A Sluggish Party

As Chris expected, Ginny didn't take her quitting Quidditch that lightly. After arguing with Chris, Ginny stormed off and Chris didn't see her for the rest of the day.

That evening Chris, Luna and Colin were heading for dinner when Professor Slughorn appeared in front of them, blocking their path.

"Christina, Christina, just the person I was hoping to see!" he boomed genially, twiddling the ends of his walrus moustache and puffing out his enormous belly. "I was hoping to catch you before dinner! What do you say to a spot of supper tonight in my rooms instead? We're having a little party, just a few rising stars, I've got McLaggen coming and Zabini, the charming Melinda Bobbin — I don't know whether you know her? Her family owns a large chain of apothecaries — and Miss Granger is coming, I had invited Harry too but he said he had a detention with Snape — anyway, I couldn't get hold of Miss Weasley or I have called her too, but I hope very much that you will favour me by coming."

Slughorn made Chris a little bow as he finished speaking. It was as though Colin and Luna were not present; Slughorn did not so much as look at them.

Chris nodded slowly, giving a forced smile.

"Of course, sir, it will be my honour," she said finally.

Slughorn beamed at this reply.

"Great then, I will see you at seven, Christina. My office."

"I really don't want to go," said Chris as soon as Slughorn bustled away out of the Hall. "Why didn't he call you both too? I mean you are also great in his class, aren't you?"

"Yeah, but not good as you," said Colin calmly as they sat down on the Gryffindor table. "He likes students who are great not just good."

"Honestly, I don't mind," said Luna. "Usually, people ask me stupid questions in parties."

"And don't forget, you have a purpose," whispered Colin.

Chris nodded.

"Do you have any idea, where Ginny is?" she asked after a moment.

"No, but we will find her," said Colin reassuringly. "You go."

Chris sighed then walked back to Gryffindor Tower to meet Hermione.

Whether it had been built that way, or because he had used magical trickery to make it so, Slughorn's office was much larger than the usual teacher's study. The ceiling and walls had been draped with sky blue hangings. The room bathed in the red light cast by an ornate golden lamp dangling from the centre of the ceiling, under it a big round table where Slughorn and his guests were seated. There was light music floating around the room. Slughorn's other guests were already there when Chris and Hermione entered. Instantly, both of them looked out of place in the lavish party atmosphere. Whereas they had come looking very simple in their normal school robes, the other guests looked a lot stylish. Everyone was wearing something different or special. There were two more girls, other than Chris and Hermione, who had come wearing lots of ornaments over their robes and hair. Both of them gave a distasteful look at Chris and Hermione as Slughorn approached them.

"Christina! Miss Granger!" boomed Slughorn. "Come in, come in."

Forcing big smiles, Chris and Hermione sat down. Chris intentionally sat far from McLaggen and found herself beside a new but familiar face.

"Hi, Miss Norton," Adrian Rivers smiled at her.

"Ah! Christina, I think you know our new member Mr Rivers — you are in the same year, of course," said Slughorn. "You see, Barthend Rivers, Adrian's father is a well-known Auror at the Ministry. I remember, when I taught him in this school, very talented boy — and like father like son. Adrian is great at Transfiguration, my God if you have seen him."

Slughorn beamed at Adrian, who smiled back. McLaggen quickly interrupted and tried to bring Slughorn's attention to him.

"I saw your Quidditch trials today," whispered Adrian to Chris, taking advantage of the distraction. "Very interesting, if you ask me."

"Why? Because I didn't make it to the team?" Chris muttered back.

"Indeed."

"Well, I am not a superwoman, you know?" said Chris. "I fail sometimes."

"I have seen you play, Miss Norton. I have played against you, I know that a player like you will never miss those stupid goals," chuckled Adrian. 

"Then you know wrong," snapped Chris.

" — yes, yes, Zabini but first let's hear about our Christina," said Slughorn turning to Chris again. Chris quickly composed herself and smiled at Slughorn. "What do your parents do Christina? In the Muggle world?"

"I have only my father, sir," replied Chris. "And he is a businessman. His company makes computers."

"Computers?"

Everybody stared at her.

"It's like television but we can use them for work and in many useful ways," explained Chris.

"Oh yes, television, I have seen those in Muggle houses this summer," Slughorn smiled then turned to Hermione. "And your parents, Miss Granger?"

"They are both dentists," said Hermione. "Doctors for — er — teeth."

"Oh, that's great, that's —" Slughorn went back to the third unknown Ravenclaw girl and asked about her parents. Turned out, the girl had a famous witch for Aunt, who had written many books related to magical plants, flowers and fruits around the world.

Then again, McLaggen began stories about his adventures.

" — and that day, if I hadn't ridden before them then we had faced a Graphorn," said McLaggen smugly. "We were lucky."

"Unfortunately," muttered Adrian quietly. 

Both Chris and Hermione choke on their butterbeer and quickly hide their laugh. McLaggen glared at Adrian then continued. Adrian turned out to be really entertaining, he talked with Hermione and Chris equally and rescued them from Slughorn's stuck up rising stars' stories. Almost at ten o'clock finally, Slughorn gave them permission to leave and Chris, Hermione and Adrian walked out first, still laughing.

*****

October arrived with pouring rain. Ginny was finally realising why Chris hadn't taken Quidditch. With all the homework and studies for O.W.L.s, with Chris' personal practice and experiments, Chris barely got time to sleep. There were great big dark circles around Chris' eyes. People were barely seeing her other than in class and in the library with Jason. But surprisingly, Jason was looking tired too.

"I am fine," said Jason, when Chris asked about his health, again. "Just a stressed out about my studies. I have fallen behind a lot in the past two years."

Chris sighed defeatedly.

"Fine, if you say so," she said. "So there's Hogsmeade visit next week, want to go together?"

"Yeah, sure," said Jason pulling out a book absently.

"Alright," Chris smiled.

Suddenly, Jason looked up, "Er — Hogsmeade trip?"

Chris nodded then looked at him suspiciously and saw him looking guilty.

"Chris, I can't —" Jason began and Chris slammed her book shut.

"I get it," Chris got up. "You have to study."

"Chris, I —"

Chris walked away. She went straight to the Room of Requirement, which was surprisingly vacant now.

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To be continued. . .