10 Party

Adeline was bent over her desk, holding a silver needle in her hands. On the desk was the dress she had bought a couple days earlier and she was sewing glittering diamonds onto the dress. The dark blue of the dress had reminded her of the night sky and inspired her to sew the diamonds as stars. They weren't real diamonds of course, but as long as Adeline achieved the effect she was going for, she didn't care.

Picking up a pair of scissors, Adeline snipped the thread and knotted it. That was the last of her diamonds so she cleared the desk and spread the dress out on her bed. Looking at it gave her the impression of staring up at the night sky. Grinning happily, she went to find Emilie and they both admired the dress together.

"You are going to slay in that dress!" Emilie squealed. "Hold still, let me send a picture for Sirius. He is going to freak."

Quickly snapping pictures of the dress at different angles, she sent the best ones to Sirius before returning her attention to Adeline.

"It's a good thing you finished it up today." Emilie said, "Sirius sent the event info yesterday and the party is tonight. Since your dress is ready, all you need now is a makeover and maybe some accessories."

"Whatever you think is best." Adeline said. She had been so busy trying to support Leo before that she had never put any effort into her appearance.

"I always thought you had a good foundation," Emilie said happily, holding a makeup brush like a weapon, "and now I finally get the chance to work on you!"

Emilie darted out the room to grab her supplies and a stool. Dumping the brushes and palettes onto Adeline's desk, she shoved the stool under her chair and commanded Adeline to sit.

"Just a light touch up on your face should be good." Emilie murmured to herself as she swiped the bush lightly across Adeline's face. "And some blue eye shadow to match your dress..."

Adeline sat patiently while Emilie worked her magic. It didn't take long for Emilie to finish applying the makeup before she moved away so Adeline could see her face in the mirror.

She didn't recognize the woman in the glass at all. She looked mysterious and gave off a queenly aura that made her stand out. The woman blinked and her long lashes immediately pulled everyone's attention to her eyes.

"Wow." Adeline said in a hushed tone and touched her face, "I can't believe this is me.."

"You look amazing." Emile confirmed, "Wait until I do your hair and then put on some jewelry and then you will really blow yourself away."

By the time Emilie finished with everything, there was only an hour left before the start of the party. She had curled Adeline's hair and put it in a bun with strands framing her face. Sparkling diamonds shone in her hair and matched the necklace and bracelet that adorned her neck and wrist.

"Beautiful!" Emilie said, admiring her handiwork. "Okay let me get changed really fast and then we can call Sirius to escort the both of us there."

It took her only twenty minutes before Emilie was ready and Sirius to arrive.

"Just in time." Emilie said as she slid into shotgun.

"You guys look great!" Sirius complimented, giving looking at Emilie before glancing in the rear view mirror and nodding his approval at Adeline.

"Not to bad yourself." Emilie said, flipping the sun visor down to apply her lipstick.

"Thank you." Adeline said.

"Seatbelts everyone."

____

"Why is there so much traffic?" Emilie grumbled unhappily and looked at the time, "We're going to be late at this rate!"

Sirius shrugged, "Oh well, fashionably late right?"

Adeline didn't participate in their conversation. She was busy thinking about how she would present her designs to possible sponsors and was worried they might not take to her ideas. She couldn't exactly bring her sketchbook to a party so she would have to sell her ideas some other way.

Emilie noticed Adeline wringing her hands in the backseat so she turned around to comfort her. "Relax." she said, grabbing her hands, "Just enjoy yourself tonight."

"There's free food." Sirius chimed in.

Adeline smiled at her friends gratefully, "Thanks, guys."

"We're here." Sirius rummaged through his pockets, "And these are your invites. Don't lose them."

He parked the car and they piled out.

"Follow me!" Emilie called as she straightened out her dress and started walking.

Adeline picked up the hem of her dress to keep it off the dirty floor and followed. She felt the back of her dress being lifted and she whirled around but it was just Sirius that picked up the hem.

"Don't want it getting dirty now do we?" he winked.

Adeline blushed pink and murmured an incomprehensible reply.

Emilie turned to see if they were following and saw Sirius holding the train of Adeline's dress and laughed, "You look kinda silly walking bent like that."

"Well I can't have this dress dirtied." he said.

"Yeah, yeah. Hurry up you two." Emilie held her arm in between the elevator doors and gestured impatiently.

They rushed in just as the doors started closing and Emilie pressed for the fifth floor.

"I'm glad I wore a shorter dress." Emilie said as she looked at Adeline's dragging hem. "You could have been a broom for that parking lot floor.

The elevator doors opened and the three found themselves at the top of a grand staircase.

Adeline stared at the twinkling lights that lit up the room and felt that this was the most beautiful thing she had ever set eyes on.

Emilie admired the swirling dresses and delicate hairstyles that graced the floor and she hoped to remember all of them so she could try them at home.

Sirius licked his lips as his eyes zeroed in on the buffet table. He wished he had brought containers so he could bring some home for Nero.

____

"Is that who I think it is?" Regulus said as he squinted at the top of the stairs.

"Who?" Leo turned to look as well.

"Of course it's my idiot brother. He's probably drooling over the food they have here."

Leo was only half listening as his attention was dragged to the lady on the left who looked like the night sky incarnate.

The dress she wore threw of sparkles of light but her face was what really drew his attention. It was full of wonder and amazement as she took in her surroundings.