With the Yule Ball just around the corner, everything had become more than hectic for the school. Students seemed only concern with their dates and attire, while Professors were trying their best to keep everyone calm and in order. Out of their group, Henry and Hope were all set and were the least worried about attending the ball, along with Teddy and Stella. But the rest of the group, wasn't doing so well.

Eliza and Elliot had finally gotten into it, as Eliza called Elliot a coward for not being honest with his own feelings and asking another girl to the ball. Elliot claimed that he didn't want to take Eliza anymore because she had lied to him in the first place about the tournament. Friends didn't lie to each other, he claimed loudly in the Great Hall before storming off, leaving Eliza in shock.

They were obviously not attending the ball together.

Victoire had plenty of options to select as her date, the problem was, she was being far too picky with her selecting. Fergus was terrified of asking Armina, despite being encouraged tremendously by his friends.

Hogwarts was entering a new age of Yule Ball chaos.

Nixie had finished consoling a Slytherin girl after a Durmstrang boy had rudely rejected her offer to go to the dance together, and returned to her office to find some peace. Sirius had agreed to help Henry with the selection of his dress robes. Leaving her with the rest of the afternoon to herself.

Or so she thought.

She had literally just sat down in her chair when something moved under her desk causing her to jump. She scooted back completely only to reveal what had taken sanctuary beneath her desk.

"Oh for Kelpie's sake! Hope! What are you doing down there?!"

Hope crawled out from beneath the desk and stood up, brushing herself off as she straightened.

"Sorry 'bout that." Hope said. "Didn't mean to startle you."

"I'll ask again, what were you doing under my desk?" Nixie sighed.

"It's a good place for hiding." Hope said.

"Why are you hiding...wait who are you hiding from? I can't save you from McGonagall, Hope-"

"I'm not hiding from anyone in particular. I'm just trying to avoid the mad house that's taking place in this castle. Everyone's gone completely mental if you haven't noticed."

"Oh I've noticed. Trust me." Nixie said sitting down, and resting her forehead in the palm of her hand.

Hope sat on the corner of Nixie's desk.

"And since Guppy Puppy is out with Paddywhack, I'm all alone and on my own." She flopped back dramatically, lying on the woman's desk. That was until Nixie gave her a look that made the teenager sit straight up.

Hope adjusted a stack of books before standing up fully.

"I just thought I could find some peace and mind in here." She shrugged before looking up at Nixie.

"Sounds like we both need it anyways." Nixie sighed. "You're welcome to stay here to escape the madness for a bit. If anyone comes knocking, we'll just pretend we aren't here."

"Sounds like a plan to me!" Hope smiled before grabbing a chair and pulling it up to sit near the woman.

"You're all set for the Yule Ball?" Nixie asked. "You don't need anything? Your mother wanted to make extra sure."

"I have a dress, shoes, and a date. What more do I need?" Hope questioned.

"Good question." Nixie chuckled. "But your mother wanted me to double check. Just to be sure."

"I'm sure." Hope said.

"I thought you were Hope?" Nixie teased her. 

"Look Fergus, I can't help you, if you don't ask her. It's going to be even stranger if I'm the one who asks her for you." Henry shook his head at Fergus as they arrived in Hogsmeade with Henry's father.  "It's eight words. Will you go to the ball with me?"

Henry placed a finger up for every word he spoke. "See? You'll be fine saying eight words."

"What if she says no?" Fergus said. "The rejection is-"

"Is something you'll get over." Sirius called back to them over his shoulder. "If she says no, then you move on-"

"Or you keep bothering her." Henry whispered to Fergus. "That's what Nana said Dad did to get Mum to like him."

'Hey, I did not bother her." Sirius argued with his son. "Your mother was in love with me, she just didn't realize it at the time."

"Mum and Nana tell the story differently. And so does Remus." Henry pointed out.

Sirius turned to face Henry with a look. "Do you want my help picking out your dress robes or not?"

"You're the one who invited yourself." Henry told him.

"That's because I'm the one paying for it." Sirius replied. "And by the looks of it, you should be thankful I'm coming. If it were up to you...well Hope might have considered taking someone else."

"Dad!" Henry's lips parted in shock at his father's insult, but couldn't help but laugh as Sirius laughed as well. 

Hope stayed as long as she could with Nixie, but unfortunately the Transfiguration professor's office, quickly became overcrowded as students came to talk to the woman and gain some advice from her. Hope wished her good luck before setting out to return to the Gryffindor Common Room and await Henry and Fergus' return. However, as she rounded a corridor, she spotted Elliot, sitting by himself in a window seat, with a prominent frown on his face.

She sighed, knowing she wouldn't be able to walk away from her friend, despite not wanting to get in the middle of the whole battle between him and Eliza. But she found herself walking over and sitting beside him.

"Hey, Ellie." She said, hoping to get a reaction out of him, in hopes it would get his mind off of everything.

"Hey." Elliot responded quietly.

"What's an Angry Quidditch Baby like yourself sitting here for?" She asked.

Still, no reaction to her words as the boy just sat quietly, staring at the floor. 

"Come on, Elliot, cheer up." Hope nudged him. "You can't sit around and mope all day."

"I can too." He muttered.

"It's not going to solve anything. You should look at the positives." Hope said.

"And those are?"

"Well," She tapped her chin, deep in thought. "Well, for one you have a date and-"

"No, I don't." Elliot cut her off.

"What are you talking about? Isn't that what you and Eliza have been fighting about?"

"She thinks I have a date, but I don't. I'm not even going to the ball, Hope."

"But...but why? Why would you tell her that?"

"Because..I don't know. I was mad at her. I've been mad at her for lying to me. She said she wasn't going to join this stupid tournament, and then she went ahead and did it. Even though, she knew it bothered me. So I did something to bother her."

"So now you both are miserable. Good plan, Elliot."