Aurora held up a turquoise dress. It was a long strapless gown made of shimmery fabric. "Would this look good on me?"
Drew was sat on a padded chair, and she covered her mouth to hide a yawn, "I think so."
Her sister shot her a mildly annoyed glare, "You need to get one too, you know."
"What if I don't want to wear one to the Ball?" Drew complained. "A fancy one, I mean. Sounds like a hassle. And what if I'm not even going to the Ball? It'd be a wonderful opportunity to do some sneaking around..."
With pursed lips, Ari perused another rack. They were at a department store, shopping for new clothing. Their school lists this year required attire for formal occasions, which she'd found out from Cyndee was the Yule Ball.
Ari pulled out a hot pink mermaid dress, "We've never been to a dance before, much less a formal ball. You simply have to go. It'll be fun, especially with Durmstrang and Beauxbatons coming. And there's going to be lots of food, I'm sure."
"I suppose," Drew relented. "What do you suggest I wear?"
Her twin scrutinized her, holding the dress up to her, "You're more fit than me, so you could wear this one, but it's not your style." She put it back and riffled through some more racks, "Anyway, you like purple, so I'd go with that colour."
"Not that one," Drew called, as her sister examined a pale green ball gown.
"I know," Ari sighed, "I was just thinking." As Drew denied two more gowns, Ari huffed, "You know, if you want to wear a suit you could just say so."
She snorted, "I don't."
Evidently frustrated, she walked deeper into the store, and then returned with a pale blue floor-length off-the-shoulder gown, an A-line as she called it.
Drew took it. "It's nice," she allowed.
"I'm sure it'd be wonderful on you, and it's the right size. Just...ah..." she leaned down, "change the colour later." She straightened up, "That kind of icy blue is going to blend right into the floor, and you don't want that."
Drew read the price tag and examined the dress, "I'll try this one then. Thanks."
Aurora beamed, "You're welcome! Now help find one for me."
"What can I even contribute? Just get whatever you'd get me. We look the same anyway."
"We don't look the same," the Ravenclaw argued, but she seemed to be considering her words. She went back to the rack and picked out an identical dress. "I'll change it to a brighter blue," she decided. "Come on, let's try them on."
* ° * ° *
An hour later the girls had gotten off the bus and making their way back to their flat. Their neighbourhood was especially picturesque today, since the sun was actually shining through sky, with no clouds to obstruct it.
Ari swung her shopping bag around to smile at her sister, "If you were to go with someone to the Ball, who would you pick?"
Drew shrugged, "Wilby?"
"Oh, right," Ari nodded, seeming to have forgotten about him. She seemed to think this was a boring answer, so she pressed, "Anyone else?"
Drew got annoyed, "You know, I would go with Eliza if she hadn't gotten stupid and thrown our friendship away."
At this, Ari rolled her eyes, having heard this often. "It happened nearly three years ago, Drew. I think you should just...stop being angry about it."
She was about to give a cross retort when she noticed that Jinx was prowling the front yard in of their house, almost invisible among the grass. Drew walked ahead to pick her up. "You could get kidnapped," she scolded her. "Then taken to the circus or some secret government research centre. Stay inside."
Jinx meowed and leapt away, then bit at the bottom of her jeans, pulling her towards the sidewalk.
"What are you doing?" Drew groaned, trying to gently shake her off. "You're ruining my jeans."
Ari came and bent down, trying to pull her away, but Jinx scratched at her.
It was only then that they realized Wilby was there, coming down the path from the house. He must've been sitting on the porch.
"I don't think you should go inside," he said softly.
Drew stared at him, "Why not?"
Wilby looked lost, and he averted his eyes, "Because....because..."
He repeated the word a few times, and soon it became obvious that he didn't want to lie to her and was instead trying to drown out another noise.
Drew dropped her shopping bag and grabbed Jinx, shoving her into Wilby's arms.
Her sister followed, and soon Drew was shoving the key through the front door and pushing it open to a full blast of cacophony.
Upon coming inside, they saw that their father was behind the kitchen counter, shouting about money and lawyers. Their mother was in the living room, yelling something about custody that became steadily incoherent.
A numbing sensation passed over Drew and a buzzing filled her ears, and she turned back to the door.
Wilby was behind the threshold, staring at her with obvious worry. He had his hand out and was obviously wanting her to get out of the house, but she said something that made him leave, and she shut the door.
Ari was gone, and her parents had shut up abruptly upon seeing that their daughters had come home.
Both were apologetic and probably called her name, but Drew just went upstairs, trying to find her room.
She had this vague thought that she wanted to go home, but she was home and she also wanted to leave.
Her older brother was in the hallway. He'd finished university and had flown here last week, and he was trying to talk to her.
Drew ignored him, deciding that he wasn't saying anything. As she shoved her brother away with more strength than she'd intended, she heard cracking under her feet, like the floor was breaking into pieces as she treaded to her bedroom.
She shut the door and sat on the edge of her bed. Suddenly the word 'divorce' was really the only thing that made sense anymore, and she could hear Aurora crying in the next room.
The faucets in their adjoined bathroom had come on, and the lights flickered until each and every one burst as she screamed.
It was only when she felt the sun beat down on her from the cloudless sky that she realized her room had no more walls, and the roof was in pieces in the front yard.
* ° * ° *
It was hard, putting herself back together.
The Ministry officials fixed the house fast enough. No one had been hurt, and they Obliviated the surrounding neighbours, and were soon Disapparating, understanding that it was unintentional.
Her parents had come to her room and apologized, bringing Ari and her brother over as well. They'd explained the divorce to her and what it entailed. Her father was permanently moving out of the country, and they'd been arguing about who gets what and who, among other things. They begged her to see that it was the best option for all of them.
Even though she knew a divorce had been a long time coming, she'd never wanted to think about it. She was better now, having accepted it. It really was for the best, and it should have happened much sooner. Drew would miss her father, but once she learned to Apparate she could visit him any time she wanted.
It'd been a month since the incident, and she was in a compartment on the Hogwarts Express now, much earlier than usual. It didn't seem right to have been so upset. Some students had lost their parents to You-Know-Who, or had a murdered cousin or an abusive and evil family.
Divorced parents were such a mundane thing in comparison. Something that was part of everyday life and really not something to cry about.
She was startled that it was Blaise Zabini who entered first. He seemed unsurprised to find her, and he sat down on the opposite seat. "Hey."
"Hey," Drew responded.
To be perfectly honest, she always had the impression that Blaise held no real opinion of her and Wilby, and would have to think before paying a Sickle to save either of their lives.
Cyndee, he'd made clear, was the only person besides his parents that he had any sort of feelings for. He was nearly inhuman, and he struck her as the last person who could relate to her situation.
"I heard about what happened from Wilby," he began. "For what it's worth, I'm sorry. I know it's difficult. My mother and father weren't on good terms either when I was younger."
She raised her eyebrows, "But they are now?"
He shrugged with one shoulder, "They worked out their problems, I guess. Learned to communicate. They have an extremely complicated relationship that I never understood, and even if I could feel romantic love I doubt I would."
Drew leaned against the window, watching Isabell's parents lovingly send her off. "You know, it got to the point where I saw other parents, and I thought, 'wow, it's weird that they get along'. I don't think it's strange anymore, but I still remember the first time I had that thought."
Blaise didn't reply, and she turned to see him studying her with an unreadable expression.
They both jumped when the door opened and Wilby came in. "Feeling better?" he asked her by way of greeting.
"Yeah," she nodded, "believe it or not, I'm feeling nice. Lighter, almost."
Cyndee arrived at that moment, "Hi everyone."
The blonde glanced at Drew with concern, but Drew waved it off. "I'm fine. Will, I hope you brought something entertaining."
Wilby scrutinized her, then rightly concluded that she really was much better, and opened his trunk. "I brought Monopoly."
"Ooh, I love this game!" Drew exclaimed, helping to set up the board. Wilby had apparently enchanted it, because the cities all had moving scenery on them, the markers were animate, and the windows of the houses and hotels lit up.
Blaise picked up an airplane marker with a spinning propeller and examined it with genuine curiosity. "I've seen these in the sky before. They're like flying trains."
"Yes, they are," Drew agreed.
Cyndee's eyes shined upon seeing the colourful piles of money. "Can I take some?"
"Give $1,500 to everyone."
Wilby explained the rules, and added, "One last thing: cheating is allowed."
Cyndee gasped, excitement clear, "Really?"
Blaise's brows knitted, "Is this how Muggles play?"
Drew shrugged, "People cheat in real businesses, so why not? But if you get caught, you need to pay a fine of $100."
They all chose a marker and began the game.
It was loads of fun. Their laughter chased her darkness away, and Drew made it her job to catch any dishonest behaviour, though she was seen herself nabbing more than she was supposed to from the money pile, or casting Doubling Charms on her bills.
Cyndee made a habit of dropping the dice on the floor and changing the numbers when she went to get them, but since that couldn't be proved she only got caught with other things, like skipping places or magically changing the bank notes.
Clever Cyndee had even Transfigured one of Drew's houses into a hotel and made an accusing speech about scamming while Drew threw her money at her.
Blaise lied continuously about the Chance and Community Chest cards he got, until Wilby — who had them memorized — realized what was happening and called him out.
In fact, Wilby was the only one who never got caught in the act. So either he never actually cheated, or he had the slickest moves out of all of them.
Drew could almost swear that her cash was disappearing a little faster than she was spending them, and when Wilby was about to bankrupt her and get crowned the winner, she whipped out her wand, "Incendio!"
Wilby leapt up and shoved her arm, directing the flames into the window and melting a hole in it.
So Drew flipped the board with her other hand, scattering the pieces.
"Oh, mature," Blaise complained, flicking a $1 note — his true worth — off his head.
"The prefects are next to us," Cyndee hissed, fussing over the hole, "and a certain Head Boy is in a permanent bad mood this year."
Drew seethed to herself, but Wilby just smiled innocently. "See? Being honest pays off."
She grabbed the money out of his swindling hands, "Yeah, but I have everything now. I'm a criminal descended from the Getaway bandits who doesn't pay fines, and I have won."
Blaise shook his head at her proud grin, "You take this game way too seriously."
Drew tossed the money back in the box, "Just wait 'til I enter the Triwizard Tournament."
"You can't," Cyndee wailed. "I've told you a million times. You must be 17."
"There are a hundred ways to bypass that," Drew said dismissively. "You'll see."