Ginny Weasley and the Red Shoes

Chapter Four – An Announcement

Days turn into weeks, and before long it’s the middle of October. The Dance Club has shrunk by about a dozen, but there are still more than enough of us left to trod on each other. Still, we’re having fun and learning a lot, and we must be progressing fairly well, enough so that Professor Sinistra looks a little less pained every time she greets us. Or maybe it’s because she knows something that we don’t.

I’m sitting to breakfast one morning with my roommates a few seats down from Harry, Ron, and Hermione when Colin suddenly appears from behind and grabs me, sending my cutlery clattering to the floor. Harry looks over. I suppose I should just be grateful nothing spilled this time… not that I’ve done stuff like that in years.

“Colin!” I shriek.

“Sorry, Ginny, didn’t mean to startle you! But look here.” He waves a piece of parchment in front of me. “Professor Sinistra’s just posted it.”

I take the sheet from him and our group huddles together to read it.

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

is pleased to announce an open call for the

*Hogwarts Winter Revue*

An evening of light culture and general merriment to be had by all before embarking on the Winter holidays. Any and all talented students wishing to enter skits, songs, and dance numbers for the Revue should make haste and sign up in advance. House Points will be awarded to the evening’s Best Act.

Preliminary auditions to be held Friday, Oct 27th

Grand Balcony Room, 6:00pm

I wonder if this really isn’t just one of Dumbledore’s ideas for getting our minds off of Voldemort and the disturbing reports that are starting to appear. I’m lost in thought for a moment when I hear a nearby giggle.

“Ooo, Ginny – are you and Colin really thinking about trying out?”

“Of course we will. We can enter a dance, right, Gin?”

I turn to him in surprise. Us in an artistic competition? We’ve barely been dancing a month. But the look on Colin’s face is so hopeful that I don’t know what to say.

“Well…”

“You dance, Ginny?” suddenly comes a voice from over my shoulder.

I look up in surprise. It’s Harry, peering down at the notice. He’s obviously on his way out to Quidditch practice and just overheard us as he was passing, but I still nearly drop the paper from shock that he bothered. Nearly, but I instantly recover. I open my mouth –

“No she doesn’t.”

Ron, the prat, pushes him aside to gawk at the notice.

“She hasn’t danced since she crashed into the punch bowl at our mother’s third cousin’s wedding reception.”

As if by some perverse cue, Fred and George appear on either side of him.

“Ah, the memories…” says Fred.

“Caused quite the scene, that did,” adds George.

“Everyone thought she’d been put under the Imperius Curse.”

“They had to use a Hover Charm to lift Great Aunt Melly out of the fish pond.”

“That… that was ages ago – and it was Fred’s fault!”

“I beg your pardon – I made you lunge at the banquet table?”

“You tripped me!” Out of the corner of my eye I can see Harry watching me, but I can’t read his expression. It hardly matters; I can feel my face burning.

“She does so dance,” snaps Hermione as she pulls Ron back by the collar. She looks at me apologetically. “She’s been in the Dance Club since term started. Honestly, don’t any of you even know your own sister?”

“Ginny…” Ron looks down at me curiously, cocking an eyebrow. “Since when did you like to dance? D’you even know how?”

I roll my eyes.