NOVEL NEXT Chapter 16: The Christmas Ball
Time passed, and the holiday season was fast approaching. A deathly chill had set upon the castle, especially in the dungeons where the Slytherin common room was located.
The Greengrass twins had no reason to stay at Hogwarts, so they were going back home for Christmas. Oleandra was both looking forward and dreading this, since it could only mean one thing: ballroom dancing. Yes, once a year on Christmas Eve, all of the noble families of the sacred twenty-eight would gather together to catch up and exchange pleasantries. Well, all except the blood traitor Weasleys, and the families that had gone extinct or whose members were otherwise occupied (read: incarcerated in Azkaban, the wizarding world's jail). Other pure-blood families were also given invitations, since without them the true nobles wouldn't have anyone to lick their boots.
On one hand, she was happy to be included, since if she had turned out to be a Squib, she would have been wiped off the family tree. On the other, she would have to endure the gazes and whispers of all the other nobles, who might guess at the reason why she hadn't attended before.
As soon as Oleandra arrived home, she was given a crash course in noble etiquette and handed one of Daphne's old dresses. She was then taught of the relationships between the families. The Greengrass family were considered moderates, which meant they were basically fence-sitters who really liked money. They had relationships with both the progressive Prewett, Weasley and Longbottom, and the Malfoy family's more radical faction. They were also on very good terms with other moderates such as the Slughorn and Macmillan families. But in any case, it was best not to offend anyone if you could help it.
All of the noble families were in some way related. Maxwell Greengrass, Oleandra's father, had in fact married into the Greengrass family and chosen to abandon his original family name, Prewett, as the Greengrass last name would have died out if he hadn't done so. The Greengrass name held more weight in their business ties, so it was simply a logical choice.
It was with wide eyes that Oleandra learned she was related to Ronald Weasley, of all people. Maxwell was Molly Weasley's cousin, which meant Ron Weasley was her…second cousin? Oleandra resolved to call him cousin at every opportunity, just to annoy him. Though not in front of other nobles, because the Weasleys were an embarrassment to all of them.
Oleandra's feet hurt, and she hadn't even started dancing yet. It had been two hours since the party had started, and all she had done was stand around and follow her parents like a duckling as they navigated through the crowd, exchanging small talk with people she didn't know.
Oleandra was bored out of her skull. She didn't know anyone, since she had never been invited to one of these parties before. Astoria was sick and was under intensive care at St Mungo's, Daphne had disappeared somewhere with Millicent Bulstrode and Pansy Parkinson, and Tracey Davis was off on some vacation in Spain.
As she discreetly made her way to the buffet, all the while trying to look like she wasn't especially interested in it, she finally spotted someone she knew: Neville! He looked as lost as she was, she noted with relief. Good, then he wouldn't say no to a little company. The worst thing after being alone was being alone in a crowd, after all.
"Hey, Neville!" she said brightly. "Enjoying the party?"
"Sure, I am," he spluttered nervously. "Have you seen Gran anywhere?"
It was then that Oleandra realized that she had absolutely nothing in common with the little Gryffindor boy, who was desperately swivelling his head around in hopes of finding an escape route.
"So," she said desperately, grasping at straws. "About that giant three-headed dog. That sure was something, wasn't it?"
Neville blanched. He hadn't been sure if she had approached him to bully him, but now he was certain of it. Either that, or she actually wanted to know about the dog. He hoped it was the latter.
"I overheard Hermione talking about it with Harry and Ron," he blurted out. "She reckons it's guarding something, and Snape got hurt trying to steal whatever it was."
He then sighed in relief, as he had spotted his grandmother coming to his rescue.
"Neville, I didn't know you were friends with the young Greengrass lady," Augusta Longbottom said.
"We're great friends, aren't we?" exclaimed Oleandra. "We've even gone on an adventure together."
"Oh really?" The Longbottom matriarch raised an eyebrow. "Do go on."
Oleandra detailed how Neville had braved the curfew to act as Potter's second in their wizard's duel, and how they had escaped and faced a giant three-headed dog.
Augusta had been hoping for Neville to show a little backbone, but wasn't this a bit too much? Also, what was this she was hearing about her grandson breaking school rules? Well, it wouldn't be Hogwarts if the children didn't have adventures. Why, in her day…
Neville watched his grandmother's reaction. Contrary to what he was expecting, she seemed happy about what she was hearing.
"Well, I'll leave you two to it," she said. "It was good meeting you, Daphne."
Before Oleandra had the chance to correct her, she went off to talk to a friend of hers.
After a delicious supper, the guests left their tables and headed to the dance floor. Up on the stage, musical instruments picked themselves up on stage and started playing a waltz. The adults paired themselves up with their spouse, and started dancing. After each song, they would exchange partners with other couples, all the way until the last song, where the last dance would once again be with their spouse.
As one of the sacred twenty-eight, Oleandra would be expected to dance. Theodore Nott was the first to invite her to dance. As they twirled and spun, Oleandra tried not to step on his feet too much. The song soon ended, and their hands separated. After the dance, as it is customary for the dance partners to symbolically thank each other for a good time, Oleandra gave him a curtsy and Theodore bowed at her.
She then danced with Draco Malfoy, Ernie MacMillan, her sister Daphne, and Neville, before she ran out of partners of her age that she was willing to hold hands with.