Quidditch Stands || Secret Blossom Ball Event

dress: Reducio

shoes: Reducio hehe none

| sta: 6 | eva: 7 | str: 6 | wis: 8 | arcp: 4 | acc: 10 |
race: metamorphmagus iiii abilities: sixth sense

entering from the main thread

mentions: n/a | interacting with: @Celynne Gray @Dmitri Jones

Cecily's shoulders relaxed a bit as she made her way out of the crowded pitch into the crisp evening air, using one hand to pull her cardigan closer around her shoulders. With everyone crushed inside the arena, the temperature difference hit her like a wall of ice as she started to make her way up to the stands. The wind grew stronger and more bitter the higher she climbed, blowing strands of hair streaked with blue across her face as she pressed her lips together to keep it out of her mouth. God, she was so ready to sit down with no social pressure and eat a cupcake. The ones in her hand looked absolutely irresistible, and honestly, if they tasted even half as good as they looked, making an appearance at the ball would be worth it just for these. Plus, she thought as she climbed the last few steps to the top of the staircase, they might be able to win back Celynne's affection that undoubtedly was fading the longer Cecily made her stay here. Hey, Cel, sorry you got attacked by werewolves, but here's a cupcake!

"Hey, Cel!" Cecily called, carefully waving with the hand not splayed under the paper plate as she spotted her friend. The other Ravenclaw leaned against a railing overlooking the glittering, colorful decorations on the pitch, conversing a boy that she recognised only as a fellow third-year. Celynne was looking very elegant in a simple, dark gown with a glittering armband that caught the warm light emanating from below when she turned just so. Cecily made her way through the stands to the other girl, balancing the precious cupcakes on their plate. "I hope I wasn't too long. Look, I brought cupcakes!" Cecily raised her eyebrows and proclaimed this with a grin as she neared the two students. Once in arm's reach, she held out the crowded plate as an offering to the poor girl she dragged along to this (doomed) event. She promised she would get cupcakes for Celynne, and cupcakes she got. Before the other two could take their pick, though, she plucked off the tray the one that she had been eyeing since she loaded it onto the plate-- a yellow cake with a candied lemon slice daintily placed on top of a swirl of pale frosting. It looked positively delectable, and Cecily could barely wait to inhale it.

First, though, she addressed the other student with half of an awkward smile. "Hi, I'm Cecily. I don't think we've met." A surprisingly adept greeting from a socially inadequate girl. It seemed that the less people that were around, the better she was at, well, existing. Of course, three was a crowd, but not when one of those three just came from the refreshment table at a pre-adolescent school dance. Larger groups just made her shrink into herself even more, but up here in the wide-open stands, she felt surprisingly at-ease. At-ease because there were very few people here to put her in uncomfortable situations, and surprisingly because she was still technically as a Hogwarts ball, and Hogwarts balls had an extremely poor track record in terms of students having a good time. Honestly, everything had been going surprisingly well so far tonight-- too well. It very much seemed about time for something to go horribly wrong. And, honestly, Cecily very much did not want to be in the middle of a mosh pit of panicked children when such a thing happened.

action: offering cupcakes. yay!

Saskia continued from the Quidditch Pitch

Interactions: None
Mentions: @Annie Morgan, @Serena Towers, @Lamik Fillestar, @Elena Jangleton

Closed to Interactions for now

Saskia had made her way through the stands after having to push her way through the waves of people who stood in her way. It was quieter there. Less jam-packed and loud. It wasn't that she minded the loud noises itself, but she needed time to process whatever happened back then.

The dance with Annie was something that wouldn't vanish so easily from her mind. It was wonderful, to put it in a single word. It was weird how amazing it all was. She never thought dancing with someone on the grassy fields of the Quidditch pitch with boots would be something that would affect her this much, but somehow, it did. What was something that seemed so foreign and unusual at first was something that she quickly grew comfortable with, and there was a part of her that knew it wasn't just because she had to look at other people to see if she was getting it right. It wasn't even instinct or intuition that ultimately guided her. Just looking at Annie was enough to assure her that she wasn't messing up. That she was on the right path. Perhaps if it wasn't for the guilt that got into her heart first, she might have noticed that she felt lighter than ever.

That was the issue. Annie ran away from her. It wasn't that she wanted a break from dancing, or that she wanted to go somewhere else like the food tables, or even that she wanted to go wash up in the changing room. She left because she thought she wasn't good enough. She told her to find someone better, and even now, the words kept echoing in her mind. Someone better? Was there someone she was supposed to be looking for? Why couldn't it have just been her? Annie was the one who wrote her the letter to ask if she wanted to go with her to the ball in the first place. Saskia could have said no. She could have said she wasn't interested in going as a date, or that she was going with other friends. But she didn't. She wanted to be with her, and that was what made her write back.

So, what was it, then? Did she just get cold feet? Only after one dance, she thought she was messing up and that was that? Their date was over? Saskia didn't want to put all the blame on her though. If anything, it might have been her fault instead. Had she done anything to make her nervous? Did she make her uncomfortable when she put an arm around her when she was cold? Was it the dance itself? Could she just not keep up? She couldn't get the answers to any of those questions now.

Saskia sighed, brushing her hair with her hand as she looked over at the stadium. There was a lot of students attending this illegal ball. Many of them seemed to be having fun. Most of them were hanging out with friends, or dates, others were gathering to get food, and others were dancing. There was some chaos then and there, but a lot of it was too hard to see and even if she wanted to intervene, she was too far away to do anything now.

Yet even in the crowd, she couldn't see Annie anywhere. No matter how hard she looked, she was nowhere to be seen. That led to many possibilities. She might have still been somewhere in the main area, and she just hasn't seen her yet. She could have been in the changing rooms, or she could have left the ball entirely for all she knew. She might have retreated to the Quidditch Stands too, but that was very unlikely judging by the direction in which she took of.

Annie had said this would have been the first ball she attended. That meant she hadn't been in any of the other balls that ended in disaster. That also meant she spent a good amount of time in this ball being miserable. Saskia had said that she'd try to make this ball a great experience for her, and it was clear how much she failed at that. She knew what she was going to do if Annie came back. But right now, she wasn't sure if she'd ever be coming back.

Saskia turned around for a brief moment. Even if she already concluded that Annie probably wasn't here, she still wanted to see if there was anyone else she could talk to. A viable option would have been Serena, one of her Quidditch teammates and a friend she made this year. She was currently talking to two other people, but she could probably pop in and say hello, or even join in the conversation if they didn't mind a fourth person.

Much to her surprise, she caught sight of Lamik and Elena. It seemed that she had actually done it and asked him out on a date. Seeing the two in a private area was enough to make her smirk in amusement, although she knew not to interrupt the lovebirds. Did that mean they were a thing now? She wasn't sure if Elena would have brought the topic up with Lamik, but it was bound to come up one way or another.

One thing for sure was that they were having a better time than she was doing. Maybe it was a sign that they were meant to be, and if that was the case, she would have been happy for them. If it weren't for the other negative feelings pent up inside her, she might have felt joy in the fact that her friends found happiness in each other. But for some reason, she couldn't bring herself to do it. Was it jealousy from what happened with Annie? It might have been. It was probably for the best that she focused on something else in the meantime.

Saskia stared back towards the centre of the field. Maybe it was stupid to hold onto the hope that Annie might have come back. But she could wait. She owed her that much.

Outfit: Dress | Shoes | Bracelet

Moderation Post

The stands were a (relatively) peaceful place. Faces came and went, some exchanging more innocent conversations than others. Those who had not-so-subtly plotted to release bludgers were evidently unsuccessful, and save for a spat during their brief return to the stands, the elevated bleachers were calm. That peace would serve as a small, simple advantage to those who listened. From the ball below came the hum of music and chatter. Yet if one was quiet, they may hear a different sort of buzz, a persistent sound which grew more prominent by the moment. It's source? Something moving across the grounds.

The sun had set near the ball's beginning, a spotty sky making for alternating illumination. At the time, the moon and stars were mostly blotted by clouds, meaning the only true light in the stands was that of the candle baubles in the pitch. The grounds were dark. Should one with particularly keen eyesight stare out into the murk, they may spy several fat shapes bumbling towards the ball, gliding over the grass. Owls carrying balloons? Some whimsical spectacle the hosts had planned? Ah, if only Hogwarts were so lucky! To make matters worse, the sole source of light was dying out below. One by one, those bubbled candles began to distinguish, snuffed out as if succumbing to the lack of air at last. Although they remained floating for the time being, shadows were quickly consuming the entire stadium, and something was coming.

Please keep in mind:

• There should be one action made per round. Repeated actions between moderation posts may mean that every subsequent attempt is less successful. Moving to a different area costs an action, so no entering/leaving and casting in the same post. Speech is always a free action.
• Students in the other two locations cannot see these "mysterious shapes".
• Abilities may be used to try and further interpret the shapes
• All spells must be cast as attempts. General spells will be determined with a Wisdom roll, combat will be Accuracy VS Evasion.
• The next Stands mod post will take place this Sunday.

Alexander had been talking to Aida. He had been looking down the pitch whilst doing so. Thus he quickly noticed when the lights one for one began to go out. Accompanied by the music of the orchestra immediately stopping.

His senses immediately told him that things were going to go wrong. He now truly felt the chill of the cold night and through a combination of fear and cold, though mainly the former, his hair began to stand upright.

He waited a few moments. Waiting to see if there was any kind of announcement, something that might have caused the lights to go out. But he saw nothing. He looked at the stadium and saw how even the orchestra had suddenly stopped playing suddenly, midway into the song. Then Alexander realized it.


This was it


This was the moment that things were going to turn bad. The threat that he and Aida had predicted, yet had come to the ball nonetheless. Alexander hyperventilate for a moment, before calming and gaining a blank look on his face. As Alexander mindset shifted

Alexander scanned around him in a circular motion. He had seen several students fighting in the pitch but now his eye went to outside the pitch. He did not see anything at first, mainly just the grassy surroundings. Then he blinked and swore he had seen some of the darkness shift a little. Alexander could not pinpoint any exact thing but he saw how some of the darkness was shifting.

As he saw this Alexander thought.

Threat level: [UNKNOWN]

Suspected threat level: [High/medium]

Reccomended course of actions ?: Gain reinforcements. Warn teachers.

Course of action: Warn teachers

Query: How to warn teachers ?

Answer: Periculum spell.

Query: What to do with Friend 1 ?

Answer: Protect if possible.

Query: How to aid Friend 1

Answer: Give rope, possible useful.

And thus. As Alexander's mind had come to a conclusion based on pure facts he gave a quick look at Aida. A small amount of sharpness and urgency in it.
"I have rope in my bag. It is under the clothes."

He would then let his school bag drop from his shoulder. Falling with a thump on the wooden stands.

Then Alexander's gaze shifted upwards to the dark night sky. He then grabbed his wand from the pocket in the side of his suit.

He really needed to buy a wand holster at some point.

Alexander's hand touched the smooth well-polished and cleaned cherry wood and he gripped it harshly. He pointed it at the sky and spoke clearly and with a determined and slightly aggressive tone.

"Periculum !"

Actions: Cast Periculum

Interacting with: @Raine Sage

As Arc was standing on the pitch, breathing in the fresh air, he saw a familiar figure. There were a few other familiar figures, but one stood out from the rest. And the boy instantly beamed. He could feel a smile forming in his pale face. He just could not help himself.

A girl wearing a gorgeous red and black dress was walking towards him, the puffy end of her gown held up, and a small bag was slung over her shoulder. She looked kind of silly. Not because of her dress. Obviously, not because of herself either. Nothing was wrong with her. She was as pretty as pretty could be. But he was just not used to seeing her like that. And she walked funnily too. It must be the gray heels she was wearing. He would never use one if he were her, if he was…in her shoes. But somehow, amidst all that, the young Eagle just found her even more endearing. The usually sharp boy would not notice the dimming lights, the buzzing sound, or the growing shadow. He just could not take his eyes off her.

And so, when she suddenly tumbled in front of him, Arc was ready. He dropped his cane and top hat. Both his hands outstretched, reaching out for her. The boy caught her in his grasp and tried to take her in an embrace…

Unfortunately, as agile as he was, he lacked upper body strength.

Arc managed to slow down the fall, but they fell down nonetheless. Together. He would take the brunt of the pain as it was his body hitting the cold hard stand, while Raine piled up on top of him. A beat passed before the dark-haired teenager burst out laughing.

“Hi, Raine, it is nice to see you,” said the boy, still laughing. There were so many things he wanted to say, so many jokes he could tell, but her well-being came first. “Are you alright? Did you hurt your leg somewhere?”

Aida was always a vigilant person, even during mundane events such as the house cup party or just sitting in the library. She had learned this growing up, having to live with Sean’s erratic behavior and from the unpredictability of life on a remote ranch, so it had become a deeply ingrained habit already. However, having predicted with Alexander that calamity would befall the ball, Aida was now at her highest possible state of awareness as she constantly scanned everything in her surroundings no matter how interesting the conversation. She had specifically come to obtain information on the unknown threat that had led to the original ball’s cancellation. Yet, Aida desperately hoped that she had not led Alexander astray and encouraged them to seek out adversity beyond their abilities.

For a moment Aida began to feel self doubt. What a fraud I am, encouraging us to seek out this danger when I am not even magical. How funny it is that for all my work and even becoming pupil of the month, I cannot not even cast a single measly spell. Aida really believed she was not at all magical and that she had been put here by mistake due to her strange physical appearance... but no, she could not succumb to such hopelessness now. No matter what, she had to see this through to the best of her ability, even if she had made a terrible mistake. Even if she had stupidly risked Alexander and would end up leading to his death, just like with Manticore. No, I will never kill my friend again, she thought, even if it costs me my own life. We are here to grow strong, and I have to put it all on the line. There could not be a more emotional subject for Aida, but she had learned to control her feelings from her lessons with Griffith. Her eyes were unclouded and emotions would no longer interfere. Just then, Aida began to see something happening down below. She heard and felt a growing buzz emanating from some blurry movement across the grounds. The candle light below was beginning to be snuffed out and the band stopped mid-song. Rapidly, Alexander drew his wand to cast Periculum. Aida couldn’t help but admire the majesty of his magical gesture under the darkening sky, but when his bag slipped from Alexander’s grasp she knew one thing she could do.

Before the bag had even hit the floor Aida was in motion. Swiftly her hands took the rope from the bag and, from the indelible muscle memory forged by years of practice in times of urgency and stress, she skillfully knotted the rope into a lasso. She held the rope primed for a target, whether it be the railing behind them for grappling down from the stands or to redirecting an incoming opponent’s movement, not unlike the animals she had spent her whole life lassoing.

Action: Tie and ready a lasso rope.
Mentions: @Alexander Varellion
Practical attire: LINK
Inventory: a pocket knife, a lasso rope
Character stats:
Stamina✵ 5, Evasion✵ 5, Strength✵ 4, Wisdom✵ 8, Arcane Power✵ 9, Accuracy✵ 4
Application for Blindvision awaiting approval

Interacting with @Cecily Quinn @Celynne Gray

If Dmitri was completely honest, the sudden bite coloring the girl's words in reply to his teasing startled him enough to make him raise a skeptical eyebrow. "Dipshit, huh?" He'd have had some much piercing words to say back if he didn't know the girl was half-joking (she was a third-year, too, so if anything, he hesitated because the girl can probably kick his ass if she wanted to). The Slytherin boy just flashed the flustered Ravenclaw a lopsided, mocking smile.

"You sure are dressed for a date, no offense." The boy remarked teasingly as she voiced her denial over attending the ball with a pair. If Dmitri didn't already have an existing Lumos flooding half of his eyesight, the reflection of the ball's lights glinting off the girl's deliberately-positioned accessories would have done just as well for him. Though the Ravenclaw did indeed forego coming in full regalia, her blue dress looked like she fussed quite a bit with it, trying to make it look perfect for whatever reason; at least, that's what he thought. And that's saying something. The boy's haphazardly cut robes thrown coat-like over a turtleneck and jeans weren't anything to write home about; though he did like to think he would look decent even in pauper clothes--it was just the way he was built.

The Slytherin would only chuckle as the girl stated she was simply waiting for cupcakes. He would have laughed at her face and cluck at her condescendingly if one other girl did not appear out of nowhere bearing a plate full of the things. Oop. Dmitri would nod at the newcomer and flap a hand toward the girl in a gesture of, don't mind me. "I'm Dmitri Jones. I figure you're a third-year, too?" He asked.

Whatever the girl would say in reply wouldn't be heard by the boy, though, as a very stark silence and then a cacophony of exclamations would reverberate from the pitch below followed by the quick extinguishment of the ball's lights.

"The fuck?!" This was it. It was starting already. About time. The two girls would see the Slytherin's face harden with resolve in the cool, steady faintly-yellow light of his Lumos. "I guess I was right." He would mutter to himself as he quickly stuffed his book into his messenger bag laying beside him. Standing up, Dmitri would--in one deft move--get his hands on the collar of his robe-jacket, and let it slip over his shoulders to be thrown behind him, all majestically.

It was time.

STATS AND ABILITIES

Reducio

ACTIONS
None as of yet.

Mentions: @Erin Ryan @Jack Burnett

Oliver was caught off guard by the sudden mention of his mother, and her hollowness. So much so he froze momentarily. In this moment, he was trying to rebuild all his mental walls. But they weren't walls for keeping stuff out, they were walls to stop him from seeing. He didn't want to see his mother, not here, not now. It was a weight Oliver was too weak to carry. She was more than just a damaged witch, she had ruined lives, she may have even ruined students in the schools parents' lives. The tremendous guilt that would wound up inside Oliver if he dawned on it would break the boy down to fragments. Hiding it from himself with any means possible was all he could manage. It could be dealt with when he was at home over the summer, but right now, it wasn't something he wanted to process.

Hey, where'd Erin go?

Oliver looked up to notice Erin had went on a good few meters, still pushing Jack in the arm bar. He cursed himself, he was meant to protect Erin. What if Jack had pulled his wand and immobilized her? He was already blaming himself. Running after the two as they begun to enter the pitch, Oliver tripped over a rock (yes, a rock). With a thud he groaned,"Erin! Wait up!" calling frantically. Then he froze. He put his ear to the ground... there was... buzzing? "E-Erin! Wait!" She couldn't hear him. Oliver laid with his ear pressed to the ground. He was outside the party so the music wasn't blocking the buzz. He winced, trying to think what this could be before giving up. It was getting louder. The Raven did not like this.

As fast as the boys little legs could carry him, Oliver begun to sprint towards the ball after Erin. He could see her fighting with some other kid in the distance before lights begun to fade out. Oliver frantically looked at the candles, then behind him. He didn't want to stop and try look into the darkness to see what the buzz was. He just wanted to grab Erin and get her out of there. This was all beginning to suddenly feel like a nightmare.

"ERIIIIIN!!!"

Oliver roared as the candles distinguished and he begun to lose sight of her. Running towards where he last saw her, Oliver entered the Quidditch pitch.

Outfit:

Reducio

Action: Moving to the Quidditch Pitch.

Entering from Pitch
Due to being in transition limbo during moderation, considered already in the Stands
Interacting with @Ruby Cazares, @Piérre Marchonné, @Xailah Alptraum, @Breana Oliveire,
and possibly @Margo White

Having grinned when Ruby agreed to join them, Pericles proceeded on towards the stands swiftly. One hand hovered over the railing while he trotted up the stairs, the other keeping close to the wand in his holster, head held high and eyes narrowed against the murk. The transition could not have been better timed. At first, the boy wondered as to why his eyes didn't adjust to the dark, why the shadows seemed to swallow them up whilst they climbed. As they reached the top, it would become clear that the lights themselves were fading away. Peri was baffled to behold the dimming ball, mute with wonder while he watched the pit below become shrouded. The start of an ominous humming confused him all the more. Surprises didn't end there, as a voice called his name from above.

Piérre Marchonné wrote: 7 May 2020, 22:35Looking for someone anyone who could help him, Piérre managed to spot bright platinum blonde hair and dapper apparel behind and below him. Peri! Moving his hand from squinting in the distance to cupping his mouth for a shout, Piérre attempted to call out to the Prefect. "Um... Peri!? Was this planned?! ... It sure is a surprise, but... um... I don't really like the way that you're introducing it!"

He knew that voice. Squinting up as the last of the light faded away, he saw the vague shape of a broom-rider hovering in the air like some goofy yet good-natured guardian. That brilliantly situated flyer would be the first person in the ball to spot those things, and just as importantly, the first person who had an opportunity to flee. "Piérre?!" The exclamation rang with shock and a twinge of nervous energy, if an odd hint of relief, yet he was not so rattled as to miss an opportunity for brief banter. "I can't say I'm that impish! I was never very good at surprises. Piérre, I would really appreciate it if you would consider flying back to the castle, perhaps find someone who can help." Help with what, precisely, he did not know. But one did not require Ravenclaw perception to suspect they were about to be in over their heads.

Shouting ceased as he murmured a low "Lumos." With that, the young wizard turned to face the small troupe he had collected, hoping to see Xailah, Breana, Ruby, and possibly Ruby's companion Margo still behind him. They were not child soldiers the boy had drafted, but people he considered friends (or friends by extension), a handful of those he intended to either fight besides or send to safety. "The same goes for all of you," Pericles stated, trying to sound stern, though he managed at most a gentle insistence. The smile he offered them was formed forcibly. "Now's your chance. I've set some of the school brooms in the stands-" they were leaning against railings, tucked under bleacher benches, "-which you can use to head back from here. You don't need t'stay." They had been led away from the pitch and its dramas, but here lay their last chance to leave, to take a broom and go before things got messy.

Action: Casting Lumos.

Reducio

Brooms mentioned in the introduction post:

Pericles Dralt wrote: 24 Apr 2020, 08:37Upon initial arrival, those who stopped to see the signs would have noticed a suit of armor guarding a group of school brooms. Someone seemed to have dispersed several in the stands as well. It was an excellent means for a quick getaway should something terrible approach the ball, like- Merlin forbid- a teacher.

-

interacting | @Dmitri Jones, @Cecily Quinn

mentioning | N/A

As the unnamed boy managed to grace her with a response, Cel shrugged, tugging on the hem of her dress. She'd surprised herself with her choice of wording, too. Last year she'd definitely have balked at adopting Dorian's vocabulary, but Dorian wasn't here, so... "Who says I can't dress up for myself? Maybe I just like to." And okay, she didn't like to that much, but at the same time, it was a nice dress that didn't scratch at all, unlike the pretty frilly things that Svana made her wear when she was at home, and wearing it of her own free will seemed like somewhat of a rebellious move in her mind, however counterintuitive that sounded. Should she feel annoyed at this strange person, or flattered? Cel couldn't quite decide.

Perhaps she would have tortured herself over the decision if someone hadn't arrived with the treats she' been promised. Honestly, at this point, she hadn't expected Cecily to show up at all, let alone with the cupcakes she'd lured her here with. "Wonderful," she gasped, ecstatic as the other Ravenclaw emerged from the stairs. "I was starting to think you'd left me for the wolves. Thank you." Immediately she dove for a crimson-based cupcake topped with white chocolate frosting in the shape of a rose and a dust of crystallized sprinkles: red velvet, a delectable treat that would no doubt leave her tongue scarlet and her taste buds overloaded with sugar. It was a wonder she hadn't gotten diabetes, at this point.

Dmitri Jones—so that was his name. And in her year, too. Interesting. She never paid much attention to her classmates, especially having been absent for most of this year, but they seemed to disappear over the course of the year, and she was never quite certain why. Where had they all gone? Taken by sickness like she'd almost been? Well, maybe it was best to stick together for now. "Celynne Gray," she introduced herself. "Cec and I are both Ravenclaws. Despite what her yellow dress might imply." Because holy, sunflowers.

She had barely taken the first bite of her cupcake, the taste of rich chocolate blooming across her tongue, when some sort of buzzing filled her ears. Troubled, she turned towards the railing again, leaning out and squinting for a better look... what were those shapes? She couldn't quite see the details, but there was something... something coming towards them. Well, shit, she guessed the ball was over now.

The girl looked over her shoulder again, at Dmitri's wand light. Apparently someone had sent a shower of red sparks into the air—nothing she could do about that now—but the boy also seemed to have noticed the shapes coming toward them. "Dmitri, can you move your wand light closer?" she asked, gesturing towards the railing she leaned against. Of course something was happening, did anything ever not? "Cec, c'mere. You have better eyesight than me."

STAMINA 5
EVASION 8
STRENGTH 2
WISDOM 11
ARCPOWER 10

ACCURACY 9
ABILITIES Prodigial DADA and Perfectionist I awaiting approval.

ACTIONS none (yet).

-