By 9 o'clock on the evening of the 2nd of March, both Cecilia and Kristen were dressed to the nines. Cecilia was dressed in a tight scarlet red dress, with a low cut neckline. Her hair cascaded down her back in light waves; her makeup natural with a bold red lip. Kristen had dolled herself up in a strapless, midnight blue frock, that ended halfway down her thighs. Her hair, straightened, almost reached down past her hips. Her eyelips has been covered with a sparkly black eyeshadow, allowing her sapphire blue eyes to be seen from miles away.
'I don't think I'll ever get used to walking in heels.' Cecilia muttered as she pulled on her favorite pair of black high heels. 'How are you so used to it?'
Kristen already had her shoes on. The glittery gold heels added another 3 inches to her long legs. 'I've been to a lot more parties than you. You get used to it.'
'I find it so weird that you used to sneak off to all these parties and I had no idea.' Cecilia remembered waking up to see Kristen's bed empty, blaming it on undone homework or insomnia, when Kristen had actually not returned to their dorms after a random party she had gone to.
'We can stay here all night reminiscing or we can get to this party.' Kristen told her friend, in an irritated tone.
'I'm sure Peter will be there all night, Krissie.'
Kristen grunted. She left the dorm in a hurry, Cecilia followed her, laughing quietly to herself.
❖ ❖ ❖
The party was in full swing when the duo entered the Ravenclaw tower. They headed straight for the drinks table, enjoying the sight of the endless amount of bottles and cups of different alcohols.
'I think that riddle might've just ruined my entire night.' Kristen shouted over the loud music, grabbing a cup of mulled wine. 'Imagine having to answer a bloody riddle every time you want to enter your common room. It's stupid!'
'Imagine trying to do it drunk,' Cecilia reasoned, popping the lid off a bottle of bourbon. 'But, I'm sure you could find someone who could turn your night around.' She was able to hide her smirk when she lifted the bottle to her lips.
Instead of frowning- like Cecilia has expected- Kristen looked over Cecilia's shoulder, a mischievous smile growing on her pale pink lips. 'I could say the same to you.'
Cecilia furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. She turned to follow her friends gaze, turning back around immediately. 'You didn't tell me he was going to be here!' She hissed in panic. Her voice was barely audible over the loud thumping of the music.
'And how was I meant to know that?' Was Kristen's reserved reply, as she pulled her eyes away from Regulus Black, who had just entered the room with one of his friends. 'Just get a few drinks into you and then go talk to him. For both my sake and yours!'
Cecilia stayed silent; she gulped down half of her bourbon as she thought to herself.
Kristen smiled to herself, satisfied with her friends silence. She pulled Cecilia close to her and said into her ear, 'You only live once, Lia,' Cecilia winced at the loudness of Kristen's voice in her ear. 'Now, I'm going to go live my life, you should too.'
With one last knowing smile, Kristen tossed her blonde locks over her shoulder before disappearing into the sea of dancing bodies. Cecilia groaned to herself, suddenly not feeling like partying.
Taking Kristen's advice, Cecilia quickly finished her bottle and grabbed another one as soon as she was finished. The alcohol burned the back of her throat in a liberating way and her insides felt warm after she finished her second bottle.
'You alright there sunshine?' Came a voice from her right. A hand reached across her to grab its own bottle. 'All you've done all night is stand here with a drink in your hand.'
'Who are you?' Cecilia blurted uncontrollably. The alcohol was sleeping into her bloodstream and was slowly taking over her body- all it does and all it says. She took another slug of her drink in attempted to banish the annoying voice in her head, telling her to shut up.
The person, who Cecilia now discovered was a boy, laughed heartily. 'Dirk Cresswell.'
Cecilia turned to take a good look at the boy. He was about a head taller than her, with caramel brown hair perched onto of his head and falling into his green-blue eyes. His lips were lit up in a goofy smile, amused by Cecilia's tipsy state.
'A friend of Regulus.' Cecilia stated simply.
Dirk smirked. 'Ah! So you know Regulus?' He took a sip of his drink before crossing his arms.
Cecilia cursed herself for mention Regulus. 'Well, he's in our year so-' She shrugged.
'A Gryffindor calls a Slytherin by his first name?' Dirk mocked. 'I've never heard of that.'
'Go back to Regulus then, Dirk.' Cecilia said after she downed the rest of her drink. 'I have a party to enjoy.'
She strutted away, wanting nothing more than to turn around and see what expression she had left on Dirk's face. She decided against it, however. Instead she scanned the crowd of people, looking for someone who could distract her for the night. She found her victim in a matter of seconds, wasting no time and walking towards his confidently.
She was distracted for the rest of the night, not realising why she felt so drawn to this stranger she met at a party. The stranger with dark hair and light eyes.
The stranger that looked annoyingly similar to Regulus Black.