Valentin Schnell, Ginyami Midorimori, @Erin Gallagher, @Anna Blackrose & Astrid Olsen
@Aida Mórsgor-Ama Ellwood, @Jack Burnett & @Anastasia Varney

Calming Presence in Effect
Allies: Romeo Marchonné, Valentin Schnell, Astrid Olsen, Ginyami Midorimori & Figaro

The Britalian wanted to strangle his brother as soon as he saw Romeo cross the entirety of the room in order to confront Valentin and the boy he was already with. With widening eyes Piérre glared towards Figaro, who only looked back to his master as if to say 'I tried'.

"You were supposed to keep an eye on him! What the heck, Figgy!"Piérre teasingly chastised his cat as it swiftly trotted his direction and then let out a creaking purr-meow as he promptly leapt into his master's arms. Not that Piérre could stay angry at his familiar forever, of course; he was already petting his beautiful little kitten like the critter could do no wrong while he continued to lurk on the sidelines of the main attraction. Forget the rest of the party, this was the real entertainment right here directly in front of the kid. Following Valentin's eyes caused Piérre to have also taken notice of the second string seeker from last summer also lingering nearby in the dress code that had been 'expected' of all invitees. He had also spotted that strange man that Romeo had briefly spoken to as well; the one in the silver suit... and Piérre continued to watch as he seamlessly integrated into the background of the festivities again.

Well, wasn't that just as weird as all hecc? Who just walked right up to a person and started a conversation like that? Well, I guess Romeo was a bit socially impaired sometimes... but still! Observing that interaction had to be on Piérre's top 10 weirdest moments of that month.

Annnnywho. Surely Piérre could continue to watch over that situation of all situations while he went over to speak to Astrid. Maybe she had an idea of what was going on and could help the trickster better comprehend the situation that his brother, his brother's not-so-secret admirer, and this weird outsider were all a part of altogether at this very moment.

Of course he meant Romeo only the best. He always did; and those who said that his tendencies bordered on 'stalking' were absolutely and irrevocably crazy, of course. Perish that thought entirely. Piérre was nothing but open, honest, and perfectly healthy in all of his insurances that his brother in particular was happy and healthy himself.

With a few quick steps, Piérre crossed the gap towards a collection of three young girls. They would immediately become aware of a young man who was a little shy of five foot six who had a very confident stride and seemed totally ignorant to the fact that they were in the middle of a conversation with the target of Piérre's interests. He looked old enough to have facial hair, though...? "Astrid! Hey, hey Astrid! Remember me? I'm Piérre, Romeo's twin... Oh, hi you two, what's up?" He whisper-shouted to the Durmstrang girl first before noticing the other two and then waving at them both childishly. Without waiting long for them to reply to his intrusion, the kid continued his banter with Astrid. "Hey yeah, what's up with him and Val? The one with the white and black outfit... wait that's a bad description... the one kid with Val that isn't my brother? What's up with him? Do you know?" Piérre spun on his heel in order to put his chin in his hand as he tapped his foot while he watched the interaction further itself piecemeal by piecemeal. His brother seemed anxious... but leave it to him to quickly remember his manners. Valentin and the other kid, by contrast, seemed not as amused.

Hm... now why could that be? Especially since Piérre had seen firsthand how the albino's countenance changed whenever so much as the name Romeo was thrown into the mix. It was not a secret thing, at least not to Piérre... even Astrid seemed to agree that there was a palpable chemistry between Piérre's bulky twin and the slight Durmstrang seeker.

So why was there such a viscous difference present here? It was almost jarring...

But as Piérre's excitement and curiosity grew, so did the strains of his empathic nature that started to invisibly electrify the air as it settled upon his targets of interest. Yes... the entire group of Piérre's interests would feel a strange electric feeling in the air as their senses heightened ever so slightly. Curious. Extremely curious.

"Did something bad happen at a Quidditch practice?" Piérre kept talking quickly to Astrid, giving her a side-eye so that he would not miss any of the events that unfolded over yonder. He did not want to miss a moment of what appeared to be a very quickly rising tension in the room. Yes, like the scent of ozone that came with a storm Piérre could practically smell the menace that was starting to intoxicate the air. Something was going to snap. Something in the way that he could see iron in the eyes of the strange boy, the coldness in Valentin's... and the quickly igniting blue fire in Romeo's. "Or is it something else, I wonder..."

Piérre grinned; oh yes... something was certainly brewing indeed... and he intended to both observe and find out. Maybe only participate if he absolutely had to. The comedy tends to write itself, after all.

Man was he happy that Maddie had randomly roped them into this. He couldn't have gotten this level of entertainment anywhere else if he had asked.

Stamina 6 | Strength 5 | Evasion 15
Wisdom 10 | Accuracy 14 | ArcPower 5

Keen Eye Beast Master Calming Presence 's Grace

Figaro the Silver Bengal: 200/200

Ava was getting nervous. She still couldn’t find Kim, despite how much he stuck out with his colorful hair. She had searched as much as she could without looking desperate, but now she was in tears. She was nervous. If she didn’t find Kim, then she would be alone here without others knowledge. She wanted to curl into a ball and hide, but she would keep going.

She moved swiftly through the halls, searching for a single person. A single person that didn’t want to be found, it seemed. She slowed down, and tried to calm herself down. Ava smoothed get dress and tried to compose her face. But you could still see her lip quivering underneath it all.

The problem wasn’t that she couldn’t find Kim. The problem was that her roommate who was going to be accompanying her to this party had sent her a letter last minute saying she couldn’t go. Ava had already prepared everything, from her ride to her outfit. It was too late not to go. Plus, her family had been suspicious of the party from the start. “You, invited to a party?” Her step-mum had scoffed. “By who? Your ‘wizard’ friends?” Both her parents wanted to believe the school she went to was any other boarding school, and that she was just as unpopular there as she was at home. If she quit now, they would think she had been lying about it the entire time.

She had convinced them to give her a ride to the train station and had even paid for the rest of the ride, buying her a ticket for the train and money for car. The dress had been a little more difficult to get. Her parents had both agreed they had already paid for the trip and wouldn’t buy her a brand new dress. Instead, she’d had to scrape up some of her own money to buy a dress from a secondhand store. She was proud of the dress she’d found, because such a find was usually unheard of for such a cheap price.

If she were to leave now, all this would have been a waste. Her hard work, gone. So she stayed, and continued searching despite the tears welling in her eyes and the panic attack she could feel coming.

¤ | Ω | ¤

Nec Temere, Nec Timide. Durmstrang Institute's

Romeo Giovanni Marchonné

"English." "Italiano. Italian." "Russian."

| Faint Scar on Left Eye & Mangled Right Ear | \ Fingerless Glove on Right Hand, Bite Scar on Forearm / | Lichtenberg Figure on Right Arm and Down Back |

Valentin Schnell & Ginyami Midorimori
@Aida Mòrsgor-Ama Ellwood & @Jack Burnett

As I had rightly suspected, my presence was not entirely welcomed by the young man who introduced himself as Ginyami Midorimori. I had, after all, somewhat introduced myself to the situation and had neither been invited nor expected. With a curt nod to him, I smiled awkwardly and almost wanted to tell him that his own bow was not necessary in the slightest... but it was how Valentin visibly shrunk away as I drew close, almost as if he was expecting me to lash out at him, that set me back before I could request that as my own look of minute surprise and worry flashed across my face before a purely concerned look resumed. I could feel my jaw tighten ever so slightly, as the whirlwind of thoughts began to whip itself into a frenzy. The silence that came from him following my inquisitions was not comforting in the slightest, but his words were what chilled me to the bone.

I couldn't help the fact that my hands were hovering in the air as if ready to take Valentin into both hands; to inspect and assess his bumps, bruises, cuts, and gashes... but his coldness repelled me like a polar vortex. "B-Because Maddie told me to come along." I stammered ever so slightly, as if my words were chattered out. "I didn't know that this was the same party, she sprung it on me and my brother just last night and didn't give many details..." I trailed off sheepishly. The more I spoke, the less I was helping my case. "I really... I really wasn't expecting to go to a party at all, let alone the one that..." I needed to stop talking. I needed to have some sort of social filter. I was ready to back down and walk away... It would be for the best if I just didn't try to pursue this any further.

But the moment that Arson was mentioned, my eyes flare up as the coldness is shaken away. No. This is where the coolness went too far, the seemingly distanced emotion associated with such a heinous crime. "Arson?" I hissed out quietly at first, almost disbelieving as my brows furrow heavily and almost form a shadow across my features as what is likely a very familiar visage to Valentin of a near rage becoming present. "ARSON?!" A very familiar sonic boom of a baritone teetering between a shout and a reprimand. "What in the-- Che cazzo! Literally: What the F*** Valentin, what in God's name... How is this something not to be worried about?!" Lowering my voice to avoid making an unnecessary scene. How could he be so calm about this?! "You do realize that is a criminal offense, right? That kind of shit is illegal and you could have been killed!"

And now I am talking with my hands, an unconscious habit of mine but one that is rather obviously present in most people of my nationality when observed by foreigners. Our hands are part of our language, as my right hand seems to fan back and forth in front of my face as if swatting away an invisible fly. To outsiders, it may have looked like I was madly swatting at an invisible thing, but to those more familiar-- say my brother or to that strange Noé-- they would recognize the gesticulation as an emphasis on the 'craziness' of the things I was hearing. "That's not something you can just push aside! Wh-" I could care less about the last part of Valentin's nonsense; that we were now equals and did not have any other payments between us. Bullshit! "Favors and owing be damned! I know that you take care of yourself..." My anger riles down a touch. "But that is not normal. You shouldn't have to deal with that level of danger on a... what? A yearly basis? Valentin... Val..."

The words were in my head, but they wouldn't come out.
This is the second time you've almost died.

I take a deep, shaking breath, running my gloved hand through my hair and internally cursing as the suit constrains the full movement of my arm and makes the movement awkward. I remember that Ginyami exists again as he suddenly interposes himself between me and my Captain. My eyes immediately flick to his, set with an edge of challenge at this bid for redirection. Brow arcing as if to request what the purpose of this action was, my question is answered before it has to be stated verbally. "Answers?" I couldn't help the undertone of hissing that came with the rumbling bass that began to creep in on the edges of my voice. "In what world do you think that I've been given resolution to my worries?" Was he simply putting me on, trying to deflect, or was he trying to be legitimate? The calmness in the way he spoke hearkened aggravatingly back to the way that my twin liked to downplay his actions of mischief that ultimately resulted in disaster that he never foresaw. I hated it when Piérre tried to play hopscotch with the truth. This was no exception. "As much as I respect you as a fellow being concerned over the same things as I, I don't think you quite comprehend how seriously I take this threat on my closest friend's life." I explain myself explicitly despite the ringing rising in intensity in my right ear. My heartbeat was changing its pulse location from my chest to my head. "I'm of the opinion that a wagging tongue and no honest action makes a poor friend. Ergo, I don't want to keep this on the back burner of my mind." Because what kind of human would I be if I just stood by?

What kind of hypocrite would I be to offer condolences and no support? Condolences and words did nothing. Empty actions and promises meant nothing. I didn't have much, but I had my wits, my loyalty, and I had a home... "But since you offered me information, I'll accept it for what it's worth. Do you know who was behind this, and what is you plan of action to confront or otherwise track them down safely? What's your contingency should your initial plans go awry? What do they want and how do we mitigate or deny their demands? Most importantly; who the fuck do you think you are to speak for Valentin."

My last statement was not a question, as I felt myself shedding my attempts to slouch and maintain the illusion of being beneath my true height (at this time, Romeo is six foot and two inches tall). I was not scared of flowery words, and I was not afraid to be assertive. My time with a puck of a younger twin had taught me how to be firm in stance and structure. I wondered just how well Ginyami would hold up, as electricity seemed to buzz in the air, causing me to tense and untense as I stared him down; the one thing between me and Valentin. Someone who thought that he had not only the right to stand between me and my Captain, but who had the nerve to turn me away altogether as if he were some sort of personal shield.

He knew nothing of being a shield. He most certainly knew nothing about me and the ends I was willing to take for the wellbeing of those that I knew were worthy of my protection.

Reducio

Stats:

Ω Stamina 9 | Evasion 7 | Strength 15 Ω
Ω Accuracy 15 | Wisdom 9 | ArcPower 0 Ω

Abilities:

Ω Obnoxiously Strong | Perfectionist I | Martial Artist | Healing Sage I Ω

═══════*.·:·.☽✧ 219 ✧☾.·:·.*═══════

"Hurry up! We don't want to be late, do we now?" Céline was panicking. The family was kinda rushing to get all dressed, and get there outfits perfected. Daria was brushing her hair for the third time that night, Andros was Helping his youngest with his tie.

André huffed as his father finished. He wasn't used to ties, or formal clothing in general. The dress code being black, blue and white. The Lebedev boys were dressed in black suits of sorts with white under shirts. As the girls each had on blue dresses that suited them perfectly. Tailored to fit perfectly. "Are we all ready?" His dad asked. Everyone looked ready to André. "Um yeah I'm pretty sure we're ready." He said. Tuning to the fire place, grabbing a handful of floo powder.

--- ✦ • ✦ ---

Soon as the family of four entered the manor a house elf led them to the ball room. "Wow.. There's more people then I thought there would be" the second year, said to no one but her household. "Right? I'm not sure if I really know anyone." André added.

It was obvious the two siblings didn't know what to do, or who to talk to. There parents were the complete opposite, knowing exactly what to do. Leaving there children to do there own thing and talk.

═══════*.·:·.☽✧ ✦ ✧☾.·:·.*═══════

"Very well. I will trust you, and I will do what I can to help you learn," said Ginyami, putting Valya just a little more at ease. Trust was the only way the seeker could feel free to be himself.

“I know the situation is intense, but I appreciate you putting your faith in me and having the courage to let me do what I must. I’ll send you some owls from over there. Won’t it be fun to meet one of the German birds our friends in Munich keep?” The corner of Valya’s mouth lifted, already feeling quite a bit less alone. Soon, even Romeo approached, standing 2 and a half inches taller than Valentin. The seeker had spent enough time around Ginyami to sense the judgment in his eyes when observing Romeo’s mannerisms – Valya had been graced with more than a curt nod and tight smile before as one of the lucky few to have seen genuine emotions play freely across the Japanese boy’s face.

"Ah...so you are Romeo. I have heard so much about you," greeted Ginyami with well-practiced pleasantness. That Ginyami had already learned to associate Romeo’s name with his face back in early October would be lost on Valentin, who had not been privy to the conversation in Japanese further down the dining table. Whether Romeo caught onto this subtle twisting of the truth or not, he still went on to stammer about why he was here this evening. As pleasing as the baritone’s voice was, Valentin’s face grimaced as if he’d been punched in the gut. For his part, Valya wouldn’t hide the pain he felt in Romeo’s presence here, nor insult him with pulled punches for the sake of putting on airs.

“So now you’re going to put this on Maddie? You lied to me, Romeo. You told me categorically you wouldn’t come to such a high-profile blood purist event. I understand now that wasn’t the real issue. I thought you of all people wouldn’t spare me the truth, even if it was painful, but your actions speak for themselves. Don’t try to cover this up now. Even if you didn’t know it was the same pureblood party, you are dressed for the occasion. I’ve never seen you in such a fine suit. You clearly knew what you were getting yourself into and came prepared. That you totally forgot our conversation shows that I am not even an afterthought for you, let alone how much of a fabrication your excuse was.”

Falling back onto the wall with crossed arms, the seeker earnestly tried to control his anger for everyone else’s sake. Valentin had noticed the omission of Romeo’s surname from his self-introduction, but he wouldn’t bring it up here, not like this. As tilted as he was, Valentin was also not one to refuse answering his co-captain, and so he admitted to arson being the source of his wounds. Eyes lingering on the Italian’s hands that hovered as if ready to grab onto Valentin, the seeker’s brows dropped, crestfallen. He hated the way such pureblood events made people constrain their truest forms of self expression. Even if Romeo wasn't holding back much, it was clear that the social environment was putting a barrier between them. Still, as alarm welled up inside Romeo, not even social niceties could stifle him completely.

"ARSON?! What in the-- Che cazzo! Valentin, what in God's name... How is this something not to be worried about?!" Romeo went on, and the deeper he dove on the topic, the more his breath shook. Valya hated doing this to his co-captain. He just wanted to grab onto his arm and plead with his eyes that it wasn’t so bad – that things would be alright. Yet, he couldn’t bear to downplay the situation any more. Val felt the shadow of the angel of death coiling about his heels from behind.

“I didn’t ask for any of this to happen to me, Romeva. This is simply what befell me, and I have to respect that you… have a new road before you, finding yourself and where you came from. It’s okay for you to not be the aegis anymore, and I support you in finding your true highest calling. I will find a way out of this alive somehow. The team is counting on me, right? If I don’t come back, then who’s going to play ‘good auror’/‘bad auror’ with you during boot camp? Right?” A knot of pain spun to the bottom of Val’s stomach as he tried to justify to himself going it alone. In truth, the prospect reeked of fire and brimstone. Biting into his split lip, Valentin tried to summon more resolve, but the feelings of having been betrayed still haunted the depths of his heart. Was it true that everyone, deep down, was really alone in this? Why else would Romeo, whom Val had come to trust above all, lie to him over such a petty matter?

Ginyami, seemingly always sensitive to the social environment around him, would not fail to accommodate. However Ginyami read the situation and Valentin’s feelings, it was enough for the Mahoutokoro boy to step in front to shield him.

"It seems, Romeo-san, that you have your answers. If there is anything else you wish to ask of Valentin, I hope that you will ask it of me instead. As you can see, our mutual friend, here, has been through quite the ordeal and does not appear to be in much of a state to socialize tonight. I hope you will forgive him." Romeo wasn’t done, however.

"Answers? In what world do you think that I've been given resolution to my worries? As much as I respect you as a fellow being concerned over the same things as I, I don't think you quite comprehend how seriously I take this threat on my closest friend's life. "

Valentin looked up and uncrossed his arms, touched but afraid. Romeo spoke as if the albino actually meant something to him. Gut clenching, Val decided that for such information to come out now meant the situation was spiralling out of control. Wasn’t Val just one more person that Romeo’s knightly disposition was obliged to protect? Head buzzing with cognitive dissonance, Valentin decided this must be another lie of convenience. Romeo would act this way on behalf of anyone he cared even a shred about, as a simple matter of honor. I don’t deserve to pretend it’s special when I’m just another person crossing his vagabond path. Somehow, I’ll find the way to stand strong on my own. I owe it to the sacrifices he already made for me.

Romeo’s bright cerulean eyes stared Ginyami down, and Valentin could almost feel the Italian's rage prickling his own skin. Still, Val couldn’t help but wonder if he wasn’t more important to the Japanese boy, who had begun going against his natural deceptive inclinations for Valya. The captain knew he received special consideration from Ginyami, while he could have easily seen Romeo playing the hero for any other half-decent person. Ginyami, who clearly tended to look after himself first in most things, stood before Valya now offering himself as a shield… but was this another face he was putting on? How much of this was the real Ginyami?

Through the static electricity in his head that droned like white noise, Valentin’s anger slipped away into a hidden corner of his insides, unresolved. Pushing himself back off the wall, the seeker looked between the back of Ginyami’s head and the burning in Romeo’s eyes.

“I never meant to bring this upon either of you. I just wanted you to have a beautiful evening… This time together is precious.” Taking a step closer behind Ginyami's shoulder towards the pair, Valentin drew in a slow breath. If tonight does prove to be my last night on Earth... then I especially owe that to my two most beloved people.

Roleplaying as Ginyami Midorimori from Mahoutokoro
"English | Japanese"

"Answers? In what world do you think that I've been given resolution to my worries?"

Though he was a good five inches shorter than the towering Durmstrang youth and his build more slight, the black-haired boy failed to seem intimidated. He simply continued to smile with the calm politeness of someone all too familiar with being provoked.

"I never said I thought that you had been given resolution to your worries," he replied serenely. "I simply suggested that you had been given answers to the questions you asked. Your worries are another problem entirely; a problem that is solely yours to resolve."

Romeo went on to state that as much as he respected Ginyami for being concerned over the same things he was, he didn't think he understood just how seriously he took the threat on his 'closest friend's life'. And he was right; Ginyami didn't understand. He wanted to, however, and thought he started to as he studied Romeo getting angry and upset for Valentin's sake and the misfortunes the seeker had suffered. The blue-eyed brunet clearly cared for his fellow schoolmate and co-captain, but to what capacity? In what way?

"But since you offered me information, I'll accept it for what it's worth. Do you know who was behind this, and what is you plan of action to confront or otherwise track them down safely? What's your contingency should your initial plans go awry? What do they want and how do we mitigate or deny their demands? Most importantly; who the fuck do you think you are to speak for Valentin."

At the use of such crude and vulgar language in his final, rhetorical question, Ginyami's mask of politeness cracked. A true grin seeped through the seams of his tight smile and his thin eyebrows narrowed. So that's the limit of your willingness to play nice? How interesting.

"We are finally past the pleasantries and formalities, I see," he commented with a soft chuckle. "That did not take long. Well, since you seem to think it most important, I will answer your last question first. Who am I to speak for Valentin? I am someone he can rely on. Someone who would not lie to him. Someone who he evidently seems to trust more than you and thus someone who wouldn't divulge certain information I am not at liberty to share. But I can tell you this." He took a step closer, tilting his head back to better meet the gaze of the taller teen. His facetious grin evaporated in an instant as he spoke with dead seriousness.

"No, I do not know who was behind this. I do not have a plan of action to confront or otherwise track them down, safely or otherwise. I have no contingency plan, either. Nor do I know what they want or how we mitigate or deny their demands." He cocked his head. "Why? Not because I do not care about Valentin or because I cannot do any of those things, for I assure you, I do and I could. It is simply because I trust Valentin. I trust him to handle this alone, as he asked me to. And I know that, even when it is the absolute most difficult thing to do, sometimes doing nothing can be the best course of action, so to speak. Do you?"

“I never meant to bring this upon either of you. I just wanted you to have a beautiful evening… This time together is precious.”

The voice emitted from behing Ginyami caused the Japanese boy to stiffen briefly, then relax. He heard the ivory-complexioned young man move a step closer to them both and stepped back to give him more room to interact with Romeo if he so wished. It seemed like the white seeker was done being cold to his co-captain; at least to a degree. If he no longer had a problem with Romeo, then Ginyami no longer had a reason to find fault with him, either. ...Right?

He didn't want to think about it too much. It was going to give him a headache. "Alright. What is it you would like to do first?" he asked Valentin, offering his arm for the other to take if he so wished. "Eat? Drink? Mingle? Dance?"

Interacting with: Valentin Schnell (@Aida Mòrsgor-Ama Ellwood) & Romeo Marchonné (@Piérre Marchonné)

After a little bit more of small-talking, Anna went to see her friends and other aquitances. Astrid and Viktoria stayed together at a border of the room, but not sticked to the wall, just not in the center. More and more people were arriving. People were talking, meeting one another. It was an usual beginning of a party. But apparently not for everyone.
Astrid's seeker's eye was observing everything, as usual. It was a kinda bad habit she had, to watch everything that was happening. But it was useful in some situations. Romeo Marchonné, her Quidditch team mate and co-captain was walking in the direction of two boy, Valentin Schnell and a Mahoutokoro student whose name Astrid had forgotten. Behind Romeo, an silver cat. Romeo's twin's cat. The girl tugged her sister's sleeve and whispered:
— Look. I feel like it's gonna be interesting.
The three boys were talking and it was probably more fun to watch the exchange than to actually live it. Viktoria, who had no interest in the Durmstrang Quidditch captain and co-captain's life, rolled her eyes and quickly looked all over the room to see if there was any of her own aquitances. It was the moment that chose another boy to introduce himself. Piérre Marchonné. Romeo's twin. He didn't exactly looked like the last time Astrid had seen him but she could still recognise the boy.
— Hey Piérre! This is my sister Viktoria, she's in Durmstrang too. I'm not sure of who is this guy but I think that he is in Mahoutokoro's Hexwizard team? That would explain how he knows Val. But yeah, I agree that they are not acting as usual. Val and your brother.
Astrid was wondering why Piérre was acting that worried for his brother. The situation wasn't that alarming. After a look to the trio, the girl changed her mind. The situation was indeed alarming. Romeo seemed panicked, Val looked really tired and a bit angry and the third boy looked like a mediator. Astrid was seriously starting to worry for the two Durmstrang boys.
— Nothing weird happened at Dumstrang. Nothing out of ordinary. I really don't know what's going on over there. Should we go to see?

Interacting with : @Piérre Marchonné
Mentionning : Romeo Marchonné, @Aida Mòrsgor-Ama Ellwood as Valentin,
@Jack Burnett as Ginyami Midorimori

Open for interaction

Interacting: @Erin Gallagher
Mentioning: @Piérre Marchonné, @Ethan Smith
OOC: Sorry for the long wait, hopefully I'll be more active again!