The Young Tailor

It was only a week before the ball, but Hugh was determined.
He would try at least one.
Nervously he walked over to the an announcement board, and posted up his offer, hoping someone would take it.
In large letters, written as neatly as his hand could manage was a flyer for dress making, telling anyone interested to send an owl to Hugh or speak to him in person if they wanted a custom sewn dress.
He had already finished one outfit for the dance, his own, though he truly only wanted to go to see the gowns and various ensembles worn by his peers. Sure, some of them may have not had any interest in fashion, but Hugh was the only child of two tailors. Clothing was his world, and he intended highly on living it in.

Kolby was walking to the Library when he saw Hugh hanging around the Entrance Hall. He was posting something on the announcement board. Kolby didn't even know that the school had an announcement board.

"How's it going Hugh?"Kolby said, trying to be friendly to the Gryffindor. Kolby glanced over the flyer. Making clothes?Kolby thought a bit curiously. Well, Kolby did need a new a doublet and a new jerkin.

"So, custom sewn clothes, huh?"Kolby asked, his curiosity peaked. Is he trying to make some money?he thought. There wasn't a price on the flyer.

"Yeah, figured there had to be someone without something to wear to the dance, and I need something to do at any rate."
Hugh smiled at Kolby, proud of his work.
"Would you be interested in something? "
He asked eagerly. He had hoped to do a dress, but he was more than willing to compose an ensemble for Kolby.

"Yeah. I could need a doublet and a jerkin."Kolby said, leaning against the announcement board. He grabbed a piece of parchment and drew a quick stretch of what he wanted.

"If you could do this without anyone knowing and without anyone seeing us, that would be great. I'll even pay you five galleons. Sound good?"Kolby asked Hugh.

(OOC: Here's the stretch.)

Hugh studied the sketch for a moment before beaming.
"Sounds brilliant! I won't tell a soul. Only one thing , I'll need your measurements."

Hugh could hardly contain his joy. He was more than eager to begin. 5 galleons was more than enough.

Mira wandered down the stairs to the Great Hall, starving. She hadn’t eaten a thing since yesterday afternoon, too busy with homework to do anything else. Smiling politely at the portraits that lead the way to the Entrance Hall, she stopped abruptly on the bottom step.

“Kolby, Hugh, hello!” she grinned, happy to see familiar faces (even if one was Kolby Parry).

Then an odd thought struck her - what was Kolby doing with Hugh? The Slytherin disliked most people it seemed, but she was quite sure he clashed with Gryffindor the most. Mira stood beside them and read the announcement on the board. She looked back and forth between Hugh and Kolby.

“Wait…” she started, failing to stifle a laugh. “You’re hiring him to make your dance clothes? Which means you’re going to the dance? Now I’ve seen it all!”

Hugh was quick when he realized what Mira was saying. Remembering his promise to his friend, Hugh quickly threaded an explanation, in an effort to save his potential friend's pride he immediately improvised, hoping Kolby would catch on.
"Well, if you want to ridicule my work, then I suggest you wait till after the dance, perhaps some people with actual taste will be attending."
Hugh meant nothing he said, but he said it as if he did, giving Kolby a wink, hoping he'd take the hint.

Kolby felt a blush coming on wen Mira approached them. Luckily, Hugh got his back. Kolby smiled and caught on to what Hugh was saying.

"Please. You couldn't thread a string through the eye of a needle! What makes you believe that you can make decent clothes?"Kolby said, crossing his arms and putting on his brat routine. But, he didn't mean anything.

"My dead grandmother could make better clothes than you. Now, if you excuse me, I have better matters to see to."Kolby said, winking at Hugh and walking off. He didn't mean a word of it.Note to self: send a note to Hugh with my measurements.Kolby thought to himself as he headed to the Slytherin Common Room. He just hoped that Mira wouldn't catch on.

Mira raised an eyebrow and watched the boys throw insults back and forth. Part of her wondered if it was just an act, and part of her found that she simply didn't care. This thought disturbed her; lately she felt like less and less of a Hufflepuff.

"Right, then," she said slowly, watching Kolby stomp away. "I'm sure your work is lovely, Hugh. Would you mind altering my gown just a bit?"

She sifted through her bag and pulled out a small, scuffed up sketch of her gown from the Christmas feast. It was the one her father had sent her a couple weeks ago, along with her measurements scrawled on the top of the parchment.

"Usually my father makes my clothes," she explained, handing the paper to Hugh. "He's the village weaver. But work is keeping him quite busy recently, which is good for him; I believe there's a wedding coming up at Newcastle."

Hugh studied the sketch for a moment, his eyes flickering with a spark that in his later life would mature into a flame.
"It should be do-able. I think I actually might already have some of this fabric, or at the very least know where to get some if I need it."
He smiled, then looked up at Mira.
"I can't wait to see the dress in person, just from the sketch I can tell your father must be an excellent craftsman. That, or the person who drew this is a wonderful artist, or both. If you want me to do it, you can decide how much you want to pay me. I'm not as good as my father yet, so I couldn't ask for a specific price."

Mira grinned in excitement; she really wouldn’t have minded going to the dance in the same dress, but none of the other girls were “re-wearing” theirs. With her father busy in the village, he’d have no time to make a new dress for her, nor fabric to spare.

“I can bring the dress to you in class tomorrow,” she announced happily.

Last time Mira saw the gown, it was bundled up in the bottom of her trunk in her dorm. She hadn’t taken much care of it, which was awful of her to be so clumsy with her father’s hard work. But how was she to know there would be a dance a month later? Hugh then mentioned pay, snapping her out of her thoughts.

“Pay?” she repeated slowly; she hadn’t even considered that. “Um, I don’t have much…I can give you a galleon and, uh….four sickles?”

She stared at her feet, suddenly more aware of her family’s rank than she’d ever been. “I really have to be off now, dinner’s probably almost over,” she said hurriedly, her face going red. “I’ll give you the dress and money tomorrow.” That said, she rushed into the Great Hall, making a mental note to dig around for spare coins later.

Hugh watched Mira leave, then tugged his paper off the board. She seemed nice, so he'd focus on her dress. Though, Kolby had asked for something new, so that'd take him the longest. Then Hugh realized he may not have time for both before the dance.
He was going to need fabric, thread, and lots of time.
I Hope I can get Isabelle to do my homework again.. I don't know If I'll have time. He thought to himself, as he folded the parchment and walked quickly up to Gryffindor tower to begin.