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𝓶𝓪𝓻𝓲𝓪𝓷𝓷𝓮'𝓼 𝓫𝓲𝓻𝓽𝓱𝓭𝓪𝔂

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"Saturday night, dance, I like the way you move..."

Colourful lights from Marianne's disco balls were blaring all around, a cacophonous rumble of chatter and singing seemed to bounce of the walls, and the pop of a balloon sounded once every couple minutes thanks to the amount that had fallen to the ground as the party progressed.

Amongst it all, Sadie was happily dancing and mingling with whoever she could, helping Marianne out with trying to keep the place remotely clean so that they didn't have to much to sort out once the party was over - although, much to her surprise, the hall hadn't turned into a shit-hole quite yet.

And, many, many people had turned up - practically almost everyone who was invited. The only few missing was Cho Chang and her friends - and Cho had written Marianne a lovely letter thanking her for the invite but explaining how she wasn't quite sure she could face seeing everyone quite yet. Sadie's heart could only ache for the girl. It must be devastating for her.

But, like she'd previously said, tonight was to forget about all the crap going on. Tonight was their little escape from reality. And Sadie was sure that must've been what Hermione had told the two boys, because somehow, she'd actually managed to get them to show up - and they brought Ginny along, too. The blonde girl had actually done a double take when she saw them awkwardly enter - many others did, too, truth be told.

But still - it was Harry and Ron. And this seemed to be a replica of the Yule Ball for them, as they were currently sitting in the corner with a bottle of Butterbeer each, watching everyone else. Although, they didn't have the discomfort of their dress robes, this time, so perhaps they might be the slightest bit happier.

Hermione was gladly dancing and chatting to whoever, though - at the moment, it was with Maddie and Jake, since Jess had gone off with Ginny to get another drink.

And Sadie? Currently flouncing around with Dean, Seamus and Chad - all of whom were familiar with the muggle song by Whigfield and even knew how to dance to it, as well, so they were all unstoppable, really.

"Pretty baby!" she and Chad harmonised, as Marianne slowly made her way over to join.

"Hey, you," Seamus grinned, wrapping an arm around her waist, as she began singing along to the song as well as her friends. "Stop running around and relax. Everyone's fine, you need have a good time too,"

Marianne gave the boy a warm smile, before turning to her best friend.

"Honestly, you are gonna have to do a double Yule Ball, Sadie, and get those losers up," the red-head said, nodding to the boys slouched in the corner - currently chatting to Neville Longbottom.

"Christ, am I getting paid for this?" Sadie said, to which Chad scoffed.

"Don't act like you don't like doing it, wee Derry gal,"

"That accent was awful," Sadie said. "Wasn't it, Seamus?"

Seamus nodded. "Terrible,"

Marianne let out a laugh, before her eyes lit up slightly.

"Ah, there we are, Sadie," she said. "Maddie's doing your job for you - or trying to, at least,"

Sadie turned her head to see three figures in the corner, being lit up by the disco lights every now and then. The back of a curly haired brunette wearing a baby blue dress told Sadie that Maddie had ditched Hermione and Jake and was heading over to have some conversation with Harry and Ron - Neville was getting up to leave the pair, now, too (probably to find something a bit more fun to do rather than sulk in the corner).

Sadie laughed as she watched.

"Go and help her out," Chad said. "She might crack Ron if she bullies him enough, but there's no way she's getting both of those boys up,"

Sadie rolled her eyes playfully, still smiling.

"Alright. I'll see you all in a bit," she said to the rest of her friends before heading from the middle of the hall to the group of three in the corner.

"Sadie!" Maddie greeted with a grin. "Just the woman I need - reckon some Irish charm'll get these two up,"

"Y'Alright, boys?" Sadie said, giving them a nod. They gave her a smile and an awkward murmur in response. "You two aren't much for parties, are you?"

They shrugged.

"We like the party," said Ron. "Just don't wanna dance, that's all,"

"Well, there's other things to do rather than sulk in the fuckin' corner," Sadie said light-heartedly.

"Well you're not dragging me onto the dance floor, again," Harry nodded at Sadie, although there was a slight joking tone behind his voice.

"Wouldn't dream of it," she said sarcastically. Harry grinned.

"Did Cho make it, after?" he asked, trying his best to sound as natural as possible, however Sadie could tell it had been a question on his mind for a while. She felt her heart sink a little, but chose to ignore it. Her mood will not be dimmed, tonight.

"Why, are we not good enough company, Harry Snotter?" said Maddie sardonically, earning a snort from Ron. Harry shook his head at her nickname, however the ghost of a smile seemed to stick to his expression.

"She didn't make it, after," Sadie explained. "Can't blame her, I suppose, she's been through it. We did wonder whether or not you were gonna turn up, you know, after..." she trailed off awkwardly.

For fuck's sake, Sadie, why'd you have to bring that up? she thought immediately.

"OK, well," Maddie cut in, sensing the tension. "How about you two stop being such miserable fucks and come and speak to people? It's not anyone new, you literally know everyone in this room. Hell, Ginny's doing a better job than you and she's not even in our year,"

"Chill out, Mads, we just weren't up for dancing, that's all," Ron said light-heartedly, still leaning back in his seat.

"Last time I checked, dancing and chatting were two different things," Sadie said, raising an eyebrow. "Plus, Marianne didn't work her arse off for you two to just sit in the corner all night,"

"Yeah, put in some effort," Maddie added, bending forward and stretching her hands out, lifting both boys up by their arms.

Harry and Ron exchanged reluctant glances, just as  the song playing changed to 'Girls & Boys' by Blur. Sadie's face lit up.

"Dean!" she yelled across the room, knowing the boy was just as enthusiastic about this particular song as her. He didn't hear her over the commotion, but he looked her way anyway, because he too knew just how much Sadie loved this song. He pointed to her as he finished one of his drinks, cheering something she couldn't quite hear.

Sadie turned back to Harry and Ron, now in a rush because she eagerly wanted to get back,

"Come on, you don't have to dance, just chat," she said, grabbing Harry's arm. Maddie did the same with Ron, and both girls led the boys to the middle of the hall where most of their classmates were currently standing.

Dean and Seamus whooped as the four rejoined, Jake and Hermione also coming to join the group. Seamus did seem a little uneasy around Harry, Sadie noticed, so instead of making conversation he stood on the far side, dancing with Marianne instead. Dean and Sadie were back at their usual job of being the most enthusiastic and the most shit dancers in the room - they were experts at this position, by now. Chad soon joined in, reappearing from somewhere - that boy was friends with everyone, so it didn't surprise Sadie if he vanished for a few moments every now and then to chat to anyone else.

Jake and Hermione were making conversation with Harry, Maddie and Ron. Whatever they were saying, it seemed to be easing the two boys up a little. However, Maddie - being the restless person she was - got bored after about thirty seconds, and so joined Sadie and Dean in dancing to the Muggle song (of which the young Jordan had no idea was about). Sadie found it extremely amusing watching the girl try and sing the lyrics but getting them wrong almost every single time.

"Stop making fun of me!" Maddie said to Dean who was laughing at her so hard he had tears welling up in his eyes. "I don't know this Muggle music, do I? I have to listen to Lee's shite! I'm trying my best!"

"It's just the way you fuck up the chorus!" Dean continued to cackle, referring to the amount of times Maddie had said 'girls' and 'boys' out of time, off queue and too quickly. Sadie was beginning to laugh uncontrollably too, now.

"Girls who girls like boys who boys like girls like boys," she mocked between giggles.

"Oh, you know what?" Maddie said, holding back her own laughter. "You two might seem like the nicest people in the year, but you're not! Fakest human beings I've ever met- stop laughing at me!" she finished, a grin now stuck to her face that she couldn't wipe off. "I'm serious!"

"Stop!" Sadie chortled, holding on to Dean's shoulder with one hand for support and clutching her stomach with the other. "Maddie, I'm gonna piss myself,"

"Well that ain't my fault, is it?"

"Yes it is!"

"What are we laughing at?" Ron's voice sounded as he joined the trio, clearly intrigued by the loud titters.

"Maddie," Dean replied.

"Oh, nothing new then," he said, giving the curly haired brunette a playful glance. She huffed, and gave him a small elbow.

"Why is everyone in this group so rude?"

"Yeah, Ron, don't be so horrible," said Sadie with the most amount of sarcasm possible and a mischievous grin to accompany it.

"Can't believe you'd be so awful to make fun of Maddie," Dean added with the same tone, shaking his head. "Disgusting,"

"Yeah, who would do that?" Sadie pulled a face.

Ron rolled his eyes. "You two are the worst," he said, though still smiling.

"It's because they were raised by muggles," said Maddie, before pausing. "Oh - wait - no - fuck, that sounds bad,"

Sadie and Dean burst into an even louder fit of laughter. Even Ron was starting to crack up.

"OK, you supremacist?" Sadie teased, and Maddie face palmed.

"That's not what I meant!" she said. "Oh for fuck's sake - to be honest, I'm not really sure what I meant, it was just the first similarity between you two I could think of,"

"Nah, you can't backtrack now, Madison," Chad joined in, shaking his head with a grin.

"Yeah. We finally see your true colours," Dean continued with the same taunting tone. Maddie sighed.

"I've had enough of the abuse, I'm off," she said with a final giggle and a wave, turning away and heading over to Jess and Ginny.

"Don't come back!" Chad joked. Maddie gave him the finger, a grin still plastered over her face.

Sadie and Chad eventually left the group to head over to get another drink, claiming another bottle of firewhisky before they ran out.

"Who the fuck added 'Creep' by Radiohead to the mix?!" Chad said, opening his bottle, as the next song began playing.

"What?! You don't like that song?!" Sadie said with surprise.

"Well - it's alright," said Chad. "Not exactly party music though, is it?"

"And you're the one who decides what's party music and what isn't?" Sadie raised an eyebrow with a teasing glance. "I say if you can sing it with passion, and can at least dance to it slightly, it's party music,"

"Yeah, well, I'm better at organising music than you," Chad said.

"I highly doubt that," Sadie replied. "Look - Dean's enjoying it," she nodded to the boy in the midst of the crowds bellowing the song with all his might.

"Dean enjoys every song that plays," Chad said. "He doesn't count,"

"OK - what about Lavender and Parvati, over there?" Sadie nodded to the two girls across the room, just a few feet away from her own group of friends, happily singing.

"How d'you reckon they know that song?" Chad said, frowning in wonder.

"I dunno, same way I know wizard songs, probably. The phonographs in the common rooms have a range of music on them, depending on who's in control,"

"Ah, yeah, that's true," Chad nodded. "Ron's getting into the swing of things as well, I reckon," he added, before taking another swig of his drink. "I mean, obviously he doesn't know the Muggle songs, but he looks a lot happier than when he was slouched in that corner,"

"That's because he's talking to Maddie. They've got the same sense of humour. And she's a bit of a twat, she'll crack him up," Sadie said, joining Chad in scanning the room. "Harry still looks awkward, bless him,"

"It's only because it's he doesn't know what to do at these things," said Chad. "I bet he'll get much more confident once he's been to a few more,"

"We'll have to try and push more people in our year to throw some gatherings. Even if it's just in someone's field in the summer,"

"Ooh, that'd be good!" Chad nodded, before leaning in slightly and saying, "You know, he's been watching you all night,"

"Who?" Sadie frowned, causing Chad to look at her like she was the most stupidest person on the planet.

"Who do you think?" He replied, nodding at Harry.

It was Sadie's turn to pull a face, as she turned to Chad with a questionable glance.

"No he hasn't," she said.

But Harry had.

Not to be a creep - he didn't like her, or anything, he just found Sadie really fascinating, as a person. She just seemed too nice, if that made sense. Like how when he and Ron had lingered in the corner at the beginning of the night, she'd come over with Maddie Jordan, determined for them both to get up and have a good time. Harry didn't get it.

He understood Maddie - they were good friends with her, and knew she liked as much chaos and fun as possible - and them sitting in the corner was not it.

But Sadie, that was more baffling. They didn't know her as well as they knew Maddie, and Harry couldn't understand. Not the being nice part, he supposed she was just one of those golden-hearted people - but how she was so positive in the mess the world was in currently.

Of course, he wasn't expecting her to be extremely weary of Voldemort's return. After all, she wasn't in the Order or anything, and neither were her parents. So far, all she had was Harry's word that he'd returned and killed Cedric. Maybe she didn't believe him? Maybe she was in denial? No... Sadie's clever, she'd know to believe him. And she wasn't giving him weird looks like some of the others were.

But Harry knew what was happening in the Muggle world, too. He knew Sadie was from Ireland, and he knew of the threats and conflicts going on around there, too.

That was why he was completely baffled by the girl - she was practically facing two wars, and yet she wandered about with a broad smile and bright eyes like everything was fine. Harry wondered how she could do it. Especially since she was muggleborn, and the dark wizard who'd just returned was all for their persecution.

How was she not worried?

Maybe she was, and she was putting on a front. Harry felt bad now, actually, after coming up with that thought. Did she talk about these things with her friends? Or did she bottle it all up, like he did? Perhaps he ought to make friends with her, just to see... she'd been lovely to him, so far. She'd helped him with the Triwizard Tournament, she'd gotten him and his friends invited to a party. She was making sure he and his friends were having a good time at said party.

Was there a mean streak at all in Sadie Vixen's body?

Harry didn't think so.

Much to his surprise, the night progressed rather quickly, and when the time came to go home he'd almost forgotten all the issues that lay outside this village hall. He even found himself wishing the party had lasted longer - it was refreshing, being somewhere where nobody was interested in bringing up Cedric, Voldemort or the Ministry. If only there'd been more events planned over the summer.

Because of this, when Hermione suggested she, Harry, Ron and Ginny stay with Sadie, Chad and Marianne to help clean up, Harry gladly agreed. He wasn't quite ready to go back out into the real world, just yet.

"Are you sure?" Marianne said, when the offer came about. "You really don't have to! Seamus and Dean are helping too, they're sorting out the back, at the moment,"

"No, we want to!" Hermione smiled. "Plus we're not quite ready to go yet, anyway. And I'm pretty sure half the drink spillages were caused by Ron, anyway," she added with a grin.

"They were not!" Ron defended.

"S'Alright, Ron," Marianne brushed it off. "I'm just glad nobody was sick,"

"Don't speak too soon!" Chad called from across the room.

"Shut up, Chad, if you're sick you can clean it up yourself,"

Chad laughed.

"Do you need help picking up the rubbish?" Hermione offered. Marianne looked around.

"Uh, yeah, there's a few bottles over there, I think," she pointed to the far left of the room. "And if one of you don't mind gathering up the food, that would be great - Sadie's out the back with Dean and Seamus, she'll be in soon to help,"

Harry decided to take care of the food, whilst Ron, Ginny and Hermione searched the hall for any litter. He was still slightly surprised at himself for enjoying this party - he hadn't exactly wanted to go, to begin with, it was only because Hermione was desperate to go, and the fact that Cho might be there, that he actually turned up. Well, he supposed Ron wanted to go as well a lot more than he let on. And Ginny. But still, Harry hadn't expected to enjoy himself as much as he did.

It was then Sadie entered the room from helping Dean and Seamus, her heels sill clicking against the floor.

"It's not too bad, actually, Annie!" she spoke to her friend, not quite acknowledging the others, just yet. "I won't lie, I expected a lot worse! Your ma's got a rubbish bag sorted for the bottles and shit, just gather them up in here and then we can take them out-" she finally looked up and broke into a smile at the sight of Harry, Ron, Ginny and Hermione scattered around the hall. "We've got a few more helpers, have we?"

"Yeah, Harry and Ron feel guilty for being miserable bastards at the beginning of the night," Chad joked, as he attempted to get the decorations down as carefully as possible.

"Oh, shut up, they weren't that bad," Sadie said, sending a grin the two boys' way as she too headed over to the table of food Harry was currently tidying. "Just needed a little push, that's all,"

"Yeah, and just some harassment from you and Maddie," Marianne added with a laugh.

"You look like you've got your hands full, I'll help," Sadie said to Harry, before joining him in clearing the food.

"Er - yeah, where shall I actually put all of this stuff?" the boy asked, gesturing to the bowls of leftover crisps and cakes he'd managed to gather.

"If you wanna dump it all out in the back room, that'd be great," Sadie replied, nodding to the room she'd just appeared from.

"Yeah, and don't put it in the bin, that's our stash for later!" Marianne called as he walked past.

"Ooh, you're both staying at Marianne's are you?" Hermione asked Sadie and Chad.

"Yeah, I can't be assed to take a Portkey back to Derry, not tonight," Sadie replied. "Then again, that's how you're getting home, isn't it?"

Hermione and Ron nodded.

"Unfortunately," Ginny added.

"Eurgh, I hate Portkeys," Sadie said. "They make me feel sick,"

"Yeah, they're not the nicest," Ron said, as Sadie began heading out back with another load of food.

She almost bumped into Harry in the doorway, as he was leaving just as she was entering. He stepped back, holding the door open for her.

"Thanks," she smiled, walking through. "You had a good time then, after?"

"Yeah, it was good," Harry nodded.

"Good. Didn't want you sulking in that corner all night, did we?"

"I wasn't going to, not all night,"

Sadie let out a laugh, as they both walked out. "Yeah, alright, Harry,"

"I think we're done," she heard Hermione say as they re-entered the hall which now had a spotless floor.

"Brill," Marianne replied. "Thanks guys. You're free to go if you want, we only need to take the rest of these decorations down and we'll be done,"

"Alright," Ron said, standing up.

"Thanks for the party, Marianne!" Hermione said, as Harry joined the trio. He, Ron and Ginny also said several variations of 'thank you's' before heading over to the door.

"We'll see you in school, if not before!" Sadie called.

"Yeah, see you!"

"Bye!"

Dean and Seamus left not long after, and then there were three.

"Well?" Sadie said to Marianne. "Didn't I tell you it would be good?"

"Yeah," Marianne grinned sheepishly.

"Now," Chad said. "Can someone help with these decorations? I'm going to drop the pissing things on me,"

Sadie laughed.

"Coming now, Chadders,"

"Stop calling me Chadders!"

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A/N: I know! I updated after months! Woooo!

I can't believe I left it this long to post another chapter, I don't even know why. But I promise I'll get back on it and will start updating more regularly! Ofc I still love Sadie and her story just as much as I did when I started, so I'll defo start updating a lot more.

Thanks for bearing with, though! I hope you enjoyed, let me know what you thought!