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The start of December brought wind and sleet to Hogwarts. Drafty though the castle always was in winter, Iris was glad of its fires and thick walls every time she passed the Durmstrang ship on the lake, which was pitching in the high winds, its black sails billowing against the dark skies. She thought the Beauxbatons caravan was likely to be pretty chilly too. Hagrid, she noticed, was keeping Madame Maxime's horses well provided with their preferred drink of single-malt whiskey; the fumes wafting from the trough in the comer of their paddock was enough to make the entire Care of Magical Creatures class light-headed.

Things were looking up slightly though, with Ron now friends with Harry and Iris again, and Christmas approaching rapidly. Exactly a week after the first task, the four best friends were sitting in the Great Hall eating breakfast together.

Iris was fully enjoying her meal, as usual, having chosen a bowl of cereal and some toast that morning. She was sitting across from her brother, beside Hermione who was sharing her copy of the Daily Prophet with Iris. A large chunk of the newspaper was for the Triwizard Tournament updates, though currently being taken over by an article written by Rita Skeeter about none other than Hermione. Iris cringed reading it, knowing her best friend wouldn't be happy in the slightest when she got to that part.

Looking away from the newspaper, Iris' attention was grabbed by the Patil twins walking by and chorusing "Hi Harry." Giddy smiles on both of their faces. Iris' eyebrows raised in her brother's direction in silent shock and approval. Seemed as though the rest of the school was finally warming back up to the Potters – well, the girls were definitely warming up to Harry.

She noticed her brother's eye catch on something across the hall and with one look it was quite obvious what it was: Cho Chang. Iris didn't know much about the pretty, raven-haired girl, but she had seen her and Cedric hang out a few times. He had mentioned once that they were neighbours and had grown up together, which made it all the more perfect that she had become the apple of Harry's eye.

Iris watched as Cho's friends whispered to her before the girl turned in her seat, giving Harry a smile. Harry immediately went to smile back, only he had just taken a sip of pumpkin juice, leaving it to fall out of his mouth and down the front of his robes. This sent Iris into laughter instantly, though she tried to hold it back for her brother's sake. Covering her mouth to stop the chortles, Harry gave her a rude look, only increasing her glee.

"Look at this!" Hermione said angrily, slamming the newspaper down on the table, "I can't believe it she's done it again." Reading aloud from the paper she continued, "Miss Granger a plain but ambitious girl seems to be developing a taste for famous wizards. Her latest prey, sources report, is none other than the Bulgarian bon-bon Viktor Krum. No word yet on how Harry Potter's taking this latest emotional blow."

"Hey!" Iris said indignantly to Hermione, "Why was I not told of this new beau? Now I have to console my poor dear brother who I'm sure is absolutely heartbroken over this news," Iris lectured sarcastically to their amused expressions as a young boy walked up to Ron with a large package.

"Parcel for you Mr Weasley," the blond boy said, handing him the box.

"Ah, thank you Nigel," Ron told him with a smile, taking the package and setting it on the table before opening it.

After a few seconds, when it was apparent the boy wasn't leaving but instead switching his eager gaze between Iris and Harry, Ron nudged him whispering, "Not now, Nigel. Later." he shooed the boy, "Go on."

Nigel nodded, slowly backing away before finally leaving. Ron went back to unwrapping the parcel until Hermione let out a little cough, giving the ginger a very pointed look.

Ron cringed and admitted to them, "I told him I'd get him Harry and Iris' autographs."

He read the tag that was tied to the piece of twine around the box and said excitedly, "Oh look! Mum's sent me something."

He pulled the lid of the cardboard box off and Hermione took it from him, placing it on the table beside her as they all moved to peer inside. It was something fabric. Ron pulled it out, standing up from the bench to hold it up. It looked to Iris like a long, maroon velvet dress. It had a mouldy-looking lace frill at the collar and matching lace cuffs.

With a confused look on his face, Ron said, "Mum sent me a dress??"

A chorus of laughs came from a little way down the table where Fred and George were sitting along with a bunch of other Gryffindor students. Harry grinned at him, "Well it does match your eyes. Is there a bonnet?" He moved some of the paper in the box, finding a frilly lace collar to match. "Aha!" he said, holding it up to Ron.

The ginger boy chuckled, pushing the lace away, "Nose down, Harry." he walked a few steps over to across from where Ginny was sitting and held it up to show her, "These must be for you, Ginny."

She looked at them with disfavour, "I'm not wearing that, it's ghastly."

Iris laughed, "Oh come on Ginny, you'd be a real fashion icon."

The youngest Weasley grinned at her, making an ew face towards the outfit.

Then Hermione began laughing causing everyone to look at her.

"What are you on about?" Ron asked, walking back with a disconcerted look.

She spoke through her chuckles, "They're not for Ginny, they're for you!" The Gryffindor table lit up with laughter, "Dress robes!" Hermione explained.

Ron glanced down at them in bewildered disgust, "Dress robes!? For what?"

The answer to that question came later that day in the form of a Gryffindor assembly called by Professor McGonagall. Every Gryffindor in their fourth year and up was told to meet in a rather large room on the third floor. They had been split up, girls on one side of the room and boys on the other, all sitting on benches that rose in level.

As Filch messed with an oversized gramophone, Professor McGonagall walked forward, addressing them all, "The Yule Ball has been a tradition of the tri-wizard tournament..." a loud crackling noise was echoing throughout the room and she paused to give Mr Filch a look, causing him to stop toughing the instrument, "...since its inception. On Christmas eve night we and our guests will gather in the great hall for well-mannered frivolity. As representatives of the host school, I expect each and every one of you to put your best foot forward, and I mean this literally because the Yule Ball is first and foremost... a dance."

Immediately, loud groans emerged from the boys, though the girls seemed a lot more excited as they started talking rapidly with one another. Iris could say she was excited, she had always dreamed as a little girl of going to a ball and dancing in a beautiful dress.

"Silence." Everyone quieted down. "The house of Godric Gryffindor has commanded the respect of the wizarding world for nearly ten centuries. I will not have you in the course of a single evening besmirching that name by behaving like a babbling, bumbling band of baboons," McGonagall lectured, "Now to dance is to let the body breathe, inside every girl a secret swan slumbers longing to burst forth and take flight."

Iris restrained herself from laughing, she had never heard the Professor speak this way. The sound of whispering was coming from across the room, and with one look in the direction, Iris found it to be Ron. It was easy to find out that he was whispering rude remarks about a girl named Eloise Midgen, frustrating Iris. Some boys could be so stupid, she just didn't expect it to be Ron. And to make matters worse, Harry, Seamus, and Dean were all laughing at his comments.

Obviously McGonagall had heard his remarks, for she turned toward them with a less friendly voice, "Inside every boy, a lordly lion prepared to prance – Mr Weasley, will you join me."

Ron gulped with a nervous look on his face as McGonagall pulled him up with a helpful push from a grinning Harry. She led him out into the middle of the room before telling him, "Now, place your right hand on my waist."

Iris coughed to cover up a laugh that was trying to emerge.

Ron was gobsmacked, "Where?"

"My waist," McGonagall repeated.

Very hesitantly Ron moved his hand to her waist, turning beet red as a wolf whistle came from someone on the boy's side, likely either George or Fred. A couple of chuckles echoed around the room, Hermione and Iris joining in on them.

"Now bend your arm. Mr Filch..." the Professor instructed and the music started.

The danced around in a circle as McGonagall counted out the beat all the while Ron looked very uncomfortable, much to everyone else's amusement.

"Everybody come together!" she called out.

Almost all of the girls stood instantly, eagerly walking forward. The boys, however, were not so excited as they instead remained seated, fidgeting awkwardly and avoiding all eye contact. Then, Neville made the brave move and was the first to stand. With an excited grin, Iris grabbed a smiling Hermione by the wrist and dragged her over to Harry, the two of them pulling him out onto the floor.

The three friends danced, trading back and forth for a minute until Ron came running over to them, relieved to be free from Professor McGonagall. The four of them started a rotation, Iris and Harry would dance together while Hermione and Ron did and then they'd switch. There was lots of laughter and stepping on toes, but they were glad to be doing it. It had been far too long since the four of them had been so carefree and joyful, and they were making the most of it.

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Dear Paddy,

I hope you're doing well and are safe. I miss you. The first task went very well! By some miracle, I'm in first place. Harry's tied for second. It leaves me wondering though how much worse the other tasks could get, but I'm trying not to worry about that for now.

In happier news, it's just been announced that there's going to be a ball on Christmas Eve! With dancing and everything... I can admit that I'm actually pretty excited about it, though I've never danced in my life. I'll be needing to find a dress now though, but I believe Professor McGonagall mentioned that a pop-up dress robes shop has opened in Hogsmeade for our use, so I'll probably just have to try my luck there.

I'll be sure to send you a picture in my next letter! Stay safe, write back soon.

With love,

Iris

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I hope you all enjoyed the chapter! it was a bit of a shorter one, but the next one's the yule ball and stuff and it'll be pretty long so hopefully it balances out :)

I hope you're all safe and healthy with everything that's happening right now, social distancing can be hard but it'll pay off in the long run! and hey, I've updated like three times in the last week which is crazy for me haha

and here's a question of the day to keep it positive! ) What's your patronus?

Mine's a dolphin! I think it's pretty accurate but it's also from a few years ago so it may have changed 🤷‍♀️ but I'd love to know what yours is!