A HOGWARTS STORY

Chapter 19

We took the car all the way to a muggle store to buy the dresses. When we got in the store, Luna and Astoria gasped.
"Wow, look how beautiful!" Astoria pulled a flowy black dress off the rack. "It looks like a dementor!" I said laughing.
Astoria laughed too as she replaced the dress back on the rack.

"Ooh look at this beauty." Luna said, holding up a short yellow dress with huge green polka dots on it. Astoria and I looked at each other and snickered. "I'm going to go look at the dresses over there, if you need me." Mum said as she started walking towards some dresses at the back of the store.

"Ha! Look!" I held up a hot pink floor length dress with yellow stripes. "Ugh. Muggles have some weird dresses!" I said.
This time we all snickered at the dress Luna pulled out.

It was pretty much what muggles would call lingerie. It was baby blue and reached only to the thighs. There were lacy straps holding it onto the hanger. "Muggles sure are desperate if they wear these dresses to dances." Astoria and Luna both nodded in agreement.

"Oh!" Luna walked over to a grey one shoulder dress with gold detailing. "This reminds me of an Ancient Greek Goddess." She said. "I'm going to try it on." Luna said taking the dress with her to the dressing rooms. "Let's go try our dresses on too." I signaled Astoria to follow me into the dressing rooms.

We each decided that we would come out in our favorite dress and the other two would judge the dress between one and ten. Luna came out in the grey dress and Astoria and I held up ten fingers.

Next Astoria emerged in a sleeveless crimson dress with a jeweled bodice that tied up in the back.
I held up ten fingers and Luna held up nine.

A few minutes later I came out in a long emerald dress that brought out my emerald green eyes. The dress had emerald detailing, and a small satin belt that went across my waist. When I came out, Astoria and Luna's mouths dropped and they each held up ten fingers.

My mum was sitting on a red armchair waiting for me, and when she saw me, she put her hands up by her mouth into fists. "Oh, Gemmy." Mum came over and hugged me. "You're growing up so fast!" Her eyes were filling up with tears.
"That's what you get for having only one child." I joked softly.

"Does everyone have their dresses?" Mum asked, wiping her eyes. "I'm paying for them so let's hurry and go buy them!" She rubbed my back once and started leading us to the register. "Mrs. Williams, i can't let you pay for my dress!" Luna said holding the grey dress to her chest. "Nonsense, of course I'm going to pay." She shook her head. "Since I can't see you girls go to the Yule Ball, you wouldn't deprive me of buying the dresses! Would you?" Mum was really laying on the guilt trip now. "W-well, I guess you can buy it." Luna reluctantly handed the dress over to my mum's waiting hands.

Everything came to about $1,235 including the shoes and accessories. Mum payed with muggle money, which was no big deal, because we're rich in wizard money, and muggle money.

On the way home my mum talked about "the good ole days" when she was a Slytherin at Hogwarts.
"I guess when a Slytherin and a Gryffindor have a baby, the baby becomes a Ravenclaw." Mum laughed as we stopped at a red light. "You were a Slytherin, Mrs. Williams?" Astoria smiled as my mum nodded. "I'm a Slytherin too!"
"Really? Oh, Gemma, you never told me that!" Mum hit my shoulder with the back of her hand. "Sorry, I forgot to mention it." I said as massaged the spot where my mum had playfully hit me.

***

"Well, this week has been so fun! Make sure to visit over the summer. Oh, and have an amazing time at the Yule Ball!" Mum hugged each of us individually before we got on the Hogwarts train. "Did you girls get your Christmas presents for everyone back at school?" Mum asked as the train started whistling. "Yeh mum, we got 'em. Bye love yah." I said giving her a quick hug and a kiss.

And as soon as we jumped on the train, it started moving. Gosh, I couldn't wait to see Draco and see his face when I give him my his Christmas present! This was going to be so fun at the Yule Ball!

"You're thinking of Draco, aren't you?" Luna asked laughing.
"Always." I answered with a smirk.