Thanks again to those who reviewed (creative-writing-girl13, Smith16, Mary Jane Elle Jay, and lady clark of books). Hope you enjoy it!
-No9
"OH, Jamie. It's absolutely gorgeous…"
Lavender Brown practically swooned over Jamie's dress robes as she pulled them out of her trunk.
"Oooh, when did you get those?" Parvati Patil asked, fingering the material.
"Past weekend. Went down to Hogsmeade with Remus' and Sirius' mothers," Jamie said, wondering what tonight would be like.
The other two girls giggled, shooting glances at each other.
"I'm sure Sirius will look…so…ugh, I dunno how to even describe him…," Lavender said dreamily.
"And Remus too…always that slightly wild, rugged look about him…yet so shy and reserved…so cute," Parvati said, a far away sort of look in her eyes.
Jamie screwed up her face.
The ball would begin at six o'clock, and Lavender and Parvati had both pulled Jamie away from Remus and his parents around four, insisting that she should come with them and get ready for the festivities together. Jamie thought that two hours was quite an over estimate of how long it would actually take them to get dressed.
But oh, was she wrong.
After they had discussed what jewelry Jamie would wear (Lavender and Parvati went through their own array of necklaces and bracelets to find Jamie the perfect match, as she realized she had none of her own), Parvati attempted to brush out Jamie's hair and Lavender was sorting through her make up and pulling out several compacts, tubes, and bottles.
Jamie was quite unnerved, especially when Parvati began pulling a brush roughly through her tangled hair.
"I say give up," Jamie said through the tears in her eyes as Parvati pulled several strands loose.
"Hmph. Nothing Lockhart's Tangle Tamer won't cure," she said.
And with a determination Jamie didn't know Parvati had, she whipped out a bottle and lathered Jamie's hair with a liberal amount of a turquoise liquid. Parvati brushed her fingers through Jamie's hair easily, and the potion seemed to evaporate, leaving Jamie with shiny, slightly wavy hair that met her shoulders.
"Holy…," Jamie trailed off, staring into the mirror.
Parvati, with a triumphant look on her face, assessed her handiwork.
"Hmm, you could pin it up a bit if you want, but I'd say it looks great the way it is," she said.
Lavender agreed the more natural the better, but the amount of make up she had pulled from her bureau seemed to contradict her theory.
Jamie was becoming more and more apprehensive, yet Lavender seemed to know what she was doing. She whipped out several brushes, and lightly dusted Jamie's face, then began work on her eyes ("Most gorgeous green, gotta make them stand out…honestly if I had your eyes I would have done this ages ago…"), and a light glossy color on her lips.
When Jamie was finally allowed to look into the mirror again, she was a bit taken aback. She didn't have time to marvel at the transformation though, as the two girls helped slip her dress robes over her head and began fussing over the fact that Jamie had no shoes to match to her robes.
Jamie was surprised to see Lavender whip out her wand and cleverly transfigure her shoes into pearly white ballet flats, along with ribbons that tied up her leg.
She was speechless.
"I – I…jeez guys, I don't know what to say…thank you so much," Jamie said sheepishly, taking in her own appearance.
"Nooo problem, you have no idea how long I've wanted to get at that hair of yours," Parvati laughed.
"Sirius won't be able to resist…," Lavender added, a wicked smile spreading across her face.
"What?"
"Ooooh, please…I can tell he fancies you. Everyone can," she said, and Parvati nodded her head furiously.
"Lucky git."
Jamie laughed off their comments, but couldn't help the funny feeling that twisted in her stomach. She ignored it, and helped the two girls get ready, laughing and talking about how much fun the night should be. Jamie silently told herself that she would somehow have to conceal her invisibility cloak and the Marauder's Map.
Sirius, Remus, and herself had decided that as soon as they noted their parents' absence, they would try and find where the Order was assimilating, and with the help of the Marauder's Map, it wouldn't be a difficult task. They would hide underneath the invisibility cloak and listen in on what the anti-Voldemort force would be discussing. Jamie herself felt rather offended that Dumbledore hadn't told her about the Order of the Phoenix. Ever since Mrs. Lupin and Mrs. Black had mentioned it, she had wanted to join. Wouldn't this night be the perfect opportunity for Jamie, Sirius, and Remus to be informed of its activities?
After much fussing over details Jamie was sure no one would notice, they deemed themselves ready to leave their dormitory. Jamie was amazed that it was already five 'til six. Not knowing how the time had passed so quickly, the girls headed into the common room and joined the chattering crowd below. Everyone was rather noisy as they left through the portrait hole, talking and laughing, showing off each other's dress robes.
Jamie followed along silently, wanting to find Remus or Sirius as quickly as she could once they had reached the entrance hall. Both boys had decided to travel up to the school with their parents, and agreed to meet Jamie there.
The entrance hall, if possible, was even more noisy. What seemed like most of the student body, parents, and teachers were already streaming into the Great Hall.
Jamie gasped upon entering through the great oak doors. Hundreds of streamers hung around the stone walls and wreaths of flowers with real live fairies flitted among them, their jewel like wings sparkling. Several sections of the gray stone were covered with climbing roses of scarlet and white. Thousands of candles floated near the ceiling, which reflected the brilliant starry sky outside, crescent moon and all.
The regular four house tables had vanished, and instead, several dozen smaller, round tables stood near the walls, the center floor cleared for the dancing that had already begun. The Weird Sisters were set up at the head of the hall on a stage were the staff table usually stood. The four hundred or so people already on the dance floor were a blur of color among the lively music. Everyone had dressed in their best for the occasion. Other people stood huddled in groups among the crowd, talking and laughing.
Jamie just had time to marvel at the sounds and color that had mesmerized her senses, when someone knocked into her.
"Oof! Oh! – sorry!," the person apologized. He attempted to mop up a considerably amount of pumpkin juice that had doused his black robes.
Jamie snorted in laughter as the boy she had now recognized as Sirius looked up again, a sheepish look on his face.
"I'm really sorry, I didn't get any on you, did – ?" Sirius' expression changed abruptly as though seeing the person in front of him for the first time.
His mouth dropped a centimeter, and he managed to slop even more pumpkin juice down his front. Jamie couldn't help it, and began to laugh.
"Gulping gargoyles, Jamie," he said suddenly, regaining his usual charming manner, "What'd you do? Hex the hair off your head and scalp someone?"
Jamie's smile quickly dropped faded and was replaced with a scowl.
"If you have to know, Parvati and Lavender helped me," she said haughtily.
"Yeah, s'pose you needed all the help you could get," said Sirius. He took a slow draught from what was left of his drink, his eyes traveling to Jamie's smooth hair, sliding over her bare shoulders, and down the length of the shimmering, pearly fabric. Jamie, feeling suddenly very self-conscious, asked where his parents were.
"Right this way, m'lady," Sirius said, bowing dramatically, and before Jamie could protest, wrapped an arm around her waist and guided her over to a table at the far end of the hall.
Mrs. Black's face brightened as she saw Jamie and Sirius approach, and Mr. Black looked a bit surprised.
"My, my, Jamie," Mrs. Black got up and wrapped a strand of Jamie's hair around a finger, "How in the world did you manage that?"
"Asked her the same thing, pretty sure some poor witch is walking around now, bald…," Sirius muttered, grinning. Mr. Black snorted into his bottle of Butterbeer, and Jamie sent both of them a withering glare.
"How very much like your son you are, Mr. Black," Jamie said mockingly.
"Sorry, Sirius seems to have inherited some of my more less desirable traits…," Mr. Black said, smiling and surveying Jamie over his bottle.
"What happened to you?" another voice asked, bemused. Remus was walking over to them, looking very handsome in his navy blue robes.
Jamie opened her mouth angrily, but was cut off quickly by Remus.
"I meant Sirius! Did you go for a swim?" he added quickly, appraising Sirius' orange lace cuffs, but he had difficulty hiding his smile. Sirius burst into laughter, shortly followed by Remus.
"OH, honestly!" Jamie huffed with her fists clenched. A slight pink tinge was creeping up her neck.
"I think you look very nice," the voice behind Jamie caused her to spin around. Mr. and Mrs. Lupin stood there, arm in arm. Mrs. Lupin winked at her, in wonderful soft pink robes that matched her hair.
"Thank you," Jamie said. She glanced between Mr. Black and Mr. Lupin, and felt the sudden tension that had filled the air.
"Dad, this is Mr. and Mrs. Black, Sirius' parents, the one I told you about," said Remus quickly.
Mr. Black and Lupin gave the slightest of nods as means of recognition, but did not speak.
"Right, so, er – We'll just be on the dance floor then," Sirius said, and grabbed Jamie's hand and Remus by the arm and led them away.
Once they were in the center of the crazed frenzy and noise that was teenagers dancing, Sirius had to half shout for the other two to hear him over the music.
"Don't look too happy, do they?"
"Ugh…Oh my God, they're sitting down!"
Sure enough, the Lupins had seated themselves with the Blacks. Mrs. Lupin and Mrs. Black were talking animatedly, ignoring their husbands on either side of them.
"Well, there's no point in hanging around staring… If they start dueling, I suppose we'll hear the curses flying from across the room," Remus shouted.
The other two nodded, and did their best to enjoy themselves. This didn't prove difficult at all. They were engulfed by the crowd, the people around them vibrating with energy as they danced and moved across the room, greeting people as they went. Jamie quite enjoyed being spun around by Dean Thomas, who held her at arm's length, then drew her in close again. A pretty Ravenclaw girl had come up to Remus, and Sirius had shot Jamie a rueful grin and a wink. Sirius of course, was having no difficulty in finding a dance partner, as he seemed to have a new girl in front of him every two minutes, as if they had been fighting to get to him. Jamie was just thinking that this was actually what was happening, when the Weird Sisters finished their song to tumultuous applause.
Professor Dumbledore had joined the band on stage, and soon the hall quieted down. Jamie's ears were ringing oddly in the sudden silence.
"Now, I was going to ask if you are all enjoying yourselves, but this doesn't seem quite necessary – " his words were punctuated by loud cheering from the crowd gathered below him " – so all I can do is suggest that you try all the food that the house-elves have outdone themselves by making, and that your enjoyment lasts for the duration of the evening!"
His words were greeted by more cheers and Dumbledore actually remained on stage at the suggestion by one of the band members, and was coaxed into singing a duo with its lead man. Professor McGonnagol stood amongst several other teachers, dressed in bottle green dress robes, and watched Professor Dumbledore reprovingly. Her hair had remained in its tight bun. Snape was skulking in a corner, speaking with Lucius Malfoy and, judging by the size and looks of the other two men, what must have been Crabbe's and Goyle's fathers.
But the three couldn't help being distracted from laughing at tiny Professor Flitwick, as he was tossed through the crowd, when the Fat Friar, glided across their heads, and a burst of canary yellow streamers followed a mass of twinkling black stars. Students parted as a huge outline of a badger ran across the length of the hall, reared up upon reaching its end, and howled, before disappearing in a puff of smoke. The Hufflepuffs erupted into cheers.
Then, two giant silver serpents on opposites sides of the hall, gliding like water snakes, moved their way among the streamers across the walls, hissing and spitting a shower of green and silver sparks. The Slytherins made a raucous noise as the two snakes converged at the front of the hall, and disappeared with a bang among another puff of smoke, this time emerald green. The smoke had barely cleared when a loud screech was heard, and a colossal bird had swept over the Great Hall, spreading its wings so wide it nearly touched the walls. They were all showered in blue and bronze feathers from that disappeared before they hit the ground, the Ravenclaws clapping and cheering. The raven vanished with another puff of smoke, when the loudest noise yet filled the hall.
A booming roar echoed off the walls as a golden lion leapt through one of the Hall's tall windows and charged through the scattering crowd. It stopped in the middle of the dance floor, its eyes sparkling viciously, opened its mouth to let out another ear-splitting roar, and they were all engulfed in a shower of crimson and gold sparks. The Gryffindors were making enough noise to rival that of their mascot's, and after the lion had too, vanished in a crimson haze, the entire hall again burst into cheers.
As the music started again and people talked excitedly about the apparitions, Remus turned to Sirius and Jamie.
"I'm tired, I think I'm gonna go sit down," he said.
Sirius gave him a reproving look and Jamie frowned, both trying to make him stay. But Remus had made up his mind, and edged his way out of the crowd. Sirius shrugged, and continued dancing with the next girl in line. Jamie grabbed Neville by the hand and coaxed him into dancing, Neville going quite pink in the face.
Eventually, Sirius disengaged himself from the girl that had wrapped her hands around his neck, and immediately caught Jamie and placed one hand on her waist and took the other with his own. The two proceeded to dance through the hall, scattering as many people as the Gryffindor lion. Jamie was laughing hard as they nearly ran over Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson, and Sirius whipped Jamie around and drew her a bit closer. They slowed down, laughing and panting, Jamie resting her forehead on Sirius' chest as she tried to calm herself. She suddenly became extremely aware of how close they were as Sirius' familiar scent engulfed her. Jamie looked up into Sirius' face, only to find he was staring down at her with those mischievous blue eyes, an odd sort of smile on his face.
"Um, shall we go find Remus?" Jamie asked awkwardly, disentangling herself from Sirius' arms.
Sirius followed her out of the crowd, but not before Jamie thought a fleeting look of disappointment had crossed his features. Any of the awkwardness between them disappeared immediately as they found Remus sitting with his and Sirius' parents.
"Enjoying yourselves?" Mrs. Lupin asked. She and Mrs. Black were still chattering away, seemingly unaware of the fact that their husbands were ignoring each other. Remus seemed to not notice this, answering questions Mrs. Black asked him about school and Jamie and Sirius.
Remus raised an eyebrow, taking in their flushed appearance.
"Remmy, come on, you need to get out there again," Jamie said and Sirius gave him a wide grin.
"Sorry, not all of us have the energy of Gryffindor quidditch players," Remus said sarcastically.
"Oh, bite me," Sirius retorted.
Jamie couldn't help it.
"Please, don't. Having one werewolf as a friend is enough for me to deal with," she said, putting a hand to her eyes.
Sirius, Remus, and Mrs. Lupin and Black laughed. Mr. Lupin had choked on his Butterbeer and was coughing while Mr. Black stared at Jamie. Mr. Lupin, spluttering, was attempting to form words when Remus decided that he was hungry, and Jamie and Sirius followed him quickly towards the other end of the hall.
"That was brilliant," Sirius laughed, "Did you see the look on my dad's face? As if he honestly thought we didn't know…"
"Yeah," Remus smiled wryly. "Mind, I'm going to really get one hell of a punishment later on. Worth it though," he added quickly as he saw Jamie's worried face.
They began to pile their plates high with food, and made their way back over to the table, only to find it deserted.
"Where do you reckon they've gone?" Sirius asked, holding a plate in each hand.
"Dunno…"
The three whipped around, searching the crowd for any sign of the four adults.
"I don't see any of them…hang on, where's Professor Dumbledore?" said Jamie.
Sirius quickly threw the two plates onto the table and the trio left the Great Hall at a remarkable speed, considering the amount of people crammed into it.
Once out in the entrance hall, which was much cooler away from all of the moving bodies, Jamie whipped out the invisibility cloak and Marauder's Map she had hidden in the folds of her robes.
"Come on," she muttered tersely and lead them into a broom cupboard.
Jamie had never seen so many dots filling what was the Great Hall on the Marauder's Map, their labeled names overlapping each other, and making them impossible to read. There was another, much smaller congregation of about thirty dots though swarming in the teacher's lounge, among them the names Black, Lupin, Vance, Podmore, Shackelbolt, and Dumbledore.
They grinned at each other excitedly and threw the invisibility cloak over themselves. The three shuffled their way up to the second floor, where the door to the teacher's lounge was shut tight. Jamie was just wondering how they were going to enter the room inconspicuously, when another wizard hurried down the corridor toward them. They flattened themselves against the wall then followed the small man as he opened the door and passed through them.
"So sorry, so sorry," he muttered immediately to the scattered witches and wizards, who had all turned to look at him.
"Mundungus, how nice of you to join us," growled one wizard that Jamie didn't recognize, not looking all too pleased at his appearance.
"Sorry, sorry, you know, haven't been here in a while, got lost on my way up…"
The wizard called Mundungus let himself sink into one of the last remaining empty armchairs. A fire was crackling merrily in the grate, casting shadows over the stony faces around the room. Jamie, Remus, and Sirius shrunk into one of the corners, and waited quietly.
"My friends," Dumbledore had stood up, "I hope you all have enjoyed the festivities this evening…I know it has been quite some time since some of you have been inside these walls."
He chuckled to himself as though remembering past years, then continued, much more soberly.
"I'm sorry to say that we are going to have to tighten security at the Ministry, as someone tried to break into the Department of Mysteries this past week, though Fudge his having a time trying to keep it quiet. I was hoping we could double some of the shifts. Remus, have you had any luck with the werewolves?"
Mr. Lupin shook his head grimly.
"Greyback has been there. When I tried to explain what I was there for and discourage them from joining Voldemort or any of the Death Eaters, they nearly attacked. Too much animosity with witches and wizards I think, then again, I can't blame them…"
A witch sitting in the corner let out a derisive laugh.
"Well of course they're not going to help us. I bet You-Know-Who is offering much more incentive for joining him. I daresay they'll be more of a help than even the giants."
Hagrid spoke, and Jamie just then became aware that he was in the room, half of his massive frame hidden in the shadows.
"Yeh know, there's almos' no point in arguing with 'em anymore. I mean ter say, I can keep tryin' but there seems little tha' I can do ter change their minds."
The firelight flickered on Dumbledore's half moon spectacles as he continued to speak.
"You are an immense help Hagrid, I hope you know. Kingsley has also informed me that Lucius Malfoy has become even more friendly with the Minister, and has overheard him asking Fudge if they could possibly – er, take a little trip down to the Department of Mysteries. Now Fudge seemed quite flustered at the thought, but I don't deny that Lucius has his ways about him…"
Another wizard with his back to the hidden trio moved across the room and stood directly in front of them, though they took little notice as they strained their ears.
"…and we best find a way to corner him before he begins asking questions about prophecies – "
"Dumbledore," a voice growled gruffly from the wizard that had stationed himself in front of them, "I think it best we discuss this without prying eyes and eavesdropping ears in the room."
He jerked a gnarled hand behind him and took hold of the invisibility cloak, yanking it roughly from around their bodies. It became entangled in Sirius' feet, and he fell over, the wizard who had spoken moving out of the way as Sirius dragged Jamie and Remus down with him in an attempt to right himself. They collapsed in an ungraceful heap on the floor.
Jamie looked up, her hair askew, and gasped as she met the eyes (both of them) of Mad-Eye Moody. Sirius screwed up his face.
"Dammit!"
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