The Lost Pearl 2025 Fall Ball

the lake had been the site of her first steps treading on hogwarts grounds and yet, yazhera avoided it as if a plague would befall her if she strode near its shore. how ironic that she was now forced to slumber near it. for the first few nights spent at hogwarts, the half-giant laid awake, swearing she could hear a gentle patter of water droplets though her frantic search efforts found nothing of concern. her nightly routine consisted of inspecting every glass pane in the dorm with a careful eye, always three times over to calm the doubting voice in the back of her mind. perhaps sleepless nights are what finally drove hera to the lake's shore, where she now stood, heels dug in the grass.

twisting hair of burnished pewter was tied away from her shoulders by an antique white ribbon, accented by freshwater pearls interwoven in the numerous braids. draped on hera's broad shoulders was a long, pale overcoat with pearlescent buttons trailing down from its lapel to where it hung just above her knees - just in case the night grew cold. the high-collared mulberry silk shirt she wore nearly drowned her arms in its ruffles, mimicking the oscillating waves of the lake. upon her neck were rows of pearls that clung to the diamond broach resting about halfway down her torso, an anchor of sorts. a stark white corset belt served as a divide between the silk shirt and her trousers that matched the belt's hue. ivory boots halted just below the knee and had a slight heel to them...as if she needed the extra height when she already towered well above her classmates.

the half-giant was hesitant to leave the safety of the shore, for the abyss below caused anxiety to claw at her mind, allowing fleeting memories of chilling waves to wash over her. for a moment, hera stood there, an unmoving statue with unease twisting her expression as bodies pushed past her with some difficulty. with a sharp inhale of the cool night air, the sole of her white boot hovered in midair before landing upon the wooden surface of the plank that led up to the shipwreck. she had seen similar wrecks perched upon the treacherous rocks of her homeland that jutted above the water surface like knives. ironically, her thalassophobia was born the day she decided to inspect the rotting skeleton of one of the wrecks, causing her to fall into the terrifying embrace of the sea. besides the current predicament hera found herself in, the half-giant refused to travel by sea, much less board a ship that was drudged up from the bottom of the ocean.

her other foot followed in suit, her silver gaze purposefully avoiding the depths of the lake, instead locked on the coral-laden sailor that placed a card in her outstretched palm. so the lost pearl has been found and in its wake brought along students in various years and costumes. there were a few she recognized either from passing in the hallways or fellow first years, but most were still foreign to her. as she moved on from the sailor's welcome, hera found a table, preferring a modest seating for four and welcomed the ample leg room that she hoped would still remain if others were to join her.