147 A Bloody Yule Ball

Durmstrang Ship, Dec 25th

His heart beat faster than ever before. No amount of Occlumency or mind magic could help him keep his emotions in check, not as he first laid eyes on Calypso walking across the Durmstrang ship's deck.

Everyone had congregated before the ball, Karkaroff wanting Durmstrang to enter the Great Hall together in a sign of unity – naturally with Viktor and Kira being the sole exception, they would be announced separately.

For Harry, his eyes had yet to leave Calypso. The girl had gone to incredible lengths to prepare herself for the Yule Ball. She had disappeared early in the afternoon, saying only that she had things to do before the dance. Harry had actually grown concerned when Karkaroff asked for everyone to meet on the deck and Calypso still hadn't returned.

His concern was needless. Calypso returned to the ship, moments before Karkaroff's announcement was supposed to begin. When Harry first saw her, he forgot to breathe.

His girlfriend wore a loose fitting, strapless silver dress that seemed to flow like water around her as she walked. It wasn't until she stood directly in front of him that Harry realized the dress had a nearly invisible pattern of snowflakes that moved with Calypso, giving the dress its ethereal quality.

Calypso's black hair was a stark contrast to her silver dress, and it was expertly fashioned to fall loosely around her shoulders. Harry reached out and laid a chaste kiss on her cheek, she looked stunning, beautiful. When they broke apart, he felt the slightest intrusion into his mind, and he glanced away. The image of Calypso walking up the plank flashed across his mind, but he cleared his mind.

"Same old Calypso, never letting me forget to use Occlumency."

Smiling in an all too innocent fashion, Calypso said, "As if you'd like me any other way."

"True," Harry replied, absentmindedly following the group of Durmstrang students off the ship and across the Hogwarts grounds. "You do look beautiful."

"Thank you, Harry." Calypso seemed to consider something before saying, "The dress was my mother's. I'm glad you like it."

"The dress is great, but you look brilliant without it." Harry immediately froze, his eyes going wide. "I- I didn't mean that I want to see you without the dress, or that I want to see you naked. I'm just– "

Calypso laughed. "Harry, I understand. Thank you."

Feeling like an idiot, Harry took out his wand and conjured Calypso a single red rose. "I know it's kind of cliché, but my dad said everyone should give a rose to their date."

Taking the rose, Calypso inhaled the scent deeply. "It's a wonderful conjuration, Harry."

"I practiced it earlier today when you were off getting ready," Harry admitted as they entered the Great Hall. "Wow, they did a good job."

Looking around the Great Hall, Harry was amazed at the renovation that had been done. The entire hall seemed to have a winter theme with an enchanted non-slip frost covering the floor along with dozens of ice sculptures. Large Christmas trees stood in every corner while the large individual house table had been removed and replaced with smaller individual tables.

"Where do you want to sit?" Harry asked, glancing around the hall.

"Viktor and your brother are going to be at a separate table," Calypso reminded him. "So let's just sit anywhere. Preferably someplace by ourselves."

Grinning, Harry led Calypso over to an unoccupied six-person table before carefully casting a Notice-Me-Not charm around them. After taking a seat, Harry looked over at the high table, somewhat surprised to see Dumbledore looking back at him. After a moment, his grandfather smiled brightly before lifting an empty glass to salute him.

"I guess Dumbledore can see through Notice-Me-Not spells," Harry said, as he pulled out a chair for Calypso, who graciously sat down.

"More likely he enchanted those glasses of his to see through or alert him to the spell's presence," Calypso argued. "I'm not sure if you can just see through a spell."

"No, it can be done," Harry replied. "It's just very difficult. Professor Kosarev might help me learn how to better sense and perceive magic after I finish his Charms class."

Once everyone was seated, a few extra seats needed to be drawn up to fit everyone around the hall – someone had apparently miscounted four chairs – Dumbledore stood up. "Rather than give some lengthy speech, let me simply say welcome to the Triwizard Tournament's Yule Ball. I wish each and every one of you a very happy Christmas as we take a break from this competition and share a special moment with our friends, both old and new. Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you, your Champions."

The Great Hall's doors opened, and out walked the four champions. Viktor and Kira leading the way, followed closely by Fleur, Cedric, and Nathan.

"Your brother looks uncomfortable," Calypso pointed out.

Harry nodded. "I don't know who the Indian girl he asked is, but thank Merlin Mum made us take dancing lessons as kids."

"So you can dance," Calypso said, sounding pleased. "Good."

"I haven't danced in years, Calypso," Harry said, trying to lower his girlfriend's expectations just a bit.

Calypso looked at Harry dubiously. "Are you saying you didn't practice, even after you heard there was a ball?"

"I did a few times," Harry admitted.

"Good."

As the music started to play, Harry watched his brother and Viktor dance with their partners around the floor. Harry could see Nathan calm down as he got lost in the routine for the Waltz while Viktor seemed to grow more annoyed as the dance went on. Harry could see Kira's lips moving, but whatever she was saying wasn't pleasing Viktor in the least.

"Viktor is going to break up with Kira," Harry thought out loud, shocking his girlfriend.

"What?" Calypso gasped, a huge smile starting to cross her face. "That's the best news I've heard since we got to Hogwarts! Did he say when?"

"No, and keep it to yourself for the time being," Harry warned. "Viktor isn't happy, just look at him."

For the first time, Calypso actually looked at Viktor. She saw the way he leaned away from Megara when they didn't need to be close. How their dancing was as stiff and unenthusiastic as physically possible. Finally, she saw a flash of anger cross Viktor's face.

Calypso smiled.

"Do try to sound less pleased when they do break up," Harry advised his girlfriend.

Her glee vanishing, Calypso adopted a faux-somber expression. "Anything to help Viktor get through this terrible ordeal."

Harry grinned. "On second thought, just be you. Viktor would get suspicious if you acted any other way."

Once the Champions had their first dance, there was a mad scraping of chairs as various couples paired off and made their way onto the dance floor. Offering his hand, Harry said, "Shall we?"

"Of course." Calypso let Harry lead her out to the dance floor where the Weird Sisters had begun a slow ballad. Leaning into her boyfriend, Calypso found herself rocking back and forth in Harry's arms, a content smile on her face.

"I don't suppose we can cut in?" A haughty voice asked.

Harry and Calypso both slowly turned their heads, matching icy expressions on their faces as they looked at Theodore Nott and a dark haired girl.

"No," Harry replied stiffly.

"Theoooo," the girl whined. "I don't want to dance with the half-blood. Can't we go back to the table and have some more of that punch? I liked it, what flavor did you say it was?"

"Based on your breath, I'd say Schnapps," Calypso said cuttingly. "Go away."

Nott looked incredibly uncomfortable as Harry continued to stare at him, an expression of utmost displeasure on his face. "Daphne," Nott said eventually, "I think we should leave."

"Finally! You know, Astoria heard a rumor that if you touch a half-blood for longer than a few minutes, you can actually start becoming less pure. I don't appreciate you risking my magic, Theo!"

Seeing Harry's eyes flare in anger, Nott dragged his date away.

"I'm going to hurt him," Calypso said menacingly.

"Don't worry about Nott. Who cares about him?"

"Not Nott," Calypso corrected. "My dear cousin, Draco."

"Oh?" Harry asked. "Why?"

"Because he's the one that sent Nott over here. While you were trying to act all intimidating – nice job by the way," Harry playfully scowled at Calypso. "I was using Legilimency on that dumb bitch. Dearest Draco thought it would be funny, so he offered Nott five Galleons to try to ask you to switch partners."

"Why would he do that?" Harry asked.

"You heard that idiot, Harry," Calypso said, shaking her head. "All the Occlumency in the world wouldn't have kept you calm dancing with that stupid bitch."

"So he wanted me to make a scene," Harry said in understanding. "Your cousin is asking for a beating, Calypso."

"Yes, I agree." Calypso leaned in to quietly whisper in Harry's ear. "Do you want to curse him later with me?"

Harry felt his heartbeat quicken and he struggled not to burst out laughing. "Why not," he said, "might be fun."

Escorting Calypso back to their table, Harry quickly placed his dinner order before looking around the Great Hall. While several people had vacated the dance floor, it was still mostly half full with people, among them was Neville Longbottom, who seemed intent on crushing every one of Hermione Granger's toes by the end of the evening.

At the head table, Viktor seemed to be doing his best to pretend that he was both listening to Kira and not watching Hermione dance with Neville. Meanwhile, Nathan was currently doing his best to talk to his date and bot stare at an Asian girl that was sitting next to Cedric Diggory.

"What a night," Harry said, shaking his head, and cutting into a pork chop.

Calypso seemed to sit up straighter. "I think it just got a bit more interesting."

Stunned, Harry watched as Viktor said something to Kira before standing up and walking out onto the dance floor where Hermione was still being brutalized by Longbottom's dancing skills. The entire crowd seemed to part as Viktor approached Hermione as the song started to die down.

"Excuse me," Viktor said politely to Neville. "Do you mind if I cut in?"

Neville, looking ready to faint in the mere presence of Viktor Krum, nodded and stepped away from Hermione.

"Thank you." Viktor nodded to Neville before starting a slow dance with Hermione

"Kira looks murderous," Calypso practically sang. "Oh, I wonder if Viktor told her it was over, or if he just said that he was helping Hermione get away from Neville?"

"I don't think she'd care at this point," Harry pointed out. Kira's face was growing redder with every step Viktor and Hermione took together. Harry could practically see the exact moment when it became too much for her, and she stood up and quietly left.

When the song finally ended, Viktor turned around, only to be surprised to see his girlfriend was no longer at the high table. Dropping the Notice-Me-Not charm around his table, Harry waved his hand, catching his friend's attention.

Quickly jogging over, Viktor asked, "Where did Kira go?"

"Left," Calypso practically sang. "Glad to see you finally broke up with her."

Viktor glared at Harry, who looked a little sheepish. "Viktor, you just left Kira to go dance with another girl. What happened to breaking up with her tactfully."

"I didn't break up with Kira," Viktor protested. "I left to help Hermione. Her evening was being ruined by the chunky boy and his poor dancing."

Calypso's eyes gleamed. "Please tell me that's what you said to Megara before going over to Hermione."

"I simply said I needed to help a friend," Viktor protested, suddenly realizing his error. "I told her that I would be back shortly and then I danced with Hermione." Shaking his head, Viktor started to walk out of the Great Hall.

Looking at each other, Harry and Calypso quickly stood up and followed Viktor out of the castle.

"Sorry, Viktor," Harry said. "It looked like you were blowing Kira off to dance with Hermione."

"I need to go find Kira." Viktor said, stepping out into the cold.

"You don't have to go after her," Calypso said intently. "If you go after Kira now, you'll just spend the rest of your evening dodging curses. Let her come back here, she's the one that left. You didn't do anything wrong. You just danced with a friend."

"Shut up, Rosier," Viktor snapped. "I know what you're trying to do, and enough is enough. I know you despise Kira, but she did not deserve to be embarrassed this way. I will speak to you later, Harry, I must go find her."

Silently, Harry and Calypso watched Viktor quickly jog off towards the Durmstrang ship, an intent look upon his face as he went to track down his girlfriend.

"Well, it was worth a shot," Calypso said casually. "Pity, if Viktor had stayed at the dance, he and Megara would have definitely been over. Still, that relationship looks done." Placing a kiss on Harry's lips, Calypso happily said, "Tonight has been wonderful, Harry. Thank you."

While Harry didn't take satisfaction in seeing Kira humiliated like Calypso did, he did like to see Calypso happy.

"Would the fearsome Calypso Rosier allow me the honor of escorting her back to the ball?" Harry asked, bowing playfully.

Calypso curtseyed. "Why thank you, Mr. Potter. Whatever would I do without you?"

As the two teens walked back inside the castle, a single bug flew off from its spot on the wall. As quickly as its wings would carry it, the animal raced to the edge of the Hogwarts wards, Rita Skeeter had a story to write.