Well, no, strike that. He didn't hate parties. He just strongly disliked...most of them. He tended not to mind the ones thrown in the common room, they were alright. A bit loud, but with Sirius and James hosting, there was no escaping that. At least when they were Gryffindor parties, when he had had enough of the noise and constantly being pressed against someone on all sides, he could find a way to escape back up to his dorm.
School-wide functions? Not so much.
Of course, most everyone had been given the option to stay in and not attend, but Remus? No, Remus was not given such an option. You'd think that he would have been, but with friends like Sirius? No that option was most definitely taken away from him. He'd been overjoyed at first, thinking he could get out of attending, managing to start the year off with a quiet night of studying. Maybe getting some help from Dorcas in astronomy before he had to make a fool of himself in their first class. Alas, it was not to be, and here he was, standing in front of the large mirror in his dorm, fidgeting with the collar on his new robes, acquired from Professor Spickett.
Thankfully the professor had some sense of style, helping him come up with something that was both simple and acceptable for such an event as a school ball. He'd heard plenty of horror stories from older students about the previous professor who was in charge of assisting students in need of dress robes. Thankfully, he'd manage to avoid such a fate. And avoided some teasing from his friends.
Only some. Remus knew his fellow marauder's, and they'd always find something to tease him over. He loved Sirius, James, and Peter, but they could be right arseholes sometimes, so he knew what to expect. There was a reason he was friends with them after all, birds of a feather and all that. Remus knew that he himself, could be a bit much. Sure he was known by many to be a bit pompous, despite his more humble origins, but he was also intelligent. He was one of the top students in their year and everyone knew he was clever. James and Sirius could corner the market any day on being mischievous, but that also meant that they were often suspected as the culprits.
Of course, that was only true half of the time.
Appearances can be deceiving, and Remus Lupin knew all too much about that. Narrowing his gaze as he studied his reflection, he sighed. Like right now. He looked like he belonged at a ball, but he knew that he was only pretending.
"Let's get this over with..."
he sighed.
Leaving the room and heading downstairs, it didn't take long for him to realize that he was the only one in the common room.
"All this talk about not being late, all of us going together, these prats sure do take their sweet time getting ready."
he muttered, letting himself drop into one of the plush armchairs near the fireplace.
If his friends were going to make him wait, then Merlin be damned, if he wasn't going to make himself comfortable.
Late, late, late, Lily was so late! She couldn't believe how she'd lost track of time like some scatterbrained first year who was overwhelmed with the experience that Hogwarts was. Normally she kept much better track of her time and her schedule. Sure classes had been let out early for the day, seeing as the ball was tonight, but without thinking, the redhead had stayed behind to talk to Professor Flitwick about possible new uses for charms. Of course, that's why she lost track of time in the first place.
It was no surprise to anyone, that aside from his Ravenclaw's, Lily was one of his favorite students due to her love of charms. This wouldn't be the first time that the two had gotten distracted discussing different properties and executions of old charms and even the possibilities on creating new ones. It was always quite fascinating! Charms really was her favorite subject. So many uses for such an interesting branch of magic. She could never get enough!
Thankfully, when she darted into her common room, it had been empty, allowing her to rush up the winding staircase to the girl's dorms. Throwing the doors open, she yelled an apology for Dorcas, hopefully not startling her friend. She'd have offered one for Mary as well, but she had a feeling the other girl was long gone, having been part of planning the ball. Heading straight for her closet, she grabbed the garment bag that held her dress, unzipping it and reaching for the dress inside. Hanging it up on the side of the door, she pulled the curtain around her bed shut and hurried to change, carefully stepping into the fabric and pulling it up so the straps could rest on her shoulders.
Petting the fabric of her dress so laid flat against her, Lily stepped around the curtain and went to the bathroom mirror, her wand clasped loosely between her fingers. Luckily her hair hadn't given her any problems this morning, so she was able to tame her mane with a quick flick of her wand, letting her magic assist her in twisting the long strands into a messy yet elegant braided and curled style with flowers tucked between the strands. Keeping her make-up simple, she nodded to her reflection and returned to her room.
While Lily was more than ready to spend the night partying with her friends, she was dreading the shoes that she'd have to wear. They were beautiful, yes, but comfort was not something that was thought of when they were made. With a sigh, she bit the bullet, sliding into the simple pair of small heels before hurrying out the door. She'd been quick and efficient, but she was still late and didn't want to keep anyone waiting.
"Hopefully I didn't keep everyone waiting too long..."
she mumbled.
She could hear voices as she descended, but they were all jumbled up and mixing together, so she couldn't make out who all was ready.
"Hope no one was waiting too long! Sorry for the delay..."
she laughed awkwardly, stopping at the bottom of the stairs.
Standing in front of the mirror next to his bed, Barty adjusted his jacket a final time. He could do this. He had this. No matter what that bugger Evan Rosier wanted to say about him and his sleeping habits.
Yes, Mary was currently dating one of his best friends brother, but that was neither here nor there. He didn't like the bloody idiot, but he accepted it. He knew where he stood. It hurt, yes, but he just had to be patient. Patient...he hated being patient. But with everything, good things come to those who wait.
He ran a hand through his hair, tousling it slightly, before he declared himself ready.
Catching sight of Severus entering the room behind him, he shot the younger boy a grin, enjoying the short greeting before he disappeared into the bathroom. Look at him, wrangling his fellow snakes. Maybe he should see about being a snake charmer, seeing as he had plenty of experience.
Barty snorted, turning away from the mirror, grabbing his wand off his nightstand and sliding it into the holster on his right forearm. As if his father would allow such a thing. Barty was already going to push it when refused to work for the ministry. He wasn't one hundred percent sure still on what he wanted to do once he finished this last year at Hogwarts, but he knew with certainty what he wouldn't be doing. Grabbing his jacket off his bed, he shrugged it on, tugging the sleeve down so his wand was covered. Even if this was a school function, he refused to go anywhere without his wand. That was just asking for trouble.
"Seeing as none of you tossers want to enjoy yourselves, I'll be going first."
he huffed, a put out look on his face as he turned to face his roommates. Smoothing a hand down his jacket, he raised a brow at their unimpressed looks.
"I fully expect at least one of you to crash the party."
he declared before leaving the room, sending a quick wave over his shoulder.
Passing by Evan and Regulus in the common room, he greeted them before heading out into the dungeon hallways. Normally he wouldn't dare to walk the halls alone as a slytherin, but seeing as everyone was getting ready to head to the Great Hall, Barty felt that he would be fine to arrive a tad early. Get a lay of the land, so to speak.
Turning a corner, coming upon the entryway of the Great Hall, he paused, eyes widening at the sight before him.
"Mary..."
he managed to get out, his throat dry.
"You...you look amazing."
he cleared his throat, trying to regain his composure.
"The uh, the hall looks wonderful..."
he said, wishing for anything but an awkward silence. He'd gestured a hand towards the hall, only to pause at the sight of the closed door. He winced.
Well, no, strike that. He didn't just love them, he thrived at them. There was something about the noise, the energy, the sheer chaos of a good party that made Sirius feel alive. Whether it was a raucous Gryffindor common room bash or a grand school-wide ball, Sirius embraced it all with open arms and an unquenchable spirit. His sporadic demeanour was a great example of that. As long as it involved babes (or Mary - must not forget his six-month relationship... yes), booze and cigarettes. The man busked for the time of his life.
Of course, tonight was no different. The ball was the event of the season, and Sirius had every intention of making an unforgettable entrance with his best mates and partners-in-crime. He wasn't about to let Remus weasel out of attending, either. The guy needed to loosen up, and what better way than a night filled with music, dancing, and a bit of harmless mischief? He was pretty sure he could twirl him around once or twice before he could remark his way back to the Astronomy Tower, was it?
Sirius stood in front of his mirror, grinning at his reflection. He had chosen his attire with care, striking a balance between rebellion and elegance, as always. A perfectly fitted black leather jacket adorned with silver embellishments over a crisp, striped black and white dress shirt, left untucked just enough to suggest he wasn't trying too hard but leaving various top buttons undone to contrast his first intention. Dark jeans, a bit too tight for formal events but perfect for showing off his lean frame, completed the look. He added a single hoop earring to his left ear, a subtle nod to his nonconformist streak.
Running a hand through his long, dark hair, he let it fall naturally around his shoulders, framing his sharp features and intense, dark eyes as he looked side to side, his long fingers on his chin to make sure everything was just as it was supposed to be. He chuckled to himself, imagining the reactions his appearance would garner. He wasn't just dressing for the ball; he was making a statement. The famous Sirius Black statement.
Satisfied with his look, Sirius grabbed his already-opened bottle of smuggled fire whiskey and took a strong swig to which he felt it burn down his throat with a choke before dropping it back under his bed. The black-haired male was not drunk but enough happily tipsy to swing by his best mate and head down. If he was ready.
"Oi Prongs, are you ready to get into your knickers, mate?"
he chuckled as he got no response. He shrugged off the silence before heading downstairs where he could hear a familiar sassy pants grumble coming from someone. Someone familiar. Someone who often grumbled about his tardiness antics but the man had to look good after all.
Making his way down to the common room, he found Remus already there with his lady friend, fidgeting nervously in one of the armchairs by the fireplace. Sirius smirked, knowing full well that Remus had likely been dreading this night.
"Well, look whoβs ready for a night out,"
Sirius said, striding over to his friend.
"You clean up nice, Moony,"
he complimented before going down to sit down on the armchair's arm, looking down with his famous eyebrow wiggle and a taunting blow of a kiss knowing the best way to pull his friend's leg.
"See now! That's the spirit!"
Sirius clapped a hand on Remus's shoulder as he pointed to Dorcas and now the beautiful Lily emerging one after the other from the girl's dormitories. That was when he remembered what and where the two members of the Marauders were.
"Ah shit, I forgot. Let's go find James and Peter. Theyβre probably still trying to figure out the route Mary had planned for them... I have the key,"
he laughed before propping himself up.
Putting a nice target on herself, he followed the lovely Dorcas' lead in the females' conversation, interrupting the flushed darker skinned female, he gestured towards the apologetic Lily and gave a smile that was ready to stir some shit up,
"Why no need to apologise, dear Lilykins, would you be a doll and escort Moony's date to the ball while we are entangled with some other important business? We won't be late. Gryffindor's honour,"
he gave a scout salute as he kissed his fingers and lifted them in the air before grabbing Remus' arm and dragged him out before anyone could retort to his comment... by anyone meaning the girls. He can handle the wolf's comments any day.
As they left the common room, Sirius couldn't help but feel a thrill of excitement. The night was young, and there was mischief to be made. He might have been labelled a bad boy, but tonight he was ready to show everyone that he was more than just a rebel without a cause. He was Sirius Black, and he was here to have a damn good time.
Ah, the Annual Harvest Moon Ball. An excuse for those who actually enjoy getting all dressed and dolled up for the sake of others or getting lost in the control of snuck-in alcohol which she is still mesmerised by how her peers still manage. She couldn't help but wonder how none of the professors had a sharp nose to sense it. Dorcas knows she does not have a good relationship with dolling herself up or with alcoholic beverages. In fact, she was still second-guessing her attendance in the first place.
Dorcas had already created and fully fleshed out a new timetable for herself and her study partner, Remus to recapitulate the past syllabus and get ahead of all their best-known subjects to quiz each other and test out to always be a few steps ahead. One can never be too prepared, especially with N.E.W.Ts being right around the corner now. Tonight was supposed to be Astronomy night. Sure, she had her plans all switched up last minute which was something that irked her but at the same time, she could already hear Lily or Marlene in the back of her head saying to let loose and enjoy the night now that it opened such events. Having adjusted a little bit during her study period, she was currently hurriedly jogging her way to Gryffindor Tower to face the greatest challenge of all. Getting ready.
She was praying that the girls did not leave the dormitories just yet, she needed all the help she could get, even though she would be too proud to admit it out loud. After having to face her regret of asking Mary for a gown, she definitely needed to wear it now. As the aspiring fashion witch always said, once you get the dress, you must say yes and own it. If only Dorcas knew how to do exactly that. Running up the staircases, she zoomed through the common room, rushed up to the dormitories, and opened her trunk to put all her books neatly in a pile.
"Okay Dorcas, let's give this a try..."
she muttered, going to her bed to finally get this torture device of a dress on. Lifting it up with both hands, she bit her lower lip in thought as she pondered how on earth to put it on. "I met runes easier to decipher than this dress," she commented as she lowered the zip to slip out of her uniform and one leg after the other and slipped it up already feeling constricted as the bodice hugged her torso, slowly lifting up the zip praying not to get stuck.
A huff of annoyance escaped her lips.
"I swear they always leave when I need them the most. Great, I am talking to myself,"
turning her head around she let her bed of curls bounce in hopes of the familiar brunette or blonde. No sign.
Not being one to design her face with makeup, she decided to keep it very natural to avoid the struggle of having to put makeup on. There were charms for literally everything, why can't get fully dressed and set be one of them? Whilst she was not the worst at charms, she only used ones that more often than not kept her day-to-day quite efficient and this was not one of them. Applying a nice mascara look with a nude shade of lipstick it flowed perfectly with her vibrant orange dress that seemed to be right on the preferred spectrum of colour choice. Pinning two gold floral pins in her bed of curls she pinned back her fringe and slid into her nice matching golden flats before motioning in front of her mirror, double-taking herself in the mirror.
Dorcas froze, she did not even recognise herself.
As she stood in front of the mirror, the tomboyish girl couldn't help but feel out of place in the frilly dress she had been coerced into wearing. She had never been one for fancy clothing or girlish accessories, much preferring the comfort of jeans and t-shirts. Yet here she was, at a ball, she had been forced to attend instead of studying for her upcoming classes. All her friends had insisted that she go, hoping that the socialising would do her good. She had resisted, but in the end, she had given in to their pressure.
Now, she was struggling to adjust to the unfamiliar sensation of a dress clinging to her skin, and the uncomfortable flats that were pinching her feet. She tugged at the fabric, trying to make it sit more comfortably, but it wouldn't budge. As she gazed at herself in the mirror, she couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. This wasn't her, she thought. Trying to conform to the expectations of others wasn't something she was used to doing. Robes for males, Gowns for witches. Seemed unfair to set such standards.
But then, as she looked at her reflection, something shifted. She saw a glimmer of something she had never noticed before. The dress made her look different, more elegant, and more refined. It wasn't her usual style, but maybe that wasn't such a bad thing. Straightening up, the brunette took a deep breath,
"Just one night of formality. Let's do this,"
she walked down to the common room ready to face the night head-on. However, it seems that she was not the only one of her peers ready to do so as she could hear a familiar voice radiating through the common room leading in the opposite direction to the boys' dormitories.
As she was about to carefully head down the stairs, a bolt of ginger hair ran up past her she didn't even comprehend what just happened as long as she manoeuvred down the stairs in this gown rather than anything else. However, from the strings of cursives and apologies she could make out it was none other than Lily. She couldn't help but shake her head at her. Sure, Lily was the one to drag her from her study night, but at least she could have been on time - she will be if she finishes in exactly five minutes. Which Dorcas did not put it past the girl.
She hoped her other companion was in fact down there, as it was awfully quiet. Quiet to a point where she could hear a loud voice trudging down the opposite staircase. It was none other than Sirius who always made it his life's mission to dance on his friends' last nerves. Two in particular. She tried to stay quiet as the boys went into some bromance moment.
The group awaited their last party joiner, the female emerged right from behind her with a mumble that made Dorcas laugh,
"Well, your time efficiency but tardiness is always on point there Lils,"
she turned to look at her best friend. The minute her hazel eyes caught a glimpse of her friend, she couldn't help but gasp at how pretty she looked,
"Merlin's Beard! You cleaned up so well! I did not think you would go for the green, honestly."
"You leave one thing in your capable hands, Sirius,"
Dorcas could not help but scoff at the two boys' lack of attention to the plan of their most esteemed parties...
If one was sitting on the outside they would notice Dorcas was taking in her best friend's beauty but she quickly recovered as a certain male pointed out something in a remark that made Dorcas light up like the fireplace that was crackling right now. However, she could barely open her mouth to retort that Sirius bolted out of the common room for the sake of his own arse. The female inhaled and exhaled as she tried to calm down her flush by focusing on her best friend. She offered her arm for Lily to loop in,
"I think we can motion forth as per Lady Black's orders, shall we?"
the female could not help but laugh at her own remark and their little joke.
Finally, the night of the annual ball graced the Great Hall of Hogwarts. These school-wide functions were definitely Mary's cup of tea. She would not dare miss an opportunity to flaunt her beauty amongst the student body, at least not to mention her creations. It was a well-known fact that she held the title of the most beautiful and fashionable in Gryffindor Tower, though that may be subject to the person's eye. She loved to put herself out there and help volunteer for the committee to help set up such a work of art. There were various themes placed out on the table but only one seemed to make the cut year after year to the point they started calling it annually. Though she was not one of the wisest witches magic-wise her ideas for designs and decor were always the ones to beat.
After having departed from her past 'relationship' a year ago, she poured her heart and soul into what she enjoyed doing most. That meant designing her best clothes (with what limited material she had), quidditch practice and surely not letting her flirt game falter despite taking quite the punch. So much so, it wasn't till a few months ago, still unaware of how she managed to make it this far with one of Gryffindor's most handsome and eligible bachelors, or so to speak. She swore to herself that she would never give Sirius Black the time of day back when he first hit on her. So much that every time he did try to make a pass, she graced him with a blessed charm that either soiled his precious clothes and hair for most of it but it only took six years to finally call it something. At first, Mary's intentions were not pure and wanted to use him to get a certain Slytherin's attention but as the days went by she actually grew to like him and she actually forgot why she started dating him in the first place. Despite their past, they were still very close friends and even with benefits sometimes but I suppose the relationship cancelled the benefits part, no?
A soft smile formed on her lips as she started slipping into her beautiful scarlet dress which had a nice embroidered bodice and transparent mesh which was black in colour and created a dark wine effect. Mary had a great obsession with matching with her partner and thankfully he did too which was something that made her so happy as she attempted to make the same embroidered pattern in scarlet at the bottom of his robes. She couldn't wait for how he looked in them, truly. He looked good in anything but whenever he wore something she made for him, her heart fluttered. The brunette was not one to get herself ready at the last minute, in fact, she took the liberty of using the committee as an excuse to skip the class before and go occupy the girls' dormitories to herself and have her nice beauty mantra right before. In fact, as she came out of the bathroom, a strong scent of vanilla and strawberries filled the air which she gladly took. Usually, it did travel down to the Common Room but it was her signature scent. She had an inkling if someone did fancy her, their amortentia smell would definitely be strawberries and vanilla.
As previously stated, Mary was not a huge fan of learning and studying magic but when it came to beauty magic, it was something she quite experienced with. Even if it did almost leave her bald one time with a hair spell gone wrong. Taking her chestnut wand in hand, she slowly closed her eyes, imagining a style in her head,
"Crinus Muto,"
a bright white light emitted from the tip of her wand and slowly enveloped her hair as it was now tied into a lower bun on the side with two waved curls fell on each side of her face. Her bun was designed with a nice blood-red rose, matching her dress. As much as she could rely on magic for her make-up, this part she enjoyed doing quite well, going for her signature smokey eye and plump red lip look he so adored. Taking her ring finger she tapped it in some glitter and gently tapped it against her lower lip and proceeded to press her lips together for a nice sparkle. For the final touch, she slid her petit feet into a nice pair of jet-black high heels, letting herself grow at least 4 inches taller to be just about the same height as her companion. Thankfully, she was not bothered by heels as she was used to wearing them to match heights with her peers for the majority of her life back home, especially amongst her muggle friends.
Prancing herself towards the long mirror she slowly turned around to check herself out from all angles. Finishing face front with her reflection, she couldn't help but straighten her skirt.
"You look simply stunning, gorgeous."
giving her reflection a nice kiss and wink, she slowly tapped her way down the Common Room and to the Great Hall to make sure everything was all set before everyone started to pile in. Most importantly she wanted to get the 'secret' route ready for the boys to sneak in all the booze they could manage before their beloved Head of House suspected anything. Especially knowing their reputation precedes them. Mary just wanted to make sure they had safe passage, the whats, ifs and buts were not under her remit as long as the latch to the back side of the Hall was open. She was meeting Sirius there either way as he had expressed the desire to attend with his best mate first and she was not one to deny him that.
Mary started to make sure that all the refreshments were there as well as the little nibbles that were floating around going from one student to the other from time to time. The nice silvery strands of tinsel adorned with sparkling golden stars that replicated and glowed in the enchanted ceiling as if they were truly under a starry night. A nice atmosphere to have for a Moon Ball after all. Quite romantic if you asked her. She died for such nice and sappy moments, she at least hoped for a nice dance... the least. This was her last year in this school and she was determined to make the utmost of it. As she made sure all was set, she realised time was probably nearing for them to meet and so she made her way swiftly towards the entrance to wait for a familiar head of black hair and his companions to show through the now flooding attendance. Her eyes could still not help but skim for another familiar face she had no doubt was going to show...
As if right on cue, her head shot up at the sound of the familiar voice instead. Her cherry-pumped lips parted to speak up but it was as if something caught her voice from speaking. To say she was quite smitten by the male in front of her was almost as painful as it was when she first laid eyes on him. The female silently gulped in an attempt to speak up after his compliment. Yes, she heard well. Compliment.
"Ah, Bartholomew, easy on the eyes yourself,"
she managed to let out, a small side smile slowly glimmering even though she fought so hard not to.
Tucking the strands behind her ear she couldn't help but chuckle at how awkward he was being - especially since the door was closed,
"The hall, yes. Thank you for the kind compliments, I put a lot of effort into both aspects,"
she retorted, scratching at her elbow before she cleared her truth. She was a bit stiffened given she knew if he was here, his no-good companions would probably be close by and her eyes scanned around for any sign of them before they met his gaze again.
"So... your lackeys are not here yet? Or?"
she inquired, genuinely worried if she would run to avoid any unwanted hassles. Skittish no less after the curse she was hit with... just because she was a half-blood.
As much as she wanted to stay with his company, there were so many factors that warned against it.