The Forging of the Bonds

Chapter 13. Potter's warning.

"Mike, what happened to you?" Dave asked.

"Nothing," he replied. The truth was, he couldn't stop thinking about yesterday. And it wasn't the actual task he was thinking about.

Was his father right about the Malfoys being evil? He had always believed him, and his mother, who frequently argued with his father on other matters, was usually silent on this one.

An owl dropped a letter in front of him. He opened it. It was short, straight, and to the point.

Please come to my office this afternoon.

-Professor Harry Potter.

He glanced across the hall. At the Slytherin table, Elizabeth was opening an identical letter.

"I wonder what Potter might want," he muttered.

"What?" Kate sat down next to them.

"Where have you been?" Dave asked.

"Good morning to you, too," she said. "Pass the coffee, will you?"

Mike handed her the coffee pot. He then showed her the letter.

"What could he want? Elizabeth got one too." He gestured towards the Slytherin table.

Dave looked at him. "Since when do you call Malfoy Elizabeth?"

"Since last night," he replied.

"What?"

"Last night?"

"I went to the hospital wing to see her," he said. "We... talked."

"Talked?" Dave asked.

"Talked," Mike confirmed. "Hey, what are you--"

"Careful... you might end up with a Slytherin girlfriend."

"Dave, shut up," Kate said.

Mike finished his breakfast and got up. "See you later, guys," he said. "I've got to do my Transfiguration homework."

"Don't you think Professor Greengrass will cut you some slack--considering what you pulled off yesterday?"

"When has Greengrass ever cut anyone any slack?" Mike replied. "Especially a Gryffindor?" He left.

He didn't finish his homework before lunch, but after eating, he decided to go and see Potter instead.

The Defense classroom was empty. He knocked on the office door.

"Come in," Potter said.

Elizabeth was already there. "Took you long enough, Weasley," she said, but here was no malice in her voice.

Potter stood up from his desk, and paced the room for a few seconds. Then he smiled.

"First, I believe congratulations are in order," he said. "If it was up to me, you would be in first place, rather than third." He paused and gave a short laugh. "Perhaps that's why it's not up to me." Mike and Elizabeth both laughed.

"Right," Potter continued. "One hundred and fifty house points to both Gryffindor and Slytherin," he said. Mike gasped. Only a week ago, Potter had taken a hundred points from him. This recouped everything.

Potter took the pole from Elizabeth's hand. "Good workmanship," he pronounced. Then, he twisted the pole at both ends, and it came apart in the middle. He handed one of the resulting short staffs to each of them.

"You've got past the first task. Don't get cocky. The second task is usually the hardest--despite, or perhaps because of, the amount of time you have to prepare. And you will need to prepare," he finished.

"I am not allowed to tell you what you'll need to do. But you will not get anything done without the staff--or rather, staffs." He took the sticks from them, put their ends together, twisted... and the staff was whole again.

Potter separated the pieces once more, handed each of them one, and resumed, "Besides the ability I've just demonstrated, the staff is exactly what it looks like--a solid wooden pole. No hidden spaces, no messages. And that is all the information I can give you."

"The second task will take place on Saturday, February twenty-first, at ten in the evening. But I suggest you get cracking on it as soon as possible, especially considering the distraction you will have at Christmas."

"Distraction, sir?"

"The Yule Ball, Mr. Weasley. As champions, you are required to attend; in fact, you will be opening the dance. You both know how to dance?"

"Yes," Elizabeth announced. Mike nodded.

"Good. You're in a much better position than I was in my tournament. Good luck--in figuring out the second task, and in finding dance partners," he finished, dismissing them.

Outside the office, Mike looked at Elizabeth. "What?" she asked.

"The Yule Ball."

Elizabeth nodded. "You know, I think the Ball during the last tournament was my parents' first date."

"Really?" Mike asked. "My parents don't like to talk about that--but as I said, they don't like to talk about anything concerning their school years."

Elizabeth shrugged. "I'll see you later," she said.

"Bye."