Sister of black (Harry potter marauders era)

12. Christmas ball

I followed Lily out of our dormitory.
"Lily wait up!" I yelled to her, as she rushed down the stairs. I walked down the stairs, slowly as I didn't want to trip over. As I followed Lily into the common room, I stared around, looking for Remus. I spotted him, talking to James. James looked up mid-conversation, he saw me, grinned, nudged Remus and nodded towards me. I grinned nervously, when Remus saw me his jaw dropped and he stared at me. I blushed furiously as more people turned to stare at me.
"Told you, you look stunning," Lily whispered as we walked towards the boys.
"You look... wow," Remus breathed as we stopped in front of them.
"Thanks," I did looking down at my feet.
"Sirius and Peter should be down soon, then we can go to the great hall," James said eyeing Lily up and down.
"Yeah," I said smiling nervously at Remus, and he returned it. About ten minutes later Sirius and Peter came down the stairs from the boys dormitory. Sirius raised his eyebrows at me, as they walked over to us.
"Who are you and what have you done with my sister?" He said, smirking.
"She's locked away in my wardrobe," I replied.
"Well then if you're not my sister, I don't mind saying you look amazing," he said.
"Not so back yourself," I mused.
"Come on let's go down to the ball," James said, offering his arm to Lily, to which she declined it.
"I'm starting to regret coming with him," Lily hissed in my ear, as we climbed out of the portrait hole. We all walked down in silence and when we got to the entrance, Sirius and Peter went to find their dates. Just as I turned to talk to Remus a voice shouted over the crowd,
"Oi Black, I didn't think you were into half-blood nerds!" Lucius Malfoy, he was some distant relative and like the rest of the family, he thought purebloods were superior, he was in his last year at hogwarts but he still picked on me and Sirius.
"No, I don't actually care about blood, I mean look at you," I retorted.
"Ooooh, your getting all protective over Luny Lupin," he sang, I blushed bright red.
"At least she's not so stuck up her own family tree that she doesn't realise what's most important, having proper friends," Remus said. Malfoy narrowed his eyes and sank back into the crowd.
"You didn't have to," I mumbled to Remus, looking at my shoes.
"He's got no right talking to you like that," he replied lifting my head up, I smiled weakly at him and the doors opened.

The great hall had completely changed, all the tables were gone and one long table full of food and drink was at one end of the hall and many smaller tables were scattered round. There were ice sculptures and Christmas trees all around the hall and a stage were the teachers table normally was. Dumbledore was standing on the stage.
"If you will all move to the middle of the hall, the first dance will start," he said smiling widely at everyone.
"Do you want to dance?" Remus asked nervously looking at his shoes. I smiled,
"Yeah go in then." Grinning at each other we got into position, I looked to my right and saw Lily scowling at James as they did the same, to my left was Frank and Alice ready and waiting. Then the music started and everyone began to dance, Remus was surprisingly good, a little nervous at first but then he lefts his nerves behind and we danced, without any mistakes.

We danced for three songs, then I started to get tired and Remus went to go get some drinks. I sat at a table waiting for him.
"Where's Lupin?" Someone said behind me. I whipped around and saw the tall, greasy figure of Severus Snape.
"Gone to get drinks," I said coldly, "if you're looking for Lily she's dancing with James." He glared at me for a second.
"Potter?" He growled.
"Yes, James Potter," I replied. He sniffed and shuffled off, I watched Lily and James dance for a while then someone tapped me on my shoulder.
"I got them," Remus said handing me a butterbeer. I thanked him and we sat watching the couples dance for a while.
"What do people do at a ball, except for dance, drink, eat and talk," I mused swirling my drink round.
"Well I've never been to one before so," replied Remus.
"What are you doing just sitting there?" Sirius said walking over with a brown haired, slytherin girl in his arm.
"I thought you came here with a ravenclaw?" I said looking at the slytherin.
"I did, but I ditched her after one dance," he replied. I raised my eyebrows at him.
"Jake Parkinson has smuggled some alcohol here," he said playing with the girls hair, "want some?"
"No, and I implore you, you'll get into trouble," I said.
"Suit yourself," he said gruffly, "Remus?"
"No thanks and I agree with Lyra, you'll get in trouble."
"I'll be fine," he said walking towards a corner of the hall.
"This won't end well," Remus said.
"I know," I replied.
"Do you want to go for a walk," he asked.
"Yeah, better than just sitting here," I said standing up. We walked out of the hall and towards the quidditch field.
"What did you think?" He said as the wind ruffled his hair.
"Of the ball?" I said, "eh, it's alright if you've got lots of energy and legs of steel." He laughed,
"Yeah I know what you mean." We walked round the grounds, talking about the ball and what Sirius might do under the influence of alcohol.
"Let's go sit under the wishing tree," Remus said and we made our way to a small willow tree on a hill, we sat down and I started to shiver from the cold.
"Here," he said putting his jacket round my shoulders and wrapping his arms round me.
"Thanks," I breathed and we watched the crescent moon hang in the sky. I rested my head on his shoulder and he held me tight.
"Remus?" I said, remembering something.
"Hmm?" He said.
"Do you know anything about James, Peter and Sirius wanting to become animagi?" I asked.
"Why?" He said looking at me. Lifting my head up I looked at him too,
"They were talking about it in the common room a few weeks ago," I said.
"Lyra, there's something I haven't told you," he sighed.
"What?" I said. He brushed my hair with his fingers, my weakness if anyone did this to me I instantly melted.
"I've got a secret and they were trying to help me." He said.
"What is it? You can trust me."