Yule Ball '77

[Julien Cross]

Was it just that she was 14 and that was why this all seemed so ridiculous and over dramatic? Julien make a hmph noise with his jaw set firmly when she went off about Cal and Lovelace and blah blah blah. "No. Clearly it's him if that's the kind of girl he's going to decide to go after instead of you."

[/color] He felt a little bad about speaking about Cal like that -- especially since he was one of his best friends and he was currently wearing on of his suits -- but he needed to say something that would make Gracie feel better. And he was genuinely ticked that Cal had hurt Gracie like this and for that Lovelace kid. He would need to speak with him later about this. Unfortunately, Cal could be a bit too oblivious and naive for his own good. Luckily he was able to at least make her smile. Julien grinned, glad for a semi-change of subject. "I'll work on it. Can't be too hard."[/color] He dropped his hand back down to his side and tucked both of them into his pockets. Next step was to get her away from Cal and Lovelace. "How's about we ditch out and go back to the common room before the crowds drift back in? I could kick your ass at a few rounds of exploding snap,"[/color] he smirked. Though maybe he needed to cut back on playing life threatening games with Gracie for a while since last time didn't turn out so well...

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[Calixto Elias Bailer]

AND THE STRANGE THING,
YOUR LIFE COULD END UP C H A N G I N G
WHILE YOU'RE DANCING THROUGH !

Er crap. Crap crap crap. To say Calixto had messed up was now a severe understatement. And now Serena was yelling at him and he just knew he was turning red because how he hated being yelled at. It made him feel like a child getting scolded by his grandmother, to be quite honest, and overall it just gave him a feeling of…well, a feeling of uselessness. He thought he was usually a pretty good date, but he guessed not. He had let Serena down, obviously, and now she was finished. Whatever that meant. “I’m sorry,” he said yet again, feeling as if it was the only thing he could say despite the fact that it wasn’t getting him anywhere at all. Suddenly, she had forced her corsage off and hurled it at his feet, dashing away from him for the second time last night. He slumped, staring at the poor flower now lying pitifully against his right foot. He bent over to pick it up hoping to salvage it. It was a little crumpled, and a petal or two fell off as he picked it up, but it still had most of its sparkles. Not that it really mattered anymore, he supposed. He sighed, looking at the thing in his hand. Well, at least he was free to find Gracie. Maybe she would be happier with him than Serena was. Then again, he hadn’t really talked to the Gryffindor since Hogsmeade and she had been upset and… Maybe he should just go back to the dormitory. He glanced around, not seeing anyone he really knew enough to say goodbye to, and left the Great Hall. As he was leaving though, he spotted a very familiar looking bloke in a very familiar looking suit. “Julien!” He exclaimed automatically (and in relief) at seeing one of his best friends. As he got closer though, he noticed that Jules wasn’t alone – Gracie Marlow was in fact with him, and not looking too gleeful overall, to his disappointment. Thoughts of going back to the dormitory were forgotten though, as all he wanted to make at least one thing right tonight. “Hey Little G,” he said gently. “You look really pretty….Are you, I mean, are you guys doing alright?”

[Professor Albus Dumbledore]

It had been a long, wonderful night, but the hour was growing late and it was time for the Yule Ball to be brought to a close. The train would be leaving early the next morning, and students needed a sound sleep and decent breakfast before being sent home. Albus finished dancing with Bathsheba, twirling her back to her seat before giving a little bow and going back to the front of the platform. The band finished playing their final song – a slightly-rock twist on a Christmas melody – before dying down and playing a soft instrumental under Albus’s words. “Another year, another ball,” he mused fondly. “But now the night is no longer so young, and the time has come for us all to waltz off to bed. A round of applause, please, for your entertainers.” He looked at the band and led the Great Hall into applause and whistles while the band took their bows. Once it died down, he addressed the students for the final time that night: “Tomorrow, most of you will journey home to see your families. To those of you, I wish you the merriest of Christmases, the happiest of New Years, and I don’t believe I need to remind you to be safe and careful, whatever you do.” He smiled beneath his beard before waving his hands toward the door. “Now off you go. Pleasant dreams!”

the end