Amera was sitting at her dressing table, doing her hair up for the ball. She hardly recognised herself in the mirror. Her hair was done up, and curled, with snowflakes decorating it. Her white dress was glittering now, and her shoes were so pretty with the dress. She had done her makeup white and blue, and made it very elegant. Everyone was going to be surprised, even Draco. She stood up, and Hermes squawked at her angrily.
"It's me Hermes. It's just the makeup."
Hermes turned his head as she spoke, and recognised her voice. He clicked his beak at her and stuck his head under his wing.
"It's for the ball. I'm not always going to wear this much makeup."
Hermes didn't move. Amera wanted to laugh at him, but went downstairs instead. It was almost time to go, and she was the last one there. Tashia was wearing her dark hair down, and so was Aurora. Aurora looked so young with her hair down; she looked like a teenager again.
"You look stunning." said Tashia as Amera came down the stairs.
"So do you. And you too mom."
Amera expected to Floo, so she went to the fireplace, and waited expectedly.
"What are you doing?" Aurora asked.
"Aren't we flooing?"
"No. Narcissa sent a limo to pick us up. It should be here…"
A hooter outside indicated that the limo had arrived, and Amera went to the front door, behind Tashia. They climbed into the limo, and the screen between them and the driver was up. Amera and Tashia had never been in a limo before, and so were very amazed at the size. They drove for what seemed like twenty minutes, maybe even thirty, until they arrived at large, black wrought-iron gates. A man in silver robes was standing at the gate, with a list.
"Name?" he asked in a voice that seemed to drone.
"Genesse. Party of three." said Aurora out the window.
The man pushed a button and the gates swung open. The gravel crunched under the tyres as the car drove slowly up the drive. There was a long queue of other black limousines, the occupants climbing a flight of marbles stairs adorned with a navy carpet.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" said Aurora.
Amera and Tashia looked out the windows. The lawn was covered by natural snow from that morning, and the very large pond was almost frozen except for the middle. But there were fairies, floating gracefully among the trees and bushes, and floating silver and blue lanterns that were lining the driveway. The Malfoy mansion itself was huge, as Amera had seen it from the outside only in the day. But at night, with the spotlights on the walls and balconies, and Christmas lights lining every window and balcony door, it seemed so much bigger. They were next to pull up to the marble stairs, and got ready to get out. Aurora got out first, with many camera flashes and talking of reporters.
"There are reporters? For a private party?" Amera asked.
Tashia shrugged and got out next, leaving Amera to wonder in her own nervousness. She took a deep breath, and followed Tashia out the same door. Many camera flashes blinked in her eyes, and she was blinded for a few seconds. A few questions were shouted at her, and then she saw Mrs Malfoy, standing under an ivy wreath.
"Come in. Don't mind them, they've been waiting for you all evening."
Amera almost fell over. The reporters were waiting for her? What for? She scrambled away from them, most ungracefully, into the shelter of the mansion. Inside were a few people, occupying the Entrance Hall, talking and making acquaintances. But this was obviously not where the party was, as only a fraction of the people who got out of the cars were standing there.
"The real party is down the hall, in the ballroom. Just follow your mom." said Narcissa to Amera before greeting her next guests.
Surely enough, Aurora was walking down the hallway, towards a huge doorway, with two butlers standing in the entrance. Amera followed quickly, and almost stumbled again in her shoes, to the doorway. Once inside the ballroom, Amera was glad that she came after all. She had read that Hogwarts Christmases were always stunning, but even Hogwarts could take a lesson from Mrs Malfoy. There were big snowflakes falling from the ceiling, the size of saucers, but disappeared before it touched any of the guests" heads. Huge ivy wreaths were revolving in midair, with no strings, with Merry Christmas in silver letters suspended halfway through the hoop. And even more unnoticeable, but a very good touch, there were fairies, like the ones in the garden, sitting on the wreaths holding small bunches of mistletoe patiently in their laps. Amera watched the fairies, to see what they would do. After sometime, a fairy shot down, holding its mistletoe high with a giggle, and hovered over a married couple, until they kissed, then it flew away again to its wreath.
"Narcissa has got very good taste…" Amera thought.
But she even saw a young man and woman bickering, but not hotly; but the fairy too flew over them until they kissed and made up, stopping the fight instantly and they erupted in a burst of laughter.
"That fairy better stay away from me when I'm shouting Draco down, or I'll hex it worse than him." Amera thought, and even her brain gave a little whoop of joy.