Event The Fall Ball (Masquerade)

『Sort of mood board

Closed for Interactions
Mentioning: N/A
Interacting With:Charles Alluring @Henry Knight
Speech Color: #A0A9B8
Action: Pulling out wand & Exiting Thread(Heading to The Hunt)

』

Alec was thinking back. Maybe it hadn't been the best idea to come. Surely there could've been a ton of other things Alec could've done with his time. And they all seemed a lot better than sitting in the corner of a Ballroom. Alone. Looking like the most introverted person in the world. Feeling very sorry for himself. And feeling just out of place. Like how he usually felt when his family attended fancy balls. The costume party seemed to be the actual fun choice. But the offer of a masquerade with dancing.. And everything. It was much more enticing.. For whatever reason. Even if his inner child sort of couldn't be released at such a place.

Looking live a very sa- " nice nails, did they impressive your date that they ran off?" Alec practically jumped upon hearing someone else there. "O-oh um-" Alec said, trying to make out any sort of word. Anything to address his confusion or.. or something. And then he heard the boy laugh. Alec hadn't realized till now. But his accent was thick. He wasn't from here. Also was he laughing at Alec because he looked pathetic with his painted nails. Or was it because he caught the boy extremely off-guard? The boy's face then went serious, though. " really through, nice nails. Did you paint them yourself?" He asked. Oh.. So because Alec was caught off-guard then.

Okay, duly noted. "I-I did them myself. I've seen much better done.. But I tried." Alec said. At least one person didn't hate it. " I'm Charles," Alec nodded. "I'm Alec, Alec J-I mean um.. Alec Mason" He said. He nodded to stop with the J thing. While Alec thought it sounded nice. Others didn't. Alec watched semi-distracted by the liveliness of the dancing as the boy-uh.. Charles. Gave him a small smile. Turning back to look over at the dancing. " so did you do that for yourself or for someone else?" He asked. "Painting my nails?" Alec asked, raising a brow. "I wouldn't just do it because someone else wanted me too. If I was going with that narrative it would be more of the opposite. You know? Like I chose to do this because I wanted to try to 'rebel' " Alec said. "Yeah, my parents would be very upset if they saw me wearing it. But no. I did it for myself.." He said. "I think it looks cool." He said.

Alec bit back a smile. "Nice how they were able to pull all this off, huh?" Alec asked. "I knew some crazy things can be pulled off by Hogwarts students. (*clears throat* Mrhmm Howlers + Baby Shark ) But this is really something" Alec said making polite small talk with Charles. After hearing his reply of positive, Alec would nod. And begin to speak again. "I noticed you accent. Where are you from?" Alec asked curiously.

Another reply for this question came and went and small talk went on. It was fine and really friendly. And Alec was actually having some sort of fun. Till...

Lightning stuck outside, soon after came thunder. There was obviously a storm outside the castle. Alec was interested in how fast it had come thou-and suddenly a ballroom window burst with a crashing sound. The candles light the room flickered. Alec watched as people ducked, trying to avoid the glass from hitting them. But Alec's eyes by this time had already caught something else. Someone riding a horse galloped into the Ballroom through the broken window. Was this person a ghost? It seemed so. Alec was very familiar with the magical world. So you'd think he really 'ought to know. But sometimes magic could be really confusing and unpredictable. Even for him. Alec soon however realized the window wasn't even broke. Clever. The person riding the horse began to speak. The voice loud and clear.

" Time is running out!"
Time is always running out, Alec thought when he heard the first line.

"Something terrible is creeping about this castle, and if no one stops it, tragedy cannot be avoided. If no one steps up to face this challenge, we are all doomed."
Oh this though. This line now. This one really intrigued the boy. He knew some pretty terrible stuff was happening. But his trail of bad luck had been kind enough to spare him from getting into the middle of any of it.

"Follow the graceful apparition to find the riddle’s first piece - and if you need my help, call my full name.”
Follow the graceful apparition to find the riddle's first piece - and if you need my help, call my name. Alec was going. That decided. Right away. Alec wanted to be a part of it. Yes, there was a real sense of actual danger there. But Alec didn't seem to mind.

With a pleading look from the person. They were gone. Out like that they went. Alec's eyes caught the strange cat as it made it's way out to the corridor. Alec then looked over at Charles. Offering him a faltered smile, because while Alec liked a good challenge. He could sense the danger there. "C'mon." He said grabbing Charles hand gently. And pulling out his wand from his back pocket(“Don't put your wand there, boy! What if it ignited? Better wizards than you have lost buttocks, you know.") with his left hand(Yep big reveal. Alec is left-handed). "I'm not going out alone. And you can't deny the chance for a challenge." And with that. In a sort of gently way. Alec dragged Charles(Don't fret, Alec couldn't actually drag him. Just pull him slightly) out of the Ballroom and into the corridor. Making a sort of dramatic, attention grabbing, exit.

Permission from the person playing Charles Alluring to sort drag Charles out of the room granted.

For moderation
Stats: Stamina: 6 |\/| Evasion: 7 |\/| Strength: 7 |\/| Wisdom: 6 |\/| Arcane Power: 7 |\/| Accuracy: 7 |\/| Total: 40
Abilities: Evasive Maneuvers |\/| Advanced Casting
Other tags: @Leonard Oaksworth @Marshal Mozor

Mentioning: @Kara Capricorn
Open to Interaction

The ghost crashed in quite suddenly. Glass flew everywhere. Or, at least, it looked like glass, but it evaporated into ghostliness. Piper nearly had a heart attack as a ghostly figure, a man on a horse, leaped next to her, running through other students. It was so close, she could almost touch it. But there was no way she was touching that. All the while, only one thought raced through her head: What is happening? Unfortunately, this question seemed to be a common one as of late.

The rider called a deep-voiced announcement among the throng of reeling students.

“Time is running out!

Something terrible is creeping about this castle, and if no one stops it, tragedy cannot be avoided.

If no one steps up to face this challenge, we are all doomed.

Follow the graceful apparition to find the riddle’s first piece - and if you need my help, call my full name.”

The apparition gazed deep into Piper's eyes, through her mask. Never before had she seen such pure desperation, much less in a ghost. The deep eyes pleaded with her...but for what? The words were almost too fast for Piper to register through the screaming and intensity of the ghost's gaze. Suddenly, it turned a circle and rode his horse away.

Piper cursed herself - the words she caught were time, terrible, tragedy, challenge, doomed, and riddle. None of the above sounded good. She knew it was a bad idea to come. Now they were all doomed if they didn't solve some riddle, she gathered. Was anything around here ever peaceful? Was one blissful night too much to ask for? What would it be like now, if she were in her dormitory reading? She had just been having fun, minus the painful awkwardness, but the night seemed to have other things in store. Maybe this was a prank by one of the professors...Piper glanced around, but the professors looked much too surprised.

But wasn't this just like in her fairy tale book, just as dancing had been? Secretly, Piper had always wanted to be just like the protagonists in her Grimm's fairy tale book, or Shakespeare...minus the eternal death parts, of course. Heck, she was even wearing a fairy tale dress! There were many students who were bound to follow the ghost, intrigued by the riddle, so she wouldn't stand out. Plus the wonderful, wonderful mask.

Kara had stood transfixed by the whole scene. Now, she pushed through the crowd, running to catch up. She muttered a quick apology, saying she had to figure out what was going on. As if I don't want to find out too! Piper thought indignantly, but Kara was gone. Muttering, Piper pushed through the crowd too. There was no way in hell she would be left behind. Up ahead, she recognized Kara's voice call, "Anyone who is brave enough or thinks that they can solve this mystery, follow me!" At least someone was leading here. The cat was already gone, and many ran to follow it.

Piper tried running through, but tripped on her boots and fell flat on her face. She immediately rose, face flaming, so as to not be trampled underfoot. Why had she been mental enough to wear heels? She remembered Kara's comment about never knowing if you'd need to be on the move and felt a stab of guilt. Now she knew what Kara meant and silently vowed to never again wear heels or a restricting outfit. Kicking off her shoes, she lifted her skirts and followed, stockings padding on the cold stone floor. She couldn't move extremely fast, but with her skirts up and shoes off, it was easier to run. Perhaps she could make a stop at her dormitory to throw off the dress too, and get proper clothing.

The lighting felt much more ominous suddenly. Piper wished it weren't Halloween; that made everything creepier. She wondered what her mother would say - this would be the object of her next letter for sure. The professors wouldn't let anything too bad happen, though....right? Piper hoped so. Curiosity mounted inside of her, causing her to move faster. What could the riddle possibly be? It was time to find out.

Action: Following the cat with the other students.

Reducio

Stats:
Stamina: 6 || Evasion: 5 || Strength: 4 || Wisdom: 8 || ArcPower: 6 || Accuracy: 6

"Anyone who is brave enough or thinks that they can solve this mystery, follow me!"

Entering the ballroom from outside.

Action: attempting to summon the hag doll lying on the floor a few metres away.

interaction status [---]
mentions spectre, cat

position entrance, exit
previous posts 1 2

Brooding silently at an empty table with her legs crossed politely, Astrea nursed a tall glass of water and contented her impassiveness with the familiar motion of 'zoning out and people watching, preferably in the quiet area where the two overlap'. It seemed to be a constant thing at this point, to keep to herself at such large events where she knew next to no one. And many knew of her not. Swirling the crystal clear liquid with all the bored dignity of the high-borne princess she truly was, Astrea was simultaneously content in her own peace and numbed through with sparking apprehension. What a drag.

Truly, Astrea should have never come to yet another ball- knowing how they always ended in this particular setting. A lesson learned long ago, but being of her status meant that she had no wiggle room to skip out on a night of lavishness- her parents' shadows loomed long even so far away. On one hand, there was the ever-present looming of mortal danger and on the other, there was the lurking threat of social ruin. Er- Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry didn't have nearly the same stakes as the world of pureblood decorum, but the being so blatantly absent in such an event was not a good habit to get into.

Unoccupied and disinterested her own personal thoughts from a table near the entrance, it was quite easy to track the budding chaos that had already overtaken the ballroom and she was certain the tension would only escalate with the ticking time. The beginnings of a physical fight- how uncouth, the fight club had left a bad taste in her mouth in regards to such means of combat- was blooming somewhere in the oblivious crowd too distracted with their own lives and loves to risk anything.

A strike of lightning, like any other that night, the crash of thunder and- shattering glass. Astrea's glass sloshed in its container as she turned her head in alarm toward the seemingly broken window, half out of her seat- was this where things turned awry? This early in the ball? The glass shards fading away before her eyes into the dark, ephemeral yet signalling of danger all the same. It seemed that many others nearby had their attention caught by the sight, and what a sight unexpected.

A rider, dressed in ghostly browns and distress, atop a horse as spectral as he, galloping with great haste through the horde of students and announcing their business with a cryptic sense of urgency. Of calamity and ominous lurkings, of a riddle and names, before riding off, a great gush of chilled air in their wake. The Slytherin third year- now properly guarded in the face of such mystery, could only stare as an eerily glowing cat strode through the room towards the doors, a supernatural quality of calm that mocked the form of a Patronus as it looked back over it's back before heading out. This was no defense against the dark, only an induction. Her pockets seemed to burn as she stood a-ready now facing towards the entrance so close by, mind and head filled with the embers of unpreparedness from past balls stoked into grimly stoic determination.

From one side of her dress she pulled out the silver-emerald brooch that screamed her status- she could not duel properly but let her keep her skill- and pinned it hastily to the right of her chest with fingers tingling from the threat of crisis. From the other, her wand- the smooth, twirled texture of it a comfort and yet a reminder of how unstable things were. She was not going to be caught unaware but the fact that she not only knew this was going to happen sooner or later was not the most comforting thing in the world. The sizable and yet light skirt would have to be girded up soon with a sense of deja vu, but not yet. Not yet.

An aura of baleful energy, a beauty unnatural. Slipping out the doors of the ballroom without much fuss or fare, Astrea exited towards the corridors in hunt for the cat. Her drink long forgotten as it lay on its side, water drip dripping away from its body. If the scene made for any sort of foreshadowing- that idea is up to you.

Action: Exiting the Ballroom to The Hunt

Abilities: Terrible Presence | Lovely Creature | Spell Spread
Stats: Sta 5 | Eva 9 | Str 2 | Wis 9 | Arc 10 | Acc 10

Reducio

Before receiving an explanation from his pink-haired pal, the boy was pushed aside by a crowd of older students, those much taller and much more intimidating than any of the faux-ghostly ornaments hanging around the room. It seemed as though Hogwarts had a personal vendetta against safety and comfort, Leonard noted, struggling to stand up without looking like an idiot to the other partygoers and party-exiters, though with every second passing he wished more to join the latter. The one night, the few hours that he decided to not act out every second of his life following a prewritten script was the one night the crowd was to be covering their faces and the only means of identification the snake had to make sure he wasn't going to wake up in the Hospital Wing by talking to the wrong person. Also, there were shrieks coming from select corners, and it didn't seem to be a part of the decorations.

After finding his footing and making sure none of his father's suit was damaged by the drinks spilled across the floor, he stood to see that once again, he was left in a crowd of masks, fancy fabric, and fights he did not want to get anywhere near. The philosophical part of his brain had started to whir its gears again, since it seemed he wouldn't do much else this night other than keep to himself, his thoughts, and attempt to avoid getting burned. It was almost as though he was stuck in a game of checkers with life, he mused, except life was an artificial intelligence with hundreds of plays and zero moral boundaries who only kept on trudging through the match because the timer hadn't run out, and Leonard was a sweaty overthinker with one pitiful circle to play with and sadly, many moral boundaries.

And as though life had broken the rules of checkers enough, then came something that was akin to flipping the entire board and calling it a win, which by now was fairly typical of it. A weather change no forecaster could predict no matter the skill of guessing they had, booming thunder and the crackle of lightning, winds speeding in. However, even for a boy such as the Slytherin, the blatant disregard for all logic was not the greatest shock. A figure burst through causing a tsunami of glass shards, a man and a horse, it seemed, though they were clearly not anywhere near human. The phantom horse and its rider ran around, passing near Leonard and causing both figurative and literal chills to run down his spine.

“Time is running out!

Something terrible is creeping about this castle, and if no one stops it, tragedy cannot be avoided.

If no one steps up to face this challenge, we are all doomed.

Follow the graceful apparition to find the riddle’s first piece - and if you need my help, call my full name.”

His usual marathon of fast-running thoughts came to a halt, with only one remaining prominent: this had to be a joke. A cruel one, of course, from the panicked expressions of just about everyone present, but definitely a joke. Right? Right. Just a joke. Just some good fun, a convincing prank.

But it didn't seem to be a joke at all, the back of his mind whispered.

A feline with the same translucence as the horseback rider glided past near him, staring intensely before

The snake looked for a familiar face among the crowd. He needed someone he knew, hopefully the brave, loud one. The one most likely to help him on the maybe-quest to try and stop their maybe-doom. The one who unabashedly dressed as a historical figure and the pride of a house just for a joke: Marshal Aldous Mozor.

It wasn't hard to look for him, really. All Leonard needed to do was search for a blonde boy with a girl, and as fate would have it, there was a blonde boy with a girl near him, who hopefully was Marshal Aldous Mozor and not a lookalike.

"Marshal, Marshal!" He shouted at maybe-Marshal. "Look, I know you're just here for the romance, but we have to go see what's happening. It's a chance for adventure, right? You like that, right? Also, I, uh, don't think the ghost was joking. Look, you know me, I'm a very scared person. But now, I am very, very scared. You can bring your date along with you, I don't really care, but we need to solve this," his voice was high-pitched, and the words flew faster than the newest model of a broom. "If something really is about to doom us all, it's kind of a no-brainer, so you should understand just fine."

"That was not meant to be an insult. I think you're smart, actually. Well, not exactly smart, but...I should stop talking now. And go. Bye!"

With that, he rushed out to the corridors, wand at the ready and many curses on his school running through his mind.

ACTION: Leaving the Ball to join The Hunt.

STATS: Stamina: 5 | Evasion: 6 | Strength: 4 | Wisdom: 7 | Arcane Power: 6 | Accuracy: 7 | Health: 500/500

INTERACTING WITH: @Marshal Mozor

MENTIONING: @Melissa Carson, @Alec Mason, @Earl Gray

STATUS: Closed to Interactions

POST TRACKER: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

The Otherworldly Vision in Blonde

Reducio

Interacting with @Alan Vanes | Open to interactions

Erik Satie - Gnossienne No. 1

Roleplaying as Kheanu Maravilho Mondelez
Lovely Creature | Terrible Presence | Evasive Maneuvers
Sta 10, Str 0, Eva 0, Wis 12, Arc 13, Acc 10

If Nichlas hoped to be fashionably late, he would be sorely disappointed to know that he failed.

For one, the boy was so late, Kheanu was forced to stand awkwardly around the buffet table. Far be it from the Italian boy to complain about a time where he could flit around looking pretty for all of the ball to see, but the other Durmstrang student should have more respect for his time.

And for another thing... that outfit. Oh, mio Dio. [Oh my God]

It was three seasons too late, and for an inter-school masquerade ball, one should not make their entrance with nothing more than a satin-weaved curtain tied around their necks and allowed to trail behind them. However much of an assault on fashion his pair's getup was, it does bode well for Kheanu.

For if his partner had a less... timely set of outfits, it would only make his own haute couture stand out. In this sea of dated, unseasonal spring, flowery gowns and dark, winter suits, Kheanu's own outfit of silk organza, and twill-weave earth-green skirt did indeed stick out like a sore thumb.

"May I have this dance, Kheanu?

The boy was charismatic, he can give him that. It was part of why he—second heir to the Mondelez business empire—permitted Forsberg to take him to the ball. And another: he was just really curious.

Why would a boy whom Kheanu knew nothing of, who was defeated quite spectacularly by his own team (with no less of a heavy hand from the Italian himself) in the Summer Chess Combat, ask him out? What would prompt a person to go Ah, let me dance with the boy who handed me my bottom during a summer duelling bout?

And so the blonde-haired boy humored him, if not for his atrocious fashion, then out of a sense of wonder and genuine curiosity at the workings of the human mind.

"It would be your pleasure." Kheanu would reply in his breathy, accented tone as he would extend his delicate hand towards the other in a silent show of permission—all the while smiling like he was in on a joke nobody knew.

And in a sense, he was.

One at the expense of the other boy.

When the ghostly horseman arrived at the scene moments later, Kheanu was absolutely delighted. "Oh, what a good show! 'ogwarts stepped up their ballroom scene quite spectacularly! Bravo!" The boy would pause whatever he and Nichlas would be doing to give the performance a round of applause.

———
hair | mask | outfit

The Viper Magnate

Reducio

Open to Interactions | Mentioning @Santario Martin, @Opeila Winters, @Ileen Knight, @Henry Knight, @Erik Tharaldson, @Amara Dragamior. @Starlee Kennedy, @Illowy Magnard, @Adonis Thorn, @Astrea Soleil Neptune, @Ruby Cazares, and @Alexander Varellion

Twelwe - Ikigai

Roleplaying as Dmitri Kazimir Jones
Perfectionist | Perfectionist II | Spell Spread | Terrible Presence
Sta 7, Str 2, Eva 6, Wis 14, Arc 11, Acc 10

In a flurry of his long, accessorized trenchcoat (that he found while thriftshopping around London), Dmitri Kazimir Jones, fourth year Slytherin, entered the Masquerade Ball.

He hated it already.

He hated that people got hurt around these times. He hated that despite this, people still kept coming back. He hated that whatever kind of curse that haunts these events similar to the Defense Against the Dark Arts position of Hogwarts in the 1990s, people were still too stupid to do something about it.

If he had a choice, after the Blossom Ball debacle that proved his theory, he would have immediately discarded the idea of ever going to one again. Let them all die. Whoever is dumb enough to come to these balls and perish was meant to be taken. Natural selection.

But he didn't have one. Because as much as these events were dangerous, these events were... dangerous.

It was the perfect training ground for the Vipers.

He said just as much to them in the days before.

Throughout his time skulking at the Masquerade ball, hidden under his mask, Dmitri managed to meet the eyes of every Viridian Viper member in the room. They were...fine. He knew close to jackshit nothing about fashion so he could hardly critique whatever the heck his members were wearing. What only irked him was their apparent readiness to get into fights.

As the others were standing around and having pleasant conversations, some were up in other students' faces, throwing spells left and right.

Dmitri only shook his head.

Why these numbskulls felt the need to waste their energy on their fellow students who would do nothing more than just annoy the fuck out of them was beyond him. Maybe he did feel the need to interfere one time, but from his co-captain's stature, Dmitri felt it was right to just leave them alone to deal with their frustrations. He just wished Amara and Henry weren't dumb enough to put themselves in the same position.

Fucking kids.

Already, the night was not going in the Vipers' favor. If he were to give them a grade, it would be a T.

Dmitri touched his fingers to the brooch hidden underneath his trenchcoat. There were more things at stake here than your personal animosities.

This was when things usually went awry.

When people were so far into their heads, into their fantasies, into their relationships, into their fights. When you least expect it was usually when things went... wrong.

And what do you know.

It did.

Because mere moments later, a ghostly figure bringing portents of doom strode its way into the ballroom, asking everyone to follow the cat if they wanted to solve the mystery.

Wanted to die, more like.

Tch. But if he wanted to go ahead and see just what his Vipers were made of, he would have to be right in the fray.

In one swift, smooth motion, Dmitri threw his trenchcoat off his shoulders, caring not where it landed. The boy had a flair for dramatics, but this reveal scene would take the cake. The one thing that could be noted was that this was done completely unironically. Underneath was another one of the outfits the boy was known for: all black. Dmitri shed his annoying, fashion-y layer to reveal into one that would not hinder him in whatever challenge he would need to face. He adjusted the emerald snake brooch perched on his left chest, pocketing his mask as he strode away with a purpose, chestnut wand hanging loosely in his hand.

The Captain didn't wait up for his duellists for he knew they were going to follow, anyway.

———
outer outfit | mask | inner outfit | brooch

Leaving the Ballroom to go into the Corridors

Mentioning @Kyle DeRook, @Santario Martin, @Erin Ryan, @Quinn Healy

She did it. She actually managed to hit Erin. Overcome by adrenaline, Nico lightly panted, looking at her wand. Usually the dhampir wasn't this lucky, but maybe... luck was on her side this evening. However, she wouldn't cheer too soon, since trouble was already coming their way. And this time, it wasn't Erin.

Santario had missed the once purple haired girl, landing a hit on Kyle. He must've been a companion of Erin since he was in pursue. Being hit by the tickling spell, he still tried to come close to Quinn. But why? What did he do to them that made him get hit like this. Was there something he hadn't told her?

Kyle Derook. She remembered him vaguely from one of her first detentions. He was not just violent but a problem in general. He proved that once more here. Nico wouldn't show any mercy. They had to lay off and explain what the hell was going on.

'Get away from him! He did nothing wrong!' She screamed. Becoming more and more afraid as she realised she didn't have much muscle to pull the attackers away. But there was a small bit of hope Nico could rely on. The ever so mysterious Santario was for sure on her side... And yet, Kyle coming so close to her tree of a boyfriend, it felt uncomfortable.

Her Unsettling Aura started to show. It came down from her slowely, like something invisible was lurking about... Nico attempted to get closer to Quinn, still hoping to keep an eye on not getting hit herself. 'Quinn!' She hoped that maybe her voice would reach him. She felt anxious. But more angry than anxious...

Stats
Stamina: 13 | Evasion: 8 | Strength: 4 | Wisdom: 6 | ArcPower: 2 | Accuracy: 8

Abilities :
Lovely Creature & Unsettling Aura (ON)

Action : Turning on her Unsetteling Aura

Lucia gave a little laugh as the boy - André - recounted his own tales of autumn."I bet it wasn't," she agreed, in regards to the mess made afterwards.

Some people - purebloods especially, it seemed - did have extraordinarily long names, though Lucia wasn't included in this group. Her name was short - Lucia Fox. Her first name meant 'light' (apparently, the Hufflepuff had been born at sunrise), and her last meant... Well, 'fox'. There wasn't much to it, but Lucia liked her own name. She thought it suited her.

Suddenly, the weather took a dangerous turn and- MERLIN! - the glass of the window caved in!
Lucia couldn't help a shriek escaping her lips and cast a panicked look at the person in the group she was closest to - Scarlett Aden. Her legs seemed to move by themselves and she backed away from the glass, watching in surprise as - was that a ghost? - cantered into the room madly. Another second let Lucia realise that she was right: it was a ghost. And the window hadn't been broken, thank Merlin! She slowly stepped back towards Scarlett, Lily and André, flushing in embarrassment. "Oh! Thank Merlin!" she gasped.

But the show didn't end there.
The ghost cantered a lap of the hall - narrowly missing Lucia herself - and ten came to a halt right in the centre of the dance floor.
When the ghost had finished his cry, Lucia mouthed in horror, Something terrible... and turned to look at Scarlett again with a look of pure horror. The girl liked adventures, but reading about them and actually being in one were completely different. "Merlin's pants..."
She turned to look at the ghost again, but refused to meet his eyes. This was something far more terrible than what she had planned for tonight.

And then the ghost left, with nothing more. Lucia desperately tried to commit his words to memory. "Time is running out... Something terrible... Tragedy if no-one stops it... We are all doomed... Follow the ghost..." Surely, that was what graceful apparition meant. "Find the riddle's first piece... Call my full name for help..." The part-Veela turned to Scarlett again, and the terror was visible even behind the mask. She cursed. "Scarlett, we don't even know his name!" she said, in a rather high-pitched tone. Her fingers twisted themselves around the strap on her bag, and she nervously pulled out her wand.

The ghosts didn't seem to be over yet, and Lucia watched with a kind of fixed horror as a cat turned and padded into the corridor. "What the heck..." she muttered.
"Is anyone... Scarlett..." Scarlett was the one she trusted the most in this situation. The others seemed nice, but she had only just met them. "Scarlett-"
Someone left, calling for others to do the same. "Mother of Merlin. This stuff only happens in adventure books..." The girl was out of her depth here, and it showed.

So many people were leaving now. Should Lucia join them? Just a minute ago, her biggest worry was social awkwardness, and now... It seemed like everything had changed. She couldn't just ignore it. And she was pretty sure Scarlett would be the same. Lucia took a deep breath. "I... I'm going..." She cast a pleading look at Scarlett, almost forgetting about the presence of Lily and André. "Are you?"

Hopefully, someone would go with her as she adjusted the strap of her bag and left the ball.