“I can’t wait to see what everyone else is wearing!” Zoey told her mother as they walked up the steps to CrossWinds Books. “I’ve never been to a ball before!”

 

“Me either,” Donna admitted. “Have you, Peter?”

 

“Nope,” he said. “But it sounds like it’s going to be fun – all my customers have talked about nothing else for the past week!”

 

Zoey thought her parents looked wonderful. Her father had rented a crisp black tuxedo with a dark purple vest, one that matched her mother’s dark purple ball gown. In addition, Donna had a lovely dark purple plaid shawl, shot through with silver, wrapped around her shoulders, and she’d French-braided her dark hair with a silver ribbon.

 

She looked down at her own purple dress and sighed happily. Her dress had a silvery overskirt of lacy snowflakes, and her mother had found her tights that matched. And instead of her normal braids, she had a French braid as well, with purple ribbons that trailed down her back.

 

As they stepped into the store, Zoey saw everyone else was already there: Nathan and Corrine, Lily and Jack, Drew and Molly and Schrodinger. And of course, everyone was dressed up.

 

“Zoey!” Lily cried out, rushing over. “Look at my dress!”

 

Her dress was a bit longer than Zoey’s, and a lovely pale pink that echoed the flush of her cheeks. Her hair wasn’t long enough to braid, but Corrine had gotten her a matching headband with a bow that held her hair back from her face, and her pink tights had stars all over them.

 

“You look lovely,” Zoey said, and hugged her.

 

“You do too!” Lily said, hugging her back. “And look – we found tuxedos for Jack and Schrodinger!”

 

The hound and the CrossCat came over and Zoey had to admit they looked sharp. The tuxedos had black bow ties and white shirtfronts, and both had top hats as well, although Jack didn’t look pleased with his. It’s not really me, he complained, shaking his head.

 

“I think you look very handsome,” Zoey told him, and he stopped.

 

Really?

 

“Really,” she said. Then she looked at the others. Corrine had a darker pink dress on that matched Lily’s, and Nathan was dapper in his black tuxedo with tails. Drew had a similar set of tails, and Molly was elegant in a dark emerald dress that had several tiers of skirts that dropped down in handkerchief layers that floated around her. They all looked wonderful, and Zoey felt very proud to be part of this grown-up party.

 

Schrodinger stood up and stretched, his top hat tilted jauntily to one side. Let’s do the Advent Calendar now, before our ride gets here, he said, and trotted into the kitchen. The others followed him, and started looking for the 21.

 

Schrodinger found it, blended into the side of the cottage in the background, and pressed his paw to it. As they stepped back, the painting began to crumble, not just in a small square, but all of the picture, and there was a strange whistling sound. Then a huge gust of cold air came out of the wall and Zoey felt like she was enveloped in her own personal snow storm. She threw up her arms in self-defense, covering her face and closing her eyes until it was over.

 

Once the wind died, she put her arms down and opened her eyes cautiously. The Advent Calendar was back to its normal state, but as she looked at Lily, she saw…

 

“Stars!” she said in awe, reaching out to her friend’s face. “Lily, you have stars in your hair!”

 

“Not stars,” Lily said, reaching out to Zoey. “Snowflakes! You have them too, Zoey!”

 

We do too! Schrodinger said, looking at his fur, which was covered in the glittering snowflakes.

 

For the ball! Jack agreed. This is perfect!

 

The adults agreed when they came out of the kitchen. The magic snowflakes sparkled in hair and fur, and both Jack and Schrodinger’s top hats were dusted with them as well.

 

“Now, let’s go to the ball!” Drew said, and offered his arm to Molly. The others followed them outside, where Old Man Winter’s sledge was waiting for them.

 

Like everyone else, Old Man Winter had cleaned up for the ball. His normal clothing had been traded for a tailored dark grey suit, and there was a bunch of ivy and holly pinned to his lapel. A matching bunch was pinned to the band on his bowler hat. “Hop in!” he boomed, waving to the sledge. “We’ll arrive in style!”

 

“Just keep the sledge on the ground, please,” Corrine said as she climbed in. “I heard what happened the last time.”

 

“Aw, Mom, it was fun!” Lily said, pouting. “I like flying!”

 

“Tonight is a night for flying across the dance floor, not the sky,” Old Man Winter said. “But don’t worry, Lily. There will be plenty of other rides we can take.”

 

“Yay!” Lily snuggled into the warm blankets with Zoey.

 

The night surged around them as the reindeer leapt forward and raced out of the Cove’s downtown area, towards the outskirts. The Snow Queen’s Ball was held every December in a special clearing in the forest, Lily had said, where the Snow Queen created a magical ball room in the outdoors for one night. Everyone in the town came to the ball and enjoyed themselves.

 

“But kids aren’t allowed usually,” Lily had said. “We’re the first ones in a really long time.”

 

“Wow.” Zoey had been impressed. Now, as the reindeer pulled them through the evergreens, she found herself nearly vibrating with excitement. A magical ball! This was the best ever!

 

The sledge slowed, and she looked up to see…nothing out of the ordinary. Just an open clearing in the woods coming up ahead of them. Was this it?

 

Just wait, Schrodinger told her, and winked. Just wait.

 

Old Man Winter stopped the sledge right in front of the opening into the clearing, and they all got out. Interestingly, when they stepped down, they didn’t sink into the snow – it was as if there was a clear solid sheet atop it, but not a slick one. Definitely magic, she thought, tapping one toe against the hardened snow.

 

Lily took her hand. “Come on!” They stepped through the opening in the trees and then Zoey gasped.

 

As soon as they stepped into the clearing, the air warmed up as if they had walked into a house. The snow became a marble floor, and the trees became columns around the edge. Above them, however, the clear night sky, ablaze with thousands of stars, was clearly visible.

 

“Wow,” Zoey said, as she looked around. “Wow.”

 

On the other side of the room was an ivory throne, looking as if it were carved from ice, and on it sat Jade, the Snow Queen, in a gown of finest silver. She had a filagreed crown of silver on her head, and she was smiling at all of her guests. Looking around the room, Zoey saw that it was full of people talking and laughing in their finest evening clothes.

 

As they came in, music started from somewhere nearby, and the adults went onto the dance floor. Schrodinger led Jack, Lily and Zoey over to where he usually hung out – near the food, Zoey saw, but not so close that they were in the way. The Snow Queen had thoughtfully placed a large pile of cushions for them to hang out on.

 

I don’t usually dance, Schrodinger said, settling on a cushion. But that doesn’t mean you girls shouldn’t. Jack and I can watch you here, and not all the dances are couples dances.

 

The first one was, though, so they settled onto the cushions to watch. Zoey saw her parents dancing cheek-to-cheek and remembered that her grandmother had once told her how Donna and Peter loved to dance. They didn’t dance much anymore. I wonder if they could dance like this in our living room.

 

The next dance was faster, and Molly and Drew swooped in to pull Lily and Zoey out onto the dance floor. From then on, they danced and laughed and ate, until finally the Snow Queen stood up and clapped her hands, calling for attention.

 

“Unfortunately, friends, the time has come for the last dance,” she said regretfully. “As much as I would like to dance and celebrate with you forever, this night must end. Ladies, come into the center of the dance floor with me.”

 

Lily pulled Zoey back to the cushions, where Jack and Schrodinger were waiting. “What are they doing?” Zoey asked them.

 

This is the last dance, Schrodinger said, as the Snow Queen came down from her throne and went to the center of the room. Just watch.

 

Every woman in the room joined her, and they all slipped off their right shoe and left it in a pile. Then they retreated to the edges of the room, and the guys came in.

 

Each man takes a random shoe, Schrodinger explained. They have to find the woman it belongs to and that’s their partner for the last dance. And one lucky man gets to dance with the Snow Queen. If she really likes him, or sees something in him, she’ll give him a magic snowflake that never fades.

 

“Molly has one of those on her tree!” Lily said. “I’ve seen it!”

 

Yes, the Snow Queen gave that to her, Schrodinger said. Luke has one too.

 

“I wonder who will get it this time!” Zoey said, watching her father bend over. He came up with a glittering white shoe, very different from the shoes Donna had been wearing, and started to look for the owner.

 

I think he’s got the Snow Queen’s shoe! Schrodinger said. That’s the same shoe Luke got!

 

“Oooh.” Zoey leaned forward, eyes shining. “I hope so!”

 

In short order, it turned out that Peter did have the Snow Queen’s dainty slipper, and he placed it gently on her foot before leading her out onto the floor. Drew had gotten Donna’s shoe, and Nathan had managed to get Molly’s. The music started again, the lights dimmed, and the final dance of the Snow Queen’s ball whirled around the room under the stars.

 

At the end of the dance, the Snow Queen brought Peter back to his daughter, and to everyone’s surprise, she knelt down. “I’m so very happy that you four were able to come,” she said. “Normally, I only give one snowflake, and it is a very special one. But this year, I will give four.” And she put her hands together, then opened them. Out floated four perfect silver snowflakes, one for each of them, and Zoey and Lily took them.

 

“Thank you,” Zoey said, swallowing. “This is amazing.”

 

To her surprise, the Snow Queen actually winked at her. “Magical, even?”

 

“Magical, even!” Zoey agreed.

 

The Snow Queen stood then, and turned to the crowd. “Thank you all once again for a lovely evening. I hope you all have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!”

 

The ride back to the bookstore was quiet – Lily and Zoey were both very tired, and they snuggled down with Jack and Schrodinger and their precious snowflakes. By the time the sledge stopped, Zoey was all but asleep.

 

Then she heard her mother gasp, and forced her eyes open. When she sat up, rubbing at her face, she saw her mother crying on her father’s shoulder, and a fireman with soot on his serious face.

 

“I’m so very sorry,” he was saying, in a raspy voice. Zoey could smell the smoke coming from him. “By the time we got there, the house was fully engulfed. We managed to keep it from spreading, but the house itself is a total loss.”

“What?” Zoey said, confused. “What happened to our house?”

 

Donna turned to her daughter and put her arms around her. “There was a fire, sweetie,” she said brokenly. “While we were at the ball.”

 

“A fire?” Zoey thought of her bedroom, her toys and the lovely decorations that Santa had put in their front yard. “How?”

 

“We don’t know yet,” the fire chief said. “I think it may have been an electrical issue.” He looked very tired, and very sad. “I’m so sorry.”

 

With that, Zoey realized that it wasn’t a dream. Her home was gone.

 

She burst into tears.

 

<><>

Now what do we do? Schrodinger asked Molly and Drew, as they watched the two cars pull away. Corrine had taken charge of everything, taking Donna and Zoey with her, Lily and Jack to the Barretts’ house. Nathan and Peter had followed them, and now, it was just Molly, Drew and Schrodinger standing on the front steps of the bookstore.

 

“I don’t know yet,” Molly said, shivering a little in the cold. “Corrine will take care of them tonight, and we’ll figure it out tomorrow.” She looked at Drew. “Did Chief Eliot say anything else to you?”

 

Drew shook his head and draped his coat around Molly’s shoulders. “Just that they think it was an electrical issue. He’s pretty certain that there was no foul play.” He sighed. “It was just bad luck.”

 

Poor Zoey, Schrodinger said, hanging his head. How will Santa find her now?

 

“Santa will know she’s at the Barretts’, don’t worry,” Molly said firmly. “And now, let’s get home.” She looked up at Drew. “I think we’re going to need to make some phone calls.”

 

“Agreed.” He nodded. “It’ll be tight, but I think we can pull together enough to make sure that they have a great Christmas, despite this.”

 

Really? Schrodinger asked, looking up at them.

 

“Really,” Molly said.