Frigid Festivities PV Andrea Woodsburn

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Andrea's presence was hardly surprising. The Woodburns, like the Ahlstroms and so many other pure-bloods, were fixtures at self-important soirees such as these. Though the Woodburns didn't seem to foster the same ideals surrounding blood purity that his parents did, they did share the same taste in parties. Cassiel could not say the same of himself. "You say that like we haven't run into each other at one of these horrible events before." They'd seen each other at these sort of gatherings ever since Cassiel's parents decided he was old enough to start attending them. It felt like a badge of honor at first, an achievement to boast smugly about to his younger cousins, but he very soon discovered that what awaited him were long, dull nights spent wearing formal clothes he never felt quite comfortable in. And dancing, an obscene amount of dancing. Too busy acclimating to life as a student while grappling with the reality of being Gryffindor, Cassiel hadn't yet had the chance to really speak with Andrea at school yet, and their sorting into separate houses certainly didn't help. She was one of the few students he already knew before arriving at Hogwarts, and her calming presence would have been infinitely helpful during his first few tumultuous weeks. Cassiel stepped away from the shrubs he'd been using a shield, and aproached Andrea with an expression that almost looked amicable. His face, though unmistakeably a child's, possessed the same sharpness all Ahlstroms had, lending even his warmest expressions a hardened edge. "You needed to escape your family, too?" He thought of his Aunt Erythia, a small scowl on his face. Eying the pastry in her hand, he remarked, "At least you were smart enough to bring a snack." ♜ ♜

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Andrea stepped closer, "Not exactly, just from a few acquaintances." She gave a dry chuckle, bathing in the refreshingly cool night air after the stifling heat of the ballroom, "My mother's friends, insanely nosy women. If I had stayed a minute longer, I think my ears would've fallen right off."

The dove's eyes squinted in light amusement, noticing the boy's eyes lingering on the sweet treat in her hand. She nudged her hand forward, slightly moving the pastry closer to the young Ahlstrom. "I wasn't that hungry, just needed a small distraction to look busy. You can have it, if you'd like." She lightly shrugged her shoulders and gave him an encouraging look, hoping to get rid of the scowl that had found its way on to his face.

Turning her attention back to the flower bed, her eyes traced the snowdrops' delicate petals that seemed to gleam under the soft moonlight. The courtyard was a gorgeous sight; lush greenery and a quiet wind, a completely contrasting atmosphere to the ballroom's overwhelming chatter.

"So," the girl started, voice soft, "how has Hogwarts been treating you so far?" She kept her gaze on the pale blooms, yet her focus remained on the boy beside her. "I imagine it's a slight change from what we're used to, at least for me it quite is."

Andrea knew the unspoken weight of pure-blood expectations all too well. She knew the invisible scripts their families expected them to follow, the anticipating, and often rude stares of others. She was fully aware of the Ahlstrom lineage and their deep roots in Slytherin. To be pushed into the lion's pride while coming from a snake's den, she could only guess that a small piece of Cassiel's script had ripped during that moment.