"You look so beautiful, Marls!" Lily exclaims, running her eyes over her friend's gold-and-white dress. "You're going to knock everyone out with the way you look."
Marlene blushes. "I'm not that pretty," she says modestly. "Beside, there's only one person I want to knock out tonight." She points the magazine clipping taped to the wall, where Sirius Black grins arrogantly from the black-and-white picture.
"Bollocks, you look gorgeous," Lily counters, waving her hand for emphasis. "He's going to start drooling when he sees you."
Marlene smiles, patting her friend's shoulder. "Thanks Lily," she says sincerely. "Anyone you're hoping to impress tonight?"
Lily smooths down the skirt of her own dress, her eyes averted. "No one," she says smoothly. "I'm just going to have fun with my friends and maybe have a few drinks along the way."
"Bollocks," Marlene echoes. "You usually don't go to formal events. You always stay home and read. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but it's rather strange that all of sudden you want to go to this ball. It's just a charity event. Unless…" She peers at Lily, her eyes lighting up.
"...unless there is a special someone!"
"Don't be ridiculous, Marls," Lily replies lightly, a pale pink blush staining her cheeks. "I-I just want to see what it's like, going to a ball. There isn't a special someone."
"Mhm." Marlene sounds unconvinced. "Really, Lils, you're a terrible liar. Let me guess — is it Amos? Remus?"
"No one," Lily says firmly. "It's no one. I'm not going to impress anyone..."
Marlene obligingly shuts her mouth, looking disappointed.
"...besides, he's got his eyes on another girl," Lily finishes quietly, her eyes meeting Marlene's. "How on earth would he notice me?"
Before Marlene could react, she grabs her mask and hurries out of the room.
Marlene grills her during the carriage ride to the ball, but Lily doesn't reveal more than she already has. She sits back and deflects each of Marlene's prying questions with ease.
It seems like an eternity passes while they're in the carriage and as Lily steps into the cool air, she inhales softly with relief. As much as she loves Marlene, she didn't know how much longer she could dodge her questions before her resolve cracked.
She gives her invitation to the guard at the door and steps into the magnificent ballroom, which is decorated with bright colors and even brighter lights. It's almost blinding.
She and Marlene bind themselves by the hip, sticking together as they weave through the guests, searching for a familiar face.
"Oh my god." Marlene's fingers seize Lily's arm and grip it tight. "Oh my fucking god."
"Language," Lily reprimands, following her line of vision. "But what are you — oh."
Sirius Black stands a little ways ahead of them, conversing with another man in a tuxedo. He looks carelessly and devilishly handsome (as usual) and the cause of Marlene's panic.
But Lily had frozen too, for different reasons. Sirius Black never goes anywhere without his friends. And if Sirius is here, that meant he is here too…
But as she looks closer, the man has hair that is not jet black, not dishevelled — it's sandy blonde, which means it's not him. Whoever it is, it's not him. She exhales with relief.
"Oh my god, he's right there." Marlene looks a cross between starstruck and anxious. "How am I going to talk to him?"
Lily heaves in a breath. "If you want, I can go talk to him first and then pull you into the conversation. That way, you can calm down and prepare yourself."
"...All right," Marlene consents. "Have I ever told you that you're the best wingwoman there ever was?"
"All right, all right," Lily laughs. "Just go get yourself a boyfriend, and then you can tell me that."
Marlene shoots her a thumbs up and disappears into the crowd. Lily takes a deep breath and strides confidently to the men.
"Excuse me," she says politely, pretending to play dumb, "but do you happen to know where Sirius Black is?"
Sirius grins, peeling away his mask. "Well, you came to right person. I am him."
Lily pretends to ponder this, and then a large smile spreads across her face. "Well, I'll be damned," she swears, cursing on purpose. "It's an honor to meet you. I've heard an awful lot about you."
Sirius's face lights up. "Pleasure to meet you, Miss…"
"Sorry, I can't tell you that," she says reluctantly. "It wouldn't be a masquerade ball if I did, would it?"
"Hey, that's not fair." Sirius pouts childishly and Lily wonders what Marlene sees in him. "I had to unmask myself."
"You're a famous celebrity," Lily points out. "Anyone would have recognized you. The mask doesn't make a huge difference."
"And yet, you didn't recognize me."
Lily bites back a stinging retort. "Touche," she admits.
Just then, the crowd parts behind Sirius and Marlene reappears, a glass in her hand. She immediately locks eyes with Lily. Lily beckons her.
Marlene looks noticeably calmer. "Hey," she utters warmly, walking over to join Lily. "Who's this — wait, is that Sirius Black?"
Sirius is struck speechless, looking spellbound, his eyes scanning over her from head to toe. Lily hides a smile.
Looks like Marlene had caught her prey.
"Would you like to dance?" is what comes out of the superstar's mouth. Lily has to push back a giggle as a beautiful smile blossoms on Marlene's face as Sirius offers her his hand.
"I would love to." Marlene sends Lily a discreet look of triumph as she's led away. Lily watches her fondly, shaking her head.
"Well, that was certainly surprising." The other man, the one who had been deep in discussion with Sirius before Lily had interrupted, steps forward and offers a smile. His voice is gentle, familiar. She knows that voice.
Remus.
"What do you mean?" she asks.
"I've never seen him so smitten before," Remus replies, gesturing to Sirius and Marlene, both of whom look dazed and lovestruck.
"She looks smitten too," Lily notes aloud.
Remus leans closer and whispers slyly, "Very nice of you to set them up, Lily."
It takes a moment for his words to sink in. "W-What?" she squeaks.
"Hello to you too, Lily Evans," he says, smirking. "I know you've recognized me already, so it's onlyfair I return the favor."
"I-I don't know what you're —"
"Oh please." Remus grins. "Red hair, green eyes, a familiar voice — don't you think I'd recognize my friend's ex?"
Lily relaxes. There's no point in denying any longer. "You were always too observant for your own good."
"But it got me somewhere, didn't it?"
"Among other things." Lily smirks. "It totally wasn't because your boss fancies you or anything."
Remus sputters. "Dora — I mean, Tonks and I are just colleagues!" he protests.
"I never said anything about you two being in a relationship," Lily points out smugly. "I just said she fancies you."
Remus sighs, defeated. "Changing the subject, because I don't want to talk about this anymore," he throws a look at Lily, whose smirk curves upward, "anyone who you have your eye on?"
Not this again. "No one," she echoes her words from earlier. "There's no one." But a blush graces her cheeks again.
"There is someone!" he crows and Lily curses her tendency to blush when she's lying. And in front of Remus, of all people.
"There's no one," she defends hotly, her blush increasing in heat. "I swear —"
"Please, you only blush when you —"
"What's going on?" a new voice enters the conversation and Lily stills, her heart pounding against her ribs.
Fuck, fuck, fuck —
Remus sends her a look as Lily battles to get her heart under control and to get her mind functioning. She couldn't lose her cool around him.
Remus, bless his heart, takes the lead. "Hey, James," he greets, stepping in front of Lily. "How goes it?"
"Okay." He sounds a little disgusted. "Helena tried to jump me earlier. I swear she's trying to seduce me or something."
"You think?" Remus says dryly. "Anyway, there's someone I'd like you to meet.
(Damn, she should've run off while she'd had the chance.)
"Hullo," she says shakily as Remus steps aside, revealing her ex in all his attractive glory.
He hadn't changed one bit. Same messy hair. Same sparkling hazel eyes. Same knee-weakening smile.
"Hullo." James regards her curiously. She tries not to betray her nervousness.
Only, he looks more devastatingly handsome than before, which makes it infinitely harder to speak to him.
"So, you're the famous James." Not bad.
"I am." He doesn't puff out his chest like Sirius had. "And you are…"
Remus opens his mouth, probably to reveal her identity, but that is the one thing that cannot happen. "I can't tell you that," she replies coyly, "otherwise that would ruin the 'masquerade' part of this, wouldn't it?"
James doesn't repudiate that. "Of course," he responds, "so I suppose I'll just have to wait until midnight, until the unmasking."
Oh shit, she'd forgotten all about that.
"Of course." Miraculously, she maintains her composure.
"But until then, you could keep me occupied with other things. Such as a dance."
Smooth bastard.
"I-I should really be going —" she stammers, but Remus interjects.
"What she means is, she would love to," Remus answers in her stead, shooting her a pointed look. He receives a death glare in return.
"Excellent." James beams. "Right this way, ma'am."
Remus is so dead, she thinks as James boldly takes her hand and leads her out on the dancefloor — sparks race up her hand as their skin touches — and immediately sweeps her into a waltz.
This is going to be one long night.
I had to end this so abruptly because time reasons. I know the plot is all over the place.
1630 words.
Written for Marauder Map Madness (20. Lily Evans & 64. Masquerade!AU), Around the Board (11. Quidditch Pitch: Write about a known Quidditch player), Pinata (Hard: Potter), and FBAWTFT (Mermaid: Pretty & Cameroon: James Potter)
Assignment 8 - Transfiguration - Task 1 - Write about someone hiding their identity behind a mask or costume.