White Heather for Protection

A Night to Remember

"Happy Christmas!" Heather cheered as she passed everyone their gifts. Everyone was more restless than usual on this Christmas morning. For good reason, too. The Yule Ball was tonight. Which was why she was eager for her gifts to be opened.

As per tradition, they were seated in a circle in the Den to open their presents together. 'They' being her, Rian, Fred, George, Ronald, Hermione, with the recent addition of Ginny and her friend, Luna.

"No way," George said, holding his present up.

Fred quickly ripped his own open upon seeing his twin's. "Heather. You didn't!"

"I did," she said smugly.

"Wicked!"

"You're the best, Heather!"

"Well, I couldn't have let you go to the ball with robes that looked like - what was it you said, oh yes - Madam Puddifoot's vomited over a dementor. Unless you wanted me to avoid you the whole time."

It really was a good thing that the ball happened to be a Yule one. Heather had planned the gift since she'd heard Fred and George complain about their grandfather Septimus' robes right after receiving their Hogwarts letters and supply lists. She doubted they would have accepted the costly present if it weren't Christmas. The dress robes she'd gotten them were rather well-designed, if she could say so herself. She had tried to match their colour preferences, but not neon orange, of course. Instead, it was a dusky shade of orange that graduated into sunset colours at the hems. She figured that the eye-catching, yet tasteful robes would appeal to them.

"These robes are-"

"-right smashing, they are!"

"And look, someone's finally-"

"-got our names right!" They pointed to the stylised lettering sewn in silver that circled the edges of their sleeves. Fred's had repeated 'G's while George's were 'F's.

"Our own Mum still-"

"-gets them wrong!" they said, indicating the letters on their Weasley sweaters.

Smirking wickedly, Heather leaned closer to them and whispered, "The letters will switch every now and then when people aren't looking." Sure enough, when they looked back down, the 'F's had turned into 'G's and vice versa. Forge and Gred returned the devious look, heads already plotting the confusion they could spread.

Of course, since she'd gotten Fred and George dress robes, she couldn't very well leave Ronald out. It was fortunate that she'd also thought to include Ginny as well, since Neville had ended up asking her to the ball.

Heather was glad that they seemed to appreciate the robes. At least now they wouldn't be embarrassed throughout the night. (Not that FredGeorge would have been affected. Knowing them, they'd have made the best of whatever horrible garments they had.) Despite her previous reservations, Heather found herself actually anticipating the ball.

Next up was her present to Hadrian. She could tell he was slightly confused by the single thick scroll he had gotten. She watched eagerly as he unravelled the gold-trimmed ribbon holding it closed. She was glad it had all been settled just in time for Christmas. Griphook had only been all too eager to help with her request. Anything to mess with wizards.

Hadrian's eyes were still glued to the words on the parchment. She smirked as he sat there, stunned. "Come on, Rian, kneazle got your tongue?"

"Heather, is this for real?" Hadrian asked in disbelief. He shoved the letter in her face, as if she didn't already know exactly what it said.