The Beginning of the End

Chapter Five: Announcements

As the days turned into weeks, the students gradually began to smile, laugh, and look forward to the upcoming Halloween holiday. It was rumored that Dumbledore was planning to go out of the way for this year's feast, however, no one had the slightest idea as to what he was going to actually do.

"Do you think he'll book the Three Witches?" Lavender wondered.

"Neh. But I wouldn't mind if there is a ball," Parvarti said, grinning. "I know who I would ask."

Lavender shoved her friend playfully. "A ball? For Halloween?" She laughed. "That wouldn't make any sense at all. But who would you ask?"

Parvati stopped walking and examined the hallway carefully, making sure that no one else was there. Except for the two girls, it was empty.

"I would ask Professor Valentine." She whispered, grinning wickedly.

"Not unless I ask him first," teased Lavender. "It's a shame he's going to be leaving soon."

"Maybe Dumbledore will convince him to stay for a few more months," Parvati said hopefully. "Maybe he can leave after Christmas. I personally hope he stays until Valentine's Day. I know just what to get him!"

"What? Grey briefs?"

"How did you know?"

"Just a lucky guess... But I imagine, he would look really -good- with those briefs," sighed Lavender, twirling a strand of blonde hair around her finger.

"Do you think he's really a briefs sort of man?"

"Well--"

"I wear boxers, actually," interrupted Professor Valentine. "But I'll keep your opinion in mind, the next time I decide to buy briefs." Behind him, Hermione, Ron, and Harry began to laugh as they watched the two girls' faces turn a brilliant scarlet.

"Uh, umm..." stuttered Lavender.

"We really must be going now," said Pavarti quickly. "Off to, um...class, you know." Giggling nervously, she grabbed Lavendar's arms and the two ran into a classroom.

"That certainly was interesting," commented Harry. "I didn't know they were so gaga over you, Professor."

Professor Valentine smiled at them. "Now, I believe you three wanted to talk."

"If it isn't too much, can you tell us about being an auror? We might want to take that profession up," Ron said. He paused. "Unless the Chudley Cannons hire me to be their chaser."

The professor laughed. "Well, it's nice to have a back up plan...in case things you don't get the job you want. My own backup plan was to become to become a teacher, which explains why I took this job. But anyways, hm, an auror, you say? I won't lie to you--it's difficult work. You have to be constantly on guard."

"'Constant vigilance!'" muttered Ron, thinking of their fourth year professor. "He always gave me the creeps."

"Moody?" asked Valentine, surprised. "You had him before?"

"Somewhat," responded Hermione. "It turned out that he was really Mr. Crouch's son using the Polyjuice Potion."

"Ah, I remember now," he said. "It was all over the papers that year. I couldn't remember what school it was. But back to aurors... You have to be prepared for the worst. It's good if you don't have many acquaintances as well, because nobody could try to blackmail you with them. I've known a few aurors who had had their family kidnapped by Death Eaters." He shook his head. "It's a dangerous job for the person interested as well as their family and friends."

"That's awful," said Hermione. "Why would anyone want to have that job? Why did -you- decide to become an auror?"

"Revenge," he said, his face hardening. "I do not wish to elaborate."

Hermione understood and nodded. She wondered who the revenge was for...his parents? Siblings? Wife?

"So...do you think we can be aurors?" Ron asked hopefully, attempting to lighten the mood. "I mean, we are constantly aware!"

Professor Valentine regained his usual soft expression. "Yes? So what's that next to you?"

"Er... Hermione? Harry?"

"No. On the portrait, moving around."

"Uh. 'Constant vigilance'," Ron said. "Um. Is it the portrait? I have it, a bug!"

"What kind of bug?"

"Uhh. A beetle?"

"A spider," laughed Harry. "I guess you aren't auror material."

Ron grinned embarrassedly. "Maybe the Chudley Cannons will think I'm chaser material."

----------

"Today, I would like you to switch partners with anyone else in the class," Professor Valentine announced. "You will need to get a feel with different people. I can't have you against the same person over and over again, or else they will know all of your tricks. But again, do not partner up with someone from the same house as you."

It has been a couple week since the first lesson, but the class was greatly improving. Every day, he taught them a couple of spells to use against their partners, and if they could not perform the spell, he had to remove them from his class. It was harsh, yes, but it was a necessity; Professor Valentine only wanted the best Hogwarts had to offer him. The class had started out with roughly sixty students, but it had quickly dwindled down to only thirty-two by the second week.

Hermione felt someone poke her shoulder. Turning around she asked, "Yes?"

Blaise smiled beautifully at her. "My dear lady, would you give me the honor of being your partner this round?" He took her hand and kissed it.

She stared blankly at him, wondering about the Slytherin's motives. She knew he was a sly one, but what was he trying to get at exactly? She decided to play along.

"Of course. I would be delighted."

"Wonderful." He ran a hand through his black hair and winked at her. "I am glad to have such a lovely lady as you to be my partner."

Hermione stared suspiciously at him. What was he playing at?

"Do you all have your new partner?" Professor Valentine asked.

"Yes!" the students cried.

"Good. I won't teach you any new spells, but you're able to use -any- of the spells I had taught you before. However, it will only be one round. If you are beaten by your partner, please sit down to the left of me. If you beat your partner, please find yourself another person to fight against. If it turns out that only people from your house is available, then you two may fight."

Hermione grinned. A sort of tournament, huh? No problem! This is going to be fun...

Blaise turned his attention to her. "Ah, so, may the best win."

She nodded.

"Begin!" Professor Valentine shouted.

Hermione whipped out her wand and she eyed Blaise carefully. According to Harry, he was extremely fast, and she couldn't afford to loose sight of him for even a second. His dark blue eyes bore into hers and in a flash, he was gone. Hermione dashed to the wall and shouted, "Impedimenta!" at the blur of black in front of her.

He slowed down, frowning. "Even the goddess has a dark side."

"Why do you keep complimenting me?" asked Hermione.

"Acceleria!*" Blaise said, pointing his wand at himself. He immediately began moving at his speedy pace. "What's wrong with compliments?"

"What are you trying to get with them?" She pointed at the end of his robes. "Incendio."

"Exstinguere.**" The fire was extinguished. "Why, nothing. Shall we dance?" He raced towards her.

Hermione smirked inwardly. After dancing with the Prince of Slytherin, the Earl of Slytherin shouldn't be too hard.

"I don't see why not. Relashio!" She said, sending sparks at him. She knew that she had to keep pelting him with spells to occupy him before making her move. She wasn't as fast as he was and knew that she didn't stand a chance with him based on agility alone. "Relashio!"

He moved away from every spark, coming closer and closer. In no time, he was about a foot away from her. "My dear lady, you have to do better than that!"

She suddenly understood why he insisted on complimenting her. It was to distract her and throw off her guard. In fact, if she had been Lavender or Parvati, she would have been completely floored by his words. But she was not them.

"You play dirty," she accused. "You use compliments to distract girls. What do you with guys, hm?"

Blaise smirked. "Ah, so you figured me out. Oh, don't worry. I don't compliment guys." He made a grab for her wand. "Accio wand!"

"No!" Hermione tried to hold on to her wand, but his magic was too much. It flew to Blaise's hand. "I believe I win."

"Not yet." Hermione said. She mentally chatised herself for getting so cocky, and kicked him squarely in the stomach. He hadn't been expecting her to actually hit him and as a consequence, caught the full blow of the kick. He immediately clutched at his stomach, dropping their wands.

"And you say -I- play dirty?" he wheezed. "Look at you!"

She grabbed both of the wands. "I will do whatever it takes. Petrificus Totalis." She shot a spark in the air.

"I guess -that- will teach me not to underestimate someone," she said to herself.

Blaise took his wand from her hand and smiled slightly. "We should fight again."

"We should," agreed Hermione. She looked for another opponent, but realized that there wouldn't be enough time to end the fight if she started now. It turned out that almost everyone had the same idea as her: there were only two people left fighting--Draco and Harry. Hermione instantly rooted for Harry, shouting, "Go Harry! You beat him!"

But before they could finish the fight, Professor Valentine said, "Finite Incantatum."

Instantly, the two stopped and looked at their professor, both breathing heavily and shooting daggers at the other.

"Before you leave, I would like to announce that I'm going to be taking a week off to attend to Ministry matters. You won't have a substitute for this class, instead, you may use this class period as a free time or study session. You don't even have to show up until next week."

The class cheered.

"You are dismissed."

Instead of running out of the hall with the class, Harry, Hermione, and Ron walked up to the professor.

"Professor, are you really going to do some auror work?" questioned Harry.

"Yes. It seems something important has come up at the Ministry, and they want me to investigate it," he answered.

"For a whole week?"

"Yes." He smiled kindly at the three. "I assure you, I will be back in no time. Until then, take advantage of this free time. I intend to work you guys hard when I come back."

"Just as long as it isn't an essay," said Ron.

"Ron!" Hermione immediately admonished.

"No essay. They're quite tiresome to grade," Professor Valentine said. "But anyways, wouldn't you guys like to prepare for the Halloween feast instead of doing an essay? It's a shame that I won't be back by then... "

"I almost forgot about the Halloween feast," said Harry.

"Professor Dumbledore is planning to make an announcement about it tonight at dinner," he informed.

"I can't wait for dinner, then," said Ron.

-----------

"He's finally going to tell us what's going to happen," whispered Parvati.

"I can't wait!" squealed Lavender.

"May I have your attention, please?" Dumbledore stood up and the chattering came to a halt. "As you all know, Halloween is coming up next week. We will have our annual Halloween feast, but after the feast, I will allow those who wish to go to Hogsmeade to go until eleven o' clock. There will a free carnival and concert there that night. I'm also offering those in fourth year and up to attend the masquerade ball scheduled here until one o' clock. Costumes only, and yes, you must have a mask. You will be charmed so that no one would recognize you... And that is all."

"I told you so!" laughed Parvati.

"You said ball. Oh, but who cares? Who should we ask?" Lavender said.

"I'm still going with Professor Valentine."

Hermione leaned over. "You can't go with him because he's not going to be here."

The two girls turned to her. "Really? Now that's a shame."

"I'll ask Ron, then!" grinned Lavender. "What about you, Pav?"

She shrugged. "Maybe Seamus. You, Hermione?"

Hermione smiled. "I guess I'll just wait for someone to ask me. I'm a little old-fashioned that way..."

On the other side of Hermione, Harry and Ron wondered about the same thing.

"Who should I ask?" Harry wondered.

"You?" questioned Ron. "I bet Ginny's going to come over before the dinner is over and ask you! Look, she's making her way here right now."

Harry looked up. "Er, hi, Ginny."

"Hello, Harry." She casually tossed her long red hair and smiled at him. She had definitely grown since her first year here, and was no longer a shy little girl. She was very pretty and took charge of situations instead of leaving it to fate. Her motto was: If you want anything done, do it yourself.

"Say...do you want to go to the masquerade with me?" she asked. "But if you don't want to, I completely understand."

"Sure. I would love to go with you," answered Harry, grinning.

She grinned back at him. "Great. See ya."

"I told you so," said Ron. "Now that you have a date, what about me? And don't you dare try anything funny with my sister."

"I think it would be the other around," said Seamus, laughing. "She's more likely to do something on him."

"That's true," chirped Neville.

Ron only smiled. "Yea, well, I know. But I just have to say that. But back to -me-! Who should I ask?"

"Oh...I don't think you have to worry about that problem," said Hermione, turning to them. She lowered her voice. "I heard Lavender is going to ask you. Unless you ask her first, of course."

"Really?"

She nodded and put her weight on the back of the chair so that it tilted on its hind legs. Now Lavender and Ron could see each other without her being in the way.

"Lavender," said Ron as he leaned to the side.

"Yes?" she asked.

"Do you want to go to the masquerade with me?"

"Sure!"

Hermione leaned forward again and her chair fell back into place. She mentally checked off an item in her list of things to do.

Get Ron a Date - Check.