Event Midspring Celebration

** Calming Presence Allies: Durmstrang students

───Interactions─── Reducio @Valentin Schnell @Theodore Duncain

NORWEGIAN | SWEDISH RUSSIAN | GERMAN | ENGLISH

────Mentions──── Reducio @Yefim Rumyantsev Nichlas Forsberg

Apparently, the tug of a sleeve could just as easily be the fuel to incite motion. Like the trigger of a blizzard, white swirled to face her and Greta suddenly found herself in the paradoxically warm embrace of the slight Niffler. The next thing she knew, her feet had left the ground and the ball had turned a blur as her vision spun with the hug. In ttruth, she was probably one of the only people the boy could actually spin like this and she let loose a squeal of delighted surprise. When feet touched down again, lips were pressed impishly together to muffle the lingering giggles.

"Why.. thank you," she grinned, seafoam gaze peering up at him from below her blonde lashes.

Whatever moment they'd had was speared to death with the punctuation of Yefim's bold interjection, however. "Not afraid!" she countered, nose scrunching in accompaniment of the tongue that stuck right out at him as demonstration of this clear display of courage.

Dishes and platters clinked against each other, but went ultimately unheeded. Her brief defiance fizzled as he continued, however, doubt colouring her features. Sure... people in charge might not always be right (she'd known of students who'd corrected teachers in the middle of class, after all), but they were... in charge. It didn't really matter if they were right or not. She'd come to accept that they got to make the rules.

"Suuuure..." she bemoaned, brows raising in amusement at Yefim's hysterical laughter, eyes darting in search of Nifflers in the process.

She wouldn't find it. In the echoing din of dying laughter, both the boys' attentions had been captured by something elsewhere. Chin swivelling, she turned to try to find the source of interest, but couldn't quite figure out what it was that they had both seemed to see. Not until Yef, again, started speaking of Mik. "Ah." Her lips shaped themselves into the silence expression, eyes already wandering elsewhere, not at all finding the situation nearly as interesting as the pair. And yet, a moment later, as she found herself entranced by a rather complex dress that looked right out of a children's fairy tail (she almost wondered if the girl had a fairy for a grandmother), a weight would fall upon her shoulder. Or as much of a weight as a twig could bear, anyway.

Blinking, Greta reeled her focus back, again turning it to the Niffler, her countenance riddled with confusion. She'd been told to stay. "Ehm... okay..?" But why? Hands grasping at themselves against her chest, she turned on the spot, little shuffles of her feet carrying her closer and closer to the food table. Surely, somewhere in the back of her mind, she had already decided that the table would make for satisfactory cover if it were needed. Her gaze travelled after the the white-blonde as he approached Mik, but again, she couldn't grasp the subtleties of what was going on.

With a shake of her head, she dismissed them, the crimp of her lips more than evidence of her silent opinion on the silliness of boys. Back to her perusal then. There were so many lovely dresses, so many unfamiliar faces. With the backdrop of flowers in full bloom and the intoxicating aroma of spring permeating the air, it really did make for a surreal environment. The only thing that could have made it better would have been if Niche had actually accompanied her again. They'd never gotten to dance last t—

A familiar face standing nearby caught her attention. Tall for his age and with an innocent face that seemed to instil a sense of peace just by its presence, Greta would recognize him from across the room. And yet, there he was, just on the opposite end of the table. She stared at him—too long, maybe—transfixed by the moment. Part of her wanted to go talk to him. There was no Niche. No brother to interrupt her or tattle home to her parents. The opportunity was ripe for a moment's respite to just.. talk. That's all it would be anyway. And without judgement or fear of condemnation. And yet, another part of her wanted to duck. To run. To hide and not look back lest she change her mind and give in to the initial impulse and find herself sorely mistaken and everything undone.

What she managed was a very poor halfway compromise. If a compromise included a childish display of emotional disconnect. In a plume of flying skirts, Greta dropped sharply to a crouch. As small as she was, the table really did make for good cover, and barely the top of her head would be seen as she sidled up to its edge, eyes peering over the cloth. No doubt an homage to the subconscious influence Yefim had left her with, fingers crept up to dip into the nearest bowl. They clasped around something that felt like bread rolls. An impish grin tugged at her lips and in a swift action, she cocked her arm and let loose the bun, aiming it straight for the the back of one Theodore Duncain before trying to dip back out of sight before he noticed.

ACTION: Interacting with Niffler/Yefim; throwing a bread roll at Theodore Duncain

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@Winnie Harper & @Mathias Pride | Interactions
n/a | Mentions
his outfit | Winnie's dress
tl;dr in reducio

"I am going to enjoy this,"

“I sincerely hope you do.” There was not an ounce of sarcasm in his tone. Neglect everything else he’d ever said, this was the most authentic he’d ever sounded in a history of words well-spoken.

A year. Wretched falsehoods had dominated his days, a lengthy battle of attempting to disprove what he’d now decided worked in his favor. Albeit, the lies were beautifully crafted, woven with thin strands of truth to shimmer on the outer perimeter. Gold-plated tales, cheap beneath the rich cover, veiled just enough to deceive passing eyes. It only took a year for the metal to begin to tarnish, the luster faded and replaced by a brassy, unhealthy appearance. An almost cadaverous hollowness one would never presume of something so pathetically unalive. Nonetheless here the two stood, both sinking fluidly into their own bones, and what would remain was the raw skeleton they were underneath the rented skin and sentiment.

"I don't miss you at all you damned freak!" Pot, meet kettle. Kettle, pot. "You taste like a cavity, have the personality of a store mannequin and you're the one that came to the ball with my girlfriend. So who is missing who here? We don't even like each other, your obsession is weak and your efforts are as relevant as piss in a stream."

The Great Hall would echo with heated laughter, Levi doubling over, his wand dangling by his calves in a loose grip for a number of seconds. He pulled himself back up, lifelessly as though yanked by marionette strings, and his shoulders remained tense holding back an hour longer of cackling should either of them have had the time. “Your girlfriend?” He asked, pearly teeth still shining through a wide, sadistic grin. “She sure didn’t taste like your girlfriend when she was kissing me last month. No, strawberry, a hint of emotion, something much nicer to remember than that disposal you call a mouth.”

Winnie had messily dragged herself from the floor, slaughtering its value with drops of idolatry-laced blood. Between reddened fingers it must feel as mawkish as it was, less of a liquid and more of a goo, an icy slush that would rather cling to exposed flesh than drip. Her veins should swell and burst from her neck, an inner want stronger than all of the body’s systems combined. Constantly plagued by an insatiable desire for parts of her to soak into the endeavors of another, to be a constant thought and slow-acting poison. An exhausting existence that must be, to worship others' perceptions of yourself. How narcissistic to hate yourself so.

"HI. I'm FINE if either of you were worried." The witch was nagging again.

He felt her gaze carving her name in his jawline. Poor boy had failed the gentleman-check. Her tiara was laying forsaken at his feet. Rather than answer her with a reinforcement of the reality Mathias spoon-fed, he merely kicked the accessory to the side, likely to be stomped on by dancers.

Quite the pair of boys she’d chosen as romantic pursuits. To the left, we have a brunet who does not care about her. To the right, we have a red-head that does not care about her. To Levi, the girl was not much greater than Mathias’ toy, the Thing he had that Levi wanted. Their odic interactions she’d long surrendered to the snake's cocktail were better off that way, as they lived no lovelier life in the dusty corners of Levi’s memories, plucked apart for bits of information he could use to draw her in still. How silly she was to crawl on her knees to Mathias, to beg. Levi would be drastically surprised if the girl was any more than a tool to him, an instrument of destruction. Hilarious, so utterly conceited she would think her minuscule involvement in her own love life meant a damn thing.

"Mattie, stop... Please. This isn't like you. T-This isn't like either of you.” My god, does this bitch ever shut the hell up? She glanced at him again, addressing Mathias with a miserable sermon, referencing their fraud of a relationship as some kind of precedent for his character.

Levi’s face was again completely stoic, if not a dash of pity lapping against the whites of his eyes. He was so much better for her than him, an easy choice of which heartbreak to endure. He felt no need to defend his place as her date, to speak of affection for her he didn’t have, provided he could maintain his zipped lips. Thoughts were harmless to her, bullets she’d never need to know hit. In the end, he was the best she’d ever have. What she deserved. If she ended up sobbing on stone steps, swallowing her tears to weep them again, it would be for a greater good.

"You're the one that came here with my mistake, a guy that has literally nothing on me, from blood status to wealth to height. With a school full of people you can't honestly tell me that there was nobody else that you could have went to the ball with,"

“Take a look,” Levi gestured toward the rippling sea of ball-goers around them. “There’s five schools worth of people she could have come with. She chose to come with me,” A chuckle seeped between his teeth again, his wand turning restlessly in his hand, albeit with less grace than Mathias’. “You’re so afraid to be my equal, go ahead and lower yourself then. You’re never gonna be much more than someone it took me a couple months to replace in your own damn relationship.”

“Now, Winnie,” He finally looked at her, “Move so you don’t get your ass knocked down again.” Gotta protect that pretty face, he thought, it’s about the only thing you’ve got going for you. “Flipendo,” he muttered, satisfied by his previous cast’s effect, but not enough to water himself down again to the chivalrous, refined boy she needed him to be. Not yet.

Action: Casting the Knockback Jinx at Mathias Pride
Stats: Sta: 7 | Eva: 8 | Str: 4 | Wis: 6 | AP: 5 | Acc: 6
Abilities: Metamorphmagus & Charmer

‿︵‿୨✿୧‿︵‿

Interacting With: @Mathias Pride | @Levi Drakos

Outfit: ꕤ

Mentioning: @Jack Warren

Date: April 2nd, 2022

"Don't tell me what to do! If I'm 'fine' the way I am, why the hell did you break up with me?" She had not assumed it was due to the distance, her affection could travel thousands of miles. She had likely proved that by the unbelievable amount of letters poor Mathias had been spammed with over the past five months. "I was upset and he was nice to me. If you had read my last letter, you would know why." It was cryptic, sure, but she had basically told him she planned on keeping an eye on Levi and then had placed a coded message to ask him if he was in danger. "Why are you even comparing yourself to him? Who said I cared about those things? You're saying it as if I picked Levi over you. You broke up with me --..."

A look of shock crossed her features as the Gryffindor decided to bring up what was meant to be a private moment and shove it into Matt's face. Her features darkened, flushing red. "LEVI." Her disapproval was obvious, but there was something more... A crack had broken his visage, the porcelain slowly chipping away and revealing a different face beneath it, one that she did not recognise. Her prince was losing his crown, and her own lay discarded on the ground, disrespected by the slip of his foot.

"Caithfidh tú a bheith ag magadh orm. (You must be kidding me.)" Winnie huffed in disbelief, her hand reaching up to tuck back the tresses that had loosened when she was thrown across the room. "Both of you... Are feckin' unbelievable." She growled at the boys. As her anger boiled over, spitting and searing her surroundings with molten lava, her Irish accent became thicker. The influence she had growing up perhaps becoming more apparent as she sounded more like her pseudo brother, Jack Warren.

"It's obvious the two of you have both been lying to me." She was always one to state the obvious, but her voice shook as she spoke. Either way, this was one bitch who didn't know how to shut up. "Replaced in his relationship? S-Since when am I your girlfriend? Were you planning on telling me or letting me have a say? You should know how difficult this break-up has been for me, and yet here you are, shoving my vulnerability in Matt's face. Do you even care about me or has this what it's all been about?" She had told herself she would be careful around Levi, but she had let her guard down, had been enchanted by his presence and the role she wanted him to take, and had tried to rush her broken heart. She was such an idiot.

She knew Levi would try to cast again, though she had also expected Mathias to try it, but it seemed he had calmed down for the moment. She might not have pointed her wand towards the cracking prince, but when he tried to order her to step away... Well, she really didn't like being told what to do, especially when one was using a tone. She raised her aspen wand and pointed it towards Levi. "Expelliarmus!" Whether or not the spell hit, she would turn her wand towards the former Slytherin to threaten him. "I'm not moving, and if I see you even raise your wand, you're next." A huff of air as her blue eyes flickered between the two. The fairy tale she envisioned for tonight was quickly twisting and morphing into a much darker version, perhaps penned by the Brothers Grimm themselves. "Merlin, you might have done me a favour, Levi, because if last Blossom Ball was this chaotic I'm glad I forgot it."

WC: 610 Hex: #433867

Date: April 2, 2022 Outfit: Gown, Necklace

Stamina: 6 ✧ Evasion: 6 ✧ Strength: 5 ✧ Wisdom: 7 ✧ Arcane Power: 5 ✧ Accuracy: 6

【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】

Gemima clutched Kim's arm in a vice grip as they entered the Great Hall. She locked her gaze on the floor, mainly focused on trying not to stumble on the skirts of her dress. She was a vision in sky blue tulle, but she wished she was wearing anything else. Why her mother had sent over such a fluffy, poofy dress was beyond her. She hadn't been this damn nervous since her Sorting way back in September.
Gem dared raise her head for one second, and blanched as she saw how many people were crammed into the Hall. She snapped her gaze back to her shoes, and gripped Kim with a bruising force. The girl wondered vaguely if any of her friends--or foes-- were here already. They'd arrived a bit later than everyone else, after all.

The sour encounter with the Hufflepuff jerk and Akemi was still fresh in her mind. She hoped they wouldn't see them while they were here. She wasn't sure if she could be as brazen under these circumstances.

Then there was her quill pal, Vienna. She still had yet to write back to the Slytherin girl, but they'd teased the idea of meeting for the first time at the Ball.

And finally, there was Castor, her friend from Beauxbatons. Gem had gotten to show her around Hogwarts some, but all the activity of the past week had kept them apart for the time being.

The fantastical decorations of the Great Hall were not lost on her, however. She had always had an appreciation for beauty, and beautiful was but one of the many words that could be used to describe it all. There were even more flowers than there were at the Valentines Day tea party. She smiled faintly as she noticed that they had put each present country's chosen bloom. Gemima couldn't help but sneeze at the almost overpowering perfume. It was extremely noisy in here, too. Everything was honestly pretty overwhelming. Her breath quickened, and she fought the urge to run out of the room.

Her hand came up to worry the necklace that now rested about her neck. She blushed as she remembered when Kim had so sweetly given it to her. It was a gorgeous thing, and she was still amazed that he'd crafted it himself. Her descent down the Ravenclaw tower stairs had been dreamy, like something out of a fairytale. Or it had been, until she tripped on her gown and almost died.

Still, Gemima was utterly thrilled to be here, even if she didn't look it. She had been looking forward to the celebration all week-- it was her first school dance! She swallowed, and tried to shift focus to her breathing, hoping that she could calm herself down enough to actually enjoy the festivities. She didn't want to ruin the night for Kim by being a nervous wreck, either.

"Want anything, Precious?"
Gemima snapped out of her anxious stupor and looked up at her date. "Huh?" she said stupidly.
Then she noticed that they had arrived at the potluck table.
Oh. When did that happen? She hadn't registered their path across the room at all. Gem clasped her hands together, and stood there awkwardly as Kim set the food he had brought on the table. She hadn't brought anything herself, and she'd totally forgotten to write her parents about the potluck.

"Um, could I try one of your pears?" she asked meekly. They looked like one of the simplest dishes on the table, and she wasn't sure how much her queasy stomach could handle at the moment. Best to start small and then work her way up.

【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】

Interacting: @Kim Sato
Mentioning: | @Felix Jeong | @Akemi Yamamoto | @Vienna Goodwin | @Edme Achillian |

The story of a parent getting a job abroad and the whole family moving there sounded very familiar to Samantha since she had gone through the same when her family moved for her dad's job. She nodded, it made sense for him to go to Beauxbatons then. "It would have been fun to have you here, well, if you are as great as Eun-ji," the brunette told the older boy with a little smile and a twinkle in her eye. Ye-jun seemed like a nice guy since he answered all her questions and was family of Eun-ji. "What's different about your school? I have never been to another magic school, but I think it would be pretty cool to visit one someday." The reason why Eun-ji changed her name made sense and Samantha didn't ask anything about it anymore.

Instead of answering her questions right away, the older girl sent Lucia and Ye-jun away. Why had she sent the others away? Was it a good sign or a bad one? Afraid of what Eun-ji would say, her teary eyes followed the pair as they walked away after Ye-jun had offered Lucia his arm and avoided looking at the older girl. After quickly wiping away her tears, hoping barely anybody had seen them, she listened to Eun-ji and sat down on the bench next to the older girl. She was afraid of what she would hear, but she also wanted to know the truth.

While fidgeting with one of her bracelets, Samantha quietly listened to Eun-ji's words, to the sentences they made. The words that told her she was a lovely girl, but not lovely enough to be worthy of the older girl's friendship. The words that made her realize she was just like everybody else for her Eun-ji. The words that made her live through the pain of losing a friend, again. That Eun-ji didn't regret helping her was cold comfort for her, it didn't take away any of the pain she was feeling. She could feel the tears rolling down her cheeks again and the young girl wiped them away aggressively. She shouldn't cry, she should stop crying. She should, but she couldn't. Hating every single tear that rolled down her cheek and showed how vulnerable she was, she kept wiping them away as she listened to Eun-ji.

The older girl was a good person, what was she talking about? Yes, she had hurt her, but that didn't make Eun-ji a bad person, did it now? Was the third-year unwilling to give her her time? Sniffing, Samantha tried to think of what to say, but all she could think of was how she didn't understand why Eun-ji didn't want to be her friend. It had been Eun-ji who comforted her after the spider attack, Eun-ji had been the one who sat on her bed and told her a story when she couldn't sleep, it had been Eun-ji who she had turned to for advice when she didn't know what to tell her parents about the spider attack. "How am I supposed to find somebody better? How am I supposed to find somebody who will tell me a story when I can't sleep? Where do I find somebody who is so wise as you and gives such great advice?" she asked helplessly.

Maybe she should just leave Eun-ji alone like she wanted to. Maybe it was selfish to keep claiming her time when Eun-ji didn't want to share it with her. Even though she loved spending time with Eun-ji, she wanted both of them to enjoy it. Taking a deep breath, Samantha stood up from the bench. "I won't bother you anymore then," as she spoke she tried to hold back the tears which were so close to gushing out of her eyes. Samantha will not follow the girl around during duel club anymore, she will not wave at her when she passes her in the corridors, and she will not approach her for a little chat if that was what Eun-ji wanted. "If I had known you don't like me I wouldn't have bothered you, I am sorry," she said, every word hurting a little more than the last but all true as can be.

Interacting with @Sophia Nelson @Kim Sato

Outfit | Nails | Closed to interactions, feel free to mention Alec but if you want to stir up some drama, run your idea through me in an owl first
The girl seemed downtrodden, Alec couldn't say he blamed her. Being stood up didn't seem fun, in fact it felt like it would be a massive blow to your own pride. He asked if she was alright, and relaxed when she assured him she would be fine. Alec believed it, and he had no reason to show concern, until she went on. He was confused because, he had come over by his choice, and it wasn't as if it was just out of pity. As if checking up on her or spending time with her was some kind of chore. It had been a hit to Rose's pride and it seeped through in her words. She changed them correcting herself, afterwards. Alec had something to say but as she stopped speaking he found himself quiet. The silence must have been enough for her to think she should take her leave. Saying she might just leave... Alec shook his head. In the midst of being unable to get a word in because she had more.

"I'm sorry, you look amazing tonight and I just got stood up and... You don't need to be trying to help me out when you could be having fun,"

Alec faintly blushed at the compliment, and looked away for a moment. When he looked back he was calm and collected once more. Finally he could manage to get a word in. He quirked an eyebrow at her statements of trying to help her out when he could have been having fun. He looked unimpressed. “Ah, I see. So I go and have fun, you leave, wasting all that time you spent getting ready, and essentially letting Bryan best you. Rose you know how much I love talking to strangers, but that's not a very convincing argument.” The Gryffindor tried to look stern, folding his arms across his chest and he looked at Rose, eventually despite himself a smile would find it's way to Alec's lips and the attempting to be stern plan would fail miserably. He would tilt his head slightly as he looked at her. “You should stay, there's food, music and a dance floor.” The way he spoke, his tone indicated these were grand things, unique and unlike each ball at Hogwarts in the past. Alec still thought it impressive. A certain amount of reliability each ball could afford. “I'd really enjoy your company now that I know I wouldn't be bothering Bryan with it.” He liked her company whether it was duelling practice, butterbeer, or a ball, it shouldn't have been much of a surprise by now.

“Actually, since your not going with Bryan anymore...” Alec's eyes took on a certain glint, playful and mischievous. It was Alec's natural state, however in this situation it was different. It wasn't like plotting a prank he didn't think all the way through, more of the show for an idea. Alec wasn't the type for revenge, at least when it came to other people. Some people didn't want it, and Alec had gotten over his revenge fantasies a while ago, a lot of it was childish. However since Rose wasn't Bryan's date, it did offer a certain opportunity for Alec. It was Bryan's fault for not showing up in the first place. He couldn't be mad about what Alec did after that, “do you think he'd mind if I stepped in for him?” He wasn't really asking if Bryan would mind more so asking if Rose would. He was trying to be somewhat subtle, they seemed to be on okay terms, but he never knew where to draw the line because of Henry. Ugh Henry... “I'll make your night worthwhile. Also I won't leave you to get stood up unlike someone else... And I assure you as someone who has semi-okay evasive skills, I don't have two left feet when it comes to the dance floor.”

There were better thoughts than Henry, such as Rose and... Alec's thoughts trailed. He offered her his hand, there was chaos going on in the ballroom, but he could ignore it if he tried hard enough. Maybe tonight was starting to look up after all.

If Rose accepts the offer and takes Alec's hand it can be assumed he walked her towards a clearing in the space to dance.

Interacting with: @Rose Moon Not mentioned just needs to be tagged: @Hanako Tone I refuse to provide lots of post links
For Moderation:

Reducio

Action: None
Stamina: 9 || Evasion: 7 || Strength: 7
Wisdom: 7 || Arcane Power: 8 || Accuracy: 9
Abilities: Evasive Maneuvers, Advanced Casting, Perfectionist
Inventory: Wand

@Sage Lilly
@Kim Sato
@Gemima Sable

Her hair is dark brown with pink highlights

Banner made by Winnie Harper

Mentioning nono

Interacting with @Nicholas McCowan

“I am?”

It was overwhelming to say the least. She had never imagined anyone ever saw her as good. Her whole life was filled with people giving her side eye for being herself, as if it was a sin. Maybe it was perfect, or perhaps incredibly flawed. He must have been exaggerating. Erin might have given him something that had a mysterious substance and now it floated around his system which resulted in this behaviour. But this seemed different, he was more in control, he didn’t say that his life will end if she goes away, he didn’t go to that extent. It was hard to believe that he, of all people, thought Aurora Ranvier was smart. Quite a contradiction to his statements from months ago. As stated beforehand, too many emotions, she was about to explode like a pinata. And he was the culprit.

The pictures cleared up, things were going well, at last. She chuckled at his words, not knowing to say anything as some tears spilt out of her eyes. Tears. Sadness, happiness, excitement, all look the same. Though, there was a smile across her face, that was the main difference. Then he said it again. She was indeed crazy and would make people go nuts. If it were anybody else, she would go feral and start doing her signature wandless magic, the notorious pepper spray. But somehow ‘crazy’ has a good connotation at that very moment, as if it were a praise. And he liked her for it. He likes me

“N-nicholas bloody McCowan” She shouted, “You’re making me cry a lot, you’re very mean” She looked up, finally admire his eyes trying to hold the gaze, putting the most serious face ever, letting her terrible presence shine through the unicorn onesie. “So no, I don’t want to go out with you on dates and stuff”

One second, two seconds, she waited for any reaction, whether it would be a surprise, anger, tears, anything. Though, there wouldn’t be a long time until she breaks character since it would be impossible to maintain such a serious manner. “I’m kidding, of course i want to, i thought it’s obvious” Now she smiled like a child, though she was technically still a child. He would be able to see through her eyes, she was relieved. Her body slightly less stern, she was back to her usual self, with addition of bloodshot eyes and short hair. She stepped closer, putting the strands of her hair behind her left ear. “Are we- are we good now?”

Sta - 5 | Eva - 10 | Str - 5 Wis - 8 | Arc - 4 | Acc - 10 Terrible Presence Evasive Maneuvers

Action talkinnnng Outfit Reducio I'm lazy to redraw this, but it's like that, the difference is that her hair is now short with pink highlights