Severus saw Astoria enter the castle, and swiftly made his way inside and sat at the Slytherin table, reaching for a goblet for some coffee. He sipped it slowly, watching Astoria through hooded eyes. Hopefully, none of the Slytherins would see this.

OOC: i g2g

Chris was already eating his breakfast slowly as he watched the hooded Severus stray into the Great Hall. Upon looking at Severus, he though he noticed an unusual glint in his eyes, but took no real notice of it. Chris looked down, and returned to his rather large breakfast, not lifting his gaze until he had finished completely.

When looking up, he noticed Severus still had that rare gleam in his eyes, which Chris could no longer ignore. "What's up, Severus?"

Meanwhile, Remus Lupin was in the common room along with Sirius. He was in one of his usual chairs with his usual book again- well, except this time he wasn't studying. This time, the book was merely for pleasure. Occasionally he'd glance over his book toward Sirius, but his friend's back looked at him in return. He really wondered how long it would be until the cards exploded in Sirius' face. Although, today, Sirius seemed to be unusually good at this game, because he had been playing for at least half an hour without anything happening. Well, good. Perhaps he'd really put his mind to something instead of wanting to go and bother James. Who, Remus had to add, had also been sleeping for quite sometime. He'd figured it best to let him sleep as long as he wanted, because Remus knew himself how sometimes you really needed a long restful sleep.

There was the sound of footsteps, and Remus looked up to see who it was. And there he was, James Potter. "See, Padfoot?" Remus called over to Sirius' back. "I told you he'd wake up by himself eventually."

Severus poured himself morecoffee and sniffd it, letting the aroma fill his lungs. He sighed and set the cup back down. He was being addressed.

"Nothing is 'up'," He sneered, piling some toast and bacon onto his plate. "I went for a walk this morning, and it was quite chilly. Next time I shall have to remember to wear a heavier cloak." He turned to Akari. "Did you happen to get the latest issue of Ars Alchemia in the post yesterday?"

Julienne spotted Astoria Lupin walking into the Great Hall and sitting at her house table. Astoria waved at her.

"Hello," she whispered, waving at her with a huge smile.

Ozraya turned to see who she was waving at. "Ah, found her, huh? Why are you still friends with Lupin-ette? Isn't Lucius stil breathing down your throat about her?"

Julienne glared at Ozraya and took a savage bite out of her toast. "Of course he is, but I can be friends with whom ever I want to be. He can't tell me what to do." She gave Ozraya Merlow a rogue grin. "I'm friends with you aren't I."

Ozraya smirked. "Funny."

Severus saw Astoria blowing kisses towards the Slytherin table and rolled his eyes, just a hint of a blush on his cheeks. He took a napkin, wrote on it and transfigured it into an origami snake. He sent it slithering across the floor to Astoria.

Do not be so careless, Astoria. We do not want to be caught before the dance.


We are going to skip to the dance.... (since everyone is Gryff or Slyth, you can make up a date for the dance ^_-) This is where everyone will find out. So get your angry faces ready.

ooc: lets do it

Astoria picked it up and blushed a little. Sorry love. She thought before grinning at Julienne and sitting down at the table. Picking up some breakfast quickly. She walked back outside into the snow.

The following week passed quickly for the students as they organised their dates and clothes. Everything had to be perfect. The night before the last day of term, four days before Christmas, the school was havoc. Everybody was rushing to get ready, or to apply the finishing touches to there costumes, or running around helping everybody else, since they were already ready.
Dippet stood in the Great Hall, smiling as he looked around. Finally satisfied he went to his rooms to get changed. Tonight was a special night.

Astoria Lupin sat on her bed, her dress layed out next to her. She sat thinking. What she was away to do, was majour. She knew that it was big, and she knew that there was a possibility of her friends falling out with her, but with the support of Severus, and at least one of her friends, and hopefully her brother she could get through anything.

She stood up, happier and pulled of her shorts and tank top, before pulling on her dress. The dress had been bought especially for this and she smiled as she looked in the mirror. She looked good it in, and she was going to have a great night. She took a box out of her drawer and opened it. A gift, from her mother. She took the necklace out and put it on, marvelling at how it looked around her neck.

Imagine http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v437/Toria0704/DollPalace/RP/Astoria.bmp her in this http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v437/Toria0704/dress.bmp


Antony sat in front of his mirror, his hair changing every few minutes. It changed colour, length, thickness, style. Everything, until he found a style which he: a) liked and b) could stand for the night. In the end, it ended up being his original colour, but to his shoulder blades, so he could tie it back in a ribbon. He pulled his dress robes on and smiled.

And imagine http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4.../RP/Antony.bmp with long white hair.

Introducing -- for the first time (and last only time, mind you)

Julienne's date: Andy Carson
Age: 18
Year: Seventh
House: Slytherin
Picture:


Ozraya's Date: Kristian Kale
Age: 18
Year: Seventh
House: Slytherin
Picture: Don't laugh, he was surprised when I took the picture:


_________________________________


Well, except for Ozraya. She already had a date.

"You look lovely tonight, Julienne," he kissed her hand and grinned a smile that made her swoon.

Suddenly, she was pushed foreward into his arms. Ozraya and her date, Kristian Kale came out of the Slytherin Common room, bumping into her.

"Let's get this party started," both Ozraya and Kristian grinned, holding hands.

Ozraya dressed in a strapless, black dress that hugged her like a glove handed Julienne her purse. Julienne took it and glared at them both before taking Andy's arm. They walked out of the dungeons and toward Great Hall.

Kristian and Ozraya skipped ahead holding hands.

"Would you two, please, settledown," Andy called out, "This is not a party, this is a ball. And at a ball people are supposed to dress and act --"

Kristian slapped him on the back so that he sputtered to a stop. "Come one, Carson. Lighten up."

Andy rubbed his back and glared at Kristian. He suddenly whipped out his wand and ran after him. "Come back, Kale, I'm going to Hex you to smitherins!"

Kristian squealed like a girl and ran with Andy right behind him, flinging hex after hex.

"Well," commented Ozraya,"I can already tell this Ball is going to be full of surprises."

"Yer tellin' me," Julienne replied, she then added, "sister."

__________________________________

When Teresa heard Remus's voice her heart skipped a beat.
'Remus?' she mumbled turning. She saw him there. How could have she not noticed him. 'Hi!' she blushed a bit.
Teresa loved Remus more than she ever loved anyone else in the world.

Romana also turned and saw Sirius with Remus. Her face got all red. How could she think that the two of them would stay together? That was simply impossible!
'Hi...' she said in a low voice.

OoC: Okay! I'm assuming Teresa is Remus' date, right?

"Hello, Teresa," said Remus, smiling at her. "I hope I- we- didn't frighten you. I just came over here to tell my date that, well, you look beautiful tonight and I am happily awaiting to take you to the dance." He stood there, still smiling, still watching her. Remus knew that girls often spent hours getting themselves ready for occasions like this, and though he never knew exactly why they needed four hours or so to put on a dress, fix their hair, and put some make up on, he was sure that he'd also never know how exactly it all came together and made them look so marvelous.

"By the way, have either of you seen Astoria?" he added, now talking to Romana as well. "She told me that she's bought quite a fetching new dress, and I think I need to see it before anyone else does." He gave a small laugh at the end of his words, knowing how overprotective he was sounding.

Chris sat lazily in the Slytherin dormitories. He had not managed to find a date for the ball, and would be on his own for the night. He put on his dark green dress robe quickly, and left his hair completely unmanaged.

Chris walked out to the common room a little early, and heaved himself into a couch near the fire. Perhaps there would be a slytherin girl who also hadn't found a date for the ball. 'As long as she isn't as ugly as that Midgen girl,' he thought. Chris watched as all his friends met up with their dates in the common room, talking cheerfully about the upcoming event.

Severus looke din the mirror, pleased with the results. He had brewed that oil reducing potion, and it had done wonders for his hair. Instead of hanging in greasy clumps, it shined like new silk. He tied his hair back with a green ribbon and continued to dress.

As he inspected himself, he smiled. His black trousers, black dress shirt, green vest, and black jacket fit him snugly and made him look older than his sixteen years. He looked better. Akari had given him some charms to make his skin less sallow, and his teeth whiter. Except for that huge nose, he looked like a new person.

Securing his black velvet cape, lined with green, he strode out of the dormitory and down to Akari, who was reading a Potions text. He plucked it from her hands.

"Akari, you look as lovely as ever. Are you ready to help me?" he offered an arm. Akari would accompany him to the doors of the Great Hall where he would enter with Astoria.

Lily herself wasn't quite sure of why she was going to the Ball. In fact, she was tempted to skip it all together. She really didn't like these kind of things. They were nice enough, yes. But balls seemed to be a mass competition to see who could be prettier, have the nicest dress, the nicest date, be asked to the ball the most. Petty things for which she cared little.

She glanced at herself in the mirror, her ruby colored hair falling around her shoulders, unsure of what to do with them. She'd gone with a simple white dress, realizing just how hard it'd been to find a color that looked good on her. A basic dress, fitted at the top and loose at the bottom. She debated about her hair, and in the end decided to leave it as was.

With that, she left the Dorm and stumbled down the stairs to the Common Room.

Chris watched Akari stand up to walk to the great hall with Severus. He cursed to himself, as he had just been about to ask Akari to the ball. Instead, Chris got up, and followed Akari and Severus out of the common room, and towards the great hall.

Chris was suddenly aware of his untidy hair, and he nervously began to flatten it, and straighten his robes. He would just have to ask her to dance with him when he caught her alone.