Acrasia [t.r]

𝐈𝐗. 𝐂𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐁𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍

  4th October, 1952.

  Slytherin's win meant that an afterparty that evening was absolutely incontrovertible. Alice had never experienced a Hogwarts party before and, surprisingly, found herself looking forward to it. It helped that Grace was in a good mood. She had not stopped babbling about the seeker's impressive dive to catch the snitch since they'd got back to the common room. Alice had clocked out about forty minutes ago and she was pretty sure Edward wasn't far behind her.

  "Hey, Grace, let's go upstairs. I desperately need a hand picking out what to wear tonight." Alice interrupted her loudly, as she heard light snores from Edward. He snapped up drowsily.

  Grace looked briefly flummoxed as she lost her train of thought, but recovered quickly, switching off her quidditch brain. "Oh my god, you are so right! We need to get a move on. We only have two hours before everyone will be here!"

  "And two hours is...not enough time?" Edward questioned sceptically.

  Alice sarcastically shook her head at Edward in a way that said of course not how could you be so ignorant! while Grace was more sincere in her exasperated "No!". Grabbing Alice's hand the girls flew up the staircase to their dormitory.

  Alice opened her wardrobe, stared at it, uninspired, and groaned. She had left all her nice clothes back home in France or at her father's house. And funnily enough with her tightly packed schedule she hadn't had a chance to pick anything up since she'd got here. She sighed and perched on the edge of her bed, resolving to help Grace out first.

  Grace held up two dress options. One a pastel yellow and the other a deep green velvet. Alice thought the yellow suited her personality more but suggested the green was more appropriate for the occasion. Grace agreed.

  "Do you think you'll end up talking to Freddie tonight?" Alice tiptoed.

  "I think I probably should after...everything earlier." She waved her hands dramatically. "But he can come to me, I'll hear him out at least."

  "Sounds wise."

  Alice got up to zip up the back of Grace's dress while Grace chewed her lip in thought.

  "I feel bad he didn't get to play today, because of me."

  "Oh no no no, this is not your fault and you do not owe him anything." Alice placed steadying hands on the other girl's shoulders. "He did what he did today knowing it might not change anything between you. And nothing has to unless you want it to."

  "I don't know what I want." She stared at the floor, almost embarrassed she was even considering taking Freddie back. She snapped up, overly abruptly, back to her energetic self. "What do you think you're going to wear Alice?"

  "No idea." She pouted. "I don't have anything even vaguely suitable with me."

  "Hey, what about this one?" Grace pulled a simple but elegant black dress out of her wardrobe and held it up against Alice's body. "It would suit you a lot better than me, I never like to wear black, it washes me out."

  Alice liked to look good as much as everyone else, but it was never her aim to stand out in a crowd. And this dress was perfect. It was plain and unadorned but in a classic way that she liked.

  "Are you sure I can borrow it?"

  "Yes of course! Don't be silly!" Grace assured, tossing the garment to Alice and ushering her to change.

  It fit her like a glove and gave her somewhat featureless form a flattering shape. Alice was pleased with the final result in the mirror.

  "Okay, you're keeping that dress. It looks far too good on you not to, don't you dare try to give it back to me."