Twelve Cards PV Closed

Even though Elena had gotten a letter back saying that Professor Risa was coming, she was still a bit surprised when she actually did. She beamed at the professor, “Hello Professor Risa! I’m so glad you came! Welcome to the party.”

Elena smiled and took the gift, “Thank you so much Professor!”

“A birthday song? I’ve never had one of those before.” Jones strolled over to the table and put the gift next to Jangleton’s, “What would-”

Before she could finish her sentence the door banged open and a flustered, confused, and shocked looking Hugh Lowe was standing in the doorway, with mismatched socks, an untucked shirt, and his hair sticking up at every angle. He shuffled inside a little looking embarrassed before attempting to recover. Elena was barely successful at stopping herself from laughing so she took a second to collect herself before strolling over.

“Hi there Charming, You make quite the entrance.” Elena stopped short of him and wondered for a moment if a hug was necessary. She decided against it, and gave him a huge grin instead.

“You okay?” She said quietly enough that only he could hear, “You look like you fell down the stairs a few times, I brought my first aid kit if you need it.”

Ruby looked at the other girls, finishing her previous analyzes and saving the information. Ah, social situations. Some people found them awkward, but Ruby thrived in them. With her abilities to act and lie, she could cover up awkwardness if she ever felt any, and she could still act in a friendly way even if she didn't feel it. Social situations, especially ones involving multiple others, allowed her to find out more information, whether the others just talked between themselves or whether she talked too. Of course, there were some people she genuinely liked. Elena Jones was one of them, and she was glad to call the girl her friend. “I'm happy to see you too,” she replied with a smile. She remembered that she was still holding the bag containing the gifts, so she handed it to Elena. “I'm not sure where to put this, but this is for you. It's not much, I'm sorry.”

When she was done speaking, she observed the other Elena – a Gryffindor. Okay, that was fine. She got along pretty well with most of the Gryffindors she had bothered speaking to, and she didn't really think that a house should stop her from being friends with a perfectly good person. She watched Min-seo and this Elena shake hands and she decided to wait before she would introduce herself too. She was glad of this decision when an older female – definitely a teacher – walked in and started speaking to the Elena they had all come for. Well, Elena certainly seems to have a good amount of close friends… As Ruby watched all the interactions and the kind and friendly smiles and attitudes, Ruby wondered why Elena wanted to be her friend when she had all these people.

The next person who came in was a boy. She knew that was Hugh, then, since it had seemed to be the only male name Elena had listed when she said who they were waiting for. Ruby almost wrinkled her nose at his appearance. He had clearly thrown something random on and hadn't even made sure to make simple things, such as his socks, match. His hair was messy too, and he was out of breath. Judging from his lack of breath and the rapid, heavy footsteps that she had heard coming from the hallway as the boy was approaching, it was easy for Ruby to deduce that he had run here. He had clearly had a lack of time or forgot about it, but at least he was here. Ruby wondered what he was like and wished that he would speak more. At least he smirked and said hello. He could be a fun person, then, possibly. After all, not quite everything could be determined by a person's appearance, although it sure said a lot about them.

When everyone seemed to have stopped speaking, at least for the moment, Ruby decided to finally introduce herself to everyone here – well, those she didn't know. She gave a nod to Min-seo and a smile in Elena Jones's direction. “Hi, everyone. I'm Ruby Cazares, a Slytherin first year, and it's a pleasure to meet you all,” she said courteously. She deliberately kept her tone and body posture confident but friendly, yet she was very careful not to reveal too much or anything beyond what she wanted to show currently. With a group of people like this, especially when you knew some and not others, you always had to be careful.

[font=Times New Roman] Interaction with @Elena Jones and @Hugh Lowe

[font=Times New Roman]A Second Year Slytherin teared through the halls of Hogwarts, headed towards the study room. She bumped into students as she ran, stopping for a split second to offer an out of breath apology before she ran off again. While some might think that she was running from something from the speed of the girl, she was really running to something.

To what? A birthday party for a girl she hadn't known more than a few months, but considered one of her closest friends at Hogwarts - if not her closest. While she had received the invitation with a lot of time to spare beforehand, she was still late. Choosing to lose herself within a book instead of getting ready for the party, she had overestimated how much time she had and ended up with five minutes to get ready. And she hadn't even wrapped the present yet.

The present was clutched in her small hand tightly, badly wrapped with a few rips from its adventure through the halls of Hogwarts. And it hadn't even looked that good before she started her sprint. Let's just say Isabella Hills was not gifted in the wrapping department. Still, nothing could be done about it now - so there was no point in worrying about it. It was the thought that counted after all, right? Not how nicely wrapped the present was.

The present was something Isabella had debated over for a week now. She didn't know what exactly she could give the younger girl. She had wanted to give her something that meant something. By the time last night had rolled around, it was an understatement to say she was freaking out about it.

But the idea had come to her in the middle of the night as she ran through in her head what she would give Elena. She didn't understand how she could of been so stupid as to not of thought of it sooner.

Just a few days ago on her birthday, Elena had been the only one to see her and bring her a gift. She had sought her out and found her sulking down by the lake, and then turned her day from a cloudy one, to one where the sun shone down on her - making her happy once more. The sun on that day had been none other than the girl that had sought her out on a day she didn't want to be found. And Isabella wanted to do something to repay the younger of the pair.

So she had found the first photo they had taken together, off an old camera that had once belonged to her mother. They had taken it on her birthday, as a way to remember it. The day of her birthday, she had developed it in a special potion that she had brought along to school at her mothers suggestion. And, much to her surprise. the picture moved. She had stuck it in a draw in her dorm, digging it out this morning. She had replaced a picture of her family in her only frame with that picture and decided to give it to the girl.

She loved that photo, but there would be more to come. By the end of Hogwarts, they would have an album of photos she could have. So what was one photo sacrificed to her closest friend at Hogwarts?

Reaching the door to the study room, she didn't even break and ran into the door, skidding to a stop inside the room when the door opened. Out of breath and breathing heavily, her face split into a smile as she caught site of the Slytherin she was here for.

Running forward once more, she flung her arms around Elena - pulling the younger girl into a hug and interrupting whatever conversation she had just been having with a boy who looked as though her had just done what she had done. "Elena! Hi! Happy birthday! I brought you a present, but it kind of got a tiny bit ripped cos I ran the whole way here. Not that it looked any better before."

Letting go of the poor girl, she held out the less than pretty present to Elena. You could see the corner of the wooden frame she had put the present in sticking out of the wrapping paper, but - thank Merlin - not any of the actual present. Turning around, she faced the boy Elena had been talking to before and smiled at him as she spoke."Were you late too? I'm sorry if I interrupted you two before. I'm Isabella, Isabella Hills. But you can call me Bella." [/font]

"I'm fiiiine." He waved Elena's caring intentions away like a cloud of smoke. Though he was still breathing heavily, wheezing as his chest ran up and down. He eyed the crowd and wasn't exactly sure how to approach the "masses". A professor and a bunch of girls. Hugh had this particular feeling he was not going to leave this room alive. As he didn't want to discourage Elena he gave her a friendly smile in reassurance.

Another girl popped up behind him and adressed him. "I was, aye. I'm afraid the beds are a little too comfy here." His scottish accent really rolled out with that line. "At least we both got here ey?" He winked and tried to pull of his most convincing smirk. Attempting to not seem out of place. He placed his hands in his pocket and slowly walked forward. Wandering a bit along the side of the room. Being tall usually meant he'd have a better perspective on events from the edges. Dead center and he'd be overwhelmed. The thought alone brought shivers to his spine.

Maybe it'd be nice, he wasn't really one to judge beforehand. But he liked to joke about things going sour to himself. His feet had found their way to a table with some cookies. Instead of just going for the one, the boy figured he might as well take two at once. Stuffing one in his mouth and holding the other ready in his other hand. He stood there staring at the others whilst devouring one cookie after the other. The dull look on his face wasn't one of boredom. Those cookies were bloody good.

Elena hugged her friend back fiercely, "I'm just happy you're here. Thanks so much for coming Bella. I'm so glad you came."

Elena nodded back at Hugh and frowned slightly, "Okay, don't hesitate to get me if you end up needing it. You may be a knight but you're not invincible."

Elena saw a lot of people, more than she'd ever expected to turn up and slid over to stand near Ruby and Min-seo, knowing that it was sure to be the temporary quiet part of the room.

"I did not expect this many people, at all." Elena's eyes darted around the room before breaking out in a slight smirk, "And I didn't expect anyone to make an entrance as memorable as that. Charming really does know how to introduce himself."

Elena was glad she chose to wear so much of her armour today. Hoodie, an old cloak, torn jeans, freshly dyed blue hair standing proud and tall. All of it made her feel a little bit more at home with this many people around, even if she still preferred to speak from the shadows. It made her feel a little bit more like people cared about her, and a little less like she'd become the person left behind.