ACT II.
PROLOGUE.
With invitations clutched in hand, James Potter was ready for the big night;
Ready to find and romance the girl who haunted his every waking thought.
Draped in their finest dress robes and fitted with masks to hide their eyes;
The Marauders set forth for the Meadowes' estate to attend the masquerade.
And at the estate, two girls also readied themselves for the evening's soiree;
Lily Evans prepared to dance all night with Davey, unaware of James' plan.
SCENE I. The Meadowes' estate. Foyer.
James Potter couldn't stand still as the four Marauders waited in line to gain entrance to the masquerade. He just short of threw the invitations at the house-elf standing guard by the door. The creature frowned up at the boy and stepped aside to allow him, Sirius, Peter and Remus to step inside the foyer of the Meadowes' home.
Sirius stared around in awe at the lavish decorations and quickly caught his friend's hand as it moved towards his hair. "James, keep your hand out of it. Took me twenty minutes to charm that mess into laying down, don't go messing it up."
James nodded and tugged at the edges of his elegant plum dress robes. "Right. Don't touch. She'd know me for sure if I mess it up," he muttered, more to himself than anyone else. The boy started pacing and giving himself gentle reminders of what not to do while dancing with Lily. He lifted his mask from his face and secured his glasses so he could see.
"You shouldn't talk either," Peter added as he adjusted his golden mask. The shortest boy of the four peeked around the corner and gazed into the ballroom, a look of worry crossing his face. "How are you gonna find her?" he asked, looking back to the other boys.
"She'll be the red-head," Remus answered pointedly.
"Oh, no she won't," came a delicate voice from behind the boys. A short blonde girl in a shimmering black dress casually approached the four boys, her hands locked behind her back and her pink lips twisted into a smirk. "If you're talking about Lily, she won't be a red-head," the girl continued. "I watched her charm her hair myself."
"Dorcas," Sirius pointed out in a soft and loving tone. "Aren't you a vision?" he went on.
"Save it, Black, I'm not telling you what she's wearing." Dorcas grinned at the boy's defeat and turned her eyes towards Remus. "Let's dance," she told him.
"I-I really don't know how to d-"
"That wasn't a question," Dorcas interrupted, slipping her hand into the boy's and pulling him into the ballroom.
Remus threw one desperate glance back at his friends, his eyes pleading from behind his crimson mask, before vanishing around the corner.
"Ah, Remus, alas we knew him well," Sirius sighed as he watched his friend getting swept away. "He'll be fine, I'm sure," he added with a grin, waving his hand towards the boy's former location. "We need to focus on how you're gonna find Lily." He turned back to James and clapped the boy hard on the back. "All that work won't matter if you can't get your dance."
"I already found her." James' voice drew out in a dreamy tone as his hazel eyes stared into the ballroom and his face twisted into a goofy grin. "She looks beautiful," he sighed, tilting his head.
Sirius followed the other boy's line of sight straight towards a brunette bathed in deep blue and set with a silver mask. "How do you know that's her?" he asked as the girl smiled and waved to several boys a few paces from her. "Can you see her eyes from here?"
James shook his head and pulled his glasses from his face. "The way she walks, mate. So delicate and soft, like she's dancing." He pushed his glasses into his pocket and lowered his white mask into place.
"Wait...you can seriously tell who Lily is by the way she walks?" Peter asked, raising his eyebrows at the taller boy. When James nodded, Peter bit his bottom lip and smirked. "You sound like a complete stalker, mate."
"I'm okay with that," James answered, his eyes trying to focus on the girl he believed to be Lily. He squinted, annoyed at his rubbish vision and pushed Peter to the side. "I'm going in. Wish me luck guys," he said before heading into the ballroom and straight over to the girl in dark blue.
"He's a bit mental," Sirius laughed as he watched the boy walk away.
"More than a bit, I'd say," Peter followed.
"Wanna get some food?" the dark haired boy asked, turning to the remaining Marauder.
Peter merely shrugged and followed Sirius out of the foyer.
SCENE II. The Meadowes' estate. Ballroom.
Lily Evans kept her eyes alert as she walked slowly through the small crowd in the ballroom. The girl was on alert for two things, Davey and James. James she imagined would be more than easy to find. The boy would have a mess of black hair that he couldn't keep his hand out of and somehow, he'd be wearing glasses. She assumed that he'd be in robes of crimson and gold; for no one loved boasting Gryffindor pride like James Potter. Davey Gudgeon, she was guessing, would be harder to spot. While she knew his general build and hairstyle, she didn't know much about the boy's mannerisms or style.
This worried Lily. And what worried her more was that Davey might not be able to find her without her obvious hair colour to lead him.
She twisted a charmed-brunette curl around her finger and gave a casual wave to a group of boys in front of her. She let out a small sigh as she continued through the room in search of her desired fellow. A small gasp escaped the girl's throat when she felt a hand on her lower back. She whirled around, her dark blue dress fluttering around her feet, and smiled at a boy in a white mask. "Hello," she offered.
The boy adjusted his plum coloured robes and held his hand out to Lily, flashing her a charming smile. For a moment, Lily was sure he was going to speak, but the boy remained silent. He merely tilted his head towards the dance floor and smiled once more. The girl let her emerald eyes trail over him cautiously. She analyzed his hair, posture, eyes, smile, robes, even his shoes and when she was certain it was safe, she slipped her hand into his and let him lead her to the dance floor.
James felt as though his heart were going to beat right out of his chest and land on the floor in front of him. He squeezed Lily's hand and spun her around, taking the girl into his arms gently. He rested his hand properly around her waist and laced their fingers together on the other hand. The music moved him, his body taking control where his brain could not.
Years of dancing lessons from his parents paid off for James as he stared into Lily's eyes and guided her gently around the dance floor. Their hips swayed softly in time with the beat and James didn't even notice when the girl stepped on his toes, twice.
Lily tilted her head and smiled softly up at the boy as he led her through a basic three-four step waltz. She let her hand slide from James' shoulder and wrap around his neck in an effort to be closer. Never before had the girl felt so safe as she did in his arms. Never before had she felt so loved and needed as she did when she stared into the boy's eyes. How she longed to have the lighting brighter so that she could make out the colour of the eyes which were making her weak at the knees.
James pulled back and gave Lily a small spin, causing her to let out a small cry and giggle as she came back around into his arms. He smiled down at her happy face and moved his fingers through the edge of her hair. How he longed to dip his head and kiss the smooth lips that lined the smile making him lose his breath and all coherent thought. And though the girl was staring at him as though she desired the same, James did not. He knew it wouldn't be right to steal a kiss when she did not know who he was.
"Do you believe in love at first dance?" Lily whispered, grinning up at the boy.
James slowly shook his head and reached his hand out towards a vase of white roses. He pulled a single rose from amongst its companions and brushed it along Lily's jawline. "I believe in patience," he whispered so low his voice couldn't be deciphered. "Love is like a flower, give it time and it will grow." He lifted the girl's hand and turned it out, then gently placed the rose stem in her fingers.
Lily brought the flower to her nose and closed her eyes as she inhaled the sweet aroma. She was only in her created darkness for a moment, but when her eyes opened once more, her suitor had vanished from sight. The girl spun around, her eyes frantically scanning over the other dancers, her face panicked as she searched for her lost partner. She brought the rose to her chest and dropped her eyes to the floor, accepting that the boy was gone.
SCENE III. The Meadowes' estate. Library.
"Ow! You crazy bird, get off me!" James yelled as he was shoved into the Meadowes' library by none other than Dorcas herself. "Are you mental?"
"Don't you push me, Potter," Dorcas snapped, putting her finger up as a warning to the boy, instantly silencing his protests. The girl spun around and secured the doors behind her, then rounded back on James. "I don't know how you figured out which girl was her, but it isn't funny."
"I agree. There's not a damn thing funny about being ripped away from your date."
"She isn't your date. You had one dance."
"And more to come." James lifted his mask from his eyes and pushed his glasses hastily onto his face. "What's the problem? She was having fun; she liked dancing with me."
"Because she didn't know it was you," Dorcas argued. "How many times does she have to tell you no before you get it through your head? She doesn't like you."
"Well her eyes were saying something very different," James rebutted.
"Because she didn't kn-"
"She will know. Later tonight, she'll know and she'll still feel what she felt during that dance." James reached up and shoved his hand into his hair, grimacing at his lack of control. He grumbled under his breath as he glanced around in search of a reflective surface.
The sound of the doorknob being rattled made both James and Dorcas stiffen. "Dorcas, are you in there?" came Lily's voice from outside the door.
"Yeah, hold on!" Dorcas answered before grabbing James' shoulders and shoving the boy behind an armchair. "Don't you dare come out of hiding," she hissed, glaring threateningly at him. She hurried to the door and let Lily into the library. "What are you doing?" she asked, flashing the girl an innocent smile.
"I was about to ask you the same thing," Lily laughed. "Why are you in here?"
"I was looking for Remus," Dorcas lied, turning away from Lily to avoid her eyes. "He seems to have slipped out on me," she continued, though that wasn't a lie. "Were you looking for me?"
Lily nodded and closed the doors back to the room, then leaned against them. "It was amazing," she whispered, a look of dreamy-abandon crossing her face. She pulled the white rose to her nose and inhaled it deeply before looking over at Dorcas. "He was amazing."
"He who? Who was amazing?" Dorcas asked as she fiddled with the ribbon on her dress.
"Davey," Lily answered with a big smile.
"D-Davey?" Dorcas stammered. "You saw Davey?"
"We danced," Lily answered. She twirled the rose around in her fingers and waved it towards the other girl. "He was so romantic. And handsome and charming. It was wonderful."
Dorcas chewed on her bottom lip and shifted her weight nervously between her feet. "Are you sure it was Davey?" she asked. "What um, what was he wearing?"
"Purple. Such a pretty purple and this white mask." She held her arms out and gave a slow spin, her head tipped back in thought. "We danced and he said the sweetest thing. Oh, Dorcas, I knew he felt the same way about me!" She gave a small squeal and grabbed her friend by the shoulders. "I can't wait until midnight. When he pulls that mask off, I'm gonna tell him exactly how I feel!"
"Lily what if it wasn't Davey?"
"Of course it was." Lily scoffed loudly and turned her back on her friend. "I'm gonna go try to find him again. Wish me luck," she said before pushing out of the library.
Dorcas stared after her friend and shook her head slowly. "Do you see?" she called out, turning back towards the arm chair where she had shoved James.
The boy slowly got to his feet and walked out of the library without a word.
SCENE IV. The Meadowes' estate. Garden.
Davey Gudgeon twisted inside of Sirius' grip as he was unkindly escorted into the gardens behind the Meadowes' home. He jerked his arm away and ripped his mask from over his eyes. "What's wrong with you?" he growled, taking a step away from the other boy. He tugged at his robes and grumbled under his breath about being manhandled.
"How'd you find him so fast?" James asked as he stepped up beside his best friend and leaned his arm on the shorter boy's shoulder.
"It was easy," Sirius boasted. "I just have a sort of sixth sense about these kinds of things. I'm a people reader. I can look at someone and just know that th-"
"He yelled my name and I turned around," Davey interrupted, annoyed at Sirius' unjustified bragging.
Sirius pointed his finger at Davey and snapped his teeth in a canine fashion. "Just settle yourself, Gudgeon, we have an offer for you."
James put up his hands and forced Sirius to take a few steps back, though he couldn't make the boy stop glaring at Davey. "Let me handle this," he told his friend. When Sirius seemed docile enough, James started unbuttoning his dress robes. "Davey, take off your robes," he instructed as he pulled his own back off his shoulders and passed them to Sirius.
"What?" Davey asked, his eyes wide in confusion.
"We're switching," James answered. "Just take them off and wear mine."
"No! You're a bloody loon. I'm not switching you robes. These are my dad's. He would have a fit if you took them."
"Oh, come on, my robes are worth three times the Galleons yours are. I'm not gonna keep them. We can meet up tomorrow and switch back." James held his hands out and tugged on the shoulder of the other boy's olive drab coloured dress robes.
"Stop," Davey whined, slapping James' hand away from him. "I'm not trading clothes with you. Why would I do that?"
James narrowed his eyes and dragged his hand through his hair, no longer caring to keep it neat. "Do you like Lily?" he asked in a whisper.
"I'm not discussing that with y-"
"Just answer the question, Gudgeon," Sirius barked.
Davey frowned at being yelled at and straightened out his posture. "Yes. Are you happy now? I happen to be quite fond of Miss Evans."
"Quite fond of Miss Evans?" Sirius repeated with a laugh. "Look, Lancelot, we aren't asking you to join the round table, just give him your robes."
"Stuff it, Black!" Davey threatened.
"Or what? You'll fetch a bunch of your Puffer pals and take me down?" Sirius chided.
"That's enough!" James cried out, shoving Sirius back a few steps. He took a long breath and turned to Davey with a serious face. "If you want Lily, then just do as I ask," he said calmly.
"Why should I trust you?" Davey questioned, his voice skeptical. "It's no secret that you want her too."
"You should trust me because I don't just want Lily. I want Lily to be happy. Even that means..." James took a long breath and dropped his eyes to the ground. "Even if that means letting her be with you."
SCENE V. The Meadowes' estate. Ballroom.
As midnight loomed, Lily could feel her heart sinking. She had searched the entire ballroom three times over and found no signs of her plum decked beau. The girl lingered near the refreshment table, poking mindlessly at a mushroom topped hors d'œuvre. The tip of her fingernail flicked at the mushroom, trying her best to remove it while not disturbing the rest of the treat.
"How about a dance?" came a voice from behind the girl.
Lily turned, ready to reject the fourth suitor that had sought her out since the vanishing. Her eyes lit up at the sight of the stark white mask and plum coloured robes. "You're back," she whispered, dropping her tiny plate onto the table without a care. "I thought you'd disappeared."
"I...I just had to step out for a minute," the boy answered, holding his hand out to Lily.
She eagerly took his hand and allowed herself to be swept up into a dance. The two glided across the floor, happily chatting and swaying until the large clock chimed twelve. Lily let out a long and frightened breath as she stepped away and cast her eyes up to the boy before her. Slowly, she reached up and slid the sliver from around her eyes, revealing herself to the ballroom. "Your turn," she whispered with a nervous smile.
The boy's fingers reached for the mask and tugged it away. Davey beamed a crooked smile down at Lily and stuffed the mask into his pocket. "Well?" he asked.
"I knew it was you," Lily answered with a relieved laugh as she jumped to her toes and threw her arms tightly around the boy's neck.
"I take it you're pleased?" Davey laughed as he returned the embrace and stared across the ballroom towards a boy wearing his own olive drab robes. He raised his hand, giving the other boy a small wave, then returned his attention to Lily.
James frowned at seeing Davey's wave, but he raised his hand in answer none-the-less. He scratched his head under the cheap mask and adjusted his glasses before turning away from the sight of Lily in another boy's arms. "Let's just go," he whispered as Peter stepped up beside him, a plate of snacks for offer. "I'm not hungry, mate. I just wanna go home."
Peter nodded and discarded the plate quickly, then gave a come hither wave to Sirius from across the ballroom. The other boy nodded and heeded his call, soon joining James and Peter by the wall. "He wants to go home," Peter told Sirius at the boy's questioning look.
"Alright, we just gotta find Remus," Sirius answered.
"Right here," came Remus' voice as if on cue. "I saw what happened. Are you alright?" he asked looking down to James.
James shook his head and buried his hands deep into his pockets. "No, of course I'm not alright," he answered, his words a bit broken. "I just want out of here," he insisted, taking the lead to escape the Meadowes' home.
Peter looked up at Remus and Sirius with worry in his eyes and dutifully followed behind the boy.
Sirius reached over and pat Remus on the back as they trailed their friends. "He'll be alright, won't he?" he asked, throwing a glance back towards Davey and Lily as the couple began another dance.
"I don't know," Remus answered.
"You're supposed to tell me yes, he'll be okay. I don't want that honesty stuff right now," Sirius pleaded.
"Yes, he'll be okay," Remus corrected.
"Hey Remus?" Sirius asked, his tone a bit lighter. "Are you wearing pink lipstick?"
"No!" Remus cried out, wiping at his lips with a worried fervor.
"At least one person got what they wanted tonight," Sirius laughed as they headed into the foyer.
A Note From the Author: Thanks for reading. One chapter to go! :D –Jenna
