Yule Ball Honors (Champions)

[Minerva McGonagall]

After the devastating attack on Hogsmeade, McGonagall thought that the Yule Ball should be postponed. She didn't think it was appropriate. But Headmaster Dumbledore said it was important to the morale of the student body if the festivities went on, perhaps a little more somber than originally planned. She didn't like it, but she wasn't going to argue with Albus Dumbledore.

She had sent one of the prefects to deliver a message to the four house champions to meet her in the antechamber to discuss the upcoming event. She awaited them patiently in her usual attire; emerald green robes, a matching pointed hat with her hair pinned up underneath, and her glasses perched on the brim of her nose.

[Regina Curry]

Regina finished up reading a chapter in a book that Thane had loaned her. She blushed everytime his name came up, although she tried to hide it the best she could. She carefully pulled out her journal, while no one else was around her and began to write in it. It wasn't too descriptive, just what she did today and what she hoped to do.

Just as she was closing her journal, the Ravenclaw prefect approached her and told her about Professor McGonagall wanting to meet with the champions. Regina nodded and ran up stairs to put away her things, nearly falling as she went up the stairs.

Regina made it down to the Antechamber as quick as she could, tripping only once, but grabbing onto the door to prevent herself from actually falling. She was getting better with her balance and had tended to stay on her feet a little bit longer than she used to.

As she entered the Antechamber, Regina realized that she was the first one there. "Hello Professor," Regina greeted.

[Alice Prewett]

Alice was with Frank when she got the message. The two of them had been closer than ever since the Hogsmeade attack. There just seemed to be something about a near-death experience that had brought couples everywhere closer together.

The Tournament and the Yule Ball were the farthest things from her mind at this point, so when the was informed by another student that Professor McGonagall wanted to see the champions in the antechamber, she was taken by surprise. She wondered if the tournament would be canceled now.

Kissing Frank goodbye, Alice went down to the antechamber. As she entered the room, she nodded hello to Professor McGonagall and said a quiet hello to Regina. Hopefully, they wouldn't have to wait long for the others.

[Samantha Montgomery]

The Slytherin champion's last concern was preparing for the Yule Ball. She was still sleeping in the Hospital wing while recovering her injuries from the attack. Marrion's spells were painful and caused much internal bleeding, but what made the spell effective was how she hid her attacks and prolonged the agony. It took more than just a spell to heal Samantha, it would take time. She was lucky she was able to receive magical medical attention or she would have indeed passed from this lifetime into the next. It would also take time to discover what all was wrong with Samantha.

After the attack they had taken her to St. Mungos to heal her injuries, most of which seemed to be superficial. They quickly found out otherwise and had to treat her for several internal injuries. When she next appeared healed and could walk out of the hospital, three of her bones snapped just from standing up. It would seem Marrion had planned for her daughter to get away, but for her own attacks to follow. More surprise attacks of the same nature occurred frequently within the past few days, but she was eventually moved back to the school's hospital wing so she wouldn't fall too far behind in her classes.

Samantha felt trapped, she didn't know how to handle the attack, or her attacker's identity. It was a vague blur, but she knew who her attacker was deep down to her broken bones. She hardly knew how to handle what her mother did to her when the witch was alive. She didn't know who to go to, or who would have even believed her, but now that her mother was dead, she would certainly be seen as insane if she said that she thought the attacker was her mother.

She hugged herself a little tighter while an emissary came out of the shadows, she jumped about a foot in the air. It took a moment for her to get her heart rate back under control but once it was she was trying to decipher the man's message. Apparently she was wanted for something to do with the Tournament. She bit her lip, what if they canceled? She didn't know why it mattered to her suddenly but she really wanted things to continue on as they had been. She wanted to ignore this attack, and just let life continue, she didn't want to think that her mother was out there somewhere, alive and plotting her torture...she just couldn't think about that right now.

With more will than strength she made her way to their meeting spot. She was thrilled that she had made it so far without something else going wrong in her body and thought that perhaps her mother's curses had run out.

[Maxi Borale]

Maxi and Seth were in the Library when they got the summoning from Proff. McGonagall. Maxi was still week from the attack at Hogsmeade. She had been hit by a pretty strong stunning spell, followed by hitting her head on the ground. Seth walked her to the antechamber, and then Maxi walked in slowly, noticing she was the last one. She smiled at everyone (yes, even Sam) and joined them.

"Sorry i'm late, Proffessor," she said apologetically.

[Minerva McGonagall]

McGonagall greeted them each as they came, slowly but surely. The ones who had sustained more serious injuries made her think of the attack, and she again wished Dumbledore had listened to her about canceling the Ball. She pursed her lips but did not voice her opinion. It was unprofessional and unwise to question Dumbledore. She got right into it.

"Thank you for coming in a timely manner. This won't take long, we just have a few things to discuss about your duties as House Champions."

[Samantha Montgomery]

Samantha had been quiet for a while waiting for everyone although it didn't seem a long wait. She nodded towards Maxi who smiled at her but here eyes were on McGonagall.

She held her breath when the professor started in about duties as House Champions and Sam couldn't hold her question, "Are they canceling the tournament?" she asked in a whisper hanging on McGonagall's answer.

[Minerva McGonagall]

Minerva's lips twitched just a bit. She had thought it would be best to cancel the ball, if not the tournament as well. But she had been over-ruled. "No. Security will be doubled at the events from now on." That was one thing she and Dumbledore agreed upon. Although the first task had a large number of MLE officers on duty as security for the event, they could always have more. The children's safety was at stake.

"Both the tournament and the Yule Ball will continue as scheduled. And as Tournament Champions it will be up to you to lead the festivities at the ball. It's a tradition that Hogwarts intends to partake in."

[Samantha Montgomery]

Sam expelled a breath she didn't know she had been holding. So they were going to continue the tournament and the ball. Feelings of anxiety and excitement rushed through her. She would have liked nothing more than to be able to compete and continue as if nothing had happened, that might not have been proper but it was what she wished. She hated the fear, the indecision that came with inactivity, at the same time she was happy there was a second round of guards accompanying the tasks.

She nodded and returned to a more demure manner as to not appear shaken.

[Alice Prewett]

Alice had mixed feelings about the news that the tournament would continue. On the one hand, Alice believed in finishing what she started, and she would have hated to abandon the tournament before she had a chance to prove herself. But on the other hand, she had been injured in the attack, as had Samantha and Maxi. Other students had been killed, including her own roommate, Gia Campbell. The girl's badly burned body had been virtually unrecognizable, so Alice had heard. The thought of it sent chills down Alice's spine. Was it really appropriate to continue with the tournament, or throw a ball so soon after something so horrible had happened?

Still, she kept her expression calm as she raised her hand. "Professor McGonagall, what do you mean by 'lead the festivities'?"

[Samantha Montgomery]

It was a good question that Sam just didn't think of. Really the relief that things would be progressing as normal was enough to still other questions. For Sam she needed to push what happened out of her mind, perhaps that wasn't the best way to handle it, but it was the only way she could handle it.

Now that Alice had asked however Sam leaned in curious as to what the professor did mean.

[Minerva McGonagall]

"As House Champions, it will be your entrance that signals the start of the Yule Ball. You'll enter with your dates and lead the first dance. You'll be expected to know how to ballroom dance, which I'm sure one of us professors will be able to help you with if you don't know already." Minerva was sure that Samantha Montgomery would already know how to ballroom dance, her family seemed the sort to pound that knowledge into her head. But she wanted to make sure all the girls were able to dance, as it was probably nerve racking to have everyone watch you. "You'll have a bit more time than expected to perfect your dancing abilities and obtain a date. Since the...unpleasantness in Hogsmeade, the dance has been pushed back until after the Christmas holidays as a welcome back of sorts."

[Samantha Montgomery]

Samantha took in all that McGonagall was saying but she was hardly paying attention. She caught key words like learn to dance and obtain a date and almost laughed at both requirements. Samantha learned to dance before she learned to walk and Nicolas was already taking her to the dance. She would forget that unpleasantness with Ryan and the entirety of the Hogsmeade attack, for one night she would just be Samantha, and she would dazzle.

She glanced at the other champions unsure of their thoughts on the matter, did they all have dates? Did they all know how to dance, did they have dresses?

[Maxi Borale]

"We have to dance?" Maxi asked, making sure she comprehended what McGonagall had siad. That could be slightly problemmatic, seeing as that she was sure she couldn't dance and it was likely Seth couldn't either.

Other than the little dancing issue though, Maxi was happy the ball was continuing. After the holidays, it would definatly help bring up the moods of the other students.

[Regina Curry]

Regina sighed. Dancing was something she could do alright, without tripping over herself. All she had to do was ask Thane if he would help her learn as many ballroom dances as possible, or that he knew. She would be alright dancing as long as he could lead her.

Before the attack, she had already gotten her dress and everything that she needed. The dress she picked out, with Hallie's help, was perfect in her opinion. It wasn't too long that she could trip over it, nor was it short. Regina looked toward Sam and gave her a gentle smile. She would be ready for the ball, or so she hoped.

[Alice Prewett]

Alice wasn't worried about the dance at all. She was good enough at dancing, and had been trained in all the proper ballroom etiquette, as a member of the Prewett family. And of course, she had Frank as her date. Almost involuntarily, her cheeks colored as she thought about gliding along the dance floor with Frank.

The only thing she had to worry about was a dress. She and Marlene were supposed to pick out dresses in Hogsmeade on the day of the attack. Would she have time to order one from a catalogue? She bit down on her lower lip and tried not to worry.

[Minerva McGonagall]

"Yes dear, that is what I said. If there aren't any other questions you may all go about your day." Minerva looked at each girl, trying to gauge their comfortability with the information just presented to them. Some of them looked more at ease than others.

[Samantha Montgomery]

Sam returned Regina's smile softly though her mind was very far away. Mentally she went through a checklist of things she needed to do before the dance. She had a date. She knew how to Dance. She had a dress...that she had to pick up. She had found one that suited her but made alterations and now it was absolutely breathtaking. She took another glance around the room wondering the same as McGonnagall, measuring who was ready and who wasn't. SHe could sense the hesitation in a few of the girls and wondered if she shouldn't be more hesitant.

[Maxi Borale]

Maxi nodded, and after seeing that no one had any questions, she wondered if she should leave. She didn't want to be the first one though, so her foot lingered behind her, waiting to leave when the others did.

[Samantha Montgomery]

Samantha wondered when she could leave as well, she needed to check the final arrangements for everything, although she'd probably be checking them a few times definitely, it was just the sort of person she was. She sighed going over the list in her mind. "Are we free to go?"