It is funny how things happen in life; they come from nowhere and catch you unawares. It's when you least expect it and can cause the course of your life to take a drastic change. These things have happened to many of us and will happen to even more before the world ceases to exist. This is a story that attempts to bring hope to those who desperately need the hope. This is one situation where you don't have to experience the frustration, and even the pain, of the blindsiding of Anna directly.

A loud, caustic noise shatters the silence of the peaceful morning. It is quickly followed by groaning and a few choice words from the lump in the bed next to it. "Hello?," the lump sleepily mumbles into the mouth piece.

"Good! I am sooooooo glad you are awake. I've been waiting allllllllll morning to call you!," a chipper, female voice shouts on the other end.

"...Elizabeth, it is 9 in the damn morning you twat! How could you've been waiting all morning?," the rather displeased lump, also known as Anna, growls.

"Well Daddy woke me up a little early to tell me the great news! Guess what that is!"

"Just tell me. Now!," Anna snipped.

"Welllllllllllllllllllll, you know the Malfoy ball that is hosted every year? Well we were invited this year!," Elizabeth screeched excitedly, "Isn't that just so fitting with Daddy's new status?"

"Simply superb. This really couldn't have waited until a reasonable hour of the morning? I'm really happy for your family and all, but I am going back to sleep. Goo-"

"NO!WAIT!IHaven'tToldYouTheBestPartYet!," was rushed before Anna had a chance to escape, "Daddy said you could attend the ball with us!"

"Bloody hell!," Anna groaned.

"I know right! It's just sooooooooooo awesome and a dream. You do have something appropriate to wear? I know that you don't have much experience with events like this, but that is only to be expected from a school like the South Carolina School of Magik. At the Reim School of Magic we have balls like this allllllll the time."

Anna was becoming increasingly frustrated with the conversation and with Elizabeth. Her habit of putting on airs, especially when interacting with Anna, was quite tiring. Unfortunately for Elizabeth, while her family tried to quash the rumors, it was known among certain circles that they did not descend from the original line, rather a wayward branch that had bred with muggles. Anna could not have cared less about blood purity, but it irked her that she was being belittled and condescended.

"Elizabeth, why would I want to attend that?" Anna questioned. The added benefit of being sent off to wizarding boarding school at the age of ten was that she hadn't been required to attend a Malfoy ball in the last six years.

"It is the event of the season! Who wouldn't want to be there? I thought you'd be more grateful for the once in a life time invitation that I am extending you!"

"I appreciate the invitation, but I fear that I may not meet the standards set and will bring shame to your family," Anna snipped, "Why don't you invite Salina? I'm sure she would love the invitation."

"Awwww why would you put me in that position? You know she would never fit in there and would probably do something inappropriate with her lack of manners. Please?" Elizabeth pleaded and whined.

"Ugggg, when is the damn thing?"

"Yeay! It is December 24 of course," she told Anna in that "everyone knows that" voice.

"Oh darn. I really cannot make it; Grandmother already has made me promise that I will attend another Christmas celebration with her on the eve. What terrible luck that is…"

"…You're lying aren't you? If I call her and ask her will she tell me the same thing?" Elizabeth intensely questioned.

"That doesn't deserve a reply. Good bye Elizabeth, I am going back to sleep. Ask Salina."

Anna hung up promptly, muttering to herself about how that girl was a serious piece of work. At least Grandmother had come through for her, even though she was still dreading having to attend whatever event was scheduled for the two of them. Grandmother had decided that it was time for Anna to make her society debut and take up the family mantle.