Secret Blossom Ball Event Finished

-Currently closed to other interactions-

Interacting with: @Anastasia Beckett
Mentions: @Ami Procoppio, @Santario Martin, @Alexx Séverin and @Lydia Cooper

Scott had, after what must've been at least an hour of indecisive shilly-shally in his dormitory, eventually decided to get changed into his formal wear already at the castle. Less to carry, had been the conclusive point... And less items to forget. So even though a part of his apparel included a knee-length overcoat, Scott had made his way as innocently as he could with Anastasia down the grounds, with his school cloak closed around him bulkily for the sake of secrecy.

He had never been very good at this.

In his first year, Scott had attended another "underground" festivity, and damn near exposed the whole thing due to his poor sense of discretion. Then again, the year after that he'd taken part in what was supposed to have been a very safe and organised event... That hadn't gone much better at all.

Hopefully, then, sneaking was just something you got naturally better at with the years... because what with the prefect-guilt that was slowly growing within him with every step closer to the quidditch pitch he took- he'd need it.

Though that hesitation was (due not only to the several prefects he saw already enjoying themselves before the backdrop of the towering stands, but also the incredible view before him in general) evaporated.

Scott just couldn't bring himself to care one bit about the legality of a dance, when it looked like this. What is a boy to do? He's a sucker for pretty lights. That much hadn't changed since last time.

Taking in the sound of music, the sight of flowers and dancers, and the smell of sweets- Scott happily folded his school cloak up to place it at the bottom of a quidditch stand, after Anastasia left him to get changed. Beside it stood a tall and impressive suit of armour. The bodiless knight, Scott realised, was offering him a variety of ribbons of different colours from a box. Delighted, Scott took the two he found prettiest, without noticing the friendly sign, and attached them both to his wrist.

He really did like parties, after all... In spite of the spotty record he and the rest of the student body of this school seemed to share.

And he liked spending time with friends, as well, old ones and new:

Scanning the crowd as he walked through it in search for Ami, his legs carrying him subconsciously towards the group of tables with the most appealing flower displays, Scott spotted familiar face after familiar face. There was Lydia Cooper, the first-year girl he'd met earlier that month to celebrate Alan's birthday; Alexx, who was dressed in the greenest of jumpsuits that he could never have associated with another; and Santario, who seemed to have a camera glued to her hands. Just to name a few.

As he finally reached the closest table, Scott realised upon leaning against it how this all filled him with a much needed sense of genuine excitement. A childish sort of happiness.

"There you are! I can't believe they were able to pull all this together without the professors finding out. It's quite lovely."

Turning quickly around in his place, Scott found himself face to face with a pastry.

Anastasia's dress was huge.

Smiling from ear to ear, Scott took a few steps back so not to step on the edges of her skirt, and put his hands together. She didn't look bad at all. In fact, if anyone could appreciate flamboyant silhouettes and a sea of sequins then it was Scott... It was just that once again, Anastasia had presented herself to him as a brand new person.

"Isn't it? I'm beyond impressed. Oh, I just can't imagine all the organising... I feel like I'm in the middle of a fairytale. Which, by the way, is a sensation to which your dress is only contributing. Went for a wide base, I see! That's a good call. Much harder to tip over that way..."

Smirking, Scott hoped Anastasia wouldn't mind his references, since she really did look lovely. He nodded to her appreciatively though, and added a short bewitching! with a laugh, to make sure she knew. There was never any harm in making sure.

Now, all that was due was to enjoy the evening, and wait for Ami to find the two of them. And keeping Anastasia's dress once again in mind, that shouldn't take too long...

Saskia continued from the Changing Rooms

Mentions: @Annie Morgan

And here it was. The night that everyone had been anxiously waiting for. It was clear that the cancellation of the actual Blossom Ball wouldn't stop students from collaborating to make a special Ball for the rest of the students to enjoy, and if Saskia was being honest, it was admirable that there were enough dedicated individuals to make it possible for everyone to have a nice night out and take their minds off the usual stress that surrounded people these days.

There was the very real risk that they could be caught, or worse yet, the Ball could have gone terribly wrong like the other ones. It might have been different this time around. The Ball would have taken place in the Quidditch Pitch rather than the ballroom where the last disaster happened, and it was the students coordinating the event rather than the professors. It might have seemed like a good idea to keep it a secret from the professors if they didn't want this to be all for nothing, but what would have happened if something did go wrong? There were no professors to keep them safe. In the Masquerade Ball, that was how so many students were hurt. The professors weren't there to help out. It was just them on their own, handling the fire and violence on their own. Many of the students had to take action, and while a lot of people did surprisingly well, there were others who were too terrified to help. Who was to say the same wouldn't happen this time?

All Saskia could do now was hope that things would be okay. It might have seemed stupid to cling on an idealistic, even childish expectation that this Ball might have been the one exception in the long-running tradition of Hogwarts' usual balls, but there wasn't any other option, was there? She was here, and if something did go wrong, she would be there to help out again. She came more prepared this time. She might not have known what possible incidents could happen, if they did happen, but she'd try anyway if it meant making sure no one else got hurt.

She was perfectly aware this event was a ticking time bomb. Whether it set off or not would have depended on how this night would have gone. Maybe it wouldn't have needed to be set off in the first place. Maybe this really would have gone as planned. That wouldn't mean she would throw caution to the wind, but she could try to enjoy herself, right?

Her worries about the ground were unwarranted. The grass was still there, but instead of her boots sinking into the grass, it was as if she was walking on tiles instead. The girl inadvertently smiled to herself. These organizers really knew what they were doing. That wasn't even mentioning the rest of the Pitch, which was adorned with various flowers to draw out the true beauty of Spring. It was clear that a lot of effort and talent was put into this event, and she didn't want to have to see that go to waste if something or someone came and intruded again.

Unsurprisingly, there were many people already mingling, whether they were in their own groups, or if they went with their dates, or if they went by themselves. Saskia wasn't sure where Annie was yet, but she didn't expect her to rush. That just meant she could have more time to admire the decor and possibly check out what else the Ball had to offer.

One of those things being the suit of armour holding the LGBTQIAP Club's basket of ribbons. It didn't take long for her to pick up one of the Hufflepuff ribbons, but she took a bit longer to take the one that was her actual sexuality. She still hadn't figured it out that much even now, and this was the only time she might ever have at getting something that could represent her in some way.

But she was impatient, and she might not have had the time to stop by again when Annie came over. Rifling through the box once more, she picked out two ribbons. One was coloured in dark shades of pink, purple, and blue, and the other one lighter shades than the other one with pink, yellow, and blue. She could figure out the rest later.

Outfit: Dress | Shoes | Bracelet

entering from Changing Rooms

Adam smiled as he approached the suit of armor at the entrance to the pitch, reading its sign and adding his broom* to the collection amassed behind it, glad to see that it might be used for a good cause. He had been worried that safety might be an issue without any adults around to oversee it, but the student organizers seemed to have a plan for everything. Maybe they should be the ones getting paid, Adam thought to himself as he walked further into the party, delighted by the floating candles that welcomed him in. The ones in the Great Hall still amazed him from time to time, and they managed to look even more magical in the open air. He was thoroughly impressed with the scene laid out in front of him, from the flowers to the food. He'd forgotten that the dance had a spring theme, but there was no mistaking it now. Everything looked picture-perfect.

His eyes roamed over the guests as they entered the pitch and conversed with one another, picking out a few familiar faces. Adam was glad to see that not everyone had been scared away by the misfortune of the last few years -- in fact, there was a remarkable number of students filing in from all houses and years. Way to go, Hogwarts! He wondered if any of the other third-years had wands hidden away somewhere, ready to cast at a moment's notice. That's what his group had ended up doing at the Halloween dance, and it had saved them a fair amount of trouble. He'd been able to unjinx Ruthie Greer, at the very least, and he counted that as a win. There was bound to be a virtual security team of concerned students undercover out here, himself included. The first years might not be so wary, but stories spread pretty fast at Hogwarts, and Adam had a feeling that everyone here was ready to take action if they needed to.

Ah, he was starting to bum himself out with thoughts of what could go wrong. There wasn't any time for that! Adam set off at a slow pace around the edge of the pitch, circumventing small clusters of talking students as he looked for his blonde Ravenclaw companion. The search for Cecily doubled as a tour of the festivities, and he helped himself to a cupcake or two as he passed the refreshments table, appreciating the fine choice in dessert. No Cecily to be found yet, but the night was still young. She'd find him, or he'd find her -- something would work out. For now, Adam wondered if he should strike up a conversation with any of the other partygoers he knew. It felt like forever since he'd seen most of his friends!

His eyes lingered on a girl standing off to the side of things, dressed in a simple green outfit. Adam was pretty sure he'd never talked to her before, but three years of school together had let him pick up on some things. She was a Slytherin, she wrote for the newspaper, and he was pretty sure she was on the Quidditch team. As he approached her, he gave a hesitant smile and hoped he had the right name. "You're Alexx, right? I'm Adam. I think we've had a few classes together. Nice to officially meet you!" He reached out to shake her hand before realizing that he was still clutching an untouched cupcake, but offered it up anyway. "Cupcake? They're delicious."

The Ravenclaw boy wasn't planning on staying long, but he'd wanted to introduce himself to Alexx Séverin after years of hearing her name every so often. Adam figured that she was waiting on somebody else, like he was, and he didn't want to get in the way of a nice evening for her. Hopefully, his friendly introduction (and the cupcake) would get a simple conversation started that could hold him over until Cecily showed up. He grinned at Alexx hopefully and waited for her to respond, glad to be out in Hogwarts' social life again. What a wonderful evening this could be!

interacting with @Alexx Séverin

Interacting with @Ruka Tân
Open to Interaction

Outfit and Hair Ref

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Willow had been looking forward to the ball as soon as she heard about it. After the Great Hufflepuff Common Room Fire of 2020 she needed just a fun wholesome night with someone she wanted to get to know better. Asking Ruka had been incredibly nerve wracking and she had spent the whole day before asking him working on a painting of him and Jack Burnett. Luckily it went over well and she easily secured a date for the ball, though just as friends.

The day of, she had actually gotten a decent amount of sleep. Sleeping was a lot easier now that she was sleeping in her best friend Mildred's bed at night. She tried to spend her morning and early afternoon doing some homework but really didn't get much done as the excitement that ran through her veins was intoxicating. It was something she hadn't felt in awhile. It was going to be a great night, she felt it in her bones. A night surrounded by friends, food, dancing, and laughter. It was her perfect idea of a ball. At least, she hoped that's what balls were like. Truly, she had no clue because she had never been to one.

Once it was an appropriate time to start getting ready she jumped into it, though it really didn't take her that long. She really was a simple girl, but she didn't mind. Willow spent her time getting ready with Mildred, idly chatting about expectations and possible nerves about the ball. She first put all the clothes on so she could get her hair done with minimal clothing changes due to the fact that this was a secret and they ultimately had to hide their outfits. It was the only time anyone would catch her in grey sweatpants and a light blue sweatshirt outside of her common room. While she wasn't too concerned about her appearance, she did like to look nice when she was out and about. For hair, she had been practicing with the hair fork that Flash had given her for her birthday and trying to master it, she had honestly gotten pretty good at it and her hair could last a long time. Maybe not to survive dancing but that's what the reinforcement team of bobby pins was for. It was a half up bun style, her dirty blonde wavy hair making it for a nicely textured look.

After she felt sufficiently pretty enough, she tucked her wand into her right boot, gave Mildred a kiss on the head, and headed down to meet Ruka. While waiting for him she couldn't help but bounce up and down on her toes, the excitement being too much to be contained calmly. It only got worse as she saw Ruka approach from... the grounds? Had he already visited the ball? Her question was quickly answered as he mentioned the flowers, her heart fluttering that he had taken the time to go pick some for her. She couldn't believe she was going to the ball with a boy she had punched just a couple months ago, growth was wild. She moved her head down so Ruka had an easier time putting the flowers in her hair, "You're really not that late, I just got here a few minutes ago." Her gaze returned to his, her bright smile fixated on her face that was now joined a small blush at the compliment. "You don't look half bad yourself Ruka, quite handsome some might say." Playfully she stuck her tongue out at him before letting him take the lead down.

There was no doubt in her mind that the group of students behind this had put a lot of care and effort into it. Just from the entrance to the fitting rooms there were already candles galore. She quickly slipped into a fitting room and pulled off the baggy clothes carefully as to not disturb the careful attention she had put into her appearance. With one final smooth out and double checking everything was in place she emerged again with a twirl. It was a fairytale night and she was happy to take up the part of a princess living in it. She put her clothes in the appropriate place and nodded at Ruka with a hum when he mentioned getting a table.

His hand was mildly rough in hers, probably from his fire dancing talent. She gently squeezed it, more out of habit than anything. While he lead her to the tables she took the time to gaze around at all of the decorations. Floating candles had always been a tad terrifying to her ever since coming to Hogwarts, but she was going to let tonight be a night without fear. The hanging plants and flowers were truly the stars of the show to her, so much so she gently tugged on Ruka's arm and pointed up at them while they were walking. "Imagine if the Quidditch Pitch was decorated like this for games too. I think it would increase the visual appeal of the sport." She looked over at Ruka, a brightness in her eyes that only came from plants.

When they finally arrived at a table, Willow sat down making sure to tuck her dress underneath her and cross her ankles. While she wasn't completely educated on etiquette, how to sit in a dress was something she was an expert in. Her eyes wandered before finding the food table and quickly scanning for options. She had also eaten before, but the cupcakes caught her eye. "Pumpkin juice sounds great, can you grab me a cupcake as well, please?" When she returned to look at him, she nodded approvingly at the now slightly messy hair, she reached over to him to make it look messy with purpose rather than just messed up in general. "Now your look is complete." As he went to grab the consumables she would start to look for people she knew filtering in. Her sense of sight would be working overtime tonight.

Entering from changing rooms

||Interacting with @ Victor Moore ||

Wren walked into the Quidditch Pitch anxiously looking around for Victor. When she spotted him she was astonished. He had on a silver suit with a golden bow.

“Handsome,” she thought, “But you could also spot him a mile away in a suit that bright”
Even though he was a walking disco ball, she could not pin that against him as it was likely that he had some help or someone else entirely picked that out. Still, he looked handsome and she had to admit, the suit did look nice on him.

“I probably look like a creep standing here staring at him,” she thought working up the nerve to go over to him and say hi. “Stop standing here and go over there, you wannabe creep” she playfully scolded herself.

So she did. She walked over to the third year sitting in the corner of the pitch staring at what looked like a mirror, practicing ways to say hello to her, she observed bemused.

“Hey, Victor!” She said cheerfully, “Whatcha doin’ there?” she asked him with laughter in her eyes.
She already knew what he was doing but she wanted to give him a chance to explain himself, and besides, what girl doesn’t like to make a boy nervous. That’s what we're meant for, isn’t it? She stood there and waited for a reply.

Interactions
Meantions
Open to interactions

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{{ Mentions @Thomas Lestrange & @Jack Burnett }}

Open to interactions.

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Character Stats:
Stamina✵ 5, Evasion✵ 5, Strength✵ 4, Wisdom✵ 8, Arcane Power✵ 9, Accuracy✵ 4

Inventory: A small pocket knife, mostly used for cutting fruit.

Wonderful. Breathtaking. Lark was stunned! The committee had done such a fantastic job! Lark's golden stare widened as she took in the sight of the ball area. Candles in bubbles, tons of hanging floral decor... The dance floor.. stage. This had really come together and been so much more than she anticipated for a secret ball. "My gosh.." Turning towards the suit of armor closest to her she noticed a sign for the brooms to be placed there. Setting her Comet 180 alongside some of the other brooms, she left the blue ribbon she had tied to the handle on it. Not sure how many others were going to be bringing theirs, Lark didn't want a mix-up if suddenly the ball atmosphere changed to where they needed to rush to grab brooms. If she lost this her parents were sure to give her more than the earful she got from the whole dress ordeal last October...

Tons of others were already outside enjoying the ball and either having pleasant conversations, so she hoped... or standing off to one side, some she noticed and gave a small wave to as she made her way further onto the pitch. No sign of AJ... or any of her other close friends for that matter. Biting at her lower lip nervously, Lark brushed a stray strand of silver behind her ear. Running her hands over her forearms anxiously, she scanned the area for the refreshment tables. Hopefully she could sneak in a drink suddenly feeling her mouth go dry. Would this go like the last ball? Her right hand absentmindedly rose to feel at the back of her head where someone's shoe had smacked her. 'No.. no way...' Shaking the memories from her thoughts, Lark finally eyed the tables on the far right of the pitch. Heading over to the table that looked to be well stocked with goblets of... well whatever it was Lark honestly didn't care. The more she thought about seeing AJ for some reason the more nervous she became. 'It's no big deal.. no big deal. You asked as friends, we're friends!' Hoping to reassure herself... if for some reason this night ended like before she really didn't want to lose AJ as a friend or a - What is that? The first year's attention was turned towards a strange bottle with a yellow label. Picking one of the bottles up, Lark inspected the name and tan contents inside. "Yehew?" The word felt strange against her tongue, Irish lilt twisting in a funny way to try and pronounce the blue name emblazoned across the bottle. It looked interesting enough, almost a milky tea type color to the liquid encased inside. Squinting, she turned the bottle over in her hand. Hmm... well couldn't hurt, could it? Deciding to change it, Lark smiled as she looked over the other options for snacks and drinks. This really had all come together so well. She was thankful that some sort of ball was still going to take place and hopefully end this year on the right note. Passing on some of the food, still full from dinner and also nerves eating at her stomach, Lark opted to stick with whatever this Yoohoo was and find a spot to stand and face the entrance as she watched others enjoy themselves.

༺Outfit for the Evening༻

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Interactions: @Reid Kovacs, @Adam Harringtom , @Alexx Séverin
Mentions: A lot of people. O_O