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〃I'm not dancing；〃 he said。
〃It is traditional；〃 said Professor McGonagall firmly。 〃You are a Hogwarts champion； and you will do what is expected of you as a representative of the school。 So make sure you get yourself a partner； Potter。〃
〃But…I don't…〃
〃You heard me； Potter；〃 said Professor McGonagall in a very final sort of way。
A week ago。 Harry would have said finding a partner for a dance would be a cinch pared to taking on a Hungarian Horntail。 But now that he had done the latter； and was facing the prospect of asking a girl to the ball； he thought he'd rather have another round with the dragon。
Harry had never known so many people to put their names down to stay at Hogwarts for Christmas； he always did； of course； because the alternative was usually going back to Privet Drive； but he had always been very much in the minority before now。 This year； however； everyone in the fourth year and above seemed to be staying； and they all seemed to Harry to be obsessed with the ing ball…or at least all the girls were； and it was amazing how many girls Hogwarts suddenly seemed to hold； he had never quite noticed that before。 Girls giggling and whispering in the corridors； girls shrieking with laughter as boys passed them； girls excitedly paring notes on what they were going to wear on Christmas night。。。
〃Why do they have to move in packs？〃 Harry asked Ron as a dozen or so girls walked past them； sniggering and staring at Harry。 〃How're you supposed to get one on their own to ask them？〃
〃Lasso one？〃 Ron suggested。 〃Got any idea who you're going to try？〃
Harry didn't answer。 He knew perfectly well whom he'd like to ask； but working up the nerve was something else。。。 Cho was a year older than he was； she was very pretty； she was a very good Quidditch player； and she was also very popular。
Ron seemed to know what was going on inside Harry's head。
〃Listen； you're not going to have any trouble。 You're a champion。 You've just beaten a Hungarian Horntail。 I bet they'll be queuing up to go with you。〃
In tribute to their recently repaired friendship； Ron had kept the bitterness in his voice to a bare minimum。 Moreover； to Harry's amazement； he turned out to be quite right。
A curly…haired third…year Hufflepuff girl to whom Harry had never spoken in his life asked him to go to the ball with her the very next day。 Harry was so taken aback he said no before he'd even stopped to consider the matter。 The girl walked off looking rather hurt； and Harry had to endure Dean's； Seamus's； and Ron's taunts about her all through History of Magic。 The following day； two more girls asked him； a second year and （to his horror） a fifth year who looked as though she might knock him out if he refused。
〃She was quite good…looking；〃 said Ron fairly； after he'd stopped laughing。
〃She was a foot taller than me；〃 said Harry； still unnerved。 〃Imagine what I'd look like trying to dance with her。〃
Hermione's words about Krum kept ing back to him。 〃They only like him because he's famous！〃 Harry doubted very much if any of the girls who had asked to be his partner so far would have wanted to go to the ball with him if he hadn't been a school champion。 Then he wondered if this would bother him if Cho asked him。
On the whole。 Harry had to admit that even with the embarrassing prospect of opening the ball before him； life had definitely improved since he had got through the first task。 He wasn't attracting nearly as much unpleasantness in the corridors anymore； which he suspected had a lot to do with Cedric…he had an idea Cedric might have told the Hufflepuffs to leave Harry alone； in gratitude for Harry's tip…off about the dragons。 There seemed to be fewer Support Cedric Diggory！ badges around too。 Draco Malfoy； of course； was still quoting Rita Skeeter's article to him at every possible opportunity； but he was getting fewer and fewer laughs out of it…and just to heighten Harry's feeling of well…being； no story about Hagrid had appeared in the Daily Prophet。
〃She didn' seem very int'rested in magical creatures； ter tell yeh the truth；〃 Hagrid said； when Harry； Ron； and Hermione asked him how his interview with Rita Skeeter had gone during the last Care of Magical Creatures lesson of the term。 To their very great relief； Hagrid had given up on direct contact with the skrewts now； and they were merely sheltering behind his cabin today； sitting at a trestle table and preparing a fresh selection of food with which to tempt the skrewts。
〃She jus' wanted me ter talk about you； Harry；〃 Hagrid continued in a low voice。 〃Well； I told her we'd been friends since I went ter fetch yeh from the Dursleys。 'Never had to tell him off in four years？' she said。 'Never played you up in lessons； has he？' I told her no； an she didn' seem happy at all。 Yeh'd think she wanted me to say yeh were horrible； Harry。〃
〃 'Course she did；〃 said Harry； throwing lumps of dragon liver into a large metal bowl and picking up his knife to cut some more。 〃She can't keep writing about what a tragic little hero I am； it'll get boring。〃
〃She wants a new angle； Hagrid；〃 said Ron wisely as he shelled salamander eggs。 〃You were supposed to say Harry's a mad delinquent！〃
〃But he's not！〃 said Hagrid； looking genuinely shocked。
〃She should've interviewed Snape；〃 said Harry grimly。 〃He'd give her the goods on me any day。 'Potter has been crossing lines ever since he first arrived at this school。。。 '〃
〃Said that； did he？〃 said Hagrid； while Ron and Hermione laughed。 〃Well； yeh might've bent a few rules。 Harry； bu' yeh're all righ' really； aren' you？〃
〃Cheers； Hagrid；〃 said Harry； grinning。
〃You ing to this ball thing on Christmas Day； Hagrid？〃 said Ron。
〃Though' I might look in on it； yeah；〃 said Hagrid gruffly。 〃Should be a good do； I reckon。 You'll be openin the dancin'； won yeh； Harry？ Who're you takin'？〃
〃No one； yet；〃 said Harry； feeling himself going red again。 Hagrid didn't pursue the subject。
The last week of term became increasingly boisterous as it progressed。 Rumors about the Yule Ball were flying everywhere； though Harry didn't believe half of them…for instance； that Dumbledore had bought eight hundred barrels of mulled mead from Madam Rosmerta。 It seemed to be fact； however； that he had booked the Weird Sisters。 Exactly who or what the Weird Sisters were Harry didn't know； never having had access to a wizard's wireless； but he deduced from the wild excitement of those who had grown up listening to the WWN （Wizarding Wireless Network） that they were a very famous musical group。
Some of the teachers； like little Professor Flitwick； gave up trying to teach them much when their minds were so clearly elsewhere； he allowed them to play games in his lesson on Wednesday； and spent most of it talking to Harry about the perfect Summoning Charm
Harry had used during the first task of the Triwizard Tournament。 Other teachers were not so generous。 Nothing would ever deflect Professor Binns； for example； from plowing on through his notes on goblin rebellions…as Binns hadn't let his own death stand in the way of continuing to teach； they supposed a small thing like Christmas wasn't going to put him off。