The Protagonist System

The Yule Ball was a spectacle that no one at Hogwarts had seen in decades. The Great Hall was decorated like an ice palace and they had the Weird Sisters as a live band, which everyone was excited about, except for the muggle-born and muggle-raised that didn't know who they were.

The entire student body were shocked when the fourth champion arrived in the Entrance Hall with a fully grown man on her arm as her actual date and not as a placeholder that was only there to make sure she didn't arrive alone. They stood with the group of champions and their dates to wait for everyone else to enter before the festivities officially started.

A lot of the guys felt envy of the man on the arm of the newest beauty of the school, especially a certain redheaded moRon that couldn't keep his loud mouth shut that he had to go stag while Harriet brought an illegal date, since Harry Peverell was one of the judges and was showing her undue favoritism.

“I'm not one of the judges right now, you idiot.” Harry responded and his voice carried to everyone's ears as if he was standing next to them.

“Hey! You can't call me that!” Ron shouted.

“I'm only saying to your face what everyone else says behind your back.” Harry rebutted. “It's fitting, isn't it? After everything you've said about Harriet behind her back, ever since her name was forced out of the Goblet of Fire without her permission, now you're getting the same treatment.”

“No, I'm not!” Ron shouted back, only for complete silence to meet him. “Guys, come on! Tell him the truth!”

When no one spoke, Ron's face matched the color of his hair.

“Only an idiot abandons a friend when they need him the most. You also backstabbed her and told everyone everything you knew about her and her home life, making you a traitor as well. Why are you amazed that no girl would want to share this wondrous night with you? They're all afraid you'll do the same thing to them that you did to Harriet if things don't work out between you.”

Ron looked around at everyone's faces and saw that all of the girls had the same expressions on their faces. It was a mix of loathing and disgust, and it wasn't only because of his terrible table manners.

“I think that's enough airing of dirty laundry.” Minerva McGonagall said.

Harry opened his mouth to respond and stopped when Harriet reached up and covered his mouth.

“I agree.” Harriet said and looked up at her date. “This is supposed to be a fun night and this is not how we should start it.”

Harry sighed and nodded. “I'm sorry I let him goad me into pointing out his stupidity. The worst thing I could have done is lower myself to his level and act stupid myself, because if it went on, he would probably beat me with experience.”

That had a few people laugh and broke the tense atmosphere.

Harriet smiled at him and lowered her hand. Her dark navy blue dress robes were immaculate and were cut in a way that made her stand out from everyone, even the expensive ones Fleur Delacour wore. There was even a little glittering shine along the trim of the cloth that really caught the eye and made you look at the entire outfit and not just parts of it.

Soon everyone was inside and the basic introduction music started. Minerva nodded and waved the champions inside and announced them as they entered, the youngest champion first. Harriet didn't even try to argue about going first, since she knew the Ministry needed her to make the tournament a success. That the previous judges had tried their level best to kill her, apparently didn't matter to them.

The four champions took their positions in the middle of the dance floor and the music changed to a waltz. Harriet didn't look at anyone but her date as he led her around and made her usual stumbling steps look like professionally trained steps. She couldn't stop the huge smile on her face as he swung her around and made her fantastic outfit flutter and caught everyone's attention.

Almost everyone was spellbound watching them until the waltz was over, then they all realized they could have joined in. The music changed again and a much faster song started up, which pretty much injected energy into everyone and most of them rushed onto the dance floor with their dates and started having fun.

Harriet has having the best time in her life as she danced and she ignored all the longing looks the other guys were giving her. She only had eyes for her date and he only had eyes for her, which made her even happier about the whole thing.

Fleur had tried to switch partners a couple of times, since her date was little more than a drooling mess as she tried using her allure to affect Harry, only for him to completely ignore her and he kept dancing with Harriet as if the other champion didn't exist.

They had to take a break after six songs and went to the refreshment table to check out the punch and the snacks that were there. Harriet accepted a checked for alcohol glass of punch and a nice croissant.

“Oh! Hi, Luna!” Harriet said when she saw the short blonde girl sitting nearby. “Your dad managed to invite you?”

“Yes, my father invited both myself and my fifteenth cousin, twice removed.” Luna said and pointed at a short blond boy that was currently dancing with Astoria Greengrass.

Harriet gave her an odd look. “Fifteenth cousin?”

“He was only allowed to invite family members along.” Luna said with a smile.

Harry laughed. “I'm glad he figured something out. I was worried you'd be here all alone.”

Luna beamed a smile at him. “I'm never going to be alone again, thanks to you.”

Harriet looked at Harry. “What does she mean by that?”

The current song ended and Greg Lovegood came over to them with Astoria following along. His blonde hair wasn't that different than Luna's, so the ruse was a good one. He even had the right paperwork if anyone asked him for it.

“We're going to be magizoologists together and find all sorts of creatures. That's going to be years and years of adventures with us travelling all over the world.” Greg said.

“Father is oh so pleased to know we're going to be intrepid world travelling reporters for him!” Luna gushed.

Greg gave her a quick hug before he turned to look up at Harry. “Can you give Astoria a check-up? I think that blood thing seems like it's trying to come back or something.”

“Wait, does that mean it's an active curse and not only inherited?” Harry asked and took out a wand and waved it over Astoria and she glowed a soft red. “I see. I'll need a bit of time to brew an appropriate purging potion for her and the rest of her family to take to fight off the lingering effects of the curse.”

“The rest of my family aren't sick.” Astoria said as the glow faded.

“They aren't actively suffering from it, no. That doesn't mean they aren't carrying it.” Harry told her and she gasped. “It's all right. I'll have you all sorted out by tomorrow night, I promise.”

Astoria looked across the dance floor to where her sister was dancing with Blaise Zabini. “Is it because of me having it active since I was a baby that they all have it and are giving it back to me?”

Harry chuckled and put a hand on her shoulder. “No, you just happened to manifest the worst of it. I suspect they all have slight conditions without realizing it, since they are older than you and their magic would be stronger and fighting it off successfully, which is why it never occurred to me to check anyone else in your family.”

Astoria nodded and looked up at him. “Thank you.”

“It's no trouble.” Harry said and let her shoulder go. “Did Blaise ask you to be his date?”

Astoria smiled. “He said it would make my sister happy to have me here, since I've never seen anything like this kind of thing, even in pictures or books.”

Daphne and Blaise walked over and joined them. “My ears are burning.” They said together and then both let out similar laughs.

“What have you been telling them about me?” Daphne asked her sister.

“Oh, nothing incriminating.” Astoria said with a crooked smile.

“Dammit, Tory.” Daphne said with a sigh and her sister laughed.

“They'll be calling a halt to the dancing soon to start the feast.” Harry said and reminded them that they were running out of time before supper and then they might not be as enthusiastic about dancing after eating a heavy meal.

“Then let's not waste it!” Harriet gasped and put her glass down, grabbed Harry's and put it down as well, then she took his hand and pulled him back onto the dance floor.

“Come on, we can't let them have all the fun.” Greg said and took Luna's hand, gave Blaise a glance, then took Astoria's hand and brought both girls onto the dance floor. Luckily, the song changed to a fast one and it didn't matter that he had two partners.

Daphne smiled and took Blaise's hand, then the two of them joined their friends.

*

The meal was a little uncomfortable, since the champions had to sit together at the same table. Cedric was up and mobile; but, he was medically unfit to participate with his wand arm missing. His legs had somehow made a full recovery and the healers at St. Mungo's had vanished all of the bone shards in his legs and regrew the bones. It had been as painful as having them crushed and he said it was worth it to walk again.

They had tried several times to use his left arm to cast spells, only for the wand to not even spark for him. He still had magic, according to the tests they did, the problem was that he had no real way to manifest it.

Surprisingly, the professors wouldn't let him withdraw from school. They said it was his last year and he could still do all the subjects that didn't require a wand, like potions and herbology, so he decided to stay. Plus, as a champion, Cedric automatically passed all end of year exams and his graduation was guaranteed.

Fleur again tried to engage Harry in conversation and then asked for a dance, which he refused, since his date had asked him to attend with her and he couldn't disappoint her by dancing with someone else. This answer surprised a lot of people, since they all thought it was Harry that had asked her.

“Oh, no. Harriet knows exactly what she's doing and what she wants. I'm only here to support her in any way she needs me, which I had almost forgotten about until she reminded me.”

Harriet blushed a little at that little episode and in hindsight, thought she had overreacted. Harry took her hand and smiled at her, which made her smile back and she silently thanked him for it.

“Come on, let's dance.” Harry said and stood.

“But, everyone's still eating.” Harriet said and stood as well.

“I don't care.” Harry said and took out his wand and raised up a small platform beside the stage and led her over to it.

“Harry.” Harriet said and stooped walking just before stepping up on the new platform. Her gaze let him know that she didn't like the sole attention of everyone in the room and didn't want to dance in front of them all.

Harry took a breath and let it out, then nodded and let her hand go. He stepped up onto the stage and the Weird Sisters off to the side gave him angry looks, because they thought he was going to touch their instruments and things.

He saluted them and waved his hand, then an enchanted guitar appeared in his hand. He walked over to the front of the stage and looked down at Harriet, whom was blushing pretty hard at what she suspected he was going to do.

At the first strum of the guitar, every single person in the room felt the magic burst out and cover the entire Great Hall. After a few strums, they all stared at the man playing a magical song and they all noticed that he only had eyes for Harriet Potter.

“I can feel the magic floating in the air.” Harry sang and everyone felt it as he lightly strummed the guitar. “Being with you get me that way.”

Harriet's face was a deep red as she stared up at the man serenading her in front of the whole school. In the back of her mind, she was thinking that dancing in front of everyone might not have been as embarrassing as she thought this was.

“I watch the sunlight dance across your face, and I've... never been this swept away.” Harry sang with a perfect bedroom voice and quite a few girls felt their faces heating up. “All my thoughts just seem to settle on the breeze, when I'm lying wrapped up in your arms. The whole world just fades away and the only thing I hear, is the beating of your heart.”

The strumming picked up and everyone sat up straighter.

“Cause I can feel you Breathe, it's washing over me, and suddenly I'm melting in to you. There's nothing left to prove, baby all we need is just to be.” Harry belted out. “Caught up in the touch, the slow and steady rush, baby isn't that the way that love's supposed to be?”

The strumming slowed down and everyone slouched slightly.

“I can feel you Breathe.” Harry sang slowly and then strummed hard again. “Just Breathe.”

The strumming slowed back down and everyone relaxed again.

“In a way I know my heart is waking up, as all the walls come tumbling down. Closer than I've ever felt before, and I know, and you know... there's no need for words right now.” Harry sang and strummed hard on the guitar again. “Cause I can feel you Breathe, it's washing over me, and suddenly I'm melting in to you. There's nothing left to prove, baby all we need is just to be. Caught up in the touch, the slow and steady rush, baby isn't that the way that love's supposed to be?”

Everyone in the audience silently agreed that it was.

“I can feel you Breathe. Just Breathe.” Harry sang and strummed the guitar. “Caught up in the touch, the slow and steady rush, baby isn't that the way that love's supposed to beeee?” He slowed down the strumming to a softness that was barely heard. “I can feel you Breathe. Juuust Breathe.” He plucked a few chords as he finished up. “I can feel the magic floating in the air. Being with you gets me thaaaat waaay.”

Complete and utter silence filled the Great Hall after his performance and no one really noticed the guitar disappearing as Harry hopped off of the stage to stand front of a severely blushing Harriet.

“I just wanted you to know how I felt.” Harry said and everyone heard him, since it was so quiet.

“I love you, too.” Harriet said, emboldened by the song, and pulled him down into a passionate kiss. She had completely forgotten that she was supposed to be concerned about everyone looking at her and not doing anything to gain too much attention. She definitely had everyone's attention now.

“I'm not sure we can follow that up.” One of the Weird Sisters commented, her own face red as she imagined that she was the one he had sang to and was licking his tonsils. Thoughts of her current boyfriend made her feel a little guilty about that, then she mentally shrugged. It hadn't happened, so it was fine if it was only in her head.

“Another fast beat to counter it?” The second one asked.

“They aren't done eating yet, but screw that. He's inspired me.” The third one said and stood. “Let's play, girls!”

“YEAH!” The other two said and the three of them took the stage, picked up their instruments, and started playing their most popular song, Do The Hippogriff.

That gained the exact reaction they wanted and everyone immediately stood and hit the dance floor, the remains of their meals forgotten. It was such a contrast from the ballad that nearly everyone was into it, even some of the professors.

Minerva remembered the love of the man she lost in the second world war and she dearly wished he was there for her to sing that love song to him as her foot tapped to the fast beat. Beside her, Albus was thinking a similar thing, only his love was in prison and would never see the light of day again.

The rest of the ball seemed to pass by without any further incidents, even if there was a suspicious amount of amorous couples being chased out of the enchanted rose bushes by the professors later that night.

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