Chapter 166: Boys and Girls — Its Time (2/2)
”So who will be coming next week?” asked Quinn.
”Uncle Elliot wants to visit,” said Lia, ”He wants to visit the castle if possible.”
”Hmm, okay, I'll see what I can do,” said Quinn thinking about how to get Elliot inside the castle, 'Professor McGonagall or Flitwick will be my best bet, or should I act sick.. . no, I have to host.. . I'll think of something.'
He brushed his thoughts aside and addressed his family,
”I guess I will see you two on Christmas.”
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”Listen to me, you two!” said Eddie standing on his bed, ”As I expected, my great mind was right to suffer for a year to play quidditch; just with one game, my reputation is flying high with no signs of ever coming down!”
”Yeah~.. . good for you,” said Quinn, finally fixing MLE in their dorm room while Marcus sat on his bed watching both his friends.
”My magnificent skills have charmed the ladies,” declared Eddie, ”I can tell — I've entered the scene!”
”Yeah~.. . good for you.”
Eddie gave Quinn a stink eye before continuing with the same enthusiasm. ”But this isn't the time to rest on my laurels — It's time to strike the iron while it's hot.”
”Yeah~.. . good for you.”
”Sod off!” barked Eddie before once again continuing his speech, ”.. . ahem, as I was saying, I need to take this chance to score big, and the perfect opportunity has presented itself to do that — The Yule Ball.”
”Yeah~.. . good — Yule ball!” exclaimed Quinn, almost falling off the stool he was standing on.
”Oh ho, it seems I have finally got your attention. Yes, the Yule ball! A traditional part of the Tri-wizard tournament and an opportunity for us to socialize if you know what I mean~. Perfect opportunity for me to turn one date into two, which will turn into another one, and before you know it, your mate would have already escaped singlehood.”
”Yule ball!” repeated Quinn jumping down from the stool, ”When was this announced?”
”Today, in the last class,” said Marcus, ”it was after McGonagall called you out of the class. Flitwick announced that the Yule ball will start at eight o'clock on Christmas Day, finishing at midnight in the Great Hall.”
Quinn sat down on his bed, holding his face. He had been so busy that the Yule ball had slipped his mind. Even today, he had been so busy, after all the work, Quinn spent some quality time inside the Room of Requirements, peacefully reading on some new charms, and while reading, he lost track of time, missing the time for the dinner feast, making him eat in the kitchen — he remembered the hostages but how half of them were selected slipped his mind.
”Marcus, are you going to go to the ball?” asked Quinn, looking at his shy friend; even Eddie looked interested and was about to offer his help to find Marcus a date.
To their surprise, Marcus didn't seem to be flustered and simply nodded.
”.. . Are you going to take a girl with you?” asked Eddie, knowing that having a partner wasn't mandatory, at least for anyone who wasn't a champion.
”Yes.” Once again, Marcus seemed to be serene, as if he didn't have a worry in the world.
”Have you asked her?”
”Not yet; I'll ask her tomorrow.”
''Tomorrow?! So fast!' 'thought Quinn and Eddie at the same time.
Eddie jumped down from his bed and walked towards Marcus. ”Who is it? Who're you asking?”
Even Quinn walked near them and stood behind Eddie with his arms crossed.
”You'll know,” answered Marcus.
”Tell us now,” they demanded.
”No, only after I ask her.”
”Tell me, I have a Quinn behind me,” said Eddie, treating Quinn as if he was an interrogation device, and Quinn puffed up his chest, playing his assigned role.
”He won't do anything to me; Quinn likes me more than you.”
”That's true,” said Quinn immediately.
”I'm standing right here!” exclaimed Eddie.
In the end, the two decided that it was easier to stalk Marcus than trying to get the girl's name out of him as one of Quinn's very scarce legilimency rules dictated that he wouldn't use legilimency against friends — they weren't friends if he thought it was okay to use legilimency on them (T&C apply.)
”Who're you going to take?” This time it was Quinn's turn to answer the question.
Quinn looked at his friends as some faces flashed through his mind. ”I don't know yet. I'll have to see; if no one agrees, I'm going solo. One Quinn West can trump one couple.”
After saying that, Quinn went to brush his teeth so that he could go to sleep.
”Yeah, right!” scoffed Eddie, ”Like a girl will reject him; if he goes alone, that means he's either gay, or he didn't want to take anyone with him.”
”.. . What if he is actually gay?” asked Marcus.
Eddie glanced towards Marcus and shrugged, ”You said it: he likes you more than he likes me.”
”.. .”
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- (Scene Break) -
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Quinn had never known so many people to put their names down to stay at Hogwarts for Christmas; he did, of course, because of hosting responsibility and tournament organization; even if there would be no games that week, Quinn needed to take care of practice schedules. This year, however, everyone in the fourth year and above seemed to be staying, and they all seemed to Quinn to be obsessed with the coming ball — or at least all the girls were, and it was amazing how many girls Hogwarts suddenly seemed to hold; he had never been cognizant about it before. Girls giggling and whispering in the corridors, girls shrieking with laughter as boys passed them, girls excitedly comparing notes on what they were going to wear on Christmas night.. .
”They seem to be staring at you.. . intently,” Marcus said to Quinn as a dozen or so girls walked past them, sniggering and staring at Quinn.
”I noticed,” said Quinn, not bothered by it.
”Why do they have to move in packs? How're you supposed to get one on their own to ask them?” said Eddie looking around. ”Lasso them? — Wait, should I fly down on my broom, pull a girl up, and ask her while flying in the sky? How does that sound?”
”That's just kidna— maybe it will work; prince on a white pegasus of sorts. Use it as your last option,” suggested Quinn.
They reached the Great hall and made their way towards Ravenclaw.
”Hey, Luna,” they greeted as they sat down — Luna, Quinn, and Eddie on one side and Marcus on the other.
Luna scribbled on her sketchbook with various crayons laid on the table.
”Luna, you know the rule. This isn't allowed on the dinner table,” said Quinn.
”But the food isn't here yet.”
”Okay, then keep it away when it arrives.”
”Okay.”
Marcus looked at his three friends: Eddie gazing around the Great hall, surely trying to see who he should invite, Quinn arranging the crayons scattered around the table, and Luna scribbling with her tongue sticking out.
”Luna,” called Marcus.
”Hmm?” came the reply.
”Will you come to the ball with me?” he asked.
Eddie snapped his head towards Marcus while Quinn's impressive crayon pyramid scattered back on the table as he stared. Reflexively, big brother instincts were triggered as under the table Eddie pointed his wand while Quinn's hand flexed. But the two looked at each other, realizing what they were doing, and retrieved their weapons while lightly clearing their throats.
Luna looked up from her table and stared at Marcus for a good half-minute.
”Okay.”
”Alright, then,” said Marcus with a bit of grin on his face and nodded towards his two best friends.
Eddie looked like his world had toppled over at the ease with which Marcus secured himself with a date while he was still thinking about who to ask.
Quinn, on the other hand, clicked his tongue that he missed the opportunity to ask Luna. She was also his first option — his safest option.
”Well played, Belby.. . well played.”
”It certainly was!”
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Quinn West - MC - High commodity that a lot of ”people” have their eyes on.
George West - Grandfather - Doesn't like dull people.
Marcus Belbly - Mad Lad - ”He who strikes first wins.”
Eddie Carmichael - Has finally achieved popular jock status - It's finally game time, people!
Luna Lovegood - ( ^_^ ) - Ball? Sure.
FictionOnlyReader - Author - No, he isn't gay. So, don't start.
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