Get out your dancing shoes cause it's time to PARTY! That's right folks, this month's theme is Yule Ball and I don't know about you but I am ready to let loose and relax a little... just don't tell Nikky. Ever. I'm sure Janelle will be right there with me, but we'd like to retain our jobs so keep our dearest Editor-in-Chief out of it, yeah? Before I get far too relaxed and drink too much punch, let's wax poetically about a couple of spells and potions exhibited at the Yule Ball back in 1994.
Come on now. You HAD to know it was coming. Whilst our lovely Slytherin compatriots took their time preparing for the ball, none of them had to work quite so hard as the one and only know-it-all, Hermione Granger. Our esteemed Minister-of-Magic-to-be had to work for hours and use several bottles of Sleekeazy's just to get her bird's nest (all-the-more proof that homegirl should have been in Ravenclaw) to do something besides frizz out. The end results were fabulous as she shone particularly bright in her periwinkle gown next to International Quidditch star Viktor Krum (ugh, I wish she hadn't let that one go so easily), but I am sure that she felt that the entire process was ridiculously long and a wasteful spending of her precious studying time.
OK, so you caught me. This spell isn't actually used in the chapters relating to the Yule Ball, or the entire book of Goblet of Fire, but hear me out? I know that we don't actually learn about this spell until Half-Blood Prince, but it would have been so very useful if certain characters had known about it prior. For one thing, Hagrid and Madame Maxime could have used it to avoid being overheard while speaking about Giants and heritage. Rita never would have found out that juicy bit of gossip has it not been for Hagrid having loose lips in a not-so-private location. Ron and Hermione absolutely could have used it to avoid causing a scene when Ron's jealousy runs rampant once again during the ball. I think we can all agree that Severus Snape should have used it, especially considering he -DID- know about it, while speaking with Igor Karkaroff about the Dark Mark and Lord Voldemort. All in all, this spell would have been dead useful in so many ways during the Yule Ball. Some people just lack any sense of societal grace and manners. Shame.
Well, well, well. Look what we have here. The weasel received second-hand robes, if you can even call them that, and had to resort to using a second-year spell, Diffindo, to remove the wretched lace attached to the hem. Poor thing, it didn't really help anything at all. There isn't a single spell that exists that could have turned those robes into anything even remotely fetching, not that they had much to work with anyways. I mean uh... yeah. One needs to learn how to fine-tune this spell and correct the hem or lines created by using the severing charm on fabrics. Weak.
I don't know about you, but I'm starting to feel rather twitchy. It's time to hit the dance floor -after procuring something to drink and a friend or three to dance with. I'll meet you out there!