Masquerade

Masquerade

I wished a wish you asked me to wish
To see if it will come true
I say they don't, you say they do
How can I tell that I love you?

Chapter 3: A Christmas Wish
Fifteen-year-old James Potter yawned loudly and disturbingly in the Hogwarts library. For the innocent refreshment sound of the brain, he earned a glare and three points deduction from Madam Pince, the new librarian. James groaned. That was the fiftieth point he had lost for Gryffindor that week. Looks like the house won’t be in running for the House Cup this year.

‘Would you please keep it down, James!’ Jenny Kurt hushed. ‘I need to concentrate!’

‘Well I can’t help feeling tired,’ James retorted. ‘Besides, you dragged me here!’

Years have gone by just like a lightning bolt. James is now a fine young wizard, a Quidditch team player and one of the smartest kid in school. No one could figure out the reason how Dunce Potter undergone a massive wave of transformation into Genius James. Rumours are that his new stepmother had gone strict on him.

Sirius had earned a perfect reputation from a spot-clean record to being top in the teacher’s List of Black Listed Students, which, I am sure, spoke well for his deeds and actions the past few years.

Remus had received a title for being the Sick Boy, because of the school absence. His sister, seventh-yeah Rebecca Lupin received the same title too, for the same reason.

Peter never changed. He is still a goody-two-shoes and a mister homework genius. Don’t get me wrong now: he earned the Homework Genius as in a genius in copying homework at a superb speed. Mach 1 was the best, so far. The quill and ink was always a blur in his hands.

Lily’s imagination and fantasies grew even larger than before, if possible. She was a quiet girl, still, but for some reasons or another, she was selected as one of the lucky players for Gryffindor Quidditch Team. It was another wonder of the school when she was chosen as a prefect. That gave the other Gryffindors a mighty shock of their life.

Jenny had finally removed her over-large glasses, looking, as Lily would say, like a "faraway princess from a faraway land". She’s exchanged her shyness for a little more boldness, too.

‘Well, stiffle it!’ Jenny scowled.

‘Fine,’ James muttered, dozing off at once.

‘No sleeping in the library!’ Madam Pince yelled, kicking him out at once. Talk about strictness. James growled and left the library in a grumpy mood.

~ * * ~

‘Hello Lily,’ James greeted the redhead when he entered the common room. Lily was buried deep in her storybook on The Last And Future King: A King Arthur Series.

‘Hello. Merry Christmas Eve,’ Lily said blankly, flipping the pages.

‘Huh?’

‘Nothing. How’s your baby brother?’

‘Fine,’ James muttered. ‘I’m getting him a rattle soon. That okay?’

‘He’s two,’ Lily said matter-of-factly, closing the book so that she can pay her full attention to the conversation they are having.

‘Oh, will a pacifier do then? Or napkins? Hey, maybe he’d like some crayons!’

‘Get him a book,’ Lily suggested brightly. The boy groaned.

‘Forget it, Lily. I don’t want any bookworm in the family.’

‘I feel so thankful,’ Lily said sarcastically.

~ * * ~

‘W- would you like to dance?’ the girl in yellow asked. James sighed. Again. Every year, this girl will come and ask him the question. And every day, James rejected her. Today is no difference.

‘No, I’m not feeling well,’ James lied, leaving instantly. He hated being bombarded with questions.

It is almost a routine to James. It is a routine. Right as soon as he can excuse himself and buzz off, he would and head straight for the lake where he would find the mysterious girl, which he had nicknamed Cerulean.

‘Hello,’ Cerulean’s voice greeted him as he neared. ‘It’s a beautiful night, isn’t it? The stars are very pretty today and Luna is at its crescent cheshire grin.’

‘Yes, I guess so,’ James said in puzzlement. He had no idea what cheshire is, and even less idea of whom Luna is. ‘Why are you always here anyway?’

‘Just because,’ the girl answered, her lips smiling serenely at the calm lake.

‘Because?’

‘My prince might be here someday. Waiting for me,’ Cerulean said. She paused. ‘He might be here and I want to meet him when he is.’

‘Why would he be here?’ James asked in puzzlement. ‘He can be elsewhere. How would you know? How do you know? You don’t happen to take Divination, do you?’ James’s Divination class was woolly. He knew

that he hadn’t got the talent, but cooking up the future and playing some pranks just to prove to the Professor that what he’d predicted came true was just a happy hobby of his.

Not to mention that it might help him with his OWLs, too.

‘My heart tells me that this is the place,’ Cerulean whispered quietly, as if not really trusting herself with her words. She then went on with a more confident tone. ‘The place where my prince will come, riding on his milk white steed. He will take me away—far, far away. And when he does, you will never see me again.’

James’s heart sank.

‘Not even when I come back here?’

‘No. We might have met in school, but I don’t know you and you don’t know me… We’re strangers.’

‘You can tell me who you are.’

‘No! I won’t!’ Cerulean snapped sharply. James was quite taken aback.

‘Why not?

‘Because the magic will be broken. The woven spell will be trampled. Would you like to see me anymore, if you know who I am? I shouldn’t think so. No, it is best things are left the way they are.’

‘Okay,’ James said, deciding that there’s some truth in her words and also found himself thinking "She’s CRAZY!" in his mind.

‘So. What will your Christmas wish be, Night?’ Cerulean asked in hopes to change the current subject. ‘And your dream? Is it still for your dear mother to tuck you in?’ It sounded a lot like sarcasm, though James was sure Cerulean never quite meant it.

‘My dreams have changed,’ James began in a flat tone. ‘Mother’ll never come to me anymore.’

‘Oh? So what is it now?’

‘What’s yours?’

‘Mine? Hm. My dream is for my prince to come,’ Cerulean. ‘My wish is for him to be here.’

‘Well, I think—’

‘Don’t think: wish!’

‘There’s no use in wishing because no one’s here to grant them,’ James said reasonably. ‘Well, um… My dream is to see your face, my dear mysterious stranger.’ James added the last part in a rather teasingly.

‘My… face?’ Cerulean replied rather dazedly, clutching the silver-blue mask that hid her eyes.

‘If you can take it off,’ James added helpfully. ‘Some people just have it glued to their face for weird reasons. I think you’re rather normal to be able to pull it off.’

James could see the look of hesitation in her eyes. The eyes that looked blue… so like the nickname he had given her. He could see her delicate fingers fingering the mask, deciding whether or not they should fulfil his dream.

James pleaded silently to himself so that they fulfil it. Or sort of. He was nearly begging her mentally to pull it off and reveal herself.

‘Well, it’s glued to my face,’ Cerulean said, shrugging. ‘Guess I’m a little abnormal. What about your wish, then? Wishes come true – well, sometimes, I think – but dreams just take a little while longer.’ James rolled his eyes. Yeah right.

‘I wish, then, that I’ll know who you are by next Halloween. Or before,’ James said. Cerulean giggled a little.

‘Well, it’s granted already,’ said she. ‘You know me already!’

‘Yeah, but I wanna know you personally!’ James argued. ‘I want another wish!! Give me another!’

‘I’m afraid I’m no fairy godmother,’ Cerulean said, an amused smile playing on her lips. James racked his brains.

He grinned a little. ‘Well, you said you wish for your prince to be here.’ James looked around. ‘He isn’t.’

Cerulean sighed wistfully.

‘No, he isn’t,’ she said in agreement. ‘But it’s not Christmas yet, we can try wishing for what we want tomorrow night. Goodbye for now.’ With that, she rushed off.

James glanced at his new muggle wristwatch Cindy Potter (step-mum) had given him a few days ago. It was five minutes before midnight. She always left before midnight. Probably because she knew she had to reveal herself at that hour.

Just like that story Lily was always talking about. What was it again? Cinder- cinder- cinder- Ah!! Cinderella!

Maybe Cerulean is magic, in a way, just like Cinderella.

James wondered why hadn’t he placed a body-binding spell on her when they met. After all, he can pull that mask off easily, unless it’s really glued on her face.

Maybe it’s because it’s magic. James just couldn’t bring himself to place a body bind on that masked girl.

~ * * ~

‘Lily, do you know how James dress for the Masquerade?’ Jenny asked Lily on Christmas morning.

‘Morning. Merry Christmas, Jen,’ Lily yawned. ‘And no, I don’t know. Why do you ask? Got a crush on him?’

Jenny blushed. ‘Yes, b- but please don’t tell anyone, okay?’

‘How long?’ Lily asked tiredly, as though not even caring of Jenny’s pleas of not telling anyone. Jenny blinked for a while before realizing what Lily meant.

‘Every since our first year,’ she muttered quietly. Lily never heard her.

‘Make a wish, then. Christmas wishes come true. To you, I hope.’

‘What do you wish for, Lily?’ Lily thought for a while.

‘When I was young, I wished that I were a witch. I am one now, as you can see. On my first year, I wish to be smart. Pretty okay, since I got fairly good marks…’

‘What about the rest of the years?’

‘A huge secret, Jenny. It’s a huge secret.’

‘Why can’t you tell me, then? Friends always share secrets,’ Jenny protested.

‘Not in this case, Jenny Kurt,’ Lily said firmly. ‘All luck to you that your wish may come true.’ And that was the end of their talk.

~ * * ~

James was getting bored. Horribly bored. This Christmas, no prefects are allowed to go outside. No, pardon, not only this Christmas. It’s every Christmas. That was the reason why he couldn’t leave. He had tried to sneak out, but Dumbledore caught him.

Sigh. What rotten luck.

Why did he ever took up that stupid prefect post? Oh yeah, there wasn’t a substitute in Gryffindor fifth year for the boys. That was the worst choice James had chosen in his life. Sorta. His life hadn’t ended yet, so he shouldn’t be labeling the "worst" and the "best" yet.

And it had been thrice the yellow-dressed girl invited him for a dance. She came like a magnet every single Masquerade night, asking him to dance.

Ho-hum. I wonder if Cerulean’s out there, James wondered to himself, munching on the frostings off his Father Christmas cookie. He turned for more cookie from the refreshments table.

And there she is! Cerulean, the mysterious, blue robed Masquerade girl, absent-mindedly nibbling onto a ruby tart!

James froze in his spot. Wasn’t she supposed to be out there, just like she had last night, and many many nights before? Why is she here, looking as if she’s bored right out of her mind, like him?

Also, under the much-brighter-light-than-the-moonlight, James noticed that her hair had been red! Flaming red! How could he have mistook it for being black????

‘James. Hey, look here, pal!’ Sirius said. ‘You’re stealing my cookie!’

‘What?! But that cookie isn’t yours, Sirius,’ James scowled, turning away from Cerulean. ‘It’s from the refreshments plate! See, right here!’ he pointed at the place of cookies before him.

‘Well, this one has my name on it!’ his friend argued.

‘I don’t see any name.’ Sirius produced a black marker from his robe pocket and signed his initials on the cookie: S.O.B (Sirius Orion Black). James glared at it distastefully.

‘Sob? You want to cry? Or maybe it’s supposed to be SLOB?’ James said sarcastically.

‘Haha. Very funny. Now hand it over.’

‘Well, I don’t want a cookie with muggle poison in it,’ James muttered, handing the cookie to Sirius. His friend waltzed off joyfully. James turned back to Cerulean. She was gone.

You can’t expect her to keep standing there, you idiot.

‘Hello, would you like to dance with me?’ the girl in yellow asked again. James groaned inwardly. The fourth time!!!!!! HELP!!!!!!

‘No, thank you. I’m feeling rather dizzy,’ James said looking sick. He needn’t any stupid acting. Just looking at the girl make him feel as if he’s about to throw up. Her face fell – for the fourth time that night – and she left.

Couldn’t that Yellow Girl (he nicknamed her that, because she wears yellow) just see the message?? Wouldn’t or couldn’t she leave him in peace, for the sake of all Gods…?? I mean, there HAS got to be something in the bible or the Holy Books that say annoyance is strictly forbidden, right???

‘Hello, Night,’ a cheerful voice greeted. James’s heart skipped a beat. Cerulean!

‘Hello,’ James managed to choke out. ‘Why aren’t you out there?’ She laughed.

‘The same goes for you, then,’ Cerulean replied. ‘But I have important business tonight. Can’t leave the Great Hall.’

‘Ditto to me,’ James said flatly, wondering what sort of business Cerulean had to do. Is she a prefect, too, like him? Or is it because she had decided that the warmth in the Hall is much pleasanter than the freezing lake bank? Who knows.

‘So, are you busy?’

‘Not really. Stuffing myself with food isn’t what you can call busy,’ James replied.

‘Wouldn’t you, er, invite me for a dance?’ Cerulean blushed. ‘I mean, I couldn’t, because it’s traditionally a man’s custom to do it.’

James would dearly love to say "The Yellow Girl need lessons from you" but decided against it. Instead, he held out his arm.

‘Sure, why not?’

Cerulean took it graciously as James led her to the dance floor. As they headed there, James could see the Yellow Girl, gaping in disbelief. James felt like poking a tongue at her, but dismissed it as immature for a boy of fifteen. After all, you’re a sort-of adult at this age.

Now he’s on the dance floor with the other dancing couples—and he’s just realized something essentially important.

‘Um, can you dance?’ James asked timidly.

‘Yep! I go for lessons!’ Cerulean replied cheerfully. She stopped for a while. ‘A long time ago, though. I don’t think I remember the steps anymore.’

‘Let’s just simply try any one, then,’ James said jokingly. ‘We’ll stand out from the crowd, in that way.’ Cerulean grinned.

‘Why not? I like that idea.’

They returned to the table after dancing to one song, their toes blistering but perfectly happy at their accomplishment of stares that they have received from the tango they tried to tango.

‘That was fun!’ Cerulean laughed. She checked her watch. ‘Oh my, it’s getting late now. G’night, Night.’ She bent over and pecked him softly on his cheek. ‘Thanks for the great night. See you!’

James fingered the tingling sensation Cerulean’s lips had left its mark on his cheek. The warmth in his body was heartrending, beautiful and… simply indescribable.

‘It’s time for your Christmas wish!’ a boy in green robes (supposedly HeadBoy) cried out, standing at the High Tables. ‘Make a wish now! May all your wish come true!’

I just wish to see Cerulean and know her better, James whispered in his heart. Just then, someone thumped his back.

‘Hey James, what’re you wishing for?’ Peter asked.

‘Something,’ James replied. ‘For something I want most.’

~ * * ~

The next night, things were back to normal. Yellow Girl asked for James’s company, got rejected and left sullenly. James headed straight for the lake banks, praying that Cerulean won’t be in any business as she was the night ago.

She was sitting there, beaming broadly at him when he came by.

‘I was wondering if you’ll be in the Hall again,’ Cerulean said, pinning a minute white flower onto his black robes.

‘What’s this for?’ James asked, pointing at the white flower.

‘It’s for you, what else? I wouldn’t give it to you if it were for someone else.’

‘No, really, what is it for?’

‘For fun. I just like it there,’ Cerulean shrugged.

There was a pause.

‘Cerulean?’

‘Yes?’

‘Why can’t you tell me who you are?’

‘Because it spoils the fun.’

‘Not even to grant my Christmas wish?’

‘Not even so. Wishes have a way to come. If you’re meant to know, you will know. If you’re not meant to know it, then you will never ever know it,’ Cerulean said, staring at the sky in a mesmerizing way.

Silence again.

‘This sounds really, really, really ironical, Cerulean,’ James blurted suddenly. ‘I’m in love with you.’

‘Nonsense!’ Cerulean scoffed at once. ‘Your princess is awaiting your return to her arms! She is awaiting for you! Go to her.’

‘But—’

‘And I. I’m waiting for my prince. For his milk white mare. For his love. And for his devotion to me,’ Cerulean whispered dreamily.

‘But what if you’re my princess? What if I’m your prince? What if we’re both destined to be?’ James said, making sure his italics were clear enough.

‘We’ll leave all these "what ifs" to what if themselves as they are only questions of might and might nots. I’m only a stranger in your eyes.’

‘And that is why I want you to show me your face! And tell me your name!’ James said. ‘Why wouldn’t you?’

‘Because- because this is blind love,’ Cerulean whispered, struggling to keep her voice from yelling out, too. ‘This is a mere blind love. You don’t know me, I don’t know you. We are never ever going to make it. I don’t want you to know me, either. We are strangers.’

‘Why not? A name wouldn’t hurt.’

‘If love were only skin deep… if love were only dreams… if love were only intelligence… if love were only mystery… But if love were none of those, do not seek me,’ the girl whispered. With that, she fled off with a hurried ‘Goodbye, Night.’

James stared after her in confusion. What happened??

What if love were a mixture of all those? What will he get? What is love were more than such mixture?? What will he get?

And what did Cerulean actually mean?

The girl with courtesy (at least, it showed only yesterday); mystery (that mask of her… how he long to yank it off!); intelligence (there is reason behind those fairytale talks); dreams (her wishes and such…); wit (those weird jokes of hers); sweetness and; beauty (so far as he’d seen anyway). The ever mysterious Cerulean.

James say out by the banks of the lake, hurt and pensive.

~ * * ~

‘Something on your mind?’ Remus asked, poking Jenny’s arm.

‘Oh, Remus,’ she said, shaking up from her daydream. ‘Remus, does- does James has a- a- a- a girlfriend?’ she stammered.

‘Not that I know of. Why?’

‘Because I- I—’

‘Want to date him,’ Remus finished for her. ‘But I think James has something – or someone, whatever – on his mind at the moment. You can try asking him.’

‘R- Remus?’

‘What?’

‘Can I ask you of a favour, please?’ Jenny mumbled.

‘What now?’

‘Please, find out which girl he likes!’ Jenny pleaded. ‘Do, please! I’ll owe you a favour! In the name of our friendship!’ Remus thought for a while.

Seeing no harm to it, he said, ‘Okay, I will.’

~ * * ~

‘Hey!!! Father says I can invite you all to my house this summer!’ James said happily, swinging a letter before his friends’s faces. ‘And that means all of you are coming, like it or not!’

‘What if I can’t come?’ Peter asked.

‘He’ll drag you there from the ends of Earth,’ Lily joked. ‘Right from the igloos!’

‘Er, how long is it?’ Remus asked nervously.

‘Oh, don’t worry Remus, the mansion’s BIG,’ James said, winking at Peter and Sirius in particular. ‘We’ll have loads of fun!’

‘What about Jenny? She’s not here,’ Lily said.

‘Dad says only four people can come,’ James said, looking at the letter. ‘You, Sirius, Remus Peter. Four. Besides, Cindy’s nieces are visiting.’

‘I feel bad for Jenny,’ Lily said solemnly. ‘Why couldn’t she come?’

‘Because dad says four!’ James said. He dropped his tone to a whisper, ‘and because she’s been following me like a puppy! And it’s downright annoying.’

‘Maybe she likes you,’ Sirius joked.

‘Well, I sure don’t like her much,’ James said, somehow recalling Cerulean’s words last night. ‘She reminds me a lot of Yellow Girl.’

‘Huh?’

‘Never mind.’

‘So when do we come?’ Peter asked.

‘The second day of holiday. For a whole month,’ James grinned. ‘And Cindy’s holding a party for her stupid niece too. Yuck.’ He made a face.

‘Sounds fun,’ Lily said.

‘Get some robes,’ Sirius said.

‘Muggle clothing will suit me fine,’ Lily said.

‘Say, James, had any of your lovely cousins in mind?’ Remus asked suddenly. He then mentally kicked himself for a stupid start to finding whom James likes.

‘Gracious, no!!!!! Yucky!!!’ James cried in pure horror.

‘Then who do you have in your mind?’ Peter asked curiously. Heh, it worked, all the same! Hurrah for Peter! Hurrah for Peter!

‘You looked spaced out these days,’ Sirius commented. ‘Spill the beans, Potter.’

‘Go on, James, I’m interested in knowing,’ Lily said. ‘And you boys, too. Hurry up!’

Sirius gaped in horror. ‘Why us??’

‘It’s James we’re tackling here,’ Remus reminded.

‘Yeah,’ Peter nodded. ‘No use denying now, Jimmy. Do you or do you not have someone in your mind?’

‘If no, I know someone who’s interested,’ Remus grinned evilly.

‘Can we drop this?’ James pleaded.

‘No. hurry, before King Arthur slays you!!!’ Lily said. James eyed her oddly. He reflected back to Cerulean’s masked face that Christmas night.

‘Alright. It’s no one,’ he said. ‘Absolutely no one,’ he repeated firmly, the tone of his voice carrying the meaning threat of "Drop it now or I’ll curse all of you!"

‘Let’s use a spell on him,’ Peter said. ‘See if he’s telling the truth.’

‘Oh, no you don’t!!’ James exclaimed. ‘It’s almost time for the party. Gotta run!!!’ with that, James dashed off.

~ * * ~

James was almost convinced that, after his confession of love to her, she would never meet him anymore from then on. He had reasoned to himself that he can NOT love this girl because he don’t KNOW her.

He got himself convinced. Or so he thought. His conscience was bugging him, but James found a way to shut it up. Threatening it with curses had prove effective.

Cerulean rushed down the steps of the great castle hurriedly, puffing and panting heavily for all that was worth.

‘Hi. Got chased. By Filch,’ she breathed, slumping down tiredly.

‘I’m sorry about yesterday,’ James mumbled.

‘Whatever. It isn’t your fault, I think.’

‘I want to invite you over to my place. Can you come? This summer?’ James asked. His father’s letter had stated four friends, but he can be talked into an extra resident. Cerulean stared at him in pure horror.

James slapped himself. Yeah, like he expect her to wear that mask of hers for a whole summer. Eat yourself, Potter!

‘Sorry. A friend had invited me,’ Cerulean said, still grasping her breath. ‘Whole summer.’

‘Ah,’ James said. ‘Well, what shall we do tonight?’

‘Catch fish,’ Cerulean suggested, magicking some fishing rods, a can of fat worms and some net.

‘Whatever for?’

‘I’m hungry. A trout would be nice.’ She magicked a small fire nearby.

‘I can do with some salmons,’ James sad in agreement. ‘Just hope we don’t get the Giant Squid.’