A Midnight Masquerade PV: Group Closed

xxxxxxxx

Small flames created by the faint flickers of the nearby candles played with Elena's hair, painting a true canva made of various blonde hues, from dripping honey to golden flecks, entertwined with lighter strands that cascaded down her bare shoulders. The raven's fingers were tightly twisted, as a nail scratched the skin of her palm, the pain grounding her to the present moment. Her heart felt heavier within her chest, as if chains were slowly tightening around the pulsing organ. Anxiety feeling like claws tearing down her insides, she tried to keep a composed face. This dreadful sensation usually wore off as more people entered, conversation starting without requiring her input, allowing her to simply smile and observe. Scrutinized. Her hands were aching for something to hold. You're fine, she reassured herself. Just smile. Her main objectif for tonight was impersonated in the presence of a wary red head, looking like a cornered cat hissing and showing claws. The young girl thought having spotted a faint flicker of relaxation in Meiyu's gaze when she greeted her, but it was quickly replaced by something different. A piano was heard upstairs, sound that seemed to lure her friend like a siren's chant - leaving a certain blonde haired with a growing social anxiety. This young lionness was a mystery Elena intented to solve, a heart guarded by spikes and thornes she intented on winning. Unfortunately, anyone pushing the raven away only managed to get her to try harder. You will like me, she promised herself. Her wandering thoughts were interrupted by an elegant bow, her navy eyes blinking back to the two boys left in the lavish room. She now had a better view on both of them, as the chocolate haired boy spoke with a heavy Scottish accent. His tousled hair fell down in gentle waves over almond colored eyes, squinting in half-moons as a smile split his face in half. His messy happiness reminded the young girl of summer days where the sea meets golden sand, gently caressed by the sun's warm touch. Clinging to the beauty and joy of this image, she let it ease her frightened thoughts, breath slowly calming. Bowing her head back, she chuckled at the appellation. "Pleasure shared, Mister... ?" She replied, head slightly tilting on the side. Even more so than waves overflowing a beach, the acidic softness of a lemon was what the young girl now associated with this mystery boy. The other boy introduced himself as Oliver Armani, a name that sparked no memory despite the assured way he stated it. Even with the crimson coloring his outfit, forest was what came to Elena's mind. Gold freckled, mossy green forests, old libraries where vines clung. Nodding back, she simply smiled. A smile that faltered as soon as the lionness left the room. A faint lift of eyebrow was her only reaction to his rather harsh words. What is he doing here if he doesn't like her ? Even if the young girl was more often compared to a feline rather than a canine, her stubborn loyalty for those she cared about met dogs' infamous fidelity, as she would much rather tear her own heart apart than disminishing those she deemed worthy of her love - being quite literally everyone who breathed, and more specifically those she could mend or soften. His sudden interest towards Elena caught her off guard. "She can be sharp, I would agree," the raven replied with a certain caution. "But there's more to her than her thornes." The wall of spikes guarding the gryffindor's heart would not stop her from sneaking in, and that snaked tongue boy certainly had no right to speak ill of her like that. "Why did you come then ?" She continued in response to his next sentence, a light smile audible in her voice although she was genuially curious. This forest prince seemed to hide pretty obvious insecurities beneath that aggressive façade, a mist Elena was curious to see through. "You're good," she softened as he appologised, even though she could clearly see he did not mean a single word. "You don't have to try so hard, you know ? People might actually like you if you soften a bit." Hiding behind a nonchalant and detached persona, with a hint of hatred bubbling at the surface. Typical of - You did not come here to analyse everyone. For Merlin's sake, get a hold on yourself. She barely noticed Meiyu's arrival as a literal pink tornado washed over the small quatuor, fireworks and laughter immediatly bringing a smile on her face. Novalie. She would recognise that joyful tsunamy of energy everywhere. Surprisingly, the defensive boy from earlier got swallowed first by the shiny girl - Elena didn't miss the slight tense in his shoulders, nor how his eyes softened slightly despite trying to hide it. Knew it. The rest of her thoughts were muffled by a tight hug, tearing a soft laugh from her throat. Hugging the now pink haired girl back, she chuckled, "It's good to see you too Nova, how are you ?" Fireworks. The only thing that came to her mind when gazing at the fiery girl, the electric magenta dress she wore only complementing her lovely features. "Your dress is a true work of art," she replied, a faint blush colouring her cheeks at the compliment. "Suits you perfectly." Behind her, a protective figure was looming. Dark hair, dark eyes, a walking embodiment of late night coffees in empty libraries. Introducing himself as Eric, he looked like the polar opposite of the pink retriever practically jumping by his side - both seemed nontheless to care for each other very deely, which is probably why mystery boy called them a couple. But they had that sweet innocent sparkles that hinted both of them were probably deeply buried in denial. Hiding a smile, Elena gazed back at her redhead friend, who insisted that she did not invite them. Then it means something made her family organise this for her, she thought as the worried frown made its way back to her forehead. As they all followed her down to the hall, she noticed the lemon boy seemed a bit toned down. Tapping his shoulder, she nodded towards him. "You're good ?" She asked, tilting her head. As she was trying to understand what was going on, a bleached haired boy made his entrance, all grinning and excitedly talking. A chuckle escaped her, as bright and vivid cartoons onomatopoeia came to her mind. Fierce orange with sparks of yellow, abstract forms. Another energetic pill growing arms and legs. The decoration of the room they just walked into was marvelous, a perfect fit for a party. Finally spotting something to hold, she made her way to the drink table, stopping for a second to contemplate her options. The blonde haired boy was standing besides her, looking as sullen as before. Eyes narrowing, she settled on a sparkling looking drink, turning back around to gaze at the crowd. "You’re standing there like someone dragged you here at knifepoint. Is it that bad ?" She sipped her drink, glancing sideway at his broody figure. One would probably warn her not to play with fire, but grumpy persons were Elena's absolute favourite type of people. The crippling anxiety that had previously petrified her was now laid back, and her demeanour was now sole peacefulness and tranquil quietness.

xxxxxxxx

@meiyu xiang, @cirrus nam, @oliver armani,@ novalie moon, @eric kim, @aodhan shaw

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅ | Should this text be spooky? | ⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅

1:24 ───────────────────────●────────────────────────── -2:56

↻ ◁ II ▷ ↺

"You. Little miss friendless. Are gonna go out?"

Frazier's voice is prominent, a snort-filled laugh echoing from behind her door. She can hear an audible thump against the wooden frame, followed by a faint squeaky sliding sound of leather. There's half a mind to open the door, watch Frazier's stupid twig frame fall backward onto the floor only to slam the door on his head, but due to being such a nice girl she decides against it.

"Yes- You don't need to make fun of me. Can you just- ask Atsumi to take me? Please? Pleaseeee?" Sandy whines, eyes flickering between the now wheezy sound behind her door and back to her bed. There's two main articles of clothing draped against the star-speckled blanket, as well as the letter. An invitation to some event, in which she knew basically nobody, which had now become a very panicked obligation to go to. She wasn't even sure how to go about it. How to go about interacting with an event like this, the people there, anybody. It was all terrifying. She was hardly even invited to birthday parties, let alone things with MAGIC PEOPLE? So out of her element.

There's a long silence between the question, between the dying out of laughter and her momma's lecturing that follows soon after. Frazier doesn't say much, but she can hear shifting and the thwack of leather against leather, and she can only assume that rat bastard stood up.

"Yeah, I'll ask." The voice is gruff, a sniffle and click of a tongue, "All of em are coming along though. Pandora would sell me faster than she'd let ya leave this house without a checkup, heard?"

There's steps after that, light and paced out. Something so familiar in the sound, a faint ringing in her ears even after they leave. She can only hope that there'll be some sense of familiarity there, someone to cling onto. Anything that can soothe the anxiety. But then again, strangers are friends you just haven't interacted with, friends that can become...

Problems. Horrible, horrible problems. Something so painful that it thrums against her ribcage late at night, whimpering into her pillow about why someone would talk about her like that. Strangers are bad things waiting to happen, and if Sandy avoids them, they'll no longer become that.

Potential. Something in storage just waiting to be revealed.

And as Sandy gets dressed in clothes foreign to her, formality in the form of a white dress shirt and some oddly nice dark blue jeans, she can't help but see a different reflection as she looks in the bathroom mirror. Maybe its the cracked lenses of her glasses and the way they hang crooked on her face, or maybe its the odd uneasy feeling in her stomach. She never was one to wear stuff like this, going for comfortable cardigans over whatever this was. In the blinding white light, Sandy almost looks...

Normal.

The thought is faint and even as her fingers prod the inconspicuous scars that line her face, gentle and ticklish, a smile forms. Strangers brought potential, strangers brought the possibility that she could be seen as normal for once. In an outfit entirely unusual to her, with a personality that anyone could love, how could this possibly go wrong? How could this possibly be seen as anything but the best chance to seem fine for once?

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎──────────────●───────────────────────────────────────

...So maybe she lied.

At first, a roadtrip didn't seem too bad. Frazier, Atsumi, Pandora, and her all smushed into one car. Okay, scratch that, it sounded horrible. Sandy was already anxious, terribly so, and the possibility of Atsumi even trying to nag at her about anything seemed recipe for disaster. If she wasn't sweating before, that drilling of the topic would be the start of it. See, Pandora was possibly the only one she was okay with, but everyone else? She wouldn't be getting out of this car alive.

And she was right. As she always is. An approximate two hour drive, from her house to the event. Two hours of Frazier complaining about Atsumi's shitty music taste (which was surprisingly decent, thank you very much Goob), trying to make sure her her hair didn't get messed up over time, and pitifully listening to Atsumi's jackass comments about staying safe and not-

"Mm, I get it ya know? Lovee parties- and kissing! But cha gotta stay safe mkay? I'll steal all ♪ the fruit ♪ in, the house ♪ if you make me drive you to the hospital at fuck o'clock because ya got a cold sore or something. Don't get diseases. Diseases are bad! Diseases hurt! We see cases of it alll the time in the hospital ya know? Sometimes it gets so bad that their-" Atsumi paused for a moment to swerve wildly across two lanes to merge and cut off an angry bmw driver, attempting to brake check them, before casually continuing, "And- ha! I don't know why I'm worried about this. Haha... Are. Are ya sure you don't got a sweetheart? It can't be that bad out there, Sandy."

"I literally have a boyfriend..? I- What do you mean?"

Atsumi tilted his head in the rearview mirror to make sure Sandy could see his shit eating grin, "We call that a friend, baby thompson. I knoww it's rare for you to have one but new experiences are good-!" Atsumi stopped abruptly to slam on the horn as he merged in front of a cement truck much to the despair of Sandy who did NOT brace herself and was promptly smushed against Pandora.

No matter Sandy's whines of peril and defeat, nobody seemed to take note. Pandora spent the rest of the ride giggling along to whatever Atsumi had begun spewing either way, nudging her with an elbow to waggle an eyebrow or to chime in with an equally distressing comment about mind-eating parasites and how party-goers LOVED those. Sandy hoped they didn't, but Frazier...

Frazier didn't even properly answer. All she got after asking for confirmation was a half-hearted snort and the backhanded comment of, "What do you think, Sherlock? Try 'n think about it with more than half of a braincell next time." Which was NOT an answer at all, she'd like to note. She hated this whole family more than spiders and boys combined. And even as she zones the loud conversation out, the music still sticks firm in her brain.

Born This Way by Lady Gaga? Really?

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎─────────────────────────────────────────●────────────

As Sandy stands on wobbly legs just outside the back doors of Atsumi's car, the ringing in her ears louder than Pandora's pep talk and a bit more prominent than the obnoxiously firm back pat, she can feel Frazier's hand on her shoulder. He stands tall in comparison to her, all lanky limbs and unjust confidence for the horrible posture he had, but she can still feel a faint tremble against the thin fabric. It's subtle enough to be missed, but even as dark blue eyes shift over to her, she can see the concern. Normality would be to leave without soothing, to flash nothing but a confident smile and enter, but was she really willing to go in that quickly?

In an action almost entirely deranged compared to her usual self, Sandy shifts away from Frazier's hand, turning to face the group with nothing more than a wave. She walks confidently, ignoring the jitters until she's safely inside, away from Frazier's furrowed brows and more than snarky goodbye.

It's at that moment that Sandy... Doesn't quite know what to do with herself. She's already there, but everything is so. Well. Intimidating. It's almost a game of don't have a panic attack right on the spot as she walks the halls, aimless, until she spots any amount of people. They seem familiar enough, but her brain is so close to frying that names fall short from her memory. Interacted, talked to, anything. It all drops so pitifully low in comparison to the anxiety she felt. So, she instead awkwardly stands there, nails digging roughly against her palm until the stinging overwhelmed any sense to flee. If she blended in enough, nobody would notice her, and nobody would talk to her. Perfect plan.

2:50 ────────────────────────────────────────────────●─ -2:56

↻ ◁ II ▷ ↺

INTERACTING: @holy shit too many people what the hell

December 31st, 2024	Knight Manor, England
“English”	“Gaelic”

The feeling of being so remarkably beautiful that you’re nothing more than decor wasn’t something that Alyss encountered often. Her family rarely purchased fine enough garments for Alyss to feel like she belonged in a fancy setting. Clearly they had been saving up for her gift, and the gorgeous dress made Alyss feel absolutely divine.

It was a pale pink dress adorned with flowers that fell gracefully to the floor. When it was paired with the hairpiece Alyss had bought herself for the ball, everything seemed to fall right into place. That was, except for the setting. As delighted as she had been upon receiving the mail, it still didn’t seem quite right. Perhaps the names had been mixed up or something of the sort. But the pristine invitation left no doubt with her name carefully written in flawless penmanship:

For: Alyss Gilmour

And so she gratefully accepted the company she would be with on new years, happy to not be alone. Although the name Meiyu Xiang wasn’t exactly a name she was close with, it didn’t change the kindness of extending such an offer to herself. Having bought the train ticket, Alyss felt very much objectified as she awaited her transportation, receiving many odd looks. Unfortunately for her, she knew no spell to change her clothes nor did she have someplace that upon arrival she could use to gather herself. This is what led her to being in the finest gown she had ever worn, waiting for a train on New Year’s Eve, to spend the first moments of the new year with people she hoped would become her close friends.

The train ride itself was rather uneventful, consisting of much staring out the window, fussing with her hair a few too many times, and not eating out of fear that her dress would be ruined. There was no conversation to be had with anyone on the train, and although this should bother her, it did not quite as much as her actual arrival to the manor. It was huge, as well as beautifully designed. The only problem with Alyss seeing such an impressive household was the wave of nervousness and homesickness. What if everyone hated her? What if they in fact invited the wrong Alyss Gilmour? Not that she had ever encountered anyone with the same name as her, but what if? And why was she here? What of her little cottage in Stornoway, where she was certain her parents and grandparents would be celebrating without her?

Taking a deep breath, Alyss shook off the nerves. Of course she should be here. She was invited, and this was going to be an epic evening. Finally gathering herself enough to step through the doorway, Alyss was met with the most intense household she had ever been inside. It was just as huge inside as it was out, and had been immaculately decorated for the event, the interior screaming the wealth that the family so obviously held. A bitter taste began to surface on Alyss’ tongue, but she swallowed it back. She should be- no, was grateful for the invite and the opportunity to not only meet other people but to hopefully see some friends.

As she marched through the foyer, she heard voices. Although the mansion was clearly a maze in itself, somehow Alyss managed to navigate through, finding herself staring at someone that didn’t tickle her memory in a way that it would have if they had met before. (@Sandy Thompson) She was in a nice white shirt and comforting blue jeans, reminiscent of the pants Alyss wore hiking, though hers were often faded and worn through. “Hi, I’m Alyss! I don’t think we’ve met, but it’s nice to meet you!” she exclaimed in her bubbly manner, eyes flicking from Sandy to the group of people whose voices seemed to be getting louder.

It was then that she spotted Evpraksiya and Elena, (@Evpraksiya Vinogradova, @Elena Clark) whom she had become rather close to over the school year. She felt a burst of happiness, genuinely delighted to see them. Alyss began to raise her arm as if to wave, only to realize how undignified that would be. Except, the wonderful thing about Alyss? In the presence of friends she didn’t care. “Evpraksiya! Elena! Hello!” Alyss called, waving a bit wildly. She then turned her gaze to Meiyu, (@Meiyu Xiang) the host, whom she had a somewhat rocky relationship. Thankfully, Alyss was confident that they could put that behind them when celebrating the new year. “Meiyu, thank you so much for the invite.” Although Alyss’ grin was still very much upon her face, she made sure to greet Meiyu with far more politeness than she did the other two. There was no doubt in her mind that this would be a wonderful night.

Reducio

Mentions: @Nah that’s way too many to list
Note: I’m sorry this took so long but I trust it’s okay

date: 31st December time: evening word count: 830

-------------------⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾⋆⁺₊⋆ -------------------#af274c

interaction: @Eric Kim | @Oliver Armani | @Meiyu Xiang | @Cirrus Nam | @Elena Clark | @Aodhan Shaw | @Evpraksiya Vinogradova | @Sandy Thompson | @Alyss Gilmour mention: //

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━↞↞↞↞☽☼☾↠↠↠↠━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

★ ☆ ✦ ✩ ✫ ✬ ✭ ✮ ✯ ★ ☆ ✦ ✩ ✫ ✬ ✭ ✮ ✯ ★ ☆ ✦ ✭ ✮ ✯ ★ ☆ ✦ ✩ ✫ ✬ ✭ ✮ ✯ ★ ☆ ✦

When Oliver and Elena complimented her dress, Novalie’s smile grew wider and her cheeks flushed a lovely shade of pink. “Thank you!”, she chirped, giggling as she bounced slightly on her feet. Her green eyes flicked to Eric, who had just told her about making the most of the party and soaking up the rich lifestyle. Novalie nodded enthusiastically. Yes! Absolutely yes!! The Metamorphmagus caught Cirrus’s casual comment about her and Eric being a cute couple. Novalie tilted her head in confusion. Hm? Couple? Well ... Cirrus always had a peculiar way with words, Novalie had noticed that ever since meeting him. After a moment of thought, she decided he must have meant that she and Eric made a great duo. And they totally did! Best friends through and through! Just like her and Ollie. In fact, maybe she should tell Cirrus later that she and Ollie were a couple too! After hugging Meiyu and thanking her warmly, Novalie paused when their host mentioned she hadn’t sent out any invitations. Novalie didn’t give it much thought however. After all, she herself hadn’t exactly been invited at all. Novalie had simply heard about the party and decided to show up, dragging Eric along for the ride. She shrugged it off with her usual sunny grin, “Well, you’re still having us anyway, so thanks!” Before Novalie could follow Meiyu to the next room, a commotion caught her attention. Someone was making a dramatic entrance. The Ravenclaw turned, her eyes widening in amazement as Aodhan appeared. His bleached hair glinted under the light, and his loose collar gave him the effortless charisma of a rockstar. He carried himself with the air of someone who knew exactly how cool he was, and to Novalie, he might as well have been walking onto the stage of a sold-out concert. “Wow…” she breathed, completely in awe. How was he such a superstar?! As Aodhan stepped closer, Novalie couldn’t help herself. She rushed forward, arms spread wide, ready to give him a big hug as a greeting, but at the last second, she froze. No. You didn’t hug a king. You bowed. The girl straightened, grasped the sides of her dress and dipped into an exaggerated, sweeping bow. The kind she had seen in countless movies. “It is an honor to set sight on you on this beautiful night of festivities, Mister Grand Ice Lord.”, she declared, her voice laced with dramatic flair, “It is I, Vanilla Ice. But just for tonight, you may call me...” She paused, her eyes sparkling mischievously, “Strawberry Milkshake.” With a laugh, Novalie stood upright again and strolled up to him, looping her arm through his casually. “That reminds me - I had, like, the wildest dream about you last night. You won’t believe!” Without giving him a chance to respond, she hooked her free arm through Eric’s as well and began leading both boys into the next room, where Meiyu had beckoned everyone to follow. The new hall was even more breathtaking than the entrance. Candles floated midair, casting a warm, golden glow over the space. Tables laden with decadent foods and drinks stretched along the walls, and soft, elegant music filled the air... Still, her focus surprisingly didn’t linger long on the decor. She was yet too absorbed in recounting her dream to Aodhan. “So, like, in my dream, you were this really mighty king with a golden crown and, uh.. one of those fur-lined capes, you know? The super fluffy ones. You were ruling all of Hogwarts, but the Ice Cream version, and everybody loved you. I mean, obviously they did. And then, out of nowhere - do you remember that squid from our entrance ceremony? - it was your biggest enemy! So we all became your loyal soldiers and went to fight and defend the kingdom!” She chuckled excitedly, “It was really epic. We had wands, staffs, magical books - like in video games! But the squid was literally eating anyone who got in its way. Just when it seemed hopeless, you pulled off the craziest... move...” Her words faltered as her attention shifted to Evpraksiya, who had just entered the room. Novalie beamed and started to raise a hand to wave but was distracted again by a familiar voice calling out from across the hall. Alyss! And Sandy was right there beside her. “Oh, hey Alyss! Hey Sandy!”, Novalie called, waving at them excitedly. The Ravenclaw turned back to Aodhan, blinking as she tried to remember where she had left off in her story. What was she talking about again? Her gaze swept the room once more in thought until her eyes locked on Oliver. A playful smile spread across her face. Grabbing a strand of her pink hair, she placed it over her upper lip, creating the illusion of a long, dramatic mustache. She waggled her eyebrows at him and began dancing in place with the most ridiculous moves she could muster.

★ ☆ ✦ ✩ ✫ ✬ ✭ ✮ ✯ ★ ☆ ✦ ✩ ✫ ✬ ✭ ✮ ✯ ★ ☆ ✦ ✭ ✮ ✯ ★ ☆ ✦ ✩ ✫ ✬ ✭ ✮ ✯ ★ ☆ ✦

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━↞↞↞↞☽☼☾↠↠↠↠━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

Frankly in the first 10 or so minutes if not less of being there it felt like Novalie (and him by proxy) managed to do what would usually be...well..a much more prolonged process for the most part. Not that he was complaining once again, it was quite the atmosphere...well minus Meiyu's words. More specifically the "not invited" part. It was not that Eric was feeling any more "out of comfort zone" or anything, but he was starting to wonder if this was an exaggeration or if Meiyu did indeed...not invite any of them...and Novalie just went alongside him on a whim. Now this may seem unlikely or even outright impossible, were it not to be about Nova...yeah he could see it happen for some reason.

Though that was not even the most shocking of "revelations". Just a few moments prior he caught onto what Cirrus said, and by the looks of it, the ravenclaw hyperactive fox did as well. In regards to the two being a couple, despite them being basically radical opposites as of now, if that was not made any clearer by how different they both were at this event by now. Well that was one way of looking at things. Eric never really considered it much more than friends, after all they were still kids, and more than that, they barely knew each other, or well...sort of knew each other. To say that they barely knew each other was also a bit of an understatement, if that was the case why would he have come over at Novalie's for the winter break? Point made and back at the subject at hand....Still...a couple? Not the moment, time, place, or really age to think of that now. Plus they had better things to do at the moment anyways.

His gaze moved towards the commotion seeing the fellow Gryffindor show up. Right, he remembered Aodhan though they never really interacted much. That being said, they were sharing the dorm, and he knew that Emris every now and then was playing around with Jinminnie. Of course the two ferrets were treating most of the interactions as playdates, with their respective owners being their utmost loyal servants that catered to their every whim. Before he could even properly talk with him though they both found themselves dragged by Novalie in the even hall. "Hello, Ice Lord?" he could not help but chuckle a bit at the nickname, though he found it a bit odd. Sure lord...yes...he behaved like one, or so he seemed. Ice though? Aodhan at the very least from the entrance he made earlier seemed anything but "ice". If anything it looked like a goddamn firework. Then again it is said not to judge a book by its covers. "Well we better get used to this." he mused a bit later, partly for himself, partly to Aodhan as well. Since Eric could foresee this whole dragging around happening quite a bit at this party.

Once they reached the hall though, he looked immediately at Nova, for a few reasons. 1. The possibility of the cupcake thief taking over again. 2. Mostly to observe how shocked and surprised (in a good way) she was. Only to be surprised that her attention didn't linger much on what...one would have assumed was still stranger territory for her. Huh...maybe she was not that shocked anymore? Maybe the surprise factor was gone after the first room? Maybe....

And then she started talking about the dream. Yeah...maybe she got distracted by something else, like that. Then again he was guilty of listening to her just as equally as her other "victim" here. When Alyss and Sandy showed up though she did seem to take a break, in which Eric also took advantage to wave and use those moments to greet them. And then half expecting the fox princess to continue her recollection from the dream. Only for that victim to become Oliver soon enough. Still as he looked at his not-so-enemy...frenemy?Friend?Colleague?Whatever they were...he felt like being a bit mischevious as well. "Should we just stick around..all of us?" Whether this was a heaven-sent for Oliver, or a curse, was debatable since Eric was basically suggesting Nova that they should all stick together like glue. Which meant.....

Well no use in explaining what it meant as Eric just went to Oliver himself. "Sorry not sorry." and just grabbed his arm a bit and dragged him to Novalie here. Call it doing the fox's bidding, or Eric having spent too much time around Novalie and learning how to yoink people when needed, or maybe he just really wanted to at the very least include as many people in here since Nova seemed like such a social butterfly, despite Eric himself being as far from that as possible. Or maybe it was his way of saying, if Eric had to suffer being surrounded by social butterflies, Oliver had to suffer as well. Being.......whatever relationship they even had at this point... in all situations, good and bad. Did they even have any GOOD SITUATIONS?!

"Grumpy cat delivered." He said with a smile letting Oliver join this make shift group that kept together even now. To be fair, a few more people being dragged in this and they could just as well bring the whole party in one small group of friends or...what looked to be soon-to-be friends. Before more so looking for Meiyu to ask her mostly."Well what should we start with?" He did turn to Nova for the next bit though before Meiyu would even answer if she had anything planned for the event or they could just improvise and have fun. "Maybe cupcakes?"
YES I WILL MAKE IT THEIR THING AT THIS POINT (if you are ok with it as well Nova)
This message was for clear directed at only one person. Or more so, a specific person. "Maybe some dancing as well afterwards." as cute as it was to see Nova dance so happily and with such ridiculous moves, there needed to be something at least to fuel that energy. Snacks or well..food...or whatever else first...then dancing. Seemed like a plan.

LOCATION | Knight Manor, Cotswold, England DATE | 31st December 2024 INTERACTING | @Evpraksiya Vinogradova

1,253 | WORD COUNT black dress| OUTFIT psycho | SONG

As the group moved into the new hall, Meiyu turned to face the faces who had the misfortune of falling victim to her grandmothers plot, her eyes briefly narrowing as her gaze trailed across the hall, as though she had begun to question their intentions. What would prompt half of these people to even bother attending, the question echoing in her mind like a melodic tune, perfectly aligning with the ambiance of the music currently played. Odd lineup indeed. Had Meiyu been the one to receive a mysterious letter, requesting her attendance at a gala — or whatever this was meant to be, she merely would not waste her time gracing others with her presence, internally deciding, rather promptly, that she would be above that.

Naturally, the events from a week ago forced Meiyu into isolation. A humanly attempt at exploring her emotions; though, Evpraksiya's arrival and notably, choice of attire, only attributed in the desire for the ground to swallow her whole. Supporting what Meiyu believed to be a...sword? Or was it a rapier? Her lips parting in shock at the mere sight of her equipped for war. Between the two, Evpraksiya evidently had taken the incident much differently than Meiyu had, who had basked in solitude, choosing to merely stare blankly at whatever had been in her line of sight over a number of hours that could never be accounted for. Shock taking it's place as the forefront emotion with how normal her words relayed, despite the warmth of her tone which had only itched at Meiyu's skin, forcing her to assess the situation they had been thrown in — accounting for the new attendees, whom her cold gaze trailed across, desperate to find further faults in the unfortunate peers she had.

Aodhan Shaw's arrival provided Meiyu with another breath of relief, much like Elena's arrival did. Their brief interaction during the Gala of Mysteries, prior to the havoc that followed suit with the tears of the vixen, gave the young girl an insight into his personality, immediately dubbing him as a mini Sherlock Holmes in the making, under the right wing, of course. Despite not being entirely close to her fellow housemate, Meiyu's sentiments towards him leaned in a more preferable light in comparison to other peers. Although, the arrival of two others, merely prompted the girl to wonder what kind of people her grandmother assumed she assimilated with.

One, Sandy Thompson, carried herself in such manner that the unease on her face was more prominent than what she had hoped. Her appearance being vastly different from the dignified halls of the manor — as though, she was an eyesore; supporting a rather casual attire of jeans and dress shirt, likely to be part of the school uniform with a few style alterations made, rather the rolling of the sleeves — if you could even classify that as an alteration. The two were unfamiliar souls, evidently a blessing, yet, her presence had been alluring, a warm contrast from her own, a potential allegiance. Making a mental note to interrogate the stranger, Meiyu's gaze diverted to the final attendee.

Another, Alyss Gilmour, whom shared a peculiar relationship with Meiyu; albeit, she had become an unfortunate victim in her future schemes, highly accredited to her making the mistake of crying infront of her. Cockiness... Her confidence bothered her, what nerve she had to even assume Meiyu would invite her here. The frequent reminds of such an embarrassing event even taking place began to irate her, her gaze quickly gawking around the hall; many of those who accepted the invite did not suit the scenery, it was almost pathetic. Desperate attempts to fit in like a plea for acceptance, her acceptance. Few had the right idea, supporting adequate clothing for the evening and the poorly decorated hall, nothing that had been in comparison to the extravagant galas previously hosted.

Gala's hosted by Agatha Knight would always result in whispers, whether it was positive or not was not something Meiyu cared for. The center piece chandelier highlighted the overall ambiance of the room, equipped with dozens of round tables, decorated with the finest golden fabric and accents of green and black; had become a favourite choice in the decisions made by Agatha, though, tonight was vastly different. Firstly, the banner, albeit embarrassing, had been engraved in black and silver writing, clearly another innuendo for her disappointment in her eldest grandchild's placement. It was a lot emptier, or, the hall was too big. Lack of heads combined with a lacklustre of tables to accommodate where Meiyu had fallen short — friends, resulted in a feeling of unease surfacing once more. Unable to hide the displeasure with her eyes, she inched closer to Evpraksiya, gently tugging her arm, motioning a desire to escape like they had done a week ago.

"Evpraksiya," she began hesitantly, turning to the Slytherin to provide her undivided attention following the lack of contact shared between the two. "How can you be well after what we did? Do your thoughts not plague you?" Meiyu continued, the tone in her voice dipping into a whisper as she gently tugged Evpraksiya away from that of prying eyes, particularly the resident troll of Slytherin, Oliver Armani, who's mere presence had only bothered the young girl further. Unease entwined with fear of the unknown evident in Meiyu's demeanour, particularly when it had come down to the pair immersing themselves in private whispers. The successful coup added onto her paranoia, a new emotion she wished to never welcome in the little emotional range she had. Beautiful Evpraksiya knew how to ease the poor girl, the earlier smile shown had been one of genuinity, one Meiyu had the misfortune of being unable to return.

Questions raced Meiyu's mind, there was far too much to talk about. Time being an essence, some thing, particularly pertaining to last week, should not be discussed here. Sighing in disapproval at the entire outcome of the evening, Meiyu lightly shook her head to ridden her of the thoughts that desperate desired to creep back and consume her whole. Immediately, the entire evening had proven to be too much for the eldest Xiang, desperately seeking privacy with Evpraksiya would merely result in gossip as to how she had been a poor host. Social relevancy had never been something Meiyu cared for, doing the minimum required of greeting attendees had been enough, escorting them to the hall had been enough. Yet, the floating balls of candles surrounding the hall had not done enough to ridden the shadows, few inches of the hall denied of light had once more reminded her of the wretched evening. "I saw in him the Daily Prophet," she sighed discontentedly, her brows furrowing as her mind reminded her once more to check for any onlookers, a swift peek reassuring her that by now, everyone had begun to mingle, "do you think they'll come after us? Are you sure nobody will find him?" Her words parting her lips more hurriedly than she had aimed for.

Meiyu's gaze diverted back to the rapier Evpraksiya carried, her heart softening at the preparation in the event something else were to occur this evening. Dear Evpraksiya, a strange, yet beautiful doll, far too beautiful for any to even comprehend the the naked cracks of her porcelain demeanour. Not a singular soul would understand, although, Evpraksiya did. She understood the weight of it all, immediately providing answers, taking charge this evening, similarly to how she had done so exactly a week ago.

MODERATION

Reducio

Meiyu and @Evpraksiya Vinogradova are whispering near the walls after Meiyu observed the final attendees.
@Cirrus Nam eased by @Oliver Armani, who then loiters around the food.
@Aodhan Shaw arrives at the manor and is escorted by @Novalie Moon to the hall, armed with @Eric Kim.
@Elena Clark joins Oliver at the table.
@Sandy Thompson and @Alyss Gilmour arrive at the manor and are greeted by Novalie.
Oliver then joins NovEric group including Aodhan.

NOTE: Permissions received from Evpraksiya's writer to pull Evpraksiya aside for a conversation between the two characters.

Feel free to either mingle, eat or converse, or find someone to dance with...idk you decide!

A MIDNIGHT MASQUERADE

W/C. 984 DATE. 12/31/2024 OUTFIT. Suit SONG. Young & Beautiful - Lana Del Rey

✩ ✩ ✩ ✩

@tarots .INTERACTIONS #564d2e .HEX Knight Manor, Cotswold .LOCATION xx .OTHER

DANCING TO THIS NEVERENDING MUSIC

✩ ✩ ✩

Cirrus laughed, a sound that was only a silent sneeze, at Oliver's words. A cat tree? What was that? He thought to himself as he listened to the boy when Cirrus realized that he was now a bit taller than him. He just stared absent-mindedly at the crown of Oliver's sandy-blonde locks. The fact that he had to stare down and the constant tripping on the sleeves of his pants were constant reminders of the newfound predicament he now found himself in. It made it a little awkward for the coffee-haired boy, he subtly slouched slightly, bending his knees so that he was just a little more on an eye-to-eye level. Getting a better view of Oliver's blue irises, which reminded him of the beaches near his home. Home. That's where he should've stayed, is all that played on the boy's mind as the night drew on. He hadn't been able to see his eyes this clearly before, were they always this enchanting? Cirrus drew himself back a little realizing that he had been observing a little too closely, he cleared his throat before speaking again. "Thon sounds lovely, A'm glad he's doin well. A canae wait tae see him again,"1 He smiled once again referring to Oliver's cat, Otis. Cirrus tilted his head slightly at the Slytherin boy's compliment, he hadn't expected it. He never got much compliments.... The last one he could recall was from @Gekko Phillips, when she had complimented his smile. He let his mouth cock slightly into a barely noticeable grin. Before of course re-diverging his attention to Oliver once more. "Thank ye, A extremely appreciate it luv, honestly, it's juist a bunch o ma dad's leftover clothes. A grew oot o aw mine for the moment bein."2 Cirrus then took his turn to Elena, quickly apologizing for his lack of proper introduction, his ears tinging a light red in embarrassment. He then took his turn returning the favor of his name, there was no denying how her aura took up the space around her, like an addicting yet suffocating perfume. Cirrus just watched Oliver and Meiyu with wide eyes, just observing as a bystander at the situation and the drama unfolding. He knew he shouldn't, but he found the interaction to be quite funny, he had to suck in his lips to stop himself from sneezing out a laugh. He cleared his throat, a bad habit, to rid himself from it. Then the small gossip that left Oliver's lips afterward were all the more shocking, he HAD to tell Cinnamon this tea later! She wouldn't believe it. When Oliver asked for his and Elena's opinion, he just shrugged not really quite sure what had just happened. "Cheer up Cirrus," he looked up to see Oliver once more. "The night could still turn out better then we both think." Cirrus nodded in slight unison, with also an extra small nod of gratitude as he smiled re-hyping himself up. Oliver was right, the night could still turn out better! Cirrus then turned around once inside the room, due to a light tapping of his shoulder. His gaze softened slightly at her small check-in, maybe it really wasn't all that bad like Oliver said. He let out a exhale releasing his bad thoughts, and inhaling taking a new fresh positive outlook. He nodded once more with a genuine grin, which turned into a twisted look of grimace, his furrowed eyebrows and face completely betraying his expression. Aodhan... The boy who had nicknamed him something he so desperately despised disliked, also it didn't make it any better the fact that he was friends with Gekko... Gekko was supposed to be his best friend. He huffed slightly at the thought of Aodhan and Geek holding hands and doing fun things. Not on his watch they won't. When taking another sweeping gaze around the room he noticed another face that he had met one fateful evening in the ballroom, in which they folded cranes together. As he reminisced he popped a peppermint in his mouth, he also noticed the new presence of two new girls. Both were blondes, yet strikingly different. The first had bambi brown eyes, and seemed a bit more self-assured and carried herself with extreme grace. The second seemed more awkward like him, with sandier hair and a face full of freckles. Cirrus tapped his fingers through the air, as he mock played the piano to the drifting tune as he quietly watched the crowd before deciding maybe he should move around more instead of sticking to the singular spot. He moved his foot to walk, but he accidentally tried to lift his other foot whilst stepping on his super-long pant legs. It happened all so fast, that the boy couldn't process what was happening, as he fell forward, instinctively he stuck out his arm to save his fall. The noise of him hitting the floor with a snap wasn't all that significant, maybe even getting drowned out by the melody and bustling chatter and the obscured view of having fallen behind the table. With the adrenaline of embarrassment Cirrus quickly stood up, and walked away from the scene of the crime he walked over to where Aodhan, Nova, Eric, and Oliver stood mingling and gave an awkward wave. After he began to relax his pacing heart, and his ears returned back to their normal color, he started to feel the stinging pain shooting throughout his arm. Cirrus could feel the slight throbbing, only furrowing one of his eyebrows slightly could be mistaken for a face of seriousness. He took a glance down at his arm as he tried to move it slightly, Cirrus could see it twist slightly in an unnatural way as it lay limp. Using his other hand he readjusted it so it looked normal. Before listening again at the conversation trying to ignore what had just happened.

✩ ✩ ✩

✩ ACTION ✩ Reducio @Eric Kim | @Oliver Armani | @Meiyu Xiang | @Novalie Moon | @Elena Clark | @Aodhan Shaw | @Evpraksiya Vinogradova | @Sandy Thompson | @Alyss Gilmour

✩ OOC NOTE ✩ Reducio None

✩ POST TRACKER ✩ Reducio Pre-arrival, arrival, greeting

The way Cirrus looked into his eyes, it was no way of admiration, there was no doubt in his mind that he was in fact in love with Oliver. People had looked into his eyes before, of course they had, his eyes were beautiful. But this was different, to close, and yet again, 'luv'. All Oliver did was give a soft smile, and a half hearted nod. The poor kid had no clue. He wasn't gay, he liked girls, at least he thought he did, whatever. He didn't like Cirrus like that. And really, that was what mattered here. And again, he called Oliver 'luv'. Was this a hint? Did he want Oliver to confess? To dance at the ball with him? Confess everything on a balcony, and live happily ever after? "Mhm..." He said with a tight, but not unkind slight smile. He was bound for heartbreak. Cirrus that was.

The Elena girl had asked him why he came, And had said some downright lies about Meiyu that he simply rolled his eyes to. 'Ever rose has it's thorns, just have to get past them to see the beauty of it.' All that cliché bullshit. The girl was mean to him. And Elena- Well Oliver could see why she hung out with her. Asking the why of things when she barely knew him. The audacity of some people. "Not that it's any of your concern, Elena. But my brother made me come." He said to her, "I was painting, and he forced me into this outfit, and into the fire. Happy?" It was ok, it would be. Elena still had some time to redeem herself. There was still time. That time however would need to come later.

Or perhaps not. "What?" He almost snapped at her, mostly in shock really. "I do not try to hard." He clenched his jaw, people liked him... Well enough that was. Novalie for example. She hung around him, Eric to. At least he liked to think Eric. Labels were weird, he didn't know what him and Eric were. Friends? Rivals? Could one be both? Or did he have to dislike him if he was his rival? Cirrus, Oliver glanced over, he for sure liked him. He looked back at Elena. "Plenty people like me, I don't think I need to soften up at all. Less people walk over me like a mat." He was perfectly fine with the amount of friends he had, be it none. Or one half.

The two people he new, hoped, was almost sure, liked him had arrived. They were in the party, Aodhan had been ignored. All was well, it was ok. He could slip away soon, taking a sip another sip of the drink, the bubbles fizzing as it went down. His eyes lightly tearing up from the carbonation. Of what he quickly wiped away. Yet again Elena simply had to say something to him. And he yet again was eating his words he had said to Cirrus. 'Better then we think.' Hmph. As if. This girl wouldn't leave him alone with her weird- not to mention down right wrong -psychoanalyze thing. That she wouldn't stop doing. And of course, yet again, it was a simple question. "Yes, I do think it is that bad." He commented looking at Aodhan. He alone made this all the worst night of his life.

And by complete accident, He locked eyes with what was sure to be his doom. Novalie. And standing with her, Aodhan, Someone he didn't recognize. And fuck him, Sandy. They were standing off to the side, but fuck. He hated Sandy, almost as much as he hated Meiyu. A hot rage if someone wanted to call it that. After he'd been, well mostly civil with her. She so rudely punched him, broke his nose, and landed him in detention. He looked away from her with a huff, who the hell invited the mudblood?

His eyes darted back to Novalie. A mistake, as she started dancing. Aodhan to. What. The. Hell. It was some of the most god awful dancing- if it could even be called that. -that he had ever seen. Someone strike him down where he stood. He thought that Eric walking over to him was a good sign, that he to was running from the embarrassment duo. But no. "Eric- What what are you doing?!" He had started, then abandoned for his near cry of help as he'd simply been dragged like a damn doll over to the two. "Eric!" He protested, though it must have fallen on deaf ears. As he'd been dragged to hell. Or the closet counter part on earth.

"Jesus Christ..." He cursed under his breath as Eric dubbed him a 'grumpy cat'. Seeing as he was far from that. Then he got confused as Aodhan dubbed him a 'Shrek'. He looked up from the floor at him. "What the hell is a 'Shrek'" He felt he would regret asking that, for sure he would. But what..? Just what? He had never heard of such beast. The confusion was short lived, and shifted into annoyance. And a glare shot at the Gryffindor and his open arms. "I didn't greet you because you pis-" he bit back the chose word. "You annoy the hell out of me." That was a slightly nice way of putting it.

As Eric talked about what to do, Oliver didn't pay any mind to it. He didn't care, as long as he could sit on the sides and not be bothered. He was vaguely aware of Cirrus walking up. And choose that moment to look back at Elena. See? He had plenty of people that liked him, he'd been dragged to the group. They wanted him there. He had people that liked him. A whole- what was it, Three? four? In the little group they had going on here. He was just fine with that. Not the people in it, but three or four was ideal. He was pretty much there, ish. Eric was now on iffy standing. Cirrus- "The hell?" He said looking at his arm when Aodhan pointed at it. Eyebrows raising in shock, and well, alarm. "Are you ok?" It looked broken.

OUTFIT & INVENTORY Reducio

OOC NOTE & STATS/ABILITIES Reducio Did not mention everyone in mentions or in post as good god there is a lot XD and this is already sort of late Fearless - Oliver does not scare easily, not effected by terrible presence or unsettling aura { Stamina: 7 }{ Evasion: 5 }{ Strength: 10 }{ Wisdom: 3 }{ Arcane Power: 2 }{ Accuracy: 8 }

Interacting : @Cirrus Nam, @Elena Clark, @Novalie Moon, @Eric Kim, @Aodhan Shaw |||| @Sandy Thompson, @Meiyu Xiang : Mentioning

Action : Still mingling, being an ass for no reason. Debating his social status.