Errand It's a PJ Party!

Speech -- Thoughts

To her luck, both the girls greeted Pam's entrance with more or less decently accepting gestures. Ruth, she had known would not mind her, but thankfully, Aurelia also did not seem to majorly mind the fact that Pam had practically shoved her aside and positioned herself in her place. She would apologize sometime, when she could think straight.

Stalker, on the other hand, was much less welcoming. Pam was pretty certain the cat would have scratched her head Aurelia not stopped him. The sight made Pam smile, "He should meet Lumi. I would say they're the same, but Lumi makes it a point to not listen to a thing I say, but it looks like Stalker more or less listens to you."

Pam whined as Ruth handed her some blankets, "I don't feel like moving at all!" She laid them out anyway, settling down on them comfortably, hugging a pillow. "Are you guys not tired?"

She narrowed her eyes at Ruth's words, "I wouldn't mind falling asleep here." She remarked, "It's a pretty decent excuse to give a teacher don't you think? Sleep's my very first priority right now." She yawned, leaning back against the two girls, "And my body currently had no strength so I'm borrowing some of yours, thank you very much!"

Word Count: 380

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It was a dark spring night, and Emmy knew a party was happening. Except not just any party, a PJ party. Emmy wrinkled her nose at the idea. PJs. What were they, 6? But it was a social event. There was no turning down something fun like that. Especially if everyone was going. Well, that's what it seemed, by the looks of everyone rushing to the ballroom in their pajamas. There was a lot of different patterns, and it hurt Emmy's eyes. She didn't want to wear ridiculous pajamas with pink polka dots and bunnies and rainbows and such.

Emmy sighed. The adventurous side of her won, and she found herself standing in her simple black pajamas. She took a deep breath, and pushed herself through the doors. The ballroom was well decorated, with it's high arched ceilings and large space perfect for detailed adorations. The room seemed hollow, almost as if Emmy screamed she would hear her own echo. Everyone was already sitting on the floor, socializing as if there was no tomorrow. Emmy wasn't the shy type, but what is she supposed to do, walk up to a random group and say, "Sup guys!" Just the thought of it was enough to make her cringe.

There was a few sweet looking girls in the corner. They seemed nice, but the saying "Never judge a book by its cover," would always stick with Emmy. But being the judgy person Emmy was, she was going to have to judge these books by their covers. She watched them for a little, wondering if they had met each other before. Or had they just met each other? Was it that simple? Emalyn Waverly. This isn't like you. What happened to the "i can talk to anyone" mentality? piped a small voice in her head. Emmy pushed those thoughts away. Realizing she might look weird staring, she found a spot in the center part of the room, and laid down on a pillow.

Letting out a deep exhale, she realized she'd been holding in her breath. For what reason? Emmy closed her eyes for a little, letting the hubbub around her fade into background noise. She jolted herself up after a few seconds. She probably looked ridiculous, and she was in the middle of the room, too. To wake herself up, she forced her body out of its comfortable position, leaning up. Emmy ventured over to the snacks and drinks place at the side of the ballroom. There was a whole neat array of consumables, each lined up in an organized fashion. Emmy wasn't hungry, but it was nice to stretch out her legs. She decided she was going to hang by the snack table, until someone else decided to approach her. How pathetic and lame could she even get?

Actions: Approaching @Aodhan Shaw, talking to him.

Mention: @Reyna Evergreen

Open to interactions

Aly Salinger was never going to pass up an opportunity to be both comfortable and stylish at the same time in public, especially when it involved pillows and blankets in Hogwarts' lavish ballroom. She had never before heard of National PJ Day, but once she did hear of it from the flyer in the Ravenclaw commons, she'd have been damned before she allowed herself to miss an event like this. Even better, after months of what had seemed like her best mate being far too busy to ever spend time with Aly anymore (outside of the obvious classes and meals), Aly had managed to drag persuade Dee to come along with her. A night in their pajamas and newly matching slippers (well, four-month-old matching slippers, since Aly had bought Dee a set to match her own back at Christmas), eating snacks, relaxing on a pile of pillows as heavenly soft as the Martial Eagle dorm's pit itself - the two sixth-year girls desperately needed a break, and Aly was just happy she'd managed to find something that resembled one.

Clad in her softest, silkiest pajamas - satiny and blue, patterned with enchanted constellations that shifted and sparkled as she turned to face various directions - and with those favoured pink pygmy-puff slippers on her feet, Aly dragged Dee into the ballroom hand-in-hand, chattering all the way - she'd hardly let the other girl get a word in edgewise since they'd left Ravenclaw Tower a few minutes before. When two best mates didn't often get a chance to catch up on all the gossip, sometimes it just flowed out like a raging river! "...And so I didn't actually make the recipe, obviously, but you'll just have to read about it when the Headliner comes out in a few weeks... oh, and speaking of food," her eyes alighting upon the table of snacks, "what do you want from the food table? If you go grab us a spot and set up, I can go an' get us the nibbles!"

Once Dee informed her of her choice, Aly skipped off to the food table and snatched up some of the requisitioned snacks, plus some cauldron cakes for herself as well as two mugs of butterbeer. The next two weeks being the Easter holiday meant that Aly would have the run of the castle, and therefore the kitchens, to gorge herself on as many sweets as she desired - but that didn't necessarily mean she didn't still want to consume as much sugar as humanly possible now, before the vacations started. Having gathered up as many munchies as her arms could possibly carry, Aly returned to where Dee had set up a spot for the two of them and plopped down upon a pillow, only spilling a small amount of the butterbeer on the floor; she spread out the snacks on a blanket and leaned back on a mound of fluffy comfort, throwing her best mate an excited grin. "Okay, where was I? Let's see. Headliner, Quidditch... oh yes! The ball yesterday! All right, so it all started when I saw Winnie and Greta - you remember Greta, right, from Durmstrang? Well, she's from Durmstrang, but she was that blonde girl in our cabin at Beauxbatons, and..." Chattering on, the catch-up was much needed, though it seemed as though the Ravenclaw may never run out of air as she talked on and on and on.

She wasn’t really fond of pyjamas and nap time. But, still, a good opportunity to relax wasn’t something the Greek would easily miss. She had no idea either that there existed such a thing as a national pyjama day. What a surprise.

She was going to leave the next day. The destination was Greece. Their home in Thessaloniki. Even though the attack happened four months ago, her parents still deemed the place as not safe enough for their daughters to spend Easter Break. Which was a shame for all of them, as Easter at the Karageorgiadi mansion was one of the best things ever, according to Ifigenia and partially to Eugenia. And no way Eugie was staying at Hogwarts. Her family really needed to see her, and she needed too. She had missed her parents and little sister so much, she really wanted to go back.

Her days at Hogwarts were filled with ample opportunities, and so was this one, being advertised with flyers. In the common room, the dorms, the small hall, the great hall. Even the library. Everywhere she went, Eugenia saw all about this so-called pyjama party hosted in the ballroom. There wasn’t food or music or anything else making it a party other than the dress code (pyjamas only) and the fact that you could socialise. But Eugenia really wasn’t in the mood to socialise late at night with people, when all she could do was think of the Easter break spent with loved ones.

Why she went then? Because problem solved! Socialisation could actually mean enjoying the company of a good book. And either way, she’d be full from dinner, her batteries charged to pull an all nighter of reading a book or two, so when, or maybe if somebody saw it as a good idea to talk to her, she’d had the will to actually respond and not just flop onto the floor like a fish out of the water feeling sunburn for the first time.

The Greek was in an introverted mood and currently, she wasn’t in the mood to fix it.

And so the plan went. She went down and ate dinner reluctantly with her housemates, not feeling hungry at all for some reason. Then, she walked calmly down the corridors into the common room and into her dorm, her trunk almost packed, a task she would finish the next day, knowing that there were still a few things left to stuff in there. She changed into her pyjamas, the ones she had picked out, being linen, plaid blue-and-white; the top being slightly baggy, while the pants fitted her legs. She wore matching plaid socks (it was the pattern day today!) and walked out to the ballroom.

Once inside, she looked around to see kids, students of all ages, hanging out. Socialising. As if she ignored them, the Greek found an empty corner and sat down, opening a book of hers called “His Dark Materials”. She had started “The Subtle Knife”, the second part of this trilogy, a few days ago and she was making good progress with it. So, Eugenia read the night away, peacefully hidden away.

OOC Info: 525/400 words
Pings: @nobody

Laughter echoed down the hallway and into the ballroom as Dee listened to Aly's chattering throwing in a snarky retort here and a fond teasing comment there - whenever Aly had to pause to actually breathe. Truthfully, it hadn't taken a lot of convincing to get Dee here, but she supposed for someone who'd shed nearly all her extracurricular activities over time and thus should have plenty of free time, she'd really been neglecting her best friend.

But she was ready to make up for it now, padding down the hallway in her plush pink slippers, with one hand in Aly's and her blanket and pillow stuffed under her free arm. Aly, of course, looked stunning as usual, wearing the prettiest pyjama Dee had ever seen, and - Dee squinted at her friend - accessorised? For a pyjama party? "Such a pretty necklace," she singsonged as they stepped into the ballroom, which had been appropriately transformed for a giant slumber party. "Whoever gave that to you clearly has excellent taste."

Dee, on the other hand, was dressed exactly as if she was actually going to bed, in ratty old sweatpants and her dad's old jumper, hair in a messy bun on top of her head. She probably looked like a goblin next to Aly, but she didn't mind. The only person she cared to look cute for was about two and a half thousand kilometres away, anyway, so she was perfectly happy to embrace her goblin-look for the moment. "I will read your article religiously," she promised, like she didn't do the same with every new issue. "And then expect you to cook for me."

Aly's plan was sound, so Dee gave a lazy salute. "One of everything, please~" she requested, grinning, then specificied, "but most importantly anything chocolate-y." While Aly went on their snack run, Dee set up a little nest for them, stealing a few of the provided blankets and pillows until she judged it appropriately plush to shield them from the cold hard floor, then let herself flop into the dip in the center of the pile and stared at the ornate ceiling. Most of her memories of this room were of some ball or the other, most of which had gone wrong in some bizarre way. What did it say about her, she wondered, that she kept going to these things regardless?

Once Aly returned with a truly extraordinary amount of snacks balanced in her arms, Dee scooted to the side just enough for her friend to snuggle in with her, then reached out quickly with both hands to save her butterbeer from being justled around even more. "I've seen Dauncey fall of your bed with more grace than that," she teased, taking a careful sip from the mug, then kicked off her slippers and pulled a blanket over both of them, wriggling around to get more comfortable. Once happy, she reached for a bar of chocolate while Aly continued her mission to fill her in on absolutely all the gossip. Dee giggled, thinking back to her own first encounter with Greta - which was definitely also gossip-worthy. Which she was not hesitating to share, either.

530 words

@Aly Salinger
Owl for interactions!

𝒜 tiger tabby pounced on a sleepy Brookline as she swapped her night clothes for a red and black plaid jammie pants, and a white cami. She grabbed a brown jumper and pulled the hood over her small head, before squatting down to pick up her Tigeress.

Squeezing the kitten close, the Ravenclaw whispered, "Be careful, little girl. This is things that cannot be mended."

Tigeress only mewed, her little mouth spreading wide what Brookline could only describe as a lopsided grin. She wanted to smile back, but she decided against it.

Brookline shook her head in disbelief, set the kitten down, and grabbed her wand. She always took her wand with her wherever she went. It was a daily thing she did, and it was hers. Sticking the chestnut wand inside her jumper's sleeve, she jogged over to the door, and a mew followed her.

It was Tigeress. The poor kitten didn't want to be left alone, and Brookline's heart melted. She laughed a bitter giggle, opened the door wide, and let her kitten go first. The girl followed with lips sealed tight in a little frown.

It was at breakfast, she saw the bulletin board, and there was yet another errand, this time set up by her dear friend, Sage. Brookline had frowned a little bit, in frustration, and she thought, I don’t think it has ever crossed my mind to congratulate her for reaching the position.

The girl made her down to the Ballroom, to notice a whole pack of students lounging inside. And at the entrance was her friend, Sage! The Hufflepuff had her hair in a messy bun, and was greeting people as they came in. She wore a blanket snug over her shoulders. Brookline went straight to Sage, and gave the Hufflepuff girl a big hug. It wasn’t so much a ‘I’m so happy to see you’ hug, it was more of a ‘I’m so relieved you’re here, please talk to me, I don’t know what to do’ kind of hug. As much as the others couldn’t know about her “daddy issues” - or that she didn’t want them to know, she squeezed her friend. And even though she’d just seen Sage, yesterday, at the ball, she felt like Sage was one of those friends who wouldn’t let go. Nor would Brookline ever let go of Sage.

“Hi Sage! How are you doing?” Brookline’s tone didn’t necessary her words, but she hid it carefully. Her father was gone. Her mother was emotionally absent, and her sisters often found themselves as caretakers for the littlest Quinns. Lizy was sending her heart-shattering letters. Brookline’s thoughts were getting more and more dirty and depressed by the day. The voices were getting louder.

It was still all a raw wound, and it hurt to even think about. Every so often, sleep would find Brookline too late, tears would find themselves on her pillow or her raw cheeks. It was a problem, but she would never make the problem worst.

“Oh! Did I ever congratulate you on getting perfect?? I don’t think I did. So: congratulations!” A weak, and forced lopsided grin pasted itself on Brookline’s lips, and her jaw begun to hurt. She wasn’t going to waste it. I just don’t know how to smile anymore.

And cue the voices. She knew the order. She knew what happened next. She knew her fake smile would drift off her face. She knew Sage, knowing her so well, and what she would say. She knew she would start crying and make a fool of herself. She just knew it.

It has all happened before. Perhaps not the exactly the same thing. But the basics.

If you don’t know how to smile anymore, why show your face? Everyone’s going to learn. That you’re fatherless, and I’m only here to twist the knife in the wound. Make you mad. Make you depressed. Make you frustrated. Make you... Oh, God, I’ve run out of words. Oh! Make you feel like you have nothing left. A voice echoed in her brain, making her clench her fist. But she took a deep breath. It was all still making her upset, but she wasn’t about to lose it front of everyone. She could handle that. She could handle that.

Right?

“Oh, hey! Have I told that I’ve received some letters from Lizy? Unfortunately, not my mum. I - I’ll be coming home for Easter. Will you go home, too, your step-mum and Kora?” Brookline lowered her voice, “Or shall you go to London? And visit him? It’s okay if you don’t want to tell me, I understand. I’ll admit it, I’m just a bit nosy.” As she rambled on, she glanced around a bit til her sad blue irises landed on Sage’s brown ones.

Everything would be alright, right?

ooc note: ahh I’m so so sorry, Sage, that I couldn’t write this post until now, was going to dm but I don’t wanna wake you up, lol oh and you don’t have to answer all of brookie’s rambling