You took the man's hand, before going onto your first dance. Your body was covered in the glowing blue lines, softly glowing as you and the ghost danced across the dance floor. The sounds of the music washed over you as you followed the lead of the spirit that held your hand, guiding you along as the song and dance continued.
You did not know how long you had danced, but as one song ended another began, and your dance started again. Eventually you had to excuse yourself, having grown quite tired. Alixander went to the sides of the ballroom with you, as you pulled out your food he started up a conversation.
"It has been a long time since one of the living joined us here, though you are the first that I know of that could touch us."
You nodded as you started to take a bite in your food. "It was the aftermath of a demonic possession that's letting me touch you, it also helped me fight off a Bean Sidhe."
"What business does a Bean Sidhe have in Hogwarts?"
"I have no idea, it attacked me as soon as it saw me."
He nodded and held his hand to his chin, thinking on something. You fell into silence as you finished your meal, once it was done he took you back onto the dance floor. As you danced he would give you small pointers, telling you where you were doing things wrong in the dance. While you knew that you would still step through his feet while dancing, you were happy that it wasn't happening as often.
Time once more flowed past you, and eventually you were interrupted by Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington, who told you that it was close to curfew. With a wave to Alixander you left the ball as he told you that if you came back to the ball, he would be happy to dance with you again. You called a thanks over your shoulder as you left for bed, having worn yourself out with all the dancing.
The next day you wondered down onto the castle grounds, heading to the small wooden hut that Hagrid lived in. The wooden hut was on the edge of the Forbidden Forest, with a good eye you could even see the place where you were attacked from here. Though you had to know what to look for to find it. A large crossbow fitted for a man of Hagrid's size was resting by the front door, along with a pair of equally sized galoshes.
Knocking on the front door you could hear some frantic movement, followed up by booming barks. It was easy to hear Hagrid's voice ring out.
"Back, Fang - Back!"
The door opened a crack as Hagrid's large bearded face appeared, he told you to wait a second before he opened the door. The man was struggling to hold onto the collar of an enormous black boarhound, a feat given the size of the man. The hut itself only had one room, with hams and pheasants hanging from the ceiling. There was a large metal kettle boiling on an open fire, and in a corner there was a bed with patchwork quilts over it.
"Make yerself at home," Hagrid's words barley left his mouth before he let go of Fang, who bounded straight to you and started licking you all over. You were happy to note that while the dog looked rather fierce, he was not what he seemed to be at first glance.
"Glad you stopped by. Thought it might be nice to relax, you know, without all the people talking about you." As he was talking he poured some of the boiling water into a large teapot, before he tried to give you some rock cakes. You politely declined the cakes, telling him that you had already eaten before coming down. He looked a little sad but quickly got over it, happily eating them himself.
The two of you fell into a nice conversation about your classes, avoiding any mentions of your possession. During the conversation Fang rested his head on your knee, before drooling on your robes. You were surprised to learn that Hagrid wasn't a large fan of Mr. Filch, calling him "that old git."
"An' as fer that cat, Mrs Norris, I'd like ter introduce her to Fang some time. D'yeh know, every time I go up ter the school, she follows me everywhere? Can't get rid of her – Filch puts her up to it.'"
You were rather confused about all the hostility towards Mr. Filch, from what you could tell most of the students didn't like him. You really didn't understand why, he was rather polite to you. The only time that he seemed to have been ready to jump on you was when you made a mess after the fight with the Bean Sidhe, and he let that slide due the fact that you were just attacked.
While you and Hagrid talked about some of your classes, your eye noticed a piece of paper that was lying on the table under the tea cosy. Picking it up you saw that It was a cutting from the Daily Prophet, the magical world's newspaper.
GRINGOTTS BREAK-IN LATEST
Investigations continue into the break-in at Gringotts on 31 July, widely believed to be the work of dark wizards or witches unknown. Gringotts' goblins today insisted that nothing had been taken. The vault that was searched had in fact been emptied the same day. "But we're not telling you what was in there, so keep your noses out if you know what's good for you," said a Gringotts spokesgoblin this afternoon.
Do you ask about it?
[ ] Yes
-[ ] Do you ask bluntly
-[ ] Do you ask subtly
--[ ] How do you ask the question
[ ] No
] "*gasp* Was it you who stole from the vault? *shiny eyes* Will you teach me?"
