Sorry this took a while! I had to go out of town unexpectedly last weekend. Enjoy the banquet!
luv Gnomes :o)
"Gin, you nearly ready? Nat's waiting outside."
Ginny stood in front of the mirror, postponing her insecurities at the sound of the girl's name.
"You can't possibly mean Natalie Hewton. You invited the ALCOHOLIC?"
"Heh- she's...not an alcoholic, she just likes a pint now and then, like any of us."
"I didn't see any of your other friends flirting with the ice cream guy to swap the milk in her smoothie for beer."
"Ok, so slightly more than the rest of us. But she's wicked fun, and to be honest, no one else was up for it," Bill confessed sheepishly. "Now c'mon, are you ready? I mean, fashionably late's usually my motto, but they serve the best hors d'oeuvres at these events. There's these weird, gray bites that melt in your mouth the moment you pop them into your...hmmm!" he said dreamily, tiny gray hors d'oeuvres dancing before him.
"Fine then. For the love of weird, gray thingies, I'm coming out. But I'm warning you," Ginny called nervously from behind the bedroom door. "I look like a complete idiot."
"That's impossible," Bill said firmly.
"Just don't freak, you swear?"
"On the little gray bites."
Good enough, she thought. Ginny took a deep breath, turned the doorknob, and pulled the door open. Bill let out a low whistle, his eyes widening.
"Whoa," he said. "It's amazing."
"What? What's wrong?" came the immediate reply, her cheeks flushing pink.
"You look exactly like Mum."
Ginny eyed him strangely.
"I'm...sure I'll thank you for that someday."
"I mean Mum about fifty years ago. Or maybe a little less," Bill explained, grinning. "I found old pictures of her in the attic once, during a game of hide and seek with Charlie. She was quite gorgeous, you know."
"Oh. Thanks." Ginny was immediately swamped with a fervent desire to see those pictures. Like a tiny spark had just cast a light in her mind, it occurred to her that her mother had once been young too, experienced the same turmoil, the same fears, possibly the same resentment toward the members of her family. It was a startling possibility, and a humbling one, that maybe, just maybe, her mother could understand her. The prospect was novel, and refreshing.
"Ready?" Bill asked her, taking her arm.
Ginny looked up him, more at peace than she'd been only a moment before.
"I am," she said. "Let's go."
As they stepped outside, Ginny gasped. A shimmery silver, sleek sports car was parked right in front of the house.
"Where did you find that?" she marvelled.
"The Unicorn L28, the fastest car on the market. I rented it from Mmot; Magical Modes of Transportation. I know a bloke there, and he pulled some strings. Besides, it's nearly your last day here, right? It's gotta be special."
Ginny put the back of her hand on her forehead and moaned dramatically.
"How am I ever going to return to normal life after this?"
Seemingly on cue, the front window came down to reveal a young woman wearing a bright magenta crop and the same colour on her lips, which were turned up in a lethargic smile.
"Jenny, howaya, mate?" Magenta-Lady drawled.
Ginny made a face. (She was trying for a grin. And failed.)
"It's Ginny."
Magenta-Lady nodded very slowly, registering the information.
"Riiiight, mate, gottit. So why dontcha hop in? W'can't be too late, or they'll finish all the grog."
Ginny shot Bill a how-could-you-have-thought-this-would-be-a-good-idea look, and he quickly said,
"Ah, Nat, hope you don't mind, but can Ginny sit in the front? She's leaving tomorrow, and, well, you know."
Natalie looked from Bill to Ginny.
"Wh'teva," she responded, vaguely annoyed. She disappeared and then reappeared into the back seat, her thin frame slouching, her pink lips pursed.
"Uh, thanks," Ginny told her. Bill opened the door for her.
"There you go Gin," Bill said, helping her into the car.
"Gin?" queried Natalie, her mood improving. "Straight up, half a bottle." She chortled.
Ginny glanced skeptically over at Bill, now seated in the driver's chair. Bill offered a smile.
"Think of the entrees."
"Got it."
---
Enchantment Hotel was far away from the rest of the magical community, and Ginny was glad for it. With the Wizard Wireless blasting Born to Fly and other songs she now loved, she would have been contented to stay in the Unicorn the rest of the night. As Bill chatted with Natalie (who only seemed interested in what kind of alcohol would be served), Ginny lay her head on the comfy headrest, musing what Ryan must be feeling now, wearing uncomfortable dress robes and standing stiffly (for his dad was important, and he must already be there), waiting for her to show up. Waiting for her. Her heart skipped a beat, and she chided it for doing so. She was annoyed at Lauren for putting such ridiculous notions into her head.
---
The valet took the keys greedily from Bill.
"Don't you worry about a thing, sir," the teenage boy said, waving his hand dismissively.
Bill was unconvinced. He wrapped his arm around the boy's shoulder.
"Look here," he said agreeably, "I see so much as a scratch on the Unicorn I'm gonna be forced to bail you up. Got it?"
The startled boy gulped, then nodded madly.
"Great, thanks mate!" exclaimed Bill, slapping him on the back. Taking Ginny and Natalie on each arm, the three of them made their way to the entrance, presented their golden tickets, and were ushered in. Natalie, Bill and Ginny glanced at each other and grinned. Natalie thought of the champagne. Bill thought of the entrees. And Ginny thought of...well, Ginny tried to think of the entrees too.
---
The entrance hall was enormous and palatial. The floor, walls, sculptures, pillars, even the security desk...all were an exquisite amalgamation of gold, marble, and hand-carved mahogany. Above a pair of massive closed door was a banner that read in golden script, "Gringotts Australia : 472nd Annual Banquet". Witches, wizards and goblins elegantly attired moved about the room, many of them holding champagne flutes (Natalie had one in her hand before the Weasleys could blink). Waiters and waitresses, balancing trays of minuscule hors d'oeuvres (Ginny spotted the gray ones amongst them) circled around. Ginny scanned the room, eager to find a familiar face (ahem, Ryan), but nearly all the men wore black and white, and it was hard to distinguish between them. Ginny stood on her tiptoes, looking around, when she felt someone tap her shoulder.
Ryan.
She started, and turned to see- not Ryan- but Bill, with an elderly, dignified-looking couple.
"Ginny, I'd like you to meet Albert and Penny Frobshins," Bill said.
Her heart still pounding, Ginny smiled feebly at them and shook their hands.
"Oh Bill, she's just adorable," Penny Frobshins exclaimed.
"Bill tells us you came to Aus on a broom," her husband said chuckling. "Is that deadset, young lady?"
"Um, yes. I- I wouldn't recommend it though," she said shyly.
The couple laughed. Ginny smiled, but she couldn't help glancing past them to survey the room.
Where could he be?
---
A half-hour passed without so much as a glimpse of Ryan. Moreover, it seemed to Ginny that every single person at the banquet knew her brother. He hadn't past one who didn't stop him to say hello. Her mouth hurt from smiling, her arm tired from shaking hands, her neck hurt from craning it, and despite the delicious entrees (for Bill hadn't lied- they were delicious) she was hungry and restless. She kept folding and unfolding her ticket stub, until the Formal Attire, please had faded, and a voice announced,
"Supper is served. Will the guests please join us in the banquet hall?"
Two waiters opened the gigantic, mahogany doors. The hall was splendidly decorated, lit by hundreds of candles which lent it an ethereal glow. In a corner, a handful of violins were suspended in midair, playing a gentle, pleasing tune. The general multitude of people began to stream into the room, a speechless Ginny among them. Fifty round tables were dressed in gold-trimmed, cream-coloured lace cloths, the chairs in cream satin gathered at the back with a golden bow. From a distance, it seemed that the tablecloths were glistening, but on closer inspection. Ginny realized that they were served with crystal dishes and glasses, and a crystal candelabra adorned with vines of cream roses served as the centerpiece; the lights they created bounced playfully around the room. She stood in the centre filled with dancing lights, soaking it all in.
"Beautiful", Ginny breathed.
"Too right," came a familiar voice.
Ginny whirled around and saw Ryan's blue eyes fixed on her. He had an entirely different air about him, in immaculate black and white dress robes. His blond hair was brushed back smartly, and he held himself in a manner that befitted his looks, which made him appear several years older. Only the expression on his face seemed boyish, unguarded. Immediately, Ginny felt very small and very young, and, as you might have expected, quite foolish. She couldn't imagine what she must have been thinking, dreaming that Ryan would be impressed with her pathetic attempts at dressing up. Because the truth hit her then- she had wanted to impress him. Since they had met, she'd wanted to prove to him that she wasn't as little and insignificant as he had concluded upon their first encounter.
In her anguish, she was entirely unaware that the emerald-green dress she had on put her petite figure at great advantage. The colour favoured her fair skin and red hair, which Matty had set into soft, loose curls that fell a little past her shoulders. A few curls had been pinned back to reveal glittering emerald earings (Lauren had insisted on lending them to her). Lastly, Lauren had applied creamy, dark green eyeshadow and the smallest dab of pink blush to Ginny's face which brightened her green eyes and made her freckles lighter. Combined with the delicate lighting of the room, she looked much more like a fairy than a girl, and just as enchanting.
For a moment they stayed where they were, face to face, a few feet away from each other. At last, Ryan pulled himself together and took a step forward. Ginny stood frozen in her place.
Say something! her mind screamed.
"H-hello." It was barely above a whisper.
Ryan opened his mouth to speak, then shut it quickly. He seemed at loss for words. Ginny squirmed uncomfortably.
"I knew it. I look like a nut," she blurted. "The hair is too much, right? I told Matty not to do it so-"
"You look amazing." The compliment was direct, sincere. She suddenly made sense of the dazed look on his face.
"So do you...look good," she returned in a somewhat strangled voice.
"How's your leg?" he asked seriously.
"What leg? Oh, I mean fine, it's fine," she replied, embarrassed.
Ryan cleared his throat.
"Yeah, well...sorry I'm late. House-elf, my dad's shirt, almost had a fire...long story," he told her, started to sound like himself again.
Ginny just nodded.
"Anyway, I reckon you, Bill and his date are sitting with my folks and I. They like to have people in the same department sitting together, y'know? Makes for a more comfortable night."
"I'm glad," she replied, slowly regaining composure. "I already sensed this thing could be insanely boring if you don't keep yourself entertained somehow."
Ryan laughed in agreement.
"You've got no idea." He gazed down at her. "I'm stoked to have a mate here."
"So am I."
Ryan beamed. He gallantly offered his arm.
"Shall we?"
Ginny took it, and he led her to their designated table, both feeling very stoked indeed.
Grog: Beer/alcohol
Deadset: the truth