"Will you guys please hurry up!?" I yelled up the stairs into the girls' dorms.

I was standing at the bottom of the staircase, fully dressed, waiting for them to come down.

They always took longer than me. I was the kind of girl who had the ability to be ready in a matter of minutes, they were different. When they had to look good, they did. And they made sure of it. For an hour straight.

"We're coming!" I heard Kiki respond. I could hear heals clicking on the wood floor of the dorm corridor, so I assumed they were on their way.

"You guys look beautiful!" I exclaimed as they descending towards me. "But we're already five minutes late!"

"You look even more beautiful!" Wendy replied.

"You're complimenting your own work," I answered, giggling.

"Is that a bad thing?" she said, smirking.

"Wait, where's your mask?" Kyla asked.

"Shit!" I said. "I have to go back up."

"We have no time," Kiki said.

"You guys go. I'll catch up."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, go."

"Okay."

And I was off. I ran up the stairs as fast as I could in the heels that the girls forced me to wear.

'Your costume will look terrible if you don't wear them!' I could hear Wendy exclaim in my mind.

I walked down the corridor and into my dorm.

"Great," I said to myself. "I don't even know where to look."

I decided to start with my wardrobe. I ripped out everything inside and found nothing. Then I moved on to my bed, and in my side table.

Still nothing.

"Maybe it's in their dorm," I mumbled to myself.

So I left my dorm and continued down the hall to their dorm.

I entered and saw it sitting on Kiki's side table. Exactly where we left it.

"I'm so stupid," I muttered angrily as I grabbed it and ran back down the corridor and into the common room.

I made my way across the room and I climbed out the portrait hole.

I made it a few more feet running before I decided to quit. I put the mask over my face and continued on walking rather than running. It was much easier to walk in heels than run with them.

I walked down the next few corridors and then down into the Entrance Hall.

Next to the Great Hall doors, I noticed a mirror.

"Since when is that there?" I asked myself under my breath as I walked over to it

I saw my reflection and even I gasped a bit.

I hadn't really looked in the mirror since Wendy had finished.

I did look pretty good, if I don't say so myself.

She had changed my hair from fiery auburn to a golden blond, though my emerald eyes remained. The dress looked absolutely amazing. The strapless white ball gown made my skin glow and the beaded bodice reflected in my eyes. I not only looked amazing, but felt amazing. I felt beautiful. And I loved it.

Oh, shit. The ball! I forgot. I took one last look, as well a deep breath, and walked over to the doorway. As soon as I got in front of it, the doors opened.

The view took my breath away. I walked in and looked around. I was up at the top of a grand staircase. One which certainly isn't usually in the Great Hall.

All around the staircase was the dining area, where there were a bunch of tables set for eight. In the center of the Great Hall was a large dance floor, which was already lively with dancing costume-clad students.

I took one step down the staircase into the light and in a matter of seconds, I could feel eyes on me.

I looked up to see the entire Great Hall watching me descend.

Oh, shit. Don't fall, don't fall, I thought to myself nervously.

It felt rather nice having all eyes on me. It was definitely a first.

But the only bad part, I later realized, was that nobody knew it was me.

I had completely forgotten that Wendy had changed my appearance dramatically.

Luckily, I made it down the stairs without stumbling and I walked down to the dance floor, smiling from ear to ear.

I expected to have to wind through people, but as soon as I stepped on to the dance floor, people moved out of my way.

I stopped for a second, but shrugged it off. I just continued walking until I saw the girls.

They hadn't altered their appearances all that much, except for the normal alterations: mask, nice hair, make-up, etc. The reason I'd changed so much was so that I wouldn't be bombarded by dance offers from James. Maybe this way I could have a night of fun without worrying he's right behind me.

"Hey, girls," I said as I reached them. They were dancing at the other side, but were now looking at me along with everyone else.

I didn't even realize it, but the music had actually stopped when I descended. I was so caught up in the moment that I hadn't even realized it.

As I reached them, the music started up and gradually everyone started dancing again.

"Go Lily!" Kiki yelled to me over the music.

"Go me?"

"Yeah! You just successfully shut down the entire ball for about two minutes! Before you came, everyone was on fire. Then you came in and everyone just stopped," Kyla answered. "So go you!"

"Yeah, I guess so. Go me!"

"That's the spirit, Lil!"

"This is great!" I yelled in response.

Like I said before, I don't usually like dancing, but I felt great, so I just moved. The beat was fast, so I moved in rhythm with the other girls.

We danced for the next few songs before they led me over to the table that they had claimed before.

"Nobody has sat with us yet," Kiki said.

"But, they didn't know that Lily was with us," Wendy added, laughing.

"Shut up, guys," I replied, sitting down. "Wow, I'm tired already."

"Well, you better hyper up! We've got a whole night ahead of us," Kyla said, taking a sip of the water that was sitting next to her place setting.

"I know! And I'm so excited!"

"Excuse me?" I heard from behind me.

I turned around to see Sirius standing there.

"Yes?" I asked.

"My name is Sirius Black," he said gracefully, swooping down into a poised bow.

He must have been doing that because of his costume, which was one of the three musketeers, because I'm pretty certain he doesn't normally do that with girls.

"I'm," I started, names racking through my mind. "Priscilla."

"May I have this dance, Priscilla?"

"Why, yes you may," I said, allowing him to take my hand and lead me to the dance floor.

I turned around to the girls before I got there and I got a thumbs up from Kiki, a smirk from Kyla, and a look of envy/longing from Wendy.

I just grinned and mouthed the words 'Sorry Wen.'

She smiled and replied 'It's fine.'

I had just begun laughing when Sirius twirled me suddenly.

I nearly lost my balance but he gracefully caught me.

"Not expecting that?" he asked, smirking.

"Not exactly," I replied.

"I must ask you this, Priscilla. Are you new? Because I'm sure I would have noticed a pretty face like yours."

Wow, could he have gotten any more cliched? I'm sure he couldn't have. How do girls fall for him? He's so corny. But I kind of liked it.

"I'm, um, Dumbledore's granddaughter," I replied.

What a stupid response.

He would surely know that I wasn't Dumbledore's granddaughter. Did he even have a granddaughter? Who knows. Now he did. And her name was Priscilla.

"Hm, Dumbledore has a granddaughter?"

"Of course. And I'm her," I replied, giggling.

"Cool."

Sirius was certainly a good dancer.

"Where did you learn to dance so well?" I asked.

"Family tradition. All boys had to take ball room dancing at the age of eight," he answered, grinning.

"Ball room dancing? Interesting."

"Well, thank you for thinking I'm a good dancer. I find myself to be rather rubbish."

"Rubbish? You're amazing. I've never met a person who moved better."

"Why thank you."

"You're welcome."

"So, where are you from, anyways?"

"London."

"Why are you at Hogwarts?"

"I transferred from Durmstrang," I replied quickly.

Another stupid answer. Boy, I'm not too good at this.

"Durmstrang? Why Durmstrang if you're grandfather is the headmaster here?"

"That's just it. My mother and father didn't want me to go to school here because they didn't want grandfather favoring me. I didn't think he would, but they did. Now that I'm sixteen, I told my parents that I wanted to transfer here, so they agreed. And now I'm here."

"Well, I'm glad of it."

"I'm glad that you're glad," I replied. "Wow, the song is over already?"

"Seems to be," he answered. "Would you like some punch?"

"No, thanks. Actually, I'm going to go back with my friends."

Wow, did I really just turn down Sirius Black? Hm, seems I did.

I like this whole power thing.

"All right," I could hear him say as I glided back over to the girls.

"Oh my God!" Wendy exclaimed as I sat down.

"You did not just dance with Sirius Black?!" Kiki asked in shock.

"Yeah. He was pretty good."

"Pretty good? He's amazing. You two actually looked great together," Kyla replied.

"Thanks, I guess. I still think that he and Wendy would look cute."

"Stop, you're just saying that because you feel bad because you think I feel bad about you dancing with Sirius."

"No. Actually, I've always thought you'd look cute."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"Oh, here comes James," Kiki whispered quickly.

"Excuse me," drawled his charmingly sly voice from behind me.

I turned around.

Dear lord, he looked incredible. He was wearing what I guessed to be a Prince Charming costume and he looked charming in it. I could have kissed him right then and there. But obviously, I couldn't.

"Yes?"

"May I have this dance?" he asked politely, holding out his hand.

"Sure," I replied, taking his hand. As I followed him, I turned around to the girls.

All three of them had their jaws dropped in amazement.

Apparently, they expected me to decline his offer. But I just couldn't. He looked so cute and handsome, how could I refuse?

"I'm James," he said as we began dancing.

He held me much closer than Sirius did, seeming much more compassionate. He seemed like he actually wanted to be there. As much of a good dancer as Sirius was, he seemed very distant. James just felt close.

And I just realized why.

I am in love with him...