PRECEDENT : Draco Malfoy II

02

The gown my mother purchased for me for the Yule Ball arrived on Christmas Eve. When I wake up the next morning, the day is a race. I spend most of it to myself, using the new oil pastels that my mother sent along with them. The other Ravenclaws are much better at artistic pursuits than I am. Sometimes it is nice to do things just for the act of doing them, rather than doing it to be the best.

Soon enough, all of the girls flood the dorm that we share, and we struggle to get ready. I am the only muggle-born in all of Ravenclaw. As I get dressed, I am more aware of it than usual. The other girls in my dorm wear witch's robes. Padma's sari is even distinctly witchy, with a matching cloak. My dress is made of violet tulle, so grey that it can barely be called violet. If you had to call it anything other than grey, I might call it Periwinkle. The sleeves are long and thin, made of tulle as well. Atop the bodice and parts of the skirt are rose gold embroidery, designed in the pattern of leaves and vines. The dress is off the shoulder, a look that is distinctly muggle because witches often wear cloaks overtop of their dresses at least for the beginning of formal events. Even the jewelry that my mother gave me, two long gold earrings and a delicate rose gold bracelet, are clearly muggle. All of the witches wear a family heirloom, usually some goblin-wrought metal. Broaches adorn their cloaks. Large jewels are on their necks. Even the witches who are poor have something magical to wear tonight. By muggle standards, their necklaces are large and gaudy.

I shouldn't resent the fact that I look a bit muggle. After all, I think muggles have a better sense of fashion than witches. Wizarding fashion does not change the way muggle fashion does. Muggle fashion changes every decade, but witches for the most part wear the same clothes that they did twenty years ago. For formal events, even longer. The jewelry I wear is beautiful and delicate even if it doesn't protect me from dark magic or promise astute insight to the wearer.

Eventually, we are prepared to go to the Yule Ball. Mandy keeps talking about how thrilled she is to be going with Terry. I cannot tell if she likes him, or if she wants him just because I do. While the others continue to gossip, I head out early. I escape the Common Room quickly, just to avoid running into any others in our year who intend to ask me questions. The curiosity of Ravenclaws is the bane of my existence.

There is still half an hour until the Yule Ball begins. I make my way into the clock tower. While I could sneak outside, my shoes are not made for the snow and my dress would most certainly become soaked. So instead, I admire the Great Lake from inside the castle. I just wish I was on the edge of the water. It is covered in ice, but knowing the weather, I'm sure if I stood on top of it, the ice would break and I would crash into it's depths.

It takes a great deal of convincing myself to leave. I barely make it down to the entrance to the Great Hall on time. There are dozens of students waiting. As I head down the stairs, I scan the crowd, trying to find any sight of Anthony, Michael, or Terry.

A hand waves and I spot Anthony at the end of it. He begins to push through the crowd to get to me, and I make my way over to him.

"You look lovely," he says.

He has a box in his hands. He opens the top, carefully hiding the contents from me. It takes a bit of balancing, but I he manages to keep it secret while flashing his wand at it. Then, he puts the lid back on and hands me the box.

"Go on," Anthony says.

"I didn't get you anything," I say. The box is wrapped in black, with a silver bow on top.

"It's not really a gift," Anthony says. "It was my Mum's idea."

I open the box and inside is a rose gold flower. As I pick it up, I realize it is attached to a ribbon of the same colour.