Emmy woke up bright and early on the 21st of December. Despite the amount of butterbeer she'd consumed last night at Fabian and Gideon's birthday party, her head was surprisingly clear.
Marlene however wasn't doing so well, but as soon as Emmy reminded her it was the last day of term, she livened up. With both the Yule Ball and annual Gryffindor snowball fight, no one would be forgetting today.
By the time everyone had finished breakfast, they were all itching to get outside. The snow lay thick and heavy on the ground now, perfect for snowballs.
They dressed in their warmest clothes but Emmy had tights on underneath her running leggings and huge woolly socks underneath her sturdy winter boots, never mind the two t-shirts, Sirius' quidditch jumper and a waterproof jacket, with a woolly hat and mittens.
Looking three times her normal size, she was one of the last people down to the common room.
"Warm enough, Emmy?" asked a bemused Fabian as she waddled over to her friends.
"Think so!" she grinned.
Ten minutes later, the students of Hogwarts were flattening themselves against the side of the corridors as the entirety of Gryffindor house ran past towards the main doors, screaming battle cries.
The looks on their faces were hilarious, and if Emmy could have stopped to take a picture she would have.
By the time they reached the battlefield, Sirius and James were already at the front of the crowd, picking teams as the captain and deputy of the quidditch team. James selected Emmy before Sirius could get the chance, as well as Marlene, Frank, Alice and Lily.
Sirius had snagged both the Weasley twins, Mary, Dorcas, and most of the seventh years, but luckily for James they had the hordes of enthusiastic first years on their side.
After a countdown from ten, renewed battle cries sounded and the snow began flying.
Sirius set up a wall of defence whereas James just screamed at them to make more ammunition. Emmy, however, was on the front lines, aiming her shots almost entirely at Sirius.
He gleefully returned the favour.
She screamed as he threw armfuls of snow straight at her, unable to stop the unhinged laughter It was completely wild and in turn everyone got absolutely soaked.
Fabian and Gideon were a force to be reckoned, but so too were Emmy and James. Some of the Beauxbatons and Durmstrang students had come to watch, as well as some of the other Hogwarts students and teachers.
McGonagall stood in the main doorway, with a steaming brew in her hands and tartan cloak wrapped around herself, smiling fondly at her kids.
Emmy also spotted Mira at one point, or well, Mira and Gideon together behind one of James' barricades, hurling snowballs in between kisses.
After several hours, they were all too exhausted to carry on so they called for a ceasefire, not one team more freezing than the other. Sirius wrapped Emmy in a hug as both teams shook hands.
She burrowed her face into his chest, still laughing as they walked back to the castle.
Once in the common room, they huddled around the fireplace munching mince pies, desperately trying to get the feeling back to their toes.
—————
With the Yule Ball set to start at 8pm, the girls disappeared just before four o'clock to start getting ready.
They each took a shower to wash their hair and hung their dresses from the curtain rail to settle.
Emmy attempted to dry her hair with her wand like Mary had shown her but to no avail so Lily ended up doing it for her with a motherly sort of frustration. She sat down at the dressing table to do her make-up and had only just finished her foundation by the time someone else needed the mirror.
There were four of them trying to use it before she'd even started on her eyes. Then an idea came to her.
"One second, I'll be right back!" she called as she disappeared out the door.
Tightening her robe around her, she crossed the common room and headed up the staircase to the fifth-year boys' dormitory. After a quick knock, she opened the door and popped her head in.
To her amusement, all four boys were arguing over the best way to iron their shirts. She rapped the door and they looked up irritably before their faces softened.
"Hey, Ems," said Sirius. "You alright?"
"You don't happen to know how to iron a shirt do you?" asked James weakly.
She smiled, "You four are useless, you know that right?"
"If we admit it will you help us?"
"I will if I can get one of your mirrors."
Simultaneously, they all looked at James who touched his hair forlornly.
After a second, he said, "You can take my spare."
Emmy had to disguise a laugh with a cough as she motioned for him to pass her the iron.
"Come on then, hand it over," she grinned, moving into the room and tucking her hair behind her ears. "And watch me so you can do it next time."
They all crowded round her attentively, genuinely trying to work it out as she folded the collar the right way and straightened the sleeves.
"See, I told you that's how you do it!" muttered Remus as she moved the iron over the shoulders of the cloth.
The other three grumbled in agreement and before too long were looking at her in awe as she held the creaseless shirt up for them to see. She got a kiss on the cheek from each as she left, mirror tucked firmly under her arm.
The girls were very pleased when she arrived back, immediately clearing a bookshelf so they could set it up at eye level.
With an hour to spare before the ball, they tucked into some sandwiches left by the kindly house-elves and sat around the room in the pyjamas, chatting and fiddling with the radio stations.
The last thing they needed to do was put on their dresses, and they did it one at a time, helping each other into their outfits and fastening clasps on the pairs of heels.
Emmy was the last to get changed so it was just her and Dory in the dormitory at ten to eight. They'd told the others to go down without them, the dormitory was just a little too small for six ballgowns. As Dorcas laced up the corset back of Emmy's dress she smiled.
"Sirius won't be able to take his eyes off you."
Emmy laughed softly, "That's the general idea."
"I mean it Ems, that boy is head over heels for you."
With a final tug, Dory finished and patted Emmy's shoulder in satisfaction, admiring her work.
They moved to stand in front of the full-length mirror, Dory helping with her flowing skirts and Emmy almost gasped. With her hair and make-up done, fitted dress and glistening earrings, she'd never seen herself look so beautiful.
"Thank you," she whispered, clutching her friend's hand tightly.
"It's all you, honey," smiled Dory. "Now turned around so I can cast the spell!"
The unfamiliar tingle went down Emmy's back as it was cast and she looked over her bare shoulder to see her unmarred back.
"Can you give me a minute?" she asked quietly just before they left. "I'll be there in a second, you go on ahead and have your moment," she ordered, eyes twinkling.
She twirled slowly once she was alone in the room, taking in every inch. She grinned, feeling as light as spun sugar.
She heard cheers and compliments as Dory descended the staircase, she really did look absolutely incredible, and Emmy felt very smug that she had been the one to find teh dress for her. It suited her perfectly.
Emmy took a deep breath and followed after her friend, her heart thudding in her chest as she walked down the staircase.
Everyone was waiting for her and they turned at the sound of her heels on the stairs.
"Holy shit," murmured Sirius. He looked incredibly handsome himself in his slick black suit and perfectly ironed shirt, hair looking somewhat tidy for once and eyes sparkling.
Remus had tears in his eyes as she reached the bottom step. Sirius offered her his arm and she took it laughing, "It's just a dress, Sirius."
"No, it's not, Ems."
She blushed bright red, "You look very handsome too, you know."
"Yes, many people have already told me."
Emmy snorted as he grinned at her.
"I can see it's not getting to your head at all," she replied.
—————
Garlands of fir and mistletoe lined the staircases and the music from the Great Hall could be heard floating through the hallways as they strolled down. Emmy's dress drifted over the thick carpets as they descended and she held on smugly to Sirius' arm as they passed under the glistening chandeliers.
"Emmy, wait up!" came a familiar voice from behind them. They all stopped to see Tonks hurrying down the steps, camera in hand as her cornflour blue dress and matching hair bounced with every step.
"You all look amazing!" she said as she neared them. Emmy couldn't help but grin at her infectious happiness.
"Thank you, my lovely; so do you!"
Tonks blushed and tucked her hair behind her ears realising she was now the centre of attention.
"Look I had to sign up to be the photographer to be allowed in, but I thought you guys might want a quick photoshoot before you head in?" she asked awkwardly.
"Oh, we'd love that!" burst Marlene, looking delighted at the idea
The girls all agreed happily and chatted with Tonks, complimenting her dress as she shot the pictures for each couple. She got one of the girls together too and a hilarious one of the guys sliding down the staircase.
They had to hurry down to the ballroom before they missed the start but it was well worth it for the look on Tonks' face.
When they arrived at the main door, Emmy and Sirius split up from their friends to join the other champions and their partners.
Hestia shone in a rich velvet dress with Axel by her side, Karkaroff had a Durmstrang student on his arm who truthfully looked very beautiful in an scary sort of way, with high cheekbones and dark eyes in more than just colour.
Bellatrix was standing next to an incredibly handsome Slytherin seventh year in a pitch black silk dress, her tumbling curls loose down her back and intertwined with little silver snakes that moved as she did.
Amos was looking very dapper too, and stood next to a short but gorgeously smiley sixth year who was practically bouncing with excitement.
On the Beauxbatons side however, Arabella Fudge in a light pink floor-length ballgown was with her fellow champion Pierre Joubert, both looking incredibly sweet together, and to Emmy's surprise, Dory was standing next to Florent Alarie who was staring at her like he'd never seen anything more beautiful. Then, he swooped down and kissed her hand softly.
She blushed and threaded her arms through his, an easy smile on her lips.
"I didn't think Dory was going with anyone?" asked Sirius.
"That's what she said, maybe she thought I'd be annoyed she was going with him. Oh gosh, I feel awful!"
"Don't worry about it, look how happy she is," he said fondly.
Dory turned around as if sensing they'd been talking about her, and crooked her head apologetically, but Emmy just grinned and mouthed a quick ooh la la!
She snorted with laughter and leaned into Florent's side, looking up at him happily.
"Oh my god they're so cute I can't," murmured Emmy to Sirius.
"Not as cute as us though," he grinned.
McGonagall bustled out and closed the doors behind her, before starting to arrange them in the correct order.
"Oh my dear, you look beautiful," the professor complimented brusquely as she placed them behind Bellatrix, but a gentle twinkle in her eye lingered as she headed off.
"Let me sort your dress," Sirius murmured, moving behind her and keeling down to straighten it sufficiently. A bright flash went off as Tonks snuck a quick photo of them before hurrying off slyly with a ginormous smirk on her face.
"Perfect," he said brightly after a minute and Emmy laughed.
"Sirius Black, heir to the Black fortune, talented transfigurer, star of the quidditch team and part time bridesmaid."
"Let's face it, I've got talent."
"And with such modesty too!" she said, sarcasm dripping from each word.
The doors before them opened and the nine champions and their partners began to walk into the hall. Emmy could feel the eyes of hundred of students on them and moved closer to Sirius, hand resting on his arm.
The ballroom was covered in a thick layer of frost, icicles hanging from the ceiling and dripping off tables. Christmas trees were decked out in glowing glass baubles and thick evergreen branches covered every ledge.
A twenty-piece orchestra sounded from the corner playing a gloriously dreamy waltz as they took their places and the first dance began.
Sirius' hands on her waist held her close as they swayed and spun, moving swiftly across the dancefloor. He dipped her low as the orchestra played, hair brushing the flagstones and her heart skipped a beat. She couldn't take her eyes off him, or the smile from her lips.
"Didn't know you were such a good dancer," she teased.
"There's lots of things you don't know about me, my love."
"Enlighten me," she murmured.
"Did you know I play piano?"
"No, do you really?"
She shook her head, she somehow couldn't imagine him in that way, sitting down and knowing his way around the keys but her curiosity peaked. She would love to hear him play now.
"And I can speak French?"
"Sirius, we could have been having secret conversations for years! Oh my god, does that mean you can understand what Mira and I have been gossiping about?" she answered mortified.
"Yeah, you two are awful you know?" he smirked, "And by the way, I know for a fact that Fabian and Marlene are secretly dating."
"No way!" she gasped. "I had my suspicions."
"Just look at them, it's a tad obvious," he grinned and spun Emmy around so she could see them together at the edge of the dancefloor.
Fabian's hand was slipped around Mars' waist and his mouth far too close to her cheek to be anything but romantic. He said something and she laughed, leaning back into him and pulling both his arms around her.
They were a gorgeous couple, that was for sure. Marlene's scarlet dress pooled like blood on the icy floor and by some miracle didn't clash with his fiery red hair, just amplified it.
The song ended and the next one came on, a lively foxtrot that Sirius naturally fell into place for.
"I've had ballroom dancing lessons since the age of four," he added.
"I can see that," Emmy joked as she jumped and stepped with him, loving the way the dance was so spritely.
She saw Mira and Gideon swing each other around recklessly, snorting with laughter and Frank kissing Alice as the song began to fade to an end.
Emmy excused herself to Sirius and headed for where Remus was standing at the edge of the dancefloor.
With a raised eyebrow, she strode over. He wasn't much of a dancer unless you counted at Gryffindor parties after one too many firewhiskies.
"Don't think you're going to get away not dancing tonight, Rem."
Not listening to his protests, she dragged him into the centre of the floor just as the next dance started.
Despite looking terrified for the first few seconds, he soon become more relaxed as they whirled around, having the time of their lives as the music filled the room. She enveloped him in a tight hug and left him to dance with Mary McDonald as the song ended.
The dancing went on for hours, eventually turning into a rave as the teachers left and the fruit-punch-that-definitely-wasn't-laced-by-the-prewett-twins was finished.
As the clock struck twelve, Emmy and Sirius escaped for some fresh air, eventually deciding to head for their favourite spot beside the Black Loch.
The moonlight spilled over the dark waters and the sound of the snow-covered trees swaying in the wind was the only noise in the air as they walked down. As they neared the shore, Emmy felt the spell begin to trickle off her scars and sighed in defeat, frustrated that she'd forgotten to ask Dory to reapply it before they'd left.
Sirius kissed her cheek, "You look as beautiful with them as you do without."
"Don't lie" she protested.
"You know I never would, not to you. Anyway, everyone else thinks you do too and you weren't seeing how everyone was looking at you in there, I was getting quite jealous," he smirked.
"So was I," she laughed, "You look very dashing yourself tonight."
"Why thank you," he laughed.
After a while Emmy spoke again.
"I'm so glad we met."
"My life's never been the same," he murmured, pressing a heated kiss to her lips.
She smiled as she kissed back, trailing her fingers along his jaw and through his hair.
"You know, I never actually said yes to going to the ball with you? You're very lucky I just turned up with you tonight."
"Well how could you resist?"
"Not very easily, I promise," she smirked.
She pulled away slowly and he looked at her with a dazed expression in his eyes. In a second, he had tugged her hips closer and kissed her again as if he couldn't breathe without her lips on his, unable to get enough.
The music drifted down from the Great Hall as they swayed and soon they were dancing along the side of the loch, flitting through trees and splashing in the water.
They were breathless by the time the last dance came on and collapsed in the sand under the thousands of stars. Wrapped in Sirius' arms, dress spread out across the shore and moon-drunk joy flooding her veins, she fell asleep quickly.
She was only vaguely aware of Sirius picking her up a while later and carrying her inside, her head rested against his chest, his beating heart her lullaby.