Decree No.29 (O.C) Fred Weasley/ Draco Malfoy

Lion Pride Part 1

Jessica flinched and drew a sharp breath as her dress clasped against her back, Pansy having just sewn it shut with her wand. Having zippers was a sign of cheapness according to Pansy, so her clothes didn't have any, they were all made to measure. Jessica felt like she was in some historical film, wearing a corset that hardly allowed her to breathe. Except this wasn't an elegant ballgown...it was a slinky red cocktail dress with a low back, a hanging neckline, and a slit up its leg. She felt that the slit needn't be there, it was already short enough.

"Finally, some shape," said Pansy, satisfied with her creation. She had opted for a strapless black satin dress, a thin velvet choker clinging to her neck. She walked around Jessica slowly in a circle, admiring her handiwork, "Those Hogwarts robes are an abomination to the female kind I swear."

The girl's chamber was empty except for them both, and you could just about hear the clashing of the Black Lake's tide against the stone walls. It would have been mildly comforting if she was just about to sleep, with the dark green drapes softening the interior, but Jessica was already nervous and the waves only made her feel seasick.

"And you're sure the other girls will put in this much effort?" Jessica asked her, staring at herself in the oval mirror she was in front of. She flicked her dark curled hair to reveal the necklace on her upper chest. She must admit she looked good, but it wasn't something she would usually pick for a party in a dorm.

Pansy strutted over to her trunk and pulled out two pairs of stilettos, one black and one nude coloured. "Oh they'll put in all the effort in the world," she replied charmingly, "and still only look half as good as us."

She handed Jessica the nude heels to match her red dress. As Jessica saw them both in the mirror, she realised how much she stood out, even in this room. "Don't you think red is a bit on the nose?" she asked, "like it's one of the Gryffindor colours, shouldn't I be wearing black like you?"

Pansy sat down on her bed and rolled her eyes at her, slipping her right foot into a shoe. "See this is why you need me, Clarke," she sighed, "we need you to stand out so you can't wear black. Red will trigger the guy's Lion Pride instinct, plus none of those plain goody Gryffindor girls would even dare wear that colour, they'll all be wearing light pink or something so boring it won't worth paying attention to. Basic Bitches."

Jessica wanted to remind Pansy of her irony as she was wearing black and came from a house that had generally been labelled as 'the bad one', but thought better of it. "Lion Pride?" she asked instead, bending down to slip the heels on her feet, "what's that?"

"The mascot of Gryffindor is a lion, and it's not a coincidence," Pansy explained, "Gryffindors are so prideful, it's one of their many downfalls. It's like a literal lion pride over there, and just like every pride, there are alpha males who will constantly battle for dominance. You come in looking all hot and dressed in tribal colours, the guys will all want to claim ownership immediately. Even if they're doing it subconsciously. Once whoever you're crushing on sees he has competition, he'll fight for what he thinks is his. You'll have your test of jealousy."

"That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard," Jessica chuckled, walking up and down the chamber to let her feet get used to the shoes, "boys aren't that animalistic."

"Then you're more naive than I thought," Pansy exhaled, "we'll see what happens tonight. I know I'm right."

Jessica turned back to the mirror and met her reflection. Her eyelids were a shimmering mocha, her cheeks were carved higher than she ever thought possible, and her lips were wet with light caramel gloss. She felt bronzed all over, like a statue of a Greek goddess she had once seen in London. Pansy had worked her magic with her and she hadn't felt this pretty in ages.