Birthday Bash! PV Group Locked

When Ruthie finally enters the room, Nat joins in and leaps out of her hiding place to surprise their special guest, although she won't deny that doing so feels awkward and wrong, given her recent unavailability. She feels like a pretender, like a fraud, and when it's all said and done, she retreats back to her corner, asking herself why she even bothered to come given the fact that she doesn't really do parties, she doesn't really know anybody else in the room, and Ruthie probably loathes her, and—

"Ruthie, happy birthday!" The paleness in Talia's cheeks quickly give way to a soft, healthy flush. Ruthie's attitude seems to do wonders to the younger Ravenclaw's  sense of sociability, and she nods enthusiastically at the mention of Quidditch. "I'm ready whenever you are, of course," she responds in kind, voice quiet but sincere as a small, relieved smile crosses her face. 

As Ruthie begins to socialize with the other party guests, Talia assumes that it's her cue to leave, but she's surprised when a voice pipes up close to her. After an initial, confused look, it seems to click in her mind that the boy is asking her and not anybody else, and she responds quickly, not wanting to appear rude or even snobby.

"No," she answers, voice soft and almost inaudible, so she shakes her head and takes a deep breath to try again, "I mean, I'd like to, but not at the moment. Maybe in the future, when I've learned a bit more about it?" She meets the boy's hand with her own, giving it a surprisingly firm shake for a girl who looks so harmless, so gentle. "I'm Natalia, but people just call me Nat, or Talia. It's nice to meet you, Charlie."

When she drops her hand, she doesn't entirely know where to go from there. She isn't necessarily the best at talking to people, nor does she have the right experience, but she tries anyway, because that's what her brother always says. Try and try. "What about you? Do you play?"

INTERACTIONS: @Ruthie Greer @Charlie Woodward

★ Interacting with @Natalia Draig ★

Dale was still a little asleep, he had almost fallen asleep a bit too many times already, and if he was being honest he really wanted to go back to the library and take a nap. But he decided to stay after all a birthday only happens once a year, and Ruthie seemed to be a really good friend of Lark... For some reason, Dale felt like he needed to be on Ruthie's good side.

After Ruthie made her entrance and the collective "Suprise!" happened, Ruthie seemed really happy with the party, and before Dale could say anything to her, other people got to her and started to wish her happy birthday. He decided to wait a bit before going to wish her happy birthday, not wanting to overwhelm her, instead he had an idea for the presents.

He walked over to the table where the presents were sitting, he pulled out his wand from his pocket and gave it a quick flip... for good luck. Dale wasn't that great at magic, but there was one spell he had practiced for a bit too long, Levitation Charm, it could be used to launch things, float things, and make things fall slower. And it was the one spell Dale could use 90% of the time.

He pointed his wand at the presents and cast the charm on all of them, making them hover upwards, he gave his wand a quick flick, making all of the presents go into a circular formation, and another flick of his wand made all of the presents slowly rotate in a circle counterclockwise. Dale smiled, happy with his work he put his wand back into his pocket.

His question throws her for a loop. While she'd certainly entertained the thought of becoming a Quidditch player many times prior, she hasn't really considered which position she'd like to be—mostly because she's never gotten deep enough into her imagination before one of her sisters start telling her that her dream is an impossible dream, as impossible as pigs growing wings or crows turning white or frogs growing fur and calling themselves mammals.

"That's a good question," she murmurs absently, rubbing the tip of her soft chin in thought as she strains to imagine herself on a broom, on the Quidditch Pitch (an even more impossible thought), and yet despite her automatic reaction of blatant disbelief towards any capacity she may have, the vision comes to her anyway—she sees her blonde locks, longer and tied behind the back of her head. She hovers just beyond three hoops, layers of blue silk hanging from her form.

"Keeper," she says after a moment of stunned revelation. A crease curves between her brows as she tries to shake the impossible thought away, but it seems to have seared itself into the back of her eyelids, vivid with every blink. "It's unlikely, though. Keepers need to be strong, quick, attentive—meanwhile, I've been told I have the same amount of strength as a tattered rag. I'd rather not be a liability to the House."

There's a twinge of hurt there, a rawness in the back of her throat as she recalls the reprimands of her sister, Alice—a promising young Keeper herself. Naturally, Alice knows more about the sport than her... or, at the very least, knows enough that Talia is far from ever being qualified for the spot.

She pushes the hurt away, however, shoving it into a box at the back of her head and locking it tight. It's a fact that she's lived with her whole life. It's nothing new, it shouldn't surprise her nor should it continue bothering her.

"I've spent half my life in the muggle world, and even I was pretty overwhelmed when I got here," she offers kindly, a small but dim smile spreading across her lips. Still, it's a serene expression; it takes only a squint to completely overlook the last tendrils of ache that are beginning to recede from her features. "Well, if you ever want to learn more about it, you can always come ask me. I can't promise I know everything, but I think can give you the basics."

INTERACTIONS: @Charlie Woodward

How lovely it was, to be in the company of friends. The notion of a party for a Miss Greer brought her great joy. She had to smile at Charlie and gentleman cowboy ways. Truly he was unique among others at the school. Still he seemed to be keeping up with the work and that was more than she was in a certain subject. "I'd take just about anything next year over Transfiguration," she half-joked. Her worst subject was anything but fun, and she'd heard upper-level courses were exciting like Care of Magical Creatures.

"Thanks, Nat!" she beamed in response to her fellow Ravenclaw first year. It was nice to the girl out and about, and Charlie seemed like a great person to help Nat feel comfortable out at Hogwarts again. Their conversation turned to Quidditch, something Ruthie was both well-versed in and supremely passionate about. "Oh, that'd be excellent!" she encouraged, "The team is such a great group. I'd be happy to give either of you some insight on the pitch one day." Lark and Ru had nearly hit Cormac the other day, but she was confident her teaching could be more insightful--and less dangerous--than that. Charlie, in particular, seemed to not know anything about the game. "Come to the next match. We're playing Hufflepuff. That would be a great start," she suggested.

She let them carry on, knowing that she needed, as guest of honor, to circulate the room. The girl she didn't know returned her handshake with ease. "Of course, I don't mind! The more, the merrier," Ruthie replied, impressed that even people she didn't know had bothered to come out to help. "Definitely, I was was not expecting anything like this," she answered her fellow Ravenclaw's question, shaking her head as she did so. It was all so unexpected, so unwarranted, and so needed. "You'd never ruin it. It's perfect," she reaffirmed. In addition to the wonderful faces she knew, perhaps she might even make a new friend.

She was about to turn around and make her to some of the other wonderful faces, when she noticed some parcels--were those gifts?--floating up in the air in a flamboyant circle. Her eyes opened wide and her boy followed into a small twirl as she watched the items circle above her head. Her gaze eventually lead towards the end of the line at the boy who had presumably made this happen [Dale]. "Did you do that?" she asked with a finger pointed towards the ceiling, "That's great magic." Perhaps it was the occasion, but the simplest of things seemed more meaningful. Eyeing him closely, she recalled how she knew him. "You took Lark to the Ball, didn't you? That was nice of you," she added. That was about all she wanted to discuss the Ball for today was a joyous day.

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed some of her closest friends--Lark, Gris, and Thora--all huddled in a group together. Creeping up to them, she reached over to give each of them a big hug. "I'm so happy to see you girls here!" she beamed. Come to think of it, the last time, she had seen them all together was Ball and they certainly deserved better circumstances than that. "So tell me, which one of you was the brains of this operation?" she inquired. After all, it simply had to be one of them. No one else would put in this much effort. As she eyed them, she noticed a fellow Ravenclaw nearby.

"Hey David!" she greeted him, "Thanks for coming." He was one of the first people she knew at Hogwarts and it was great to see the party spanning time in this way. "So, what's the best thing to eat in here?" she asked him, eager to get something good to eat before continuing on with the revelry.

Interacting with everyone, but specifically @Charlie Woodward, @Natalia Draig, @Elzabeth Gillan, @Griseldis Edelhardt, @Dale Kurt, @Thora Larkston, @Lark Flaer, and @David Young

Interactions: @Ruthie Greer and sort of @Lark Flaer

Thora had just found a rhythm to adorning the stony wall with the previously blown-up blue orbs when something broke through her concentration. Something more than a distraction. Something that the small Slytherin was overly glad to hear. The voice of her Ravenclaw friend finally sounded just by the door, and just about right on time. Surely feverish last-minute preparations were still being carried out, but quite a crowd--most of which Thora herself was unfamiliar with, but what did that matter?--had gathered in the room and all in all, they were ready for the birthday girl.

The smile on Thora's face widened as her eyebrows drew together, completing her admittedly strange and paradoxical expression of happy confusion. While Ruthie's hands had flown to her face and there was obvious joy in her words, Thora didn't miss the few tears rolling down her face. She couldn't be one to judge about people since her interpretations of people's actions were almost always a bit twisted, but she was confident enough to read her friend. It seemed that Ruthie liked the surprise arrangement--or, Thora desperately hoped so. She hadn't even thought about throwing a party, not having ever seen one, so the most she could do was to help.

It then dawned on her that she hadn't been the best of friends. Thora typically tried to stay on top of the wellbeing of those she cared about, partially because of reasons others would call selfish--not really having a family to call her own, the girl clung to those she trusted--but more so because she truly worried about them. Perhaps she was even over-committed, willing to sacrifice hours of her time just to listen if one so needed. But even she hadn't made an effort to converse with anyone, really, in the past weeks. Maybe this was the opportunity to change.

Then came the warm attack of an embrace. Though it took Thora by surprise and she nearly jerked away, there was the smallest part of her that wanted it to last forever, for while cheesy, every kind word, every hug the girl received reminded her that she wasn't alone. And that she was loved. Obviously, now wasn't the time to indulge. First of all, she was older and already felt a protectiveness towards the blonde, despite the many weaknesses of her own. But if anything, it was Ruthie's birthday, for Merlin's sake. So why was Thora moping around like a little pathetic whiner?

"Happy Birthday!" she said, giving Ruthie a quick hug in return. She definitely wanted to do more to make up for her near apparent absence, but if this was all she could do for now, she'd better do it happily. It wasn't about her. So, when she asked who had "been the brains behind the operation" Thora was quick to shoot Lark a smile.

"It was Lark's idea," the Slytherin answered, beaming. Of course, it hurt herself a bit, knowing that she hadn't planned a surprise party for one of her closest friends, but hopefully she would understand. Thora wasn't one for huge gatherings with a bunch of people, and hadn't really ever seen a birthday party, so to her, it only made sense that she didn't plan the type of event either. Now that she'd seen this happen, though, a wealth of possibilities opened their doors, and the girl drank in every lively moment of it. For her friend. After all, one learned something new every day, didn't they?

"So, how's it feel to be twelve?" Thora asked, "Same age as me!" The words spilled out before she'd even had a chance to think about the implications. They were the same age now… Despite her typically astonishing memory, it sometimes slipped her mind that Ruthie was actually a year younger than her. It was especially hard to believe, given all the unending trauma that'd happened in the past year, and the fact that Thora was a literal shrimp. But considering how small the group she trusted was, did it really matter how old people were? Thora cared about them, and for her, that was enough.

*So sorry for how late this is and how it sort of jumps around >.> *

Interacting with @Ruthie Greer