Hey y'all, it's a little later than the two-week deadline I've set up for myself, but I pulled some overtime at work for the holidays, and it's been exhausting! I'm white-knuckling until after New Years, but I will be back on that two-week schedule after! Anyways, thanks so much for the comments! To Lolapilar, I'm so happy you think their just as cute as I do! Happy Holidays to you too! And to CarolinaFlint, thanks so much! You'll have to wait a bit until the reveal, but it is coming! I promise :)
To all of my subscribers, is there anything you'd like to see? Maybe more fluff? This story is mostly plot-driven, as I've been known to run away with the fluff but I'm always open to suggestion!
Anyways, I hope all of you had fantastic holidays and a very happy New Year! On to Chapter 20!
The holiday seemed to slip by much as they usually did; full of laughter, teasing, and pranks. Soon it was New Year's Eve and Sage found herself sitting on the bed in her parents' bedroom, watching her mother get ready for the party, as was the tradition. Well, the tradition since the Potters started leaving their bemoaning children behind whenever they went to one of their dinner parties.
"So, love," Euphemia started, dabbing a bit of perfume behind her ears. "I heard from dear Agnes that you and Gideon went on a date?"
Of course, that old biddy would know exactly who her son goes on one flipping date with, Sage thought, sighing. "It didn't work out, Mum."
"Why not? He's such a lovely boy!" Yeah, when he wasn't being a jealous berk.
"There was just nothing there," Sage said vaguely, picking at a loose string on her jumper. Euphemia turned from her reflection to look at her daughter. Instead of the young girl she was so used to seeing, Euphemia found an intelligent, compassionate almost-adult and felt a pang of nostalgia hit her between her breasts. She looks just like Tilia.
"Well, that's a shame," Euphemia went on. "I was thinking, you're almost of age now. Just six short months. It's time to start planning your Courting, isn't it?" Sage's head snapped up to survey her mother, who, to Sage's dismay, looked completely serious.
The Potters weren't poisoned by the idea of blood supremacy, but they were still Purebloods and held on to some of those traditions. Traditions like dinner parties full of fake laughter and diplomatic insults, and evidently, the Courting. The Courting was an outdated tradition of parading witches of age in hopes that they would find a suitable Pureblood husband. While Sage was sure her parents wouldn't follow through with what the Courting promised, an arranged marriage to someone she didn't love, the idea of holding it for appearances didn't sit well with her.
"Mum, you can't be serious," Sage gasped.
"Well, why not?" Euphemia asked, smiling. "You'll love it. Beautiful dresses, music, dancing-"
"Everything that I hate, in short," Sage spat, scooting to the edge of the bed. "Mum, the whole idea is antiquated and appalling."
"Oh, you know we won't actually go through with the arranged marriage, Sage," Euphemia said, waiving the words away with a practiced hand.
"It doesn't matter!" Sage insisted, standing from the bed and crossing her arms over her chest. "I will not be paraded around like a slab of meat for idiot Purebloods to salivate over." Euphemia straightened and advanced towards her daughter, finger outstretched.
"You watch your tone with me," Euphemia threatened.
"I won't do it, Mum," Sage spat, standing her ground. "It goes against everything I am and everything I believe in." Euphemia opened her mouth to reply but was interrupted by Fleamont popping his head into the room.
"Darling, are you ready? We'll be late," He said before noticing the tension in the room. "What's going on here?"
"Nothing, love," Euphemia said, shooting a smile over her shoulder at her husband. "We'll finish this conversation later," She promised Sage.
"Looking forward to it," Sage grumbled sarcastically, storming past her father and out of the room, chest heaving. She thundered up the stairs, ignoring her parents' shouted goodbyes, and flung open the door to James' room, the demand for alcohol on the tip of her tongue. However, the words died in her throat as she took in the scene before her.
James was standing in the middle of the room, hand midway through his hair and red-faced, staring at Sirius with an angry expression. Sirius, who lounged on the bed, looked at first glance haughty and unruffled. But Sage's trained eye found the telltale signs of agitation; the rod-straight spine, the slight crease between his eyes, the gritted jaw. As the door slammed against the wall, however, both of them looked at Sage in shock.
"Well, I was going to come in here and demand a bottle of Firewhiskey, but I think we could all use a drink," Sage said with a small resigned smile.
"Mum and Dad gone?" James asked, letting his hand fall from his hair. Sirius reached under James' bed and pulled out a bottle of Firewhiskey, popping the top off easily.
"Yep, just left," Sage said, climbing over Sirius' legs to sit cross-legged in the middle of the bed.
"Ladies first," Sirius said, handing the bottle over.
"Well, that's one antiquated tradition I can get behind," Sage grumbled before taking a long swig and handing it back to Sirius. She let out a sigh as the warmth spread past her belly and down to her legs.
"What're you on about?" James asked, sitting on the edge of the bed and accepting the bottle from Sirius, who had taken a drink to rival Sage's.
"Mum wants to put on a Courting for me," Sage growled. James spit out the mouthful of alcohol as Sirius yelped. "Oi! Party foul!" Sage yelled, smacking James' back nonetheless.
"I didn't think your parents were into that garbage!" Sirius yelled angrily.
"Oh they don't intend to actually marry me off to the highest bidder," Sage said sourly, taking the bottle from James, who had managed to swallow a drink. "But the whole thing is so misogynistic anyway." She took another large drink and handed the bottle off, feeling her head turn foggy and loose from the alcohol.
"Planning to burn your bra in protest?" James asked with a smirk.
"Only if I could avoid stairs for the rest of my life," Sage snorted.
"Gross," James mumbled and Sirius barked out a laugh.
"Well, you do need something to restrain those," He said with an appreciative look at Sage's breasts. Sage ignored the warmth in her chest (Has to be the whiskey) and smacked Sirius on the arm as the doorbell rang.
"I'll get it!" Sage said, climbing over Sirius' legs again and stealing the bottle deftly. Ignoring their squawks of protest, Sage hurried downstairs, taking large swigs all the while, and opened the door to see Kylie and Lily standing on the other side, a backpack slung over Kylie's shoulder. "Hey!"
"Drinking already?" Kylie asked with a raised eyebrow as she led Lily into the house.
"After the conversation, I had with my mother, the only thing to do was drink," Sage said darkly before turning to Lily.
"Welcome to Potter Manor, dearest Lily," Sage said grandly, swinging her arms open and giggling before taking in Lily's demure sweater and jeans. "Is that really what you're wearing?"
"What's wrong with what I'm wearing?" Lily asked, looking down self consciously.
"As gross as it is to think about my brother snogging, do you really want to snog him at the stroke of midnight in that?" Sage shook her head. "No, you don't. Lucky for you, I have plenty of clothes to share and lots of cosmetic potions to go around."
"Um, Sage, I don't really know how to say this, but," Lily started. "You're at least three inches taller than me and much more, uh, busty."
"My boobs are coming into conversation a lot today," Sage observed, laughing. "Good thing we're witches then! Between my closet and whatever goodies Ky has in that," Sage nodded towards Kylie's backpack, "We'll find something."
It took quite a bit of cajoling and one threat of a Bat-Bogey Hex, but Sage and Kylie finally managed to wrestle James away from Lily and shut themselves in her room. Sage was very well on her way to being drunk as she was ushered into her shower by Kylie while Lily looked through her closet. By the time Sage emerged swaddled in towels, Kylie and Lily had found an outfit for the redhead. It was tight, cap-sleeved dress in a brilliant shade of emerald, complete with a sweetheart neckline and hemline a few inches above the knee. Between the two of them, they had shrunk the dress so it fit Lily perfectly.
"Oh my Godric, Lily! That looks amazing!" Sage cooed. "Keep that dress, it looks way better on you than it ever did me."
"Thank you," Lily beamed, eyeing herself in the mirror. Sage stalked to her closet, swiftly grabbing the bottle of whiskey left on her bedside table, and started rummaging through her clothes to find the outfit she had in mind.
"Do you know what you're going to wear?" Kylie asked, pulling her clothes from her backpack and laying them out on Sage's bed.
"Oh definitely," Sage said with a grin, pulling out the shirt and pants. She held them out for the other two's approval.
"What in the bloody hell did you do to that shirt?" Kylie asked, eyeing the black Queen shirt that Sage had redesigned. She had cut the fabric in strategic places and added a few safety pins here and there.
"Made it better," Sage said with a cheeky grin before closing the door to her closet to change. She shimmied the black leather pants on and slid the shirt over her head, then opened the door. Kylie and Lily stopped their chatting and gaped at Sage. "Well? How does it look?"
"Amazing," Lily grinned. "You look like Sirius' wet dream girl." Sage laughed and took a swig of the whiskey.
"I'm drunk enough to admit that was exactly what I was going for." Kylie rolled her eyes and pushed Sage out of the way to dress in the closet as well.
"C'mon Lily," Sage said, pulling Lily towards her bathroom. "I know that muggles have their makeup, but let me show you what witches have." Sage started pulling potion after potion out of her cupboard as Lily looked at the label of one.
"Sleekeazy's Hair Potion and Scalp Treatment?" She read.
"Dad invented it," Sage said, smiling. "He swore he knew that he'd have a curly-haired daughter who needed it. To be honest, I think he knew he needed the gold." Lily laughed and looked at the eye color potion.
"How do I even use this?" She asked, picking it up.
"Here," Sage said, sticking her finger in the potion and smearing some on her eyelid. She picked her wand up and waved it at the potion and it turned into a dark, smokey eye. "Unfortunately, it only works once, so if you don't like the color, you have to take it off."
"How are you using magic right now?" Lily asked. "You still have the Trace on you, right?"
"There's a loophole," Kylie said from the doorway. "The Trace can't tell who's actually doing the magic. So in magical households, they rely on the parents to discipline their children."
"And guess how well that's worked on James," Sage said with a wink.
"Just another way Muggleborns get the short end of the stick," Lily muttered, taking the potion and dabbing it experimentally on her eye. Sage looked at Kylie and gasped. Kylie looked stunning in a deep red, knee length, long sleeved, scoop necked dress covered in sequins.
"Kylie, I know you're my best friend and I like boys, but even I want to snog you," Sage said, faux-seriously.
"I'd appreciate it if you'd restrain yourself. It might make sharing a dorm a little awkward," Kylie said dryly, making the other two girls laugh.
The girls continued to primp until each one deemed themselves (and the others) presentable. Or in their words, "utterly snogable".
Lily kept her hair down and curling on the end, with neutral eye makeup and a light pink lip color. Kylie went a little more dramatic, with dark eyeliner and lipstick that was a few shades lighter than her dress and an elegant updo. Sage, however, went all out, with dark, smoky eyes, blood red lipstick, and wild curls.
Finally, they put on their shoes (heels for Lily and Kylie and black leather boots with two-inch heels for Sage) and headed down to the common areas, where the party was in full swing.
The Marauders (Remus and Peter surely arrived when the girls were getting ready) had spared no effort in decorating. Luminescent bulbs flickered unsupported everywhere, lending just enough light to see clearly but dark enough to add a sense of mystery and reflected light from glittering strands draped artfully in the air. Mistletoe had been hung over every doorway. Furniture had been pushed back in the living room to leave space for a dance floor, where bodies gyrated to the thumping music, drinks in hand. There was a small sitting section, where couples lounged in various states of intimacy, though luckily, everyone had the presence of mind to stay clothed.
"Where do you think the guys are?" Lily asked, whisper-yelling into Sage's ear to be heard.
"Kitchen," She said definitely. "That's where the drinks are." She pulled Lily by the hand towards the kitchen, and sure enough, the Marauders were holding court with a few other Gryffindors and Ravenclaws. All houses, except Slytherin, were invited to these parties, and the turnout was as to be expected, large.
As the three moved into the kitchen, the boys' eyes followed. Remus' mouth dropped as his eyes roamed over Kylie's exposed legs, James' lips turned up in a grin as his eyes flitted over Lily's face and neck, but Sage's eyes were all for Sirius. She watched as his eyes bulged and his Adam's Apple bobbed in a gulp and smirked. She walked towards the group, letting the slight heels sway her hips and gripped the handle of some bottle full of clear alcohol.
"Toast, everyone," she said, pouring drinks for Kylie and Lily and handing them out accordingly. "To a New Year with old friends," she called, raising her glass and watching as the others clinked theirs against hers. She drank the liquid in one gulp and cheered, watching the others follow and feeling happy and safe, for the first time in a very long time.