The Stars Are Leaning In
Made by the amazing Matthew Campbell
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Damien had just finished setting up the final decorated for his birthday party that he was hosting in the astronomy tower. He was lucky enough that he was an astronomy intern so he already has permission to be up here but he even had asked Professor McCorie for permission to host his party here because as he phrased it having a party while the stars are out is just a special way to spend a birthday, and he was glad the professor agreed with him. He took a step back to look at the work he had done, the room was covered in a winter theme somewhat with the Christmas spirit as he had put a small Christmas tree and evens decorated it to fit the vibe he was going for as well as snow flakes falling from the ceiling due to him doing the snowflake charm he learnt in astronomy class last year. Honestly to him it felt like he was in a winter wonderland with how pretty it looked. He even decorated the tables making them have a white sheet over them with snacks as well as beautiful crystals as a display piece on the table, Damien was glad that he has gotten his decorating skills from his mother. Speaking of his mother he was delighted that he had gotten a letter from her wishing him a happy birthday and how his main gift was waiting for him whenever he returned home for the holidays but she sent him some gallons as well as some sweets from her shop, but that wasn’t the most important gift he was given. The most important gift that he was given from her was the Dragonclaw signet ring that included the Dragonclaw crest engraved on it. That was truly meaningful to him as Damien didn’t think he would ever be gifted this due to his father and their interesting relationship at the moment, speaking of his father he didn’t even get a letter or anything from his father for his birthday that was what hurt him the most. Sure they both didn’t truly speak to each other during the summer and the last owl he got from him was back in March of his first year and that was to tell Damien how disappointed and ashamed he was that Damien was his son. The pain Damien felt reading that letter couldn’t explain the pain he felt right now as he thought at least his father would send him a owl on his birthday, it didn’t even have to be him congratulations or giving him something it could have been a simple happy birthday signed Grant Dragonclaw and Damien would have been happy by it. But maybe that just showed how stupid and naive he really was to even expect that from his father as if it wasn’t for the fact that he could parade Damien around in public and boost his accomplishments to maintain his “perfect family imagine” he wouldn’t spare him a second glance. Honestly that’s why he looked forward to this party in the late evening so much as so far he kinda has a shitty day due to not receiving one letter from his father. The only things that made the first part of the day somewhat happy was seeing his bunk mate Mikey wake him up wishing him a happy birthday as well as getting to talk with his other friend Leo Noxley who shared a birthday with him. Which reminded him he had to still give him his gift later tonight when he sees him in the common room. But overall he was truly excited to see his friends this evening as deep down he was worried if they would even show up or not as last year he didn’t do anything for his birthday due to him feeling homesick and not knowing a lot of people but this year he figured he would attempt to have a small gathering with some of his friends. Suddenly panic started to engulf him as he realized he wasn’t actually sure if he had enough snacks and food for his friends. He quickly made his way to the food table as he looked at all the stuff he had provided, their was at least four cakes one plain one with white icing that said happy birthday since he felt it fit the occasion then their was the lemon pound cake he made using his mothers famous recipe, then he made a red velvet and chocolate cake since he didn’t know what all everyone would enjoy. Next was the smaller snacks like the candies he got from his mother shop as well as honey dukes then their was the little plates that were surrounded with crackers and different types or cheese and meats as well as one plate with fruit and vegetables on it. Damien hates not being prepared for something as he always struggled with over preparing for things but that was always due to him wanting to make sure everyone had a fun time and got the full experience of the party as what kind of host would he be if he didn’t provide enough food for everyone. He looked at the time and noticed they should be on their way here soon so he sat down and waited for them to arrive. He realized he needed something to pass the time as currently his cat Apollo was laying down beside him as he wanted to accompany him at the party so he decided to pull out his sketch book and sketch his precious cat who was being very lazy right now. He hopped they remembered to bundle up tonight as it was kinda cold out, he was lucky his mother had sent his royal blue sweater with his intials on it for him to wear as well as his Ravenclaw scarf and gloves which he had knitted during the knitting event last month he was glad it turned out so good as they truly did keep his hand warm. He just smiled at Apollo softly before continuing his sketch. |
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| IC date: 19th of December | Interactions: @Giovanni De’Luca @Mamori Anezaki @Landon Matthew’s @Alphonse Toussaint @Fire Davies @Elena Clark @Camille De Varenne @Mikey Forville @Axyen Dragonclaw |
| English: #0056d6 | Thoughts: Italics |
Last edited by Damien Dragonclaw on 6 Feb 2026, 01:03, edited 1 time in total.
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The Stars Are Leaning In
Banner by Hazel Nelson
Mikey didn't even think about knocking before he opened the door, going straight inside. After walking a few steps, he stopped as if he had run into a wall. "Dang! " came out of his mouth without realizing it, eyes popping.
The cold air was filled with tiny flakes that sparkled in the light from a single lamp. Now he knew why it was necessary to wear a heavy coat. There was a small tree decorated with lights that looked as though they had been thrown on it casually. Food was spread over every table.
Turning halfway round, his scarf fell off one of his shoulders. His breath was visible as a small cloud of steam when he exhaled. He looked at Damien and said, "You didn't just decorate the tower, you actually made it look like a huge snow globe."
He was walking around the place as if there was nowhere he would rather be, which might actually be the case if he was really thinking it through. Without saying a word, he came and sat next to him.
The cat Apollo received a gentle rubbing behind the ears, which he seemed to enjoy. On guard, always. Too risky leaving celebrations alone. He leaned towards the open sketchbook, and a smile appeared on his face. Not bad at all, he admitted, his voice remaining calm. Spot on, really.
Then Mikey straightened up, gave Damien a light push with his shoulder. "Probably someone else is on their way right now." There was a pause until Mikey opened his coat and revealed a small box tucked in a frayed blue wrapper, looking like it had traveled everywhere with him. He handed it to Damian. "Happy birthday, " he said.
His grin fell for a moment, but then he brought it back fully. "I'm glad you are celebrating this year. You've earned moments like these. Sky lit up, warm meal, friends around you know." Mikey lay back on his elbows, his eyes wandering over the illuminated ceiling above. "Just one thing, I get the second pick at trying your cakes." He made it sound like the role was very significant, maybe even necessary, but he was wearing it with pride. His elbow touched Damien's side, gentle and almost haptic. Then he asked, quiet but clear, "Everything okay with you, mate?"
Reducio
@Giovanni De’Luca @Mamori Anezaki @Landon Matthew’s @Alphonse Toussaint @Fire Davies @Elena Clark @Camille De Varenne @Damien Dragonclaw @Axyen Dragonclaw
The Stars Are Leaning In
| C | date: 19/12/2025 location: Astronomy outfit: Link |
abilities: lovely creature dialogue: #0a2a28 mentioned: @Harvey Barrows |
C |
| CV | With the Holidays just around the corner, Camille expected a lot of things: lavish gifts, high-society events, and an endless stream of obligations. An invite to Damien Dragonclaw's birthday celebration was not one of those things he’d expected. At first, he debated whether it was worth his time; he didn’t know who would be in attendance, though he suspected no one of particular note. The relationship between the two Ravenclaw boys was, from Camille’s perspective, polite at best, awkward at worst. To refuse the invite and be the only one shining with his absence might reflect poorly, which was the main reason he eventually decided to offer his housemate his congratulations. The visit would be short, in any case. Just the other day, he’d been informed that the De Varenne family had arranged a personal escort to return him to France the same evening, as they had pressing business to attend to before Christmas. With such a tight schedule, he had a perfectly reasonable excuse to slip away early, before the wrong eyes noticed him. And if all else failed, Camille planned to assign Harvey the task of rescuing him from a night of childish mingling. It was not the first event he’d been forced to attend alongside the Slytherin half-goblin, but due to desperation, it was the first event he’d willingly invited him to. Not because he enjoyed the boy’s company, facing it alone was simply worse. Harvey had been shocked by this sudden burst of cooperation; Camille, however, was more surprised than anyone to find himself begrudgingly clearing Harvey’s calendar for the 19th. Without him, it was doubtful Harvey would have even been on the guest list at all. Granted, Damien’s birthday party in the Astronomy tower was hardly the most refined of gatherings, but it could prove to be an opportunity for the boy who obviously yearned to climb the social ladder. Among Damien and his friends, Camille frankly did not care what Harvey chose to do with his evening, as long as he kept him out of it. If anyone cared to ask what they were doing together, he was simply doing Harvey a favor, though those paying attention would have guessed the truth. And if against all odds, Damien would decide to interrogate him about why he’d invited his own guests—since Camille had obviously not asked beforehand— he had an excuse ready: they were a package deal. Remembering Damien’s excessive love for books, picking out a gift had been simple. His own bookshelf was lined with untouched editions, any of which he could have offered as new. In the end, he chose something different: a bullet journal, its cover was a moving galaxy sky to appeal to Damien’s fascination with astronomy, his love of books, and, at the same time, offering a subtle nudge for the dreamer to practice some grounded self-reflection. Perhaps he would just use it to draw his “masterpieces” — either way, Camille’s main concern was finishing the delivery and then seeing himself out, before the crowd got too large. Last-minute gift in hand, Camille made his way to the location to find Harvey. Camille searched each corridor with sharp, alert eyes, hoping the short-statured boy wouldn’t keep him waiting. His own time-optimism, paired with the others’ punctuality, meant he found the half-goblin already waiting. How long he’d been there, Camille didn’t care to ask. Remaining his usual stoic expression, mild disdain barely contained, the Ravenclaw did not smile at him, either, as he approached. Knowing he wouldn’t have to wait made him relax his shoulders beneath his navy crew-neck sweater, the exquisitely fitted garment betraying a subtle cue of ease, the only flaw in his otherwise impeccable appearance. His black trousers, too, fit him like a glove. “Harvey,” Camille greeted him, lip curling slightly. “Glad to see you didn’t forget the time.” During his out-of-character invitation, Camille had not updated him on exactly what the event would entail, except for the fact that it was a birthday party. "You're probably wondering why I invited you. I’m here to congratulate, not mingle. I need to be out at eight. If anyone, for some reason tries to hold me, it’s your responsibility to ensure I make a clean exit." The Slytherin who hadn’t earned an invite on his own would likely be unaware of Damien’s talent for monopolizing conversation; unfortunately, Camille had firsthand experience. "Handle the rest as you see fit. I don’t care what you do, just keep my name out of it. If anyone asks, I’m doing you a favor." Merlin forbade anyone who thought Camille had asked the other one out; showing up together was enough embarrassment. “Any questions?” Camille regarded him with mild arrogance, head slightly tilted, patiently awaiting a reply to ensure the stakes were crystal clear. |
CV |
Ilias Lahlou | Ilvermorny
The Stars Are Leaning In
@Camille De Varenne
Oh the holidays. So many of his friends and peers reveled in the season. The decor, the lavish gifts, the parties and feasts. Yuletide brings with it a sense of family and community that had just never landed for Harvey. Perhaps it was just his nature, perhaps just his upbringing. The goblin grandfather that raised him did not celebrate Christmas as their culture had no hints of the Christian or pagan celebrations of old. However, this time of year did bring with it an abundance of opportunities. When the elite gather to celebrate, Harvey and company must network.
The winter break would be jam packed with social gatherings and important business meetings. With his grandfather’s trade in precious goblin jewelry and armors this time of year was one of the busiest as the wealthy looked to shower their loved ones in expensive gifts. Many youths would dread being dragged around to such festivities, but Harvey looked forward to it. Even in his youth the boy had a mind geared for business and trade. Watching his grandfather spin a deal was highly exciting and Harvey couldn’t wait to see the old goblin in action.
That said, there were still obligations to attend to at school before the break. The most current one came from a surprising source as he was willingly invited to a party by none other than Camille De Varenne. Yes, the two were contractually obligated to one another, but this particular occasion had not been met with the usual dread and misery from Camille. At first Harvey even suspected ill intent. Surely the Ravenclaw had something up his sleeve, but no, it would seem that he actually found a use for little ole Harvey and the lad had no problem being used in such a way. It was tit for tat. Harvey would bail Camille out when needed and he got to make some introductions.
It was too bad that the pair of them would probably never become real friends as they’d make quite the duo. They were both punctual, motivated and looked damn good in their fine clothing. “Forget the time, Camille? I am many things, but never late as you well know.” Harvey would carry a sly grin on his face in opposition to the other’s stoic expression. Little as he may be, the part goblin did not back down easily. “Out at eight, no exceptions. Understood.” Harvey had his own ways of getting things done. “Now, let’s go.”
As the pair entered the astronomy tower there wouldn’t be anything there that left Harvey all that impressed, but it was cute in a DIY kind of way. This Damien really should have consulted Harvey first if he wanted to real birthday bash, but no matter, he was here now and it was time to mingle. “Introductions.” Harvey nudged Camille.
Second Generation Character of Howard White
The Stars Are Leaning In
| C | date: 19/12/2025 location: Astronomy outfit: Link |
abilities: lovely creature dialogue: #0a2a28 mentioned: @Harvey Barrows, @Mikey Forville @Damien Dragonclaw |
C |
| CV | Upon first glance at the venue, it was clear that Damien had prioritized budget over extravagance. Between the lonely Christmas tree, the snacks table draped in a white sheet as tablecloth, and the conjured snowfall, neither Camille nor Harvey seemed particularly impressed by the décor, perhaps the only thing the unlikely duo could agree on. For the purpose of the event, he supposed that was all that was needed, albeit low-effort. Apart from the do-it-yourself decorations, the Astronomy Tower was freezing, despite Camille making the wise decision of wearing his thicker robes. The next thing he noticed was that, aside from Camille and his entourage, only one other guest was present besides the birthday boy: a second-year Ravenclaw Camille had seen in passing, chatting with the host. The revelation made him pause, subtly alarmed. Hopefully the boy was not the only invitee who had accepted. Otherwise, Camille’s escape plan would be compromised, and a disappointment for Harvey, who had been expecting an evening of mingling. Camille didn’t know what would be more pathetic: that Damien had no friends to invite, or that all his friends had bailed at the last minute. If the former was the case, it would make the decision to invite Camille, who barely tolerated him, even more tragic. Most tragic of it all, Damien was probably clueless. His own disinterest aside, he knew Damien had friends. In fact, he was quietly relieved that Lorenzo wasn’t sprawled on the floor in tears, having seen him overreact to his fabulous portrait one too many times. He did, however, wonder what it would signal to people that Camille was here but Lorenzo was not. It would be foolish of him to complain, though he wondered, weren't they supposed to be friends? The most plausible explanation for the sparse attendance was simply that they were early, an unfamiliar and unwelcome possibility for Camille. This was probably the first party he had ever arrived at ahead of everyone else, a development for the worse. Knowing Damien’s penchant for assuming the best in people, he feared the boy would assume his punctuality to be a sign of affection. It wasn't. Finding that introductions were now unavoidable, Harvey nudged him with a subtle reminder, and Camille slowly moved a step ahead, poised to hand over his gift. Approaching the pair, he offered his congratulations to Damien first, extending the neatly-wrapped package towards him. The quicker he could get the gift off his hands, the sooner he could make his exit without having to worry about any loose ends. “Happy birthday, Damien.” Afterwards, the French boy acknowledged the other Ravenclaw with a brief, polite nod. “I don’t think we’ve met. I’m Camille. Pleasure.“ It was neither a pleasure, nor was the boy’s name of much importance to him, only a formality to get the standard pleasantries out of the way. He decided to address the elephant in the room: half-goblin, though no one had asked. Gesturing to Harvey and barely containing a smirk, Camille added in a sudden change of thought, “Don’t mind me bringing my plus-one. He was simply dying to come.” An exaggeration, as he’d left Harvey no choice but to accompany him. With at most four people present, he deemed it nearly considerate of him. “I hope we’re not too early?” he asked, feigning gullibility while casting a glance at the empty space around them, unless you counted the countless stars decorating the sky above. |
CV |
Ilias Lahlou | Ilvermorny
The Stars Are Leaning In
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Date: 12/19/25| Outfit: Here | CC: #1f5cc6 | Words: 279 | Graphic by Ulysses Drake | Interacting with @Damien Dragonclaw
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Landon had formed a bit of a bond with the younger Ravenclaw, Damien Dragonclaw, and he was happy that Damien had invited him to his birthday party. He wasn't always the best with parties or large gatherings of people, but he was always supportive of his friends. It was a little cold for a party out in the astronomy tower, but Landon bundled up a little to keep himself warm. He loved stars, mostly because he was fascinated by the fact that many, if not most, were there back in ancient Rome or other historical eras.
He walked to the party and smiled as he saw the decor. Damien had gone all out and Landon thought it was great. Landon carried his hastily wrapped package for Damien's birthday gift. Landon wasn't very good at wrapping presents, but an attempt was made. He hoped that Damien would like it, as he knew Damien liked books and Quidditch. But since Landon wasn't able to do much crafting wise, he couldn't make Damien a gift like his twin Harper could have.
Landon grinned when he saw Damien with his cat. Landon would have brought his own cat, Merlin, but Merlin had looked so cute, curled up on Landon's bed, that he couldn't disturb him. He walked over to Damien, who was being greeted by other students, and stopped to pet Apollo, wanting to greet the cat, but also not interrupt the other people who were there. Landon waited patiently for everyone to talk before greeting Damien himself. "Hey Damien, happy birthday!" he said with a smile. He passed Damien the sloppily wrapped present. "Sorry it's messy, I'm not good at wrapping presents."
iNPC - Nico Figueroa
The Stars Are Leaning In
xx SECOND YEAR | RAVENCLAW xx 
english ; thoughts │ wordcount ; 737
| xxx | ☽ MENTIONS ; @damien dragonclaw, @camille de varenne, @harvey barrows |
19 DECEMBER, 2025 ; DATE ☾ | xxx |
| xxx | ☽ OUTFIT ; beep boop! |
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ᴍᴏᴏɴᴄʜɪʟᴅ ── ꜱɪxᴛʜ ꜱᴇɴꜱᴇ | ᴄᴀʟᴍɪɴɢ ᴘʀᴇꜱᴇɴᴄᴇ ꜱᴛᴀ 6 ; ᴇᴠᴀ 7 ; ꜱᴛʀ 4 ; ᴡɪꜱ 9 ; ᴀʀᴄ 6 ; ᴀᴄᴄ 8 |
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| ❝ 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐨𝐧-𝐝𝐫𝐮𝐧𝐤, 𝐡𝐚𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝, 𝐩𝐢𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐥.❞ ☘︎ STAFF ACCOUNT ; ᴍᴀʟᴀɪᴋᴀ ᴏᴍᴇɴᴜᴋᴏ |
The Stars Are Leaning In
Made by the amazing Prat Pass
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Damien Smiled softly as the first guest arrived, it was his bunkmate Mikey Forville, He gave him a small friendly smile before getting up and hugging him. “Oh! Thank you I wanted it to match how I felt also I’m so glad you could make it!” As he spoke Mikey would hear the pure happiness and joy he felt as Damien was just honestly so happy that anyone showed up as he truly didn’t know how many of the invites he sent would actually show up so even if it was just Mikey he wouldn’t mind! Damien loved Mikey sense of humor, it was honestly why they got along so well he thought to himself. “I’ll gladly let you have the first slice of cake after me since you did arrive first” He chuckled as he took the present before quickly standing up and going to put it onto a table so when others came he could put them on the same table. He decided he’d open all the presents later when everyone was there so they all could see his reaction to there gifts. It was honestly funny as soon as he got up Camille entered the room along with a Slytherin boy that Damien didn’t recognize at all but the more the merrier he supposed. He made his way back to where Mikey was so he could greet both of them. His smile grew brighter when he took the gift from Camille while looking at him. “Thank you Camille! I’m glad you could make it and don’t worry about the plus one I’m just happy people are showing up!” Damien could feel him look around the room noticing how not many people were here yet which honestly Damien didn’t blame him for noticing it, it was quite obvious. “No not at all! You’re both right on time actually I think some are just a bit late that’s all..” He kept his smile up hopping his voice wouldn’t betray him as he didn’t want to give off the impression that he was worried though even though he kinda was. “But I hope you all enjoy yourselves and the snacks and food that’s provided if you need something let me know!” Once he said that he quickly went and set Camille present down besides Mikey before he sat down and went back to sketching in his book as he waited for the next guest. It wouldn’t take long for the next guest to roll in and it was none other than his good friend Landon Matthews, Damien enjoyed his company a lot as he was honestly a great person to talk with especially about Quidditch. He noticed the messy wrapped gift and just chuckled as honestly he used to be horrible at wrapping gifts but his mother taught him how to do it gracefully so he gets the struggle. “Its alright Landon I’m just even thrilled you got me something! So please enjoy yourself and I made sure to make a lot of sweet treats!” He smiled at him before thanking him again and heading to set his present on the table with all the other gifts before he made his way back to where he was sitting where just his luck the next guest and in Damien eyes one of the most stunning had arrived. It was none other than the blonde moon goddess herself Elena Clark, as Damien looked on in shock he had to remind himself to close his mouth or he would make an utter fool of himself in front of her. He wasn’t just in shock of how many presents she had brought him but also her current look. Damien always had a weird habit some would say but to him he liked to say it was a artistic eye when it came to noticing features about others, and right now that was on full display as he noticed the way her beautiful honey golden hair flowed down onto her shoulders as well as those beautiful blue eyes that he felt like he was drowning in every time he looked in them. His eyes moved down to her outfit it wasn’t anything too flashy but he still found it cute it was a brown jacket that had many pockets as well as a jean skirt. Damien himself had never wore anything made out of jean material but he couldn’t say it didn’t interest him but his father associated that with more of a muggle culture kinda thing something dragonclaws were above. He quickly walked over to her and grabbed the presents from her so she wouldn’t have to levitate them anymore as he smiled at her, “Elena! It is truly an honor you could make it I swear the room lights up whenever you enter my dear!” He flashes her a warm smile as he quickly looks at the cookies she made before smiling. “I didn’t know you knew how to bake! I can’t wait to try these and you can never go wrong with chocolate chips so I appreciate it!” He smiles at her before he excuses himself so he can go and put the presents up with the rest of them before he made his way back noticing Elena was holding Apollo and petting him, he smiled slightly as Apollo was sucking up all the attention. “Elena I didn’t know you liked cats ? And by the looks of it Apollo seems to like you.” He chuckled as Apollo was letting such loud purrs that Damien has never heard before so he assumed he must truly enjoyed Elena presence. Damien looked around the place as he noticed all of his friends and new friends who had came to his party, it was almost enough to make him tear up as he felt special. |
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| IC date: 19th of December | Interactions: @Giovanni De’Luca @Mamori Anezaki @Landon Matthews @Alphonse Toussaint @Fire Davies @Elena Clark @Camille De Varenne @Mikey Forville @Harvey Barrows @Axyen Dragonclaw |
| English: #0056d6 | Thoughts: Italics |
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The Stars Are Leaning In
xx
The Scottish Highlands had elected to be slightly less aggressively windy than usual today, which changed nothing about the fact that it was still freezing at dusk. This presented a reasonable dilemma for someone who had just finished Quidditch practice: was dragging himself up to the Astronomy Tower for this particular individual's birthday party worth sacrificing the honey glazed chicken on the dining hall menu, plus whatever remained of his body heat? The odds were not compelling. Then again, Mamori'd had Damien's mother's baking at summer camp — legitimately good — and parties that occupied dinner hours generally came with food. Leaving that on the table seemed wasteful.
So off went one blanket-wrapped certified food chaser, dressed in a black hoodie and sheer social obligation, up the spiral staircase then pausing at just the right spot to peer through the opening of the entrance. People were already up there, which confirmed he was by any reasonable definition, late.
First sweep of the room went to the crowd, second naturally went to the food and decorations. Having spent a fair amount of time around Damien by now — summer camp especially, where the unsolicited bed pre-decoration had already offered an early data point on the subject — Mamori had developed a working theory that this particular individual was, aesthetically speaking, rather more grounded than whatever tax bracket he was coming from. The current decorations could have come from any bulk supply shop and would look identical with or without his glasses on, and the menu wasn't reaching for anything elevated. Proximity to Damien came with zero lifestyle upgrades. But did the certified food chaser have strong feelings about this? Not particularly, he was here for the food.
He spotted @Landon Matthews across the room and raised a hand with a brief "yo," privately wondering if the boy had come straight from practice at a dead sprint, because they had both been on that pitch and Landon was somehow already here. Then did the socially correct thing and walked past the entire food table without lifting anything from it before making his way over to Damien.
"Oi, how come there are so few people? I thought you were supposed to be popular." Mamori started, giving Damien a light shove to the shoulder in the tone he used when he meant something but preferred it land like a joke. "I was going to slip in, eat, and be gone before anyone clocked me, but that plan needed a crowd. You've ruined it." He pointed to himself, then the lonely lamp there doing its best at its post. "See? I'm wearing black, that thing is one light. The stealth conditions here were genuinely excellent." Which would hold up, technically, if the person making that case didn't have pink hair and heart-shaped teal glasses, and was not by any metric, someone who blended into much of anything.
The venue had atmosphere, in fairness. Artificial snow, a wind that felt less decorative and more structural, cake that was likely reaching whatever temperature the outdoors had settled on for the night. A spiral staircase as the singular entry point, at zero degrees, for a December birthday gathering — it was indeed a very dramatic venue choice showcasing genuine commitment to a vision with minimal consideration for guest comfort levels. That probably explained the headcount. Mamori considered saying something about this but then decided that was veering into mean territory, choosing instead to think charitably about Damien's general mental state. A well-timed gust came through at that exact moment and visibly shook Mamori.
On reflection, showing up made him an excellent friend. Everyone else who had made it up here qualified as well.
"Happy birthday," he added more sincerely and reached into his hoodie's kangaroo pocket to produce a white envelope. It did not look like a birthday gift.
The envelope was already an upgrade on his original plan, for the record. The pink-haired badger had briefly considered arriving empty-handed and citing the unofficial Quidditch first-string opportunity he'd extended to Damien as a retroactive present. However his conscience, operating at minimal capacity, had vetoed this on the grounds that he was also planning to eat the boy's food. The problem was that he'd had nothing particularly giftable on him except for his Girding Potion stock, which was inventory and therefore nonnegotiable as a gift. What he did have was a half-price coupon for said potion and two vouchers — each redeemable once, each good for one instance of Mamori performing labor valued at up to ten Galleons, duration capped at twenty-four hours and explicitly not applicable to anything involving a conflict of interest between their respective Quidditch teams. Final interpretation of terms rested with him. He'd put all of this in the envelope and considered it a genuinely reasonable offer.
"It's a very one-of-a-kind gift," Mamori continued, nodding with the sincerity of someone who believed that entirely. "I'd open it later." Meaning not in front of everyone, because it was almost certainly the most budget item in the room and he still retained some basic social awareness. "Please."
He then cleared his throat and directed his gaze meaningfully toward the food table, where four full cakes sat in a state of considerable underutilization given the current headcount. "So. When does this start?"xx ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
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ooc note apologies for the wait five months sounds like a lot but if you round down aggressively it's basically nothing ahem ahem
xx
Last edited by Mamori Anezaki on 4 Jul 2026, 16:28, edited 2 times in total.
| iNPC: Ilya Voronov |
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#D2445E |
The Stars Are Leaning In
Axyen was rushing in at full speed, he needed to hurry up and climb up the Astronomy Tower as fast as he could—otherwise, he would be even more late than he currently was! Dang it, dang it... How did I not wake up on time!? Axyen thought to himself in a frenzy as he tried to recall last night's events, as he knew the answer to his own question. He just hoped there was some very good excuse he could think up if he happened to be confronted about this. This was his cousin's birthday party after all, there was virtually no excuse for Axyen to be late.
Axyen still needed a good reason for being late as he slowed to a walk up the stairs, taking deep breaths—running upstairs has been and always will be an annoying task. Hey, is there a spell to go up these stairs faster? I should seriously invest some time into looking for—NO, FOCUS! Axyen needed to be thinking about this party. He admittedly panicked in his very hasty preparation, hence why he was just in his school uniform today. He at least came equipped with a gift bag, so it wasn't like he forgot about the birthday or anything...!
So, what even led me into this situation? With a sigh, Axyen recalled a
FLASHBACK
ReducioAxyen paced back and forth in his dorm, thinking to himself with excitement about the upcoming party that he had been invited to. "Okay, I think I got a pretty good gift, I just need to sleep early! Yes, that makes a lot of sense, sleep early!" Axyen muttered to himself excitedly as he leaped into bed. However, after a lot of twisting and turning, he found no success at all!
He couldn't sleep, and he didn't know why he couldn't sleep exactly, he just didn't find himself drifting off or anything. He lie there restlessly as he sat back up, thinking to himself idly. His Pygmy Puff Arnold was sleeping peacefully, so why couldn't Axyen sleep peacefully either? It wasn't making any sense—you would think it was all working out perfectly, but for some reason it wasn't. Soon enough, the normal curfew passed, and Axyen was still awake, trying to read until he fell asleep.
Wait, this is actually getting interesting...! Soon enough, this supposed boring reading session meant to put him to sleep in ten minutes went on for two hours as Axyen flipped page after page. "Man, I am tired..." Axyen laid onto his bed again, and this time, he finally fell asleep after a little reading.
......
...
..
Soon enough, Axyen opened his eyes—the once dark room was lit, and he felt like he was forgetting something important. What am I forgetting, what am I forgetting, what am I forgetting!? Axyen lightly stomped his foot in frustration, it was a little childish, actually. However, it suddenly hit him at that moment: "The party!" Axyen quickly got dressed, he would need to zoom through Hogsmeade and get a gift to accompany the notecard he planned to present. So Axyen soon found himself running, and running, and running...
"Huff... puff... I am finally... here..." Axyen found himself stretching, before walking around with virtually no sense of direction. He didn't exactly know what Damien would like or what he wouldn't like, so he was admittedly quite conflicted about it—was he supposed to... buy snacks? No, that's too boring, too universally accepted, I need something... cool! Something... awesome! I have nothing to work with, though. So I guess the next best thing to ask is what I would like as a gift...? Axyen let the thought linger in his head.
He figured he would like something with a bit of magic to it—yes, there would forever be a certain wonder to magical items. However, where would Axyen find such an item? He scanned the shops as he walked by, and then he would freeze in front of one particular shop that caught his eye. Zonko's Joke Shop, it would surely have something cool! With a confident, but very nervous smile, Axyen would step in.
He was VERY nervous now, seeing all of the items around, and he was confronted with a bunch of people in the store as well as what felt like thousands of options to choose from. He would tip-toe about, looking at choice after choice with uncertainty—soon enough, he found that he had gone through the entire store thrice by now, and yet he still hadn't made any progress about selecting an item—he hadn't even noticed the time begin to slip by! However, as he was about to make his fifth walk around, he read an item description about...
"T-this is perfect..!" Axyen whispered to himself, it was useful, and it was what he deemed a safe and non-destructive item. What better item could he possible hope to ask for? Alright, so he grabbed the ring, nervously walked up and paid for it after muttering a few exchanges with the store owner and now he was outside, holding his gift bag. "What a success—" Axyen suddenly remembered something at that moment.
I HAVE TO RUN! Axyen began sprinting back towards the castle at full speed.
That's how he ended up in this situation, after being occupied for so many hours, this was basically his fault. What excuse could he possibly hope to come up with? Well, Axyen had an idea, of course. Accompanying him, was his Pygmy Puff, Arnold—Axyen's number one pride and joy in this world. Also a trouble maker, so there was that as well.
However, Axyen would find Arnold accompanying him tonight. Axyen would find himself hesitating slightly as he saw a bunch of people here as well, but he did his best to try and appear confident. He admittedly didn't know what to expect from a party, so a few things happened to stick out to him here.
There was a small Christmas tree, a table with crystals displayed, or the snowflakes gliding downwards—a charm, of course. Wow, that atmosphere here is quite pleasant... Axyen thought to himself as he entered the scene, thinking to himself. Axyen saw a gift table of sorts, he would keep that in mind as he approached Damien—while taking note of the other students here, many faces that Axyen failed to recognize, of course.
"Ahem..." Axyen cleared his throat for a second to buy himself just a second or two to form a sentence in his head. "Happy birthday, Damien—the tower looks really nice, um, anyways—I'll just leave this gift with the others," said the Hufflepuff as he set his bag containing a note and a Ring of Almost Warning with the other gifts. Axyen took a deep breath.
So he was here now, he had to somehow make the most out of it, in some way—so that was going to be something very important. His brother would probably laugh at Axyen's situation right about now, it resulted in Axyen forming a straight line with his mouth at the thought briefly before attempting to relax again. So, all he needed to do... was just to act casual. Casual was something that Axyen could do, or so he liked to imagine. Hey, if he was trying, there was probably some degree of success, he imagined.
Uh, so I just talk to someone, right? Or maybe Damien since it's his birthday? Axyen found himself scanning the room a second time, this time a bit more thoroughly opposed to his previous swift glance. Oh, and Arnold was behaved, resting right beside Axyen who was looking directly at Axyen. If Axyen didn't know Arnold by now, he would've assumed that Arnold was judging him by gazing into his soul...
Actually, that might be what Arnold is currently doing and Axyen just doesn't know it yet—you could never tell with cute animals.InformationReducioMentioning....Reducio@Damien DragonclawItemsReducio
- Wand
OOC notesReducioSorry for the super late reply!
Stamina-7|Evasion-6|Strength-2|Wisdom-9|Arcane Power-15|Accuracy-8
Prodigal Defense Against the Dark Arts Learner | Beast Master