Chapter Two
Rose has a dance
The next week found Gryffindor tower in uproar the girls in the seventh year dorm were rushing around as they borrowed each others hair clips, potions, accessories and everything else one could think of and although Rose was attempting very much to stay out the foray every few minutes someone would ask her for something.
"Rose can I borrow your blue ribbon?" or "what was that spell for putting mascara on perfect?" both Rose and Marianna were rather grateful when a knock on the door at seven thirty indicated that Lily had arrived and they were all to leave together. Rose and Marianna almost ran out the room failing to notice Octavia had joined them.
"Hope you don't mind," she said the other side of the door "its just they were annoying me." Rose looked a little shocked at Octavia although they had lived in the same dorm for seven years they had talked very little. Answers to questions tended to be one or two words and then not expanded upon although Octavia was clever, usually in the top five in most classes. She never put her hand up in class and spent most of her time in the library, in fact the sentence she just said Rose was sure was the longest she had ever heard her say.
Rose looked at the girls around her and nodded approvingly she was hardly a fashion expert but she was impressed with Lily's jewel green floor length dress green suited her although she had never seen it on her before as green was generally avoided by most members of Gryffindor. Marianna was wearing a white a-line dress that in Rose's opinion looked a little too bridal but it also looked pretty but the dress has been a loan from Marianna's older sister so she had very little wish to speak her mind. Octavia on the other hand was wearing robes so similar to their daily black robes that Rose thought she hadn't changed at all. Rose herself was wearing a deep blue floor length dress she had thought it too dressy but Marianna and Lily had both told her that it was really pretty which she couldn't deny. As they reached the main staircase Rose realized that she had nothing to worry about compared to some girls the four girls were possibly even a little underdressed. Some were wearing dresses so big that no one could stand within about half a meter of them or so many beads that they looked like a walking disco ball. Elspeth Saxony had her long blonde hair piled so high that Rose wondered how she kept her head straight.
As the crowd swelled into the great hall it had been transformed the walls were hung with white drapes that created the look of an elegant Georgian ballroom candles hung suspended in the air not separately but in large chandeliers. A large pianoforte stood in the corner with a string quartet sat around it. The house tables had been cleared out creating a huge space for dancing it was beautiful but confused Rose why the ball was held on Halloween there was no indication of Halloween theme. No pumpkins or scary lights or ghosts even the ceiling that was usually enchanted to show a storm despite what the weather was outside on Halloween this ceiling the twinkling stars of a beautiful clear autumn evening sparkled overhead.
"Gosh you really are distracted," Marianna laughed waving her hand in-front of Rose's face.
"Sorry," Rose smiled "isn't it beautiful?"
"Yes," Marianna sighed "it really is I spot a serious lack of boys though," and for the first time Rose looking around noticed that the hall was full of girls in their various dresses and robes of so many colors and styles but the hall had not one boy in it. Rose realized that other girls in the hall were beginning to notice this too ,whether they had all noticed together or if Marianna's words had spread very quickly through the hall but just as the hush grew the doors of the hall were flung open and the boys of various houses came through the door. Rose noticed that they were still incredibly tribal as each group remained in their house group. Rose noticed Lily a little shorter than herself trying to look over the heads of the girls in front of her to spot Charlie.
"He's here Lil," she smiled.
"Who?" Lily asked in an attempt to remain neutral but Rose raised an eyebrow at her
"How does he look?" she asked.
"You'll see yourself soon but I think your dress was a good choice." After the noise and chatter that the boys entrance had caused the string quartet struck up a song that Rose felt she knew but could not quite recall. Rose grabbed Lily and Marianna with the desire to grab a drink, as the hall had got quite warm with the influx of people. Lily rather unceremoniously bumped into a tall boy with dark brown hair.
"I am so sorry," she said.
"No, no it was my fault," the boy said turning around and Rose noticed it was Charlie Zabini, Charlie was the son of Blaise Zabini and Pansy Parkinson the latter both her parents had mentioned had not been a nice person at school. Rose had wondered how Charlie had turned out such a good person but she figured the mean gene had gone to his younger sister Anya who definitely fitted into the classic Slytherin mould. Rose grabbed her opportunity.
"Charlie this is my cousin Lily Potter Lily this is Charlie Zabini,"
"I know," they both said simultaneously and Rose took it as her queue to leave them alone Marianna took had obviously grabbed the hint or else was very thirsty as she had already headed to the drinks table.
"Rose can I grab a dance?" Rose spun around to see her cousin and Lily's older brother Albus Potter behind her "I need to dance with you first before I have the courage to ask a real girl."
"Thanks Albus you sure know how to flatter,"
"Come on Rose just as friends,"
"Sure," she conceded "but if a mushy number comes up I am out of there,"
"Gottcha," Rose looked at her cousin whilst he danced rather clumsily Albus more than either his brother or his sister took after the Potter side of his family as he was demonstrating by dancing like her Uncle Harry.
"Right I'm off," Rose said after three dances "I want to talk to Marianna and you need a real girl to dance with."
"Cheers little cousin,"
"Al your only a month older than me so less of the little."