Event Midspring Celebration

Another Spring, another ball. Usually these events would end in disaster, but it had been a few peaceful months at Hogwarts. Perhaps they could congregate and simply just have a nice evening. No slugs, no fire, just a bunch of teenagers making friends, falling in love and breaking hearts. Regardless of whether this evening plunged itself into chaos or not, the planners of the ball stayed on par as Howard entered the Great Hall. Spring time was often a bit too colorful for the broody young man, but even he could appreciate the amount of effort that went into these events. There was enough pinks and purples to make one puke, but still, it was kinda nice.

Speaking of purple. Gary the Pygmy Puff rested on Howard's shoulder as he shimmied through the crowd. It's colorful fluff acting as the spring accent to Howard's black dress robes. Playful squeaks filled the space around them as the little ball of wonder took in all the new sights and sounds. The Dhampir's red eyes would take in the scene around him too, hormones in full flair as the sight of so many pretty people filled his vision. Look at those legs... His mind drifted along with his eyes. Up and up his vision went as he just had to know who these limbs belonged to.

"What the...." The expletive filled question slipped past Howard's lips as his eyes identified none other than @Erin Ryan. Where was the gaunt figure? The crazed look and dirty attire? Just the idea of being attracted to her was enough to make him shudder. She was of course beautiful when not being consumed by hag slugs, but their shared history had lent nothing in the way of attraction. Surely it was just a glitch in his hormone fueled mind. A momentary lapse of reason for sure!

Speaking of beauty, Howard's mind would turn to liquid as @Serena Towers joined Erin's side. The way her long, dark hair flowed and contrasted with the interesting blue attire she had chosen to wear was...nice. The only word that could make its way through the puddle that was now Howard's brain. Was this what the rest of life would be like? Moving from one stupor to another? Mixed feelings flooding and confusing mind and body?

Fortunately a scent would drift his way that would save him from his hormonal anguish. Food...the next best thing to girls. Hogwarts always provided stunning meals and the feasts provided at these balls were things of legend. Merlin knows what all the dishes were, but Howard and little Gary would make their way through as much as the body could handle. However, as he shifted his trajectory he would take in the first drama of the evening. A familiar, but foreign face would be tormenting one of the younger Hogwarts students. At first he would feel an urge to jump in and knock the dickens out of the boy again, but Howard just wanted an evening of peace. Perhaps a spot along the wall was best for now until he could calm himself.

Action: Enter Ball.

Open to interaction.

His ribs ached with the phantom pain where they pulled the tightening a bit too tight via trial and error when getting ready for the dance. All in good fun really, and by all rights very much their own fault in the first place for goofing off so much; to a point where they'd been running a bit late. Just a tad really, ‘fashionably so’, Elsian would joke once they'd stopped screaming long enough to plunk the ruins of his impaled jacket off the spikes magically poking out of his dresses armor. They'd fought tooth and nail to get the lace up back tightened… A truly impressive feat when he couldn't even tight it without help and magical spikes were popping out every time Dakota leaned in close enough to try and see what she was doing!

“Mercy,” he had wheezed, hunched over an abandoned lavatory sink holding his weight as Dakota screeched and flailed in alarm. Tugging the laces tight, too tight when shed all but thrown herself away. He'd have laughed if he could.

Later, after Dakota had left for a different stall to get ready herself and Elsian could actually breathe he gathered his skirts, twirling dramatically at Dakota from the doorway leading to the halls. “Do I look like a princess yet?” he’d asked with a shit eating grin.

Now they were at the ball, finally arriving after dropping off some stuff they didn't need at their respective dorms and meeting back up at the library and walking the rest of the way to the dance together, teasing and fighting each other most of the trek there. Not to say they stopped being insufferable pests once they reached the doors, because they didn't.

“It's my tiara,” he complained, pushing at the others grabby hands. “It’s my- Dakota I will lick your hand.” he threatened childishly, holding the silver tiara firmly against his head. The grin tugging at his lips and smoothing his features betrayed how much he didn't mind despite his words.

“You don't even need it!” he laughed, ducking away from the Hufflepuff and towards the food tables as they took in the decorations. “You literally have butterflies on your dress, leave my crown alone!”

Roleplaying as Lilith Zealand from Durmstrang

English, Russian, Japanese

Lilith was shaken awake by a fellow student from Durmstrang. She would be late to the ball. Lilith sat up and groggily rubbed the sleep from her eyes. She got up and pulled out her dress. It was quite pretty. In her favorite color too which was red. Quickly getting dressed she hurriedly did her makeup which was just some simple eyeshadow, blush, and a deep shade of pink lipstick. Looking at her shoes she grimaced. She hated wearing heels but had brought a back up pair of sneakers just in case. She would have a friend hold onto them for her.

She curled her and pinned her up into a bun with strands of hair hanging out here and there. Lilith added some leaf clips into her bun along with some small flowers. She grabbed her purse and headed down to the Great hall. She could already hear the mischief and laughter going on. Maybe she would create some mischief of her own? As she walked into the great hall looking around there were a lot of different colors. Some girls were dressed in floor length dresses like Lilith while others had shorter ones. Some men wore regular suits, others with tailcoats, and some wearing just some simple clothing such as a button down shirt and jeans.

She had a date to the ball which was quite surprising. She had met Marshal the day she fell out of a tree and into the Great Lake. Lilith looked around for Marshal unsure of whether she arrived here before him or if he was already there. She decided to wait by the entrance that way she could see if he entered. If not she was sure he would find her soon enough.

Word count: 302
Interacting: None
Mentioning: @Marshal Walker
Open to any interactions

Valentin entered, dressed plainly in a button-down shirt and dress pants, pure white except for a single silver-and-black bow tie at his throat. The famed Niffler, first-string seeker of Durmstrang, could already turn the heads of many quidditch fans in the audience, and Valentin knew that any terribly fancy outfit was likely to get blood or some other flying debris on it once he entered the vicinity of his dear friend, Yefim. While Niffler forever loved any kind of attention he could get, recently he was hoping for something a bit deeper than just being looked at from afar, so the understated attire was part of his latest strategy.

Scanning the audience, Valentin's eyes passed around the crowd, looking for who might be looking for him. At this type of event it would not be unusual to meet a quidditch fan who wanted to geek out or ask for an autograph. Just when he thought he had locked eyes with someone, a loud kerfuffle echoed from the other side of the ballroom. With his lightning-quick perception, Valentin spotted his fellow Durmstranger as he dumped a drink on a fancy ball denizen, followed quickly with being dunked by a retaliatory bowl of soup. The inevitable fight had started already, which was fine by Niffler the Impatient. Valentin wanted action, and accompanying Yefim was the surest way to get it as fast as possible.

With a chuckle, Valentin felt a sense of stability wash over him. For the white niffler, Yefim was no different from the famous monk, Ikkyū, who was an infamous prankster. For Valentin, Yefim's pranks were a form of enlightenment-- people were always so serious, especially at balls like these where people strutted about like peacocks desperate to secure a mate. It wasn't that Valentin felt superior to those who got pranked by Yefim, for even Durmstrang's prime seeker felt such desires. The issue was how overly serious people took themselves during the process. When Yefim dunked somebody and got gunked on in turn, it put everyone on equal footing in a silly game where people could shed the pretense and just have fun. Events were supposed to be fun, right?

While walking leisurely across the ballroom with the intent to join up with Yefim, Valentin continued scanning the scene. People were wearing so many shinies tonight.

Mentions: Regina Miller, @Flash Holmwood as Yefim Rumyantsev

Open for interaction from anybody, regardless of involvement in the food fight.
Action: Walking towards Yefim and looking for anyone who is looking at him.

Abilities: Keen Eye, Evasive Maneuvers, Charmer
Stats: STA 8 ★ EVA 10 ★ STR 2 ★ WIS 15 ★ ARC 1 ★ ACC 11

Stephen did not even know why he had bothered to get dressed up for this - what is this thing called anyway? Celebration? Ball? Well, whatever it is they are calling it, he felt out of place. He had no date, but he had not made an effort to get one either. But that is not why he felt uneasy. His unease, he was coming to realize, had everything to do with the Goblet of Fire.

He was not quite obsessed with it, but he found himself spending a lot of time thinking about it, probably more than he should have in truth. He had not put his name in yet, and he was not even sure that he would. It was not a matter of fear of being hurt, or of even being killed. He had planned on being an astronaut until he found he was of magic, and if there was an occupation that was frought with the possibility of death on a regular basis, that surely would be one. No, what had him stymied with respect to the Goblet of Fire was the requirement to list a "Special Person". What a silly thing to be tripped up over, but there it was.

Stephen knew none of the Ilvermorny students he had come here with a week and a half ago. He kind of, sort of, met Louca Dufort on the beach the night they arrived, but he had still not gotten the chance to really speak to him. He thought he would like to get to know Louca better, but this may be neither the time nor the place.

Maybe he would just sit here and gaze at the Goblet of Fire for a bit and then go out in search of Louca, or anyone really, and simply try to enjoy this lovely evening.

Mentions Louca Dufort @Emma Wynn

Open for Interactions

Outfit

Stamina 8

Evasion 13

Strength 15

Wisdom 3

ArcPower 3

Accuracy 11

She would witness some sort of squabble between a short Disney princess and her gangly cousin. Her family did seem to attract interesting sorts, she wondered what sort of psychic skillset the girl had to garner Pride's tolerance. She was more than familiar with the expectations of family and what it was like to be an outlier.

Of note of course were the pieces of meat of skewers that Mathias was gorging himself on. Over the years, through various, not necessarily savory means, they had come to the conclusion that the food that they ate was not always safe, that it was tainted. That they needed to take care if they did not know who processed their meals or exactly what was inside. A paranoid might might say "poison" which was not far from the truth, it was tainted.

She did not expect to be addressed, she expected to people watch. The dispute between lovers. The Durmstrang fellow who decided to dump a drink on some girl. So when she was addressed, "H-hey Erin, you look incredible. I love that dress-" she did not immediately respond, not for an awkward few seconds that Serena seemed to automatically fill in. "Oh! I bought these for the table thing. Did you want to try one? They are a little spicy but they are kind of nice." Then there was "the Niffler" who would also catch her eye, it was somewhat impossible to miss the albino in the room and recalling previous events that involved the two of them the by would have been a wall flower and not been missed.

"Silence is unsettling?" She commented as she looked down at the box. She had no idea what those triangular things were. They looked like envelopes made of some sort of savory pastry. "Is that because you feel anxious in the quiet because you are left with your own thoughts?" Her hands would reach out as if to accept the package, instinct not a contrite belief that the consumables were intended for her. Yet they were verbally offered and she asked a question, not the right question but the needed question. "Why?"

She did not wait for an answer, it was not about the pastries or samosas, but rather it was about why she was here. Why she was there back in October. Why was she talking to her now. If she wanted her dead, she had her best opportunity months ago she had concluded without an explanation to a question posed without context as she reached into the box and took one. It felt strange, flaky like fine chicken skin or the flesh of an elderly woman had it been baked in an oven. She never could get past the strange yearnings, the strange references her mind made with food. "Why," she put a corner into her mouth and bit down on the samosa. The crust crumbled in her mouth and felt strange. She did not eat "made" food often and she was a poor cook. She also was not used to spice. She would let out a cough, her face would turn red. She would cough again. It was good but also awful. "Merlin," she would announce still holding three-quarters of the sample piece she had taken. Murder food? "It has tastes," she observed as if she was seeking color for the first time and lacked the vernacular to express the experience. She took another bite, and coughed again. Indian food, a cuisine possibly for masochists. "Why am I not yet dead?"

Probably not the question Serena wanted to hear, she had come bearing the gift of food and conversation.

"So uh, did you put your name in?"

"I mean, you're dress is pretty as is your hair," she corrected herself with the awkward, purposeful grace of an alien lifeform. "Yes, I put it in... there are not that many capable purebloods in this school. I am more durable than most and really have nothing to lose but everything to gain." Why wouldn't the goblet choose her to die for the sake of glory? It was the obvious choice in her head. "I heard the last two times they did one of these, people died. Maybe I am also a bit hopeful," she admitted. "Better for a silly reason than none at all." She took a final bite of the samosa in her hand. "This is pretty good you know," she coughed.

She knew she had messed up, she was too honest and forthcoming. It was not appropriate. In fact, it was ill-advised. She did want to understand why the girl who had nothing to gain had bothered to engage her in conversation here yet again. Why she had placed herself in a perilous circumstances for the sake of someone that truly knew her value. There was none, not for Towers in any case. Erin could be a valued commodity, but only in terms of a forgery. In terms of people believing she was something. Believing in rather than knowing and being.

So her eyes would wander. Her eyes would settle upon Howard White, he was staring at Serena. Erin was about as subtle as Aurora's hair, "he is staring." She pointed like a small child would at the very far woman in the market as she said so. "You gave me food, I get you beef," well not the sacred kind but the kind that she could sink her teeth into (if Howard was into that). She took another triangle from the box and would attempt to grab Serena's hand with her other. The only thing unusual about Erin's hands or grip was the heavy scent of soap that seemed to waft from her as she attempted to lead a potentially struggling Towers the several feel towards Howard as the food had already drawn him into attack range technically.

"Howard," she remembered his name. She really should remember more and perhaps be prepared for a beatdown but she did not seemed concerned or fussed. "Serena made this for you," well she made it for everyone but stretching the truth is not a technical lie. She would thrust the baked good towards the general vicinity of his face as if to say eat the damn murder pie.

To think that the Fall Ball was nearly six months in the past. Now was time for, yet, another ball. Did Hogwarts not learn their pattern for such events? It was always as if they wanted to make sure that all of their students were in continuous danger. Maybe that was their way of doing experiential learning? No, that's not logical. So far, there had been students that died from these events. Would this be okay by the Ministry? Does the Ministry even know?

So many thoughts were rattling in Bloom's head as she was nervous entering the Great Hall for another extravagant event. She began to think about the slimy and disgusting slugs that she kicked to smithereens nearly six months ago alongside her peers. No, this was going to be different, she thought, realizing it was always the same thought she would tell herself prior to entering some of kind Hogwarts-related event.

Dressed in a simple blue dress, Bloom made her way through the double doors, only to find the entire room flooded with flowers. There were blossoms galore and all were different from each other. She was not entirely sure, but she wondered if it had to do with the schools as one of them looked like it came specifically from Japan, which is where one of the schools are from.

Walking in, she couldn't help but the cross her arms in shyness of how many people were around. Her hair, on a rare occasion, was down and not tied up in a bun. She pulled some of her hair behind her ear and began to look around. She was unsure of who was here and who was not around. She began to pace around the Great Hall, getting a good look at the crowd. It was then she noticed that nearly everyone had brought some sort of food that originated from their home. Bloom came empty handed. It was embarrassing, but what could she do? She did not have the funds to buy food nor did she know how to make food. Taking a deep breath, she pretended that all was fine and walked in further into the hall.

So far, she saw @Erin Ryan and @Serena Towers standing nearby each other, chatting. She remembered the rose that Erin gave her. Bloom had been so rude to not take it from her and let the rose drop down to the floor. Maybe there was some change in Erin since the Fall Ball?

Bloom walked over to Erin and Serena with a smile on her face. "Serena, hi!" she said. When Bloom looked at Erin, her smile was smaller. Bloom had no idea what to say to her. How is it being slugless? Are you still a bitch? What's going to happen to you now at this ball? But alas, nothing was said and all were thought from within.

"How nervous are you guys about this tournament coming up?" she asked, wondering if they were feeling the same way she was. Bloom thought it an amazing idea, but was also nervous that something was going to go wrong. She had no idea what, but it was always in such events as these.

Looking around some more, Bloom saw another familiar face. It was that of @Howard White. Bloom looked at him and back to Serena. She then remembered Serena's and her conversation at the Quidditch match. She lied to Serena saying she had a crush on what Bloom learned was her brother. But really, Bloom's crush was none other than the same person as Serena and he was standing across the room. Bloom worked hard to not look at Howard again and kept her focus on Erin and Serena.

It was only until Erin made an attempt and brought Howard to their group. She then shared with Howard something that Serena made for him. Bloom looked at the baked good that was being presented to him. Bloom, coming in with nothing, and Serena having something to share made Bloom cross one arm and hold onto her elbow. She looked at Howard with a small smile as a way of saying hello, not wanting to cause any attention. Deep down, she wanted to give him a hug, but in front of Serena, it was not going to happen. She couldn't hurt her. Bloom stayed silent.

ACTION: Entering the ball

April 2nd, 2022. It wasn't only finally the day of the Blossom Ball at Hogwarts, also known this year as the Midspring Celebration, but it was also the day that AngelFyre McCubbin finally agreed to be his girlfriend. Those two things combined made this evening already great and that didn't even include the dance he shared with that girlfriend of his in the Rehearsal Room earlier.

Now there he was in the Great Hall which had been transformed in the most romantic way possible. Flowers were everywhere and a band was playing currently a sort of medieval sounding melody that was sprightly in nature, causing the fireworks above them to dance across the sky of the Great Hall. It was beautiful, but as he glanced over, he knew it wasn't more beautiful than his date.

"All these roses remind me of a poem I had to memorize back a couple years ago," he said as he went and lifted a red one from nearby and held it out to her. Perhaps it was the music, because even the poem in which came to mind was 1794 and perhaps AngelFyre would know reference of it, as it was written by the Scottish poet, Robert Burns.

"Oh my luve is like a red, red, rose
That's newly sprung in June;
Oh my luve is like the melody
That's sweetly played in tune."

His free hand took hold of hers and he began to walk, leading her closer to the music. He did promise her a night of dancing.

"So fair art thou, my bonnie lass,
So deep in luve am I;
And I will luve thee still, my dear,
Till a' the seas gang dry."

His eyes found hers even through the darkened room and he smiled. He had been too quick and eager to enter the Great Hall with her, to officially, although non-verbally, show themselves as a proper couple that he truly didn't register just how amazing and breathtaking shes looked in that moment. Between her eyes that glistened as they watched him attentively, to her makeup and her hair. The red rose was like her ruby earrings and he brushed his hand along the stem to ensure there were no thorns upon it in which she might harm herself. He kissed the petals gently and then looked down to slip it into her bag. Never did he want to risk messing up her hair by trying to place it behind her ear.

"Till a' the seas gang dry, my dear,
And the rocks melt wi' the sun;
I will love thee still, my dear,
While the sands o' life shall run."

With his hands now free he stepped closer, slipping that bag down from her shoulder, leaving a kiss where the strap just rested before setting it on the table near them. He then brought his hands to her waist and stepped closer, feeling ever drawn into her.

"And fare thee weel, my only luve!
ANd fare thee weel awhile!
And I will come again, my luve,
Though it were ten thousand mile."

When the poem was finished he said nothing more and just began to lead her into movement, as the two began to sway to the music from the band that played nearby.

ACTION: Entering and dancing with AngelFyre McCubbin (free action)

Sta: 6 | Eva: 7 | Str: 9 | Wis: 5 | AP: 4 | Acc: 5
Race: Dhampir

@Phaedra Stavrou
Counting down the days to the ball since the week prior when they had last met, Aurelia had been looking forward to this particular Midspring Celebration. The event itself was not that set her optimism, but rather who she was going along with. It was fairly close to love at first sight when she'd first seen the sixth-year approach her at the arrival of the three schools, tall, tan and awfully good-looking with his hair jet-black hair glistering from having been freshly doused in the cold waters of the lake. With looks accompanied by such a charm that set a giddy flutter in her chest, to say the least, it was nothing she quite felt before. And Aurelia was well intent on keeping it that way, to keep him around.

After a meticulous effort to ensure sure her appearance was to her content, Aurelia then made her way out of the common room to be greeted by the boy's roguish charms in regard to her ensemble, once again drawing a subtle tint of red to settle on her cheeks. "You look exceptionally dashing yourself." She complimented with a winsome smile. The effect this older boy had on her was such a peculiar befuddlement. "Oh, it's perfect." she said as he brought up a floral adornment from his side, gazing with much intent at how adorably focused he looked while setting the corsage on her wrist. The matching boutonniere did not go unnoticed.

"I wished I had something to gift in exchange, this is lovely." There it was again, that flutter as he brought her hand up to place a kiss. In return, Aurelia would tap into her more known flirtatious nature, she accepted his arm to maintain some balance and stood a little taller to place a soft peck on his cheek. "I suppose that will do," She whispered. Walk together they would onwards.

"I could have flown," she joked as they made their way down the near-ancient stairwell. The cobbled steps that her tall heels clicked on were rather uneven and rough, flying would have been much easier, not to mention, faster. Nevertheless, she'd relied on the taller boy's arm for ease of support as they trudged down.

The organisers of this ball had absolutely outdone themselves. Having already let Hadrian already know about her plans, she could only hope that a pleasant evening with Lysander without too many disruptions was to follow. She hoped. "Hmm..." Aurelia would assess the room with her alluring blue gaze. At an end of the room's large expanse, a heavy clang of metal sounded as an - that happened to be her violet eye roommate @regina miller - threw a bowl of soup. Nothing she would heed much attention to.

At another corner of the room was a person that unsettled her, especially after their last encounter. One would think the past was behind them after those years, but her scar - which was covered with heavy layers of makeup - would entail otherwise. Lysander might notice the slight apprehension in her expression; Brows furrowing slightly and the thin pursing of her lips. @Howard White was surrounded by girls, why wasn't she surprised? And quite unreasonably, she didn't like that he was here.

Regardless, she was here to enjoy the evening. "Let's take to the dancefloor." She made up her mind with that lovely glimmer of a smile returning, she would take the boy's hand, leading him towards the centre of the room. "Perhaps we could check out the activities outside later on." Her hands and arms would find their place so naturally. "I haven't danced in quite some time."