the other.

 

Getting to the Great Hall when it was decarated to such extent to impress made Harry really proud of his dad as he was one hundred percent sure that it was his job.

He did get to see for nine years when he still lived there and even help him. Even though just for small things, being a toddler.

Dress to the nine, he moved along with Ginny inside the place of event, with their formal robes suiting each other without matching, and got instantly hauled by Percy, who was there in place of head of departement Runcorn. The man had used the same excuse of Quirrell, such occurence were not his thing and his presence was not actually required so he could be replaced by his assistant, recently graduated Percy Weasley.

As the older brother was fussing around his younger siblings, and barely noting that Ron came in with a boy, Harry got hauled by another Weasley, who came in two.

"Harry, did you really made a deal with that scum of Bagman?"

"Because the sod just gave us gold pieces that he owed us to apologize for scamming us with the Lepraucheun's fake gold."

"He even paid his debts to Gringotts..."

"And said that the rest was only recently forged by the bank themselves!"

"Meaning the goblins got a new resourse in the span of a mere month..."

"And by resource we meant raw material of gold, like those metals you changed with your freaky stone!"

"Obviously, you two don't need me in this conversation, so I'm just going to-"

"I can't believe you would help such disgusting misarable being and betrayed our trust like this!"

"Bold words coming from you! I did not force you to bet with an adult that we know nothing of! Your father knew him best and even said he was not really someone to be trusted, so the fault falls on you! And I did warn you about the gold when in presence of Lepreuchaun so you got nothing against me! And what I do with my gold is my problem, not my fault you're not competent enough to be on my level, sometimes you should check your own flaws before shifting the blame on others! Now, have a good night with your partners you just abandoned to unfairly yell at me!"

Harry ditched the twins behind to join his friends back, where Neville and Luna were sitting comfortable around the feast and talking about some invisible creatures that could be hidden in some foods. Ron beamed once seeing him, as his partner Colin Crivey did and raised his muggle camera at the same time to snap a picture of his. Harry blinked but smiled nonetheless because being with the group was better than the twins who did nothing to improve their behavior since the first day of the school year.

Before long, all the three champions came in and it was time for them to open the dance with their partner.

People were struck by the clean up Hermione Granger, but Harry was awed and speechless at how good both Cedric and Cho were. Really, seeker and their charm. He tried to smile encouragingly to Fleur in the arms of really bewitched Roger Davies but couldn't even met eyes with his school champion as she was looking intently at Cedric, who was too busy admiring Cho.

Harry's going to enjoy the love triangle unforlding.

He's snapped to present when Percy shoved him to take his little sister to the dance floor like everyone else was doing now that they could. Of course, he had to treat little Gin right as his partner, he's not about to do the same mistake as the twins and right French education because Beaux Bâtons students were not just uptight and condescending.

After the first dance, Harry joined Blaise as he promised him a dance while Ginny went to Luna. By the feast, Ron and Neville were discussing with Colin staying by their side snapping pictures from time to time.

"Did you see the dress Parkinson came with?" Blaise spoke up after making Harry twirl twice and his vision go blurry for few seconds. "It makes her look like a pink bubblegum."

Harry scanned the room to find the duo only to see Pansy Parkinson under the same treatment as him, being constantly twirled around, and he laughed airily.

"Fitting for Malfoy's edgy lord dress."

"Draco may going through a phase."

"He should, but hopefully he will settle with something responsible of his actions. He needs a good pegging."

"That sounds wrong."

"You know me. I know you know how to interpret my words."

"You flatter me."

"I have to admit I'm surprised by the choice of your partner."

"Draco insisted, saying that if he's going with Parkinson, I had to go with her friend Millicent. She's not really efficient in dancing, but she's satisfied with the feast, so that's it."

"I mean, still better than Theodore being forced to be present against his will."

As the dance came to en end, they joined the other around the feast and snickered at their shared friend who was sporting a begrudging look besides the group of Durmstrang where Daphne Greengrass was chatting with. But Theodore returned the favor when he pointed something above their heads.

"Huh, how did this mistletoe find its way there?"

"The same way those candles are hung on the ceiling, I guess."

"No, I was asking who placed them there."

"Oh, my bad. I didn't want to assume anything, but my bet would go to the staffs, and expecially professor Dumbledore and his twinkling eyes who did not stop checking on us."

"That old senile has time to waste."

"What do you think some of the staff came to be teacher? They like the gossips the students provide them. Let's give them something to talk."

Harry turned to his friend and pecked Blaise's cheek with a cheeky grin. They both shared a mirthful look before parting ways. Their audience were less amused and were gaping at them with bemused look. Understandable, they did not know the custom of bise that roman countries were so fond of.

"Harry, could it be, you have some story with one Blaise Zabini?"

Harry refrained to laugh at Colin's eager look and used a patronizing tone to answer the younger boy's avid curiosity. It never hurt to inform your juniors, you see, and the boy really admired Harry. Maybe giving him some information about the Slytherin, the rivality between the two houses could lessen once Harry's gone and back to Beaux Bâtons.

"So you're friends, but that does not explain why you gave him a k-kiss. I know it's a muggle tradition to kiss under the mistletoe but none of you are known to have muggle relatives."

Harry could have tell him about him growing in France changed lot of his education, doing la bise with fellow romans wizards for example, or that British wizards also knew about what it is to be stand together under the mistletoe plant but he settled with one explanation he and Luna believed.

"It's infested of Nargles, some mischevious creatures, and kissing could make them uncomfortable and chase it out. Here, there's one."

And Harry leaned to peck the boy's cheek and left before seeing how he broke him. Neville sent him a stern look while Ron was trying to hide a smile.

"You're enjoy messing with the poor kid?"

"What? It's true it's infested of Nargles and a kiss never hurts!"

Ginny came to join them, with Luna following behind. "So you believe of the existence of nargles?"

"I always believed to any of Luna and her father's conspiracy existing creatures! It's not because they're invisible they do not exist, take the thestral for example!"

"Thank you, Harry, I never knew you paid much attention after going study at Beaux Bâtons, you didn't talk about them much."

"It's not because I do not talk about it that I don't think about! Like Norbert, the dragon dad raised for a short while that Ron and Neville helped sneak out but never thought about telling me even once during their first year!"

Both boys sputtered pathetically.

"Harry, you had to understand that the discovery was already shocking in itself and then after we manage to snuck it out, we got caught by professor McGonagall because that git of Malfoy sold us out."

"We lost fourty points in one night. Everyone was mad at us, we really did have the occasion to think about anything else," Neville concluded in sorrowful tone.

"Ah, I remember, that was for Hagrid and his love of dragon?" Percy added his two knuts.

"And Thankfully, big bro Percy managed to win them all in the following days. Thanks Percy for not being mad against us despite us having to keep our tongue."

"What's a big brother for if not taking care of his younger siblings mistakes?"

All three looked pleased at that, with Ginny smirking to them and Colin having shining eyes at the inspiring sentence, surely he will look after his little brother Dennis who just made his entrance in Hogwarts.

"Fortunately, by the time Lowell will be at Hogwarts, I would have long since graduate and mummy won't be expecting this much from me," Luna said with dreamy voice.

Colin gasped and his eyes turned manic to her. "About this, Luna, do your parents had some appreciation for werewolves or were really fond of Harry Potter and supportive of his werewolf condition? Because your name means moon in latin and your brother's means wolf in French."

Before they could start a conspiracy about the Lovegood couple being werewolves fanatics, the Weird Sisters made their entrance and enchanted the whole scene with their thunderous music. Harry had always remembered them doing mini concert that pleased the student body, and them being a fan of Rowan Khanna's best friend because of their feats as cursebreaker, and it seemed the years after they graduated from the school only increased their popularity.

But as most of the audience were enjoying the music, some had found a way to sneak mistletoe above Harry more time than not to request a peck from him.

And as Harry was giving two in row to those two Gryffindor fourth years, Lavender and Parvati he thought were their name, Blaise came to his rescue and pulled him out of the festivities.

"Ah, thank you, I thought I was going to hand out peck to everyone of the ball. Who would think there would be so much mistletoes on the loose."

"More likely you've been cursed to have one follow you so anyone could ambush you," Theodore commented.

Harry took the suggesting in and raised his head to see there were indeed a mistletoe. He glanced at Blaise before forcefully pecking Theodore and casting counter curse to the incriminating plant.

"Can't believe it took you so long to realize the trick."

"How could I have suspect this? I thought I wasn't popular after people knowing I'm a were, a lot stopped coming to me. Malfoy for one."

"Draco's hardly a good example."

"And people still gossiping about you because you're somehow a catch. Alchemist Nicholas Flamel's pupil, almost champion, a daredevil that would run to the Cerberus instead of away like any sane person."

"Hah, wait, let me sink that down so I can show this memory to Ron after."

"Why? Did he imply the opposite."

"He did more than that! He said he prefered Dumb Krum after kissing me!"

"Are we talking a peck or actual kiss?"

"A kiss! A real one to taste the water if he was more interested in the other team! He used as lab rat!"

"Why are you being so offended when you literally did the same thing with me."

"Hang on, there're too many infos. So, Weasley's gay and is crushing to Krum? Who had the feels for Granger, who ironically had the feels for Weasley?" Theodore ended his analysis with a snort.

Harry could relate. Earlier, he was musing how Fleur and Chedric were in a love triangle, but really it was just Fleur harboring some unwanted interest to her fellow attractive champion. This case very much represent a love triangle in melodramatic way, yes even though in involved Harry's best mate and somewhat gay crush.

"And did you two kissed too? When? Before or after the break-up?"

"After. I mean, I'm a catch like you said! That I got dump because she had not any other choice, I could get it, but then the twins said I was just a kid and that was nothing serious. Blaise thankfully proved me otherwise."

"Yet the kiss didn't mean anything. And Weasley's right. If someone wanted to realize a change of sexual orientation, Viktor Krum's a better choice."

"Why, you-"

 

After some roughhousing, Harry made the boys follow him to the West Well, where a secret passage to Hogsmeade could be acceded, now that mr. Filch was busy in the Great Hall and not keeping eyes on it.

"There are secret passages to outside? And right by the fountain of Hogsmead village?"

"I know right, but at least this one's one-way passage. We'll need to go back by Honeyduck's cellar that will lead us to the one-eyed witch statue by the stairs of dada classroom."

Both Slytherins watched him with a jumble expression.

"And how do you expected us to break into the shop? It's closed because it's Christmas night!"

Harry blinked a few times before shrugging and pushing the boys to touring the village under snow and empty alleys, making the landscape otherworldly. Now, they're here, they had to take the chance and enjoy themselves, not giving time to regret leaving the ball for this mistake.

He insisted of showing them all the other point the secret passages lead to. Honeydukes's cellar from the witch statue, in which both of his audience watched him with untrusting gazes ; the cave that was buried as of 1992 so it should be crossed out on the map, not that he's willing to say what map ; the West Well they came out ; the one behing the statue of Gregory the Smarmy that lead to the place for the villagers to hold holidays ; the one under the rug of the Hieropglyph Hall ; and the one down the toilet, though he did not say which one of the seven floors. Though, he had to inform them they shouldn't be using four of those as mr. Filch knew about the last four ones.

"And since the one that was buried is inaccessible, it only left with the one behind the witch statue that we cannot use at the moment because someone didn't think beforehand it's holiday times."

"So, we have no way to go back because now that we spent so long outside of the castle, people and mostly mr. Filch had taken notice of our absence and would be guarding the four passages he knew off to chew us off."

"You all being pissy but I remember you followed me willingly!"

"You beat us to follow after you!"

"Ah, alright, fine! You're the poor victims and I'm the big bad wolf. Now, let's star gaze by the Shrieking Shack so I can conclude the night."

"By eating us?"

"We just spent the full moon together, you know I won't transforming for another thirty days."

"Do we really, though?"

"Blaise, say something, your friend is being overly hurtful."

"I wish I could, Harry, but the thing is we really know nothing about werewolf and before dawn was ouor first seeing one. A tame one, I give you that."

Harry growled at them to make his point across.

"I guess you will have to discover it."

He was pleased to see the boys being much more compliants after that and they followed him wordlessly, trying not to show how meek they were feeling. Not that he was going to tell them about the last secret passage and betray Rem's secret and location to change into a mindless beast during his teenage days, but he liked to understand all the rumors around this dwelling.

"Seriously, we live with ghosts and could see them in the daily, how could us wizards be afraid of a haunted shack?"

"According to the townspeople, they monthly heard screams."

"Still doesn't explain anything. Please, they must know about Peeves, the poltergeist could do nothing against us!"

"Forgive us for not using waddiwasi at any giving time to annoy the hell out of it."

"You should. The Poltergeist only had it coming."

"We have the Bloody Baron to protect us."

"Time to step up by yourself."

"I'll hear about your lecture once sure you do not make a mistake beforehand."

Theodore was really one piece of difficult verbal opponant to have. Harry really should have think better than lead them out of the school ground where they could not perform magic which made them cranky. To add salt on wound, he cast the patronus charm to lighten the mood.

"Here, have a little silver dragon."

"Keep it down, people's going to know that a patronus caster is playing prank in the village!"

"And I bet there's only one nutcase that had a corporal patronus like yours!"

"Arh, you'll find anything to say against me!"

"That's because you're doing some questionning things! We're out of the school illegally! Thanks to you!"

"Fine, you made your points! Let's head to the village and break into Honeyducks!"

"Keep your voices down!"

"There's no one outside!"

However, as soon as the words were out, they heard rushing footsteps running to them. They froze, distressed, and Harry regretted not bringing his Invisibility Cloak with him. Even more when he recognized the company.

"Rem? Siri? Huh, Alice and Frank too?"

"Harry!" Sirius bellowed and looking positively panicked. "What are you doing outside of the castle?! When we saw the patronus, we thought you cast it from the inside, but you're actually outside of the school's protection shield? What were you thinking!"

"You also brought other students with you?" Frank's question got immediately submerged by Alice hurried voice, looking over them with a scared look. "Where's Neville? Did you bring him with you?"

"No, Nev's still in the castle last I knew of."

The Longbottom couple looked lowkey relieved but like Sirius were questionning what were they doing outside of the school's protection. When Blaise and Theodore were speaking at the same time to put all the blames on Harry, Rem cut them off with a firm voice, not even growling but imposing enough to shut everyone up.

"Let's talk later, we better all head inside. Is everyone here?"

When Harry nodded, Rem took him by the shoulder before moving him and making sure to shield him from external. As if looking for potential threats.

Harry belatedly thought about the incident during summer and the dark mark in the sky of Dartmoor and internally beat himself up. He really wasn't thinking tonight, huh?

To think the day started so great by having people's as his sides to help with the transformation, and that's how he thanked them back.

Putting them in potential danger.