Event Blossom Ball - Spring Festival

Interacting with @ Nico Shymane, @Santario Martin, and @Percival Gray
Open to Interactions

Quinn lit up seeing Santario's response and even more so when Nico chatted with her. His eyes were filled with life and joy at this revelation and scene. Before he could speak further a new comer entered. Another Slytherin and one he had never seen before. He seemed to know Nico, and this made Quinn smile wider. In a move that made no sense to him he brought his other hand up to her chin to gently turn her head. Staring at her for the briefest of moments he kissed her forehead and whispered something into her ear. Once that was finished he looked satisfied and turned back to Santario.

"Well...a lot better. Truthfully I'm a lot better thanks to your help and the beautiful Persephone here. I also see our prescence has seemed to attract another curious one to our conversation. I welcome you to mo grah's abode. I've never met thee before but it is a pleasure to meet ya." With a playful laugh he removed his hand looked down between the other two. Honestly just thankful for it being drama free and also that they all seemed to be having a good time. "An they can certainly try it but ah wouldn't recommend it hah!"

Action: Chatting it up with the small group forming
Stats and Abilities
Stamina: 14 | Evasion: 2| Strength: 15 | Wisdom: 9 | ArcPower: 2| Accuracy: 7
Abilities: Sixth Sense

Interacting with | @Kazuo Shimada | @Lavinia Cloven
Mentions | @Winnie Harper

Lovely Aphrodite, indeed. Dee, still as terrible at staying in character as she'd ever been, couldn't help the laughter bubbling up at Kazuo's impressively cheesy line, surprised and delighted in equal parts. They hadn't had many playful exchanges before today, but wit was an easy way to gain Dee's respect. Startling her into laughter gained bonus points. "So what will you do with that information?" she teased back, grinning. "Keep wearing skirts, or never put one on again?" Judging from his expression at the girl's assault hug, the latter seemed more likely.

Speaking of, the girl showed neither humour nor wit, instead proving impressive levels of possessiveness and rudeness, with no inclination towards reason. In love with him? Perhaps this was the reason Kazuo wasn't interested in dating, girls acting like that must be scary.

The approach of her companions to the situation was varied: Winnie tried to stand up for them, which, although meant well and triggering in Dee the odd urge to ruffle her hair, was wholly unnecessary. Kazuo, on the other hand, dished up some story about a fiancée back in Japan, which... really? Her eyebrow quirked up, she shot him a curious look, unable to tell whether it was the truth or not. Either way, he seemed to be aiming to de-escalate the situation, which, boo, boring.

Thus Dee, of course, couldn't help but poke at it with a figurative stick, just to see what happened. "You didn't tell me anything about a fiancée when I asked you to the ball, dearest Apollo," she said, trying hard and failing to stay serious. In the best case scenario she would have sounded hurt, but she could hardly manage that. "Why's that? Did you not want me to know? Or is this night with me just more important than the girl waiting for you?"

Turning towards the girl - Lavinia, apparently - her smile widened some. She could relate to spite, but two could play at that. "That's too bad for you, isn't it, Lavinia?" Referring both to Kazuo's mythical fiancée and her preference for Dee's absence. It was a more than a little mean, perhaps, but no one had asked her to be this rude. "I still need Kazuo tonight, sorry, you can't have him." Was this overdoing it? Probably, but at least it was obvious that she wasn't ruining anything for Kazuo here.

She was tempted to say more, an idle, unpleasant part of her mind wondering how far she could push, but no. Whatever the matter was with this girl, she didn't deserve cruelty.

So she just shot Kazuo another look, bright and smiling, even while her voice was slightly mocking. "Yes, Kazuo, do you want to get away from this girl?"

1 2 3 4 H H O H P A 5 6

Action | Radiating Mean Girl Energies

Sta 5 | Eva 9 | Str 3 | Wis 10 | Arc 6 | Acc 8
Evasive Maneuvers | Charmer

Interacting| @Quinn Healy | @Nico Shymane | @Percival Gray
Mentions| -
Attire - Medusa
Action| n/a
Open to Interaction

“Thank you, Nico! I practiced quite a bit since I do not usually wear any. Looks like it paid off, even managed to last through the trials.” Something that still managed to amaze her. Then Nico asked a question that made Santario wonder if Nico heard her at night; after all, they shared a dorm. It was sometimes hard to hide waking up from nightmares almost every night and the crying that sometimes came thereafter. Sometimes because of what was in her dreams and other times because she was so tired and all she wanted to do was sleep. If Nico did know, Santario was thankful that she never did anything about it. It did not take a genius to realize that Santario was a very private person.

Instead of lingering on those thoughts, she just allowed that bright smile of hers to shine. “I am as wonderful as this place is beautiful, and so far, it seems like it might stay that way.” She wasn’t going to be the downer for others, and this place was gorgeous. As Percival approached, he might have been surprised to see Santario in rare form, genuinely smiling. She looked over at him as he took his place to her left and spoke to Nico and Quinn. Then he brought up last year her hand subconsciously rose to cover a spot just under her clavicle, a place too close to her heart for comfort. Marred flesh covered by delicate silks. “Good evening, Percival. Perhaps, this time you can be more lethal in your plate throwing when something rears its head.” She teased, hoping that being light-hearted about it would show she held no hard feelings about the incident between them. Her hand would drop from her chest and retake its place clasped in her other in front of her.

“This is Quinn Healy, Hufflepuff Prefect, and Quidditch Captain.” Santario flowed easily into introducing Quinn since he had missed the chance to do so himself, but she was used to it with how she was brought up. A good lady always knows when to fill in an introduction to stop others from looking badly.

Leaving the hag, seeking the giant.

Vladimir Athanatos Interacts with: @Erin Ryan, @Santario Martin, @Nico Shymane & @Quinn Healy Mention: @Percival Gray Action: Speaking to Quinn, asking for some alone time with the part giant.

"So? Not like people will remember a thing."

"Well, I for one recall."

He faked a thin smile and cocked his head as if he was talking to a curious child. The fact that she was able to recall that she was not able to recall or that others were not able was notable. Odd. Potentially concerning. Make small talk, find common ground. Feign familiarity. I believe I have seen you before. Class? I think you are my year in fact. A truth, they were in the same year. They had likely been in the same room a number of times.

"Class? unlikely."

True, she did not seem like an academic. Make-up, nails, normal feminine aesthetic? No. Puppies, butterflies and cake? Uhh, no. Maybe she would find interest in a pile of rusted nails and empty bottles like the one she was gripping. Direction then. Allow me to do you this one mercy -- what you seek is in the lake, not here.

"Uh huh, sure? Where Tom was made."

"Tom?" Vladimir repeated and quirked a brow, Thomas LeStrange? He let out a sigh, "good to know." Not for Tom, but good for Vlad. He wanted to know a bit more, know what she knew however little or unreliable as it might have been. I would show you where but I have done nothing to earn your trust.

"Yeah," she replied. Of course she did not trust her but she had amazing faith in that bedsheet serving as a suitable gown. The irony. "Why would I trust you?"

There was no 'right' answer, that was of course the point. So he remained silent and she came to her own conclusion.

"I don't think so," Erin muttered.

"I was also not given the opportunity," he reminded her. Vladimir would stand up to his full height, he was taller than most of his peers but he was by far not the tallest on the dancefloor. He would eye Quinn Healy and his entry with his lovely date. The target, well the marker had finally arrived. Chaos would surely follow the 'massive ginger.' It Act fast or do not act at all. "Well, that is a shame," he would reply dismissively. "How will I ever cause mayhem or betray your trust now," he claimed with a casual laugh as he backed away. Not because of the girl's rejection, that was an expectation. The issue was Percival Grey. He ignored the Ravenclaw's presence, the broken lantern being of the utmost importance. The fact that it was half-buried appeared to be a non-issue as he brushed what had not been covered in earth under a table rather than allow it to be buried in a shallow pit.

He could feel himself deflate slightly as he saw Santario approach the part-giant. He would have to ruin a perfectly good whatever it was that they had more than likely. The things he does for love. He tugged on the leather gloves that covered his hands, the leather was well-used and it had slight give. "Mr. Healy," Vladimir announced loudly with an extended gloved hand. Yes, he was looking to shake his hand but he would not be astonished if the Quidditch star declined. "I am sorry to take you from--" he would look over at both Santario and Nico briefly before he came up with the proper adjective. "These Enchanting ladies," a statement with dual meaning considering the fact that they were both going to be powerful witches in their own right one day. The power to do more than break a few hearts. "But I am in need of something only you can provide," he continued.

He would back away a few feet from the part giant. There was a risk of emotional lability. The Ravenclaw's reputation preceded him, he would be a fool to believe otherwise. "May I take but five minutes of your time?" No more, no less. "Alone?"

Interacts With: @Percival Grey, @Vladimir Athanatos
Mentions: @Quinn Healy

Erin was not amused by Vladimir or by Percival. The incredibly suspicious Ravenclaw would flutter away, wasting not only his time but hers also. He could lay that charm on someone who had the self-esteem to think he had some actual interest in getting to know them. She was a lot of things - violent, insane, and reckless, but she was not stupid. The girl in a bedsheet with knotted hair and a bottle of alcohol in her hand, there was no comparison between her and these living dolls in ballgowns flitting about the area.

She would dismiss him, although oddly enough it would not be until Percival Grey interceded that Athanatos would find another place to haunt. Percival, the unsung hero who somehow succeeded in something he would never realize and simultaneously he would have the skill to also disregard what she was doing, what she was muttering and never considered why. Like all the rest, he failed to pay attention. He failed to ask the right questions. Of course who pays attention to a madwoman?

"Well done Erin, you demolished a completely innocent lantern..."

"Innocent?" She scoffed. "How can you be sure?"

"Just be careful alright? we don't want a repeat of human fireballs do we."

She gave Grey a sour look with a furrowed brow. "The hell?" She was not bothering him or anyone else. She ended the threat of a dangerous... lamp. "I have not set anyone on fire," unlike many of her peers. Not much of a debate. Despite reputations, the worst she had done was thrown fists, say some mean words, break a few things with not much more value than a nice lamp. There were others walking around that did a hell of a lot worse than she had, yeah like immolate some poor boy.

She gave him a second, well a first look. She did not like looking at people. Her eyes lied to her often. The people whose faces lied to her only compounded the fallacies and the fantasies. Some people found humor in feeding the lies for ends she would never understand, as much as she wanted desperately to believe that there was a good reason, a hidden kindness there was no excuse but malicious behavior. Blue suit. Self important tone. Ego. Money. Only one side of her lip curled upward as she made a rapid assessment. She did not like him. Thankless. Sarcastic. Defender of lamps. "Got an issue with me or an affection for lamps?" She muttered but he had already run off, shortly after Vladimir had.

They, Vlad and Percival were both headed for the same person - Quinn Healy, the part giant leader of the great giant uprising. A self-admitted cannibal. The two of them, Percival and Vladimir likely subordinates, midgets, or perhaps maybe death witches. She could not be certain which, the options were too numerous and she would not be able to believe whatever story they fed her. Here she was so foolish, she had assumed that they had hidden themselves among the inanimate. No, evil was hiding in plain sight, mingling with the students.

Dangerous. Foolish. Her eyes would follow the suit (Percival) with a glare. She had to make a decision: take him now, take him later. Too many faces. Too easy to forget! Did she even remember that she needed to remember? How are you supposed to remember what was forgotten? What if she remembered but the truth changed? The memory changed? What if he got himself a new face? What if this was the new face?

Now was the time to act.

No more suplexing lamps that might be death witches. Not when there were human-shaped death witches in need of suplexing. So Erin would do what any reasonable girl in a sheet would do when faced with a death witch, a midget giant or a subordinate of the giant incursion. She would attempt to rush Percival, yes Percival rather than Vladimir or Quinn, their faces seemed to stay the same but she was not as sure about Grey. This might be her only chance. The goal simple, run at him and take him down with the skill of an amateur linebacker and attempt to knock him into the drinks. They were likely poison anyways. Never trust the food. never trust the people.

Her battle cry would be as expected -- "Deathwitch!" Subtly was not a strong point.

Action: Attempt to violently tackle Percival Gray, knocking him into the drinks.

English = 337085

Interacting With: @Kazuo Shimada @Dealla Prince @Winnie Harper
Mentioning: Kazuo’s “Fiancée” and Kazinia
Open to interactions

Love was everything Lavinia had ever dreamed of. It was like every moment of her life lead up to this and she wouldn’t change it for anything. As long as she had her Kaz Kaz by her side, everything would be okay, actually it would be better than okay, it would be wonderful. She had never believed in love at first sight until now, it was in that moment that she saw him where her heart started racing and her life felt complete.

Then, there was a little girl in a big dress who had decided that it was her business to tell Lavinia what to do. She had told her to not touch without his permission and Lavinia rolled her eyes at the girl and responded, ”I didn’t ask you but it doesn’t matter since we are meant to be together anyway.” She didn’t care what the girl said, all she cared about was him and they were going to get married some day so why did it matter if she introduced herself by hugging him.

When she tried to drag him away and he dug his feet into the ground she planned on putting more force behind it and literally drag him but got sidetracked when he started to talk. He said that she was a lovely and her smile lit up at that but then he said he couldn’t love her. At that Lavinia’s mind starting racing. No, no, no, no, no, no. He loves me and I love him, even if he doesn’t see it yet we are made for each other and there is no way that will change. She listened into the next part of what he was saying and her mouth opened in shock.

He already had a wife picked out. He was a first year and already had a wife back home. That fact was absurd to her, she understood tradition but taking away any choice he would have was crazy. Then it stuck her, there was some random girl in Japan who he was to marry who might not even love him when she was here showcasing her love for him. How was this girl she had never met before going to get everything she ever wanted or needed. The short answer was Lavinia would make sure they didn’t.

There was also the part he said about a how the girl was lovely and had a proper family. She had a proper family, sure they weren’t all wizards but it was proper all the same. Then an idea stuck her, they could run away together when he graduated Hogwarts, never let him go back to Japan and get with his “wife”. Lavinia decided to tell her idea to Kaz so said, ”Oh, okay. That just means there will just be a little more complications in the future for us. After you graduate we could always run away together my Apollo. I’ll make it work, you won’t need to worry about anything. Just keep being your lovely self and I’ll get rid the girl in the way of our happiness.”

She was getting ready to drag him away again when the annoying girl from earlier who was pretending to be his date started talking. She was trying to make Lavinia jealous and it worked. Why was it that Dee wasn’t told about the mystery girl but she was, spews Kaz pushing her away? No, he can’t be trying to get rid of me, I love him and he will love me back soon. This girl is really getting under my skin though. Why can’t see just understand that Kazuo will never love her, he only loves me.

Lavinia was not liking Dee one bit, she was trying to show how Kaz liked her more and that didn’t sit well with her. She looked Dee straight in the eye and said with spite in each word, ”I don’t believe he was talking to you, and maybe he didn’t tell you about the girl because he didn’t think he had any sort of a future with you. Also, that part you said about needing him, well I need him too, he is the love of my life and nothing you say can make me doubt that.”

Lavinia had never been this rude before but this girl was in between her and happiness and wanted to take it away from her. She had to think of some sort of way to make Kazuo stay with her instead of Dee. Kazinia was not going to be damaged by anyone, they were going to stay together till the end of time. Lavinia ran through scenarios of what to do in her head, he was dressed as Apollo and she knew him as the god of not just light but also music and poetry. Why not write and recite a poem to him.

Thoughts of what to say in the poem were going through her head hundreds of miles a second. She wanted it to rhyme but not overly so. It needed to accurately describe her emotions for him and it needed to make realize that he wanted to stay with her. Maybe it help him start falling in love with her like she did to him. With all that in mind she had a general idea of what she wanted to poem to be so she turned to Kazuo gave him a big genuine smile and started saying her poem.

”Kazou I just made a poem just for you, I hope you love it as much as I love you.
You’re dressed as Apollo
and my heart feels hollow without you
I’d follow you anywhere
Just so we can never part
I’m so glad I found you
Because my life was lost without you
And now I’ll do anything to be your wife”

With that her poem was over, it was short and sweet and told him everything Lavinia wanted to say. She felt content with the poem and ecstatic that he got to hear it. To top off the moment and the poem she decided to do something that she’d never done before. She felt absolute bliss as she leaned in and kissed him on the cheek.

For Moderation:

Reducio

Action: Kissing Kazou on the cheek and being absolutely in love
Stats: STA: 8 | EVA: 8 | STR: 7 | WIS: 6 | ARCP: 6 | ACC: 11
Abilities: Foulplay and Interception (These are quidditch related abilities and will most likely not do anything in this ball)
Heath points: 800/800

Post Tracker: [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11]

Marion Davenport

Interacts with: @Alexander Varellion & @Mathias Pride

Mention: @Vladimir Athanatos

A hand to her eyes acting as a blinder, she averted her gaze. There was only so much of the boy any one person would reasonably want to see. "Not everyone wants to look at you," she complained. Purebloods always thought that they were something special didn't they?

"Well, if I remember right the greeks weren't so humble about their body in public either. Though that would not have been my personal choice of what I would emulate from them."

"And Circe would turn sailors into pigs, neither were a splendid idea," she would mutter.

"So what would you like to do ? Do a dance, talk to this........ Matt right ?"

"No," she and Matt were not friends, she simply had a thin tolerance for the underclassman. "He is just Vlad's younger, annoying cousin," she declared. He spent more time pretending to babysit her than she cared to recollect.

"Or sit at one of the tables and just enjoy the music. I admit I do not have much experience with these kinds of balls. Haven't really had a date before, so I don't know what one would usually do at this kind of thing."

She was familiar with this sort of music, growing up in a muggle household she had developed a fondness for music. Real music as opposed to that classical boredom that Hogwarts seems to pride itself upon, it sounded like money. In fact everything was about wealth and power - the castle that they were housed in, the extravagant balls that they casually enjoyed and the dichotomy of wealth and blood-based privilege pervaded the system. "Do you know how to dance?" She would inquire. Probably not.

The choices being offered were as follows:

1. Deal with Mathias - a root canal seemed more satisfying.
2. Sit at a table where they would likely attract rubber neckers and eavesdroppers.
3. Risk a few broken toes on the dancefloor.

Number three sounded good. Slow dancing was easier admittedly, it was just drape over one another and rock back and forth. It was basically a socially acceptable reason to get close to someone in public. Upbeat songs with dancing took a bit more effort. If he claims a limited knowledge she would give him a quick instruction. "Just feel," because you won't hear "the tempo. That is the sound that you find yourself tapping your fingers to in a car, nodding your head or tapping your toe." Dancing is actually a natural act unlike the moves shown in media examples.

Regardless of his knowledge-set she would relinquish her grip on his arm, that icy chill would be replaces with the spring warmth. If this was a tutorial she would give him one more instruction - "copy."

Feet turned out, feet turned forward. Back and forth in place of a head bob or a finger tap. Knee bend, bend then straight, bend then straight. The feet movements minimal at this point but the previously exaggerated shifting remained present only muted. "Hips," side to side, "notice the pattern." Like a metronome to an extent but not obvious if not watched in such a way. The sway gave a false sense of fluidity. "Shoulders," a shrug on the right as the hips swayed to the right, the left as her hips moved in the other direction. "Arms," bent at the elbow loosely, the occasional snap of the fingers in place of a bend. The progression from her feet to her head shown in progression with the demonstration. "Just move, counting the beat in your head - side to side," she smiled a bit. She used to love dancing when she was a little girl, not this sort but as one would expect - she was a young ballerina at one point. Then she got old, too heavy, not quite tall enough.

"This is a better place to talk anyways," she admitted if or once Alexander started dancing. The music drowned out the drama of the others, the chaos that came with every ball. The disaster that would likely follow her 'friends.' She did not notice the fact that she, well they were being watched by Aida but she was well-aware that she had piqued the interest of many of her classmates over the past few years. "Unless you like talking before a live audience."

Interacting with @Quinn Healy, @Santario Martin, @Vladimir Athanatos & @Percival Gray
Mentions @Erin Ryan

As Quinn usually does, and surely Nico should've gotten used to it, he got more bold in showing his affection in public. His gentle gestures with his big build was something that truly surprised her everytime. Kissing her forhead after locking eyes with her, then whispering a sweet nothing in her ear, the redhead Prefect couldn't react in any other way but turn beetred and attempted to bury her face in her hands. She really needed to talk to him about this whenever they'd decide to go to their respective dorms.

As she smiled at Santario, rather happy to connect with another peer of her age. Nico couldn't remember the last time she chatted about typical girl things like make-up. Percival showed up, the guy who got slapped by a newspaper. It had been a little while since they had their talk at the Lake. He had been gentle in a very harsh way. Quite hard to describe. She found in him a sort of ally or someone she could have faith in. She didn't completely understand him yet, but... that was okey. That could change one day. Or so she hoped. 'Hello, Percival. I-It has been quite some time, yes. I'm trying my best.' She nodded softly, smiling warmly at him. 'How's your stay at the ball?' Balls like these had the tendency, no, guarantee to go wrong at a certain point. The redhead hoped it wouldn't turn out that way. However, her suspicion of that happening, got worse when a familiar face appeared.

Vladimir.

This was bad. Nico glared at him, her senses sharpened. And if that was not the worst of it, Erin showed up aswell. The redhead felt conflicted. The broken face that once reflected on the Beaters cheeks, it flashed through her mind whenever she showed up. However, Erin wanted to beat up Quinn. Together with Kyle. All because of some weird rumour...

Her pale hands held tightly onto Quinns robes. A red dot flaring up inside her eyes. 'Back off.' She spat at Vlad.

Action : Trying to protect Quinn. Thinking of turning on Unsetteling Aura, but not yet
Stats : Stamina: 13 | Evasion: 8 | Strength: 4 | Wisdom: 6 | ArcPower: 2 | Accuracy: 9
Abilities : Lovely Creature & Unsetteling Aura [OFF]

"This was just an introductory light show," Ruka assured her but if that was intended to be reassurance then his statement was terribly misguided.

"I'm not disgustingly rich enough to have house elves of my own," Ruka claimed which was a terrible misapprehension. Elves worked for cheap, some for free. Wealth was not the prerequisite, it was tradition. Something that one would think a wizard would attempt to understand, standing here in 'Greece' they failed to do more than play dress up. Circe on the Greek island of Aeaea whose love of cursing sailors to live out their lives as swine was chronicled in the Odyssey by the ancient Greek poet Homer was one of the first recordings of a witch in muggle literature. Greece was in many ways the cradle of magical society.

"Fortunately I have people who like me enough to voluntarily do me favours. I can tell by your charm that you wouldn't know what that's like."

"Shame you don't care much for them in return," he observed with a nod of his head he motioned towards the girl he had done all he could to be rid of.

"Perfection? Perfection would be if you put back on your clothing."

Winnie complained but she was lying. There was no contest between him and a goat, if there was... well, then the girl is even more troubled than even he would want to admit.

"I am not staring!"

"You're undressing me with your eyes!" He complained loudly, crossing his arms over his chest in a feigned attempt to cover up. Too easy - haha. The corners of his eyes crinkled a bit as he let out a small, almost inaudible chuckle. If you love what you did, you never had to work a day in your life.

"... I... I'm not a doll. I'm a girl."

"Course you're not sweetie." Yes, he was egging her on. He wanted the fight, the debate, the riled reaction. Something more than well -- this. This sad, deplorable state.

"I am also not a service girl, nor am I some sort of trained puppy. I was simply doing Ruka a favour, I owe him my life."

He looked over at Ruka, the 'savior'. He did not look like much of a hero, torch in hand he was effective at setting damp clothes aflame but little else. If anything he seemed content to disregard her, avoid her, leave her in the care or company of another. For someone so interested in getting rid of her, Winnie was sure attached. Loyal to a fault and limited log - the sorting hat certainly made the wrong call.

"... Jealous of what exactly? Being forcefully kissed? No thank you. My first kiss will be consensual."

"Heh," Mathias knew what she wanted. It was a basic want of most people - to be recognized, to be wanted, to be regarded. Something that he was doing for her even if there was a tone of sadism to his game, it was more than what either of her escorts had offered thus far this evening. "Well, yes," he answered with a tone of seriousness. "To be wanted enough to be pursued. To be valued, wanted, desired. To be chased rather than doing the chasing. To not be treated as irrelevant even if that means being subservient." In truth Levi likely appreciated his forwardness in spite of his dramatics. Being the first does that. Being the only does that. If nothing else, it was an evening the drama-queen would never forget.

Let's talk about leagues.

"Your league?" Ruka brought a feminine hand to his mouth to stifle his laughter in it.

"Do you really expect her to dance with you after you've insulted her like this?"

Actually yes, if it goes that far. He did not say it out loud of course, he just shrugged his shoulders. To make Jack want her. To make Ruka want her. To just be wanted by someone, even if that someone was him. Because she had no self-esteem. Because she was fawning over less.

"... Fix you? Am I expected to swoon at that request and express my affection for you? Does that line actually work on girls?"

"It does," he confirmed. In fact he had no idea, he was only twelve. But he did know that if anything her affection cost a hell of a lot less than a confident line or two, he was at the very least making eye contact unlike lost boy one and two.

He gave Jack a sideways glance. This is where he would intercede. Even if he did not want her, children had a way of wanting a toy as soon as someone else shown a modicum of interest. They were playing right into his hands, it was hilarious. People were so repressed and easily flustered, with the emergence of adolescent hormones it was a wonder that they got anything done. How about this, a dance to keep me warm and perhaps change my bad-boy ways. Fix me. That is.

"I will not be keeping you warm, don't be gross. If I dance with you, will you leave Jack and Ru--..."

He wondered how his demeanor would be taken had he been a bit older, if annoyance would turn to menace. If he was a woman if he would be seen as 'empowered'. That was part of the fun, the masquerade. How he envied metamorphmagi, able to strip away the filter of perception but he would not forfeit the strands of fate for a change in the demeanor of his playmates.

"Fix you?"

Jack Burnett would be met with a sardonic expression, a cock-eyed smirk and a glint in the almost teen's stormy eyes. He did not move, he did not resist. Let the snake finally bite.

"Please - allow me."

Jack would reveal his length of mayhaw, a distinctly American wood. "Drawing wands now," Mathias announced amused. Had his antics really brought the goat to the point of pulling a weapon. He did not twitch when the wand was leveled alongside his face. How thrilling. "Ow," the swamp dwellers wand would tap against his bruised jaw.

"Ferula."

Bandages would spew forth from the tip of an excitable wand. A wall of white would erupt, wrapping around his head. Half-naked and gagged, Burnett could not possibly serious. Something he would verbally attempt to iterate but all that would be heard is a series of muffled utterances.

His hands would raise, it was an instinctive effort. His fingernails would claw at the advantageous wrapping.

"I think it's high time we start some activity on that dance floor, don't you? It would be a waste to have worn that gown of yours if you couldn't have a twirl or two in it, I'd say."

Jack made an offer to the desperate Ravenclaw. He was now Winnie's knight in shining armor. How sweet, the amicable peace that Jack's magic had wrought. Exactly the ends he wanted, a girl on his arm that he did not even want. Reinforcement of an affection he would claim to not possess. Soon enough she would seek a passion and he would be expected to meet her demand. How cute.

"Jack..."

"I would love to dance with you."

Everything she wanted and Jack was not even forced. He chose an ends he never desired of his own volition.

"Thank you."

In the meantime he would rip away at the bandages with his chilled fingertips. Oh good, she is sniffing him. Don't laugh. Don't -- a muffled laugh from the partially gagged boy.

"You smell really good, like the pages of a book."

A sweet ending that would be thwarted by the third wheel. "I need to talk to you first. Alone."

Oh look, alone again. This was that whole abandonment thing, that lack of regard or interest he had been going on about. Dismissed. Sit. Stay. Speak. In that order, the last when they were out of earshot.

"Winnie would you... Just... Keep Kaz some company for a moment? He looks awfully lonely now that his date's left."

The very same date Ruka had called after moment earlier. Yes, that one as Ruka is obviously very concerned for Kazuo's happiness.

"And Jake, too."

Oh yeah, the grammar school gifted child that had early admission to Hogwarts by the looks of things.

"I only need a moment with my brother, we'll be back in a bit, just... Just stay here a moment."

"No mances fur yuu," [Gagged translation:: No dances for you]

This must have been that charm he was going on about. Indeed, how 'charming.' If/when (using his action to remove the bandages obviously) he removed his bandages from about his face, unleashing his most powerful weapon -- his pillowy lips.

"Merlin," he complained as his jaw was finally partially free. Those bandages were quite snug on his face. Winne's snuggle buddy was being whisked away and Kazuo's date was doing some sort of heroic act. The toddler had his stuffy, leaving only Matt with the communal brain cell.

“Yes, please, don’t abandon me to the questionable company that is Pride here. He can’t even provide pleasant conversation.”[/b]

Yes, Mathias was not quite free.

“Or any conversation…”

"Working on it - working on it," he muttered, his words muffled as if he was speaking through a comforter. Kazuo's grin and wink would summon Pride's usual sarcasm. "I have too many lovers already."

"... Perhaps if Pride shows me how sorry he is, I could help him out of that gag?"

She just loved hearing his voice. He gave her a wink.

As did Kazuo apparently as a girl came up from behind and performed Cloven's Close encounter (a hug). Didn't Kazuo already have a date? Oh you dog you...

“Lavinia... Thank you. I am a god, after all, and a host of the event. Can’t be showing up in anything less than the best if I expect others to dress to the theme... Kazuo Shimada, or… for this night… Apollo, Lord of Light.”

Mathias stopped his casual bid from freedom for a moment to clap his hands, not to applaud him even if that was the motion of his hands. in truth it was a sound to alert others to look this way. He was an agent of chaos, not particularly powerful, dangerous or devastating but very very annoying.

"I've been replaced, I see," oh look Dealla Prince, Kazuo's date. he would continue the tedious task of removing his bindings, Jack could have at least taken him to dinner - not everyone was Winnie after all. Good God Jack, I am not that sort of boy.

"Was I gone that long? Kazuo, when I asked you to go with me, I wasn't aware you were so popular."

Not even his fault. Not this time. Still, good show. He would be proud of Matt's successes.

”You are doing a wonderful job hosting, this ball is amazing.” It was the tone. The wide-eyed look. 'The Winnie' as he would internally call it to describe the demeanor or desperation and erm... was that lust? Honestly it was an intangible expression.

”Of course your Apollo because you light up my heart”

"Hi, I'm Dee, may I ask why you're hugging my date?"

The look in Lavina's eyes did make even Matt step back a few feet. "Is there something in the damn water," he muttered clearly as he removed the last bit of bandage. It was not an observation, more a saying even if he has been instructed to take that sentiment literally. He would pat his... boxers, oh yes he was still clad in boxer shorts rather than a decent outfit due to shenanigans and for the sake of riling a few feminists and white knights. No bag of nuts, no waterskin filled with pumpkin juice.

”Well I’m in love with him of course and I would prefer if you left, Dee.”

It. Was. Contagious.

He would look away from the cringeworthy scene towards Winnie. Somehow she was the safe and sane one. Actually, no she was not. They were all mad. Good. His job was now complete and just in the nick of time. He would see their quarry attempt to tackle another student, he actually recognized the guy they shared a dorm. Percival Grey, one of the taller members of their dorm. Also a name he on occasion 'borrowed' for reasons.

Attention split in the midst of chaos. People too wrapped up in their own personal drama to notice what was important. What would be missing. What would never return. His attention no longer on the dysfunctional trio -- Winnie, Jack and Ruka. It was on the fight between a part Veela clad in a sheet and his dormmate Percival. It really did not matter who won, even if the pairing was somewhat unanticipated the incident itself was expected - fights, might like fires had become tradition at such gatherings. Mathias could run to the Percival's rescue but to be frank, the girl looked violent and Percival was by a fair margin larger than he. Was Grey at risk? Probably not. Dionysus would not last long, she would earn the predictable ire of his companions. As dysfunctional as the dorm might have been, he had come to the potentially erroneous conclusion that the members of his dorm would rally, perhaps even collaborate. Well, he would in any case.

"Aint the place!" Mathias would shout, his tone more serious than before as he broke away from his present company.

Meanwhile Kazuo's drama - two dates, one ball - for shame. He no longer needed to mess with that one, his life was already in shambles.

Jack and Ruka were busy with their "brotherly" chat.

Marion was busy with her date, poor boy had no idea what he was getting himself into. The girl might make pudding look intelligent at times but there was something off about her that his cousin seemed incapable of grasping. She always needed him, or someone. How many evening he spent escorting her to the common room because 'something might happen' or 'she was scared.' For all of the noise and carrying on she does, it is a wonder she was even allowed to head home during break. Dude has got to let go. At least for tonight she was off doing her own thing. She would be fine. Nothing would happen and they could do what they were tasked with doing and nobody would be the wiser or care for that matter.

Action: Attempting to remove bandages. Only roleplayed partial success because everyone else has posted multiple times this round and it would not make much sense for me to get nowhere. As for being wholly successful or not, that would be up to moderation.

Primary group transition - leaving Kazuo to die between two girls that want his scrawny bod with Winnie being a hypocrite. Leaving Jack and Ruka to talk rather than dance with Winnie because she will be patient forever (sarcasm does not travel well), he is leaving them also both to die. Moving towards the Erin and Percival 'fight'/mugging/attempted murder.

Leaving the hag, seeking the giant.

Vladimir Athanatos Interacts with: @Erin Ryan @Nico Shymane Mention: @Percival Gray, @Quinn Healy, @Santario Martin & @Mathias Pride Action: Casting Slugulus Eructo at Erin Ryan

Relative expectation - dismissal, a brawl, a damsel in need of rescuing - has been met. An evening where the chaos was not only anticipated but also needed, he eyed his younger cousin briefly. He was doing what he did best, an odd set of skills for a youth to possess - the ability to annoy and repel at light speed. He had done a fine job, even if some of what transpired was out of his hands. Hogwarts students whom had fallen victim to whatever suspicious concoction that had been imbued in their beverages.

It was going well. Within expectations, yet that was never enough. Indeed, it was over-reaching, a tad hopeful even that he thought he might gain an audience with Healy even if it was for a short time. He was warned about Quinn's date by Santario Martin and with a wave of regret, well more specifically rather than an aura he was given a burning glare. The Slytherin girl was right and the dhampir made her sentiments known. 'Back off.' Did they even know one another? Had they ever met. He pondered this for a moment, no he did not think they had. He would have thought an encounter with her had there ever been one would have been less forgettable but alas some trespass committed must have been recalled by her.

"Well," he retracted his hand. "Bloody shame this is," he conceded with a nod and a bow as he took two steps away. He did his due-diligence and tried. He had learned from the train incident to not push unless you were ready to have something broken. It was not his duty nor was it his responsibility to warn them of anything. "My mistake then."

He was not overly fond of dhampirs, a sentiment his father did not share. Never mind that. He had to move on.

To his side there was the start of a scuffle, the very girl he was approached but moments before. She was obviously troubled. As for the boy, he did not know the Slytherin in the least. It was going as expected, the girl was prone to violence as it was a pattern for her at the last few balls without exception. Her interests were in part giants as he recalled, not that her aggression paid out in dividends it was as reliable as the rising tide.

Mathias broke away from his group, leaving them to squabble amongst themselves in time to intercede. "Aint the place!" No physical intervention, the boy was half-naked and had the brawn of a particularly wily cat, sure he had claws but he was much better at fleeing than standing his ground when it came to blows. Also, where did he put his wand. Merlin... The boy was in his kickers wearing some bandages on his head, what sort of weirdness had he gotten himself into? He was embarrassed for him.

"There is nothing to--" he cut himself short, if she impacted Gray or missed in her reckless act, it mattered not. He just needed to protest her behaviors. Claim a firm stance against her. He would reach into his pocket, unlike some he was still fully garbed and grasp his wand, chestnut wood and dragon heartstring. A sharp inhale through narrowed nares he would flick his wand, his intentions the maddened girl Erin Ryan. It was obvious that she had some Veela blood in her, pretty in spite of her attire and bedroom hair, her physical charms would not pull at the sinews of the Ravenclaw's heart or more specifically loins. The girl was a monster that appeared as human. A danger, a menace. A rabid dog in need of being put down.

"Slugulus Eructo!" He incanted, the spell was better known as the "slug-vomiting curse." A curse that was not particularly harmful, but it was debilitating. An elementary spell most of the students at Hogwarts not only knew but were masters of. Nothing flashy, but like most things that was the intention, a quiet submission. Something that would linger.