The Forging of the Bonds

Chapter 14. In trouble again.

Nadine ran up to Elizabeth outside the Slytherin common room. "Don't go in there," she warned.

"What?"

"You know about the Yule Ball, don't you?"

"Of course. Potter told us."

"Us?"

"Me and Michael."

"Weasley?"

"Yes."

"Since when do you call him Michael?"

"Since last night." Seeing Nadine's expression, she frowned. "Things can change," she said simply.

"Be careful, Liz."

"Of course. Anyway, why shouldn't I go into the common room?"

"Oh. Goyle and Nott broke up."

"What?!"

"Calm down. It happened yesterday."

"Why?"

"Goyle made a bet on the task with Sandra Murphy from Hufflepuff. He bet Beauxbatons would win. She thought Durmstrang would."

Elizabeth laughed. "I'm shocked no one wagered on us."

"You yourself said you would lose," Nadine pointed out.

"So what does this have to do with Nott?"

"I'm getting there. So Goyle went to pay his wager to Murphy. Nott saw them together and drew the wrong conclusion."

"And no one thought to enlighten them?"

"Of course not. We want to stop losing house points when they snog in classes."

"But why shouldn't I go in?"

"Goyle has been asking every girl in fourth year and above to go to the Ball with him."

"Including you?"

Nadine nodded. "I turned him down," she said.

"Well, I can--" But just then the door opened and Goyle stepped out.

"Malfoy," he said. "I was hoping to see you. I wanted--"

"No, Goyle, I will not go to the Yule Ball with you!"

"But why not? You can't be already going with someone else--"

"You don't know that! And it's none of your business, anyway!"

"Come on, Malfoy. Why--"

"No, and I don't want to talk to you either! Go away!"

"Malfoy--"

Elizabeth had enough. "Wait, no!" Nadine screamed as she watched her friend draw her wand. Elizabeth ignored her, and the next moment, there was a loud bang, followed by a shriek from Goyle, and Goyle's skin turned green with black splotches.

"Oot id ou doo too ee?" came out of Goyle's mouth. He stuck out his tongue, which was at least a foot and a half long.

"Oops," Elizabeth said. Despite having botched the spell, she had difficulty suppressing her laughter.

"What's going on here?" a very familiar voice asked.

"Oh, no..." Elizabeth muttered.

"I asked a question, Miss Zabini," Professor Potter said. "What happened?"

He glanced at Goyle. "I see," he said. He drew his wand and restored Goyle back to normal. "It was her!" the boy shouted, pointing at Elizabeth. "Just 'cause I asked her to the Ball!" Then he ran.

"I see," Potter repeated. "Miss Malfoy, follow me."

He led her into his office. She tried to speak up, but Potter stopped her.

"I don't want to hear it, Miss Malfoy. I have a fair idea what Mr. Goyle's been doing, and I certainly don't approve of it, but you attacked a fellow student with a potentially fatal spell. Even many fully trained wizards are reluctant to use human transfiguration, because it is so dangerous--even when done right. And it didn't escape my notice that Transfiguration is not exactly your best subject. Anger is a powerful weapon, but a very poor guide. I hope you don't have to learn that lesson the way I did. You were not in a situation where you couldn't afford a few seconds to think of a more appropriate spell. You will receive a week's worth of detention, and I will be writing to your father. You are dismissed, Miss Malfoy."

Elizabeth sighed and left the office. The worst part about it was that nothing that Potter had said was wrong, and none of it was stuff she hadn't known before. In other words, she had no excuse.