The Potions Master's Daughter (Book Five)

Chapter 29

THe next morning I apparated back home to the kitchen where I knew I would find my father reading and drinking his morning tea.

He looked surprised to see me, "Back so soon?" he questioned.

I wrung my hands, "So how is the greatest Dad in the world feeling this morning?"

He groaned, "What do you want?"

I bit my lip and held in a laugh, "Well you see, Sirius got me this gorgeous New Years' Eve dress, and it wo a shame if I couldn't wear it to a party, so I was thinking we could have a party here for New Years."

To my surprise he immediately consented, "I think a party is a lovely idea, it ought to liven up this place a bit. You'll be in charge of everything though."

I nodded and beamed at him, "Yes of course. I'll get everything we need and the girls will come over early to help me set it all up."

"Well then I think that would be a lovely time. Whatever makes you happy my love. What is this dress you speak of? If it's from Black I'm sure I won't approve of it. I saw what people wore to their New Years bash back when I was in school."

I rolled my eyes, "I just won't let you see until I have it on at the party and you have no choice but to let me stay in it. It'll be better that way, I promise."

He groaned but the small smile on his face let me know he was joking, "Who know, I might go send you up to your room to change."

The next few days I launched into preparations for my party, with the help of my friends. We were going to invite all the people at Christmas, plus I wanted to have Blake. I also decided I was going to invite Draco. I doubted his parents would want to come, and I could pass off inviting him as a favor to Blake. There was no reason I couldn't be friends with Draco, and my friends were just going to have to realize that.

Finally, after days of having fun at the Burrow it was New Year's Eve. The girls and I were going to head over at five and everyone else was to arrive at six. That would give us plenty of time to set up, considering I could use magic, not having the trace on me for several years. Hermione could also use magic now that she was 17. She had a really early birthday in November, making her the oldest in our friend group.

All the decorations were up in a half an hour. We had enlarged the television so that we could all watch the ball drop when midnight came. We put out all the drinks and junk food we had bought at the store. My father had actually helped set up, and even though Ginny looked a bit weary of him at first, he soon started to help her the most since she couldn't use magic.

We decided to go upstairs to get changed once all the decorations were up, guests would be arriving in half an hour.

WE went up to my room and changed into our dresses. Ginny had gotten a tiny red cocktail dress, while Hermione had gotten a tight navy blue dress, and I, of course, wore my black dress from Sirius.

We did our hair and our makeup. I went with lighter makeup than I would wear to a different party, but wore bright red lipstick to contrast with the black dress. Not to mention the lipstick made my lips look very inviting, not that I was sure who I was inviting to kiss me. I knew that when the ball dropped you were supposed to have your NEw Year's kiss, but I wasn't sure if anyone else was going to do that or if I wanted to.

We walked downstairs and to my surprise my father was wearing a Muggle suit. He was wearing black pants with a white shirt that he left the top couple buttons open and a black blazer.

"Wow," I told him with a smile, "You look surprisingly nice, but you are missing just one thing."

He looked down at what he was wearing puzzled, "What?"