Chapter 108: Astoria

Professor McGonagall, who was wearing dress robes of red tartan and had arranged a rather ugly wreath of thistles around the brim of her hat, told all of the students to go in except the champions and their partners.

Fleur Delacour and Roger Davies stationed themselves nearest the doors; next stood Cedric Diggory and Cho Chang; Victor Krum and Hermione stood near Harry and Parvati.

As Chris and Neville walked past them, Hermione grinned at Chris. Chris noticed many boys were looking at her when she entered the Great Hall with Neville. 'I guess I'm looking good.' She thought as she noticed Jason staring at her. She smirked and walked away.

The walls of the Hall had all been covered in sparkling silver frost, with hundreds of garlands of mistletoe and ivy crossing the starry black ceiling. The House tables had vanished; instead, there were about a hundred smaller, lantern-lit ones, each seating about a dozen people.

Chris, Neville, Colin, Susan, Ginny, Michael, Luna and Shawn sat on one. After few moments few of Susan's friends came and sat with them.

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Once everyone else was settled in the Hall, Professor McGona­gall led the champions and their partners inside the Hall and everyone in the Great Hall ap­plauded as they entered and started walking up toward a large round table at the top of the Hall, where the judges were sitting.

Chris chuckled as Harry almost tripped and Parvati hold him tightly. On the other hand Krum and Hermione walked gracefully.

Chris looked at the judges table when she saw...

"Isn't Percy?" Chris asked.

Ginny spun around to see.

"What's he doing here?" Ginny's also looked surprised.

"Who?" Michael Corner asked.

"My brother Percy Weasley. He works in Ministry. But why he's sitting on the judges table?" Ginny replied.

"Specifically he's sitting on Mr Crouch's seat." Chris said.

"Maybe he came as Mr Crouch's representative." Michael said and changed the topic.

There was no food as yet on the glittering golden plates, but small menus were lying in front of each of them. Neville picked his up uncertainly and looked around — there were no waiters. Professor McGonagall said something to near by table and they passed the news to others.

"Just name the thing you'll eat. It'll appear." Padma said from a nearby table. She was sitting with a Beauxbatons boy.

Chris looked into the menu, though she knew what she was going to order, "Roasted chicken."

Neville ordered mashed potatoes and Turkey legs together and her plate went mixing them up. Neville looked more embarrassed.

"It's fine Neville." Chris said grinning. "I'm not going to kill you just for that. Relax."

Neville grinned back.

They talked about many things during the entire dinner.

When all the food had been consumed, Dumbledore stood up and asked the students to do the same. Then, with a wave of his wand, all the tables zoomed back along the walls leaving the floor clear, and then he conjured a raised platform into existence along the right wall. A set of drums, several guitars, a lute, a cello, and some bagpipes were set upon it.

The Weird Sisters now trooped up onto the stage to wildly en­thusiastic applause; they were all extremely hairy and dressed in black robes that had been artfully ripped and torn.

Ginny clutched Chris's arm grinning. It was Ginny's favorite band.

The Weird Sisters picked up their instruments, and the lanterns on all the other tables went out except the judges and champions table. Then they struck up a slow, mournful tune; the champions walked onto the brightly lit dance floor, Cedric and Cho dance was the best among them; as Krum was a bad dancer, Roger Davies was looked dazzled by Fleur and Harry was dancing like Parvati was forcing him. As Dumbledore asked Madame Maxime for a dance, Shawn asked Luna.

"Umm... Chris... want to dance?" Neville asked holding his hand out for Chris.

"Ok." Chris replied and took Neville's hand and they walked into the dance floor.

As soon as they started dancing Neville stepped on her foot.

"Ouch." Chris winced.

"Er... sorry."

"It's ok."

Neville was dancing clumsily so Chris started to take care of her own leg by avoiding Neville's steps. Then to Chris's relief the Weird Sisters struck up a new song, which was much faster.

Chris danced with Neville but made a little distance from him. Luna came near them and both of the friends laughed as they created new kind of dance moves. As the song ended Neville tried to get drinks for Chris.

"It's alright. You stay I'll bring some butterbeer." Chris smiled and walked towards the drinks table.

As soon as Chris went near the table, she saw Jason was sitting on a near by chair drinking a glass of butterbeer, alone. Chris decided to ignore him, and she walked past him to get two glass.

"Ignoring me, are you?" Jason said suddenly.

"I thought, you wanted me to stay out of your life." Chris said without looking at him.

"And from when you started to obey everything I say?" Jason asked.

"I've self respect, you know." Chris said coldly.

"Sorry." Jason muttered.

"What?" Chris finally faced him.

"I said, sorry." Jason sighed. "It's just you interfered with sensitive topic, so I... I know... I overreacted."

"I didn't mean to interfere in a sensitive topic. But I'm sorry to if I've hurt you." Chris replied.

"I asked Astoria to not to write my mom. So no harm done." Jason said with a dry laugh.

"Speaking of Astoria where's your date?" Chris asked raising an eyebrow.

"No idea. When I refused to dance, she went somewhere and never returned." Jason said casually. "But I saw you're having some fun with Longbottom."

"Oh Neville. He must be waiting for me." Chris said suddenly remembering the fact. "I should go."

Chris grabbed two glass of butterbeer and tried to walk away.

"Chris!" Jason said with a voice Chris had never heard.

She turned around surprised.

"I'm going out for a walk. If you want to join... I'll be waiting outside the Entrance Hall." He said and walked away.

Debating on she should go or not Chris reached Neville's table.

"Here." She handed the glass to Neville.

"Thanks." He grinned but then noticed Chris's face. "You ok Chris?"

"Huh? Yeah I'm fine." Chris replied.

"Er... ok." Neville said. "I'm tired of dancing, you can dance if you like."

"I'm tired to." Chris replied then realized what Neville meant. "So Neville you'll have no problem if I go for a walk? I need a bit of fresh year."

It was like, Neville was hoping for something like this, he immediately nodded.

"I'll be back before the last dance. Promise." Chris jumped out of her sit and almost ran out of the Great Hall.

The front doors stood open, and the fluttering fairy lights in the rose garden winked and twinkled as Chris went down the front steps, where Jason was waiting.

Jason smiled as he saw her. Chris felt she was seeing him smiling like this for the first time.

"You better not ruin my mood Fawley." Chris said seriously. "I just abandoned Neville for you."

Jason smirked.

As they walked, they found themselves surrounded by bushes; winding, ornamental paths; and large stone statues. Chris could hear splashing water, which sounded like a fountain. Here and there, people were sitting on carved benches. Chris and Jason set off along one of the winding paths through the rosebushes, but they had gone only a short way when they heard an unpleasantly familiar voice.

"Ten points from Ravenclaw, Fawcett!" Snape snarled as a girl ran past him. "And ten points from Hufflepuff too, Stebbins!" as a boy went rushing after her.

Jason grabbed Chris's hand and pulled her behind two trees. Chris tried to ask what he's doing but Jason put a finger on her lips, showing her to be silent. Chris nodded.

"And what are you two doing? Snape asked catching someone else.

"We're walking, not against the law, is it?" replied a familiar voice.

"Keep walking, then!" Snape snarled, and walked into the castle, followed by Durmstrang headmaster Karkaroff.

"I saved your twenty house points." Jason whispered looking at Snape.

Chris rolled her eyes.

As they went inside, Chris and Jason came out and saw it was Ron and Harry.

"Are you sure they're only friends?" Jason asked as Ron and Harry walked away.

"Yeah. I'm hardly surprised seeing them here. Parvati must have been left Harry." Chris shook her head.

"Really?" Jason said in mock surprise. "People do leave our scar-head Triwizard Champion alone?"

"Shut up." Chris said rolling her eyes.

They walked in silence towards the fountain. They were silent for a reason; as more they walked, more they found boys and girls in nearby rosebushes. So Chris kept her flushed face down and just walked. She was really starting to regret this walk. Chris guessed Jason was thinking the same as he didn't say anything either.

Finally Chris found a empty stone bench and the nearest couple was out of earshot, so she hurriedly sat down. Jason also did the same.

"Astoria was really upset when you said yes to that girl." Chris said looking down at the water. Then she thought, why she mentioned Astoria.

"Astoria is a nice girl." Jason answered calmly. "I feel bad for her sometimes."

"Bad? Why?" Chris asked curiously.

"Her ancestors had a blood curse which shows up after few generations." Jason sighed.

"What? But they don't have it, do they?" Chris looked shocked.

"Daphne is fine. Only Astoria have the curse." Jason replied. "There is no cure of it."

"So will she....?" Chris choked.

"Eventually she will die... early, but not now. Their family have a solution to slow down the curse."

There was a silence for few moments, Chris couldn't bring herself to say anything else.

"Did... she told this.. to you?" She asked with quivering voice.

"Daphne did." Jason sighed. "Their family found out about this when Daphne was in first year. She shut everyone out, she was miserable that time. That's why she's so protective of Astoria."

"Yeah... Astoria told me, if Daphne saw her upset over you then she'll threaten you." Chris gave a small smile.

"Oh I know. Daphne would've done that." Jason also said smiling.