Memoirs of The Slytherin Princess

New Years Eve

I can barely see straight anymore, let alone sleep. I've been awake for over twenty four hours and I still cannot sleep, which is infuriating when its what I really need to do.  It's all just going over and over in my head; again and again and again, and it's just impossible to make it go away. More to the point is that I don't want it to go away; what happens if I wake up and it's all just a dream? So perhaps putting it on my diary will clear my head a little, confirm it all; just so I can rest for a few hours without worrying or forgetting a single detail of tonight.

"How were your Christmases? What did you guys get?" I asked as I ushered the girls up into my room. It's a large space and contains a sitting area and study, along with my actual bedroom. I have an en-suite as well. It's basically my own complex in the West Wing of the house, and I can often avoid contact with my mother for at least two thirds of the day as I have everything I need up here. Even my own house elf to bring me food. The best days are the ones where I don't leave my room at all and avoid mother completely; turning up my music loud and chilling. Occasionally, like today for instance, I would entertain visitors - usually Nat, Aurelia or Draco - although today was New Years Eve and my entire group of Snakes were here in preparation for the party tonight.

I got a wave of 'same old, same old,' from them all. Christmas holidays were usually quiet family affairs, it was the one time of the year most Pureblood Wizarding families actually sat down and spoke to each other properly. The rest of the time they were all too busy sucking up to Ministry officials or doing someone's dirty work to bother. There were exceptions of course but they were few and far between. The Weasleys, for example, are ones for communicating with one another without the need for an occasion; perhaps it's nicer like that, I wouldn't know.

Anyway, I gathered from the rabble of voices that Christmas had been good and they were looking forward to going back to Hogwarts for the summer term. As it was only early, too early to begin getting ready anyway, we spent the morning chatting about boys and girls and school, and the general conversation was flowing quite nicely. As lunch approached we all begun hanging up our dresses for tonight, in bags of course so it was kept secret until the last possible moment, and then started on face masks.

At about half one, my house elf Hobbsy appeared to tell us lunch was ready. I barely noticed she was there as she spoke so quietly and we were playing my favourite 'Nimbus' album very loudly. It wasn't until Aurelia waved her wand so the volume lowered considerably (I was about to yell at her because 'Snitch' is my favourite of their songs and we were all singing raucously along to it at the top of our voices -

You were just my Golden Snitch;

You broke my heart when you started changing the rules.

You are one hell of a bitch;

Leading me on, what a witch.

And those players seeking you are fools!)

and pointed out Hobbsy to me that I realised she had appeared.

"Mistress Ashton, lunch is served in the Dining Room promptly. Your mother has already eaten and left to prepare for tonight, Miss and she said she'll be back later." Her whispered voice reached my ears and I immediately led the girls downstairs where the table was laid with snacks and nibbles, no doubt similar to those being laid on tonight for the guests. We tried not to chip our freshly painted nails, and laughed as one of Frankie's blue waves slipped from the roller and trailed in a bowl of guacamole. However, and rather luckily, I had received a book of beauty spells for Christmas so with Maeve's guidance (she was the resident expert of Slytherin) we cleaned it up and tied it back in place quickly.