Participants:
@Ruby Cazares, @Marla Quinlan and @Margo White

The ground loomed dangerously far below as Margo wobbled, her arms flailing desperately in their attempts to keep her balanced. But there was nothing to grab, nothing to hold onto, nothing at all to stop her from falling. She tumbled back into the abyss, a silent scream on her lips...

And landed with a thump on the thick blue carpet.

Green, glow in the dark stars lay scattered around her, and an indignant meow sounded from under a bed where Hades had run to safety. Margo looked up at the tent roof with a huff. She really couldn’t wait to learn the cushioning charm. Luxurious carpet only went so far in cushioning the fall off a ladder. And she hadn’t even been trying to do anything scandalous! Muggle blue-tic — or was it tac? — didn’t work nearly as well as the instructions claimed. Even now, a piece on the tent canopy had started to peel off, falling ungratefully onto Margo’s nose. She flicked it off and glared, stubbornly pushing herself to her feet. She’d stick those stars up no matter how many times she fell off the blasted ladders!

⋆ ☆ ⋆

Half an hour later, Margo wiped the sweat off her forehead and unceremoniously slumped back onto the floor. She gazed up at her handiwork with a tired but appreciative smirk. It was far from beautiful, but the stars definitely weren’t falling down any time soon.

In the end, she had used a mix of glue, blue-tac, and even a strange roll of something called sellotape to stick the luminous bits of plastic to the ceiling. For the next twenty days, their soft light would provide the three teenagers with a sufficiently cozy atmosphere for late night conversations. At first, Margo had dreamed bigger, having planned to have each of their star constellations sending them to sleep at night. But she’d already had a hard time getting them on the ceiling in the first place, let alone recalling the constellations by memory. Besides, a scorpion wasn’t a particularly soothing guardian angel. Neither were...

”Hey guys,” she called out lazily. ”What actually are your star signs? Cool Aquarius and fiery Aries? and owl? I really have no idea... you don't think your owl will try to eat the stars, do you Marla?”

Margo turned her head slightly to the side, catching sight of two familiar feline eyes under the bed. She clicked her tongue with a smile, rubbing her fingers tauntingly over the carpet. Hades crept towards, his eyes focused on his owner’s moving hand. He pounced suddenly, claws retracted in fear of hurting his loved one. But Margo had already grabbed him around the middle, scratching behind his ears and pulling him against her chest. Secretly, she was glad that it was only the three of them in the tent. That way, there was minimal pressure to be funny or outgoing (though she definitely would be) and she could hug her cat as much as she liked.

The dark blue theme and special glow in the dark stars created a much more peaceful atmosphere than one would expect someone with such a loud personality to enjoy. However, that, along with her cat, her best friend and a mischievous shapeshifter, made Margo feel as if she were already at home.

---

A grin like a crocodile and a bob like a funny catfish

*.·:·.☽✧ ✦ ✧☾.·:·.*

The journey to the Stadium had been a long one, but now that she was here, she was excited. She paused for a moment to enjoy a deep breath of fresh air before beginning to search for their tent. She was going to be staying in the same tent as two of her very closest friends—Margo and Marla. Their pets could be there too, and Ruby couldn't imagine a better situation. Well, maybe if Ana was here too, as that would be three of her best friends in one place with her, but her parents had kept her home or something like that. At least they would still be able to send letters and meet up over the summer.

As Ruby entered the tent, any worries or thoughts of imperfection were dispelled instantly. A deep blue was the colour of the tent, surrounding them and enveloping them, yet it calmed her, like a protector rather than a captor. It was comforting, much like the warm body of Apollo in the Slytherin's arms. She set him down to let him wander around and explore what would be their home for the next month, but she wouldn't let him out of her sight for long. She knew that cats could be troublemakers, and her particular one enjoyed climbing.

Removing her shoes, she stepped forward and took a moment to fully take in the tent and its decorations in all their glory. A jovial smile crept onto her face as she surveyed it. Margo seemed to be trying to hang little glowing stars from the ceiling. The prefect's friend liked Astronomy quite a lot, right? Was she creating a constellation that Ruby just didn't know? Regardless, the effort was appreciated and she even found it a little endearing. “Gemini,” she answered idly in response to her housemate's question, icy eyes still directed upwards.

“I'm surprised you doubt our cats' ability to reach and eat the stars, Margo,” she commented, gaze travelling down to settle on her friend. It was quickly pulled away by a flash of light fur darting across the room—Apollo was headed for Hades, attempting to greet his feline companion eagerly. It was followed by an excitable jump onto an empty bed. A chuckle escaped Ruby's lips and she glanced back at Margo as she sat down on the bed. “I guess Apollo claimed this one for me. I like your stars, by the way. Did you get here much earlier?”

Light, easy conversation. They had discussed deep things before and she expected it to happen during this trip as well. Midnight conversations or long nights spent awake whispering to each other didn't sound half bad to her at the moment. Granted, she would be wanting some sleep, but she also wanted to seize the moment. This little retreat with just the people she loved might help her to relax and calm down. Maybe this would end her anger.

*.·:·.☽✧ ✦ ✧☾.·:·.*