Interactions: @Kiana Nakamura Mentions:

Date: August 24th Location: Virtanen Manor, Taika, Finland

Outfit: x

- The Virtanen Summer Fest -

"Observant" was a bit of a weird word to use for Cass. Yes they noticed things. They had a particular way of sizing up a room that didn't just include exits and occupants, but also all the tiny things that it said about a person. A library could belong to a person who loved books, or it could have dust along the spines that suggested it was hardly ever used. A bedroom contained many tiny clues about the hobbies and habits of its occupants. What Cass didn't do however, was take conscious notice of any of this. It was filed away into the "for later" cupboard of their brain, to join everything they were meant to be learning in class. Figuring out things as they went was much more fun. Fun was all Cass wanted.

The girl that had just approached them looked nervous. Or maybe shy. No one was really nervous around Cass, because Cass was very not threatening. Even though everyone totally should be nervous! Just because they were short it didn't mean that they couldn't become a problem in under five seconds. They gave her an encouraging smile, a I-am-not-about-to-set-anything-on-fire,-its-safe-for-you-to-come-and-talk-to-me smile. "I don't think so" they said "I'm Cass". It was true. While the girl looked vaguely familiar, they couldn't match a name to the face. They thought they had seen her around the common room, so she must be another slytherin. Which was awesome! Slytherin was clearly the best house and nothing could convince them otherwise.

The party was nice. The whole manor was very elegant and breathtaking and all that stuff, but they were bored already. There had to be something to do around here. Maybe the girl would come see the horses with them. Actually, no maybe at all. She was coming. It wasn't optional. "It's been very nice so far" they said "want to come and see the horses?". They didn't even stop to hear an answer before reaching for her wrist to drag her.

Interacting with @Cassius Eden | Mentioning Felix Kolbeck/@Winnie Harper

The two of them didn't stay alone for too long. Another boy joined them and Opeila knew his name as well. Santario had introduced them what felt like an eternity ago. "Felix." She returned the nod before turning to Cassius again.

Cassius found words a lot easier than she did, it seemed, giving her a moment to sort her thoughts and get it together. This wasn't like her. His descriptions of his cabin at camp made her chuckle. "Oh wow, he tried to explain streaming? I don't know if I could put it into words, that's ambitious." It reminded her of that one time she had tried to explain Youtube to Illowy Magnard. That had been interesting too. Her hand, that was still scratching her horse's nose, paused in its movement, when she realized that with one mindless response she had just given away that she knew what streaming was- was that enough to make him guess that she was not a pureblood like the rest of the party?
She would have to be more careful, her guardians wouldn't approve and some of the guests would likely not be too happy to hear about it. Trying not to be too obvious about it, she glanced at Cassius' face. Would he mind?

"My home? I guess you could say so. Lord and Lady Virtanen adopted me as their ward a few years ago.", she explained and reddened ever so slightly at the compliment. Maybe the make up would hide it? "Thank you. You look great too. Do you often go abroad to visit pureblood gatherings?"
And then Cassius turned to Felix, shouting a greeting... sort of... his way. Opeila pressed her lips together to not laugh out loud. "No, no, not too much at all.", she answered, returning the grin.

More people arrived, greeting the hosts first. A girl (Brookline) waved at the small group of teenagers and Opeila waved back. Another boy (Renzo) joined the group- not yet a teenager it seemed, in fact he looked like he might not even be going to school yet- and started to talk to Felix.

Post Tracker: 1
You play stupid games, you win stupid prizes...
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When trapped in a tower, not for the first time in her life, the princess would take any out she could get - even if that out meant plastering on a smile and rubbing elbows. Aly Salinger hadn't necessarily wanted to come stay with the Virtanens for the last week and a half of her summer, but at the promise of a ball, she'd at least not fought against it any more than she already had. (Of course, if she had known the identity of the Virtanens' prized daughter, she perhaps wouldn't have let herself be blinded by the promise of a fancy dance.)

Now that she was here, in Finland, outside of the United Kingdom for the first time ever, she'd been in her room at the Virtanen manor all day, debating whether or not she would make an appearance at this "Summer Fest" after all. The elegant black gown and matching silken gloves had stared her down like an unblinking hippogriff from where they lay on her four-poster guest bed - not the favourite of the dresses she owned, as that honour would of course go to her grandmother's antique celestial gown, but not too shabby in the rankings, either. It was certainly more adult than anything she had previously worn - and to think it had come out of Hesper Salinger's closet. Aly couldn't imagine her mother wearing anything but her Auror robes or a comfortable pantsuit, much less a dress like this, with the slit up the left leg and the low-cut bodice. But apparently, it would be "suitable" for the Fest. Whatever that meant.

In the end, after wrestling with her demons a good half-hour past the start time of the party, it was the delicious smells of food wafting up through her open window from the grounds below that did her in. Aly didn't care much for the chatter, or the rumbling sounds of carriages on the path up to the house, but the buttery scent of flaky pastry... well, that she could get used to. And, as a long-term guest of the Virtanens, she could always just escape back up to her room if she found herself sufficiently bored by the whole escapade.

The Ravenclaw picked her way across the grounds in her stiletto heels, more wobbly than she'd have liked to be on the soft grass; why she'd picked to be taller in this moment, she could not remember. Despite her lateness to the event, there didn't seem to be many attendees yet, and Aly wondered internally if being fashionably late was a pureblood thing - if so, she'd fit right in, what with her... unfortunate and often disagreements with the clock. A vision in pink (@Opeila Winters) stood out to her at the entrance, greeting guests with a practiced smile, and Aly's nostrils flared in a rather unladylike scowl. Now there was the true pureblood princess. Though she made sure to give the pastel poison a wide birth on her way to the food tables, Aly did notice a familiar and not-so-unfriendly face engaged in conversation with Opeila: @Cassius Eden, one of Aly's tentmates from the summer and a fellow incoming sixth-year Ravenclaw. Against her will, a corner of Aly's mouth quirked up in a knowing smirk. A little bird had told her that those two had almost snogged at the event Aly had planned during camp, the Mistletoe Spin, despite the former's engagement (something Aly had just found out about here at the Virtanen household) and also boyfriend (who just so happened to be Aly's ex... and was not the aforementioned fiancé).

I wonder if Cass will finish what he started here, she thought as she arrived at one of the picnic blankets and collected a plateful of mini tartlets full of varying flavours. I won't fault him for his taste just in this one instance - give Aaron a taste of his own medicine. Wouldn't that be just sweet!

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And now the storm is coming...

Action: Hanging out by the food; open to interactions

Charmer ✰ Paragon of Health ✰ Lovely Creature
Foulplay ✰ Keen Eye
Lovely and Charmer affect everyone. Only Paragon ally is Cassius.

August 24, 2024 Virtanen Manor, Taika, Finland

Mentions: @Finnegan Connor (Streaming References!)

Group PV Dialogue Color: #0E1A40

𝕿heir group was growing and Cassius was glad to offer the newcomer (@Renzo Russo) a polite smile in greeting. Now there were two of them, assuming Felix (@Winnie Harper) also joined them. Truth be told it was a welcome distraction as he feared he might make a fool of himself if he had been left alone with @Opeila Winters for too long in his current state. She really looked quite lovely.

Dammit, Cassius. Concentrate!

On the topic of looking lovely, out of the corner of the eye Cassius caught sight of another classmate of his in a low-cut dress and stilettos. Not a helpful distraction. This was especially true as her appearance did not track with his initial perception of one @Aly Salinger who he had met on a trek into the Forbidden Forest and later at Summer Camp. Though he would not have labeled his friend as messy by any means, she no longer looked like the kid he perceived her -- and himself -- to be. Cassius suddenly felt older. They were not yet adults but they certainly were no longer children.

His attention returned to Opeila and as his eyes met hers he felt his heart rate increase. Good Lord, what was happening to him?

Too distracted by his Slytherin classmate before him, the implication behind her comment regarding familiarity with streaming and her lineage did not connect. "Hmm? Oh yes, streaming," he blabbered out, stumbling over his words slightly. "You know of it? I still do not understand how they convince the mouse to stay under their hand. Wouldn't it bite them? Maybe that is why RGB is so popular. That is the term, right? Rugged Gloves for Bites. R-G-B. It all seems so silly to me. Why not read a book instead? Only a few of those bite." A slightly goofy smile indicated Cassius was quite proud he remembered that much.

Again attempting to recover himself, he listened closely as she continued. Or not so closely. Were her cheeks that red before? Were his that red? He could not see himself but considering the heat he felt in his face, he guessed they were as well.

"It was kind of Lord and Lady Virtanen to bring you under their care." He said politely, masking his surprise at her mention of being adopted. That was a question for a later time. "If you live here should you not attend one of the other wizarding schools? ... Not that I hope you do. Please stay at Hogwarts." Realizing what he admitted, he coughed awkwardly. "Err... what I mean to say is Hogwarts would be remiss to lose such a talented witch to an inferior school." The Ravenclaw turned to Felix. "No offense."

Smooth, Cassius. Real smooth.

"But, err, yes. We do travel quite a bit. Most often to France but occasionally to Egypt and elsewhere. I wish I could say it was all for gatherings such as this but more often than not it was related to the family business. My family never really did vacations. I just journeyed along with wherever my parents had business to attend to. I got to visit some really interesting places though. I could tell you more about them at dinner? If given the option, skip Romania. Dreadful place..."

In the distance, Cassius could hear the familiar voice of his mother accompanied by a discrete wave of her hand.

"Ah, I should return to mother. No doubt she means to re-introduce me to some distant relation. There should be a limit as to how many far removed cousins one is allowed to have... I ask your pardon." Piercing blue eyes lingered for a moment longer on Opeila, meeting her gaze. "See you later?"

Before he could embarrass himself further, he offered a polite nod and farewell to each in the group and departed.

Action: Exiting the scene but still open to interactions!