Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
♦︎♦︎♦︎
December 25, 1994:
The night of the Yule Ball finally arrived and the castle had never looked so beautiful. Willa had never seen so many students stay for Christmas and she thought it was nice. Everyone would be with their friends for Christmas this year. They'd get to go to a ball and dance the night away. They'd put on their best dress robes and ball gowns, wear a nice pair of heels or fancy leather shoes, and for one night - they'd all be a different person. It was blissful for everyone.
Except Willa.
She still hadn't spoken to Cedric since their fight and it killed her each time she saw him and Cho together. He was acting like nothing had happened. Willa thought it was better this way; she was one less distraction for him and he was one less distraction for her. Cedric was the complete opposite of what she was thinking however, and wanted nothing more than for the two of them to not be fighting. He wanted nothing more than to go to their study spot and just talk for hours about anything and everything like old times. He wished that he could tell her this, but he didn't know how.
A few days before Christmas, Willa had received a reply from her sister, and along with it came a package. She opted out of opening it in front of people, in case it wasn't what she expected. Knowing Tonks, it was a prank of some sorts and Willa didn't fancy being humiliated in front of her peers. So she took it up to her dormitory and opened the gift there.
Inside the box was a beautiful black dress, with long, lace-patterned sleeves. Willa had never seen a more beautiful dress in her life. There were a pair of silver high heels inside the box as well. Normally, she hated wearing anything that made her feet hurt but accepted that the Yule Ball was a special occasion and would suck it up just for one night.
She opened the letter and saw that it wasn't from Tonks - but from her mother, Andromeda.
Dearest Willa,
Nymphadora showed me the letter you wrote her a few weeks ago. You sounded very disappointed and I hope everything is alright with you and Cedric.
I don't agree with your choice to skip the Yule Ball either. It will be one of the most magical nights of your life and I don't want you missing out on it. There isn't a law that says you have to have a date, and there's absolutely nothing wrong with showing up alone or even just with your friends.
Anyways, your sister and I went shopping the other day and we saw this dress. Dora was going to buy it for herself but I suggested that she buy it as a Christmas present for you, so that you can wear it to the ball. I picked out the heels...I know you hate wearing them, but it's just for one night. I'll happily steal them from you when you get back home.
