The Graduation Ball

James and Lily, having finished their plans for their graduation, had submitted the plans to Professor McGonagall and Professor Dumbledore, who had approved them happily. That Friday, Professor McGonagall explained to all the seventh years what was to be happening.

"Now, I trust that you are all very excited about our Graduation Ball, which will be held after your N.E.W.T.s in the middle of June. There are a few things you need to know about the ball. Our Heads have done a very good job planning. The Weird Sisters will be performing"—here many of the students whooped, for the Weird Sisters were very popular—"and the ball will be outside. Lily and James wish that the exact location of the ball remains a surprise to you all. For attire, girls will wear any shade of blue or white dress-robes or dresses, and boys will wear dress-robes or suits of the same colors. Tomorrow, seventh years will be given special permission to go to Hogsmeade and look for clothing for the ball." All the girls shared excited glances and shrieked with delight. "Okay, now, I know you are all very excited, but shopping doesn't start until tomorrow, so if you could turn your attention to my desk please? We're going to be transforming furniture into pigs today, so you'll need to focus!"

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Lily, Shayna, and Jocelyn walked through the streets of Hogsmeade, looking for a dress shop that would fit the needs of the graduation attire. The streets were filled with Hogwarts seventh year students, all looking for similar stores. Finally, the girls found the Hogsmeade extension of Madam Malkin's Robe store and walked in. The bell on the door tinkled cheerfully.

"Hello," the shopkeeper said happily. "Do you need help with anything?"

"No," the girls said in unison. "Thanks, though."

"Okay, well, if you girls need help, just come and ask me," the shopkeeper said.

Lily walked over to a rack where there were many dresses. She pulled out a knee-length, off-white strapless dress that was splattered with glitter and held it up to her petite frame. "What do you think of this one?" Lily asked her friends.

"I like it a lot," Jocelyn said, shuffling dresses to the side in search of one for herself. "What about this?" she asked, holding up a royal blue dress. It was an ankle-length halter dress with little silver rhinestones around the neckline.

"That's gorgeous," Shayna said. She was not looking through the rack of dresses, but was instead looking at simple dress robes with long sleeves. "I like this one," she said, showing Lily and Jocelyn a light blue robe that skimmed the floor.

"Shayna, why don't you get an actual dress? It's our one chance to show to everyone what we look like without our robes on!" Jocelyn exclaimed.

"I—erm—don't like my shoulders," Shayna said.

"Fine," Jocelyn huffed. "Let's go try on our dresses!"

The girls walked into three separate dressing rooms and put on their dresses. They stepped out into the hallway and showed the other two how they looked. Lily came out first.

"Wow," Jocelyn said, looking at Lily, who smiled. "You'll knock James off his feet with that one!"

Lily laughed. "Let's see yours, then," she said, as Jocelyn walked into her fitting room and pulled on her dress.

"I like it," Jocelyn said, looking at herself from all angles in the big mirror at the end of the hall. "Do you?"

Shayna smiled. "It's gorgeous."

"Dearborn will flip," Lily laughed. "You should get it!"

"Okay," Jocelyn replied. "Shayna, it's your turn."

Shayna walked into her dressing room and pulled on her dress robes, before walking back into the hall and spinning around for them to see. "Like it?"

"It's very simple," Lily said. "Why don't you take off the cloak, at least?"

"No!" Shayna exclaimed. "I don't like my shoulders; they're too bony."

"Are not," Jocelyn argued.

"Are too," Shayna replied stubbornly. "Besides, it's my choice, not yours, and I'm getting them. I like them."

The girls changed back into their school uniforms and walked to the cash register, putting their dresses on the counter. "That'll be two Galleons each," the shopkeeper said, and each girl put two gold Galleons on the counter. They picked up their dresses and walked out the door.

"So, where's the ball going to be?" Jocelyn asked curiously once the girls walked out of the store.

"I'm not telling," Lily sang tauntingly, sticking her tongue out and laughing. "You'll just have to wait and see!"

"Fine," Jocelyn huffed. Then she smiled. "Well, with Lily and James preparing it, we know that it'll be very organized but spontaneous…isn't that the perfect oxymoron?"

"Definitely," Shayna said, laughing. "Now, let's get back to the school before we wrinkle our dresses!"

A/N: Chapters are slowing down because…there are only two chapters left! The next chapter is kind of the last plot twist, and then the sweet ending chapter. Tee hee. I decided to add this little update in between my usual updates because I want to be nice before I end my story. Um, thanks to everybody who's reviewed and read everything and all that jazz because if it weren't for you guys I probably would have given up this story. And…um…yeah I'll make my whole big speech at the end of my story. Review please!