Pre-Ballei

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The start date for the second trial of the Three Wizards Tournament had been announced - the twenty-fourth of February. And Harry had assumed that there would be no new trouble before that date. However, he was wrong. In a transfiguration lesson, in mid-December, the vice-principal got distracted from explaining the workings of transfiguration of living things to Ernie Macmillan and uttered:

- Potter! Finch-Fletchley! Would you be so kind as to listen to the announcement!

Harry hadn't listened to Professor McGonagall much before, he had successfully completed the easy task and entertained himself by turning a guinea pig into a bucket of water, then pouring out a bit of water and turning the animal back. The weirdest part was that the water didn't go anywhere. Hearing McGonagall's words, Potter put his wand away and put an interested expression on his face.

Justin, who had been napping for the last twenty minutes, was less fortunate; when he heard his last name, he jumped up quickly and pretended that he was just like everyone else, working on the material. He was unlucky because he was in front of the vice-principal, but the vice-principal, contrary to her usual behaviour, decided not to remove his points:

- The announcement applies to everyone, not just the champions. The Christmas Ball, the traditional part of the Three Wizards Tournament, is approaching. At the ball, we must make friendships and cultural connections with our guests. The ball is for senior students, starting in fourth year, though of course you are entitled to invite a ball partner from the junior year as well...

Harry relaxed. The fact that McGonagall had called out exactly the names of the champions could tell that the announcement was related to the Tournament. And Potter had already imagined what would happen if the transfiguration professor announced that the second trial had been rescheduled and would take place right now. So when Harry learnt that the announcement was about the ball, he quickly lost interest in it and instantly forgot everything McGonagall was telling him as soon as she finished her speech.

However, after the end of the lesson, McGonagall asked him and Finch-Fletchley to stay. And, as soon as the class left the classroom, she stated:

- Champions, Potter, Finch-Fletchley, and their partners for the Holy Ball dance first before everyone else. Try to find a dance partner and learn to dance, try not to embarrass Hogwarts here at least.

- Dance partners? Oh, no! I'm not going to dance! - Finch-Fletchley said indignantly.

- I'll join you," Harry tried not to be as adamant as his friend. - I can't dance. I don't like dancing. I don't have a ceremonial robe.

- You'll have to, young people, it's tradition. You'll think twice next time you decide to break the rules again. Now march to your next class! And minus fifteen points to Hufflepuff for sleeping in class, Mr Finch-Fletchley, don't think I'm going to let you get away with such insolence.

Justin and Harry walked out of the transfiguration room, seething with anger.

- You should have gone to Eton! - Finch-Fletchley was indignant. - Backward Hogwarts, stupid traditions, McGonagall's lame.

- Why am I forced to dance with someone if I don't want to? It's not fair! And where am I going to get a parade costume? - Potter wasn't happy either.

After a little bit of angst, they calmed down. Despite the enormous degree of discontent, they had both come to terms with the approaching Christmas Ball.

- I know how to dance, don't get me wrong, my parents made me learn all sorts of silly aristocratic traditions, dancing isn't the worst thing in the world, I just hoped I'd be saved from that at Hogwarts, so the hell with it! - Finch-Fletchley waved his hand. - I'll invite Hermione, and if she says no, then I'll go with Bones, she'll definitely agree, I think she's got a crush on me.

- Look, we need to hurry if we don't want to be late. What's our next lesson? - Harry asked.

- 'Double Potions. Then History of Magic," Finch-Fletchley brightened up, obviously he'd come up with a great idea. - I suggest we skip it, do you?

- I'm in," Harry agreed instantly. - After all, we're champions, we don't have to take exams. And the subjects themselves aren't important enough to go to. Tom's been teaching me the history of magic for a long time, and staring at Snape's ugly, unwashed head for an hour and a half doesn't really appeal to me.

- Minus thirty points, Potter! - A familiar voice came from behind Harry. - I wondered who this Tom was, agreeing to teach the history of magic to such a careless student. He's probably just like you, an empty-headed Puffin.

- You remember shit - there it is," Finch-Fletchley commented on the situation in a sad voice.

After Harry and Justin had been declared Hogwarts champions, there had been a war between them and Snape. It hadn't come down to spells, but it had gone much further in words than in past courses. Even Dumbledore had tried to intervene, but without much success.

- Another minus thirty points to Hufflepuff. I take it, Potter, you enjoy losing faculty points. You don't have the brains to realise that Hufflepuff points are not your personal currency to spend left and right. You're acting just like your father, he didn't treat his classmates with respect or respect for anyone but himself either.

Harry's face turned black. It took all his willpower not to launch a Seko at Snape's face right now. He was sure that in the event of a magical battle with the underprofessor, he would come out the winner, because Justin would definitely be on his side. The only thing stopping him was that even if they won, they would both be kicked out of Hogwarts for sure.

- Professor Snape, you probably can't imagine how much I hate you," Harry tried to say the phrase as coolly as possible, but it did the opposite. Emotions overwhelmed him.

- Minus another twenty points to Hufflepuff," Snape seemed amused by Harry's reaction. - You know, Mr Potter, I could do this all day. I'm sure you'll surpass your father and go down in the history of the world as the most careless student. Any more and you'll have your department at minus 1,000 points. Well? Is there anything else you want to say?

Harry turned silently and walked away from Snape. Justin joined him a moment later.

- 'And you're going to let him get away with it? - He asked quietly. - Moody taught me a cool curse, I'd love to test it on that scum.

- I will. I don't want to get kicked out of Hogwarts, and if we attack a teacher, Dumbledore won't let us down. We'll have to put up with him for another three and a half years, just ignore his insults enough, and if he lowers our grades, Dumbledore will intervene, I think.

- I don't think so, Fred told me that he always lowered grades and no one ever did anything to him... Well, I'll tell Moody at the next meeting, maybe he'll do something about it.

For the first week of December, Harry and the Weasley twins watched the rapidly developing feud between Justin and Fleur Delacourt. Fred had been caught red-handed near the Beauxbaton champion's cup, and the joke on Fleur that Justin had been looking forward to didn't happen. As a result, Finch-Fletchley decided to go it alone, he caught Fleur on the way out of Hogwarts and launched his arsenal of spells at her. Justin spent the next three days in the Hospital Wing.

Finch-Fletchley didn't admit defeat so easily, however; the next day he was back in the Hospital Wing, this time only for a day, and as soon as he got out he was back in the bed reserved for him. Justin would have tried again, but Moody had taken an interest in the situation. It was worth noting that Mad-Eye had always been rather cool towards Finch-Fletchley, taking him as a sort of appendage to Potter, and showing him the same things Harry did. However, such persistence apparently impressed Mad-Eye, and he suggested that Justin learn enough of the art of duelling to defeat the Beauxbaton champion next time.

At first Harry had been healthily jealous of Justin, the latter had come back from their first encounter knowing spells he himself didn't know. And when he asked him when he would be taught it, Moody replied that it would be in a year. But the resentment quickly passed, Potter realised that, after all, Moody was a great Auror, and he knew exactly when, what and to whom to teach, and Justin himself told Potter everything and showed him spells, even though Harry didn't understand anything about them.

Harry was distracted from his memories as someone approached them from around the bend. Hearing the growl of a bear, Potter immediately realised who it was.

- Hello! Rebjata! - Anton Granny rode out from around the bend on a bear.

- Hi!" Justin cheered.

- Fuck," Harry whispered. He was sure of exactly what the Durmstrang champion would offer first.

- Would you like a vodka? - Grandma got off the bear and pulled a bottle of clear, teardrop-like liquid out of his pocket.

- Yes, we will! - rejoiced Justin.

- 'Justin, bloody hell, you shouldn't get drunk, we have lessons...' Harry began.

- Which we've decided to skip," Finch-Fletchley finished for him. - Don't worry, I'm a bit, not like last time.

- Or maybe you just won't drink. Even the twins have noticed that you drink alcohol more often and more than them.

Anton handed the filled glass to Justin and watched their conversation attentively. He did not understand the essence of their quarrel. The fact that someone didn't want to drink vodka was new to him.

- Hey, you're Harry Potter, the great wizard, why would a wizard like you not like vodka? - He asked.

- Because it's alcohol, and alcohol is bad for you," Harry endured Anton's surprised and displeased look. - And it's too early for us to drink something like that. Firewhiskey, which I don't think is as strong as vodka, is only sold to adults, and I'm two and a half years away from being of age.

- So you're not drinking vodka for another two and a half years? It's a terrible life! I once didn't drink vodka for a week, and I grew a beard! Like this! - Grandma pointed with her hands to a distance about a metre wide.

He was about to say something else, but he was distracted by Justin's shouting:

- "Hey! Get away from me!

Finch-Fletchley was backing away from the bear that was trying to sniff him.

- Stop it!" Anton shouted at what appeared to be a bear. - You're gonna spill vodka!

No, on Justin. - What are you so afraid of? He doesn't eat people! - Grandma stroked the growling bear.

- Doesn't eat people? What do bears eat anyway... Ahhhh, I see. - Justin stopped talking as soon as he saw Nana giving vodka to the bear.

- What do you think I named him? - Without distracting himself from "feeding" his pet, Grandma asked.

- Ivan? - Harry suggested.

- No, I left Ivan at home, that's Emelia. I have two more bears: Marusya and Svyatoslav. Karkarov, our director, wouldn't let me take all of them with me. I had to take only one, the choice was Emelya. The rest stayed in my country, in Durmstrang, that is, in r... Oh! Wait! I'm not allowed to tell you where my school is! You have no idea where it is, do you?

Harry looked into Anton's hopeful face, waved his head, and walked briskly into the Hufflepuff living room. He was no longer needed here. Before he disappeared around the corner, he heard Justin's reply:

- I have no idea at all!