A New Beginning (DH -COMPLIANT)

Chapter 63 ~ Rod Goes for It

Now that the first waltz was over, the dateless wizards made their moves, cutting in on the couples and getting to dance with witches they’d never have a chance with under normal circumstances. Since it was a dance and considered rude to refuse a dance, there were quite a few unhappy witches.

Rod lost Rose on the second dance to a pimply-faced red-haired wizard with very large glasses. He had to wait two more dances before he could get her back, since Rose looked so nice and two more wizards cut in. When he did manage to reclaim his date, Rose gave a relieved sigh.

“That’s the only thing I hate about dances. You have to dance with everyone,” she complained.

Rod stopped dancing with her, looking concerned.

”How about you take a rest?” he said to the witch. She hadn’t sat down since the music began.

”That sounds good,” Rose replied gratefully.

Rod was just about to turn and walk her to their table when someone jabbed him hard in the shoulder. It was Roland.

”May I cut in?” he asked, but it didn’t sound much like a question. It was more of a demand.

Rod looked at the big wizard evenly.

“Rose was just about to take a break and sit down,” he said to Roland.

“No she wasn’t,” Roland growled at him, trying to move between Rod and Rose. Rod blocked his way.

”Um, Rod, I can just have one more dance,” Rose said softly, trying to defuse the situation.

Roland tried to slide past Rod again.

Winston, who was dancing with Sharon, saw the big wizard standing off with Rod and quickly maneuvered closer.

“No Rose,” Rod said, taking her arm. “You’re tired. You don’t have to dance if you don’t want to. And you’re MY date. I’m supposed to look after you.”

He emphasized the word “my” as he looked at Roland darkly.

Winston danced up.

”Anything wrong, Rodman?” he asked, his brown eyes resting on Roland with dislike. Sharon was tense in his arms. She hoped they didn’t start brawling.

”No. Rose and I were just going to sit down,” Rod said, then pushed past Roland, who turned and watched the wizard guide Rose to their table, pull out her chair and help her sit down.

“Remember what you promised, Roland,” Winston said to him.

Roland looked at Winston with narrowed eyes.

”I remember,” he said and stalked off, Winston looking after him. Sharon looked at Winston curiously.

“What’s going on?” she asked the wizard.

Winston looked down at her and his eyes softened. Sharon was a beautiful witch. Maybe he’d get lucky tonight after he showed his stuff. He pulled her closer.

”Nothing you need to worry about,” he said, whirling away with her.

Rod retrieved another class of punch for Rose and a small piece of cake in case she was hungry. He set the glass and the napkin with the cake on it in front of her and sat down.

”Thank you, Rod,” she said to him.

”You’re welcome,” he replied, then said, “I’m sorry about what happened out there, but I know you were tired.”

”It’s all right, Rod,” she said, giving him a soft smile, “Actually, I thought it was very gallant of you.”

Rod flushed a little.

”I wasn’t trying to be gallant. I just didn’t want Roland bullying you into a dance,” he said.

”It still was sweet,” Rose replied, looking at him intensely.

Rod blinked at her, not knowing what to say to this, but he was saved from the awkward moment by James and Anita. James sat down without pulling out Anita’s chair and looked at Rod excitedly as he reached into his pocket and pulled out miniaturized white trainers.

”This is it, Rod. After this song ends, it’s our turn,” he said, pulling out his wand and enlarging the trainers.

”What are you doing?” Anita demanded, sitting down with a huff.

”You’ll see,” James said to her, removing his shoes.

Rod took out his own trainers as Winston joined them with Sharon. At least he pulled out her chair for her before he too pulled out trainers, enlarged them and proceeded to put them on. Then they all took off their robes, the eyes of their dates widening as they saw they didn’t have on dress shirts under them, but white wifebeaters.

“Now, we need you girls to stand directly in front of us, but spaced out a little at the front of the crowd,” James instructed, “Rose you stand in the middle.”

”Why?” she asked, looking at Rod who was quite pale.

“Rose, just do it,” James said as the DJ waved at Winston and let the waltz fade.

”Clear the floor everybody!” the DJ announced. “We’re having a little intermission.”

Everyone looked up at the DJ, then slowly cleared the floor, the lights dimming for a moment.

”Come on,” James said excitedly.

Everyone got up from the table, moving through the students, the three witches stopping on the edge of the crowd as James, Rod and Winston walked to the center of the floor and lined up, Rod in the middle, his heart pounding. Gods, he hoped he didn’t mess up.

Suddenly, music started and everyone looked back at the dance floor which lit up again, showing James, Rod and Winston standing there, looking at the floor, bobbing their heads and snapping their fingers to the beat in unison.

“Is that Odd Rod out there?” a male voice said incredulously.

”What’s he doing dancing with them?” someone else called out.

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CLICK HERE FOR STREAMING INTERACTIVE MUSIC
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Rose’s heart was pounding too as she looked at Rod standing between the other two wizards. But he certainly was keeping up.

”What’s going on?” Hermione asked as Severus eyed the three young men, who began to skip back and forth weaving through each other in an intricate pattern. The crowd began to hoot and clap as the boys fell into the dance.

”It appears we’re going to get a show,” the wizard responded, noting that Rod hadn’t taken his advice about dressing appropriately under his robes.

”Whooooo!” Hugo called as the boys dropped to the floor on their backs, catching themselves on their hands and kicking up their legs, then flipped to their fronts in a push up position and bounced about in rhythm, actually clearing each others bodies as they switched positions then leapt up and in unison began to dance in step.

Rod was in his element the moment the music started, his nervousness flying out the window, buoyed onward by the appreciative yells of the crowd. They flipped, kicked, spun and did partial handstands then joined hands and did the ripple, beginning with James who flexed his arms, the motion going through Rod to Winston, who flipped the motion back through Rod ending up with James. Then they all spun out, sliding toward Anita, Rose and Sharon, throwing their hands behind their heads and giving them a little bump and grind that made all the witches in the vicinity shriek in appreciation as they danced back, Rod smiling broadly at the shocked look on Rose’s face. Then she grinned at him.

They then launched into an updated version of a line dance, hooking their thumbs into their trouser loops, but it was far more rhythmic, with a couple of tumbles involved before they leapt to their feet.

The musical interlude came that announced the freestyle part, and James went first, falling into break dancing, his legs flying so fast it looked as if someone had cast the Tarantella spell on him. He ended it with a powerful back spin, ending up somehow on his head with his legs folded over, stock still.

Everyone screamed.

Then Winston went, also doing a break-dance with a few flips and contortions that seemed almost impossible to execute, his legs tangling and untangling, then falling forward and spinning on one hand, the crowd going wild.

Then it was Rod’s turn, but he didn’t start out break-dance. The wizard began flexing and popping his body in a robotic manner, snaking down to the floor and up again, before jumping into a handstand and kicking his legs up and down in rhythm first, then his entire body before flipping over, landing on his feet, then also break dancing, spinning one leg in a large circle and hopping over it with his other before rolling forward and doing an awesome head spin, his arms actually extended so he looked like a whirling dervish. Then he leapt up and joined James and Winston in line and they started dancing in unison again, the students all yelling, whistling and clapping.

When the song ended, all three wizards charged toward their dates, falling to their knees and sliding forward, ending up at their feet, looking up at them, their chests heaving.

Rose looked down on Rod, who was panting heavily as he looked up at her. She shook her head.

”Wow, Rod, that was . . . that was amazing,” she said to him.

”Thanks,” he panted, rising to his feet.

In a moment he was surrounded by witches, Rose disappearing for a moment in the crowd as they swooned over him.

”We didn’t know you could dance, Rod!”

”Can I get a dance later?”

”Could you show me that little step you did when . . .

”Now just wait a minute!” Rose yelled, pushing through the witches with a scowl, “Back off! Rod’s my date! Move it!”

Anita and Sharon were going through their own little crowd control issues, Sharon actually pushing a witch away from a grinning Winston. Wizards were there too, patting the boys on the back.

Rose grabbed Rod by the hand and pulled him away from the witches and back over to their table, sitting him down then sitting next to him, scowling at all the young women looking over at them.

”Really. They act like you don’t exist the entire time you’re at Hogwarts and now they all want to spend some time with you, just because you can dance,” she grumbled.

Rod looked completely shocked at this. Witches wanted to spend time with him now? Man. He looked over at the girls, and a few waved little finger waves at him. Rose’s scowl grew darker.

Hugo came bouncing over.

”Wow, Rod. That was great! I never saw moves like that before!” he said, sitting next to the wizard and smiling at him.

“Thanks. I made them up myself,” Rod said to him, smiling.

“Rod, what are you doing for the Christmas holidays?” Hugo asked him suddenly.

Rod looked at him.

”Nothing. I’m staying here at the castle,” he said to the wizard, “I always stay here.”

”My grandmum said you can spend Christmas with us if you want to,” James said enthusiastically, “There’ll be lots of food and presents and everything. We always have a great time, Rod. Want to come?”

Rod looked at Hugo, then Rose. Spend time with their family? He didn’t know any of them. He looked doubtful.

“James is going to be there too,” Hugo said, trying to encourage him, “And my uncles. It’ll be fun, Rod. Won’t you come?”

Rose looked at Rod, who sat there a moment, then said, “I don’t think so Hugo. I’ll feel out of place.”

Hugo’s face fell.

”But you won’t be out of place, Rod. Everybody feels welcome at grandmum’s house,” he said to Rod in a final effort to get him to change his mind.

But things were happening a bit too fast for Rod. He was happy about the changes that had happened in his life, but the truth was he was used to being by himself and the thought of suddenly being thrown in the middle of a family celebration was a bit scary. Besides, he wasn’t part of their family. Christmas was for family. He didn’t want to intrude.

“I don’t think so, Hugo,” he said again, hating to disappoint the young wizard, but he just couldn’t do it.

“It’s all right, Rod. But I’ll bring you a present when we come back,” Rose said to him. She didn’t think he’d go to the Burrow anyway.

A present. Gods, he’d have to get her one too. And Hugo.

”All right,” he said, looking at Hugo again, who looked absolutely despondent. He had been sure Rod would go to the Burrow.

”I’m sorry Hugo, but I’ll be all right here. I’m used to it,” he said to him, “And I’ll see you when you get back.”

Hugo sighed.

“All right,” he said, his blue eyes sad.

Suddenly the DJ’s voice sounded.

”Now, our next song goes back, way back into time . . . long before any of you were even a twinkle in your dads’ eyes. The year is 1994, the group is the 69 Boyz, and the dance is called the Tootsie Roll and will be led by Rod Dormers. So get on up and get on down!”

Rod looked shocked as James and Winston grinned at him from the dance floor.

They had set him up.

”Tootsie Roll? What’s that?” Rose asked Rod as he stood up.

”It’s a kind of group dance. It’s easy,” he said, “Are you going to come?”

Rose looked over at all the grinning witches waiting for Rod to pass through them.

”You’re damn right I’m coming,” she said darkly, standing up and taking his arm, glaring at the witches as they approached.

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CLICK HERE FOR STREAMING INTERACTIVE MUSIC
http://www.theburningpen.com/NB/ts.m3u
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Rose helped Rod get through the smiling, swooning witches as he walked on to the dance floor. He was going to kill James and Winston, who were cracking up on the sidelines. A spotlight fell on Rod and the music started.

He caught the rhythm and began to oddly draw his knees together and outward to the music almost as if they were butterfly wings.

The vocalist called out “Cotton candy sweet to go, let me see your tootsie roll!”

Then thumping, jazzy music came on and everyone started moving to the compelling music

Around Rod, others started imitating his movements a bit, then James and Winston joined him.

To the left! To the left! To the right! To the right! To the front! To the front! To the back! To the back! Now slide baby, slide! Slide baby slide!

Hugo ran out on the floor and started following their steps and their motions.

“Come on, Rose!” he called to his sister, who joined them, standing next to Rod and smiling as she caught on to the dance. But when she rolled her tootsie, she really rolled it. Rod was quite impressed. Others joined them and pretty soon the dance floor was filled with students rolling their tootsies.

“I know this dance!” Hermione squealed, watching the students as she bounced in her seat. Suddenly she stood up.

”I’m going to go dance, Severus. Want to come?” she asked the dark wizard who looked at her incredulously.

”I won’t ever ‘roll my tootsie,’” he stated flatly, “Besides, they all look like they are doing some kind of tribal dance. It’s scandalous.”

Hermione grinned at him. Well she was about to get scandalous too.

Rose was dancing with Rod when she saw her mum join the dance, following the steps perfectly, rolling her arms and twisting her knees, her hair bouncing.

”Mum!” she said, surprised.

”Hi Rose,” Hermione said, stepping to the right, then the left in time with the music. She was really very good at it.

Hugo danced up.

”Go mum! Go!” he grinned at her, dancing with her. Then the “Let me see your tootsie roll” part came on and Hermione began bouncing her bum in a very alarming manner that was attracting quite a lot of attention from the young wizards around her.

”Stop mum! Stop!” Hugo cried as Hermione laughed.

Severus was watching Hermione dance from the table, his eyes on her undulating body. She was better than most of the young witches out there, and certainly, from his standpoint much sexier.

And she certainly could roll her tootsie.

Even Wumblewort was on the dance floor trying to keep up with the youngsters, having been dragged down from the dais by a crowd of giggling witches, protesting the entire time. But it was clear the wizard was having fun. He wasn’t all bad. In fact, much of the staff were rolling their tootsies, or trying to. There’d be a lot of hot water bottles pressed to sore backs in the morning.

Rod was dancing behind Rose, his hands on her waist as they stepped left, right, front to back then dipped baby dipped. He was having more fun than he ever had in his life. He was very glad Hugo had asked Rose to go to the dance with him.

This was a night he’d never forget as long as he lived.

Roland watched the blonde wizard dancing with Rose from the dateless table, furious and jealous. So, Rod had a talent and everyone thought he was great now. Well, he wasn’t so fucking great. Roland would prove it too . . . when he beat him to a pulp after the dance.

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A/N: For those of you who would actually like to see the “Tootsie Roll” dance, you can see the video on Youtube . com. Just type in “Tootsie Roll” in the search and click the 69 Boyz version. (http://youtube.com/watch?v=Jbxi9hxctk8) I can see the students doing this. Lol. Fanfiction site readers, if you’d like to hear the music to this chapter go to my homepage at theburningpen . com to the “A New Beginning” link and go to the last chapter posted. Thanks for reading.