“No. You can’t wear that.”
Ace Longbottom’s arms dropped to her side, any sign of hesitancy violently transforming into indignation at Lily Potter’s tone of finality. “And why not?”
Lily Potter sat on Ace Longbottom’s bed, feeling more than a little odd about the whole ordeal. Firstly, there was this new sentiment of coldness and irritation that Ace had developed towards her, conjured out of what seemed before to be a friendly indifference. Removed from her favor, it seemed strange that Lily could trespass as she did now in her home. Secondly, there was her entire detachment to her family, not only biological family but those extended through loyalty. She had never seen Neville Longbottom so surprised as he was when she called upon his youngest, and that was quite a claim, as Neville could often become flabbergasted, even in all his age and wisdom. Thirdly, that she should be sharing this moment at all, a moment that could surely be regarded as first public appearance with Apollo. They had gone over the pros and cons of the evening, and both had realized they risked her job with their attendance. But the job itself was one she had only taken out of obligation to one Zabini boy, and her obligation to the other required she save him from such horrors as posh pureblood soirées. But to share this momentous occasion with a girl who had no sense of the gravity, who furthermore seemed unwilling to treat it at all seriously…
Lily had to remind herself that she would probably find Ace as one of her only allies at this party. She had better get used to it.
Ace, however, seemed set against considering them allies. It was only because she did not want to ask Frank that she took Lily’s invitation to arrive together. They were to meet Christian down the lane so they could enter on the arm of a friend and all seemed settled. Lily herself had been content with apparating them off as soon as she arrived at the Longbottom home, but now she was glad for her own sense of uncertainty and feelings of doom. That half hour extra she had allotted had just filled up.
Because Ace Longbottom would not be attending a Zabini party in a mustard-colored, floral print, long-sleeved woolen dress. It was not a costume party, and even if it was, Lily would not let the Longbottom girl attend as a sofa from 1785.
“It’s the nicest dress I have,” Ace said pointedly, blissfully clueless to how much this affirmed Lily’s next statement.
“Then light your closet on fire, you aren’t wearing that.”
Ace crossed her arms, pursing her lips. “Well, what then. I can’t go naked.”
She immediately mistook Lily’s thoughtful gaze as consideration as to how a nude Ace Longbottom would be received and her cheeks blossomed pink. But Lily was shaking her head. “I know someone who looks your size.”
“I don’t know, Lily, I rather like it.”
It took Clementine Lovegood looking fondly at the dress for the blonde to finally admit to herself that maybe it wasn’t the best dress for the occasion. Tactful as always with Clementine, Lily pressed, “I agree, it’s lovely in its own light, but this is a ball. We’re supposed to dress-“
“Stuffy and uptight,” Ace added, her displeasure at being dragged along all the more evident. Lily found herself wondering, once again, why Ace was even bothering if it were such a chore for her. She did not have the obligation that Lily did. Lily would have been shocked to know that Ace’s presence was only caused by her own.
Clementine tilted her head, glancing up and down Lily. “Your dress isn’t so fancy.”
“Yeah!” came Ace’s immediate cry, glad to have someone on her side in this solitary anti-Lily moment that was sure to pass all too soon.
Lily blinked, glad she had better control of her emotions than she once had. “My dress has a magical component I’ll use once I get there. Trust me, I have done my consultations. The point is-“
“Yes, yes,” Clementine said, already circling an uneasy Ace. “I know, my closet is full of odds and ends, surely I have- and I just may. Come on, Alice! Lily, you should curl the ends of your hair while you wait. It’ll go well.” A warm smile and the Lovegood dragged Longbottom away.
It took less than twenty minutes for Clementine to herald her work as complete. Lily had taken Clem’s advice and then padded about the front garden, glad once again for the Lovegoods’ tendency to travel without their daughter. Lily reentered the home, pausing before the stairwell to await Ace.
Even Lily, as irked as she was by the aggressive and unpleasant presence of Ace, could not help but grin. Clem’s warm face was a bit warmer than usual, lighted with pleasure from her objective success. Even Ace suspected that the effect was a pleasing one, but she certainly was still undecided as to how to feel about it. Though her brow was ruffled in indignation of the entire affair, there was a new delicacy in her step that betrayed the new sensations of grace at being properly fitted.
She stopped at the bottom step and there was a pause. Of course, the entire picture was ruined when Ace reached down violently scratch an itch around her knee.
“It’s perfect, Clemmy,” Lily said, taking in the entire ensemble. “How do you feel, Ace?”
“Not horrible,” came the unwilling reply, as Ace glanced down at herself again, trying to become acquainted with the strange sight. “I can breathe in it. Which is nice. And Clem even let me-“
“You look wonderful,” came Clem’s calm assertion. Ace blinked and nodded, reaching up to rub her own arm. A muttered thanks and Lily made their goodbyes, and the two girls set off, both caught up in their own trepidations as they reached out to clasp hands and-
CRACK!They appeared at the end of the lane and their hands were immediately parting. Ace reached up and brushed her hair back, taking in a deep breath. Her eyes suddenly caught onto something over Lily’s shoulder and it seemed to the brunette that Ace’s face had gotten a little paler, which only served to highlight the pink flush brought on by the icy air. Lily cleared her throat and used an Aunt Hermione trick, transfiguring one of the coins from her clutch into a jar, before conjuring warming flames. She held the jar loosely and turned, indicating Ace follow. She could hear a low stream of curses under Ace’s breath and as her eyes found Christian Zabini, she could not help but wonder what would cause the blonde’s discomfort at being seen thus by the other Hufflepuff.
“C’mon, Ace,” she said, lifting a hand as Christian’s eyes fell on them. “We probably won’t die.”
#ReadApollily