Closed Fall Ball 2023 Lanterns and Boat Rides

Well, it seems he didn't have to worry about being embarrassed for too long as Hermione's attention seemed to be captured by a approaching guy, he seemed to radiate a certain energy that couldn't help but captivate you, his chain tying together his outfit to give him a more striking appearance to the other more conservatively dressed guys.

the two engaged in polite conversation as Flynn stood there still a bit unsure of what to do but not wanting to make any sudden action incase it caused an unwanted outcome, he couldn't fully disappear as he barely managed to process the one line thrown carelessly in his direction

"Hello. Your suit is very nice" well, good to be reminded that he was quite a ghost, at least not yet. As quick as he was acknowledged he fell back into his role as a mere observer of the conversation in front of him, no chance to inject himself as he could tell they were too fixated on each other to notice him, it was fine though, Flynn could still hear all the words being said and even as a silent observer he liked the fact Hermione was being complimented, whether from him or someone else it was still good for her to hear. A thought he confirmed with himself as he saw a smile appear on her face for the first time since he'd met her. At least the interrupting guy managed to gift Flynn with the sight of Hermione's smile.

His continued observations yielded some information on the mysterious man in front of him, Daniel Tienzo, from Brazil. Ah, that explains a lot, always hard to deny the allure of a Brazilian as even Flynn felt himself curious to the man and his words. What he wasn't expecting was the following line

"I'm Harmony and this is..." she trailed off without even a mention of Flynns name but he was too busy trying to process the bombshell she just dropped, her name was Harmony this whole time? what the heck, Flynn couldn't tell if he was embarrassed at missing such an obvious detail for so long or if he was almost slightly irritated at Harmony for not correcting him. Either way he couldn't blame her for it as he was the one who had been using the wrong name this whole time.

Through the few seconds of contemplation that filled Flynns mind he decided to approach the situation at a different time as he realised a stale sense of awkwardness had been cast over the group, he realised the two of them had for once actually taken a breath for the first time in a couple minutes, wow, they'd actually given him a door into the conversation, how lucky, he's graduated from looking through a window at their conversation to being able to knock and maybe even get a sentence in though he felt like would be encroaching on their conversation, nevertheless Flynn decided he wasn't going to be the only one left nameless in the convsersation.

"My names Flynn, Flynn Montgomery, it's a pleasure to meet you" accompanied by a inviting hand offering a firm shake, a combination that had been drilled into Flynn from his father, Eye contact, Firm handshake and clear pronunciation, he wanted his first impression to be the best he could muster so he gave it his best as he found himself staring directly at Daniel Tienzo, from Castelobruxo, you know, Brazil.

Interacting with: @Harmony Hollins and Daniel Tienzo @Alyssea Brown

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Getting in a boat

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Fall Ball Tracker

I | II | III | IV | V

Reducio

Open to interaction.
Qrow | #064107

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It didn’t take the Slytherin too long to settle themselves in the little spot by the lake with all the relevant materials to make lanterns. They were quite comfortable, sitting with their legs neatly tucked under them on the ground, their dress elegantly splayed out around them, surrounded by any bundle of paints, brushes, and their chosen already-made lantern to decorate and release into the air.
The tealights supplied were surprisingly small in comparison to said lanterns, though Qrow doubted that a big fancy flame was needed in order to make them fly.
On second thoughts, with the chaos that seemed to follow Hogwarts students wherever they went, the tealights were definitely safer. After all, the last thing anybody needed tonight was a fire breaking out, and somehow Qrow doubted it would be the first time such a thing had happened.

The metamorphmagus sat there, eyes fixated on their bare lantern for what felt like forever. What were you actually meant to put on it?
A resolution?
A goal?
Some kind of cheesy positive affirmation?
Other students were already finished with their lanterns, and not for the first time that night, Qrowley Beithir felt incredibly out of their depth.
Art was something that they were supposed to be good at, whether it was drawing, painting or even writing; yet as they sat by the lake they could only draw up a blank.

They tore their eyes away from the lantern, looking around at all the students in their colourful outfits, before looking down at their own.
Black.
Qrow couldn't help but compare themself to an ugly blotch of ink, splattered across a beautiful masterpiece of kaleidoscopic colours.

Fuck.
When had they become so melodramatic?

"Stop it." The redhead chastised before taking a deep, shuddering breath.
In for 4 seconds.
Hold for 4 seconds
Out for 4 seconds.
Repeat.

As the Slytherin finally calmed themself, an idea came to mind, and suddenly their paint brush was gliding across the paper lantern with grace.

Once satisfied, Qrowley kissed the top of the lantern, their Lipstick leaving a slight mark where they had pressed their lips to the paper, before gently placing the tea light into it, standing up and heading to the boats.

As they walked towards the shoreline, the Beithir family crest could be seen to have been painted carefully on the lantern, not in the usual colours of Slytherin house, but instead the dark blue and copper associated with the wise house of Ravenclaw. Underneath, written in a neat cursive script was:

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Interact with:@Aries Scythe
Discourse/thoughts
Date: October 6, 2023
Location: Great Lake

While Mari protects herself from being hit by the water again, she is surprised by Rie talking about a squid " A... what!? Seriously?" Said Mari, not wanting to seem stupid. , something that didn't work out very well for her... Mari jumps back as Aries tries to scare her, "No, me? I mean, I just..." Mari says, playing her hands hair quickly and nervously.

Mari looks around a little distressed as Rie calls the squid, Mari had a small childhood trauma with the sea but she didn't want to show it Please stop!, Mari thought as she looked at Reese with a looking slightly desperate and turning pale," Is that about the squid really true?" Said Mari, trying to look confident, but with her worried look on her face, it was probably a story someone had told to scare the students, nothing more convincing Mari!

"Yes, why not? We've already done everything we could have done here, so of course!" Replying Mari to Reese, Mari's eyes lit up when she heard the word "feast", Mari loved food and Hogwarts seemed exceptionally better! And being with your best friend would be great too! “Just don’t be alarmed if you always see me eating! One of my passions!” Mari says to Reese, laughing.

Mari starts looking at Reese, surreptitiously putting her hand in her bag to see if she hadn't lost Rie's gift, it was there! Phew!
"Um, sure! Do you guys usually do that in the Muggle world?" Mari asked after Rie mentioned a game that Mari had never heard of. "Do I have a middle name?" Mari asked, "Yes, I do, mine is Wolfson, it's my family's known surname."Mari said, not wanting to seem rude, Wolfson, it was the name on her father's side of Mari, and was as well known as Alves, but after Mari's mother and father got married, Mari's father gained the nickname "Alves", but they both became equally well known in Mari's family.

"Wow! Your name is so beautiful, Reese!! Seriously!" Adds Mari with the boat arriving at the coast again.
"Let's go?" Mari asks her best friend

Delilah's eyes widened with childlike wonder as she listened to Estelle's enthusiastic account of the Fall Ball preparations. She had always adored Estelle's zest for life, and it shone through in every word she spoke. The Festival of Lights theme was like a dream come true for Delilah, and she couldn't have imagined a better choice.

As they walked toward the lantern-making station, Delilah felt the excitement building within her. The Festival of Lights theme sounded enchanting, and she couldn't wait to bring her own creative touch to a floating lantern. She listened to Estelle's description of the preparations with rapt attention, her imagination already whirling with ideas.

"I absolutely love the idea of the Festival of Lights theme," Delilah exclaimed, her voice bubbling with enthusiasm. "As for my lantern, I was thinking about drawing either an alien face or a cat. Or better, an alien cat ! Who knows, maybe it'll even come to life and start a dance party up there in the sky!"

She made a whimsical motion with her hand, drawing an invisible outline of an alien cat in the air before Estelle, all while laughing and twirling in a carefree manner. Her pink dress swayed like a nebula, and she was the very embodiment of childish playfulness.

"Picture this, Estelle," she began, her eyes sparkling. "An alien cat with stars for whiskers and a tail that curls like a comet's tail. Its eyes, two little galaxies full of wonder. It's going to be the quirkiest, most lovable lantern ever!"

But with a twinkle in her eye, she reassured Estelle, "I don't have any artistic talents either, but you know what? It doesn't matter at all. We're going to have so much fun, and our lanterns will be the most enchanting ones. That's what counts the most!"

date: 6th october time: 7pm location: great lake

mentions: Reducio @Delilah Chapman

languages english: #490085 spanish: #0b0085 thoughts: italics

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Estelle giggled at Del's idea. An alien cat was both something Es hadn't expected and the best thing she had ever heard. "That's perfect! Imagine having a pet alien cat - it would be so cute, especially if it floated like it was in zero gravity. I wonder if it would purr or make like a bleep sound? A woem? (that's meow backwards by the way)." Then Es listened as Del made the most brilliant description of an alien cat. Stars for whiskers would look so cute, not to mention the comet tail. Estelle wished one was real. At the mention of artistic talent, Es grinned. Del may not be the best artist in her own eyes but Es was sure she'd be great. Es wasn't any sort of artist herself either, and that was alright. Sometimes not being a perfectionist was more fun. As long as they enjoyed themselves, everything would be alright. "I'm no artist, except if you count making a mess as artistry. My parents bought me a set of paints once - which was a disaster. The paint went all over me, all over them, all over the room and not a drop went on the canvas. So be prepared to get a little messy." Estelle giggled, remembering it. That had certainly been a chaotic afternoon. She had reached the table and grabbed a lantern. "I think I shall paint... an merpuppy. You're going to paint space kitten, so it would only make sense for a merpuppy to befriend it, right? I'm going to paint him green, with fur like seaweed. He's going to be so cute!"

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october 6th 2023
the great lake
19:00

Many students were now in the lantern making area. Some had been there for most of the time, while others had only just arrived. Still, all seemed to be having a good time.

The moon twinkled over the lake, rising higher in the sky. Some of the lanterns had been released and those that had were drifting gently above the water, twinkling like stars.

Some of the students had begun their peaceful rides across the lake.

Automatic rolls to see if those in the boats have fallen in (all rolls done by the lovely @Alyssea Brown):
@Aries Scythe [d20 : 12], failed
@Mari Alves [d20 : 7], failed
Skye Daze Arch @Aries Scythe [d20 : 7], failed

There may have been a few ripples, but the boats were steady and none of the students had fallen in. There was little to be seen in the murky water, especially as it reflected the stars above, creating a dazzling reflection of the moonlit sky.

As for those flying above, they had not seen anything out of the ordinary.

@Pericles Dralt's observation, success on 75+
[d100 : 13], failed

The lake appeared calm and peaceful, with a warm breeze causing the beautiful amber leaves on the trees at the lake's edge to sway softly. It was truly a magical night.

For those who hadn't yet taken to the water, boats were still waiting, however if they wanted to enjoy the moonlit lake to it's fullest, now would be the perfect time to enter one of the adorable wooden boats at the pier's edge.

OOC Information
Welcome to the lake! Before you enter, please read the following:

1. Your character must be indexed. If you are not yet indexed, please register here
2. There are two activities you can partake in this area — lantern-making and the boat ride
3. Moderation will occur once a week on Saturdays. Clarification is below
4. Your character is allowed one moderated action per round. Please specify these actions in your post. If you are in a boat, there is a chance that you will fall in. If you do, it will be stated in the next moderation post. Please do not post that your character has fallen in unless it has been stated in a moderation post.
   
   Reducio

   A moderated action is anything requiring rolls e.g. casting a spell (at someone), punching someone. If the action is only between PCs and is consensual, it will not require rolls e.g. asking someone to dance.
5. If your PC is moving between the banquet and the boat rides, please specify your movement in your post
6. Please follow all normal H.io site rules while participating in the ball.

Get creative with your lanterns! And don't fall into the lake...

6 October 2023
Fall Ball

“Woah, Brazil?” Harmony gaped. “That’s so cool!”
She hoped there would be time for storytelling later, but now was the time for introductions, so she held off on the questioning.

Daniel seemed a very cool dude, coming from Brazil and having his outfit made by his aunt and sliding smoothly into the conversation. So why did his most recent comment make her hesitate? He’d sent compliments to her dress and eyes already, so the only explanation Harmony could think of was that it was toeing the line of too much, too soon. She didn’t express her thoughts, of course, and continued to smile and thank the boy for his words. Maybe they did it differently in Brazil? They were all children having a grand time at the ball and Harmony was not about to let herself be further confused by the actions of a boy.

As she sat in ever-so-slightly awkward silence, Foiyin spoke up for the first time.
“My name’s Flynn, Flynn Montgomery”
What.
His name wasn’t Finn? Finnigan? Fallon? Flint? Foyin? Harmony stopped herself before she exhausted her list of incorrect names and embarrassed herself even further. Flan- Flynn stared Daniel down, hand extended, as Harmony herself stared at Flynn while the entirety of the past month reshuffled itself. If she hadn’t known Flynn’s name, did that mean there was a chance he genuinely didn’t know hers? All those times she thought he’d rushed their interactions with nicknames, was he just excited and in the dark? As Daniel and Flynn had their interaction, Harmony sat and relived each interaction she’d had with Flynn, but with the new perspective that he just didn’t know.
Harmony had not been as mature and understanding as her mother thought. Her mother had been correct. Her father would make such fun of her when he saw her next letter home.
Harmony felt terrible. And confused.

Unfortunately, a ball is not the best place to stare and have revelations so Harmony had no choice but to push it to the back of her mind and just try her best to be a good ball date, for real this time.

“So… Flynn,” she began, folding up a lantern for herself. After all this time not once saying his name, it felt foreign and illegal in her mouth, like when children give people codenames and suddenly can’t say Pineapple’s real name without feeling weird.
“What kind of things do you like?”
She realised (overthought) how her question could sound when taken out of context to both the forward boy from Brazil and the Hufflepuff constantly seeking friendship and quickly amended, half-shouting that it was for the lantern.
And, after a brief pause, “I’m making him a lantern,” she told Daniel.

Interactions: @Flynn Montgomery and Daniel Tienzo@Alyssea Brown
Summary: Poor baby has her world flip-turned upside down

• • • •Finnish •Swedish •Russian •English • • •

•Word Count• 557 •|Valentin Schnell @Aida Mòrsgor-Ama Ellwood | Open to Interactions |•

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The Candlelit Ball would shine up from the lake as Maila made her way down to the festivities. She had not planned to come. Her actual plan had been to stay in her bed and read or perhaps go for a small walk and then return to the sleeping quarters that were provided by Hogwarts for the foreign students. She had no one to go with and there weren't many people that Maila actually knew but when she arrived at Hogwarts and later saw the area that the ball was set up in and the beautiful decorations, she could not help herself. Her Mother, prepared as she always was, had packed her a hand sewn dress. It had beautiful long sleeves and complimented her dark skin with the white and blue colors. Her hair was open, the dark curls draped over her shoulders. To feel comfortable and warmer than with Heels, Maila had chosen to wear black boots with cozy socks inside. To complete her look, she had put on two necklaces, a star and a moon, as well as heart earrings. She felt pretty and most certainly ready for a good time.

Upon arriving between candles and students, Maila could make out two areas. One where you could get into the boats and make lanterns and one to just chat, eat, drink and dance as it seemed. She intuitively decided that she would rather go look at the boat rides and lanterns first. The boots on her feet had been a good choice as it was a bit chilly and you could not see them beneath her dress. The Finish girl had no problem mixing in with the crowds, searching for a familiar face between the attending students and adults. It was not until she was closer to the lake, that she saw a familiar figure. The white haired boy stood tall at the edge of the lake, gazing onto the small waves that broke at the shoreline. He was wearing a ethnic set of Tatar in white and dark colors, looking as elegant and graceful as always. A small smile spread across her lips as she made her way over to Durmstrang's Champion and her Captain.

Stepping next to Valentin, Maila would take a look at the water, squinting her eyes in an attempted to see better. Then she looked back up to Valentin. „Hello. Beautiful night, is it not?” she said, not sure if he had even noticed her. Maila did feel a bit weird interrupting Valentin in his thoughts, however, she also felt that it was unusual to see him alone at a gathering like this. At the last ball, she accompanied him and his friends through the maze and while it had developed into a rather uncomfortable situation, Maila still quite enjoyed Valentins company every time they interacted. „Your outfit looks ravishing, it's always a pleasure to be in your presence.” she told him, looking out onto the water. Maila felt that they were at a point in their friendship, that she could say this and it would not come across as weird, but as appreciative. She felt safe with Valentin and at ease, it was nice to be around him and Maila was positive that he knew she felt this way about their friendship. „Are you not accompanied by anyone today?”

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Action • Arriving, joining Valentin in gazing at the lake and trying to start a small conversation.
Moderated Action •

Inventory • Wand, Tissues, a contagious laugh and a good time

Stats • stamina • 9 | evasion • 9 | strength • 1 | wisdom • 9 | arcane power • 2 | accuracy • 10
Abilities • The Martial Artist | Evasive Maneuvers

IC Date: October 6, 2023
Time: evening
Interacting with @Renelle Dalton and @Mahlioz Evethisawe
Astra speaking: #136323
Mahlioz speaking: #00a321
Renelle speaking: #00002b
Thoughts: Italics
Others: Bold

Astra was practically begging for an excuse to leave as the older year's spell backfired. The adrenaline rushed away, leaving her feeling anxious, holding tightly to the bouquet of spider lilies thrust into her hand by yet another older year. She'd heard here and there about bad things happening at balls, and she didn't want to think about what kind of predicament she'd be in if the older snake's spell had worked.

Others seemed to find it amusing, which was fine by her. She nodded as both her companions turned to her. Astra noted that, yet again, Renelle was ignoring Mahlioz. As the girls exited the banquet area, Astra with a sense of haste, Renelle in the lead, Astra fell into step beside her date. "Hey, ah, I don't know what's going on with her," she said in a low tone, "but if you want me to, I can say something. I know I told her about this, and, well, you've done nothing wrong. It's all her." She cracked a small smile. "I'm sure she'll warm up to you eventually, Mahl. You're a great person."

Astra then sped up a little and drew up beside Renelle. "You okay?" she asked her friend. She looked at the purple-clad Ravenclaw, seeing a shadow of resentment that hadn't been there ever before, not even when talking about Roderick. "If you want," Astra continued, looking down at her golden strap sandals, "we can try to prank some people on the boats." Hopefully a prank would put her friend in a better mood.

They reached said boats before Renelle could answer. Astra held the boat nearest to her and gestured to it, a questioning gaze in her eyes as she looked at both her companions. "All aboard, then?"