Philophobia // Fred Weasley

IX

IX The Yule Ball

Christmas morning at Hogwarts was something Rowen had never experienced, usually having gone home on break. When the sun reflected through the water of the black lake and into her window the girl knew it was time to finally get out of bed. Having been up for hours, she heard her roommates opening their Christmas gifts before the sun rose exclaiming at their extravagant gifts. Rowen fell back asleep only to be woken by the scream of one Stella Selpie whose boyfriend had gotten her a diamond bracelet with their initials carved in the band. Rowen shoved her pillow over her head and fell back asleep as the other girls talked about Stella's hypothetical future wedding.

It was midday before Rowen finally swung her legs over the side of her bed, her feet touching the cold stone floor. It wouldn't be more than an hour before her dormitory was filled with a dozen girls getting ready for a ball that wouldn't happen for hours. Rowen looked toward the end of her bed where three gifts were waiting. She grabbed the largest first, no doubt from her mother. Its pristine white wrapping was sealed with blood-red wax in which the iconic Bishop 'B' was stamped. She carefully opened the package revealing a new set of school robes. And because nothing having to do with her mother could be simple, the robes were adorned with gold detailing. She rolled her eyes and went for the second gift. 

This one was wrapped in the same white paper as her mother's, however with a messier execution. Her father never could wrap gifts very well. She opened this one and lifted out a small golden suncatcher. The main structure was a circle in which hung a crescent moon. The diamonds that dripped from the bottom distorted the lighting into a thousand rainbows which scattered across the dorm room. Rowen hung the present from her bedpost causing the rainbows to shift.

The final gift was the smallest of the three. There was no paper wrapping as the gift was inside a small white box. Rowen opened it revealing an intricately carved wooden box. When she opened it the melody of Fur Elise filled the room. She instantly knew the gift was from Barry as he was the only person she had told of her love for classical music. She smiled at the gifts as her hand instinctively reached for Fred's gift around her neck.

*****

The soft look of the silk taffeta was perhaps one of the most deceiving things Rowen had ever felt. The dress was beautiful, there was no doubt about that. Barely discernable shades of emerald cascaded over each other creating what looked like a sea of shining green. Rowen scratched at her arms which were covered in intricately patterned lace which matched the details on the bodice. Rowen looked at herself in the mirror. Her hand reached for the diamond necklace that, although beautiful, felt ice cold against the girl's skin. She turned toward her nightstand where Fred's gift to her lay carefully placed back in its original box. 

A knock sounded on the door before Althea Greengrass walked in. She was wearing a powder blue gown that Rowen remembered seeing in the window of a shop in Hogsmeade. "Oh, Rowen you look stunning. That necklace is divine."

Rowen smiled at the girl as an idea popped into her head. "Would you like to wear it?"

Althea took a step back in shock. "No. I-I couldn't."

"Please. I insist." Rowen reached to the back of her neck, unclipping the necklace in one smooth motion and handing it to the girl.

Althea's eyes lit up as she took the necklace and placed it around her own neck. "Oh my. I look beautiful." Althea shook her head suddenly remembering why she came up to their shared dorm in the first place. "Barry is here. He is wondering when you will be down. The ball started twenty minutes ago."

"Tell him I'll just be a moment." Althea nodded before leaving the room, her hand staying placed protectively over the necklace. Rowen turned back to her nightstand to put on the pearl necklace and earrings. She looked at herself in the mirror one last time before heading down to the common room.