Closed Happy Birthday, Leonard Oaksworth PV Invited

Friday, May 27th. The day of Leonard Oaksworth's birthday party (He had never responded to the question in her RSVP. So, as to not offend, June simple decided to call him Leonard Oaksworth. Every time. Hopefully he didn't mind...). June had rushed to finish all of her homework, per his instructions, trying to finish most of it before even leaving a classroom. This was, quite possibly, the most exciting day since the new year. Well, perhaps her flying-lesson-gone-wrong with Maggie was more exciting, but that was excitement in a terrifying sense. But birthday parties were a time to celebrate, not end up in the hospital wing, and so June's excitement was purely positive. Absolutely affirmative. Entirely efficacious.

June looked in the mirror in her dorm room, frantically re-plaiting her hair for the seventh time. This was a third-year's birthday party, surely June, Shawn and Maggie would be the exception in terms of age. June wanted to leave this party as more than the blonde first year in the other party-goers' minds. She would be June Selwyn, incredibly mature, smart, interesting and... and... and something else that June would decide later.

"Just... Get. In. The. Plait!" June's growing frustration at her hair and anxiousness of being late was only causing her to fumble more. Finally, after what was much longer than she was comfortable with, she was satisfied, and ran to get her shoes and the wrapped parcel sitting in her trunk. The day she got her invitation, she had sent out for his gift, and the moment it arrived, she spent the entire evening trying to find the perfect way to wrap it. A small card was tucked in the gold ribbon used to tie the stiff black parchment together. June tucked her wrapped father's book under her arm. She had seen Leonard Oaksworth reading or with a novel in-hand quite a few times since meeting him. Her father had managed to send June a signed copy of his newest book, The Castle Around Your Bones within 48 hours. As she left her room to head to the grounds, June realized that perhaps it was incredibly conceited to give a signed copy of your father's book to someone you hardly knew. Now even the message her father wrote inside the front cover seemed to paint June and her family in a narcissistic light...

Dear Leonard Oaksworth,
Happy birthday! I hope you enjoy this thrilling mystery, and that you continue to grow into a fine young man.
Happy reading!
Phinehas Selwyn

"Happy reading"? June groaned to herself. It's as if she's saying Leonard Oaksworth has to enjoy the book. And that was not the impression she wanted Leonard Oaksworth to have of her.

Well, it was too late to do anything now. June stepped outside, the slight breeze pushing an un-plaited bunch of hair across June's face. Bogies.

June saw the picnic blanket and banner quickly, and began running towards the birthday boy himself. He was alone; June appeared to be the first guest to arrive. Brilliant. She smiled and waved, careful not to crumple the wrapped gift under her arm as she held it out for Leonard Oaksworth to clearly see. "Happy birthday, Leonard Oaksworth! Am I the first to arrive?" June groaned internally. She was obviously the first one there. Stupid.

She arrived slightly out of breath, trying to hide it. Third-years probably didn't get winded after running for a few seconds. Leonard Oaksworth threw a small bit of confetti in June's direction as she tried to subtly catch her breath. "Oh wow, you even have confetti! This party looks absolutely wonderful, Leonard Oaksworth, well done." June felt her anxiety melting away. This was a good idea, a fantastic opportunity to get to know more interesting people at Hogwarts. Leonard Oaksworth was certainly not boring, so surely everyone who was invited was also not boring. June didn't think she could stand if she met one more person with no personality to boast..

"Where should I put your gift? I hope you like it, I've noticed that you also enjoy reading quite a bit. I promise it's not an explosive, just a book." June's eyes wandered around the small party area, beautifully shaded by the nearby tree. Then she saw it. "Is.. Is the lizard wearing a tuxedo?!" June peered to get a closer look. "Oh, and look at his little hat! Merlin, that's adorable."

Banner made by the talented Winnie Harper

𝐻𝑒𝓍 𝒞𝑜𝒹𝑒 #000080 English #800000 French #4B0082 Latin #C71585 Spanish	𝐼𝓃𝓉𝑒𝓇𝒶𝒸𝓉 𝒲𝒾𝓉𝒽 @Leonard Oaksworth	𝑀𝑒𝓃𝓉𝒾𝑜𝓃(𝓈) @Alec Mason Kara Capricorn @Judith Selwyn	𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝒪𝓊𝓉𝒻𝒾𝓉𝓈 Reducio + black with gold accented flats	𝐹𝓇𝒾𝒹𝒶𝓎, 𝑀𝒶𝓎 𝟤𝟩𝓉𝒽, 𝟤𝟢𝟤𝟤 𝐻𝒶𝓅𝓅𝓎 𝐵𝒾𝓇𝓉𝒽𝒹𝒶𝓎, 𝐿𝑒𝑜!

It was a few days after the exchange series of letters with one Leonard Oaksworth that lead into this day. That day, Cash was about to send a letter to their mother when they saw a peculiar advertisement in the Owlery in which a person called Leonard Oaksworh was looking for a date for his bithday.

Cash without thinking it through snatched the advertisement and started to send back and forth letters with Leo. When Cash saw the picture that was attached to the advertisement, they more or less remembered which was Leonard Oaksworth. The green eyes vaguely remember that they had shared a class with the boy at various times of both the third-year class schedules.

But Cash and Leo are not that particularly close nor run in the same social circle. The Cuban descent got to admit Leo was not so bad either on the eyes. And so, once they had caught up with some of their homework, Cash had changed from their comfortable garb into a more appropriate outfit if one will be attending a birthday party.

The last birthday party they attended was Henry's but it feels like million years ago when in reality such an event only happened last year. Once Cash has done putting on their ensemble of clothing, they take a look at the full-body mirror that stood in their dorm room. They caressed the invisible dust and lines that might be on their outfit.

Not one single crumpled line appeared on their outfit and yet they are nervous about today. "It is not a date,"Cash growled lowly to themselves. The last time they went on date or were this nervous was with Kara. The short brunette-haired girl's name sometimes still lingered in their mind. The dull ache that came from remembering the girl's name is still there but lessens each and every day and is not so painful anymore.

Cash took a deep breath and take one last glance at their outfit. When they think their appearance is perfect enough, they walked out of their dorm and started making their way toward the Grounds. While walking towards the Ground, Cash debated with themselves. Cash knows that today they need to play pretense.

Pretend to be Leo's date. They did not know whether they started to call Leo by Oaksie or LeeLee when whomever Leo tried to make jealous of showed up on his birthday. Thinking about the possible overly cute and nauseous nicknames, make their stomach churn. Cash once read to get over someone, show up with someone else, or something along that line.

Not Cash is some sort of an expert in that department. Their only exes are Kara and Mason with whatever going on between them. Maybe why Leo picked them as their pretend significant other, Leo wanted to show that he is moving on from whoever scorned him. Whatever his reason is, Cash is there for the ride.

And so, when their feet landed on the Grounds, the big banner that read ‘L. Oaksworth’s Birthday’ in bold black lettering hung around a tall tree. Upon closer look, one girl had already shown up and chatted with the birthday boy. She also gives Leo his birthday present. The young Ironwoods did not know Leo that well so they showed up empty-handed except grace Leo with their presence.

Cash then marched towards Leo. "Feliz cumpleaños, cariño, happy birthday, sweetheart"The Latinx uttered while giving a kiss on both Leo's cheeks. "I am sorry that I do not bring you any presents,"They added. Their English-Spanish accent seeped through. "But I hope my presence is enough,"They concluded as they looked around.

It seems aside from Leo and the other girl, Cash is one of the attendees that come early to the birthday boy shindig.

Anyone who knew Jack knew that he held birthdays in the highest regard and that he found it an honor to be invited to any party commemorating one. He had honestly been surprised to get Leonard's invitation, however, since he hadn't talked to the other boy in a while, but it was certainly a pleasant surprise. With Ruka and Kazuo having left Hogwarts and Flash having not been in the best of moods or conditions as of late, Jack had felt pretty lonely. He had even resorted to going around and pestering other students he didn't even know just to have some interesting interactions with others. They rarely lasted, however, and it was nice to be remembered by someone he'd had a positive interaction with for once. It made him feel a little less like the scum of the Earth.

The difficult part was thinking what to get Leonard for a birthday present. He usually offered one of his favors to birthday celebrants, but this time that just didn't seem like enough. As someone who reminded Jack he was worth inviting to a party when he was in low spirits, Jack felt Leonard deserved something more. He still wanted to give him a favor token, of course, but in the case Leonard couldn't think of a use for it, he wanted to offer something else; something that might actually make him happy. A plant, perhaps? As a reference to the first time they had met when Leonard had been watering flowers in a front garden? But what if he didn't actually like plants and just found it a burden to care for?

Wishing he had spent more time getting to know Leonard better more recently, Jack felt stupid and guilty, but eventually added an 'I.O.U.' slip to his favor token in the small bag he had gotten to put his gifts birthday card in. Maybe they could go shopping sometime at Hogsmeade and Jack could buy Leonard's present then. Perhaps he'd like some sweets at Honeydukes or some new clothes from Gladrags Wizardwear. Regardless, Jack felt it was safer to leave the present up to Leonard rather than to try his luck at guessing what he might have wanted. Maybe it might have made him look like a less thoughtful guest than others, but he couldn't hide the fact he didn't know Leonard as well as he might have wanted to. He liked the guy, though, which was rare, and he didn't want to risk offending him. Offering him an I.O.U. not only gave Leonard the chance to get what he wanted, but it gave Jack the opportunity to spend more time with him if he agreed to go on an outing in the future to shop.

When Jack stepped outside in a casual but nice pair of jeans and a neat collared shirt, he noticed the quilt on the ground next to the tree with the banner and smiled. The fact that the banner read 'L. Oaksworth's Birthday' Instead of 'Leonard Oaksworth' or 'Leonard O.'s Birthday' seemed so formal. From everything set up on the picnic blanket and wooden table, Jack could tell Leonard had worked hard to make sure the party was a success - his own birthday party. The poor fellow. He shouldn't have had to work so hard on his own birthday for goodness' sake. It was supposed to be about him, not his guests. Still, Jack couldn't help admiring the effort that had so obviously gone into the set-up of the whole thing. He had made a note back when he had first gotten the invitation of what date Leonard's birthday fell on exactly so that maybe next year he could plan his fellow Slytherin's party for him instead.

As he drew closer, he noticed that two people other than the birthday boy were already present. He hesitated a moment before raising a hand high in greeting.

"Happy birthday, Oaksworth!" he called with a smile. "Long time no see. Thanks for the invite; it was really flattering."

Taking note of an unfamiliar girl and Cash, he nodded to each of them in turn, not wanting to seem too anti-social. It had been forever since he'd attended a party like this one.

@Leonard Oaksworth, @June Selwyn, & @Cassandra Ironwoods

interacts @Leonard Oaksworth | @Cassandra Ironwoods | @June Selwyn | @Jack Burnett mentions @Marshal Mozor

Reducio the outfit.

Leonard Oaksworth was somebody Lindsey had once been close to. Alright, perhaps not that close, but he was certainly counted as a friend. To say that Lindsey didn’t miss him was a lie, yet to say that she was eagerly awaiting for his showing-up in her life after such a long while was another unrealistic tale. She had once returned with hope, hope of reuniting sometime in this school year with her old folks, and yet it ended up as a hope. There had been a time when the truck load of nostalgia struck, loneliness coming over when she buried herself in books and homework. A moment of reflect, debate on whether she should reach out to them for a reunion or not, and the results were all negative without exception.

That was a weird feeling, she had to admit, but she just couldn’t refrain from thinking that. Her friends - or rather, old friends - were obviously moving on, no longer listing her name on their respectable friend list. So why should she poke her nose into their personal life, which they tended to keep as a secret garden while opening the gate to someone else? And then she started avoiding them in class, lowering her head when she saw them in the Great Hall, slipping past them in the hallways - that all came naturally.At the beginning it was bitter indeed, but she was slowly accepting the thing as time flew. Life was just like that, wasn’t it? Folks come and go, only leaving memories and perhaps sometimes rather indelible impressions. They had obviously forgotten her already, and she should forget them in return. Being a determined person she succeeded despite suffering from a long tearing process, leaving everything behind and starting a brand new life.

And now Leonard showed up through a birthday invitation, his very self.

That was - surprising indeed, to see that he still remembered her and regarded her as a worthy invitee to his party. Snatching the parchment impatiently she felt that all her psychological construction collapsed, forcing her to rethink if the one being evil was her after all. Her friends - even though only Leonard made his appearance, unintentionally she used the plural form - weren’t forgetting her. Instead, it was she who forgot them. She could feel it, almost immediately the emotion flooding, causing her to stumble. Was it - excitement? No, certainly not. Guilt? Perhaps. Remembering that there were something like “why I invite you” on the invitation, again she put her attention back to the piece of paper. Three categories, huh? She was about to give it a closer look, when the line after the number 2 suddenly caught her attention: 2) you're a girl who nabbed one from Marshal because he wants an extra to his RSVP. Marshal. Marshal. The seven letters made her widen her eyes.

Muttering the name several times under her breath, now Lindsey did not have any mood to think about which exact category did she fall in. Now instead of one fear she had to face two, with Marshal also attending and seeing him in person. There was a brief moment when she doubted why Marshal would appear on the snake’s invitation, yet then she smirked at herself and shook her head. How could she be so forgetful regarding the fact that Leonard and Marshal were friends? Ah, she couldn’t be blamed, could she? She had already “forgotten” everything about the past. But, back to the point, if her presence was really required by the blond…ha, she was indeed a super villain by thinking her friend wrong.

Though still she had to be there, something in her body telling her that she’d go or die. After an aborative consider and several letters to her mother who knew everything about gifts, she picked a very elegant quill for this Slytherin who was once regarded as a philosopher. It was green in colour, representing his house, and smooth enough to write. Thinking for a moment, she scribbled a birthday card for him - very simple, only with the words “happy birthday” and her signature. And then she wrapped these two things in a navy blue gift box, which she carefully tied with matched ribbons.

Reducio

Happy birthday! -Lindsey

note (in the form of a card) + quill + gift box

Leaving Napoleon in her dormitory - no, she did not want any troubles caused, even by her cat - Lindsey got herself dressed and made her way to the destined place, the said homework done. Leonard was there, the familiar silhouette she was so acquainted with a few years ago, under a banner featuring bolded words L. Oaksworth’s Birthday. There was a girl with blonde hair, someone she didn’t have the honour of knowing the name, and a boy that somehow looked familiar, perhaps a peer that showed up in some of her class. And there was also a fourth person - she squinted to look more closely, and no sooner did she realise who that was. No other than Cash Ironwoods. So, another old friend that she had to face. Thank goodness Marshal wasn’t showing up yet.

And yet there was now no way for her to turn around, with them probably already spotting her coming. “Um, hi Leonard.” she slowly approached, footsteps became a bit reluctant and yet had no other choice but to step forward. Her greet was not filled with enthusiasm like it used to be, but decent enough. “…happy birthday.” pushing the gift box forward to him, she somehow managed to squeeze a smile out.

Embarrassing, embarrassing.

Lifting her eyes to Cash, she would offer them another rather timid smile. “Cash…hi.” she wasn’t sure how the Slytherin would react and what to say. It’s been a while? Dumb. Still friends? Even dumber. Yet an impulse nearly made her speak the words out, but she managed to keep her countenance calm. For now she stood there, gift in hand, and looked very collected - despite feelings and emotions flowed under the surface.

Feeling the awkwardness, Lindsey knew she had to do something to ease her embarrassment. “Hello.” she turned to the boy and the girl who she wasn’t acquainted with, and offered each of them a decent smile and a nod. “Lindsey Springhall, third year Hufflepuff.” that came much easier. Merlin, why socialising with the people you already knew was so hard?

Spectacular Banner by Leonard Oaksworth

Interactions: @Leonard Oaksworth @Cassandra Ironwoods @Lindsey Springhall

Mentions: =============== = =

As far as maintaining platonic relations went, Marshal was an utter, dramatic failure. That is to say, he was a terrible friend.
The 24th of May marked the anniversary of a most extraordinary occasion in the makeup of his life. Had the sun forgotten to rise on that fateful day in 2008, or the fabric of time stepped gingerly from the 23rd and straight on to the 25th, then the individual who laid claim to the title of his best mate - and the very reason for imminent celebration - might never have lent his perfectly pessimistic contributions to the world. There would be no union of dragon-bound buddies, clad majestically in fireproof trousers and striding confidently into the future; at least, one of them was confident.
Without the birth of one Leonard Wendel Oaksworth, Marshal would have no reluctant accomplice to drag into every half-baked plan which tumbled from the easy-bake oven that was his mind, nor would those plans be subsequently adopted by another and overcooked in a microwave powered by anxiety and overthinking... and overthinking anxiety. And indeed, without Leo, he may never have found a friend in perpetual need of a wingman, or experienced quite so many mental facepalms as faulty flirtations flopped before his eyes.

A world without May 24th, 2008 would be a constant tragedy, bereft of joy and longing only for he to whom it had denied entry. But at the very least, it would be a world where Marshal did not fail to throw his best friend a birthday party, or spend several painstaking hours stressing over what item was a sufficient boon of brotherly love.

Guilt shot through him like a lightning bolt when he caught sight of the banner, its perfectly uniform composition serving as a reminder that he should have taken care of the fun stuff. Leonard was a splendid person in many ways, but promoting enjoyment wasn't exactly within his realm of expertise. It was in all likelihood that a party designed by him would ultimately resemble an awkward office get-together, where coworkers might gather around a water cooler and mutter quietly about mundane tasks their jobs included.
Marshal couldn't exactly say he had much experience in that regard, but the description seemed to fit a Leo party.

Traipsing onto the scene on this, the day of the 27th, with a book in hand that he’d utterly forgotten to wrap like any self-respecting gift, the Gryffindor did his absolute best to play the part of a friend that ought to have qualified for an invitation to such an event. With a grin upon his face and a skip in his step, certainly nobody would notice the burden of self-resentment that dragged his conscience into the ground. And if that wasn’t enough, the presence of genuine enthusiasm regarding his gift could surely salve the remnants that escaped past those outer walls of fallacy.
The book he carried, its face gloriously embossed with the image of a live dragon, contained precisely the sort of content that one might suspect upon glimpsing the cover. A detailed compendium of the known dragon species, it included facts regarding each, complimented by an array of breathtaking photos. It was a must-have for any pair of aspiring dragon tamers.

Had he wanted the book for his own? Yes. And had he gotten two copies for that very reason? Also yes. But the second would remain in his dorm for now.

No sooner did he spot Leo than did another figure greet his vision, occupying the same space as his best friend. But even more than that…
Marshal proceeded to perform a flawless double-take, eyes adopting the likeness of a dinner plate, and jaw drifting unbidden to the grassy floor below. At first, he’d been entirely convinced he was seeing things - much like the daydreams that filled his days, but populated not by himself and a girl; rather, this was a vision involving Leo and a girl. A girl who’d just given the birthday boy one kiss for each cheek.
A moment more passed, his feet anchored by shock, before they suddenly found new life, carrying him to his friend and this mysterious lover of his.

Perhaps he’d jumped to a bit of a brash conclusion. In theory, it was conceivable that the gesture was not romantic at all, but rather some form of greeting from a different culture. He’d heard of such greetings, consisting of a kiss on either cheek, yet it was altogether more enjoyable to disregard those and fully adopt the assumption that Leo was no longer single.
”LEO!” the lion roared, announcing his presence for all to hear as he approached. Reaching the birthday boy, he assaulted his friend with a hefty slap on the back. ”You didn’t tell me you were romantically involved with someone.” Covert emphasis was placed on the two words that suggested Leo was in a relationship, as though it were some form of secret code between them that would not alert others in the area. Turning hazel eyes onto the girl, he offered a mischievous grin and leaned towards her, adding in a more hushed tone, ”He’s a great kisser, isn’t he? Not that I say that from experience, but we’ve worked on it specially for a special someone, like you.”
Tact. He was the very embodiment of the word.

Suddenly, the boy’s eyelids narrowed as he studied the girl’s face more closely.
”Hey, I know you,” he said, waggling a finger at her. ”You’re on the Slytherin quidditch team!” He’d seen her in the heat of their most recent match with the snakes. In fact, the two of them had exchanged a friendly round of bludgers that day. ”Yes! Your name is Cassandra, isn’t it?”

Before she could respond, another familiar face registered on the edge of his vision. And yet, that couldn’t be correct. He hadn’t seen that face for a very long time.
”Lindsey?” he breathed, eyes snapping to the girl with golden hair.
It was her. The Angel in the Sunlight. The first friend he’d made at Summer Camp before his first year at school, and the one who’d disappeared without a word.
How could she be here? Now? Without warning? It didn’t make any sense.

Whatever Leo and Cassandra might have said in response would be drowned out by his newfound focus on the other girl. Upon noticing they were speaking to him, he would attempt to drag his attention back to them, but would ultimately fail to hide that his interest currently lay with someone else.

Percival would not lie that he had been greatly puzzled by the invitation that had been delivered by owl to him. Resulting in him having studied the letter multiple times. It was not the fact that he had been invited to an event, but who the event was exactly for that brought him to a pause. See, Leonard Oaksworth was a strange boy. Someone who Percival had not truly figured out. It seemed almost impossible to understand the boy. He had trouble understanding who the real Leonard Oaksworth was. Was he the good little student or was he the darkness that he had seen that day?

The boy wondered if this was a part of the reason he was invited. To keep up appearances to ensure what happened that day never made it out into the public eye. It ended up being his motivation to actually going. Dawned in his nicest green velvet and dark slacks he made his way toward the party. It seemed good to check on his old friend. Make sure the other remembered that some things should remain left in the shadows. It would be quite bad if what they had done came to light. Even though Oaksworth had only helped, that would not save him from being found in contempt.

Though, as he caught sight of the familiar face of his once friend. A part of his heart silently clenched. It wasn't hard to understand why. The wish that they could go back to how things had once been. Percival was not too sure how much of a distance the other had made between him and what they had done, but maybe there was still some hope. He himself had not grown. Was it insane to think he would be the same? He was unsure and yet he kept walking forward. The promise of something possibly sweet drew him forward. Percival would walk towards the birthday boy a blue, medium-sized box with a yellow bow outstretched in his hand. "Happy Birthday Leonard." he offered. The name felt foreign in his mouth as if unsure if it had the closeness to be used. The box would contain a leather-bound journal with an ornamental design.

Interacting with: @Leonard Oaksworth

Never in the entirety of his life did Cade Darkbound feel so out of place than attending Leonard Oaksworth's birthday party. From the moment Cade received an invitation via owl, he'd been quite conflicted as to whether or not this was some sick joke. Was it truly his birthday? Did Oaksworth mean to make a fool of him for kicks and giggles? Cade couldn't be sure. He wasn't exactly keen on finding out either. But from what he could gather, the letter was legitimate. Cade could recognize the boy's handwriting anywhere. For it was one of the main reasons he sought to make first contact with him in the library all those months ago. Cade and Leonard were by no means close. Cade wouldn't even admit to being friends with the clever Slytherin kid. They were acquaintances at best, with a sort of rival-like air to any encounter they troubled themselves with. The last thing Cade wanted was to spend a minimum of at least an hour pretending to have a pleasant time in the wake of his actual friends. And who else would attend? Did Oaksworth actually have people he trusted within his circle? For some reason, Cade found the imagery to be quite rich. And what was the scale of this so-called event? Seeing as Cade was invited it wasn't a party meant for just close friends. It was being held on the grounds outside the school. Anyone could happen upon them. Cade's midnight eyes fell upon the invitation-- reading over it for what felt like the thousandth time-- sighted the scrawling letters forming his excuse. I am simply without that many close friendships. As if that wasn't clear from the beginning. Fine, Cade decided, he would go to the blasted party. See what this was all about, even if it meant he was risking the welfare of his afternoon.

Making his way down to the grounds from the confines of the West Tower, Cade marched over to where he could espy a congregation of sorts gathered around a lanky oak tree with words 'L. Oaksworth's Birthday!' emboldened upon it. Yes, this was it. So it wasn't a fluke, that much settled the Ravenclaw's pulse. He approached with an uneasy gaze towards the other guests but quickly corrected the haphazard expression to one of polite numbness. Of the people assorted, he only recognized a few faces but for the life of him couldn't recall their names. A great deal of them were upperclassmen. Cade would attempt to breach the tepid coolness he felt towards the situation and offer a greeting to his kind host. "It's been a while, hasn't it? You look good among friends. Here, this is for you." Cade procured a wrapped parcel from within his robes, presenting it to the birthday boy with a cheesy and somewhat out-of-place grin. Within the box was a set of marbled gobstones. "I dunno that you play, but if you're willing to learn let me know. You've no excuse now." With that Cade would take a little step back trying not to crowd the poor birthday boy and rounded his intense gaze onto the people who made up the party. A Gryffindor boy was discussing kissing which was slightly cringey in Cade's opinion. He had no experience with romance apart from a few childhood crushes in the past and in no part desired to involve himself with that conversation.

Instead Cade situated himself between @Percival Rainwood and @Jack Burnett Both of which he knew nothing of. But he would greet them with a smile all the same. "You two seem like upstanding gentlemen," Cade started in a slight undertone almost being drowned out by @Marshal Mozor's boisterous tones. "How do you know Leo?"

As Jack moved to set his gift bag with the other presents, he recognized Percival Rainwood and wondered if he should go up and talk to him. He was in the middle of debating whether or not he would when an unfamiliar voice called out to them and drew Jack's attention. The speaker was a Ravenclaw boy Jack had seen around the school before but never actually met properly. He seemed pretty friendly, though his comment that Jack and Percival seemed like 'upstanding gentleman' actually caused Jack to laugh aloud.

"You're very kind, but we're his dormmates, and I doubt that anyone in our dorm has a right to accurately call themselves an 'upstanding gentleman'," Jack explained, still chuckling softly when his laughter had died down. "I first met Oaksworth the summer after our first year at Hogwarts. My family lives in Wales, but we were visiting London and I just so happened to find him wearing his Slytherin uniform - minus the robes - while watering the flowers in his yard. We got to talking about Hogwarts and found out we were in the same house. So I invited him to join my dorm."

He grinned at the memory before regarding the Ravenclaw boy more closely - tall, thin, and pale, with deep brown eyes and jet black hair in a bowl cut. Jack was pretty sure the kid wasn't in their year, but he didn't seem that much younger, either. "And you?" he asked with a smile. "How do you know the birthday boy?"

@Cade Darkbound & @Percival Rainwood

Dear @Leonard Oaksworth,

May 27, 2022

xxxxxxxxThe persona that Maggie put up was mostly true. Mostly. Because a tiny seed inside of her, a hard ball of insecurity that grew bigger and brighter with each passing day, longed for approval. So when she got an invite to Leonard Oaksworth's birthday party, there were a few emotions that were swimming around in her body. First off, she felt excited. June, Shawn, and herself had been invited to a third year's birthday party, and Maggie hardly even knew the guy! Did he like her? Did he want her to be there? Of course not, at least judging from his invite. Since receiving it, Maggie had scanned the words for any sense that Leonard held her in any regard other than annoyance. On the other hand, Maggie felt a ridiculous little monster that was biting on her heart, begging to just be liked. Because she had to be liked. It was a deep rooted and ridiculous desire, no, need to be well liked.

So Maggie, freaking out and searching around her bedroom for a suitable gift that would take her from hated underclassman who was invited in her connection to June to her own freaking person, had grabbed an annotated copy of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. The book had been annotated to hell and back, and it had been loved for a good year now. Hardback and well-cared for, save for the folds of dog-eared pages and the nicks in the corners of the paper.

Maggie didn't even get a chance to wrap it up, because she was out of her dorm and down to the grounds with moments to spare. So to say, she was late. Like, forty-five minutes late.

"Uh, hey," she greeted as she neared the birthday boy. Normally, Maggie didn't feel any amount of nerves when it came to people, because she simply didn't care about what people who didn't know her thought of her. I mean, that was when she was around other kids of her age, of course. Leonard Oaksworth was a third year, hardened and weathered by Hogwarts' boldest and braves. The pressure to be good at this was high as all hell. "I brought you this. Happy birthday, or whatever," Maggie thrust the book into his arms and re-adopted the characteristic smile that she usually donned. "You do have food here, right? Like, this isn't a foodless party. Because, no offense, that would be the lamest, most boring party that ever existed."