Closed Fall Ball 2023 Candle-Lit Banquet

Interactions ❯❯ @ | @ | @
Mentions ❯❯ @Zach Zaphiere | @ | @

❂《 ⌜ October 6, 2023 ▎ 19:00 ⌟

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After last spring ball and getting attacked by the plants and the hedges of the maze, and not to mention, almost getting burned by her own Incendio, Raizel wouldn't be thinking of attending another ball for quite a long time. It was an unforgettable experience as a first year student and up to this day, she could still remember it clearly like it just happened yesterday. One minute she was just enjoying the food and next being dragged into the darkness with the plants attempting to include her as part of the greenery. Thinking about it is enough to give the Gryffindor some chills.

How on Earth did she get herself in that situation? Well, she gotta do something with the growing problem for others' sake. Unfortunately, she didn't think of how reckless it was during that time and that it'll put her in danger. Guess she's embracing that inner lion too much. Hopefully this Fall Ball won't be the same but she highly doubts it. She walked into the main ball area, dressed in a black suit over a long sleeved button shirt underneath, a loose black necktie, black slacks and a pair of leather shoes. Her wand was kept in the pocket within her suit. After her first ball, her wand is her savior. She was also carrying her enchanted satchel where she shoved the potions that she brewed… just in case.

She doesn't plan on staying that long. She just wants to check it out as she knows she gets overwhelmed if she stays in a crowded place for a prolonged time. She came here alone too which isn't that different from her first ball but after what happened, she would prefer to be with someone she knows. At least that way, if something does happen, someone is there to help her.

She kept on playing with the pin that came with her suit as she walked, her father said that it's their family's crest. Right, she forgets that her father came from a pureblood family. She shrugged and just shoved it into her pocket. She's too disconnected from that side of her family, only knowing a bit of their past thanks to her father and it was nothing different from the purists that she encountered in Hogwarts.

The Gryffindor made her way to one of the empty tables as she shoved those thoughts into the back of her head, taking in the sight for now. Perhaps she should try some of the delicacies that they have to offer later on. Hopefully, none of them are spiked. Sounds exaggerated but it happens. Who knows what mischievous soul had found its way into the ball, playing tricks on the unsuspecting guests that had somehow fallen into its webs of trickery.

Lucky for her, she brought her potions with her but she does hope she won't get the chance to use any of them right now. Looking around, something seems to be amidst but she just arrived here and doesn't exactly know what's going on. Some commotion by the lake from what it seems. Things are already going wrong and she just arrived too. What luck.

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⌜ Candle-Lit Banquet ⌟ | ⌜ WC: 527/200 ⌟
««««« Dialogue | #800000

INVENTORY

Outfit Reducio

Items Reducio Wand Enchanted Satchel Potions: Antidote to Uncommon Poisons, Muffling Draught

Action: Finally entering the ball

@Aaron Jones

Opeila wasn't sure if she should feel regret for filling Aaron in on the creepy parts. Had she scared him? She'd probably be at least unsettled if she heard this story for the first time and the Fall Ball hardly seemed like the place for this kind of topic. The Slytherin didn't intend to die deeper into it here, surrounded by younger kids who were excited for their first ball. "No, not a friend...", she'd confirm, looking after a group of first years.

A light smirk crept onto her face. "Remember our first ball?", she asked him. The blossom ball of 2020. More than three years ago the two of them had planned it with a few others, one of them later turning out to be Opeila's cousin. How much had changed- and how much had not. They were all older and still attending these balls that were nothing but a promise for chaos, now as much as then.

Her eyebrows rose when Aaron pulled her back, twirling her in a circle and catching her against his chest. A giggle escaped her and she turned her head, sending an apologetic look towards the person she almost bumped into. His joke made her grin, before she put on a playfully skeptical face. "Well, I don't know, Mr. Rider..." Still standing close to him, she would straighten his collar, then look around again. "I see many handsome bachelors around that a Rapunzel could fall for. I believe I have to inspect your dancing skills first."

Her hand remained inside of Aarons when the two of them made their way through the crowd and to the dancefloor. The Slytherin felt like the smile was glued to her face by now, she couldn't stop- and hell, she didn't want to. If she had to rank balls, this was without a doubt the best one by far. He didn't have to try hard to make her laugh, Opeila would happily join in, throw in some silly moves of her own and try to keep her own laughter quiet as well as shush him when he joked about the older years nearby. "They're going to hear us!"

When the slower song started, Opeila didn't hesitate to take Aaron's hand and step closer. She had never been a bad dancer. While she had never visited lessons, it was something her grandmother found every young person should learn and her guardians now agreed with this fully.
"Thank you.", she said quietly after a few moments, "For coming here with me."

English | French Word Count: 435

Interacting with: @Fang Hui-Ying | owl/open for interactions Mentioning:

♪

The night had fallen over them in it's dark magical manner and the location looked even more beautiful now. The stars spread across the night sky seemed to be competing with any other source of light, sparkling brighter and as magnificent as possible. Beatrice was quite enjoying the crowds this evening, which was rather unusual for her. Seeing students dance and engage with one another just looked like a perfect picture out of a Storybook this evening. The soft sound of the water mixed within the chattering students and suddenly there was another sound. A smile spread across Beatrice's lips as she heard her name being called. She turned, meeting Ying's gaze, if the other girl allowed it. She too started moving closer to Ying and soon they met in the middle. A barely visible blush spread across her cheeks when Ying complemented her attire for this night.

„Thank you, that is too kind of you. I love your dress, you look truly ethereal.” A soft smile was placed on her lips, featuring a soft and kind expression in her eyes. It was true. Ying looked beautiful in her almost champagne gold dress and the black bow in her hair. There were many compliments swirling in Beatrice's mind but she decided to keep it at ethereal, it described her friendly date perfectly. When Ying gestured towards the decorations and location, Beatrice nodded in agreement. The ball committee had done a great job indeed. „Absolutely, the name truly matches the event as well. Have you already seen the lantern decoration station? I believe you can make one and send it off from a boat.” During their conversation, Bea gestured to the other location of festivities, even slightly turning before looking back at Ying.

When Ying spoke again, a amused yet appreciative smile formed from the one Beatrice had carried before. She nodded, returning the bow with a slight curtsy. „Of Course Miss Fang, it would be my pleasure.” a slight chuckle accompanied Beatrice's words but it was not an unkind one. If Ying allowed it, Beatrice would start leading them into the direction of the dance floor after taking her hand. It did indeed feel a little weird to her, as Beatrice would have never been allowed to simply dance with a girl at one of the Pureblood events. Friendly and fun dancing was not liked during those kind of gatherings. Beatrice was about to say more, when screams and other sounds could be heard from the other location of the event. She whipped her head around, stoping every motion as her heart started to race.

• Actions: Agreeing to a dance with Miss Fang | Noticing there is something going on, on the lake
• Moderated Actions: /
• Bea's Trunk
• Stats & Abilities: stamina • 8 | evasion • 7 | strength • 6 | wisdom • 8 | arcane power • 5 | accuracy • 7
  Lovely Creature | Keen Eye
• Inventory: Wand | Light Cloak | Lipstick | Silk Tissue | Elegancy and Beauty

Outfit	Inventory
Reducio	Reducio Enchanted satchel in effect Wand Wizard Camera (filled with film) Tyty (Zach's typewriter) Papers Diary Black Quill Ink Potions Reducio Antidote to Common Poisons Burn Healing Paste Bruise Removal Paste Murtlap Essence

Said | Thought

Zach just woke up from his eternal afternoon slumber and saw that the sun was going to set. "I miss the ball!" He was running all over the places in his dorm to get prepared quickly. He took out the suit (or he'd rather called it a costume) from his trunk and put it on his lean body. The sky was became darker and darker but the boy still preparing for himself. He even had the audacity to style his hair even though he knew he might be there when the party was over. "White hair might suit this costume well." He took out his wand from and pointed his hair with it. "Crinus Muto." Zach saw his reflection from the mirror to check if the spell worked perfectly. "It's not bad. Turns out good actually," he muttered. He was looking at his reflection for a long time, like the legend of Narcissus with his own reflection on the lake. Where did his shyness go? Nobody knew. Zach was full of himself at that moment.

"Oh yeah! The ball!" He carelessly grabbed his satchel as he did every day, without thinking that his fabulous appearance might be ruined by his own satchel. He couldn't help it as it had become his muscle memory. He managed to leave the common room and went down to the Great Lake.

Luckily, the ball hadn't finished yet and it was just like his guess, was already filled with the crowds. Most of them came paired with all of their fancy suits, dresses, costumes, and anything. The pale boy entered the ball and was amazed by the decoration. The light was hanging above and candles were lit on the table. So much lighting in this place with treats that were also prepared on the table. Zach wondered if there were some pudding there. He decided to move his feet closer to the table to check if there was any pudding there. But he stopped when he saw someone familiar. "Raizel!" The boy waved his arms at the girl and approached her. "You're coming alone? Mind if I join you?" They didn't have any interaction outside the Duelling Club. Maybe this encounter could help him to know her more.

Interacting with @Raizel Voltrouz
Action: Enter the ball
Abilities: Blindvision

Interactions ❯❯ @Zach Zaphiere | @ | @
Mentions ❯❯ @ | @ | @

❂《 ⌜ October 6, 2023 ▎ 19:00 ⌟

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Raizel wondered what exactly was the commotion by the lake and if people are doing something about it. She just hopes that it's nothing serious but why does she have that gut feeling that it is? It's a Hogwarts Ball, that's why, where everything could go wrong… will go wrong.

While she has half a mind to go and check it out, her own fear of getting into another dangerous situation that could lead to her getting seriously hurt is making her stop making such decisions. She sighed, tapping onto the table with her finger, scanning around for any familiar faces but maybe none of her friends kind of liked attending the ball, much like last time.

She was about to move and wander around when someone called out to her, making her turn her head towards the voice's direction. Surprisingly enough, it was someone familiar. "Oh, Zach." She smiled at his approaching figure. "Fancy suit you got there, suits you." She grinned. "And yeah, I came alone. Don't really know who to invite when coming to events like this." Not like she's looking for a date though. No, she just wants to at least enjoy one ball with a friend. "I don't mind you joining. So, what's up? Did you come alone too?" She asked him with a tilt of her head. Zach looks like someone who would be going to balls with a date.

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⌜ Candle-lit Banquet ⌟ | ⌜ WC: 236/200 ⌟
««««« Dialogue | #800000

INVENTORY

Outfit Reducio

Items Reducio Wand Enchanted Satchel Potions: Antidote to Uncommon Poisons, Muffling Draught

Action: Interacting with Zach

Outfit	Inventory
Reducio	Reducio Enchanted satchel in effect Wand Wizard Camera (filled with film) Tyty (Zach's typewriter) Papers Diary Black Quill Ink Potions Reducio Antidote to Common Poisons Burn Healing Paste Bruise Removal Paste Murtlap Essence

Said | Thought

Zach smiled brightly upon hearing the compliment from the Gryffindor girl, causing his cheeks to slowly redden. "T-thanks," he stammered. "My mom bought it for me before school starts." He glanced at Raizel, who was wearing a black suit. "I love your suit. It looks really cool on you," Zach said, wondering if he should ask his mom to get him a cool black suit too. Maybe for the next ball, since Hogwarts always organized two balls a year.

Approaching the table, Zach observed the treats on the display. "Yeah! I came alone," he giggled. He picked up a small finger food and took a bite, his eyes widening as he found it was delicious and sweet. "Have you tried it?" Zach excitedly pointed at the brownies. "It's so good!"

Since entering the banquet, Zach had been vaguely aware of some sounds, but he had chosen to ignore them as his poor eyesight didn't help him to see what was happening near the lake. He had forgotten to bring his glasses. He had only heard some splashes and... fainted screams? Squinting at Raizel, he nervously said, "I...kinda heard something. It's just the creatures in the lake, isn't it?" He let out a nervous giggle. "There's no way students are near there fighting something, right?" The boy emphasized with hope that it wasn't like what in his imagination. However, after a year experiencing the nature of Hogwarts, what could he expect from his school?

Interacting with @Raizel Voltrouz
Action: Enter the ball
Abilities: Blindvision

october 6th 2023
the great lake
19:00

At first, it didn't seem as if there was any chaos going on at this year's fall ball. People were still arriving and enjoying the night, dancing and eating food as they wished. Sure, a few heard some splashes and had doubts, but otherwise, the night was still peaceful.

Alyssea casts Periculum
Alyssea wis [d20 : 12] + 8 = 20, success

Then the first red sparks lit up the sky. The red sparks charm, the incantation known as Periculum, was a spell taught in First Year Defence Against the Dark Arts. The spell's purpose was much like a Muggle flare gun, a way of alerting one's location and signal danger. A light show wasn't exactly on the committee's plans for the night. Then again, it might've just been a fluke, a random spell thrown into the sky for the fun of it. Some people like fireworks, after all, and you can't exactly stop a bunch of kids from waving their wands and saying random words. Ever heard of that saying, 'One is a chance, two is a coincidence, and three is a pattern'?

Astra casts Periculum
Astra wis [d20 : 6] + 6 = 12, success

One could not mistake the second set of red sparks that lit up the sky. Something was definitely happening and the two red sparks were not just a coincidence.

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

Reducio

1. Your character must be indexed. If you are not yet indexed, please register here
2. Moderation will occur once a week on Saturdays. Clarification is below
3. Your character is allowed one moderated action per round
   
   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.
4. If your PC is moving between the banquet and the boat rides, please specify that action in your post
5. Please follow all normal H.io site rules while participating in the ball.

ALERT
• More students have fallen out of the boats and have been grabbed by Grindylows at the boat rides
• Every round, they will be dragged 2m underwater and will slowly lose health
• The Grindylows have 600 HP

Interactions ❯❯ @Zach Zaphiere | @ | @
Mentions ❯❯ @ | @ | @

❂《 ⌜ October 6, 2023 ▎ 19:00 ⌟

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Raizel snickered at Zach's reaction, finding it quite funny but she's not lying, the suit looks great and it matches his white colored hair. Huh, he came so prepared didn't he? It'd be a shame if something happens and then it gets ruined. "It looks great on you. You look brilliant. I bet people would ask you for a dance if they get the chance." She added before looking at her own outfit. "Really? You don't find it weird?" She asked him. Most girls usually wear dresses in events like this. She doesn't find it comfortable. "But thanks, my parents sent it with me, apparently a gift from my grandfather for this occasion which was surprising." She shrugged before turning her head towards the food that Zach has.

"Haven't tried the food yet. Kind of want to look around and I don't know, seems like there is some sort of commotion by the lake." The Gryffindor turned to look towards the general direction of the lake, wondering what is going on until Zach spoke up again.

There's no way students are near there fighting something, right?

Raizel visibly flinched upon hearing that. As much as she wants to say that there is no way for that to be happening now… it could happen. And then, there it was.

A red sparks shot up from the lake towards the sky. Raizel watched it until another came following after. "That is not good." Here it is, the reason why Hogwarts balls are so infamous, troubles, things going wrong. Of all the times it happened from what she had heard, you would've thought that the school would be doing a lot of precautions. Then again, maybe they did but just didn't anticipate this one. "Well?" She turned her head towards Zach. "Guess we're about to find out. Shall we?" She gestured towards the direction of the lake as she stood up, holding on to her satchel and pulling out her wand. She was ready to check things out once Zach is all good.

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⌜ Candle-Lit Banquet ⌟ | ⌜ WC: 340/200 ⌟
««««« Dialogue | #800000

INVENTORY

Outfit Reducio

Items Reducio Wand Enchanted Satchel Potions: Antidote to Uncommon Poisons, Muffling Draught

Action: Ready to leave the thread once Zach agrees

Outfit	Inventory
Reducio	Reducio Enchanted satchel in effect Wand Wizard Camera (filled with film) Tyty (Zach's typewriter) Papers Diary Black Quill Ink Potions Reducio Antidote to Common Poisons Burn Healing Paste Bruise Removal Paste Murtlap Essence

Said | Thought

Zach giggled. His face reddened when he heard Raizel's remark on him. "No way. But, thanks." Hearing the girl asked him about her outfit, Zach replied, "No. I don't find anything weird. It really looks cool on you." He gave Raizel raised thumbs. "I mean it," he said to emphasize his compliment. He nodded when the brown-haired girl told him about her suit. "Lucky for you. My grandpa gave me running shoes. He said I have to start running because I looked weak." Really. Zach was offended by his grandpa that time. But Zach knew it was his grandpa's way to show his love. Still, the 'weak' remark on him was not necessary.

The pale boy gulped his last bite of the brownies. He also had time to drink the fresh juice until some red light streaked across the sky. His eyes widened as he saw blurry red sparks. Periculum. He learnt it in DADA class. The caster used the spell to notify the surroundings that they were in danger. Zach turned his head to Raizel and nodded, agreeing with her. It was indeed not a good sign. He saw Raizel stand up and prepared her wand. The boy giggled nervously and said, "Let's see if we can do something there. Hope the situation wasn't really bad." He pulled out his wand from his satchel. He nodded and followed Raizel's lead.

Interacting with @Raizel Voltrouz
Action: Following Raizel to the lake
Abilities: Blindvision

Open / Closed
For interactions

They had light batner for a while, and it never failed to amuse him. Initially when he met her, he assumed to be a goody-two-shoes. Typical well dressed Ravenclaws with their book in hand, reading at the most oddest places like quidditch matches. But she surprised him back then, and she kept surprising him further. It was a nice surprise, for sure.

"well i don't see any other charming sneks around here - yes you!" bailey replied with another eye roll. "you do seem to have a way of making everything exciting - it is a thrill to be around you. there's always SOMETHING going on..."

“ Oh stop you’re making me blush”, he retorted with more of an overconfident smirk than a blush. “ As I say, it’s an innate charm. Let’s not forget how charming you can be as well, Glade” he jested with a grin.

"i wouldn't be suprised if you were the special someone half the castle is hoping will ask them to dance - that does make me wonder.... why approach me?” He pretended to ponder for a moment.

“ Good question. Perhaps fate urged me. Or there is an undeniable magnetism you have about you, which I seem helpless against. ” a smooth line of words slipped out of his mouth like honey, a twinkle of mischief in his honey brown hues as his smirk grew wider. “ How’s that? Did I make your heart race?” he joked, naturally switching back to his usual self. He read enough romance books to think of a corny line at the snap of his finger. And it makes for fun conversation, one he expected Glade to indulge in. For her sake, at least. It was never fun to wait at a ball for someone who was never yours to begin with. He knew it firsthand.

Bailey then went to talk a bit about Kim, and her plans and distractions. Hanako did his best to pay attention, but red was an attractive colour. At the corner of his eyes, he caught sight of Eun-Ji. His chest rose a bit as if he held his breath for a moment. Red was a staple colour during the fall seasons. But he wasn’t particularly fond of the colour. Yet in that moment, where the air was cold, the crowds faded into a slow almost still fuzz of nothingness. All he could think of in that 1 precious second was how good Eun-Ji looked in red. As attractive as red was, it was still an annoying colour. Because as that perplexing second passed, Hanako’s eyes darted to the other shade of red that was following her closely.

Hm.

Matching outfits

How… gross.

Whatever Hanako felt earlier vanished in a second, replaced with something entirely different. Something less pleasant, and enough familiar for Hanako to refuse to acknowledge. Such ugly emotion wasn’t allowed in his and Eun-ji’s deal. Visibly tenser than before, he tore his eyes away from the pair and focused back on Bailey, only catching like- the last few words she said.


“Actually, don’t you think we’re both entertaining enough? We don’t have to go anywhere. I think I’tt be rather great to stay at this lovely banquet, don’t you think?”. He retorted with an attempt at his usual playfulness, however for the keen eye, they could tell there was something that bothered him. For someone with a truly keen eye, they’d understand it was the wrong choice to ask him about it at the moment. He couldn’t help but think it was him that suddenly desperately needed a distraction.

But his weariness was evident the more time passed. His mind going back to the image of her with obvious date for the night. If his mind wasn’t so clouded, perhaps he could’ve noticed the evident one sidedness involved in the pair. But that meant little now. He struggled between keeping up with Bailey’s witty retorts and the slowly growing unease in him. He must’ve ate something bad. What an odd timing to feel awful.

Bailey talked about suggestion on where they were going, but Hanako was growing impatient. “ On second thoughts, do you think the lake would be a better place to continue this riveting conversation?”. He suggested, a tinge of hastiness in his tone as his eyes glanced towards where he last saw Eun-ji. He ought to change locations before Bailey noticed and suggested moving herself. Somehow, deep in him- he had a guess that Bailey already could sense something. And that wasn’t something he was wiling to admit at the moment.

He gently grasped her hand for a moment, though giving her a glance first to see if she was okay with it. He was not usually a touchy guy, unless flirty banters were getting a tad bit heated or it was meant to annoy the other person. But frankly, at the moment, he admitted he needed an anchor. Someone or something grounding enough to assure him he had no right to dash into whatever direction Eun-ji and that other nobody was heading.

[If she refused]
It was disappointing, but he shrugged. “ Well, it’s your lost, Glade. If your hand feels a bit cold, don’t hesitate to call out for me” he teased, though a bit weary. Fine, no anchor. That didn’t mean he couldn’t keep himself from running to the boats. He continued to walk closely to Bailey instead, his eyes glancing around the area, desperate for something to take his mind off the slow journey.

[if she accepted]
He couldn’t help but give her the briefest gratitude shown evident in his eyes before he continued. At least he could be assured she asked no questions, and that he definitely wouldn’t be accidentally speeding up now. The warmth of her hand proved to be a nice sensation to focus on compared to the turbulent thoughts swirling in his head.

No- he wasn’t going to the boat area’s because Eun-ji was there. He merely was giving Bailey a change of scenery. A new area where they may have loads of fun. Uncaring about what happens to Eun-Ji and whoever that brat was that was with her. He seemed to be a bit more positive as he continued to delude himself into believing what he wanted.

There was only one Ravenclaw that was getting his undivided attention, and that Ravenclaw was not Eun-Ji. Certainly not her. Never her.

Despite that, his eyes subtly tried to scan the crowd for a familiar shade of red.

EᑎᑕY :	ᗩᗷIᒪITIEᔕ
ᑭOᔕT TᖇᗩᑕK outdated opss *(*)*****	{ ᴮˡⁱⁿᵈᵛⁱˢⁱᵒⁿ } { ᴾᵉʳᶠᵉᶜᵗⁱᵒⁿⁱˢᵗ } { ᴾᵃʳˢᵉˡᵐᵒᵘᵗʰ }}

∫ S t a m i n a : 10 • S t r e n g t h : 3 • A r c a n e : 13
∫ A c c u r a c y : 12 • E v a s i o n : 6 • W i s d o m : 10

Reducio

Story Progression (outdated oops)
* ( * )*(*)*****

Action: moving to the lake with @Bailey Glade. [godmodding allowed by her] (and making up for the previous posts where i didnt post here) @Bailey Glade,

Mentioning: (@Eun-Ji Lee Hunt) and @Kim Sato