Remus and Lily sat in the Gryffindor common room and waited. Sirius had already gone to bed along with the other Gryffindor but they kept a lookout just in case. Then the door to the girls' dormitory opened and Raven came out and with a wide smile she sat beside Remus. "Here she comes."
The door opened again and Gwen stuck her head out. She looked... uneasy. And when she slipped into the common room Remus saw why. Her hair had been put into a ponytail on the side of her head and her curls rioted down onto her shoulder. Below that she wore a huge grey football t that went nearly to her feet by the looks of it. Below that she wore pants a few sizes a bit too big for her and a pair of ratty tennis (those were hers, Remus remembered).
"Raven, I don't think this is me..." Gwen said uncertainly as she looked at down at herself.
"You look great Gwen. What do you guys think?"
Lily shook her head slowly. "No, I don't think so."
Remus didn't answer her right away tilting his head to the right he tried to get a better look at her. "First of all, what are you wearing?"
"Raven's brother's things."
He looked over at her and she shrugged. "It's comfy wearing their stuff. I do it all the time."
He did a double take and then looked her over head to foot. She wore a warm looking sweater, jeans and her tennis shoes. "Are you wearing something of theirs now?"
She nodded and when he gave her a questioning look she smiled. "I'm wearing Rhyan's socks."
Lily smiled and then she turned to Gwen. "Okay, that's a no. Come on, let's give it another try."
Gwen turned and almost tripped when one of the pant legs fell over her shoe tripping her up. Then they left. "What didn't you like about that? She was comfy." Raven asked as she sat down beside him to wait.
"Well, yeah. But was she comfortable?"
"Guess not." Raven said with a small smile and they lapsed into silence as they waited for Gwen and Lily to reappear. Finally the common room door opened and Lily held it wide for Gwen. And when she appeared Remus heard Raven trying not to laugh. He had to fight back the impulse as well.
Gwen wore knee high socks and plaid skirt that ended just above the socks. On her feet she wore Mary Janes that Remus knew Lily had worn at least one time. Above the skirt was a white shirt with a peasant style and fringe. Gwen herself wore her hair in pigtails and somehow the outfit made her look at least 5 years younger.
Remus shook his head and Raven did too.
"It's not me either, Lily."
Lily looked at her a moment and then nodded. "Okay, so we try again. Raven, we've got work to do. Remus you might want to get a book out. This might take a while." The three girls disappeared into dormitory and Remus settled in. It was going to be a while...
Several outfits later at nearly midnight Gwen turned to her two friends who were debating about a certain sweater. And Gwen knew that they weren't going to be much help. While both had nice senses of fashion, neither could agree with the other. And neither of them was anything like her.
Looking down at the last outfit they had chosen she sighed and shook her head then turned to look at Raven and Gwen. "You guys...? she waited until they looked up at her and smiled. "You guys have been very helpful but... well, you're not me. And so far I haven't felt very comfortable in anything you've had me try out. So I was wondering... would you let me...?"
Lily and Raven looked at one another and smiled. "Sure," Lily said.
"Absolutely, I mean who better to pick your own clothes then yourself." Raven nodded and then she and Lily went to the door and when she was finally alone Gwen sighed.
Then she looked at the piles and piles of clothes that Lily and Raven had managed to accumulate over the years. There were so many colors and so many styles. Then she saw it and it was perfect. Pushing aside an old pair of jeans that had doubtlessly belonged to one of Raven's numerous brothers she lifted the peasant styled shirt up. Then looking around again she dug through the clothes and jewelry until she found just what she wanted. Then she moved to her own dresser and opened her trunk digging in the bottom until she found two things: a scarf the same color as the shirt and her black boots, which she had never worn before.
Down in the common room, Remus read a book contentedly and Raven paced while Lily sat patiently in a chair. Raven was nearly ready to go up and check on Gwen when the door swung open to reveal her. And as Raven, Remus and Lily gapped she slowly made her way into the common room quietly closing the door behind her.
She had put her hair down and wrapped a scarf around her forehead and let the lose ends dangle and mingle in her hair over her shoulder. In her ears dangled a set of gypsy-like earrings. And around her neck she wore the pendant that she had used to see that vision. The blouse she wore was simply in a deep cranberry color that brought out the color in her cheeks. And the jeans looked like a worn pair of bell-bottoms that Raven had remembered she had thrown away... hadn't she? But the boots on her feet were unfamiliar. Small, black and made of what looked like a felt fabric.
"Well?" Gwen asked nervously as none of them had answered. "What do you think?"
She twirled one time and her curls wild and free. She looked at ease and...almost pixie-like. With these clothes on she seemed to take on a fairy tale quality. "You look great. You look like you." Raven said nodding as she walked up to her. "Is the shirt yours Lily?"
"Yes, I don't remember why I got it though. The color clashes with my hair... You want it, Gwen? I'll never wear it."
"I'd love it. Thank you." The Gwen turned to Remus who still hadn't said anything. "What do you think, Remus?"
Standing up he walked over to her and held her by the shoulders and with a small comforting smile told her what he thought. "I think that Sirius is going to be knocked dead. I am. You look wonderful, Gwen. This is you. And if Sirius doesn't like it... I can beat him up for you, if you like?"
Gwen laughed and then put her head down to cover the blush that had snuck up on her along with the tears. And then she shook her head. "No, thanks, I'll let Raven have all the fun."
Remus grinned down at her and she found herself feeling save and truly at home. On impulse she hugged him tightly then swung to Lily then Raven, hugging them both as well. "Thank you. Thank you. You've all given me more than I ever thought I could have happen to me when I came here."
She released Raven and looked at the three of them. "When I came, I thought I'd only learn about magic. I was wrong. You've... You've been wonderful to me and I... I don't think I'll ever be able to repay you in kind."
Raven frowned, what did she mean? "It's only some clothes, Gwen. You let me borrow some of yours and will call it even."
"Only some clothes. It's more than that." Gwen shook her head then and sighed. "Just... Never mind, I'm too tired to explain right now. I'll tell you later."
Then Gwen turned and walked up to the dormitory.
"What do you suppose she meant by that?" Lily asked.
Remus and Raven didn't answer her but looked at each other with a knowing glance. They knew at least one thing. Gwendolyn Farr had a secret... but would she tell them?