Chapter 12: Masquerade

The sunrise shone through the many castle windows, some of which didn't face the sun, and cast an early morning light onto the halls of Hogwarts. Jamie walked over to the House points calculators and thought happily to herself that she was responsible for at least five of the little scarlet balls that were in Gryffindor's. She made her way over to the notice board that usually was taken up by Filch's banned list.

But today, in the upper right hand corner, was a large note that after reading it, made Jamie wish she actually could bounce of the walls in excitement. She ripped it off the board and tore into the hall with a, "Annieeeee, Liiiiizzzzzyyyyyyy!". Annie, Lizz, and the Marauders looked up in surprise. Jamie bolted down the table to them, but instead of skidding to a halt, she kept on skidding and cursed as she landed sideways. Recovering, she slapped the notice on the table in front of her friends, "Read, Read, Read!" She shrieked and started spinning and clapping excitedly. Her grin wouldn't leave, and Remus reached up and pulled her down onto the bench in hopes of stopping the display, however, she couldn't stop wriggling and smiling as Annie read aloud:

For this year's Halloween party, instead of the traditional school-wide feast, we will be conducting a masquerade ball. In addition, it will be a Muggle masquerade in the traditional style of the Renaissance period. Professor Binns, in accordance with several other teachers, will be awarding points during the ball according to authenticity of dance and dress.

By the end of three weeks, sketches of your costume must be submitted to your House Head for approval. If approved, you shall receive a black cloak and a list of rules and instructions as to how the ball will proceed, good luck!

Professor Albus Dumbledore,

Headmaster

"Can you believe it? How awesome is that? I still can't believe it, this will be so incredible, and I've already got ideas for costumes!" Jamie shrieked. Annie nodded.

"What's so great about a ball? It'll be boring." Peter said. Jamie turned on him.

"Do you really want to go out the window again Pettigrew?" Jamie asked sweetly. Peter shook his head. "Smart boy."

"This is amazing; I can't imagine where we'll get the costumes though. Plus we'll have to order-" Annie stopped as someone walked up behind Jamie.

"Miss Bilden" Jamie flinched, "I expected more from a prefect, you have been incredibly disruptive, torn down a school notice, and what do I hear about flinging these boys out the window!" McGonagall said sternly. Jamie stood up and faced her, and smiled.

"I'm sorry Professor, I was overly excited about a school function, and though I may have thought it would be encouraged, I am sorry and would be happy to repost the notice immediately." Jamie's smile stretched, "As to flinging the Marauders out the window, they deserved it as they saw fit to wake me up yesterday with a bucket of cold water, besides I levitated them onto the grass without a scratch." Jamie spoke softly and calmly.

"Well, just remember that there isn't to be any magic used against other students while you are residing at Hogwarts, even if they do deserve it. And please try to contain your excitement!" McGonagall went back up to the teachers table. Jamie sat down again and grabbed some bacon, wrapped it in a napkin, and shoved it in her bag.

"I seem to remember being levitated into a group of Slytherins without our wands, that's hardly without a scratch." Remus said.

"For previously stated reasons, besides you didn't have a scratch when I dropped you on the grass."

"Wow, you sounded like Remus." James commented. Jamie smiled.

"That's why I never gets detention and you do James." Remus said.

"Hey look, I'll see you guys later, my head is going to explode if I don't get these ideas on paper! I'll see you in Astronomy Remus" Jamie picked up the ball notice, "thank you for putting this up for me Peter!" and dropped it in his lap. Jamie hoisted her bag over her shoulder, grabbed a piece of toast, and ran out of the hall.

James turned to Annie, looking like he had just remembered something. "So remind me why you stood up for Snivellus?" He asked nastily.

"Is Snivellus really his name?"

"No, and don't change the subject, Why?"

"Because you were being bullies, and I honestly don't think you should tease someone just because they got hurt!" Annie snapped.

"But he deserves it! The stinking bast-"

"Potter, stop it!" Annie picked up her bag, "If it pleases your majesty, I'm going to class early. And for you information, he asked me out this weekend and I said yes!" Annie stalked off, every muscle rippling with concealed anger.

"Oh great, " Lizz sighed, "Now I'll go to Hogsmeade by myself." James's disgusted face shifted into an easy smile.

"But of course you can come with us Lawrence; we always go together so we can pool our money for everything in Zonko's." They laughed and Lizz smiled, Peter smiled, Sirius frowned.

"Thanks guys."

Remus plunked down next to Jamie, and leaned over her to look at her drawings. On reflex she pulled them closer and hid them from view. Remus frowned and tried to see the sketches, but Jamie managed to hide them from his prying eyes.

"So how are the costumes coming along?" he finally asked.

Jamie took a few long seconds to respond. "sketch… They're, sketch, sketch… doing sketch… great! Sketch, sketch, sketch… In fact, sketch, sketch, sketch, sketch… I'm… done!" Jamie finished a detail with a self-satisfied flourish, but instead of showing them to Remus like he wanted, she shoved them in her bag. "I'm sorry I treated Peter like that this morning, he has gotten down to my last nerve and sorry to be honest, but I really don't like him to begin with." Jamie explained. After a second she turned to Remus, who was staring pointedly at her bag, and pointed to the front of the class.

"If you're quite done Mr. Lupin, could we begin class?" Mr. Knightly asked sarcastically. Remus turned a touch red and nodded. "Thank you." Jamie held down her laughter with a hand across her mouth.

In history of magic later on, Annie and Jamie passed notes.

Annie: So if we've agreed that the Marauders are the Animagi, who's the werewolf?

Jamie: I dunno, obviously not Sirius

Maybe it's Lupin, he's kind of a pale and shy. I bet you anything he's claustrophobic.

(Jamie paused)

No, it's Pettigrew, I mean why else would he be with the obviously most popular guys at this school. Talk about pale and shy. Do you know who he reminds me of?

Who?

Collins

Ew, you're right. I dunno, I was kinda hoping someone better would be a werewolf, you know more romantic.

You're thinking of vampires from muggle books aren't you? But it makes sense, I mean really, it's like a Collins hanging around with a Darcy, Bingley, and a… well whatever character from a book might you describe Remus as, I bet you anything they found out and thought it was cool or something. Kinda "took him under their wing" and all that jazz.

Okay, okay you win Miss Sherlock

Thank you, Thank you, 'takes a bow'

I'm starting to notice three things right about now,

1. Half the girls in this class have pink hair (did I start a trend?)

2. Have you noticed that since we've become friends with the Marauders, we're… I dunno…POPULAR! I swear, it's like I mention one thing I book I like and within a week everyone's reading it and they're completely out at the library. Personally it's driving me sane! Tearing away at my treasured insanity!

3. I think Pettigrew likes Lizzy, He keeps staring at her, but I think she's totally oblivious.

1. I think you did start a trend. Next time you do that, could you choose more mellow colors? My eyes are starting to hurt.

2. I know what you mean, and I think it's slightly proven by the fact that everyone's turning their hair twenty shades of pink. Don't worry about your insanity dear, you have enough to go around.

3. EWWWWWWWWWWWW! Yet, so like the book, where Collins likes Elizabeth! That's weird. She'll never date him though, she's too preoccupied with Potter.

I know, come to England, and have your favorite Austen book played out in your lives! Amazing!

You're sure it's not Remus?

YES

(PAPER INCINERATED AS TEACHER STARTED TO FLOAT BY)

"Oh Jamie these are amazing! I think I should be the fiery one though, I'm just so amazingly hott and all that." Annie said archly. She took another look at the sketches Jamie had showed them in the privacy of their dorm.

"Oh, but red really isn't your color you know." Jamie laughed. "I'm glad you guys like them, don't feel like we have to use them, it's just an idea. We don't even have to go together."

"We have to use them, they're perfect!" Lizz reassured. "How are we going to get these done though, I mean we don't have any way of going to the local magical craft store."

"I was figuring we could send them to Ryan, and ask him to distribute them to our parents, or at least give us some connections that we could order the dresses from. Though the hair bit is going to be a bit tricky."

"I doubt that they're won't be a great technique that's evolved from the current hair color trend by Halloween, though you're blue swirls might cause a problem. So we're agreed?" everyone nodded, "Good. So this bit, is a sort of brown green?" Annie said.

"No, it's more of a dark, leaf green, like on an oak."

Archly: with playful slyness or roguishness (don't you just love this word?)

HA HA HA I'm not going to even give you any more hints! You'll have to guess what they're going to be for the ball! I will mail sketches of the dresses to the closest guesses. Oh and there are a few of you that already know the answer, so don't even try to guess!