(Gilderoy Lockhart)
After they stopped making fun of Snape, the Great Hall gradually grew fuller until it was finally time for the Champions to make their entrance.
Fleur Delacour entered first, accompanied by Roger Davies from Ravenclaw.
Just like she had in the original timeline.
Fate perhaps, I thought.
She was wearing a beautiful silver dress that shimmered softly beneath the enchanted lights overhead. Combined with her silvery-blonde hair, it made her blue eyes stand out even more than usual.
Which was frankly unfair.
Roger, meanwhile, wore formal robes, the wizarding hybrid between a robe and a tuxedo. He looked quite pleased with himself.
I couldn't blame him.
Half the male population of Hogwarts looked ready to murder him out of jealousy.
Next came Harry Potter and Hermione Granger.
Harry was wearing elegant black formal robes that contrasted nicely with his messy dark hair, while Hermione looked as though she had spent several hours taming the wild beast usually residing on her head.
The result was remarkable.
Her periwinkle dress flowed gracefully as she walked, and more than one student did a double take upon realizing who she was.
"I didn't know Miss Granger had it in her," Aurora commented.
"Bookworms have a way of surprising people," Sirius said with a waggle of his eyebrows. "Especially in bed."
"Such an inappropriate comment," Snape drawled. "As expected of a mutt like you."
Rather than taking offense, Sirius only grinned wider.
"Inappropriate perhaps," he said. "Doesn't make it less true."
Aurora rolled her eyes.
I wisely chose not to involve myself in that particular conversation.
Then came Ivan Karkaroff.
And that was when my train of thought derailed completely.
"What in Merlin's name..."
The words escaped before I could stop them.
"...is that Luna Lovegood?"
The entire table stared.
Ivan was dressed in an immaculate dark red military-style formal uniform, complete with silver trim and polished boots.
Beside him walked Luna Lovegood.
In a bright yellow dress.
The sort of yellow usually associated with warning signs.
The dress itself was actually rather lovely, flowing and elegant, but any attempt at sophistication was somewhat undermined by the fact that Luna was still wearing her radish earrings.
And her butterbeer cork necklace.
Of course she was.
I should have known.
The contrast between them was so extreme it was almost artistic.
They looked less like a couple attending a ball and more like representatives of two entirely different realities.
The Hall had fallen noticeably quieter.
Students whispered furiously.
Several Ravenclaws appeared to be questioning their understanding of reality.
Even some Durmstrang students looked baffled.
Snape was the first to recover.
"Well," he said in his usual silky tone, "that is something one does not see every day."
"Did Karkaroff lose a bet?" Sirius wondered aloud.
"I don't think so," Aurora replied.
Luna suddenly waved enthusiastically toward our table.
I waved back automatically.
Ivan noticed and offered a nod in greeting.
Then Luna pointed at something above them and began speaking animatedly.
Ivan lowered his head and listened attentively.
Actually listened.
He even nodded occasionally.
The Hall became even quieter.
"Is he... paying attention to her?" Sirius asked suspiciously.
"He appears to be," Aurora said.
"Impossible."
"Yet there he is."
I narrowed my eyes thoughtfully.
Ivan Karkaroff was already an anomaly.
He did not exist in the original timeline.
Yet he had somehow become Durmstrang's champion.
He had solved the First Task with ridiculous efficiency.
And now he was escorting Luna Lovegood to the Yule Ball while listening seriously to what was almost certainly a lecture about invisible magical creatures.
Nothing about that sentence should have made sense.
Yet here we were.
As they passed our table, Luna suddenly stopped.
"Professor Lockhart!"
I immediately smiled.
"Miss Lovegood."
She pointed toward the enchanted ceiling. "The Wrackspurts seem very excited tonight."
"Do they?"
"Yes."
She nodded solemnly. "They keep flying around Professor Snape's head."
Snape froze.
Sirius made a choking sound.
Aurora covered her mouth.
I looked directly at Snape, then at Luna, then back at Snape.
And completely failed to stop myself.
The laughter hit me like a Bludger.
For the second time that evening, Severus Snape looked as though he regretted attending the Yule Ball.
…
After eating, it was finally time for the dancing.
As tradition dictated, the Champions opened the ball.
The orchestra, which turned out to be the famous band The Three Sisters, which were actually three incredibly hairy men, began playing a slow, elegant waltz, and all eyes naturally turned toward the dance floor.
Harry and Hermione looked surprisingly comfortable together. Harry was clearly nervous, but Hermione guided him smoothly whenever he missed a step.
Ivan Karkaroff danced with the same effortless precision he seemed to apply to everything else. Luna, meanwhile, appeared completely unconcerned with whether she was following the dance properly or not. Yet somehow the two moved together remarkably well.
And then there was Fleur.
Roger Davies looked as though every dream he had ever possessed had suddenly come true.
I almost felt sorry for the boy.
Almost.
As the music continued, however, I noticed something.
While the other champions focused on their partners, Fleur's eyes occasionally wandered.
Toward me.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Not that I was counting.
Aurora was the one who finally commented on it.
"She's looking over here again."
I sighed dramatically. "The woes of being me."
Aurora rolled her eyes.
"I have long since learned to live with such burdens."
"Of course you have."
"It is a difficult life." I said seriously.
"Such a tragedy." She quipped.
"One few can understand." I nodded wisely.
Aurora laughed softly despite herself.
As the first dance ended, the second began almost immediately.
This time, more couples started joining the floor.
Students, professors, and foreign guests gradually filled the open space.
I stood and offered Aurora my hand.
"May I have this dance, Professor Sinistra?"
She placed her hand in mine immediately. "You may."
The orchestra shifted into another elegant waltz as I guided Aurora onto the floor.
Whatever anyone said about me, no one could deny that I was an excellent dancer.
We moved effortlessly between the other couples.
I spun Aurora gracefully in my arms.
Her dark dress flowed around her like liquid shadow, while the enchanted lights above reflected softly from her silver necklace.
Several students nearby slowed down slightly to watch.
Not that I blamed them, we were magnificent together.
Aurora's eyes sparkled with amusement. "You look very pleased with yourself."
"I always look pleased with myself."
"True."
As the second song reached its conclusion, I pulled her slightly closer and lowered my head, intending to steal a brief kiss.
Unfortunately…
"Ahem~"
The cough was pointed enough to stop me mid-motion.
Aurora immediately looked amused.
I looked toward the source of the interruption, doing my best to hide my annoyance.
Fleur Delacour stood beside us.
The French champion was smiling sweetly, which was immediately suspicious.
"Excusez-moi," she said. "Can I have ze next song?"
I blinked, then looked around, noticing she was alone, while Roger Davies was nowhere to be seen.
"And what happened to Mr Davies?" I asked.
Fleur's smile became positively mischievous. "Oh, him?"
"Yes, him."
"I sent him to get refreshments."
I stared. "You what?"
"He looked thirsty."
"You banished your date for refreshments?"
"He volunteered."
I highly doubted that.
I turned toward Aurora, silently asking for assistance.
Surely she would rescue me.
Instead, my wonderful, loving wife betrayed me completely.
Still smiling, she took the hand resting on her waist and gently placed it into Fleur's hand.
"I can lend him to you for a song or two."
Both Fleur and I froze.
Aurora continued calmly. "But don't forget to return him."
Her smile widened slightly. "I still wish to dance a bit more tonight."
For a brief second, genuine surprise crossed Fleur's face.
Then she recovered and smiled brightly. "Merci."
She squeezed my hand before adding, "I'll return him in one piece. I swear."
That was somehow not reassuring.
Aurora stepped away, clearly enjoying herself far too much.
I watched her retreat with narrowed eyes. "Traitor."
But she only laughed.
And just like that, I found myself standing on the dance floor with the French Champion.
As the orchestra began the next song, Fleur immediately stepped closer and placed one hand on my shoulder, far too comfortably.
I placed my free hand at an appropriate distance on her waist.
A very appropriate distance.
The sort of distance professors should maintain.
Fleur noticed immediately and her lips twitched into a smile.
"You know, Professor, most men try to stand closer."
"Most men are not professors." I countered.
"Most men are not married to three women either." She argued.
"Fair enough, but I stand by my point." I concluded.
The music carried us across the floor.
Around us, dozens of couples danced beneath the enchanted ceiling as snowflakes drifted lazily through the air.
Students whispered and stared.
Some looked amused.
Others looked scandalized.
Roger Davies, wherever he was, would likely require emotional support once he returned.
"You know," Fleur said softly, "I still think you should have accepted my invitation."
I groaned. "Miss Delacour..."
"You could have had a wonderful evening." She added.
"I am already having a wonderful evening."
She tilted her head. "Because of Professor Sinistra?"
"Yes."
Fleur hummed thoughtfully. "I dislike zat answer."
"I imagined you might."
For a moment she simply smiled. Then, surprisingly, she stopped teasing.
Instead, she rested her head lightly against my shoulder as the music slowed.
Not romantically.
Not quite.
Just... comfortably.
And despite all the trouble she caused me, I couldn't help but feel a little sorry for her.
Because beneath all the confidence, all the flirting, and all the veela charm, she was still just a seventeen-year-old girl spending Christmas far from home.
The thought lasted approximately three seconds, because just then, she looked up at me and said, "If you ever become available, I am still interested."
I nearly stepped on my own foot.
Never mind.
No sympathy.
None at all.
…