Event The Fall Ball (Masquerade)

"People who don't ask too many questions." Cassanora replied in kind with a smirk. She had not made up her mind on the boy yet. So far he hadn't been the next Alluring copy. But that was easy to fall back to if he slipped only once. Her eyes lingered on Maddie. It seemed her date was getting her into trouble. Cass was near to march forward and pull her friend out of it, until she noticed another large boy coming over and take care of her. The young Browne narrowed her eyes under a furrowed brow as she inspected the new arrival. He seemed friendly enough, though his size suggested one thing: Giants blood. This school really was filled with an odd mix of everything it seemed. It all fit Cassanora like a glove really, even more reason to wonder why her father did not allow her to attend school here.

She remembered what Erin had told her. Don't trust the professors, prefects and part-giants. Looking across the room, it seemed Erin had stayed true to her own warnings as she was in a tussle with another particularly large boy. This fighting seemed to be... normal? Her attention turned back to her da- No, he wasn't a date. They were just strangers that met on the sides of the dance floor. "I don't dance, but thank you." Cassanora smiled under her mask. "I wouldn't mind a drink though. There're things I need to keep an eye out for in here." She whispered the final bit to the boy.

She nodded over to the table with drinks and waved him over to follow. As they walked, she partially tried to hide behind his figure whilst explaining. "My father is a professor at this school. I was never allowed to attend Hogwarts. He never explained why. I intend to find out." She briefly locked eyes with the boy. Why was she even trusting him with this information. "Hold on. What's your name even?" Her cheeks flushed once more soon as she realised she was being an idiot. So far for being careful, she was meant to be smarter than this.

Reducio

[font=Monotype Corsiva]Open To Interactions
Interacting with@Erin Ryan, and @Kyle DeRook[/font]

[font=Monotype Corsiva]He managed to dodge Kyle's punch and was doing his best to keep track of Erin as well. He left his bloody wand in the dorm room. He wouldn't make that mistake again. Because of the proximity of everyone Quinn was barely dodging and he was beginning to feel the attacks being made against him. Why was it that every time that he went out of his way to dress up for these things. Taking the lessons he learned from both his grandparents and parents about being a proper gentleman. Why was it that he always seemed to get the short end of the stick. Sure he had come a long way during the short time he was going to therapy. But still this was pissing him off, more so then usual. Nearly 4 years of this crap. Why was he singled out, and why must he suffer this indi-

Cut off in the middle of his thoughts. A momentary lap in concentration caused him to react much too late. First for the briefest of times. A single second of indescribable dread, followed by a blinding flash of intense, gut wrenching pain. He hadn't even realized he had been screaming in pain as he fell to his knees shutting his eyes tightly in a futile attempt to try and ward off the pain somehow. She had punched him there! THERE!! WHO DOES THAT!? He couldn't think, he couldn't react, he could barely move. All he could do was cover the-place-that-shall-not-be-named and curl over shaking in pure pain. But underneath all of this pain, blinded by its intensity and overcome with an immeasurable rage. A gate had been opened and then there was nothing darkness...[/font]

'Oh shi-'

"Ní níos mó..." A surprisingly feminine voice emphasized by a seemingly feral like growl. Escaped his lips in a thick irish accent as he seemed to be talking in his native tongue. Seemingly fighting through the pain, Quinn's eyes opened to reveal an immense rage boiling beneath. Still for the most part keeled over, they were beginning to rise. Gritting his teeth while still covering his precious place.

"Íocfaidh tú go daor" The growl got even more aggressive as the words were spat out with pure malice. The feminine voice that shouldn't even be possible to make with Quinn's low vocals becoming more prominent. As if Quinn had suddenly become a different person. A second later Quinn lashed out and attempted to punch Erin right in her pretty little face. His face contorted into something of a foul, anger filled sneer. This wasn't Quinn...so just who was it?

Reducio

Translations: (No More)
(You will pay dearly)

[font="Monotype Corsiva"]Action: Punching Erin in her crazy face
Stats: STA: 14 | EVA: 2 | STR: 15 | WIS: 8 | ARCP: 2 | ACC: 7
Abilities: Sixth Sense[/font]

Mentioning @Illowy Magnard, @Santario Martin, @Erin Ryan, @Kyle DeRook and @Quinn Healy

Quinn asked her to calm down. In a situation like this? While he's actually being hit in such ways that he might not last the night? Nico didn't like the looks of this. Again, she thankfully wasn't alone in this. Some students tried to interfere in their own way. A smokescreen, another spell... Hopefully they'd help to slow down the attackers.

Her dark aura, as if her troubles had formed into an actual presence, floating around her, creeped around in an invisible way to whoever decided to come closer to her. Her blue hues flickering around, taking in the handful of... enemies? ... that had shown up. This was bad. Even Santario was getting targetted now... By Illowy. They shared a tent once during the Summer Camps. Honestly, they hadn't really gotten a strong connection but the girl wasn't a bad person as far as the dhampir could tell. This was hard... Nico kept her fingers crossed and put her faith in San. Assuring herself that she'd be able to fight this.

Back to Quinn and his pursuers. Kyle and Erin. Even though the redhead managed to flipendo the crazy Slytherin away from him, just as fast she had come back. Her eyes set on the ginger giant. Between the smoke and struggles, the dhampir could barely make out what happened as Quinn suddenly slumped down to the ground. It was intense and real. 'N-No...' She whispered. 'Stop it! Keep your fucking hands to yourself!' Not noticing the change in both the Badgers voice and posture, Nico once again aimed her wand at Erin. She quietly prayed that luck would be on her side once more as she yelled : 'Flipendo!' They had to stop... She wouldn't allow them to hurt him...

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

Abilities :
Lovely Creature & Unsettling Aura (ON)

Action : Casting Flipendo at Erin

[font=book antique]

Interacting with @Katrina Walker & @Adonis Thorn
Mentions @Bridget Collins
Open to interactions!
Unnsettling Aura Activated

The entire event seemed to be taking its usual ball-happenings. Like fights breaking out, people coming and leaving as they’d like, and of course the ghost and the specter of a cat. It spoke of something that was in the castle, as if people didn’t already know crazy stuff happened at Hogwarts. River couldn’t bother getting involved in some student fights. If they had personal things to take care of they’d have the privacy to do it without her sticking her nose into it. Most likely they didn’t want anyone else to get involved either, which just goes to show how stupid it was to break their fights out at a fricking ball.
Either way, River kept her attention on the two people she was standing around with. What else would she do at a ball? dance? no way. Katrina introduced her to the boy, Adonis. “Pleasure to meet you Adonis”, she said and gave him another court nod. “You both look amazing by the way”, she added and gestured to their outfits.
Katrina seemed somewhat on edge, not that River was too surprised. She remembered the previous ball they met at, it didn’t turn out too well. She had all reason to feel the need to be cautious.

Out of the corner of her eye River noticed someone walking up. As she turned to look, a voice spoke up, one that she’d definitely heard before from somewhere. It was Bridget who had walked over, greeting Katrina and the rest. River smiled as she passed by, apparently she was headed out, and before River got the time to say much, she was off as quick as she’d arrived.
River couldn’t shake the feeling of something being… not right, about the whole ghost thing. Clues and whatnot, she felt perhaps it was a trap. Or just a distraction from something else that was going on. It certainly wasn’t something River wanted to spend her time on. Like come on, if there was really something pressing going on in the castle no one would think it was a good idea to send a mob of 12 year-olds on the case. No, she’d rather stay at the ball and see how this would all go down in the end.

Action: Keep an eye out for anything and talk to Kat and Adonis
Race and Abilities:
Dhampir (Unsettling Aura Activated) & Perfectionist
Stats:
Stamina:7 Evasion:6 Strength:4 Wisdom:10 ArcPower:6 Accuracy:7

Open to interactions!

Evanore walked through the doors of the ball, finally after making it through whatever was taking her so long. She’d passed a group of people on her way, following a ghost-looking cat. She had no clue what all that was about, and she didn’t care to ask anyone wither.
The ball was in full motion as she arrived. What had caused her to be late? Was it the nervous feelings she got, from remembering the previous time she was at Hogwarts, or perhaps she’d gotten lost on her way there? One might never truly know.
What mattered was that she’d gotten there in the end, and now, all that was on the list of things to do was to live out this evening. Survive whatever this school might throw in their direction. It was hard to say what could happen, and she, being from Ilvermorny, had no clue what was the norm of this place. Though from previously talking to a few students she’d figured it’s not usually a surprise when something weird or even dangerous happens. If she was being honest though, she was truly looking forward to seeing what this evening would bring.
Evanore walked in, not having a specific destination in mind. She didn’t know of anyone to talk to either, but perhaps she’d encounter someone new to get to know by the end of the ball. For now, she decided to just stand on the outskirts of the room and look around as the students were dancing and having fun. Apparently some had also gotten in fights. Nothing about that looked like fun, and She concluded it would be best to leave them to their own issues.

Action: Look around
Race and Abilities:
Charmer & Fearless
Stats:
Stamina:9 Evasion:6 Strength:1 Wisdom:10 ArcPower:6 Accuracy:8

[/font]

Closed to further interactions other than Zyk, Hana and Erik

Ileen pushed herself through the crowd, trying to avoid elbows and other swirling body parts. The young witch was impressed that nothing had yet been set on fire or destroyed by an explosion. Furthermore, the window through which the ghost had entered had not really been broken, so the event had indeed already exceeded her expectations.
Only now she had unfortunately lost her date and she couldn’t spot her friends either. She had seen Dee and Zykeal dance earlier though, and his nose had been still in one piece, so at least her dance lessons had not been completely useless. She had also seen Percival and Opeila together with Hanako, but she had preferred not to disturb them. Where these three were, disaster was usually not far away, especially with Percival's hero complex.

And now she was looking for Erik. How could it be so hard to find someone who was supposed to tower over everyone else by half a head like he was a half-giant? Silently cursing, she ducked down past a particularly exuberant dancing couple and then performed one complete, somewhat aimless, turn on her own axis. Damn it. Well, he would find her sooner or later if he wanted to. Maybe he was busy chatting with friends. She was starving anyway, so it was obviously refreshment time.

She had already fought her way almost to the table with the drinks when she noticed someone she ‘knew’. The wannabe dance teacher. The young Slytherin stopped and made a face. He would probably neither see her nor talk to her, but this was also an encounter she could gladly do without. She also spotted Amara and the guy who had thrown a newspaper at the professors at the Slytherin Party. A place full of idiots. Great. With a sigh, she turned on her heel and headed for a point far away from these people. In this case, she’d rather starve and die of thirst.

Just as she was plunging back into the crowd, she spotted someone she knew and was even willing to talk to. Okay, saw was perhaps an understatement. She stumbled into him instead. She held on to his sleeve and heard the disturbing sound of ripping seams despite the music, although there was no visible damage. Oops. With a smile she caught herself again, smoothed her dress and looked around searchingly. Why was he alone? “Hey, Zyk! Where is Dee? Did you make her flee with your charm?”

Interacting with | @Zykeal Lane
Mentions | @Erik Tharaldson | @Aida Mòrsgor-Ama Ellwood | @Dealla Prince | @Opeila Winters | @Percival Rainwood | @Hanako Tone | @Amara Dragamior | @Percival Gray | @Thomas Lestrange
Post Tracker | x | x

Ability: Sixth Sense
Stats: Sta:5 | Ev:8 | Str:3 | Wis:9 | Arc:6 | Acc:9

Lamik watched in sheer terror as the spirit crashed through the window without actually breaking it and yelled its prophecies of doom. His gaze followed the ghost across the room, both relieved that it was leaving, and concerned that it was taking others with it. Though the boy heard Iris laugh, he barely registered it. In fact, he didn't move at all until the horseman was long gone, at which point he squeezed his eyes shut for just a few moments and turned to his date. "What did you say?" He said as calmly as he could, noticing her lack of panic.

Before she could answer, however, Lamik continued. "Oh! Dancing- yes." He sounded almost eager, and without a second thought grabbed her hand and began pulling her farther into the hall, away from the window and away from the door. The Gryffindor's heart was hammering in his chest, and though he told himself it was due to the hand-holding, this time it was because he was scared. If successful at pulling Iris along, Lamik would stop at a farther in location and turn back to her with a small smile, still not letting go of the girl's hand. "Do you know how to do this?"

There would be no response from Meenauh. Not even a glance. It was possible that the girl simply could not hear her metamorph friend, due to all the other sounds in the room. Xailah tried to get a closer look at what Meenauh was doing. Just as she was about to walk over, a trickle of masked strangers, would inconveniently block her path. What? She would whip around to see what they were following- or retreating from. They seemed to be after a spectral feline. She would see the fights too. Few people were actually doing anything to intervene, many had walked away from 'friends' that needed them. Well that was just great. Xailahs attention shot back to what was on the other side, of the wall of students. "Meena!" The metamorph jumped, as high as her attire would allow. She barely bobbed high enough, to peer over everyone's masks. No answer. "Damnit Meenauh-"

Xailah was anything but gentle when pushing her way through the mass of bodies. She wove through what gaps she could find, but sometimes when it was necessary- and it was necessary- she would shove. The lioness finally squeezed onto the other side, just in time to see Meenauh promptly release the mystery object, that she had summoned. A grimace. Whatever the thing was, it had evidently hurt Meenauh- and now it was trying to skitter away. "What was that?" Xailah would try to move closer to her fellow Gryffindor, but would jump backwards when she saw Meenauh raise her wand again. Meenauh spat the second Accio, with venom. Accio doll. Xailah felt her heart stop, and drop. Down, down... down. What doll? Surely not THE doll. It had been burned. Whatever it was, the lionesses needed to catch it. So, Xailah would raise her own wand, in hopes that she could freeze it midair; whilst Meenauh summoned.

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Interacting With: @Willow Anderson as Everett Brooks
Mentioning: @Lydia Cooper • Vladimir Athatanos • Flash Holmwood • Willow Anderson
-Closed to Interactions-
Hex Color: #800000

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Outfit
Hair
Mask

"I have to admit, I'm more impressed than I thought I would be."

Rafael would chuckle gently at the words of approval offered by his lovely date, a warm smile surfacing about his features as he acknowledged Rett’s words with a cordial nod and squeeze of the hand. Though he would do little to admit it out loud, Rett’s comment did, in fact, hold meaning in the eyes of the young Captain – Hogwarts was, after all, Rafael’s pride and joy, its facilities and students the very things that brought the young man both his cheer and his everlasting stress. It was Hogwarts who could overcome anything the universe threw at its face. Who was he, to not take such a compliment with a sense of esteem and satisfaction? “What can I say?” he would utter smoothly with a mischievous shrug, his shoulders loose and lips pursed in the slightest. “It’s Hogwarts. You expected less from us? Nonsense.” He spoke with confidence, his voice sturdy as it was wry – there was no mistaking whether or not he spoke with genuity. Could Rett say the same about his school? Rafael would idly wonder to himself, his gaze darting from the lips of his date to his own shiny new shoes. It was a question he could not answer, but only ponder silently to himself, lest he find himself lost in his own thoughts once more.

However, a short glance about the room would quickly dismiss any semblance of safety and peace dwelling within the chest of the young man – his ears tinted red with the sounds of distress and eyes narrowing defensively at the sight of offensive action, his grip would suddenly tighten about the hand of his date, his shoulders hunching themselves in the very slightest and demeanor growing uncharacteristically tense. No, this wasn’t good. His throat growing a bit scratchy as anxiety thread its way under his bulletproof skin, he would attempt to focus on the question posed by Rett, waiting a moment before responding – “Yes,” he would state tentatively, as if considering whether or not it was the right thing to say. “I’m afraid that it most certainly is.” He didn’t care to delve into details regarding the events of the ball prior, his mind raptly taken by the events of the present – it would seem as if Flash, a fellow second year and Slytherin, had deigned to attack the suspicious Ravenclaw Vladimir Athatanos, the handsome devil. A familiar scene, Rafael would note, feeling the ghost of the upperclassman’s skin upon his knuckles. It was a feeling that he regrettably missed, longed for in the strangest sort of way – but he shouldn’t make the same mistake as he had last ball. “She’d deserved a dance,” he would mutter almost trivially, his vocals nearly inaudible as his mind returned to the lovely visage of his old date. Lydia’d deserved a dance, and he’d refrained from giving one to her. That was his loss – he wouldn’t dishonor Rett the same way. Perhaps he’d do some investigating later, perhaps even pay a brief visit to the Ravenclaw later on in the evening.

Having made his decision, he would waste not a moment in turning to Rett, idly catching his offer to dance – proudly so, Rafael would think happily to himself, all his former distress melting away at the very visage of his lovely date. He would take the hand of the Ilvermorny student with a sense of euphoric esteem, inwardly feeling the giddiness of a schoolgirl at a BTS concert but doing well to mask his inward feelings with a mask of smooth indifference. Was he supposed to bow back? He’d never taken ballroom dancing lessons. “I would be honored,” he would state nonetheless, deciding to forego further formalities, before tentatively adding, “I’m afraid my dancing skills are a bit, erm… rusty.” The last dance he’d had was with a Hufflepuff, Willow Anderson – it had been quite the hot second since that hellish occasion, and if the young man remembered correctly, he’d been too distracted assaulting his fellow student to give any thought to the actual movements he had been making. “Perhaps you can be a mate, and give a guy a crash course?” It was a request hidden beneath a small joke, one stated sweetly, the Captain’s gaze soft and smile warm as he gestured his head towards the dance floor with bright eyes. He could lead his allies towards a multitude of places, from the Quidditch Pitch to the battlefield, but the dance floor was a terrain he knew not. Which meant, he would require Rett’s assistance if he hoped to survive.

─────────Stats & Action─────────

STAM | 10 EVA | 4 STR | 9

WIS | 8 ARC | 2 ACC | 8

────────────────────────────── Interception | When a Quaffle is being passed, users with this ability automatically get a chance to Intercept the quaffle. This does not replace their normal action for the round. This puts the quaffle in your and by extension your teams' possession. Also, if the Quaffle is dropped for any reason, you would automatically (without it taking up an action) attempt another Quafflegrab. At present there would be no mid-round way to drop a quaffle due to the order of operations, however there will be certain effects in future patches that can cause this effect. ──────────────────────────────

Action • Trying to Dance with Rett

@Ruka Burnett-Tân @Jack Burnett

Jake hadn't known they were going to leave the costume party. If he had, he might never have gotten up on the broom in the first place. One second he'd been sailing over the costume party, looking for signs of trouble. The next, the broom turned towards the exit, and by the time Jake realized where they were going it was too late.

A pang of nervousness had hit him then - he shouldn't have been leaving the party without telling Jack or Alan. A lifetime of knowing that he wasn't really supposed to just wander off by himself made this feel undeniably unbearably wrong. "W-wait," the boy had squeaked, as he realized they were off to go somewhere he didn't even know. But when he'd raised his head, he'd felt himself wobble on the broom, and then he'd closed his eyes tightly, pressing back against Ruka. He'd wanted to ask if they could fly by his friends - at least he could tell them where he was going, maybe get off the broom - but he couldn't speak in time and then it was too late, they were out and off to the ballroom.

The ballroom felt different almost as soon as they entered. The ominous feel in the air was oppressive, and the sounds loud and chaotic. Lightning flashed, and thunder crashed, making Jake's body jolt. Jake felt a gentle squeeze from Ruka, a smile still in the older boy's voice who may have sensed his nervousness. Ruka still wasn't scared, but to Jake this was worse than any pirate ship.

Before Jake could stop him, Ruka climbed off the broom, telling Peter and Jake he would be right back. There in the distance, through the eerie darkness, Jake saw something. Something that looked like a ghost on a horse. Was it a Halloween show? Or was it a real omen of something awful...? It wasn't the ghost rider that really got his attention though. It was the murmurs of everyone around it. He couldn't hear what anybody was saying, but he could sense the feeling of the room, and he knew the sound. It was the sound that meant something was wrong. Jake suddenly wanted Freddie, but he was far away - back on his bed in Hufflepuff common room, and far from the frights of the masquerade.

He hadn't realized how much he'd needed Ruka's arm there - how much Ruka's bravery had become his own - until the boy was gone. With a small whimper, Jake pressed himself back against Jack as much as he could while keeping balance. His head nuzzled backwards, needing to know somebody was there. He had been to a masquerade that had went wrong before. Ruka shouldn't have gone down by himself. It was time to find a professor...

It felt like an eternity, but then Ruka came back to them, with another girl. Ruka climbed back onto the broom and this time Jake was in the middle, in between Peter and Tinkerbell. As soon as Tink climbed back onto the broom, he would feel the Lost Boy's arms wrap around his waist, and Jake's head press against his back.

"You're back...Did ya see anything?" the Hufflepuff asked softly, but it sounded like Ruka had found something after all. Pirates to...hunt...? Before he could find out more, they were off once again.

Actions: Leaving the masquerade for the Hunt

It was magic, it was beauty, it was love, it was elegance and it was elation.

"I am as happy as one can be."

Well, he was. The moment of serenity was destroyed with the sound of knuckles on bone, a brawl is beginning and that is not all. An odd feeling settles over the blonde boy, something is wrong. Dragging Johannes over to the corner, he begins to bite his lip. Trademark blonde hair and a white and gold dress the boy recognizes from his grandmother's closet, his cousin is right in the mix of violence. Now, who is surprised? Not Lucas of course.

"Mara," a sigh escapes his lips as he turns over to his date, "What the hell is she doing?"

Looking around for someone to explain this madness, he catches the eyes of the one Hogwarts student, well the one he is not related to, who he knows.

"Gray, care to explain what is going on." The words come out as a bark, but what does Lucas care. He squeezes his honeyed date's hand and looks for security from him. Lucas has never been one for violence or haste but clearly others are, or they just enjoy ruining perfect nights.[/color]

The lights twinkle, the ambiance is cheerful, dark, romantic and here Lucas is, with the perfect boy in his arms. Nothing can go wrong tonight, not with Johann by his side.