Can you handle the spice? [PV][Closed] - page 1 - Great Hall

25 Nov 2023, 18:49

Date: Saturday, November 25, 2023
Time: Early evening

The Great Hall seemed to buzz with anticipation as Avery darted around, orchestrating the final preparations for the hotpot dinner he was hosting. One end of a wooden table was transformed with vibrant red and gold tablecloth, setting the stage for a feast of flavors. Just this afternoon, Avery had received a box teeming with red chilis, peppercorns, and many other ingredients for cooking from his mother. The air was already filled with the enticing aroma of spices, tantalizingly inviting anyone who was walking by this very table.

Avery hummed a tune under his breath, his excitement evident in the sparkle of his dark brown eyes. The hotpot apparatus, an enormous cauldron with a magically regulated flame beneath, sat at the center of the table, simmering gently. He took a moment to admire the array of ingredients neatly arranged around the pot: thinly sliced meats (beef, pork), colorful vegetables, fishballs, tofu, noodles, and an assortment of dipping sauces. It looked perfect! All he had to do now was to wait for more people to arrive.

Avery felt it was about time to host another hotpot feast, and what could be more fun than to do one together with Vale's help? They had spread the word by mouth, challenging their peers to come have a taste of some unique, mouth-watering cuisine, and some brave souls had stepped up to the plate (or taken the bait, whichever way you see it). "Vale, what appetite-quenching food did you bring this time?" he asked her, trying to see what she was setting out. "Let's succeed in giving everyone a hard time moving afterwards, yeah?" A host was most successful when all the guests had been satiated and stuffed to the max. At least that was Avery's philosophy.

His grin, reflecting mischief and pure joy, widened as he surveyed the seating arrangement. Each place setting had its own bowl for guests to mix their own dipping sauces, comprised of options including vinegar, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, peanut paste, spring onions, and more chili oil (if you were so brave). Avery had also placed little cards with instructions on how long each ingredient should be dunked into the bubbling, spicy cauldron. If there were any questions, Avery would be happy to supply an answer! It was all planned to ensure everyone got the most out of the Sichuanese hotpot experience.

To anyone who approached, Avery would welcome them to join the table. "We've got everything – from the spiciest peppers to the most tender meats. And don't forget to try the sauces! Each one adds a different kick to the flavors. It's going to be epic!"

He would somehow fail to mention that this spice had a mysterious way of lowering any of its partaker's inhibitions. Any emotions one experienced while downing the food simply feel more raw, more real. Masks would fall, and opinions would be voiced more freely in the feeling of camaraderie or animosity that the spice capriciously evoked. Avery, his small stature standing tall with excitement, couldn't wait to share this culinary adventure with friends new and old, bringing a taste of his cultural traditions once again to the magical world of Hogwarts. However, maybe you shouldn't ask him if he's hosted hotpot at Hogwarts before.

OOC: Feasters! Feel free to approach the table and begin to toss things into the spicy pot to boil! Make a sauce is optional (the spicy broth might be enough)! Any questions are welcome, or if you just want to get eating, dig in!
Mentions: @Atlas Anderson, @Astra Norrick, @Clair Fernandez, @Colin McCoire, @June Selwyn, @Maverick Castle, @Vale Ashwood

Avery Chen
Akira Shimizu

Colin McCoire

Sixth year, Broom Racer, Writer, Slytherin

14 135 1 261

25 Nov 2023, 22:36

Reducio

Colin could just about cook water --- not quite true. He had learned over the last year how to make hot choco with his wand --- but kitchens and Colin never seemed to get along. The last time he'd been in a kitchen was at Clair's last spring, and there he spent most of the time opening and closing the ice box to see if he could catch the wee fairy that turned the light on and off. Clair had tried to explain more about alexitricksity and how there are fairies made from lead that make light, but honestly, most of it went right over Colin's head!

But that didn't mean he didn't like what came out of kitchens! And that was food! And as soon as his sister in broom related mayhem, Vale Ashwood, mentioned that their mate Avery was going to host a hotpot cookout, Colin got excited! Thinking back to his and Qrow's Hallowe'en party, what could possibly go wrong with a bunch of young wizards around a source of open flame and food!

At least it wasn't full Moon yet! Colin checked his charmed wall calendar. That was still two days away, which meant that although he'd been on his monthly for about five days now, at least he could look forward to some good spicy food to drown the yummyliciousness of wolfsbane potion! With that hope in mind, Colin and Greebo headed out of the Slytherin Commons. First stop, hospital wing for his dose of wolfy cheer. Back out in the corridor, Colin commented to his cat: "Honestly Greebeaux, that darkest night tastes better than wolfsbane! I'm sure glad cats can't catch lycanthropy!"

The pair took off at a run! It was funny, this time of the month. Colin could always feel the aches and slamming head throbbers and irritability, but that wolfsbane never seemed to touch those symptoms! He'd have to find someone keen on potions to work on something that would work on his mood swings, anxiety, irritability, aches, pains, tenderness and, er, other symptoms!

Colin burst through the doors to the great hall just as he heard Avery and Vale making their final preparations! This was going to be exciting! No one else had arrived yet, so Colin skipped over towards the feast table to greet his friends. Greebo rubbed against Vale and Avery's legs affectionately. "Oh my God, you two! I could smell this lot all the way down in the commons! This looks brilliant! Who else is showing up?"

@Avery Chen | @Vale Ashwood

Keep your mind in hell; and don't despair.

Cursa McCoire

Rigel McCoire

Vale Ashwood

Sixth year, Broom Racing Captain, Slytherin

676 265

26 Nov 2023, 01:20

The assortment of ingredients for a hot pot were aesthetically pleasing, and Vale was sure they would taste as equally as wonderful. Her amber eyes scanned the table with a keen sense of happiness, an excitement that is surprisingly not only done by watching the world burn in a mix of red, orange, and yellows. Avery, as always, outdid himself. While he seemed to have did most of work, Vale at least felt some pride in what she thought would add to the festive experience.

"Cabbage!"

Most specifically, a Chinese Chomping Cabbage. She set it perfectly onto the center of the table. It lacked movement, so perhaps it wasn't a current threat. How the young girl was able to acquire it without turning authoritative eyes her way was beyond anyone's guess.

"I wanted to bring african red peppers, but figured maybe something less spicy would fulfill the deep, dark pits inside us all." In her glee, Vale almost didn't hear her broom racing friend joining in. She sat politely at the table, almost too eager to already have her own helping of food. She was sure Avery, her official partner in crime, wouldn't be too pleased of her gluttony.

"Colin! May the deaths of your enemies remind others not to cross you! You're just in time!" Vale's tone expresses a politeness, yet the words oddly do not coordinate the same. Well enough, she took a short bow at her seat before taking turn to point out all the ingredients for the hot pot.

Vale would feel something soft against her legs and looked down with a smile to see a dark bodied cat strolling under the table. Cats were a familiar sight to behold, especially in the dorms.

"Well, I'll be! We have furry guests as well!" As Vale spoke, an eight-legged creature quickly rushed through her dreadlocks and hurried down onto the table with a curious sense of movement. Familia's sensors felt various objects surrounding her as she wandered about the wooden table. But alas, the greedy spider was disappointed to find no bugs to take on as a snack.

"Hm, surely more people will be coming soon. I made a couple of threats to be sure!" Vale shook her head with confidence, her smile never leaving her face.

Mentions | @Colin McCoire @Avery Chen

Chuki wa Mwanamke iNPC
Jabari ya Nyota former staff

Maverick Castle

Third year, Gryffindor

904 543

27 Nov 2023, 13:30

Maverick was honestly intrigued when hearing how the boy with East Asian facial features advertise what he had, inviting passer-bys to join him. The part-Veela approached, his curiosity and excitement were moved as forest green eyes spotted something that looked warm on the table, fitting for such weather in Scotland these days.

Moving closer, he could spot two other students around, seemingly taking part. The second year realised that he knew these two, both of them being his fellow broom racers. The only difference was, he played for the Gryffindor house team, whereas they the Slytherin. Maverick looked down on them and disliked them, but not because they were his rivals. All right, perhaps that was part of the reason. But he also felt the way he did because he considered them ugly and judged them as the annoying type, those loud attention-seekers who had no respect for other people's privacy (despite the fact that he did not know them well). Perfect ain't easy, he reminded himself, and then smiled at the thought that he was more attractive and better-behaved compared to them.

Not wanting to deal much with Colin or Vale, he approached the advertising student directly, the one he took quite a liking so far because the teen was decidedly rather cute. "Hi there," Maverick greeted the boy, "what do we have here? Mind if I join?" He flashed his charming, 'prince-y' smile, hoping that the other pupil would find him attractive.

OoC Tags:

Reducio
@Astra Norrick
@Atlas Anderson
@Avery Chen
@Clair Fernandez
@Colin McCoire
@June Selwyn
@Vale Ashwood

Maverick's Outfit:

Reducio

The world is in despair not because there are many bad people, but because there are many good people who do nothing.

Astra Norrick

Fourth year, Slytherin

2 219 388

27 Nov 2023, 15:40

IC Date: November 25, 2023
Time: Early evening
Interacting with @Avery Chen, @Colin McCoire, @Vale Ashwood, @Maverick Castle
Mentions @Atlas Anderson, @Clair Fernandez, @June Selwyn Astra speaking: #136323
Thoughts: Italics
Others speaking: #theirhex

Astra was in a... brave mood, you could say. The girl had never been partial to spice, nor had she really had terribly spicy foods, and from what she knew, Asian cuisine could be... well, spicy.

Was it a smart decision to attend this hotpot? Probably not. Was Astra known for her smart decisions? Again, probably not. So really, there was nothing stopping her. No reputation to uphold. Not even common sense stood in her way. The joy of being a spontaneous child.

At Astra's feet was the ever stubborn, constant dramatic, most terrible at timing (but a very good lookout) cat, Hermes. There was really no reason for him to remain cooped up since he'd likely escape anyway, and perhaps after the hotpot they could go for a romp around outside. His gray tail flicked, nose twitching as he took in all the scents and eyes rarely blinking as he processed all the sights. His ears pricked this way and that to hear the sounds. He leapt forward with an excited purr as they neared the table, sighting 1) food and 2) his friend Greebo. Astra was unsurprised to find Colin at such an event.

Hermes had both his paws up on the table with an expression that could only be described as awe on his feline features. Astra, too, was struck by the sheer amount of food there.

There was Avery Chen, the Slytherin Chaser who had invited Astra (and many others) to this event and was host. He was busy setting everything up, and a familiar looking boy- Oh fudge. The embarrassing moment back towards the beginning of the school year flashed in her mind. She skirted this potentially awkward interaction by heading over to Colin and the girl she recognized as Slytherin's broom racing co-captain. Hermes spotted the spider on the table and his black-furred friend underneath, and after a curious poke at the spider quickly joined Greebo under the table.

"Colin, a pleasant surprise," Astra said, smiling and taking a seat. "You're a fan of spicy things?" She kept one blue eye on the feline under the table, who it seemed hadn't taken to bapping anyone yet.

Annd she spoke to soon, there it was. The paw swipe of greeting. "Hermes," she hissed, reaching out with her foot. The cat paid her no mind. She turned her attention to the girl who was currently victim to Hermes' salutations, saying "Sorry about him. He's very affectionate. I'm Astra, by the way. And that's Hermes."

A.N.

Almost dead yesterday, maybe dead tomorrow, but alive, gloriously alive today

E.T.

Avery Chen

Sixth year, Slytherin

796 454

29 Nov 2023, 20:41

One thing he loved about Vale was that they were almost always on the same wavelength. Her excitement to help him set up for the hotpot cookout was much appreciated, and she even brought cabbage? How thoughtful!

With a thunk, she dumped an unscrupulously large cabbage onto the table. Did it have... teeth? or were those just very pointy leaves? Avery had an odd inkling that he had seen a cabbage of this type somewhere before... perhaps in Herbology class? He shook his head. No matter! Cabbage was cabbage, and it was delicious, biting teeth or not! "Vale, this is perfect! I knew I forgot to bring something, and cabbage is just perfect for hotpot! You really got my back," he said appreciatively.

Avery blinked and shuddered to think what African red peppers would taste like, but he nodded and agreed that spice was the best way to fill the deepest, darkest pits inside them all. Maybe they could host a feast with spicy African food next time to replenish themselves when hotpot spice wore thin.

A familiar streak of white-blonde dashed to their table, and it was no other than Colin McCoire! Avery had no idea how the boy could smell the food all the way from the commons, but he supposed the pot was boiling heavily. "Hey Colin! Is your nose that good, or are you just exaggerating?" he asked teasingly. "Well, dig in, we've got your co-captain, June, a couple curious Slytherin firsties, and-" Avery winked here to build suspense, "I think your favorite gal in the whole wide world. So, get ready to show her how well you can handle your spice!" Avery grinned, with a hint of a challenge, tossing a bunch of food into the pot to boil.

Something warm and irresistibly soft brushed against his legs, and Avery leaned over to smile at Colin's cat, Greebo. Eddie, his purple pygmy puff, peeked out from Avery's pocket before the shy puff dove back inside. "Don't worry, Eddie, that's not Walter!" he said reassuringly to his puff, who had previously been attacked by Schneider's devilish cat at Schneider's own command. He also pushed away the memory of what Schneider had done at the previous hotpot cookout. No, today's dinner was going to be perfect! Or so he hoped. He watched as Vale's spider scampered across the table, wondering briefly if anyone was scared of running, rogue spiders.

A boy with dark brown hair and piercing green eyes approached their table. Immediately, he caught Avery's attention, and Avery found himself blinking at the glow that the boy seemed to emit. "Hi..." Avery found himself saying, partly mesmerized by his aura. But he shook his head and partially snapped out of it, remembering to introduce himself and the table of food. "I'm Avery, by the way. What's your name? Feel free to grab a bowl of food and join us! We're cooking spicy hotpot today, feel free to also boil more of whatever food you'd like in the pot! You can also make a sauce -- I recommend vinegar, peanut sauce, and sesame oil. Careful, this pot is spicy with Sichuanese red peppers and tingly peppercorn! You think you can handle it?" Avery asked with a smile. He ladled a bunch of spicy cooked meat and veggies into a bowl and handed it to the boy.

A girl that he thought he recognized as a Slytherin firstie came up to the table. "Hi, I'm Avery!" he greeted her cheerily. "Take a bowl of food and dig in! How's your spice tolerance?" He dumped a bunch of freshly-cooked stuff into a steaming bowl and handed it to her, coughing to the side as a whiff of hot bubbling chili oil choked his sinuses. Sometimes, the spice even caught the best of them.

He supposed he'd have to let the guests settle in a bit with a few tentative bites to test their mettle before he proposed a game. At the thought of a game, a mischievous smile tugged the small boy's lips.

Interacting with: @Colin McCoire, @Vale Ashwood, @Maverick Castle, @Astra Norrick

Avery Chen
Akira Shimizu

June Selwyn

Fifth year, Slytherin

909 197

29 Nov 2023, 22:20

JUNE SELWYN
*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧
Date: November 25, 2023 | @Avery Chen, @Colin McCoire, @Vale Ashwood, @Maverick Castle & @Astra Norrick | Dialogue: X
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[quote]Time was often slipping away from June these days. That’s what it seemed like, at least, as friendships became more important to her and thus she spent more time with people, meaning less time to study, meaning going to bed much later than she’d prefer. With a satisfying dot of her quill, June had finished her assignments for the weekend, and was only…

She looked at the common room clock.

Oh Merlin, she was already a minute late.

Scrambling to put her things away, June sprinted down the corridors to the Great Hall for what promised to be an exciting meal. She had been… invited? She assumed? It was either an invitation or a threat, and since it came from Vale Ashwood it would be nearly impossible for June to distinguish one from the other. Or perhaps it was all the same to her, June’s co-captain certainly was unique.

“I’m here!” June dropped her satchel to the floor as she caught her breath, only now appreciating the aroma surrounding her.

“Wow, Avery, this is incredible! I hope you don’t mind if I brought a drink,” June pulled a large pitcher of lemonade out of her satchel (Because of course she found every book on hotpot in the library before attending to learn what would be the best thing to bring. Cold drinks seemed a safe a bet as any), setting it down on the table as she took in the guests.

She gave a curt nod to Colin, her relationship with him having improved since racing together. Not to say that June particularly liked him, she never fully forgave him for the comments he made at the sorting ceremony dinner last year, but she respected him. Maverick, the youngest lion on the racing team, received the same nod.

Those she didn’t know at the table (including those who arrive later, feel free to godmod June saying this if you’d like) would receive a guarded but friendly smile from the third year. “I don’t believe we’ve met. I’m June Selwyn, pleasure to meet you.”

She turned to Avery and Vale, two housemates who she wished she was closer with. Perhaps befriending them would help close whatever gap June felt forming between her and Maggie? “This really is so wonderful, thank you two for- BLOODY HELL!” She finally saw the chomping cabbage before her, noticing only after her outburst that it seemed to be lifeless. “Are we putting that in? Can you even eat a chomping cabbage?”

Lira | June | Finley

Colin McCoire

Sixth year, Broom Racer, Writer, Slytherin

14 135 1 261

30 Nov 2023, 00:14

"Aye, me nose is pretty good! I can whiff the rosin in yer shirts, lad!" Colin laughed. Colin loved Avery's chaotic nature. They were a natural match for trouble, and Colin had the feeling that something was going to happen this evening! "Wait. What?" Colin had missed something Avery said! "Favourite --- what? What's a gall Aves?" he asked. But Avery turned away, busy greeting new arrivals. One of whom was Colin's friend, Astra.

"Ayo Ginger Snaps!" Colin called out to Astra as she plopped down next to him. He smiled at her as Hermes ducked under the table. "Mrrroooowwww?" he asked Hermes, sliding down under the table from his seat to scritch the kitties' ears. Once back on the bench, Colin answered Astra's question. "Well, I can't say I'm a fan of spicy food. But I can't say I'm not either! Cos I've never really tried anything spicy before. What about you? Everything certainly smells strong here!"

A couple other kids showed up. First was a boy. Colin looked up. He crinkled his nose. Castle. 'Mav'. He rolled his eyes as Avery stumbled over his greeting. As if the second year Gryffindork was all that! Next in was June. She seemed excited to see Avery, and of course bloody Vale! She fairly chirped her greetings to them, while giving him a brief nod. As if he wasn't even a member of the team! He wondered what he could possibly have done to her! It certainly wasn't that he hated her or anything. She was a really awesomé broom racer and he respected her cocaptaincy with Vale, but, for some reason she just seemed to hate him!

Colin shrugged and gave Astra a weak smile. "Gosh. Girls can be soooo w---!"

"BLOODY HELL!!!" June cried out. She'd been on about something, but now she was hollering about the chomping cabbage.

Colin winked at Astra. "Come on lass! Let's deal with this miscreant cabbage!" He elbowed Astra's side. Maybe she would help! Colin stood up on the bench, a yard or so away from the troublesome brassica, and reached up into his right sleeve. He slipped his wand out and aimed it at the platter of cabbage! "Have at you, you evil vegetable!!" With a deft zig-zag flick of his wand, he called out: "DIFFINDO! DIFFINDO!"

Permission to gently godmod the cabbage sought from Vale!