Something Worth Leaving Behind

Chapter 4

The Ball

by Flora Watchman

On Friday night, the Great Hall was full of costumes of all sorts: heroes, villains, monsters, even a peacock. The topic of favorite book character had caused a frenzy across Hogwarts as everyone tried to frantically first figure out what their favorite book character was, and then the trouble of finding a costume that matched.

The out turn was a lot better than anyone would have guessed: people you'd never have expected even knew how to read came with elaborate costumes from a book you thought no one else knew about.

One of the biggest surprises was Lucius Malfoy, a seventh year Slytherin, who showed up in a knightly garb, complete with jewel encrusted sword and dragon proof shield, claiming to be one of King Arthur's round table.

"According to Wizarding lore, of course," he'd add, although Narcissa, another seventh year Slytherin, his date, would shake her head behind him in her dark pixie costume of black and royal purple with trimmings and striped stockings of bright green and big black combat boots she'd created based off Trixy from The Real Faerie Tales by Realie Binther.

Amos Diggory, a seventh year Hufflepuff, had come as Dranma, the vampire from Margaret Hasty's I'll Love You to Death, with Lily Evans, sixth year Gryffindor, on his arm, without question going as Samanda, a woman whom Dranma had tempted into taking the Vampire's Kiss to live with him eternally. Many people pointed out that Samanda had been killed half way through the book by some foolish Muggle priests, but Lily assured them that they were before she had been bitten.

Doriana Grey, a sixth year Ravenclaw, and the infamous Sirius Black, a sixth year Gryffindor, came as Dracula, from the Muggle book of the same name, and his "latest victim," as he replied, flashing sharp white teeth he had charmed long for the night. They were dressed in elegant black dress robes, Black's red-lined velvet cape and her dress swishing around them as they danced, Grey with her hair pinned behind her to show off a fresh-looking bite on her neck above her low-lying neck line, which Black boasted he had done himself.

His brother, Regulus Black, a fourth year Slytherin, had come with Jing-Mei Wong, a fourth year Ravenclaw, as a prince and princess, and when asked for a specific, they couldn't seem to agree on one.

Morrigan O'Carey, a sixth year Gryffindor, had dressed like her namesake, the Irish goddess Morrigan, in a black dress with open sleeves lined with black feathers and a beaked mask, along with a crow companion, later revealed to be Gilbert Wimple, a sixth year Ravenclaw. (Gilbert was known to be a bit... eccentric. To be honest, many people thought he might've given himself a concussion and not known it, as he was known to experiment with charms in his free time.)

James Potter, a sixth year Gryffindor had arrived with Alice Windrow, fellow sixth year Gryffindor, on his arm, both dressed in Celtic dress robes, as Sir Marcus and his wife, Lucinda, from Maggie O'Kerrigan's classic Elven Kings.

Peter Pettigrew, sixth year Gryffindor, and Patricia Poyer, sixth year Ravenclaw, had costumed themselves as two of Santa's elves in the timeless Christmas classic An Arctic Adventure by Kristopher Kringley.

Erin Marley and Frank Longbottom arrived as Alice and the Mad Hatter from the Muggle Classic Alice in Wonderland.

One of the greater wonders, however, was when Bellatrix Black and Rodolphus Lestrange showed up as Mongojerrie and Rumpleteaser from the Muggle musical Cats. They argued was based off Old Possum's Book of Cats, but rather than the source, the costume was what had most people whispering. How had they managed to get into them?

The list went on and on as the students filled the hall, each sharing with the Professors who they were portraying and from where for the costume judging contest. The teachers themselves had been asked to dress up, and also got their fair share of compliments.

Professor McGonagall had come as the Housekeeper from the Secret Garden and Professor Dumbledore came as Gandalf the Grey from The Lord of the Rings: the Fellowship of the Ring. Professor Florence, the DADA teacher, came as Willy Wonka from Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and was very successful in creeping more than a few unwary students by asking for their costume in a wispy and slightly insane way.

Overall, it was very amusing for everyone to guess who was who, and it was even more amusing that most everyone guessed incorrectly.

Some of the more baffling were Severus Snape, a sixth year Slytherin, as Batty from the story Ferngully; Demarvius Evile, a seventh year Ravenclaw, as an anonymous Alchemist in the Japanese manga Fullmetal Alchemist; Marylin Rosemary, seventh year Hufflepuff, as the White Witch from the Chronicles of Narnia: the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe; and Marcus Avery, as Montmorency, from a Muggle book of the same name.

Also among the count, although they arrived rather late in the evening, was Remus Lupin, a sixth year Gryffindor, and Olivia Benson, a sixth year Slytherin, who arrived in a costume of late eighteenth century France, later confirmed as Belle and the Prince from the timeless Muggle French fairy tale Beauty and the Beast.

"Well, this is quite a party, eh?" Sirius said as he approached the punch bowl where James and Peter had already taken residence.

"I hate how you always get the good characters," James muttered as he noticed with disgust that Sirius was having a little trouble with his drink as his teeth were getting in the way.

"Well, Prongs, what can I say? I'm a natural." He flashed them an eerie, toothy, vampire grin, and Peter gave a shiver. "Now eef you vill excuse me," he added in a thick Austrian accent, "I haff a lady to attend to..." James glared at him as he floated away.

"Man, sometimes I really hate that guy..." he said thoughtfully, "But you have to admit - he's the best at what he does."

"And what exactly is that?" Peter asked as he watched Sirius give his date her punch while hovering over her much like a true vampire might his victim. He whispered something in her ear, his teeth bared, and mimicked biting her on the neck rather realistically, making a couple people look at them in surprise.

"Making a scene."

"Isn't this great?" Olivia asked as she and Remus sat down on the side. Both of their faces were flushed from waltzing around the Great Hall, but there were having a wonderful time.

"This is one of the best nights of my life," he replied, smiling as he saw Regulus float by, with a princess that he hadn't come with.

Olivia saw it too and called out, "Does your betrothed know you're dancing with her?"

Regulus spun his date around and glared at the two of them, then continued dancing with a dramatically contemptuous air.

Remus laughed at his antics and then turned to his date.

"Should I get us a drink then?"

"That would be lovely," she replied and he kissed her hand politely before leaving for the punch.

As he approached the table, he saw James and Peter at the table and James seemed rather annoyed about something. He looked to see if Lily might've been dancing nearby, but he didn't see her. He made his way warily through the crowd as he hadn't spoken to or even seen any of the marauders since breakfast that morning. He hoped they weren't mad at him.

When he broke through the crowd, Peter spotted him, waving him over.

"What's up, Moony? Who are you supposed to be?"

"The Prince," he replied, getting two cups. "From the Beauty and the Beast."

"So where's the Beauty?" James asked, leaning against the table.

"Sitting on the wall." Remus filled the cups and sensed they were still watching him and when he looked up, he saw they were.

"What's up?"

"So, who'd you bring?" James asked. "I mean, you never told me who you were taking to the ball."

"You never asked," Remus replied, getting uncomfortable.

"Well, it's not like you've got a Slytherin for a date..." he said with a chuckle as he took a sip from his drink. When he didn't get an answer, he spit it out.

"You've got a Slytherin for a date?!"

Remus arranged the drinks on the table before picking them up, not saying a word.

"Remus, you can't tell me you're serious!"

"Nah, I am."

James glared up at Sirius as he joined them, taking one of Remus' cups and downing it. But Remus didn't say a word, but just got another cup and filled it.

"Sirius, Remus has got a Slytherin for a date!"

"What?" Sirius turned from James to Remus and back again. "No, he doesn't."

"Yes, he does!" James replied. "Ask him!"

"I'm not going to ask him! That's stupid!"

"I am still here, you know..." Remus muttered, but Peter seemed the only one who noticed, and took that as a cue to go find his own date.

"Well, then I'll ask him. Remus, do you have a Slytherin date?"

At this point, however, Remus had his two required cups and left.

"Remus!"

But he kept going.

James scoffed. "I can't believe he's with a Slytherin!"

"He never said that, YOU did."

"But the fact that he was silent meant that it's true!"

Sirius chuckled. "Not always."

"Well..." James fought to find the words to express himself, but came up short. "Oh, bother! Did you get that firewhiskey?"

"Right here," Sirius replied with a devilish grin, made even more demonic by his teeth, as he slipped a bottle from under his cape.

"Well, hurry it up, already. I need a drink."

When Remus returned to Olivia, he found her talking to none other than Severus Snape. He didn't know what to say at first, but Olivia looked up, saw him, and smiled, waving him over.

"Remus! I'm over here!"

He pursed his lips, but came over anyway, handing her the cup.

"Thanks," she said as she took it, and turned back to Snape. Remus noticed he was looking at him strangely, his face looking more like he was trying to puzzle him out, but his eyes seemed to burn right through his soul, and made Remus feel suddenly very guilty. Remus turned away, and Snape's eyes flicked back to Olivia's, where she continued their conversation on simple love potions.

"Well, I always thought that dandelion was responsible for that."

"No, it's actually the rosemary. Would you like for me to explain it to you more in-depth? We could meet in my dungeon, say... four tomorrow?"

Olivia smiled. "Sure."

Snape nodded, and, after giving Remus another strange look, swept away.

"What was that all about?" Remus asked, his voice sounding a little sharper than he had meant.

"Nothing. Just Potions help."

"I thought we weren't supposed to make Love Potions here," he retorted.

"Well, you're also not supposed to be sneaking around after hours with your little friends, pranking poor Slytherins, are you?"

He nodded. "That's a pretty good point."

She grinned at him. "And I thought of it all myself." She ducked under his arm and brought it over her shoulder, and he smiled, hugging her close.

"This wasn't so bad, was it?"

"No, I'll admit it wasn't." He glanced warily around the crowd, but she yanked on a lock of his hair when she spotted him.

"Hey... No worry-wartin' for you tonight, mister. I signed up for the marauder, not the prefect."

He chuckled and gave her a kiss.

Had he been paying attention, Remus would've noticed the crowd part for a rather furious looking James Potter just as their lips met.