𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐯𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞 ( james potter! )

VIII. A NIGHT TO REMEMBER

CHAPTER EIGHT
( A NIGHT TO REMEMBER )

☽

AS MUCH AS SHE HATES TO ADMIT IT, the Great Hall is dazzling—quite literally—when Estelle walks in alongside Piper. The Hogwarts staff and house elves have truly turned the hall into a sight to marvel at. The color scheme is gold and black, which Estelle nicknames 'Elegant Halloween'. Round tables with glittering gold table cloths line the sides of the room and the long rectangular table that's usually reserved for the professors acts as a host to all the food. She can't even see the actual table, there's so much food atop it.

     And goodness, the people. Up until now, she hadn't realized how many people would actually be in attendance. The ball is for third years and up, but even so it seems like the entirety of Hogwarts is here.

     Subconsciously, she picks at the skirt of her navy blue gown. It's strapless, which is a whole situation in and of itself, and both the bodice and skirt are made of a soft tulle material. It's pretty. She knows it's pretty, gorgeous even, but she doesn't feel very pretty standing here amongst all the other witches and wizards.

     Why couldn't it just be a costume ball?

     "I'm going to join Dirk," Piper announces, turning towards Estelle in her gray-blue silk gown. She raises her arm, pointing a finger at the brunette in a cautionary manner. "Do not get lost, do not get drunk, and please, do not shag anyone you don't know, especially without telling me first."

     "For the love of Merlin!" Estelle exclaims in an outcry, wishing she was anywhere but her current location. "I actually despise you. I'm not gonna get lost. I'm not gonna get drunk. I'm not going to shag anyone, for fuck's sake."

     "I just wanted to be sure," Piper defends herself with a shrug.

     "And I just want you to leave. Seriously, Piper, go find Dirk before I do to tell him that his girlfriend's been brutally murdered."

     Piper winks at her before sauntering off, disappearing into the sea of suits and ball gowns. Estelle scans the room, looking for a familiar face, when finally her eyes land on the Marauders. All four boys are dressed to the nines in well-fitting suits, holding glasses of what she sincerely hopes is not Firewhisky, and laughing with each other. It's Remus who sees her first, nudging James who is currently laughing so hard Estelle fears his lungs might give out. His laughter dies down when he sees her, but the wide grin on his face only grows.

     James watches as she struggles to make her way through the crowd, bumping into a burly seventh year student and accidentally causing him to spill pumpkin juice all over his crisp white button down. It's rather amusing to witness, her apologizing profusely as the boy frowns and scowls at her until she becomes flustered enough to walk away from the situation. She's still flustered when she reaches James and the others, her mouth slightly open and her cheeks tinted pink.