✔️ 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐓𝐄𝐆𝐎 → ℎ. 𝑝𝑜𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑡𝑤𝑖𝑛 𝑠𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑦

17 | E N T R A N C E

   Whenever Ember looked into the mirror, like really paying attention to her reflection, not just doing her morning routine, it left her with a bitter taste on her tongue. Always had she been jealous with Harry for having their mother's eyes. It's not that she didn't like her father's eyes, the ones she got. It was that she looked nothing like Lily Potter at all. No red wavy hair, no freckles on her nose, no dimples when she smiled. Often Ember looked down upon her mother's old photographies, wishing that there was just anything on her that would remind of Lily Potter.

   Today, Ember found herself once more in the front of the mirror, now with a stunning dress, the beautiful make-up Susan had done her, and her usually messy black hair falling in soft waves down her spine. But also there was a lump growing in her throat as she looked at herself, for the first time in her life caught in the fright what people might think.

   Ember had never owned a dress before. She owned shirts, old leaky shirts that once belonged Dudley, that she easily could wear as dresses for some of them reached down below her knees. Her saggy jeans — the same Harry used to wear — in combination with those way too large shirts made her look like a glassless, longhaired version of her brother.

   But not tonight.

·

   "You don't think she will stand me up?" Fred was running his fingers through his flaming red hair, eyes swaying over the hundreds of heads of the crowd.

   "If I was her, I would", Angelina snickered, standing next to George who just grinned at her words.

   "She'll be here soon", a brusquely voice appeared behind the group of Fred, George, Angelina and Lee, and as they turned around, they looked down on Ember's two friends, Susan and Hannah. While the redheaded Hannah was smiling shyly at the four Gryffindors, Susan's eyes had narrowed at Fred. "Okay, listen up, Weasley", the latter spoke, her hands pressed against her hips, "she's still turning her insecure arse in the front of the damn mirror, she's nervous as hell, and though she is looking absolutely stunning tonight, she is drowning herself in self-doubt —"

   "Oh please, I'm sure you're massively exaggerating", Fred scoffed. "It's Ember. She's fierce! Why would she be nervous?"

   "Because, smart ass, our little Emmie has finally noticed that she indeed is a girl", Susan replied, rolling her eyes at Fred. "And believe me when I say that being a girl isn't a sweet cup of tea. Am I right?" She threw a look at Angelina.

   "She has a point, Fred", Gryffindors' Chaser snorted with a nod.

   "So Emmie now expierences the loads of terms and conditions of being a girl", Susan explained, her sparkling blue eyes again piercing into Fred's, "and I swear to you now, Weasley, if you won't be nice around her, if you will pull one of your shit-ass pranks on her —"

   "Of course I won't!", Fred exclaimed, the corner of his mouth twitching, but not in amusement. Touched by the fact that Ember was losing herself in so much trouble about this ball, he could hardly surpress a smile when thinking of her adorableness. "Really, Bones, I'm up to nothing, I'm here with her as friends, I won't pull pranks and I have no intentions at all, but having her have a fun night."

   Eyebrow still arched up, Susan gave a slow nod. "I want her back in the dorm at midnight, mister! And I dare you to let her drink alcohol! I swear, if you'll spike the drinks, I —"

   "Who are you, her nanny?", George laughed, while Fred's lips couldn't hind to curl up into a smirk any longer, as he said, "She's in good hands, I swear."

   "As if I would believe you", Susan muttered, before raising her voice once more. "Fine, have you by any chance seen Harry? I feel the need to tell him that I will have him swallow his own nuts if he'll be a drama llama tonight."

   "Just look for the ugliest dressrobe in the hall, that's Ron", Fred grinned. "Harry will be somewhere close."

   With a grim nod, she grabbed Hannah's wrist and pulled the small ginger with her. Hannah herself threw a last apologetic look at Fred, before the two Hufflepuffs vanished in the crowd.

   "She's fun, isn't she?", Lee chuckled, still staring at the point where Susan's blonde mane had been last seen. "Do you think she would — by Hagrid's fat butt!"

   "What — ?" But Fred's question remained unspoken, as he slowly followed Lee's gaze and noticed that his friend wasn't the only one staring.

   Where Hannah and Susan had just vanished, the crowd now seemed to part. Heads turned, lips parted, eyes widened, and in the middle of all of this, a small figure made her way, eyes locked with the ground, but still the blush on her cheeks was glowing like fire.

   Lee's reaction was valid. More than valid. Because whatever Fred had imagined, this wasn't even coming close to what now happened here. Jet black curls half framing, half covering her face, but even though her adorable hazel eyes were lowered at her feet, there was no chance Fred couldn't notice that hidden smile dancing on her lips.

   Shy, hesitant, refusing to look at anyone, Ember made her way through the gasping and glaring crowd, the silk silverish cloth of her dress reflecting the lights of the torches on the walls, making it look like it was a flowing river in the light of a setting sun, changing colors just like her eyes used to do depending on the light that met her gaze. She held up the wide gown of her dress up a little high, so her feet won't get tangled in its fringe.

   Fred hadn't noticed that his lips had parted, until she was standing right in front of him, hazel eyes meeting his own chocolate brown, and quickly he moved his jaw back in place.

   "For a moment I thought you have changed your mind", he said, replacing the smirk on his lips, while he was well aware that people were still stating.

   "For a moment I thought so as well", she chugged, tucking a strain of those raven black curls behind her ear. "Erm, is something wrong with Lee?"

   Still bug-eyed and his lips a perfect shaped 'o', Lee didn't take his eyes from Ember, not even blinking.

   "Don't know what you mean", said Fred in a casual tone. "Isn't he acting as mad as usual?"

   And as Lee shook his head and a grin spread his lips, in the middle of the crowd there was another pair of eyes, sapphire blue eyes, longingly watching as Ember took Fred's arm and let him lead her into the Great Hall.