The Spring Soirée Spring Ball 2025

₊⁺⋆ Date: April 11th, 2025| Number of words: 634 Dialogue: #aa5713 ⋆⁺₊

Stelle watched as the dance floor began to fill with students who, between nervous laughter and clumsy steps, tried to follow the rhythm of the enchanted music floating in the air like a subtle spell. The Great Hall, transformed with floating garlands, soft lights, and a starry ceiling, looked like a universe apart, suspended between the real and the dreamlike. And yet, she still felt slightly disconnected. In the middle of a strange and unsynchronized conversation within her small group, she heard it. The voice rang out, clear, a bit too loud, too sharp. It wasn’t far away. It took her less than a second to turn. And there was Rafal, crossing the sea of heads and glittering dresses as if the world had narrowed around him decision to walk toward her. She stood still, unsure whether to smile or frown, but immediately excused herself from the group and moved a little closer to him. Had he come to find her? Why?

The first thing she noticed was his posture, like he had made a tremendous effort to get there and now didn’t know what to do with his hands, his eyes, or the rhythm of his breathing. Then came the silliest detail: his shirt was half-untucked, as if he hadn’t quite decided whether he wanted to look elegant or rebellious. And yet, there was something about his presence that eased her, something that didn’t belong in the comic chaos of her group or in the pristine perfection of the rest of the hall. He had… something.

— Hello, Rafal—. she said, with a calm she didn’t fully feel, though her voice came out smooth and gentle, as if the scene had already been rehearsed. She gave a slight tilt of her head, a graceful gesture she used when she wanted to seem welcoming without being intrusive. Her loose curls fell to one side with the movement, and the faint scent of lavender she’d been wearing since morning drifted through the air between them. She knew, without looking directly, that he had noticed.

— I didn’t think you’d come—,/color] she added, a half-smile curling on her lips, mixing surprise with a hint of playfulness. — Though I must say, you managed to show up at a rather... curious moment—.*

She glanced back at the group she had left. She could almost feel her grandmother tapping her lightly on the head every time she did something the old woman would’ve found strange. Stelle turned back to Rafal, this time with more focus. It wasn’t just that he was there. It was how he was there, nervous, like he had thrown himself into something he didn’t entirely understand but that he felt was necessary. He was awkward, yes. But also brave. And somehow, she liked that.

— Have you eaten anything yet?—. she asked then, in a lower voice, as if sharing a secret. The hem of her dress brushed her ankles as she shifted slightly to stand beside him. They weren’t touching, not even by accident, but the closeness was new. Almost comfortable.

And though she didn’t say it aloud, part of her felt… relieved. She hadn’t planned to dance. Or stay until the end. But maybe, just for tonight, she could let someone come looking for her without needing a reason. Even if that someone was Rafal. Why not?

— You… What did you come here for?—. She smiled softly, a spark of complicity in her eyes. — To be honest, I came because I like dressing up, and the atmosphere is lovely. I don’t have a ‘date’—. Then, almost as an afterthought, she added, — But honestly, I wouldn’t mind if someone asked me to dance—. She looked at him for a moment, then dropped her gaze almost immediately, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. For some reason, she no longer felt awkward. She felt… nervous.

ABILITIES: Part-Veela
VISUAL: Here!
ACTIONS: He says goodbye to his friends to accompany Rafal
INTERACTIONS + MENTIONS: @Rafal Devereux+ @Ruth Fairchild @Pamela Graham @Joseph Sims @Lyanna Oak
OPEN TO INTERACTIONS!

MODERATION ROUND THREE

_{Image created using Bing AI.}

Clearly, the droplets of water that had fallen from the sky were met in a variety of ways. One first year took the opportunity to be romantic about it, giving his coat to his… lover? Before he went about disappearing into the vastness of Hogwarts. Handing over his jacket was a very kind gesture, however that only saved one person’s attire for the evening, leaving everyone else to get soaked. (@Mikey Forville)

An upperclassman quickly made the decision that not only would she rather save her own extravagant clothing, but also all of her peers. Looking very much like a knight in shining armor as she cast, her wand quickly shooing away the storm cloud as if it was merely a pesky bug that had been swatted at. (@Aly Salinger)

The storm cloud had been chased away, and the ballroom returned to its previous state. The fairy lights glowed a comforting hue, and the hall no longer felt like a dark predicament, filled with uncertainty and confusion. Instead, the atmosphere felt back to how it had been, before the platinum blond had decided to… spice up the experience. (@Colin McCoire)

In spite of the weather, a fearless girl tried out another glass from the food table, even after having been warned of the possibility of an unexpected substance having made its way into her drink. Either she was arrogant, overconfident, an idiot, or maybe just thirsty, because this time the wrong choice was made, and she may have to pay the price. (@Andronica James)

Rolls:
Owl or DM me about any mistakes you may find.

Reducio

Spring Soirée Ball Rolls, Round 3

Aly is casting Metelojinx Recanto, WDC is 10 + 2(Evpraksiya LC)= 12
[d20 : 2] + 17 = 19, success!

50% chance of Andronica’s drink being spiked(1 is spiked)
[d2 : 1] = 1, her drink is spiked.

Andronica’s resistance to the potion, DC 17
[d20 : 1] + 6 = 7, no, Andronica cannot resist the potions effects.

Andronica noticing that the drink is spiked, WDC 14
[d20 : 20] + 6 = 26, success. It is up to the writer if she wishes for Andronica to drink and then notice, or to notice and therefore not drink.

Reducio

_{Image generated by Bing AI.}

Upon entrance into The Spring Soirée, each player will receive a "dance card", a RP opportunity for players to engage with. Within the dance card, names of whom your character dances with must be recorded, beware of prying eyes should their names not be found within the dance card and they are dancing with your player, as this would be the most scandalous thing to do.

NOTE: The inclusion of dance cards is solely for a RP opportunity, you are not obliged to comply with this, but should you mention it, please ensure the character your character dances with, was included in the dance card.

OOC Information
Welcome to the Spring Soirée!

1. To participate, you must be indexed. If you are not indexed yet, please apply here.
2. Moderation will occur every week, or about 168 hours.
3. Your character is allowed one moderated action per round. Please specify your moderated action somewhere OOC in your post.

Reducio

Moderated actions are actions that require rolls, like casting a spell on someone, physically fighting (like punching) with someone, surprising someone, etc. Rolls are not needed for pre-decided or consented actions, like asking someone for a dance.

4. Please include your abilities and stats in each post you make.
5. There are two other threads that are part of the Spring Ball, The Garden of Eden and The Twisted Tavern. You can directly enter the other threads if you have signed up for The Twisted Tavern or wish to participate in the main event, The Spring Soirée, but if you have already posted here, please specify that you are leaving this thread for either one of the other two, as your character cannot be in two places at once.
6. Please follow all usual H.io rules.
7. Enjoy the ball!

Race/Abilities: Parselmouth
Stats: STA: 3 |EVA: 6 |STR: 3 |WIS: 9 |ARC: 2 |ACC: 7

Eira looked around as she entered the large hall and admired the beautiful decorations. She had been hearing the talks about the Spring Soiree though it took her a long time to decided whether to attend or not.

As she came alone, she couldn't help but feel a bit intimidated by the large number of the student body mingling with each other. A dozen faces she remembered and would pass by during class hours, some she even recognized from the common room.

She did, however, see Rafal among the crowd and tried to approach him. But then she stopped when she noticed that he was talking to a blonde girl with a pale gold dress. It made her tug the ends of her hair that was curled for the occasion, and she chose to hang back.

It would be awfully rude to suddenly cut into their conversation after all. From the other side of the room, she recognized Avery, and like Rafal, her attention was on someone else.

With a sigh, she walked towards the refreshments area and observed the scene; some were dancing, others were chatting. Fetching some drinks, she stood by the wall, wishing she had invited Sadie or Harvey to the affair.

For now, all she can do is watch as everyone is having a great time.

'I just isolated myself in a social event, Madam Roscov will have a conniption,' she thought, sipping into her drink before her face scrunched at the bitter taste.

Huh. She thought it was pumpkin juice based on the color but... evidently not.

banner tba

Was curious good? Stelle said that he had arrived at a 'rather curious moment', but Rafal wasn’t sure what she was hinting at, if she even was at all. Whatever. Maybe he was reaching. He did that a lot in Stelle's presence.

The girl was so collected, so poised and aristocratic. Her every move was impeccable, every sentence precisely composed. Next to her, Rafal almost felt like he was part of some bigger thing, like he was just a footnote in a prodigious storybook with gold bindings. And remarkably enough, he couldn’t find it in himself to mind. So what if every moment with Stelle was like acting out a play? It just meant everything was perfect! She was perfect.

"Well, I tried a raw potato." Rafal grinned bashfully. "Probably shouldn’t have, but they were right there! And I figured might as well get the full medieval experience, right?" It was a small, perhaps subconscious movement, likely done out of convenience then anything else, but the Slytherin's heart skipped a beat as Stelle shifted slightly to stand closer to him. That was good! Right?

Was it crazy that when Stelle asked him what he’d come here for, the first thing that came to Rafal's mind was 'you'? He could recall his list of reasons with clarity, but faced with those shining eyes and that soft smile, he couldn’t help but want to tell her that instead.

Rafal hadn’t gone completely demented just yet, however. He wisely opted to go with a more normal response. He let out a shaky laugh. "Oh, I just like these kinds of party events. You know, meeting people, free food, those kinds of stuff!"

He nodded along with Stelle. "Yeah, that totally makes sense. The planning committee really killed it with the vibes tonight." What she said after that caught his attention more. No date? Wouldn’t mind if someone asked her to dance? That had to be a hint, right? And was it Rafal's imagination, or did she look pointedly straight at him immediately following those last words?

His pulse was racing. He knew a better opportunity likely wouldn’t come again anytime soon, and Rafal needed to take it. Just ask her. And he really did want to, so so much! Easier thought than done though. Mentally, he knew it was just a few words, but they were perhaps the most difficult he’d ever tried to say. His mouth felt dry, and he had to make a conscious effort to swallow.

"So would you mind if I asked you to dance?" Rafal blurted out, then immediately widened his eyes. Oh gods, he really could have phrased that better! "Just… hypothetically speaking." He quickly added. The last thing he wanted was to put Stelle on the spot, and he had almost no faith that he’d read those maybe-signs right!

Action: Perhaps the worst dance invitation ever!

Interacting with @Stelle Mims

Dhampir I
STA: 5 | EVA: 5 | STR: 2 | WIS: 7 | ARC: 3 | ACC: 8

Interacting with: @Lyanna Oak, @Joseph Sims, @Mikey Foreville, and @Azzure Solace (please owl me for interactions!) Mentioning: N/A Date: 04/11/25

Word Count: 228

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Avery smiled at Mikey when he came back. "Hi." She responded by while continuing to smile. She was glad that he was finally back. Though, she didn't mind that he wanted to chat with his friends first. She would have done the exact same thing if she were in his shoes. "I hope your friends didn't mind you leaving them. Maybe we could go out there in a little bit? I think a couple of my friends are meeting us here eventually, but maybe we could all go to the garden after they arrive if they want?" Avery asked. Avery had noticed that the clouds had cleared up a little. She was glad about that. Whoever had stopped the rain was successful. That would hopefully mean that no one else would get their nice dresses and suits ruined. That would be terrible. Avery glanced around the room and saw many people soaked through. She only hoped that the storm hadn't ruined their nights. Tonight was supposed to be a night of new beginnings and happiness. Not a night of bitterness and annoyance about being wet. Avery waited expectantly for Dylan to talk about America. She hadn't had the chance to ask him what it was like there yet, so now was the perfect chance. She internally thanked Mikey for asking. She would have never thought about it otherwise.

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Interacting with: @Lyanna Oak, @Joseph Sims, @Mikey Forville (please owl me for interactions!) Mentioning: N/A Date: 04/11/25

Word Count: 209

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Dylan didn't know what to say as both Avery and Mikey waited for him to tell them about America. What should he say? That it was great, but wasn't home? No. Definitely not. Should he tell them the truth then? Well, it was worth a try. "Well. I guess America is great. Though, it doesn't feel like home. Ilervmony has a lot of nice people there, and I can't wait to see what will happen over the next few years, but I wish I was here. I mean, I was born and raised in Wales, until. . . well, a whole mess happened. Though, I will say that muggle s'mores are amazing. I had no idea that chocolate, graham crackers, and burnt marshmallows could taste so good." Dylan laughed at the time when he had tried the mysterious muggle treat. His mother had come home one day with the supplies saying that a muggle she had met had told her about them and that they had to try it. "What about you guys? What's Hogwarts like on a normal basis without a bunch of events happening?" He asked just to try and keep the conversation going. He glanced up quickly and sighed in relief to find the rain had stopped. Finally.

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~Outfit~

Reducio

Robin danced energetically, cheering on her friend, who seemed to not quite understand the concept of rhythm. Knowing that Odette couldn't dance endeared the witch to Robin- she almost always had some sort of trick up her sleeve to gain an extra sickle, and Robin was always more than willing to help. Robin watched her friend do the robot, of all dances, to the upbeat music and let out a cackle, instantly joining her friend in the arm-swinging stiff dance moves that muggles called "the robot."

For a moment, the great hall had grown dark- as if a storm cloud had loomed, attempting to shroud the students in shadows and oncoming trickles of rain. For a moment, Robin was irritated that she hadn't quite figured out the Umbrella Charm she was learning about in Charms class, but she quickly realized that the rain didn't diminish her joy. She laughed, spinning, letting the droplets fall on her face as she looked at the shrouded ceiling. Someone had cast a cloud of thunder, it appeared. Robin still wasn't quite sure she would ever get used to casual showcases of magic and power.

"Y'know, I think I'm really starting to get good at dancing!" Odette teased, waggling her eyebrows. "Tell me, Robin. Are my enchanting hip swivels bewitching you with my veela-like charm?" Before Odette could even finish her sentence, Robin had thrown her arm over the girl's shoulder and squeezed, laughing all the harder. She felt the music flowing through her body like a river of light, filling her up with joy and inspiration. She couldn't help but appreciate her friend, who was always willing to make a fool of herself alongside Robin for the sake of having fun.

"You wish!" Robin exclaimed, dropping her arm from Odette's shoulders and pulling back, looking at the girl's bright blue eyes. "If you call those moves bewitching, I think I'd better go grab a healer to fix your brain because you've clearly been jinxed." She joked, smirking.

The rain suddenly let up, and the great hall cleared of darkness, turning back to its original state. This caused Robin to cease dancing and look around in confusion.

"Oi!" She yelled to nobody in particular, slightly aggravated at all of the relieved faces among her peers. "Who turned the lights back on?" Rolling her eyes, she turned back to her friend. "I swear nobody ever wants to have any kind of fun around here. What's the point of a soiree if not to dance in the rain, anyway?" She pouted, looking down at her wet dress and touching her damp curls. Robin sighed, once again cursing her first-year lack of abilities.

"Tell me, Odette. What do you say about... leaving this ball with a bang?" Robin emphasized the last word, wiggling her fingers at Odette for dramatic affect. She looked up to catch the eyes of the taller girl, a smile slowly building on her face. "Say we caused some havoc and split? Maybe... dung-bomb havoc, hmm? What'dya say?""

It had been far too long since Robin had indulged in a good prank. She understood the potential consequences, of course, but completely disregarded them. What was the school gonna do? Owl her mother? Robin scoffed at the thought. Dropping a dung bomb or two in the great hall would bring her a lot of amusement and minimal disturbance for the others attending. Look how fast the storm disappeared! Robin figured one of the older students would get rid of it with a flick of their wand, hopefully after irritating a couple of the uppity students. One thing she figured out quickly from attending Hogwarts was that some of these students took themselves way too seriously. She supposed she could bring a bit of chaos, split to the common room and change, then head to the garden of Eden... or help Odette capitalize on the suffering of students. Whatever floated her damn boat. Robin's evil smile grew, and she knew she was going through with it - with or without her friend.

Action: Dancing with Odette and planning some mischief

Stamina ◦ 4 | Evasion ◦ 7 | Strength ◦ 1 | Wisdom ◦ 8 | Arcane Power ◦ 8 | Accuracy ◦ 7

Ability: Evasive Maneuvers

Reducio

Dancing w/ @Odette Leone Open to Interactions #38466B | #862327|

₊⁺⋆ Date: April 11th, 2025| Number of words: 497 Dialogue: #aa5713 ⋆⁺₊

Stelle had felt the tension in the air seconds before, that almost imperceptible pull between one word and the next, as if something invisible were building itself in the space between them. And she had sensed it. Of course she had sensed it. But it was one thing to anticipate the moment, and quite another to live it. She looked at him, her lips slightly parted and her eyes shining under the soft light of the floating candles. Rafal wasn’t particularly eloquent, but what he had just said hit her like a poorly cast spell that still landed perfectly. Stelle felt a sting of something in her chest. Tenderness? Nerves? Satisfaction?

Probably all at once.
How brave. How foolish.

For an instant, she considered playing around. Giving him a clever reply, something that would leave him thrown off and make her feel like she was in control. She did that often. It was easier that way. But this time, she didn’t want to. Because he was already exposed. Because she was, too, in a way. Because the moment, though clumsy and filled with silences, was delicate in a strangely beautiful way.

—Hypothetically speaking?—. she repeated, lowering her voice just a little, and there was a pause. —That sounds like an invitation afraid of its own answer—.

It wasn’t mockery. Her tone was soft, almost contemplative. She tilted her head slightly, as if trying to study his expression. There was nothing about him that others didn’t have. And yet, there was something in him that had kept drawing her attention since that afternoon.
—But if you really want to know… I wouldn’t mind at all—. she said finally, and her words came out slowly, carefully. Not out of insecurity, but because she truly wanted them to reach their destination. She lifted one eyebrow, more in a gesture of complicity than of challenge. —Seriously. I’d like to… No, I want to dance with you. Now—.

And she said it just like that. Without hiding. Then she lowered her gaze a little, only for a second. —Real or hypothetical—.

And there it was. She had said it with clean simplicity, without ambiguity, because there was something about Rafal—that vulnerability so clumsily hidden behind his confident Slytherin smile—that called for honesty, even tenderness. Maybe that’s why, when she offered her hand, she did so gently, as if she were accepting not just a dance, but also the idea of being seen by him not as a polished statue, but as a person who could come close, laugh, and yes, feel like dancing with someone who ate raw potatoes and spoke with his heart in his throat.

—But one condition—. she said quickly. —No stepping on my feet. I’m pretty good at pretending, but not that good. And just so you know, I’ve been doing this since I was seven, so if you get lost, just follow my lead—. she added, with just a hint of mischief.

ABILITIES: Part-Veela
VISUAL: Here!
ACTIONS: half accept Rafal's dance invitation.
INTERACTIONS + MENTIONS: @Rafal Devereux
OPEN TO INTERACTIONS!

♩♪♩♬ Ellie Randensmith ♬♩♪♩
Interacting with/ mentioning @----- Thoughts: Italic Words: #701564

Stats: Stamina: 5 Evasion: 6 Strength: 6 Wisdom: 8 Arcane: 5 Accuracy: 5

_{Soon we must all face the choice between what is right and what is easy}

outfit:

Reducio

It was getting tiring, holding on to an imaginary boys arms. She whispered to the ghost of what could been, I'm going to go get a refreshment. Laughing she pulled her arms down and ran to the drinks table. Even though she had already had a butterbeer she was thirsty again. Argg why does the, the, "boy" feel so real! It was like she had magically made a person to dance with. Of course that was not true, it was impossible to do that! Still laughing, she arrived at the drink stand. Grabbing a water, she stood there, watching others dancing together. She imagined the fake boy waiting for her. Oh my god, I am so delusional! There is no boy waiting! And the I was dancing with a stupid ghost of what I wanted! Ellie walked to the side of the drinks table. She started laughing, Why am I so hopelessly optimistic! This dream, this wish is never coming true of course! Ellie laughed at her foolish thoughts. She walked to an empty table and sat down. "If only..." She whispered softly.

Watching others Ellie smiled. You know what would be fun? Enchanting something to dance! With this thought, Ellie ran to her common room, grabbing three of the many homemade dolls her grandma made her she raced back to the Great Hall collapsing on the chair at her table.

"Tarantallegra!" Ellie whispered her favorite spell, not wanting to disrupt anyone. The three dolls got up and started dancing, Ellie smiled, it worked, on the first try! The dancing dolls though, seemed to make a lot of noise! Ellie hoped nobody cared. These dolls where her entertainment and who ever wanted to could share it and use it too.