(Third Person POV)
Saturday, December 24, 1994
The day of the Yule Ball had finally arrived.
The Great Hall had been transformed into a magnificent winter wonderland.
Towering ice sculptures lined the walls, depicting dragons, unicorns, phoenixes, and other magical creatures in astonishing detail. Enchanted snow drifted lazily from the enchanted ceiling, vanishing before it could touch the floor. Silver icicles hung from crystal chandeliers overhead, catching the light and scattering countless sparkling reflections throughout the hall.
Entire groves of frost-covered trees had appeared near the walls, their branches glittering with tiny blue and silver fairy lights. Magical snowflakes drifted through the air, dancing to unheard music before dissolving into showers of glitter.
The enchanted ceiling displayed a clear winter sky filled with brilliant stars and ribbons of green and blue aurora.
Round tables covered in snowy-white cloths had replaced the usual House tables, creating a far more elegant atmosphere.
Everywhere one looked, students and guests were dressed to impress.
Dress robes, tuxedos, military-inspired formal uniforms, Victorian-style gowns, modern dresses, and fashions from dozens of magical traditions filled the hall.
The mixture of Muggleborns, Half-Bloods, and Purebloods made for an astonishing variety of styles.
The visiting students added even more diversity.
Some Beauxbatons students wore elegant French-inspired fashions that looked as though they belonged on a runway.
Several Durmstrang students wore formal uniforms adorned with silver embroidery and military-style decorations.
The entire hall buzzed with excitement.
Into this spectacle walked Gilderoy Lockhart.
At his side was his wife, Aurora Sinistra.
Lockhart wore a perfectly tailored white tuxedo that seemed almost luminous beneath the enchanted lights. The fabric shimmered subtly whenever he moved.
Anyone familiar with magical textiles could immediately tell it was no ordinary suit.
The material had been woven from a luxurious blend of Acromantula silk and Unicorn hair, making it almost as strong as dragon-hide leather and softer than the finest velvet.
Naturally, Lockhart had commissioned it himself.
Aurora, meanwhile, looked breathtaking.
Her black evening dress hugged her figure elegantly before flowing down to the floor. A slit along her right leg revealed just enough to be tasteful while still turning heads.
Her dark hair had been gathered into a single braid draped over one shoulder, exposing the graceful curve of her neck.
A delicate silver necklace rested against her skin, sparkling softly whenever she moved.
Together they attracted more than a few admiring glances as they crossed the hall.
And Lockhart noticed every single one of them, naturally.
The couple reached one of the round tables positioned beside the champions' table.
Several professors had already arrived.
Most notably Severus Snape.
The Potions Master sat stiffly in his chair, dressed in formal black robes that somehow still managed to resemble his everyday attire.
However...
Something was different.
Lockhart narrowed his eyes.
Then it hit him.
"Severus," he said immediately. "I see you've finally used the shampoo I gave you."
Snape slowly looked up.
"I told you," Lockhart continued proudly, "it would remove even the most stubborn grease left behind by potion fumes."
Several nearby professors immediately became interested in their conversation.
Snape's eyes narrowed dangerously.
"Lockhart," he said in his smooth, deep voice, "no one would mistake you for a mute if you kept quiet."
Lockhart looked scandalised.
The nerve.
Ignoring him completely, Snape turned toward Aurora.
"Aurora."
His voice softened slightly.
"You look... lovely."
The compliment sounded so unnatural coming from him that it almost seemed physically painful.
But points for effort.
Aurora smiled warmly.
"Thank you, Severus."
Then she tilted her head slightly.
"It's good to see you could make it. You don't strike me as the type to attend events like this."
Snape's expression immediately reverted to its usual unpleasant state.
"Yes..."
The single word carried enough suffering to write an entire novel.
"But the Headmaster insisted."
Nobody needed further explanation.
Everyone at the table immediately understood what had happened.
Dumbledore had almost certainly manipulated, tricked, guilted, bribed, or emotionally blackmailed Snape into attending.
Lockhart suspected the old man had probably played the Lily card.
The Great Hall doors opened again.
And Sirius Black entered.
The moment Snape spotted him, his mood visibly worsened.
Sirius, meanwhile, looked infuriatingly pleased with himself.
He was dressed in a sharp black tuxedo that looked straight out of a James Bond film.
The outfit suited him remarkably well.
He approached the table and greeted Aurora first.
"Aurora," he said with a charming smile. "You look lovely tonight."
Aurora smiled.
"Thank you, Sirius. I like your suit."
Before Sirius could reply, Lockhart decided to help.
"Sirius," he said thoughtfully, "perhaps you should update your compliment repertoire."
Sirius blinked.
"What?"
"Severus already used that one."
For a moment Sirius simply stared.
Then his eyes widened dramatically.
"Are you telling me Snivellus complimented someone?"
He placed a hand over his heart. "Without being sarcastic?"
Aurora nodded. "Indeed."
She smiled. "It was actually quite cute in an awkward way."
Sirius gasped. "Snape? Cute?"
He looked genuinely horrified. "Are we talking about the same person?"
His eyes moved toward Snape.
"The one with greasy hair? Hooked nose? Pasty skin? The overgrown bat who spends his free time lurking dramatically in dark corridors?"
Then his gaze moved back to Snape's hair and he froze.
A second gasp escaped him.
"Merlin's balls!"
Everyone turned.
"Snivellus!"
Sirius pointed accusingly.
"What did you do to your hair?"
Snape's eye twitched.
"You actually washed it!"
The silence that followed was dangerous.
Very dangerous.
Snape's expression darkened further with every word.
Lockhart immediately recognised the warning signs.
If left unattended, the situation would almost certainly escalate into attempted murder.
"Sirius," he said firmly, "that's enough."
Sirius ignored him.
Lockhart sighed.
Time for drastic measures.
"Sirius."
The former Marauder finally looked over.
"Do you really want me to mention a certain 'lady' you met at my bachelor party?"
The effect was immediate.
Sirius went pale.
Absolutely pale.
"You promised you wouldn't tell anyone!"
The panic in his voice was glorious.
Lockhart's eyes twinkled mischievously. "I don't know."
He tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Your reaction makes me want to tell everyone even more."
Sirius looked horrified. "How was I supposed to know it wasn't a woman?!"
Silence.
Then something miraculous happened.
A sound emerged from Severus Snape.
A genuine sound.
A laugh.
Not a sneer.
Not a sarcastic huff.
But an actual laugh.
The entire table froze.
Several nearby students even turned around.
Sirius stared with wide eyes. "...Did Snivellus just laugh?"
Even Snape looked mildly surprised by himself.
"Shocking, isn't it?" Lockhart said. "I honestly wasn't aware he could do that."
Aurora chuckled. "Honestly, stop tormenting Severus."
She shook her head. "You'll ruin the only fun he's had in decades."
For once, even Snape didn't disagree.
Which somehow made the entire situation even funnier.
…