The Ballroom

Elizabeth and her dad walked in slowly. Almost as soon as they did, he steered her towards the ballroom. That was not where Elizabeth wanted to be, but she’d slip away from him as soon as she could.

When her dad had told the fact he was going, her mom insisted that he stop by before going to the after part of things. The reason was simple. She wanted Elizabeth out of the house for a few hours. So, that’s what he did and now here Elizabeth was. Completely bored out of her mind with nothing except her wand that, during the time spent at home, she kept in her sleeve.

”Beth, I know you’ll have fun. There’s bound to be some other kids here for you.” Her dad said calmly to her, using one of her nicknames that he often used to get her to do something. Elizabeth rolled her eyes, grumbling about seeing nobody here she recognized. With a sigh, her dad tousled her hair and went to mingle with the others.

Yes, finally! All by myself. Elizabeth breathed a sigh of relief as soon as he left her side. Immediately, she began looking for options to get out of the room without her dad checking on her. She couldn’t stand the pressure of constantly being surrounded by her parents 24/7.

Mundane Action: Entering the ballroom
Magic Action: none

Vladimir emerged through the hearth and entered the Augury. He was stunned by the pink. This has to be some sort of joke he thought to himself, his expressing giving way to a rare, honest sentiment. It seemed to make a mockery of the gravity of this space that abided by ancient laws. His face twisted a bit when he saw the tables with massive bouquets of flowers, can't believe they used those. Music was playing, the groom was standing at the threshold of the kitchen. He was not sure where Gideon or Aamon had run off to and he was not sure if he wanted to know.

A part of him was more concerned about when VanCleaf or another Ministry Official would burst through the front door or the hearth and accuse him of murder. They were probably hesitating because this was a rather high-profile event, but he had his doubts that common decency alone was enough to prevent their pursuit of an innocent man.

He had a plan if he did encounter the auror. He was never fond of the man and perhaps a bit of humility would do him a bit of good. He smiled inwardly at the thought.

In the crowd of guests he would find who he was looking for, @Howard White. They did not know one another well and he had his doubts that they shared enough common interests to ever become friends, but that did not mean that they could not be allies.

"Hey, Howard?" There was an inflection of question, but in truth there was none. He knew who he was speaking to. They had met before, albeit briefly. He extended his gloved hand. Despite having met before, but this felt more like a formal greeting. "I have been meaning to talk with you, the sitting room?" He gestured back towards the fireplace, it was two-sided if he wanted the shortest path. Again, the inflection of a question but it was not an inquiry, it was an request veiled in politeness.

He walked towards the green hearth, shimmying past a couple that emerged as he was passing by. Howard could of course take the long way, through the bar where Thaddeus was nursing a drink and dealing with the aftermath of a drunken house elf that would have poisoned guests if it was not for his weakness for the drink.

Leaving for the Reading Room

Interacting with: @Dylan Astor and @Mikey Forville Mentioning: N/A Date: 08/10/25

Word Count: 303

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Avery stepped out of the floo fire. Attempting to regain her bearings and sneezing from the dust that swirled around her from constant movement. That’s when she realized why she had recognized the name of the reception. She had heard stories about the place, but had never actually been there before. That just made things even worse. She took in shaky deep breaths as she tried to calm her quickly beating heart. The room was also covered in pink. Contrary to what the feeling was. Something was wrong and she had to figure out what. That’s when she heard it. A fight. She glanced over in shock at the sight. A man a few years older than her was dragging a girl around the same age as herself across the room. The sound of her struggle reached Avery’s ears. Leaving a sense of dread inside her. She watched in shock as the girl bit the man. Avery gasped silently. Not willing to make a sound. This wasn’t a reception for a wedding. It was a fight for survival that only the best could survive. That’s when she felt eyes on her. She turned around and glanced behind her. Her knees weakened at the sight of who it was. Mikey. He was there. Not just in letters, but actually there. She smiled weakly at him. Her worry peeking through the mask. She couldn’t lose him tonight. It would be too much after everything that has happened in her first year. He was one of the few good things that had brought her through. “You’re here.” She whispered. Wanting to hug him, but unsure after the events of the train ride home. She had to get into her right mind. Things were too dangerous for her to be distracted. Especially when the Athanatos were involved.

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Stats:

stamina ◦ 7 | evasion ◦ 6 | strength ◦ 7 | wisdom ◦ 7 | arcane power ◦ 6 | accuracy ◦ 7

Abilities:

’s Grace, Fearless

Mundane Action: Walking into ballroom and chatting with @Mikey Forville

Magical Action: None

Mikey stepped forward out of the floo fire, brushing soot from his sleeves and blinking against the bright chandeliers overhead. The scent of roses was overpowering. It was too sweet, and the glittering cavernous ballroom felt like it belonged in a dream that might tip into a nightmare at any moment. He adjusted the collar of his robes, scanning the room, trying not to look too out of place.

There was too much pink. It wasn't the color, just how deliberate it all felt, like someone had tried very hard to make something look soft but forgot about the people who had to be inside it. Mikey’s eyes caught on a couple of house elves skittering by in matching tuxedos, balancing trays stacked with foods he couldn’t pronounce. He also caught what looked like a girl getting dragged away against her will on the other side of the room. His stomach flipped. The whole place felt like it had been decorated with a wandwave and a threat. And then he saw Avery.

He didn’t expect to feel as relieved as he did when he saw her. But in this unfamiliar place, she was like a familiar book on the wrong shelf. He caught her uneasy smile, and returned one of his own, the corner of his mouth twitching upward before it slipped into something closer to concern. “You’re here,” she said, half-question, half-statement, but mostly relief.

He moved closer, dropping his voice so it wouldn’t echo. “You alright?” His eyes flicked over her shoulder, past the opulence and perfume, toward the spot where that boy had dragged a girl off not moments before. He didn’t want to ask. It wasn’t his business but it clung to the edges of his thoughts.

He leaned in voice uncertain. “Avery is this what wizard weddings are usually like?” He meant it seriously, this place didn’t feel like a celebration, it felt like something with teeth. Like more of a cult from a horror movie he had seen with his dad than any wedding he had been to before. Mikey adjusted the strap of his satchel awkwardly, then added, “’Because if so I think I’ve been to too many muggle ones.” He tried to smile again, but it faltered halfway. There were too many shadows between the candlelight.

Action: Mundane, Entering ballroom and talking with Avery Gray

Interacting with: @Dylan Astor and @Mikey Forville Mentioning: N/A Date: 07/05/25

Word Count: 240

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Avery shook her head. She knew that there was no point to hide how she felt with him. He would see right past her mask, anyway. “Honestly? No. Not at all. Something doesn’t feel right here, and I don’t know why, and that girl. . .” She stood there for a moment. Letting the silence of unspoken words fall between them. It had only been a short time since they had last seen each other, but it felt like eternity. All she wanted was to be able to talk to him without her impending doom over their heads, but of course nothing in life goes how you want it. “No. I’ve never seen a wedding like this. The ones I’ve been to were happy celebrations filled with magic and dancing, but this. . . this feels like a fight where only the best will survive.” She swallowed and rubbed her hands on her arms absentmindedly. She wasn’t cold, but a chill ran down her spine as her thoughts were voiced aloud. Avery smiled a small smile before saying, “I’d go to a muggle wedding and risk making a fool of myself than be here any day.” She glanced around the room. The pink decorations, the smell of roses, the people mingling about. It was all wrong. A mask. A way to hide something. But what they were hiding? Avery didn’t know, and she hoped she wouldn’t have to find out.

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Stats:

stamina ◦ 7 | evasion ◦ 6 | strength ◦ 7 | wisdom ◦ 7 | arcane power ◦ 6 | accuracy ◦ 7

Abilities:

’s Grace, Fearless

Mundane Action: Chatting with Mikey Forville

Magical Action: None

Interacting with: @Avery Gray and @Valentin DeAngelo Mentioning: N/A Date: N/A

Word Count: 271

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Dylan had made it past the ceremony. He surprised himself with that as he entered the reception. Immediately recognizing it, but unsure of how. Maybe his parents had said something about it? He couldn’t remember for sure. The floo fireplace was dusty per usual. Dylan fanned the dust away from his face. Not wanting to disturb the silence with his coughing and sneezing. It was too dangerous to draw attention to himself in a room full of who knew what. Dylan didn’t see Val yet. He wasn’t even sure if she had followed behind him or not. All he could hope was that she did follow since he didn’t want to go back to where the ceremony was held and he didn’t want to keep her out of his line of sight for long. From how he had seen Avery react, something wasn’t right. Dylan had spent too much time in America to the point that he couldn’t even remember what he had been taught about the other European pureblood families, but of course he knew the American ones. Dylan stood near the fireplace as he watched and waited for Val to arrive. He could see Avery chatting with Mikey nearby. He smiled. Even though she couldn’t see it, he could see clearly how she felt about him and he guessed that Mikey felt the same from how he acted around her. Dylan glanced around the room. The pink decorations and the overwhelming scent of roses closing in on him. He couldn’t stand it. It was too much to handle. He just hoped Val would come soon. He needed her stability.

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Stats:

stamina ◦ 7 | evasion ◦ 6 | strength ◦ 7 | wisdom ◦ 7 | arcane power ◦ 6 | accuracy ◦ 7

Abilities:

Calming Presence, Healing Sage

Mundane Action: Waiting for Valentin DeAngelo

Magical Action: None

He got a bit sidetracked on his way to the ballroom. While admittedly it was a short walk to the altar that served as the temporary portal to the Cliffs of Dover, his attempt was temporarily stolen by an attractive face. "Nice." When he arrived in the ballroom, there was already a rather thick crowd. Some had started to dance (Jacob), his cousins, less the groom, where nowhere in sight. There were a few wallflowers standing near the appetizers, likely hoping that the proximity to a task would make them feel like they belonged. It wouldn't.

He plucked a Quail Egg from the buffet along with a shallow dish of red wine and took it with him. It felt strange seeing the Augury like this, so... pink and one could even endeavor to claim festive. It almost glossed over the terrible history of this place, of those caves and of the sightless crones. Now music played, the window displayed the waters for its beauty rather than the oceanic divination, and the sacrificial spaces looked like decorative elements that never held any purpose. It was a bit off-putting, but it looked like everyone was happy.

He was headed to the bar, unaware of the incident discovered just moment earlier. His uncle Thaddeus as well as a few teens were already at the bar when he arrived.

Headed for the Small Bar

Mundane Action: Taking a Quail Egg for the road.

Lysander and Annika only got a couple of seconds to question Opeila, before Cassius reached them. Not that Opeila was in the state to answer questions anyway, her brother's words barely reached her.

The priest's laughter still echoed in her head, she could still feel the weight and warmth of his hand on her shoulder. Automatically, she pressed her palm harder against the already reddening skin, trying to get rid of the feeling.

Until Cassius took her hands into his and Lysander and Annika stepped back. Cassius did not press. He was just there, wiping away the tears that were still spilling over. Opeila wasn't even entirely sure why she was crying. Maybe it was just a panic reaction. Maybe it was the entire horrific event. Either way, she was greatful that Cassius did not ask the questions he must have had right now.

For a few seconds she was happy to just lean forward and hide her face at his shoulder, trying to regain her composure, until the guests were called to leave. A little calmer, Opeila went with Cassius, followed by Lysander and Annika.

The short journey via floo network was unexpectedly helpful. Opeila was still as unsettled as before, but her thoughts felt clearer- clear enough to realize that she would not make sense of any of this on her own.
Once they arrived at the ballroom, she took Cassius' hand and was already about to walk towards the door, when Lysander got hold of her elbow.

"Opeila! You will not just run away now, after what just happened."
Opeila looked at Lysander, once again reminded that he tended to side with his parents when in doubt. "Please- Lysander, I just need to figure something out and you cannot help right now. I will explain, I promise, okay? Just not right now."
"Mother will want to know what is going on. She will kill me for just letting you run off now, you know th-"
"She really will be unhappy. It's really too bad that taking our eyes off of you for two seconds was enough to lose you, but who could blame us, with so many people here?" It was Annika, who loosened her fiancé's grip on Opeila's arm and winked at her.

Lysander glared at her, but resigned. "Alright, just- stay out of trouble, will you?"
"We'll do our best." Opeila was not going to make any promises she could not keep tonight. Quickly she walked towards the door, pulling Cassius after her.

Ballroom
Augury Cloister

The short journey through the floo network gave Cassius the briefest of moments to gather himself.

What on earth had happened?

One moment he was in the pews attending an admittedly creepy wedding even by pure-blood standards, the next he was helping an obviously distressed Opeila through a floo gate, flanked by her family members. Worse, he had left his mother behind who no doubt had followed his path through the cathedral and to the floo gate with an irate gaze. They had already arrived on bad terms and this would certainly not help things. A reckoning would be awaiting him when he returned home. Maybe even sooner.

The group arrived in the very pink ballroom of the Augury Cloister. Cassius would expect such a place to have a lingering smell of incense and candle smoke. Instead, the cavernous space held the heavy scent of roses to the extent it was almost sickening. At least the Veela harpists crooning a haunting melody matched the true aesthetic of the locale, although Cassius would have equally expected a choir of monks singing Gregorian chant.

He did not have much time to take in the surroundings – nor the hors d'oeuvres – before Opeila pulled him towards some rooms and doors beyond the ballroom, leaving Annika and Lysander behind. Worse, as they pulled away, Cassius caught a glimpse of his mother who had just entered the room through the floo network.

She did not look pleased.

Exiting the thread and leaving for the Private Space.

@Opeila Winters