What? An author's note before the chapter? Well i wanted to make sure everyone saw this, I have a quick question. I'm doing NaNoWriMo this year (again) and I wanted your opinions on my two story ideas, which one you all think I should do.

1) Sirius Mahr has always been the school freak. The niece of the town witch, Siri has always known she wasn't like everyone else. Then when two new boys roll into town she realizes she didn't even know the half of it. Now she has to use her magc to try and save the mother she didn't know was still alive, and stop the witch Alazar from taking her place as the leader of her coven.

2) The Van der Woods are rich, powerful and well known. They are on the covers of tabloids and fortune five hundred magazines. Socialites fall over themselves to get dates with the men of the family, but no one knows their secret. The thing that keeps them on top. For hundreds of years the Van der Woods have been a Feeder family. In exchage for their blood, they recieve everything their hearts desire, and this has never been a problem, until now, when the daughter of Gavin Van der Wood decides she doesn't want to be food, she wants to live her own life, even though it could mean ruining the system that's kept her family rich for centuries.

Chapter Twenty-Six
the Coming Out Ball

Ophelia had been attending balls since she was fourteen years old. That was they typical age that young men and young women were allowed to start. But she had never been so excited, and so over crowded. She usually had some people to help her with her hair and make-up, but for the coming out ball, she had a large team of people, she was being primped and prodded, her hair being tugged and teased and curled to perfection. She had lost count of how many people were coming at her with make up brushes. When they stood back she was amazed that she didn't look like a doll, instead she looked… almost natural. They had done very little in the way of enhancing.

"Natural beauty should stay that way." The man in charge had declared when she was done, now all that was left was to put on the dress. Her mother had picked it out for her, and while Adelaide Vander Wende had her faults, a lot of them, she did have an eye for fashion. Ophelia slipped into the silk gown, it fell around her perfectly, it did cling quite a bit, but that wasn't a problem, because she was seventeen with a body to kill for. Something she worked harder on than most people thought. She smiled to herself and nodded, she looked perfect.

It was a highly competitive day. She knew that for most girls this was going to set the tone for the rest of their lives. This was where the men officially set their sights on a future wife. Ophelia, of course, didn't have anything to worry about. She was happy with Sirius, she had no interest in anyone else. She looked in the mirror and nodded. The soft blue silk fell around her, when she walked it slipped over her skin showing the outline of her legs. She smiled and headed out of her room, going down to the front hall.

"Ophelia." Her mother breathed as he daughter walked down the stairs. Sirius, who had been waiting in silence turned to look, and the look on his face made it all worth it. He was completely enthralled by her. She walked over with a small smile on her face.

"You were right, the dress is perfect." She said to her mother. Adelaide wore a lovely silver gown, her long hair pulled up. Sirius figured that if Ophelia aged like Adelaide, they wouldn't have a problem, even in her late forties she was a stunning woman, despite her own insecurities. He walked over and took her hand.

"Ready to go?" he asked. She nodded and the family apperated. The two teenagers went to the room where they were to wait to be announced.

"it's simple." Ophelia said. "You get in line, second to last, and they'll announce me, I'll move to the center and when the announce my escort, you come up, take my hand, and we'll walked together down the grand staircase, then we dance, I know you know how to do that. Then we relax, it's just a party from there on out.

"And this is the last one we'll ever have to go to?" He asked hopefully.

"You and I both know that's wrong." She looked at him. She did enjoy going to balls, she liked dressing up, she liked dancing, as long as she could be there with Sirius. She smiled and headed out with the others when the time came. She got in line, right before Arianna Zabini, and looked across to Sirius, trying to suppress a laugh when he stuck his tongue out at her. Finally it was time, one by one they wre announced, from the A's back.

"Miss Ophelia Adelaide Vander Wende," The man announced. She moved into place. "Daughter of Silas and Adelaide Vander Wende. Escorted by Sirius Black." There was some whispering as Sirius walked over, She took his arm and they descended the staircase. They made a striking couple, his dark hair and eyes a stark contrast to her blonde hair and bright blue eyes. They walked down the stairs, all eyes turned to watch them, no one paying any attention to Arianna and her escort, because not only were Ophelia and Sirius nice to look at, they were unconventional.

"We're being stared at." Sirius noted.

"I would think you'd be used to the by now." Ophelia replied, glancing up at him. "People tend to stare at you wherever you go."

" Do they?" he asked.

"They do."

"I wouldn't know." He moved into position, placing a hand on her shoulder blade, under her arm, and the other hand in hers. "When we're together, all I can see is you." He smiled charmingly.

"Loser."

"You love it." He leaned in closer.

"I do love it." She agreed and he kissed her softly. When the music started, he pulled away and started to dance with her, sweeping her around the large dance floor. Ophelia still had no idea where he learned to dance, but he was amazing at it. She wasn't even aware of the eyes watching them as they waltzed together, earning glares from their peers as they sucked up all the attention in the room. The only thing to console them being the fact that Sirius and Ophelia had each other and wouldn't be stealing possible husbands or wives.

Close to the end of the night, the couple stumbled out of the ball room and out into the gardens, laughing. Ophelia looked out over the garden, everything was in bloom, some of it might have been that way because of magic, but a lot of it was just naturally in bloom this time of the year. And it was all so beautiful, especially with the fairy lights strung up.

"See, I told you it wasn't all bad. Just the stuffy boring conversations and the judgmental glares that we get every time we dare to go near anyone." Ophelia leaned against him, it was a nice warm night out, a gentle breeze wafting through to keep them from getting too warm. She didn't know if it was a weather charm, or if it really was just the perfect night.

"Okay, It isn't as bad as I thought it was going to be, but that's not to say it's particularly good." He shrugged and then looked down at her.

"So how is James doing with the wedding planning? I know Lily is losing her mind. She asked her sister to be her maid of honor and Petunia turned her down." Ophelia shook her head. She didn't have a sister, but she knew her brothers, except maybe Sebastian, would do anything for her.

"Yeah well, Petunia doesn't particularly like James… or anyone with magical ability." He shrugged.

"So she asked me to do it. I said yes, of course. Which means I get to go shopping for a bridesmaid dress." She grinned.

"So you don't think they're too young?" Sirius asked thoughtfully. He had been thinking about this a lot, and while he didn't think James and Lily were too young, he knew a lot of people did, including her parents. Lily's parents loved James to death; they had just been surprised when their seventeen year old daughter came home with a ring on her finger. However they were relieved when she assured them they were not going to be grandparents just yet.

"No, of course not. I mean, they love each other, and they graduated from school, how is waiting until they're older going to change anything?" He thought about that a moment.

"I don't know. It wouldn't I guess." She looked over at him.

"You do know I don't demand we get married right?" She asked.

"What?"

"This Lily and James thing, it doesn't mean I want you to propose to me and all that right away. Honestly I don't even want to get married yet." He brightened and bit, looking up at her. Her hair had fallen slightly, but it didn't' make it look bad, she just looked like she'd been having so much fun and as so carefree that her half fallen coif wasn't any kind of bother.

"You don't?"

"No." She replied. "I would rather wait. I spent my whole life trying to avoid being 'Mrs so and so', why would I suddenly change my mind just because I could be Mrs. Black? I don't want to get married yet, I'm happy for Lily and James, but that isn't what I want for myself." She leaned in and kissed him. "Someday, sure, but not just yet." She shook her head.

"Have I told you you're the perfect girlfriend?" Sirius asked her. He loved her, he did want to marry her someday, but right now, that much commitment, no he wasn't ready. The idea of it made him want to jump up and run as far away as possible.

"You have, but I like to hear it."

"You're the perfect girlfriend. And while we may not be getting married anytime soon, I may have an idea for something the two of us can do to further our relationship."

"Sirius, I'm not shagging you in the garden."

"That's not what I meant, and at this point it wouldn't further anything, we've already done that, but I mean something else, something actually kind of big."

"No kids."

"Dammit woman, let me finish." Ophelia smiled and looked at him, waiting for him to finish his thoughts on what they could do to further their relationship.

"I'm looking for a new flat." He said. "Move in with me."

"You want me to live in sin with you?"

"Yes, as much sin as humanly possible."

"Well who can say no to that?"

"No one I've ever known." Sirius smiled and kissed her. Tomorrow he would actually start looking for a new flat, one that would allow for room for him to work on his bike.

"Of course you'll have to convince my family to let me do that." She looked at him. "Or at least be ready for the wrath as at least three of my brother swoop down upon you to give you the brotherly lecture about responsibility and to threaten your life if you dare to touch me before we've said our I do's, because brothers are incredibly hypocritical that way."

"Your brothers don't scare me. They never have." Ophelia leaned over with a smile and kissed him.

"I know, and that's one of the many things I love about you.

Second authors note!

You guys are so awesome. Seriously, when I read my reviews my day just gets brighter. Anyway, part two is almost over. Then comes part three... of course..

Review are amazing day brighteners

Issy