Secret Blossom Ball Event Finished

Arriving from the Changing Rooms

Selim followed Lestrange out, eyes scanning his surroundings blankly, like a seasoned warrior scanning for enemies. Glancing up, he saw his companion beckon him closer, to which he obliged, stopping at his side, and tensing a bit in surprise when the taller male rested a hand on his shoulder, before seeming to pause.

“Unlike many, you came prepared. I like that.” The older boy smiled, something flashing through his gaze.

He looked at Thomas with cold, calculating eyes, "I have to be prepared for anything, my family has dangerous enemies." He spoke tonelessly, words vague.

Selim turned away from him, hearing him tack a drink from the flask he was carrying around. He could smell the alcohol coming from Lestrange's breath, and idly wondered if magic negated the horrendous effects alcohol had on the human body.

Glancing over at the area the boy gestured to, he caught sight of that girl he took blood from, Opeila, who was with a tall boy Selim instinctively felt wary about. He turned once more as his companion spoke about them being his targets, and hoping to make a good impression on them. Apparently, the boy with his female peer, Vlad, had something Lestrange wanted.

He narrowed his eyes, hands hidden, and clasped in front of him making him unable to fiddle with one of his sheathed daggers. A target, and one that his instincts whispered to avoid... or to stab, but it seems his companion had an interest in Vlad, so he'd have to refrain from doing the latter.

He cast his eyes away, scanning the crowd for familiar faces, stiff. His senses were on high alert, there was something buzzing in the air underneath the flowers, ball gowns, and smiles, a tension, one that reminded him of his clan after he had returned from the hospital. His gaze darted from one thing to another, trying to find what was the source of his unease.

His search was interrupted when his companion spoke again.

“I’ve sighted someone I need to speak to. You’re welcome to join me, or…if you’d rather standby and keep an eye on that one.” Selim's yellow orbs locked onto Lestrange as he spoke, sharp, alert, “Either way, you have my respect.”

And wasn't that a curious choice of words.

The taller boy walked towards a familiar small boy, and a girl he himself didn't recognize, before glancing back at him for a moment and warning him about joining. Selim rose an unimpressed brow, he'd faced quite a number of things that many couldn't imagine being part of, any situation his companion considered 'ugly', was probably something Selim was desensitized to.

And he was desensitized to a good number of things these days.

He followed after the Lestrange, standing in the crowd with no allies (Though he probably couldn't consider the older boy an 'ally') was just a bad idea, especially with the tension in the air. Besides, he could keep an eye on his companion's target while he went on this little rabbit trail.

Honestly though, he disapproved of Lestrange's idea to ignore his mission for two nobodies. Father had taught him to never ignore a mission, or it might just be the deciding factor between completing it or failing.

Following up behind the older boy, Selim watched on apathetically as he proceeded to taunt the short one, Arlo. He remembered the gremlin-like boy, he was actually his and the Fox's dormmate, the one who insisted on singing him a lullaby when he had gotten a migraine, and odd child.

Then Lestrange turned to the girl, and offered to dance with her.

Really, he didn't understand why his 11 to 12 -year-old peers insisted on romanticizing, they all barely hit puberty, and relationships such as that were rather unfulfilling, seeing as how their brains were all still maturing (Especially the males' brains, according to muggle biologists). In the end those relationships would, ultimately, fail.

Pointless.

He turned away slightly, keeping an eye on Vlad as best as he could while Lestrange did... whatever he was doing. He largely ignored his gremlin-like roommate, opting to keep his eye on the crowd where potential enemies could be lurking. His foot tapped rapidly, posture tight as a bowstring, his knives the arrows just waiting to be shot.

Something dark was in the air, something that made him want to either hide or bolt.

He hoped that Jack had noticed it too, magic can only take someone so far, and first-year charms were basically useless... he really needed to teach that boy how to fight with knives and hand-to-hand.

So, Selim watched, waited, ignoring the elements of whimsy that tried to mask the tension in the atmosphere. Something was off, and he wasn't going to be caught by surprise this time....

Never again would he be caught by surprise.

Interacting with @Willow Anderson

Reducio

A light shade of red showed on her face as Willow complimented her, which was made more obvious with the makeup blush that she had on. "Thanks, Will..." She gave a quick but somewhat clumsy twirl to her friend, giggling a bit at her mess-up. "Whoop! Good thing I wasn't wearing those pointy heels, huh?" She quipped, letting go of her dress's skirt, the gentle flow of the gown more visible and gentile. "But thank you, really... This was my mother's. The lacey sleeves are my touch, though!" Breana then raised her arm to tug on the lacy sleeve for Willow, a bright smile sparkling on her face. She was definitely proud of her sewing work, even if it's just a quick addition to the beautiful dress.

Breana sat down next to Willow, the poofiness of her skirt making it look like she has a pillow on her lap. She showed a sympathetic expression to her friend as she expressed her unfortunate situation. "Oof. That sounds rough, buddy." She smiled, hoping her little jovial tone will cheer her up. "At least you got a chance to be with your date, even if it was brief. I mean, I was hoping to hang out and dance with mine, but..." She rested her head on her fist, her hand squishing her cheek in a cute manner, despite the pouty expression on her. "I dunno if I should even talk to him now... He's probably busy, and I get that, so..."

She sighed, looking down at the plate of fries that the blonde had. She gave Willow a nod of thanks, quickly popping a fry to her mouth. "Fhangksh..." She mumbled in between her chews. "Sho Ahm ghueshing..." She fully finished her fry. "You haven't gotten a dance yet too, huh?" Breana asked. "Wanna do some upbeat dancing? Like, I dunno, the chicken dance?" She chuckled. "Might be fun... it'd prolly be a bit hard for my dress, but it's just at my ankles, so..." She shrugged, lightly poking Willow with her elbow. "It could get us into a good fuuuuuuuunk~" She chimed in a singy-songy voice.

Interacting with @Breana Oliveire
Mentioning @Ruka Tân

Breana's energy was exactly with Willow needed, a bright smile becoming fixated on her face as Bre gave her a twirl. Willow's arms went out to catch her if need be, but she majestically recovered and both of them ended up giggling. "There's a reason I went for boots. Never know what could happen at Hogwarts." She took the moment to swing her legs out from under the table and show Bre her tan slightly heeled boots. They were a chunky heel so it wouldn't be hard to run if necessary. "I think the sleeves really complete it, it's a nice touch. If I could paint additions onto my dress I would, but that just sounds messy and uncomfortable." Willow's nose scrunched up at the thought of a paint dress, but that's just because of the medium of paints that she worked with wouldn't made for good clothes.

Willow shrugged once more popping a fry into her mouth as Bre commented on her situation. "I'll have a talk with him about it later, I'm not going to let him live this down." With the confidence she had built up this isn't Willow will let down easily, Ruka was in for it after all this was over. As long as they both lived through the night, that is. Willow's eyebrow perked up at the mention of someone the energetic Ravenclaw wanted to dance with. "Who? I could always help by being a distraction and helping you get him alone. No one should be too busy to talk to someone like you. Not only do you look beautiful tonight, but you have a stunning personality to match. Anyone would be lucky to dance with you." Her smile changed into one that was softer, more encouraging in a way.

Speaking of those who would be lucky to dance with her, she extended an invitation to get groovy on the dance floor with Willow. Of doing the chicken dance no less, and Willow couldn't be more down. The ballroom had started to feel stuffy and suffocating and they were young. This was no time to ballroom dance the whole night away, though Willow wouldn't say no to dancing like that with someone... The fact of the matter is she was ready to have fun and obviously Bre was too. She was encouraging Willow on with gentle pokes, but she was already on board.

Over dramatically Willow lept up, stepped out from the table and gave Bre as deep of a bow as she could manage with her dress. As she came up she extended her hand to her and spoke with much faux elegance as she could manage. "My lady Bre, would you care to join me on the dance floor to do the dance of the chicken? It would be my absolutely pleasure." If Bre were to take her hand, Willow would place a gentle kiss on it. That's what fancy people did right? The facade would break soon after, ending up in a fit of giggles before bouncing with Bre over to the dance floor.

~ * ~

Interacting with @Pericles Dralt and @Xailah Alptraum from a distance
Mentions: @Margo White

Ruby watched as Margo left, heading off to the stands. When she saw that her friend was occupied with someone else now and quite content, she wandered into the main area, looking around properly for the first time. People seemed to be buzzing with excitement, smiles and friendly conversations popping up all around her. The Quidditch Pitch looked very different to normal; the students who had organised this had seemed to go all out. It was pretty, and candles were safely encased in bubbles. Hopefully, that eliminated the chance of a fire created by those. Most students, including her, had their wands with them. While that provided some amount of defence, it was a dangerous weapon and if someone wanted to start a fire for whatever insane reason, they could still do it that way.

She began searching for more familiar faces, admiring some people's attire as she did so. She had mixed feelings when she found Pericles in the crowd. On one hand, she was delighted because the two had grown to be friends and she enjoyed being around him. However, that was precisely why she didn't want to see him here… events at Hogwarts had a tendency to be dangerous and she wanted any friend of hers to be safe. He was with another girl who he seemed to be having fun with, and Ruby was happy for that. Was she his date, perhaps? Ruby couldn't quite imagine him being in a romantic relationship with anyone, but maybe she would be surprised. No, she doubted it. She was likely jumping to conclusions—friend dates were perfectly fine too! She had one of her own with her, although they had separated for a moment.

Careful not to stare, she let her gaze wander around the rest of the festivities for a moment more before wandering slightly closer to Pericles so that he could see her. Trying to catch his eye, she waved at him with a grin, and then shifted to his female companion, offering her the same kind of welcome too if she noticed. They seemed to be heading for the dance floor and she did not wish to be rude and interrupt something like that if she was not welcome. She just wanted to say hi and let her friend know that she was there, regardless of whether or not they ended up talking much. Both Pericles and the girl had very interesting outfits, standing out among the classic dresses and variations of suits that most wore. It marked them as different, unique, but Ruby hardly saw that as a bad thing. It made them more interesting, more intriguing. She was naturally curious and attracted to most anything outside the norm, and the friend she was here with also had a tendency to make bold decisions with her clothing. Theirs seemed less like they were trying to make a statement, though. It was more natural.

Boots tapping softly with each footstep, she made her way closer to the food table until she got a sense of whether or not she would be welcomed. The chalices caught her eye for a moment because they were shiny and elegant, and they reminded her of home. A small sigh escaped her lips. She was happier here, she reckoned. She had friends, subjects that she liked, her cat, lots of books, and her cousins could usually be found too. It wasn't bad at all, and there were typically several months at a time without too many severe attacks on the students. Normally, she was able to avoid it, but some of her classmates seemed to have not been so fortunate. She kept trying to tell herself that this time it wouldn't be like that, but she wasn't convinced.

Coming from the changing rooms

~ * ~

Credit to the lovely Lark Flaer for the graphic.

Interacting with @Flash Holmwood
Mentioning @Opeila Seilun, @Vladimir Athanatos and @Selim Faust
Closed to Interaction except for Jack Burnett, Evelynn, Rafael, Opeila or Vladimir

Flash followed Ruka's silent request easily, as was to be expected. As different as the two of them were, there was a silent understanding for each other, a curiosity for how the other person thought and worked that allowed them to pay extra attention to every little detail without overstepping the few boundaries that were still left between them.

So it was no surprise when Flash started leading him into the right steps, gently correcting Ruka's mistakes without needing to say a word. The close proximity became strangely comfortable, even natural, with the distraction of concentrating on where he was stepping. Dance - albeit a very different kind - had always been what he felt the most relaxed in, so it was to be expected that it also served as a stress relief while talking to Flash.

Once accustomed to the steps and able to focus on conversation, Ruka frowned curiously at the way Flash winced a little, as if even just thinking about whatever kind of plan he was following hurt him somehow. Or was it the whole situation they found themselves in, caught in a dance and talking about something Ruka really shouldn't be asking questions about?

For a long moment Ruka was convinced that Flash would fight about giving him any kind of information, but the name that fell from his lips came without additional prompting, as if Flash had absolutely no reservations about telling Ruka what was going on. Again, the Gryffindor could feel a certain level of trust between them, and he could feel his chest swell with pride for a moment. Among all the negative adjectives Flash clearly associated with him, apparently he was at least trustworthy.

Keeping his eyes on Flash's face for a moment, he could see his blue eyes moving across the dance floor, pupils dilating and constricting again within seconds as he seemingly found his target on the dance floor. The expression on the other boy's face was one Ruka hadn't thought Flash would ever display so openly, but he put it down to the fact that the Slytherin didn't see any reason to pretend with him anyway; disgust and apprehension for another person? It was nothing Ruka would judge, and Flash knew as much.

As they moved around each other with relative ease, Ruka finally found himself in a position to spot Opeila, a silver little box clasped in her hand like she wasn't quite sure whether it was going to harm her should she brush a finger across it the wrong way. There was a smile on her face, but Ruka didn't like to go off such things; Smiles were easy to fake if you had enough practice, and from all he knew about Opeila, she had gone through enough trauma in her life to know exactly how to fake a smile or two.

The boy she was with was familiar, slightly less shady looking than the day Ruka remembered last seeing him when he had bought the Valentine's Card he'd ended up giving to Jack from him. He wasn't sure exactly what about him had made Flash show such revulsion in his face, but if he was sure about one thing then it was that Flash had a reason for the way he perceived people, and Ruka, at least for now, was happy to trust the other boy's opinion.

"Got it," he said, returning his gaze to Flash with a little nod to show that he had seen who he was talking about. The why of it all was still up in the air, but Ruka trusted that they were simply in no position for lengthy explanations, and with Flash's next words, the Gryffindor found himself put in front of a decision to be made; To turn away and let Flash handle his own mess, or to stay and help despite not knowing why he was putting his nose where it didn't belong.

The decision, whether Flash knew it or not, had been made already the second Ruka had decided to come over, a determination burning in his eyes that was begging for involvement. Words would not have been needed for Ruka to see that Flash was hoping for his help in whatever it was he was trying to do, and wasn't that exactly what Ruka had asked of him back at Alan and Willow's birthday party? For him to stop taking responsibility, to stop letting other people walk all over him without ever offering their help to him in return?

Maybe this was his chance to show Flash that he was able to rely on other people sometimes.

Or maybe it was just going to make Flash regret daring to ask.

Plastering a bright, well-acted smile on his face, Ruka let out a little chuckle as if his dancing partner had said something particularly funny and charming. The hand holding Flash's gave a gentle squeeze as if to answer his request for help.

Trust me, it seemed to say, and Ruka felt like Flash did.

Encouraged by that thought, Ruka let his steps go a little sloppy. "Still a bit difficult for me," he said sheepishly as his knee came up a bit jerkily to push Flash's legs in a way that forced the other boy a couple of steps backwards, closer to his - their - target.

As his steps fell back into place as to not draw too much attention to his bad dancing, Ruka let his gaze drift across the crowd, keeping a relatively casual watch on Opeila and Vladimir out of the corner of his eyes. A little further off, standing to the side of people as Ruka would have expected of him, he could see Selim, and the tension with which he held himself only supported the Gryffindor in the assumption that under those loose traditional robes he was most likely armed for battle.

He kept his gaze on the Slytherin for a moment, brows pulling together shortly as he tried to study his blank expression from across the floor, but there was no point in lingering on it. Ruka was currently in no position to approach Selim and see how he was doing, so he was just going to have to trust that he knew how to handle himself. After all, Selim probably had far more resources for self defence than Ruka anyway.

Smile still firmly in place, Ruka returned his gaze to Flash, his eyes sparkling excitedly. Performing for people to survive on the streets had made a good actor out of him, so he had no doubt that his relaxed, almost happy expression was good enough to convince anybody who would glance at him, except for maybe Flash himself who was starting to get a frighteningly good grip on who Ruka was as a person.

"I've never done this kind of dance before," he said conversationally, taking a look down at his feet as if to make sure he was doing the right things at the right time, when in fact he was merely trying to calculate when he could expect Flash's feet to be in which position at what time, so he could safely do this:

With a small gasp, Ruka twisted his ankle to the side, letting himself fall forwards against Flash's chest, pushing Flash backwards a few more steps before he let go of the other boy's shoulder for a second to reach down and rub his ankle, hopping on one foot for a moment and hissing in faux pain until they both found themselves in a position that was close enough to Opeila and her date that they could relatively easily dance their way into eavesdropping proximity.

With an embarrassed, relatively quiet laugh, Ruka steadied himself on Flash's shoulder again, setting his foot back on the ground and stepping on it a few times as if to test if the pain had subdued enough for him to continue their dance. "Sorry about that," he said sheepishly, looking up at Flash through his eyelashes as if embarrassed about his mistake. "Told you I've never done this before." Shrugging his shoulders lightly, Ruka started their dance off slowly again, showing concern of repeating the same mistake, and let Flash continue leading them.

Just a couple of steps to the side, Ruka thought, would get them close enough to listen in to any conversation Opeila and Vladimir might be having, and he indicated as much with a nod to tell Flash that he would let him lead him in whichever position was the most convenient for him to be in.

I trust you, his gaze was supposed to say as he locked eyes with Flash again, a genuine smile lighting his face for a moment. He hoped Flash was able to tell the difference.

Reducio

Stats
Stamina: 7 ~ Evasion: 8 ~ Strength: 4 ~ Wisdom: 8 ~ Arcane Power: 6 ~ Accuracy: 7

Abilities
The Muggle Condition

Outfit Reference
Top

Reducio

Jeans

Reducio

Shoes

Reducio

Interacting with @Xailah Alptraum and @Ruby Cazares

Pericles touched the carnation when it was pointed out, head bobbing in an appreciative nod. "Did you know that blue in flowers symbolizes tranquility and truth? Granted, the first blue carnation was a genetically modified violet-blue named 'Moondust', so blue carnations themselves don't have an old significance...." A pause, then he explained his factual blurt with an almost apologetic murmur. "My mother is a gardener and divinator. She was a Ravenclaw, too, and we're very fond of finding meaning in all things." Equipping a boutonniere hardly required the amount of skill necessary for adding alterations to one's own attire. "Remind me to to track you down before the next ball. I do hope your talents can be bought with chocolate frogs!" Another small flicker of surprise came and went when Xailah joked about his being rid of her, but her impish expression brought back his grin in full. "Hardly," the Ravenclaw scoffed. "I know you well enough t'say that it would take far more than a dance to scare you off."

For all his supposed drifting and daydreaming, the mellow space-cadet had noticed a number of other things about his darkling friend, like her tendency to joke about how he didn't really care to be around her. The best treatment, he deduced, was a prescription of tenacious patience with an occasional dose of reassurance. Administering this was done with a completely casual manner, as if he hadn't pinpointed the method of self-preservation at all. "If I didn't want to dance with you," Peri countered calmly, "I wouldn't have promised to." The earnestness of his words was sealed with a firm smile before the boy nodded, shifted his stance, turned towards her, and assumed the position for a waltz. He didn't ask if she was familiar with the style, as everything about Xailha oozed distinction. She was two inches taller than him, perhaps three with her heels, but he had successfully led less agreeable dances with far taller types.

Though they went right into the meat of the matter, that wasn't to say the dance was all business. The series of well-placed twists and turns, steady steps and careful timing, was practically therapeutic. It anchored him in the moment, enabling him to hone his focus by both answering questions and trying not to stomp on his partner's (probably expensive) shoes. "Please don't be cross with me," the Ravenclaw pleaded quietly, voice a funny combination of apology and amusement, contrite smile spreading. He knew his reasoning surely sounded like nonsense. "You see I sort of... happened to overhear it in the works. Some students were talking about where they could host such a thing, and you know, I couldn't really resist the hypothetical of it all. So, I suggested the kitchens. I started to discuss the pros and cons of either venue, recommending groups we could enlist for music and security and the like... I s'pose, I didn't much consider the likeliness of it all actually happening until, well, when we owled one-another."

Pericles' pace had fallen in line with the music effortlessly, as though this were all habit, and talking did not deter his capacity for rhythm. "As for why I didn't stop it...." A pause passed while he mulled over the truth of the matter. "When we met, and you were researching those hag dolls, we talked about a banned book. You asked if I'd read it given the chance, and I said yes. I think... I think part of me really just wanted t'know what would happen. That is besides the fact that those other students trusted me in on their secret, and I didn't want t'be the one to ruin it." That was a wild thought in and of itself. Teachers hadn't thwarted the ball (yet), so it was safe to guess that no one had told them this was coming. To imagine being the one person at Hogwarts who "snitched" on the soiree was positively daunting. "Instead, I've decided to try and at least make it safer. I'm going to peruse the pitch for another ten minutes or so, then I'll make my way up into the stands. D'you have a strategy for the evening...?"

Pericles spied a wave his way and perked. It was returned immediately, albeit still holding Xailah's hand, making for an odd two-handed wave with his poor dancing partner. He liked Ruby, even though they hadn't spoken too much, and it wasn't just because she had a cat. The Slytherin had a cool casual attitude which meshed well with Peri's own mild nature, making her easy to talk with, and she shared his hunger for adventure. "That's Ruby," he explained near a whisper, "a prefect like us! I think you'd rather like her." She looked positively handsome, too, with her smart jacket and tidy braid. The boy made a mental note to mingle again soon. He hoped to see a few more familiar faces before making security rounds, but he was eleven, which was to say he was easily distracted, particularly where socializing was concerned. Dancing- while not having to adhere to some strict schedule or noble etiquette- was fun. The young wizard wanted to have fun, just for a little longer. Nothing was on fire yet.

Action: Waltzes with Xailah, talking too quietly to be overheard, a tactical series of twists and turns rendering onlooker lip-reading unlikely. Waves to Ruby, intending to resume mingling in the Pitch for a little longer.

Entering from Changing Room Thread

When Serena left the changing room, she was pleasantly surprised to see that the pitch had been transformed into a beautiful place for a ball. Candles were floating high in the air, and the first-year noticed that thankfully they were all surrounded by bubbles. Okay, no fire hazards, at least so far.

As she walked further onto the pitch, Serena noticed the beautiful plants and flowers hanging off of the hoops. Underneath were the refreshment tables. The other decor was just as gorgeous, and Serena was delighted to hear beautiful music being played over by a checkered dance floor. She couldn’t wait to dance. At the Masquerade Ball, the first-year didn’t get a chance to before everything went down.

But first, she needed to find Damion. Plenty of people had already arrived. At first, she couldn’t see him, but then she spotted him wearing a black dress shirt with a deep purple blazer and matching trousers. How funny that they had shown up in similar colors. Serena hadn’t told him what she would be wearing, so it was quite the coincidence that they ended up matching.

Serena began walking towards him. As she walked on the grass, she was amazed that her heels didn’t sink into it at all. Someone must have charmed it, and the badger was very grateful to that person.

“Hi Damion!” She said, giving him a big smile. “I love your suit!”

Serena almost added that he looked handsome, but that seemed like an odd thing to say to a friend. But then again, Serena had never been in this type of situation before. She didn’t quite know what the proper etiquette was if there even was any. The first-year almost owled her mum for advice, but Serena was worried about spilling the secret to her Auror mother. So she was on her own. Hopefully, she wouldn’t make things too awkward.

Hex Code: Bolded #BF9000

Interacting With: @Damion White

Interactions: @Thomas Lestrange | @Tyranni Whitethorn
Mentions: @Marion Davenport | @Victor Moore | @Arlo Reynolds
| ~Closed to further interactions (unless mentioned above)~ |

More people were arriving, most resplendent in outfits that had to have been put together with considerable time and effort. Whether simple or extravagant, everyone seemed to be in formal wear, a fact that finally began to make Thora uneasy. It wasn't exactly because of her self-consciousness, and because she was wearing a completely casual outfit to a ball, but primarily because she clearly looked different than the others. She would be fairly easy to pick out even in a mass of students, despite her darker clothing. A little too easy.

But she'd selected her outfit for practicality, right? Resigning to ignoring the heavy weight already forming in her gut, the girl continued to glance around. All was still peaceful, and many seemed to be enjoying themselves. Good. As much as she hoped it would remain this way, it obviously would not.

Thora remained to the side, green eyes flickering over the scene. There was no denying that she looked like a complete stalker, as she'd probably seen every single person to walk through the entrance after her, but the brunette would remain completely oblivious to this unless informed. At least then, she wouldn't be caught completely unawares at even the first sign of trouble. It was probably a good thing the small girl was posted at the perimeter of the pitch, though, as she didn't fail to notice the arrival of a Slytherin boy dressed entirely in black--grimly appropriate. Nor did she his nod. Swallowing hard as if to dispel the fear that enveloped her as her mind began to drift, imagining the worst that could happen, Thora barely remembered to give a quick nod in return before returning to her neutrally casual facade.

To her relief, no raging fires had sprung up yet, and there were no unnaturally large beings finding their way in. The Masquerade replayed itself in her head like a broken film, bringing itself unbidden to the forefront of her mind. In a last-ditch effort to shake the previously partially forgotten night, Thora lifted her foot as if to adjust the laces while discreetly slipping her wand in and, broom tucked under arm, made her way into the growing throngs of students. Social interaction was admittedly one of the things that hindered her the most, but she'd already had a pleasant, though short, rest from being approached. Besides, there was no way she could avoid it all night.

Thora's short stature almost never worked to her advantage in all her twelve years, and it seemed that this trend wasn't about to change. Once caught in the midst of the action, it was much harder to identify anyone than it had been on the side. At least it wasn't hard to make her way around with all her ducking and weaving. Still, though, she didn't miss an all-too familiar blonde amongst everyone (it wasn't difficult, seeing how Thora'd seen her around even more than a couple of her friends in recent weeks), accompanied by an equally noticeable boy. Marion and Arlo.

But she had to stop, cocking her head to the side as her eye was caught by a very white suit. Victor, presumably. Thora hadn't ever talked to him--and didn't really see him around anyhow--but it was hard to miss someone she immediately associated with the spider attack. Speaking of which, simply seeing the two together [Marion and Victor] made her apprehensive. She didn't mean to jump to conclusions, but they had seemed part of the root cause of the attack on Slytherin. It wasn't at all unlikely that they could cause trouble now.

As she remained in place, hoping that she would come across someone she knew--or, more like someone she knew would happen to come across her strangely frozen form--the black-clad boy [Thomas] would appear on the scene out of nowhere, appearing to be talking to Marion. Last time, he'd threatened to toss the third year out an owlery window. Thankfully, they were on solid, earthy ground, but Thora couldn't help but hope that he wouldn't fulfill his threat in some other way. Already, they weren't exactly safe.

Now, however, was not the time to dwell on that. As much as she tried to convince herself that it was so, a bit of the panic returned, and she couldn't help but turn her head even faster, hoping for someone, anyone, to find. An acquaintance to ease her feeling of being alone. But though she looked everywhere her admittedly low eye level allowed, her search proved fruitless. Heaving a sigh, she turned to return to her stalkerish perch when she saw another Slytherin brunette.

Thora didn't know Tyranni well, but the first year was far from simply being a stranger, as they'd crossed paths at least a couple of times recently. Besides, she was Slytherin's Quidditch team's deputy captain, and someone Thora would probably do well to talk to. Attempting to catch up with the younger girl, she gave her a tap on the shoulder. "Hey, Tyranni," she said, "I like the war paint!" It was evidently an awkward comment, but Thora really meant it. It brought a particular fierceness that the second year longed for in times such as now but could never quite muster. Still, it was clearly a cover-up, and it rang hollow even in her own ears. Hopefully, Tyranni understood.

Outfit | Broom: Nimbus 1700

Interacting with @Percival Rainwood and @Hanako Tone (also open for other interactions)

Dress

Hairdo

Interacting with @Adam Harringtom, @Rosie Parker, @Reid Kovacs, and @Cecily Quinn

Alexx was a fool to think she was ever being inconspicuous. Trouble seemed to find her- not that Adam was trouble, she recalled that he was an ex-prefect like herself, but she still found herself in these situations every time the blonde girl decided to indulge herself in any event here at school. There would never be a moment of peace and quiet, though she figured that she was asking for that, attending a party and all. So, naturally, she did what any normal human would do and she interacted.

"Nice to finally make your acquaintance, Adam," Alexx started, offering him a nod and a smile. "No, thank you, though, She politely declined the sweet offer, and before she had any more time to continue, she was being approached by two familiar faces; Rosie and Reid. Rather, Adam was being approached, Alexx just happened to be there. She didn't like these situations much, when she was trying to talk to someone and their friends came up and drew their attention away. Call her selfish, but reasonably and expectedly so, Alexx preferred being the center of attention, even if it were just to one person. Still, she wouldn't break her status, giving Rosie a polite smile back.

Her breath hitched, unsure as to how Reid would interface with her. The two hadn't properly hung out since winter break, and while it felt as though the two had resolved whatever their issues were, Alexx couldn't help but feel as though she was walking on eggshells. That was understandable, because this whole mess was her fault, but she could never be too sure as to how to approach Reid these days. Looking down, she did notice that she had, by instinct, put on the locket he gave her before leaving. That had to say something, at least.

Feeling a moment of boldness, she spoke up at last. "And you finally dressed for the occasion, I see," However, Alexx had no room to judge anyone. Her outfit this time around had downsized in comparison to previous looks that she donned, but Reid wouldn't know that, because the two had never really hung out at an event such as this before. The friends always found themselves occupying someone else's company.

Once again, Alexx found herself being greeted- or rather, again, Adam, being greeted, before she could really get a word in edge-wise. Cecily, whom Alexx recognized based on brief encounters, approached the group, offering a wave to anyone who wasn't her fellow Ravenclaw. This time, Alexx didn't bother to speak, only waving back, a simple nod accompanying it.

Turning to Adam, she couldn't suppress a smart-ass remark, though it was meant without ill intent. "You're quite popular," She remarked. And to think that she was the popular one, just because people knew her name, she was now realizing that genuine friendship and popularity were not the same. Alexx had a social status, but Adam had a life. Very different things, indeed.

Jumpsuit
Shoes
Hair
Earrings
Locket
Broom : Moontrimmer