Remus didn't reappear in Gryffindor Tower until a week later. Mme. Pomfrey felt it was safer to just keep him away from everyone until after his transformation was over for the month.
Celeste was exceptionally busy. Not only was she being given some intense study sessions, permission having been granted by all of her professors and the Governors of the school for her to
take her O.W.L.s this year, but she was serving out a detention for being discovered outside the dormitory just before sunrise the day after the attacks on James and Remus. She accepted her punishment without question, although she never admitted to what she'd been doing out at that hour.
Celeste was also much happier than she'd been since she started at Hogwarts. She was now rooming with Lily and the other fifth year girls. She had been pulled from all of her usual classes, so she never saw the fourth year girls except in the Common Room. None of her friends would let them get anywhere near her. She was safe, and she blossomed even more under the care of her protectors.
"Remus!" Celeste was smiling as he came back into the common room. "How are you feeling?"
"Much better, thanks," Remus said. "Where are James and the others?"
"The library," Celeste said, giggling. "Apparently the other boys did something to irritate Professor Slughorn. He, Sirius, and Peter are now trying to find enough information on Shrinking potions to cover three rolls of parchment. Lily is helping them, since it was partly her fault they got in trouble."
"Oh?" Remus asked, sitting down beside her.
Celeste nodded. "She switched James' crushed scarabs for crushed cockroaches," she explained. "It made the potion boil over. It melted James' cauldron, and did a lot of damage to the table. Peter tried to help and ended up melting his cauldron because he forgot to pull it off the flame. When the boys couldn't tell him what happened, he got very angry and told them that since they could not make the potion correctly, they could write him an essay on the many uses for the potion."
"Poor James," Remus said with a smile.
Celeste's smile faded. "Remus, I need your help," she said softly.
"Oh?" Remus asked.
Celeste nodded. "I'm still having trouble with my English," she said, her voice almost a whisper. "I'm scared I'll have trouble with the practical. I do not understand people that well when I am nervous."
"What can I do to help?" Remus asked.
"I want to make sure I know this information better than anyone," Celeste said. "I have to know it. Even if I have trouble with getting scared, I will not have trouble with doing what I am asked to do."
Remus smiled gently at the earnest look in her face. "All right, sweetheart," he said. "Let's get started then."
Celeste's smile returned. "Thank you, Remus."
"You're welcome," Remus said. He hesitated, and then he asked, "Celeste, have you thought about going to the Yule Ball?"
Celeste looked surprised. "I had not given it any thought," she said. "You know I do not like crowds, but if someone were to ask me, I might think of going." She shrugged. "But I do not know many people who would ask me."
"Would you go to the Yule Ball with me?" Remus asked in a rush.
Celeste blinked, and then her cheeks turned a little pink. "I would love to go with you," she said, sounding a little breathless.
"Ok," Remus said. The stared at each other for a moment before they turned their attention back to the books.
When Lily and the others finally came back to the common room, Celeste had gone upstairs to her room. Remus was sitting and reading over one of her essays, correcting her grammar mistakes. "I was beginning to wonder if you'd fallen asleep in the library," he commented, looking up from the roll of parchment. "Did you get your essays done?"
"Yeah," James said. "But I don't think we'd have made it if Lily wasn't helping us." He looked around the crowded common room. "Where's Celeste?"
"Up in her room," Remus said. "She'll be back down in a few minutes. She managed to knock her ink off onto her robes. She's up changing." He paused. "I did it."
"You did what?" Sirius asked.
"I asked Celeste to go to the Yule Ball with me," Remus said. He ducked his head, blushing slightly. "Now I need a favor from you guys."
"What's that?" Sirius asked curiously.
"I need to get a set of dress robes," Remus muttered. "And since you lot can usually manage to look presentable, I'd like your help."
Sirius grinned. "We'll go shopping on the next Hogsmeade weekend," he said. "There's one more before the Yule Ball."
"Oh, thanks for reminding me," Lily said. "I still have to finish my Christmas shopping. I'm going to go put my books up in the dormitory." She headed off.
"Lily!" Celeste caught her when she walked in. "I am in, I mean, I need your help."
"Oh?" Lily asked.
Celeste sighed. "My best dress is ruined, and I do not have anything to wear to the Yule Ball," she said. "Remus has asked me, and I said yes. Will you go with me on our next Hogsmeade weekend to get a new set of dress robes?"
"Of course I will," Lily said. "The boys are taking Remus to go shopping then as well. Is all of your Christmas shopping done?"
"I still have to find something for Remus," Celeste said. "He is the last one I have on my list. I was able to find things for the others much easier."
"I'll help you with that too, if you'd like," Lily said. "I've got an idea of something Remus might enjoy."
"All right," Celeste said thankfully. "Thank you." She smiled. "Now I must go down and see how badly I have mangled the English in my essay."
"It shouldn't be too bad," Lily said. "You've been getting better with every essay you've written."
"I hope it is all right," Celeste said. "I will especially need good grammar when I try to pass my O.W.L.s."
"You'll be fine, Celeste," Lily assured her. "Remus and I will help you so you're ready for your practicals, and your incredible memory will help you with your essays."
"Queest-ce que j'ai jamais fait pour obtenir à des amis comme vous?" Celeste asked happily, reverting once more to her native French. (What did I ever do to get friends like you?)
"Vous étiez vous-même. C'est ce qui." Lily replied warmly. (You were yourself. That's what.)
"Merci," Celeste said. She ran lightly down the stairs, happier than Lily had ever seen her. Lily dropped her stuff and headed back down to the common room.
Celeste waited nervously for Lily and the others. They'd decided to all go down to breakfast together, and then head off to Hogsmeade as a group. It would be safer, considering that Celeste's former roommates and their boyfriends were still making trouble. Nora and Saidie were waiting with Celeste. They didn't want to see the frail young woman injured any more than Lily did.
"What color of robes are you going to get?" Saidie asked Celeste curiously.
"I was thinking of getting lavender or silver, but Lily thinks I should try for something with more color," Celeste said.
"Well, you are very pale, Celeste," Saidie said. "I mean, you have platinum hair, pale eyes, and your skin is almost white. You really do need a little bit of color to offset that, and to enhance your beautiful eyes."
Celeste blushed a little. "What color would you suggest?" she asked curiously.
"Nothing too bright or intense," Nora said promptly.
"Nothing really dark either," Saidie added. "You like lavender, why don't you try a darker purple."
"Or maybe a rich blue," Nora suggested.
"I was thinking a red or even gold," Lily said, coming to join them.
"Those are too warm, Lily," Nora said. "My mum is a Muggle fashion designer. I've managed to pick up a bit from her. Celeste's coloring is all wrong for warm tones. Try blue and purple, maybe green, and if she wants something like silver, try for a richer and smokier version."
"Ok," Lily said, in surprise.
"All right, oh mistress of color," Sirius said, bowing floridly to Nora. "What about our resident bookworm? We have to get him some dress robes too."
Nora tilted her head to one side as she looked at Remus. "Try earthy tones with him," she said finally. "Warm browns and bronzes, maybe even a dark gold. Those would work best with his hair and eyes."
Remus was blushing furiously. "Thanks Nora," he managed.
"Have fun today!" Nora and Saidie headed out of the room. The others followed a few moments later.
Breakfast was spent checking and double checking pocket money. Remus, as usual, didn't have any and was wondering how he was supposed to pay for new robes. Finally, Sirius threw his hands up into the air. "Remus, James and I will pay for your bloody robes, all right?" he said exasperatedly.
"What's the matter, Lupin? Parents forget to send you your pocket money again?" a voice sneered.
Severus Snape stood just behind the boys, his greasy black hair framing his sallow face. Standing at his side, her black hair falling in a mass of soft curls, was Celeste's twin sister Catherine. "Go get stuffed, Snape," James said curtly.
"Vous savez, Celeste, si vous continuez à traîner avec ces traîtres de sang, les gens allez commencer à parler. Particulièrement si vous êtes vu l'en public avec le Mudblood," Catherine said snidely. (You know, Celeste, if you keep hanging around with these blood traitors, people are going to start talking. Especially if you're seen in public with the Mudblood.)
"Je serais plutôt avec eux que le genre de créatures démoniaques que vous courez autour avec," Celeste said coolly. (I'd rather be with them than the kind of demonic creatures you run around with.)
Lily nearly choked on her eggs as she tried not to laugh. "Votre ami ne peut pas même manger son petit déjeuner sans faire un désordre. Comment pouvez-vous traîner avec elle?" Catherine asked scornfully. (Your friend can't even eat her breakfast without making a mess. How can you hang out with her?)
"En fait, je parle français couramment et vos remarques, aussi bien que votre soeur, sont réellement vraiment hilares," Lily said with a little laugh. (Actually, I speak French fluently and your remarks, as well as your sister's, are actually really hilarious.)
Catherine's face colored. "Let's go," she said to Snape. "I'm hungry." The two Slytherins headed off.
"What did she say?" James asked, leaning over to the girls. "I'm still not too good with French."
"She was making rude comments, as usual," Lily said. "She was calling you lot blood traitors and me a Mudblood. Celeste told her she'd rather run around with us than –." Lily lowered her voice. "-Than the demonic creatures that she runs around with." The group broke out in laughter.
After breakfast, they bundled up in their warm clothing and headed out into the courtyard. The caretaker cleared them and they trundled off down the lane. "I'll take Celeste and we'll go to Lady Satin's. Where are you guys heading?" Lily asked.
"Probably Mme. Malkin's Hogsmeade shop," James said. "They've got good quality dress robes, and they do seem to lean more towards the wizards than the witches."
"Right," Lily said. "How about we meet at the Three Broomsticks in, oh, two hours?"
"It's not going to take that long," Sirius protested.
"You've never gone shopping with girls, I see," Lily said with a wry smile. "I'm pretty sure it'll take us that long to find a set of dress robes for Celeste that we can both agree on. Besides, I need a new set too. I'll look kind of silly in a set of dress robes that's almost 30 cm. too short."
"I'm going to get a new set as well," James said. "Mine are a bit tight across the shoulders. Playing Quidditch does wonders for the body, but it makes keeping me in robes really hard. Or so my mum says."
Everyone laughed. They reached the main square of the village. The girls went left to Lady Satin's Women's Dress Robes for Special Occasions. The boys went to Mme. Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. As they walked into the warm, cinnamon-scented shop, Celeste looked around curiously. "I don't think I've ever been here," she told Lily.
"I'm not surprised," Lily said. "You usually avoid the kinds of events where you'd where things like this."
Celeste lifted one arm on a dark pink set of silk dress robes. "I think, um, no," she said.
Lily laughed. A middle age witch came bustling out. "Can I help you?" she asked.
"We're looking for new dress robes for the Yule Ball," Lily said.
"Well, let's see what we can find," the woman said. She eyed Celeste. "Hm, I think a lovely pale pink will work for you."
"I do not like pink," Celeste said. "I am also looking for darker colors. I'm always wearing pastel colors."
"Oh no, dear," the witch said. "With your coloring, dark colors would be terrible."
"Our friend's mum designs clothes for a living," Lily said. "She says that Celeste should try richer, darker colors."
The witch ignored her and began pulling pastel dress robes from the shelf. She made Celeste try each and every one on. Nothing seemed right, and Lily and Celeste were getting irritated. Finally, Lily pulled a gorgeous set of turquoise velvet dress robes off of a shelf. "My dear, those are far too bright for her," the witch protested.
"Celeste, go try these on," Lily said, ignoring the woman. "Let's see if Nora was right." Celeste took the dress and vanished into the dressing room.
"Oh!" Celeste walked out, her pale silver eyes shining brightly. "I am wanting, I mean, I would like to get these."
"Well, the color does look nice on you," the proprietress said grudgingly. "Let's get them fitted." Using her wand, she tightened each seam so the dress robes fit Celeste perfectly. "There. All done."
"You are going to look fabulous," Lily assured her.
"What about you?" Celeste asked.
"Oh, I've already picked out what I want," Lily said. She held up a set of emerald green silk dress robes. "I'm rather easy to shop for. I always pick my favorite color. Since the color matches my eyes, and most redheads look good in green anyhow, it's not that hard."
"Well, go try them on and we'll get them fitted to you too," the proprietress said. As soon as Lily's robes were fitted, the girls changed back into their regular clothes and paid for their new robes. Lily's was 18 galleons. Celeste paid 24 galleons for hers.
"Well, that was expensive," Lily said, after the girls had left the shop. "We've still got some time left. Want to go look at some jewelry?"
"I have never really gone shopping like this before," Celeste admitted. "I don't know what to do."
"Well, let's go see if we can find something pretty to go with your dress," Lily said. The girls walked into the jewelry shop. They left a short while later with a couple necklaces and two pairs of earrings. "We've got just enough time to get to the Three Broomsticks to meet the boys." The two girls hurried across the street and into the pub. Mme. Rosmerta smiled as they came in.
"Two butter beers, ladies?" she called.
"Yes please, Mme. Rosmerta," Lily replied. "Have you seen James and the others yet?"
"Not yet," Mme. Rosmerta said as she brought two bottles out to the girls. "Are you meeting them here?"
"Yes," Lily said. "We went shopping for new dress robes for the Yule Ball."
Mme. Rosmerta looked at Celeste in surprise. "So, who are you going with, dear?" she asked.
"Remus Lupin," Celeste said quietly as she sipped her butter beer.
"That's wonderful," Mme. Rosmerta said with a broad smile. "Ah, here are the boys. I'll bring over four more bottles." She disappeared behind the bar.
"So, did you find anything?" James asked, dropping into a chair next to Lily.
"We did," Lily said. "The witch in Lady Satin's was a real pain, though. She didn't want to listen to anything we had to say."
"I've heard that about her," Remus said. "The girls sometimes gossip in the library when I'm trying to study," he added at Peter's inquiring look. "They aren't very quiet about it and I often pick up interesting bits of information."
Mme. Rosmerta dropped off four more butter beers before heading off to take care of another batch of Hogwarts students who had just come in. "How was your shopping?" Lily asked.
"Oh, Remus was arguing with us, but we finally found something," Sirius said sourly. He glared at the young werewolf before taking a swig of butter beer.
"Just because I don't consider what you insisted I try on to be dress robes, Sirius, does not mean that I wasn't intending to get something," Remus snapped back.
"That's enough, you two," James told them firmly. "Peter and I have put up with your bitching for the past two hours. Sirius, you're my best mate, but drop it or I'll hex you into next week. Remus, quit letting him bait you."
"Yes, oh mighty one," Sirius said with a florid bow. James mimed hexing him with an imaginary wand.
"You lot are really bad, you know that?" Lily asked exasperatedly. "Can't you let up for a bit?"
"Sorry, Red," Peter said. "But James is right. We've been listening to this bloody tripe for the last two hours."
"Well, I don't want to hear it," Lily said firmly. "If you're going to keep this up, Celeste and I are leaving."
"Catherine and Severus are coming," Celeste said suddenly. "They've got Terrilee's brother and a few other Slytherins with them."
"You sure?" James asked. "Sorry. Stupid question. Should we make a run for it?"
"I'd rather not have my dress robes ripped out of my hands and ruined," Celeste said.
"Ok," James said. "As soon as they get a table, we're out of here."
"Catherine knows I'm in here," Celeste said quietly. She shrank down in her seat a little. Mme. Rosmerta saw this and hurried over.
"Is something wrong, dear?" she asked.
"Her sister and some of the Slytherins are on their way in," Lily said.
"Well, you lot get ready to bolt," Mme. Rosmerta said. "I'll catch them when they come in and get them off to a table."
"Thanks, Mme. Rosmerta," James said gratefully.
"I just don't want you tearing up my pub again, Potter," she said, giving him a dirty look. James had the good grace to blush and look ashamed. Just then, the door opened and the expected Slytherins walked in. Mme. Rosmerta bustled off to get them all seated.
"Ok," Sirius said. He waited for another moment, and then said, "Now." The Gryffindors bolted out of the Three Broomsticks. "So, back up to school?"
"I still have shopping to do," Celeste said. "I have one more gift to get. Lily, you said you'd help me find something."
"Oh," Lily said, her eyes widening in surprise. "I almost forgot. Thanks for reminding me, Celeste. If you lot want to head up, go ahead. We're going to finish our Christmas shopping."
"Actually, I have a couple more gifts to buy myself," Remus said. "Or rather, I need to pick them up." He ducked his head. "That's why I don't have any pocket money right now. I used it all on presents."
"You're not wandering off alone," James said. "Peter, you and Sirius go with Remus. Lily, you mind if I come with you and Celeste? With the Slytherins in town, I don't think the two of you should be off without some help either."
"Not a problem," Lily said. "We already have your gifts, James."
"We'll meet you up in the Common Room," Sirius said. "If that's ok with you, James."
"Yeah. Just don't leave Remus alone," James told him.
"You got it," Sirius said. "Come on, Peter." Remus would have objected, but he knew it was far safer for him to be with his friends. The two groups split up once more. After Lily and Celeste got their presents for Remus, they decided to forego their usual trip to Honeydukes and head back up to the school.