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"Oh, Hunts, there are so many more people than I thought there would be!"
Hunter-Rose, whose head was still reeling over her recent letters with her mother, looked up at Hai.
The two girls were hidden behind a black velvet curtain at the top of a staircase. Hunter wore the dress that she had been sent, and pale green flowers sat in her flowing blonde hair. The necklace that James had bought her for her birthday hung around her neck.
Hai was dressed in a deep purple ball gown, wearing a masquerade mask of the same colour with silver flecks. Her hair was tied in an elegant, slick bun.
"Yeah, if I'm being completely candid, I thought it'd be less people." Hunter agreed, peering through the curtains. The majority of the student body were gathered into the hall given by the Room of Requirements, all dressed in their best gowns and robes. Faces were obscured by a sea of masks.
"Oh Merlin! What if I fall over when we're walking down? I'd make a complete fool of myself!" Hai spoke at a lightening fast pace.
"You can link arms with me, love. It'll be fine, I promise." Hunter gave her friend a soft smile and Hai relaxed.
"Thanks. Should we make our way down?" Hai asked.
Hunter peered out over the crowd, still hiding behind the curtains that stood at the top of a bifurcated staircase. The majority of people were stood around the hall, waiting for Hunter and Hai to emerge.
The blonde nodded at the brunette and offered her arm, which Hai accepted immediately. Taking a deep breath, Hunter pulled back the curtain and stepped towards the crowd.
The students of Hogwarts knew that Hunter-Rose Moore was a precious girl, one who needed to be shielded from all the bad in the world. She represented all that was good in the light side; hope, purity, selflessness.
Yet, this truth was only accepted by the Hogwarts population as a whole when they all watched Hunter, confident and cool, glide down the staircase effortlessly whilst supporting her best friend.
Hunter was, and would remain to be, The Hufflepuff Princess - nay, The Hogwarts Princess. The air around her was calming, and she was as elegant beyond belief. Her pink dress trailed behind her, and the blue-green eyes that the Moore family was known for were highlighted by her mask.
A silence fell when the two girls walked, and was only filled when Hai Ngyuen gleefully exclaimed that the ball could commence.
Many students now had their goal for the night set - to talk to the enigmatic Moore girl.
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£-446 held the moving photo between £8/ bony fingers. £3 glanced up at £8/ )9:;-5£34, and showed £8' the (84" in the picture.
"/8487/, is this £7!534-49/3?"
/8487/ took the photo, and smiled softly.
"Yes, it is, £-446... it is."
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"James! Sirius! Glad you came." Hunter chuckled, embracing the two Gryffindors.
"Shit ton of people here, Hunts." Sirius remarked, adjusting his mask.
"Peter said he counted five-hundred, but I'd take that with a pinch of salt. Our Pete isn't the sharpest!" James quipped, turning his head towards the blonde boy. He was talking to a fourth year Ravenclaw, his pink face noticeably red behind his mask.
"Don't be mean, James, he's your mate." Hunter muttered lightly, looking down at the firewhiskey she was nursing.
James ignored Hunter's comment and turned to talk to Sirius, but noticed that the Black had disappeared from his side.
"Where in Merlin's name has he gone?" James muttered, whipping his head around. He was majorly struggling without his glasses.
"Umm... oh! He's necking on with someone." Hunter pointed towards Sirius, who had all of his might and attention being forced down a brunette's throat.
"Ha! Good on him! Who is it?" James asked.
Hunter squinted, before letting out a deep gasp. "Oh my Merlin... is that Louise? Hai'll be devastated! They're both rather drunk, I suppose, but I do feel for Hai."
James nodded as he looked in the general direction Hunter had pointed in. It was true, almost everyone at the school was painfully aware of the massive crush Hai had on Sirius.
Everyone, expect Sirius. And probably Peter.
"Hunts, have you seen Lily? I overheard her saying that she's coming, and I don't think she'll be able to resist me tonight." James cracked his knuckles as his eyes settled on The Hufflepuff Princess.
"Erm... no, haven't seen her at all. Maybe try searching for her." Hunter shrugged, before taking a large swig of the now lukewarm firewhiskey in her grasp.
"Alright. See you, Hunts!" James declared before jogging into a crowd of people.
Hunter broke into a smile, before setting off to get another drink. She had been blessed with being a heavyweight, and was fairly sober considering the ludicrous amount she had drank.
"Hunter! You look smashing!"
"Have you seen Hunter-Rose? I would... y'know... would you?"
"Her dress is gorgeous..."
"I dare you to go speak to Hunter. Do it! Ugh, you pussy."
The Hufflepuff sighed as she poured herself a cup of punch, painfully aware of what was being said about her.
If anyone found out about her lineage, their comments wouldn't be as complimentary.
"Is that Hunter behind that beautiful mask?" a cool voice announced from behind her. Hunter turned to be met with Regulus, who was dressed in an all black suit with a simple black mask.
"Reg! How are you, love?" the girl beamed. Regulus' heart tugged as he saw how pleased she was to have been met with the Slytherin, and a part of him felt so awful about what he had to do.
"Better now, darling, better now. What's that you got?" he signalled towards her alarmingly red drink.
"Honestly, I couldn't tell you what's in it, but anything to get me tipsy." Hunter chuckled.
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"Lucius is right, Regulus. You need to get close to the Moore girl. Find her at her most vulnerable and do whatever it takes to stay by her side."
"Yes, father."
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"Really? The Hufflepuff Princess, trying to get drunk? I expected more from you, Hunts."
"And I expected that The Slytherin Prince would be okay with that. Such a baby, Reg."
"I'm only a year below you!"
"My point still stands." Hunter laughed merrily at her own joke before sipping her punch.
"Merlin, that is strong!" she laughed, taking hold of Regulus' arm.
"Can't be getting drunk, Hunter-Rose, you're the hostess! Please, allow me." Regulus gestured towards the cup, and Hunter reluctantly handed it to him.
"Whatever..." Hunter she mumbled into his arm.
Regulus looked down at the girl. She was bordering on drunk, and wasn't in a state to be out in a party like this.
He surveyed the room. Eyes periodically landed on the Slytherin and Hufflepuff - they were a duo that few expected. Envious looks were shot at both of them in regards to the other, and an awful idea entered the young Black's mind.
It was an idea he knew he'd regret later on down the line. But he longed for his fathers approval, the rare sweet smile of his mother. It was something that would start with uncertainty and reluctance, and end in tragedy and betrayal.
But he knew he had to do it.
"Hunter-Rose Moore, would you do me the honour of being my girlfriend?"
cheeky cliffhanger! it's been so long since i've updated, but i have more motivation now and will be releasing a new chapter once / twice a week!
hope you enjoyed x