The Lion & The Badger

About Mothers and Children

CHAPTER 10

ABOUT MOTHERS AND CHILDREN

"Hmmm... Now I'm in doubt about the best shade for your skin tone." Madame Malkin scratched her chin as she took small steps back, her watchful gaze going from his head to his feet.

Harry remained standing on the stool, feeling dizzy from the measuring tapes fluttering around him like flies, taking measurements of his body as fabrics flew back and forth along with pins, needles and spools of thread.

"Oh, I... I think it's white... Isn't it?" he asked confused to the old dressmaker, this one narrowing her eyes in concentration "It's always white!"

"Yes, but... But what shade of white exactly?" she scratched her chin again "Hm, hm, hmmm..."

"And white has a shade?!" Harry blinked his eyes in disbelief.

"Oh child..." Malkin chuckles, gesturing with his hands "Nobody gets married in pure white! Pure white doesn't look good on pictures."

She approached him, adjusting her own glasses to get a better look at him.

"Let me see... Your skin is fair with a cool tone... Green eyes... Dark hair... Your colour palette is definitely the cool tones!" she made a decisive click with her tongue, flicking her wand as fabric samples flew towards him "We have here ivory, eggshell, ice, whipped cream, pearl and alabaster... Which do you prefer?"

Harry gasped at the fabrics floating in front of him.

On his view, each one had the same color!!!

"Ahm..."

"Do you already have some fabric in mind?", the dressmaker asked.

"I..."

"We have here taffeta, shantung, silk, charmeuse..."

"Hm... Uh...", Harry scratched his head.

"And lace? Do you want to have lace? Maybe with a nice embroidery... Tulle would also be interesting, it's very fashionable!", she said excitedly.

"I-I..."

"Your wedding is this winter, right?", she asked, but didn't wait for him to answer "How about a smart velvet robes with a showy collar of white ermine? You'll be fa-bu-lo-us, almost like a Russian princess!"

"Mrs. Malkin..." Lily sighed wearily as she raised her head to look at them, smiling patiently "Could you bring us your catalog of wedding robes? We would love to get some ideas from there. I'm sure there's a lot of good stuff, with something minimal. With not much ornaments or decorations. Harry won't want anything in lace, right Harry?"

Harry shook his head vehemently.

"Ahhh sure, suuure!!!" she smiled at them both, her eyes shining with excitement "​​Oh how I love weddings! Looks like yesterday you were here, Lily, trying on your own wedding dress! Ah how fast time passes..."

"Yes, time passes very quickly!" Lily smiled politely, looking purposefully at her wristwatch "Too quickly for my taste."

"I'll be back in a moment, don't move!"

With one last giggle, she was gone from the exclusive dressing room, closing the door behind her and leaving them alone.

Relieved, Harry let out his breath as he saw himself in the mirror's reflection, his body wrapped in a fabric that looked more like a curtain.

From the moment he stepped foot in Diagon Alley with his mother that morning, he hadn't stopped for a minute: it had been an endless succession of visits to various types of stores, ordering, tasting cakes and buffet, as well visiting flower shops, and of course, a trip to Madame Malkin and the search for his wedding robe.