Even the Best Laid Plans
Part Two
Most days, Katie Bell had to drag her roommates out of bed. On Christmas, however, the situation was reversed and she was awakened by a barrage of pillows from Alicia. Angelina appeared strangely tired, but after a few minutes she seemed to perk up, though Katie did notice that she kept rubbing her eyes sleepily.
The three girls hauled their presents from the foot of their beds onto Theresa's empty bed and began to open them with unrestrained glee, starting with their gifts to each other.
Katie opened a pair of delicate silver and amethyst earrings from Alicia with a gasp. "Oh these are so beautiful, thank you!" She noticed they matched a necklace from Angelina, and that both would go well with the dress robes she had brought for the Ball.
"You are most welcome, and thank you for the barrettes and chocolate frogs." Alicia replied. She opened one of the frogs. "Pythias. Cool, now I have both him and Damon."
"You two tag team your gifts?" Katie asked as ripped the paper off a new dress cloak from her father. It was dark violet with ornate silver fastenings shaped like the roses her father grew in his greenhouses.
Angelina eyed the cloak. "Of course. That from your dad?" When Katie nodded, she sighed. "At least yours has taste. Mine, honestly is color blind. Still it's the thought that counts right?"
Alicia and Katie tried not to giggle at the bright orange robes lying amid tissue paper on Angelina's lap. They had to be at least three sizes too big for her.
"Is your father a Chudley Cannon's fan?" Katie ventured between fits of giggles as Angelina held the robes up to her body.
Angelina sighed. "No, he honestly thinks orange suits me."
All three girls burst into laughter.
Alicia's next gift was a Quaffle from the Weasley twins, George gave Alicia and Katie each a bottle of the disappearing/reappearing ink he and his brother had made and a frilly pink quill. Fred gave Angelina a Quidditch charm for her charm bracelet.
"Fred is so thoughtful." Angelina commented as she dug out her charm bracelet from her jewelry box and attached the charm with a simple spell. "I'm going to wear this tonight!"
"That bracelet is so noisy. I guess Fred will be able to hear Angelina coming." Alicia commented to Katie in low tones.
"Like belling a cat." Katie quipped. Both laughed.
Angelina looked up from examining the brand new copy of Hogwarts: A History her parents had sent her. "What's so funny?"
Alicia put on her best poker face. "Katie wondered if you would wear the bracelet with your new robes."
Angelina threw pillows at both of them.
"Well, even if you and your father aren't Chudley Cannons fans, Fred is!" Katie pointed on as she grabbed a pillow to retaliate.
The air was soon thick with flying pillows and gift wrap.
* * *
Alicia disappeared for a while after lunch to aid Lee in setting up the romantic dinner they planned for Katie and George, returning just as Angelina and Katie were starting to get ready. Angelina already had her pale blue dress robes on and was digging in her trunk, holding a single sock in her left hand, trying to find its mate.
"My mum used to tell me this story about how there was an enchanted place where socks disappeared off to so their owners would be left with only half a pair." Angelina commented.
"Did you believe that story?" Katie asked as she pulled on her lavender robes.
"I still do." Angelina said with a smile. "I love that embroidery."
"Thanks." Katie said as she ran a hand over the darker violet embroidery that ran along the hem and cuffs of her robes. "That color really suits you."
"As opposed to orange?" Alicia quipped. Angelina brandished a pillow threateningly.
"Just teasing." Alicia said as she tried to pretend to hunt for her other shoe. While Katie was putting on her new jewelry and Angelina finally pulled the missing sock out of her trunk, Alicia slipped the carefully written note onto Katie's bed, on top of the violet cloak she had draped there. Knowing Katie, she would be intrigued by the offer and investigate. Alicia wished she could be there to see George and Katie's faces when they realized they were trapped. Lee was pretty good with timed entrapment charms, though arranging them to come into effect only after two people entered the room had been tricky.
"How do I look?" Katie asked, turning to face her friends.
Angelina and Alicia eyed her critically. "You need to run a brush through your hair and adjust your skirt a bit, but otherwise you look great."
"Thanks."
"Where are your dress robes, Alicia?" Angelina suddenly demanded. "You didn't come with us when we bought ours so I haven't seen yours."
Alicia showed them her the robes. She had opted for a dark red, which her mother always told her was her best color, with tiny gold stars all over it.
"That is a good color for you." Katie noted.
"Gryffindor colors." Angelina said with approval.
"Thanks. I'm going to take a quick shower." Alicia hurried out of the room. She had spent too much time coaxing her cousin to help her and aiding Lee in setting the classroom up. Now she would have to hurry to get ready in time.
After Alicia left, Katie reached behind her for her cloak, not noticing the note on top of it. The note fluttered to the floor to land next to Angelina's bed. "Do you think my new cloak will be necessary? It matches my dress robes."
"I don't think you'll need it. You'll be indoors." Angelina pointed out.
"I'll leave it on my bed in case I need to come back for it. It looks so nice with my robes. Dad must have picked the color to match. He has a good eye you know."
"I saw his flowers. He grows beautiful roses."
Katie nodded. "My favorite are the yellow ones he created and named after mum. She liked yellow roses the best too. Remembrance, he calls them in the advertisements, but between him and me they are Laurel Roses."
"Are you still planning to help him in his business after graduation?" Angelina asked as she plucked a stray hair from her shoulder.
"Well, I'd love to play Quidditch professionally first, but no matter what I'll eventually take over the business. Bells have been breeding the best roses in the wizarding world for two hundred years and I'm not about to end that tradition." Katie grinned. "Besides, I already am involved. I had the idea for the mother-of-pearl roses. They were our best seller last year."
Angelina noticed a piece of paper lying on the ground. "Is this yours?"
Katie stared down at the parchment. "It's by your bed. Must be for you."
Angelina unfolded the note and began to read.
"What does it say?" Katie questioned.
"Nothing." Angelina stammered, blushing. "Absolutely nothing." She reached into a drawer and took out a flask of potion.
"What is that for?" Katie asked, curious. Angelina seldom used potions other than to clean with or on her hair unless she had to.
"Courage strengthening potion. I thought I might need it tonight."
"Mind if I take a bit of that later on?" Katie asked. "My courage is terribly low tonight."
"Go ahead." Angelina said, trying to hide a small triumphant smile. She hoped Fred was having as easy a time getting the disguised love potion to George. "I need to go."
"See you at the Ball."
Angelina shot her a last grin and fled. A few minutes later there was a knock on the door. Katie opened it to admit George, who was carrying a note like Angelina had and looking puzzled.
"Do you know what this is about?" George asked, indicating the note.
Katie shook her head no. "Angelina had one though."
George smiled. "That explains it then. Someone must have mixed Fred and me up again. Either that or its one of his jokes. Thanks, Katie." He shuffled his feet. "I guess I'll see you at the dance."
Katie mustered a smile. It would be so easy to ask him, but the only thing that came out was "I guess you will."
"Bye."
Katie stared at the potion. One sip and she would have the courage to march over to George and ask him to go with her to the ball. Only one small sip.
"I am a Gryffindor." She told herself firmly. "And I'll rely on my own courage or none at all."
"Where's Angelina?" Alicia asked as she came back with a towel wrapped around her head.
Katie shrugged. "She had something to do."
Katie moped while Alicia dried her hair and pulled it into a quick braid.
Alicia shot a glance at Katie's bed in the mirror. The note was gone. Then she saw the flask.
"What is that?" Alicia asked, indicating the potion.
"Some courage-strengthening potion. You need any?"
"With my awful dancing? I need all the courage I can must to dance in public and then some!"
"Here." Katie handed her the potion and Alicia took a sip.
"Its a bit sweet," Alicia noted, "but then I have never actually tasted this stuff."
"I hope it works for you." Katie said. "I'm going downstairs now."
Katie missed Alicia's broad smile as she left.
FIN
Next time: Angelina and Fred get stuck together, Alicia feels the effects of the potion, and the Yule Ball begins.