Hello! Sorry I'm a day late, I had a massive submission today and my fantastic beta junieyes had given me some edits to work on. I didn't want to publish before I had a moment to work through them, so here I am - a little bit late, but I promise the next chapter will be up in time :D
Ah, the Hogwarts school dance. Back when I was fifteen, this trope was so all-pervasive I almost forgot that the Yule Ball doesn't happen every few years in Hogwarts just because. I really wanted to include it in this fic, because it was there in the last one as well - and we all know how I feel about indulging yourself with the tropes you love.
Oh, also, about the chapter titles/the books Sirius and June are reading. I know it can be a little confusing if I don't give descriptions of what is happening and it's a lesser known book, so I'm going to try weaving in the description as organically as possible. This particular book is actually something I was reading when I was writing a paper on dancing in Pride and Prejudice!
And, to the Guest reviewer from chapter fourteen: I DO think Sirius would love all of Austen's bibliography! It's just his vibe.
ANYWAY I hope you like the chapter let's GO
Dance in Society by Frances Rust
Mary had muttered under her breath as she removed the last of the nail polish from June's fingers. The other three were getting ready together, and in the spirit of camaraderie, June had joined them. It wasn't as if she was given much of an option. Marlene had told her, while holding a hairbrush that looked dangerously like a weapon: "It's not much of a choice, sweetheart. Now, hurry. People to see, things to do."
June had resigned herself to this. She wished Sarah had had the good sense to call her to her dorm to get dressed together. But things like this didn't occur to Sarah any more than they did to June.
Therefore, with a few hours left to the dance, she found herself settled down on a chair in front of a mirror while Marlene painstakingly did her hair. "It's all in the framing," said Marlene. "I promise, you won't feel uncomfortable in what you're wearing by the time we're through. And we won't do much make up, either."
"You promise?" asked June, unable to keep something like worry from her voice.
"I do," said Marlene uncharacteristically. "Now, stay still."
And June did. She watched Marlene carefully as she combed her hair neatly, did a few strategically placed thin plaits, and left the rest. She tried convincing June to put on a clip, but June firmly said no to that sort of thing. She also firmly said no to removing the small cross that was looped around her neck. She wasn't particularly religious, but her cousin Margaret had given that to her, she argued passionately. Everyone decided that it was a battle best not fought, and instead focussed on her clothes. She wore her white dress – which flared from below her waist, had long, loose sleeves and a hem that reached her knees. She wore some silver necklaces that Lily had donated to the cause, and her sneakers.
Marlene looked lovely, as well – she wore black, while Lily had chosen a nice green blouse with jeans and wedges. Mary had opted for her red dress. All of them looked decidedly Muggle.
"You look good," said Marlene cheerfully. "Now put some of this lipstick, and we won't even need to do any eye makeup."
June took her word for it. She didn't really want to attract attention – she just wanted to have a nice time. Lily told her that she would, even as the other three went to find their dates.
"Oi! Williams!"
Sarah ran up to her. She was wearing blue – a shade that didn't clash dramatically with her carroty hair. "You look beautiful!" said June, surprised.
"No need to sound so shocked," laughed Sarah. "You clean up well yourself. Coming?"
June accompanied her, and without any sense of foreboding, too. It should have been a sign.
The evening started out nicely enough. June knew as well as anyone else that she had only come because Sarah had been so nice about it. If it had been Lily insisting, she might not have come. Sarah seemed to understand just how to bring June to do the things she sort of wanted to, but would never muster up the courage to do. In equal parts scolding and teasing, June had come.
The Three Broomsticks had never looked this pretty – Rosmerta had decorated the back of it, with lights everywhere. Some sort of warming charm had been cast on the enclosure – despite being exposed to the elements, June was not cold at all. The trees were covered with fairy lights and decorative jars. On the tables, what was the definitely spiked punch, and a buffet. It didn't have as much variety as Hogwarts would have – it was only chicken, rice, vegetables, fish, chips, and a few other fingerfoods. Some professors had been invited and stood in a small part of the enclosure – no doubt to make sure no funny business took place during the dance. Professor McGonagall had caused something of a sensation – being young as she was, she had dressed rather fetchingly in black, with her hair a little looser (although still pinned up, in something of a stylish updo).
"Here," said Sarah, handing her a glass of punch, clearly watching Professor McGonagall.
"But you said it was spiked!" said June.
"It definitely is," she promised. "I didn't say it was a bad thing."
She grinned at June wickedly. June, seized with something, sipped it. It really did taste awful – but she swallowed some more.
"Good girl!"
June made a face. "You're a terrible influence, I hope you know."
"I depend on it," said Sarah.
They spent some time giggling on the sidelines. Even when the band finally started up, they stuck together, and June gave Sarah far too much gossip. "You're a fucking treasure," said Sarah when June told her about Wendy Mockeridge and her best friend Laura being more than friends. "I love having an observant friend."
"I'm observant?" asked June.
"You do know whatever you tell me isn't common knowledge?"
June blinked. "You know, I had never really thought about it that way."
Sarah snorted into her drink. June, also a little tipsy thanks to the punch, wandered off to get another glass. "Get a plate of chips," ordered Sarah. "You ought not to be drinking on an empty stomach."
June nodded obediently, and headed off. When she picked up a quarter plate of chips and two glasses of punch, she found Sirius Black.
"Whoa – Williams?"
She swayed precariously. "Hi, Sirius!" she said, with more excitement than she had ever expected herself to have.
He might have been laughing just a little. "You drunk?"
"Shh," she said. "It's a secret. Besides, it was only a little. Sarah said I ought to eat something."
"Boy am I glad you have Freegood," said Sirius. "Who did you come with?"
"Sarah," she said. "I wouldn't have come otherwise."
"Not very big on change, are you?"
She shook her head. "I don't like… other people. Particularly boys. I didn't even like you."
He didn't seem to be laughing, even though she was finding everything enormously funny. "I know," he said. "You like me now, don't you?"
"Conditionally," she said, swaying again. She bit into some chips. "I like you when you're being friends with me and talking to me."
He winked at her. "Be careful," he advised her. "People see us talking, and some of the boys might actually ask you to dance."
June coloured. "You're cursing me, Sirius Black. I was so nervous about this whole thing, I even read a book on dancing."
He guffawed. "So tell me," he said, stealing a chip from her. "Which book did you read?"
"Dance in Society," said June, batting his hand away before he stole another chip. "There's so little on modern dancing I could either go for conduct books that taught me the quadrille, or this one that detailed a comprehensive history of dance in British society."
Sirius' laughter was almost offensive. "Williams, you're a treat, you know? Did it tell you much about dancing?"
She glared. "For your information, I was inspired by you. Since you read so very much!"
He bowed humbly.
Agitated, June had the urge to toss the rest of her chips at him. "You're…"
"Your lord and saviour?" he teased.
She swatted him with her free hand. "Get me more chips, since you've been stealing."
He made a move to muss her hair, but she dodged him. He then headed off. She had another chip, and waited for him to return.
Sarah was charging towards June, trying to move people out of the way. "You're taking your time," she said.
"I met Black," said June.
"Oh," said Sarah, finally pausing to take some chips for herself.
"Freegood!" said Sirius when he returned. He handed June a fresh napkin with chips, which she promptly overturned on her quarter plate.
"Evening, Black. Where's your date?" said Sarah neutrally.
"Ah – fuck."
Sarah sniggered. "God knows how you got Anne Thomas to come with you when you treat her like this."
Sirius gestured broadly at his body. Both girls rolled their eyes.
"I can see Freegood is picking up your habits, too, Williams," he said. "You ladies have fun. I'm headed off to find my date."
As soon as he disappeared, the wildest thing of June's life happened. A boy approached her for a dance. Curse Sirius Black.
It wasn't even a horrible boy – it was the seventh year, Bertram Aubrey. "Would you like to join me for a dance?" he asked, in a formal, slightly pompous way.
June gave a panicked glance to Sarah, who only grinned and encouraged her. She sighed. It was a strange night, anyway. "Of course," she said, absolutely horrified with herself. She joined the boy on the dance floor, despite having no idea what to do with her body.
It didn't even stop there – by the time the song was over, Sarah had gone off with some boy and was dancing away. Then Billy Corner asked her, and June said yes. She had more chips, and more punch. Sarah returned, laughing. "You awkward thing. You looked cute on the dance floor. Although against that hulking Aubrey, I suppose you can only ever look good."
June pushed her playfully.
"Come and dance with me," said Sarah.
It was the best dance of the evening. She laughed so much, the song was lovely, and she wasn't awkward around Sarah at the very least. Midway through the dance, there was a commotion as Bertram Aubrey seemed to have sprouted a head twice as large as he ought to have had. Everyone made space for Professor McGonagall to come through and stop the swelling. "He looks better with that, doesn't he?" Sarah muttered to June. June stifled a giggle.
After that, the song came abruptly to an end. Sarah was asked to dance by some other boy, so June left her, having had enough for a while. She decided to go to Marlene and Mary, but was held by a pale hand.
"You – you came with Sarah Freegood, didn't you?"
Dawn Forester was wearing a silver dress that went beautifully with her platinum blonde hair. She certainly looked lovely. June could only dream of ever looking this pretty.
"Yes -?"
Whatever she was about to say was certainly not good. She was sneering like she meant it.
Before she could say anything, however, Mary called for her. June turned abruptly – but even as she did, Dawn's hand left her wrist – pushed away by a crowd of people walking to the dance floor.
June blinked, and decided it was better to head off. She joined Marlene and Mary at their table. Their dates had gone to bring them drinks.
"Having fun?" asked Marlene, a glint in her eye.
June elbowed her.
"I think Terry and you ought to get a room," Marlene addressed Mary, her voice just a touch hard. "If this was Hogwarts, McGonagall would have pulled you by the ear."
Mary blushed. "Don't be crass, Marlene."
"I'm not," said Marlene.
Lily swung by their table – to their surprise, with James Potter.
"You have to understand, Potter, that she's coming from a time when there's little to no physical contact," she argued. "Hi girls," she added. "So dancing is like – is like –"
"Ecklectricity, I know," said Potter knowledgeably.
Lily burst into laughter.
"Where's Tom, Lily dearest?" asked Marlene, with another, sharper glint in her eye.
"I don't know," said Lily, without a trace of shame.
"I bet it's because Evans is such a terrible dancer."
"I am not," said Lily, horrified.
"I'm definitely better than you," said James.
"You aren't! Tell him he's not, Mary."
But Mary had headed off with Terry. Marlene was right, noted June. They ought to find some privacy. Lily, meanwhile, looked to Marlene.
"I'm not getting into your lover's quarrel," said Marlene, taking a swig from her drink.
"I'll have you know, I've been dancing since I was six," said Lily.
"Well, I've had lessons since five."
"You know what, Potter – come, we're dancing."
They went off, still arguing. Marlene and June looked at each other, and instantly burst into laughter. "That girl is supposed to be the brightest witch in our year," said Marlene.
"And James Potter played her like a fiddle," finished June. "Ah – Marlene, Snape is staring again."
Marlene glanced at the boy in question. June had never seen him look as bitter as he was in that moment. She shuddered.
"Probably because Lily is spending time with James," muttered Marlene. "Try not to pay attention to him."
In that much time, Marlene's date found her again. They joined everyone else on the dance floor. That was when the thing that she should have been careful of happened: Sirius approached her.
"Come and dance," he said.
June smiled shyly. "I'll be awkward," she confided.
He laughed. "S'alright, Williams. Only me."
She nodded. "This is the first time I've ever danced, you know?" she added in a whisper, as they headed to the dance floor. She knew he was keeping himself from laughing, but she allowed it because it was him. The song was a slow one, so she was momentarily flummoxed, until he guided her hands. She felt –
Ah, she thought to herself. Ecklectricity.
His hand was on her waist. Everything was chaste, of course, but –
She really had found herself in a predicament, hadn't she? It wasn't something she had so far admitted to anyone, not even to herself. Mostly because it was a bad idea, a stupid consequence of stupid actions. She didn't need half a brain to know that this was possibly the stupidest thing she had done so far. It was one thing for her to be writing letters to him in secret, quite another to have real life – feelings with him.
They didn't say anything during the dance, and she just knew all of the electricity was only from her side. She almost couldn't wait for the song to be over.
As soon as it was, she stepped away from him. "You won't dance another?" he teased.
She shook her head. "I'd better go eat something," she said, with an artificial smile.
He looked half ready to escort her to the buffet, when Anne Thomas made a very timely reappearance. She had never felt angrier and more relieved by her presence.
That was the thing she ought to have been worried about: everyone had seen her dancing with Sirius, and some people had made the connection with her – the girl he spent his time with, doing homework – and her, the girl he was dancing with. She really ought to have known.
She was eating with Lily and James – humouring what seemed to have been an argument on whether dancing was feminist – when it happened. Her mouth went dry, and her stomach did a back flip. She felt an overwhelming nausea, and gripped Lily's hand. "What's up?" asked Lily, turning to her.
"I don't feel good," said June. Her palms felt sweaty, too. The world spun.
"Is something not agreeing with you?" asked Lily, alarmed.
James was looking extremely concerned, too, and June really didn't want to make a scene. She had already spotted Sirius looking suspiciously worried – and she didn't want to bait him into saying something he might regret.
"Lily, can you take me to the bathroom?" she gasped, barely able to force the words out of her.
Lily clutched her hand and hurried her to the bathroom. June was vaguely aware of her surroundings when she entered the stall and seemed to have thrown up what felt like her weight. After that, everything went sideways. She was sweating badly when she emerged, to find all of her dorm mates, Sarah, and Sirius surrounding her. She bent forward even as she came out, and everyone seemed a little too tall. She brought her knees together and sat on the floor.
"She didn't have enough alcohol to throw up," Sarah said, for some reason addressing herself to everyone but June. She bent next to June, patting her on the back.
Her head was still spinning somewhat. "Well, unless what came out was supposed to be blue, it wasn't the alcohol," said June tiredly. "I think one of those – Zonko's treats, I think?"
She really ought to have known. There had been a suspicious looking girl near her when she had been getting her food. Zonko's treats were far too easily disguisable, and she had a strong feeling that the person had misdiagnosed the amount needed to have her keeling over. They'd definitely given too much for someone her size.
Sirius instantly crouched as well. "Do you know who came near your food?" He demanded.
He looked properly angry. She didn't fancy the chances of his fanclub, of which some were hiding behind the door to the bathroom, watching anxiously. She'd have warned them if they hadn't just effectively poisoned her.
"You're crowding her," said Sarah, her eyes flashing. "Back up!"
"So are you!" said Sirius, equally angry. He jumped to his feet. "June – tell her to –"
"Both of you shut up," said June, dazed.
She just knew he was going to say something that she wasn't going to like. There was a reason why she avoided this conversation with him for so long – it was going to upset a very delicate balance between them. And acknowledging it was going to take something out of her.
"Give her some space, Black," said Marlene quietly.
"Yeah – this isn't the time –" began Sarah.
"Bollocks," swore Sirius. "You can't let people walk over you, Williams."
He'd said it. That thing she had been expecting him to say, but had prayed he really wouldn't. What was his problem? Why couldn't he be quiet and not be annoying and let her do her thing in peace, without bringing up all of her bad memories from years one to three of Hogwarts?
"That's rich, coming from you," replied June, looking up at him. She still felt oddly dizzy and vaguely nauseous, but she would not stand for this sort of thing. "Back off, Sirius, before I lose my temper."
If anything, this made him angrier. June really didn't appreciate anger, especially not from boys like Sirius Black.
"Save it for someone who deserves it, Williams," he stormed. "You are such a coward –"
June went white. She felt numb, and distinctly aware that her wand was stowed away in the pocket of her dress. Yet she couldn't bring herself to reach it, no matter how angry she was.
That was when Sarah stood up. "Be quiet," she ordered. "Now, we're going to take June to her dorm, and you aren't allowed to have any objections to it."
"Fine," he said. "You protect her."
"No one," June emphasised, "asked for your protection."
Sirius Black could jump off the tallest tower for all she cared.
She stood up, glaring. Before he could say anything, she swanned off, as gracefully as possible for someone who had puked her guts out. As soon as she stepped outside, the swarm of girls congregated at the bathroom dispersed quickly. June ignored them and went to pick up her jacket.
Sarah opened her mouth briefly as June headed to their cloaks and jackets.
"I don't want to talk about it," June mumbled.
"I wasn't asking," said Sarah.
"Let's go," sighed June. She grabbed her jacket, her dignity, and her anger. "Come on."
The thing that happened with Aubrey is actually a callback to something that did originally happen in canon! In the sixth book, when Harry is serving detention for Snape, he's copying large Hogwarts records of wrongdoing in the castle. There was a reference to James and Sirius casting a spell that made Aubrey's head swell twice his size, and I just had to include it.
As always, I love reviews :D
