Ellie the Marauder | Sirius Black

|14| Getting Ready for Alice's Boyfriend's Dog's Party

I was sitting on one of the many vanity stools in the fifth year girls' dorm bathroom (against my will thanks to Alice's stupid sticking charm), as she began to get me all dolled up for her boyfriend's dog's party.

"Alice I don't really see why I have to— SWEET MERLIN! What are you doing here Moony?!" I exclaimed. If I hadn't been charmed to the seat, I would've jumped right out of it with surprise. Why is Moony in my bathroom?! I'd expect this kind of behavior from James or Sirius, but Remus?!

"I needed someone with experience dealing with your hair." Alice explained with a unfazed shrug. "Lily's M.I.A., so Remus was the next best option. I had to levitate him to get him up those damn steps."

"I know where Lily is..." I said with a sneaky smile.

"Lovely. Now let's get to work, I told James I would have you ready by 8pm and it's already..." she trailed off looking down at her watch.

"Good Godric Alice! It's only 4:30pm! What all are you planning to accomplish?!" I said incredulously. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little frightened of whatever her answer would be.

"Well there's your hair, your nails, and your make up of course, oh and your outfit, and then some extra-time for emergencies and such."

I rolled my eyes. "Is dinner on the schedule?" I asked. All I had eaten that day was bacon, some Pepper Imps, and the hindquarters of one of Sirius's Peppermint Toads. 

"Oh! I knew I forgot something!" Alice said, snapping her fingers frustratedly.

"I'll just get Tipsy," (AKA THE SWEETEST HOUSE ELF AT HOGWARTS) "-to bring something up for her. She loves 'Lady Greengrass'!" Remus said with a smirk.

"Why are you smirking!? Tipsy is wonderful!" I grumbled crossing my arms over my chest.

"I never said she wasn't!" He said putting his hands up defensively. "Now, Alice I really don't know how much help I'm going to be with all this! I only know how to do her hair, and that's only because... uh.." Remus trailed off unsurely, "well ... um.. err... well you know why Snugs..." he mumbled awkwardly.

Yes, I did know. I also knew why Remmy was feeling so awkward. He always got like that when he accidentally mentioned my mum in conversations.

You see, Remus came over to my house, along with Lily, the summer before my second year when my mum first got sick with Dragon Pox. She knew there was a chance she wouldn't make it.. and since I inherited her unruly curly hair, she made a point to teach my friends how to manage it (despite my protests). She sat with Lily and Remus and explained all sorts of tips and tricks to make it not look like a crazy lions mane. She knew at some point I would want to look nice, and that without a mother there to teach me, I would need someone to help.

She had tried to teach me initially, but I refused to let her. I refused to believe she could ever really pass away and leave me. I always thought she would pull through and help me figure out all the girly stuff when I got older. But she didn't, so it makes me all the more thankful that I have sweet friends like Lily and Remus.

Alice waved her hand dismissively at the teenage werewolf (not that she knew he was one) as she started to rummage through a drawer for the right shade of whatever she was about to paint my nails. "I just need you to keep her entertained. I cannot deal with her whinging the whole time."