The day of the ball finally came around, and Euphemia was helping Georgia to get ready. "You're going to look absolutely gorgeous in this." Euphemia assured her as she helped Georgia to get her dress on. "You're going to catch the eye of every young man there tonight, you mark my words on that."

"Except the one that really matters." Georgia said sadly. "It seems that I'm not brave enough for his taste, he won't see me as anything other than a friend. Not that I blame him, it's not like I stand up for myself."

Euphemia tutted and cupped Georgia's cheeks so that the blonde was forced to look into the eyes of the older woman. "I believe that you are incredibly brave Georgia, but your true bravery is still inside, just waiting to come out. It will show itself eventually, when the time is right." She released Georgia's face and began to work on her hair next, styling it so that it hung in loose curls. "Your hair is so thin, I have a potion that can thicken it up a bit, remind me to give you a few bottles of it before you go back to school."

Euphemia was, at least in Georgia's opinion, a combination of a doting mother and the aunt that everyone loved. After adding a bit of makeup, Euphemia announced that Georgia was finally perfect. "Those boys are going to be stunned when they see you."

Well, Georgia wouldn't go so far as to say that, but Euphemia looked so happy with her work that Georgia didn't say anything. As she walked down the grand staircase, she thanked Merlin that she was wearing flats and not high heels, her balance was terrible enough as it was. James saw her walking down the stairs, and he nudged Peter and Remus, both of whom looked up at her, their jaws dropping.

"Bloody hell..." Peter murmured, and Remus nodded his head in agreement. "You look stunning Georgie, absolutely stunning." He said, causing Georgia to blush darkly. "Thanks, you all look really great yourselves. Where's Sirius?"

"He's still getting ready." James said as he rolled his eyes. "Honestly, that man takes longer than a fashionista to get ready."

"Spreading vicious rumors about me, are we, James?" Sirius asked as he appeared at the top of the stairs in his suit.

"Are they rumors if they're true?" James countered, causing Sirius to laugh. "Touché." He said before turning to Georgia. "You look marvelous, Georgia." He said as he walked down the stairs. He was about to say something else when Euphemia herded them all into the ballroom so that they could greet the guests that had just begun to arrive.

Georgia met a lot of people that night,mostly people that came from rich, pureblood families. None of them really seemed to mind the fact that she was a Muggle-born, although most of them were surprised to find out that she had been sorted into Slytherin. Then came the moment that Georgia had been dreading. Lucius Malfoy had arrived with his father, Abraxas. Just like Remus had stated, Abraxas was more civil to Georgia then Lucius was, and even Lucius himself was far less nasty to Georgia then he normally was.

"I received a letter from the Headmaster about my son's behavior towards you." Abraxas said to Georgia. "My sincerest apologies, I had raised him to be better then that. You may not be as high up as we are, but you still deserve some sort of respect. His behavior was unbecoming of that of a prefect, so I requested that the Headmaster strip him of his title."

"It's no worry, Mr. Malfoy." Georgia assured him. "Lucius is young, and young people tend to be brash, often acting before they think. I know that I have been a culprit of that many times, unfortunately."

"Georgia." Remus scurried up to her. "We have a slight problem." He murmured in her ear. "A Sirius problem. HIs parents just showed up."

"I see." Georgia smiled at Abraxas. "Please excuse me, but there is something that I must attend to. It was a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Malfoy." She gave him a small curtsy before following Remus. Sure enough, there stood Orion and Walburga Black, with their youngest son Regulus in tow. If Georgia recalled correctly, Regulus was either a first or second, a Slytherin, she remembered seeing him in the common room once or twice, he had always been cordial towards her.

"What are they doing here?" Georgia hissed. She didn't know the whole story, but she knew that things between Sirius and his parents were tense because he hadn't been sorted into Slytherin, like the rest of his family.

"I don't think that Sirius told the Potters about the problems that he's been having with his family." Remus muttered.

"The Blacks are blood purists, aren't they? What are they doing at a party that's being hosted by blood traitors?"

"Walburga always enjoys showing off her wealth to others, it doesn't matter who it is."

Georgia's eyes scanned the room until they landed on Sirius, who had stiffened upon seeing his family enter the ballroom. If Georgia didn't know better, she would say that she saw fear in the eyes of the oldest Black son. Georgia then realized that it was fear that she saw in his eyes, a fear that she knew all too well, a fear that she herself often had in her eyes. She remembered what James had told her on the carriage ride, how she and Sirius went through similar experiences.

Georgia quickly made her way over to Sirius, taking his hand, which felt icy cold. "Are you alright?" She asked him quietly, and Sirius scoffed lightly. "I'm just peachy."

"Hey, look at me. Deep breaths, Siri."

His grip on her hand tightened as he inhaled deeply. "What are they doing here? They've never come before, why now-"

"Hey, it's gonna be okay. I don't know why they're here, but it's gonna be okay, alright?"

Sirius nodded his head, his grip on her hand becoming almost painfully tight as his family made their way over to them."

"Sirius." His mother greeted them, and one might think that the smile on Walburga's face was a friendly one, but Georgia saw right through it. It was clear to Georgia that for whatever reason, she detested her eldest son.

"Mother." SIrius said through gritted teeth. "I wasn't aware that you were friends with the Potters."

"Oh, you know that I never miss out on a good party, and the Potter Christmas Ball is always the talk of the town. WHo's your little friend here?"

"This is Georgia Kelly, a good friend of mine."

"Kelly. I don't think that I've ever heard of that surname."

"I'm a Muggle-born ma'am." Georgia said, and Walburga's demeanour changed entirely. "I see. I suppose that you are in Hufflepuff, or Gryffindor like my son."

"I'm in Slytherin actually."

"Impossible!" Walburga's voice started to get louder, and people began to look at them.

"Walburga..." Orion murmured in his wife's ear. "Don't be making a scene-"

"Oh, shut up Orion! A Mudblood, in Slytherin?! This has to be some kind of mistake! As soon as we get home, I'm sending a letter to the Headmaster about this filth-"

"That's enough, Mother!" Sirius snapped. "You can mock me all that you want to, but I will not tolerate you speaking badly of Georgia! She's a better witch than you could ever be! She's kind and caring, and she ins't a bitch like you are!"

"Walburga." Fleamont put a hand on Sirius' shoulder. "I think that you should go. Georgia, please walk with Sirius out to the gardens so that he can calm down a bit."

Georgia nodded her head as she pulled Sirius out of the ballroom, the two teenagers had a lot to talk about.