A Magical Nightmare Before Christmas

A Magical Nightmare Before Christmas

star of light

Part IV

"Please, come in," Professor McGonagall said to the eight students slumped against the wall across from her door. They had been waiting there for twenty minutes while she fought with Professor Snape over the obscenity of Draco Malfoy performing opposite a Weasley, a heated discussion that both of them had heard, Ginny with flaming cheeks and Malfoy with a serene look of superiority that had quickly turned into loathing as he realized that Snape was not going to win.

The group stalked in, separated into their respectful houses through habit, though Hufflepuff Justin Finch-Fletchey seemed quite torn between going to where it was safe with the Gryffindors, or not getting on the wrong side of the Slytherins. Once they had all crowded in, McGonagall had transfigured them all chairs, and they sat down, still not having spoken a word. The professor tried to break the ice by introducing the stars of the show.

"Please, Ms. Weasley, Mr. Malfoy, come stand up and say a bit about yourselves and why you chose to do the show," Professor McGonagall requested. Ginny waited a beat, to see if Malfoy was going to stand up first, and when he didn´t, she gave in and walked to the front of the classroom, on display for the others. She cringed while she waited for Malfoy to join her, and when he finally got himself out of his chair and sauntered easily towards her, he was so slow she nearly groaned. Stopping beside her, the Slytherin motioned for her to speak first, and Ginny, despite wanting to beat him over the head with a textbook, did.

"My name, for those of you who don´t know," Her eyes fell upon the Slytherins, who were sneering at her, "is Ginny Weasley. I am a fifth year Gryffindor, and have been enjoying the delights of theater since I began to take Muggle Studies in my third year." Ginny was interrupted by sniggers from the Slytherins. Clearing her throat, she continued, "I believe that this, our first show, will be wonderful, and wish everyone else a good experience and good luck." Her face was burning from the disrespect the Slytherins showed her, whispering and throwing her sidelong glances as though they were already plotting her demise. As Malfoy began to speak, she lunged herself forward towards her chair, making him stop in wonderment and surprise.

Draco cleared his throat and began again, "My name, as you all should very well know and love, is Draco Malfoy. I don´t enjoy theater, I don´t even take Muggle Studies, I am just participating in this bloody production to avoid getting detention. I am not looking forward to the so-called `wonderful experience´ I will be provided with, because as soon as my father discovers it, I will be sent a letter telling me that I am the disgrace of the family and my name has been withdrawn from his will."

The whole group of them sat in shock, even his Slytherin buddies. Ginny was tight-lipped and furious- he had probably just done the whole speech for a show. If it wasn´t done for a show, it had been done for as much attention as possible. And, if it had not been for attention, he had done it because he thought that just stating his name wouldn´t be enough to out-do her own truthful address.

He sauntered back to his seat, and was patted on the back by his Slytherin groupies, the whole load of them evil little prats. Ginny looked over towards him with a sidelong glare, her eyes narrowed down to slits, but Draco Malfoy was unfazed. He merely snickered in reply and gave her such a leer that Ginny wasn´t sure even a leper could match it. The look made her blush a deep scarlet, and she quickly looked away. McGonagall was saying something about how anyone could be in the chorus line, and how they, the leads, had better accept every one of them no matter who they were. But Ginny Weasley wasn´t paying one whit of attention.

***

"Ron!" Hermione´s voice cried out in a harsh whisper as she sat between him and Harry in a corner of the Gryffindor Common Room, discussing the current predicament. "We... we couldn´t!"

"Why not, Hermione? It´s a perfectly reasonable plan, to Petrify Malfoy until the show is over!" he retorted quite seriously. Harry, on the other hand, watched Ron´s ears begin to redden and tried his hardest not to snort. He tried to cover it up with a cough, but failed horribly and let out a little chuckle. "What are you laughing at?" Ron demanded.

"Ron, how would we Petrify him?" Harry asked, "And how would the teachers not notice he was gone? You know that Snape would relate it to us." Ron paused in the middle of cracking his knuckles, and his head drooped a bit.

"Okay..." he replied. "Tell me your idea, then, Harry." Harry looked to Hermione with a pleading look that said, `Give me an idea, now!´ She shrugged, and turned to Ron.

"Ron, we could always just join the production to keep an eye on him," she offered.

"There´s no way!" he scoffed. Hermione groaned, stood up and grabbed both boys by the arms.

"Don´t you two know how to read!?" she exclaimed, dragging them out of the Common Room and down to McGonagall´s door. She pointed to the sign and said, "There, look there."

Harry looked at it, and read aloud, "Chorus- Sign up here..." He turned to Ron, who was looking at him, and shrugged. "Why not?" he asked.

"I don´t know how to sing, how to dance, how to act..." Ron protested, receiving glares from both Hermione and Harry. "But I guess we could. I mean, it´s our only other option..." he quickly added.

"Wonderful!" Hermione exclaimed, taking a quill from her pocket and signing all three of their names on the sheet of paper. Just as she finished adding a flourish to the end of her own signature, the door swung away from her, showing the pale and pointed face of Draco Malfoy. He had a gleeful smirk upon his face, and a few goons flanking him on both sides.

"Move aside, will you Granger? I´ve got better, more interesting people to see. Oh, and Weasley, did I tell you how ravishing your sister is looking today?" Malfoy sneered at the trio, brushing past them, deliberately shoving Harry. Ron´s face and neck had turned a vivid color of purple, and he had his hands raised towards Malfoy´s retreating neck. As he began to stalk after the Slytherins, dodging Harry and Hermione´s hands grabbing at his robes to keep him back, he heard Ginny´s voice behind him, strong and yet soft as ever.

"Give it up, Ron, he´s not worth it," she told him.

"But Ginny..." he trailed off, lowering his fists. "Did you hear what he said about you!?" Ron demanded.

"Yeah, but he only did it to get a rise out of you," she replied honestly and easily. Closing McGonagall´s door, she looked at the list of chorus sign-ups, and Harry and Hermione cringed as Ginny turned back to them with a murderous look.

"What are you three playing at!?" she exclaimed loudly.

"N-nothing..." Hermione tried to lie, "We just thought... we´d... join..."

"Hermione, don´t you lie to me!" Ginny ordered. "You think you need to watch me! You think that I can´t protect myself, is that it? Well, get a clue, Ron, I´m fifteen, not five! Mum has been teaching me hexes for years! I don´t need you anymore, dear brother, for I am grown!" By the end of the short rant, Ginny was shouting, shouting so loudly that Ron was wincing from the volume. It was obvious she carried a few of Mrs. Weasley´s voice traits. Without waiting for a reply, she stalked off in the direction of the library, intent on getting as far away from the three of them as possible.

How

dare he! she thought.