Event The Fall Ball (Masquerade)

-RPing as Durmstrang iNPC Alexander Ward-
- Mentioning Lydia Cooper, August Henry (@Paisley Brown), @Rafael D'Spacito -
-Open to Interactions (Please owl me beforehand, so we can plan the interaction) -

Social gatherings happened quite often in Alexander's life, most likely because of him being a pureblood, but that didn't mean they were his favourite thing. The young Durmstrang student usually preferred a quiet night with friends rather than going out to a dance, but it wasn't as if he couldn't go to the Fall Masquerade: his school was a guest at Hogwarts, and his good manners basically forced him to attend it, it would have been way too rude an unpolite not to go.

For the occasion the Yorkshire boy had decided to wear one of his favourite suites, an elegant blue suit, with a blue vest, white shirt and golden tie that matched with his tissue that was placed in the chest pocket of the jacket; as for his mask, he decided to wear a black, with a small, golden detail on the forehead, wolf mask.

As he walked along the corridors that lead up to the Ballroom, Alexander wondered how the night would have gone, if it would have been interesting, or maybe boring; going there without a date wasn't probably the best choice if he was worried of getting bored, but he also knew that he wasn't too interested in going there with someone. As he walked through the doors, he noticed a couple kissing and he couldn't help but roll his eyes; romance was so overrated in his opinion, no matter what; it clouded your judgment, your decisions, and it could even compromise one's opportunities. So yes, romance was not for him, and if he ever had to choose someone to have a relationship with, well... love would have been the last thing he would have looked for.

It was in these little things that Alexander's ambitious side properly came to the light; his willingness to know more, to reach his goals no matter what... that was also the reason why he was there that night, he had two main tasks at hand: see if he could figure out what was going on at Hogwarts - since, during the summer, Lydia had told him about the weird things that were happing at the Wizarding School- and keep an eye on the lovely part-veela girl.

Speaking of which, Alexander's eyes started scanning the room as he looked for the white rabbit; it felt almost ironic that him, the black wolf, was looking for an innocent, white bunny. Chuckling with himself, he let his bright, light-blue eyes rest finally on Lydia; she was dancing with some guy in the middle of the dancefloor, both of them moving right with the rhythm of the music. As he looked at them, he tried to understand if that was the infamous Rafael, but judging by how distracted the red headed girl looked, that definitely was not her crush.

Moving his gaze away from the pair, he walked up to the drinks' table and took something to sip on, before he went back to observing the room, trying to see if he could spot anything weird or out of the ordinary.

For the mods
Action: Walking around and trying to notice anything weird/suspicious.
Abilities: Charmer || Perfectionist
Stats: Stamina: 5 || Evasion: 5 || Strength: 5 || Wisdom: 9 || Arcane Power: 8 || Accuracy: 8

Interacting with @Ami Procoppio and @Charles Woodward
Mentions @Amadea Campbell (iNPC)
Closed to other interactions

Scott didn't feel as though he could do much but laugh as Ami pulled at his arm, and dragged him along the line of the dance floor to see whatever it was that the girl had spotted across it. She'd gotten very strong, that was true... but had yet to learn that people weren't inherently unwilling. He skipped along.

Through a labyrinth of people, Ami pulled him. Actually, it was even better than that: a labyrinth of people wearing fancy clothing. Scott knew Ami had invented some sort of rush for herself, but this didn't stop him from slowing them down by taking long and numerous looks around them (in fact, it might just have made it more enjoyable).

So he looked, and he rejoiced. She might've wanted to show him something, but if that be the case then Scott wanted to point some things out, too. Like the wonderful music coming from the clad stage by the far wall. The orchestra playing there wore black suits with the image of white bones painted across their fronts. And then he wanted to point out the tables with food in the corners, so that neither of them forgot there were places to rest should their feet suffer and decide to let them know. He even begun to point out and delight in what the students around them were wearing (fully aware of her complete disinterest in these matters), but ended up saying absolutely nothing as his eyes suddenly landed on one garb in particular.

It was a dark, red dress with larger rosen embroidery across the wide skirt. Sure, it was beautiful, Scott was a good judge of that. One could even go so far as to describe it as positively enchanting, yet that'd still only be much like the rest of the environment the two of them could find themselves in... But this dress was wrapped around someone Scott could swear he had never seen before, and it was the horrific realisation that he'd spoiled himself enough to look at her twice that prevented him from uttering a word. That is, until the ghost of red disappeared out of his periphery almost as soon as it'd been caught in it- and he expressed an unfamiliar disappointment blankly into the air before him.

...
...

Skeleton suits, eh?

Ami must've felt Scott's pace slowing down as far as it did, as well as the relaxing of his arm, because she tugged at it harder than before to apparently bring the suddenly quiet boy right to where she wanted him. Which (and he somehow felt he should've guessed this) just so happened to be right in front a giant animal skull. Nothing more suited for rebooting your senses.

"What is on your face?"

Scott would probably like to blame his delayed reaction to his friend's less-than-adequate ice breaker on the fact that he was experiencing an impromptu face-to-face with what seemed to be a tall, dead animal- but he was still disappointed by the full two seconds it took for him to step on her toes with his left heel. Still, she continued her inquiry to the stranger before them without much surprise, as she must've suspected her friend would be keeping close tabs on her manners for all future dances to ever come.

"I'm Ami, and blondie over there's Scott."

"I- yes."

Scott shook his head briskly and removed his foot from hers. There was a reason as to why he made most of their introductions, but he didn't really mind it right now- as he was currently working on keeping his eyes from darting off into the crowds again. Instead, he smiled politely (not that it mattered), and made a small bow in order to reveal the blond hair she'd just mentioned to the stranger. Coming back up, he occupied himself by taking look through his mask at what must be the other boy's.

"-Alexander." He reached his free, gloved hand forwards. "And I sincerely hope you realise that my friend's.... avid attention is something to be received as a compliment. Even though it might not always feel like it. She doesn't spend too much time with things she doesn't find impressive, and I hope we can both agree that this,"

Scott laughed and gestured to both the deer skull adorning his head, as well as the vibrantly green attire that the boy was wearing.

"-most certainly is. ...Would I be out and about in saying I recognise you? These masks do make it difficult but I should swear I do."

Interacting with: @Lana Monet as Fyodor

Dress Mask

Logan was slightly regretting having come to the ball at this point of time. So far, all she had done was stand against the wall and not interact with anyone. She could see a few of her friends and she would talk to them, but they all had dates so she decided to not bother them. Luckily, it didn't seem like anything was going wrong at this point in time, but the young Hufflepuff still checked to make sure her wand was still in the pocket of her dress.

Slowly the brunette started to make her way towards the drinks, when she noticed one of the boys she had met in the courtyard a few weeks before. With a grin on her face, she started to make her way towards him. "Now what is someone like you, doing here by yourself?" Logan questioned as she grabbed herself a glass of water and took a small sip of it. She made sure to keep out of the way of other students as they came to get drinks, but she made sure to not stray to far from the boy. Through her mask, anyone could see the smirk on the girl's face and a mischievous glint in her hazel eyes.

Reducio

Stats: Stamina: 7 | Evasion: 6 | Strength: 6 | Wisdom: 8 | Arcane Power: 6 | Accuracy: 7
Abilities: Calming Presence, Prodigal Potions Learner

Interacting with: Lazarus Plott (@Hjørdis Jensen)
Open to all Interactions!

Standing by the door, she watched as students and professors walked in. She did not greet anyone, but rather kept an eye out. She was not necessarily dressed like a princess at this ball either. Instead, she was dressed in a black body suit from neck to toe. No one said a masquerade meant for you to wear a stylish dress. It did mean, however, to wear a mask and hide one's identity. Her mask, also black, covered the top half of her face. It was a classic style that at the ends of the mask between the eyes and ears, it pointed out. Almost as though she was a cat. She had put dark makeup with a silvery glow on her eyes that made her brown eyes pop and crimson red lipstick.

As Maya watched the people enter the ballroom, she spotted what looked to be Lazarus Plott entering. No matter if someone was hiding their face, the way they hold themselves can help decipher the individual. His outfit was not as traditional either. A flattened top hat and an all-black outfit, it was as though they both coordinated their outfits to match the shadows.

Maya began to walk towards his direction and decided that perhaps, after a year, a dance was well-needed.

Casually walking up to Lazarus Plott, Maya smiled at the man. "Headmaster Plott," she said, introducing her presence.

Action: Walking to Headmaster Plott for a dance

*.·:·.☽✧ ✦ ✧☾.·:·.*

Interacting with: @Illowy Magnard
Mentioning: @Pericles Dralt (briefly)

She was slightly late, she knew she was, but she had just wanted to make sure that everything was ready. She was not typically late. In fact, she had a habit of being punctual or even early. Perhaps she had lost track of time, or perhaps it was because there was something that set this ball apart from the others that she had been to. She had a date. Ruby—an intimidating prefect, a girl who was trying to push people away to ensure that they didn't end up liking her or wanting to be her friend—had ended up with a date. And yet she didn't hate it. She actually… loved having a date. It made her anxious because she knew it would hurt so, so much more than she could handle if she messed up and Illowy no longer wanted to even be friends with her, but she found that she was willing to accept the risk. When she was with the other Slytherin, all her worries seemed to melt away.

Illowy captured her attention in a way unlike anyone had before. It was dangerous because she knew that a relationship of this sort could cause pain, could easily go wrong, but for once she didn't mind the vulnerability. It made her feel warm inside and excited, and she found it hard not to think about the girl and whatever this relationship was. As she got ready for the dance, she was nervous about how Illowy would receive her and wanted to look her best, but she reminded herself that it was unlikely Illowy would care too much about how Ruby looked, as long as she was happy. She made her way to the ballroom with a bounce in her step, barely able to keep from sprinting down the corridors because of the excited energy that was building up. Dances at Hogwarts seemed to always go wrong, but maybe this one would be different. She was older now and felt more able to protect people if something went wrong—she had a responsibility to as a duellist and a prefect.

At the last dance, she had finally spent time with a group of friends, people she knew she could trust, people she cared about. It had made the experience not quite as bad. This time, she had a date, which just made the stakes higher. She hoped to enjoy the time before the dance degenerated into chaos, but if it did turn out badly, she knew the first person she would be looking to protect would be Illowy, although she knew the girl could easily take care of herself. She was strong and intelligent, and Ruby couldn't think of anyone she would rather have beside her as her date. Before long, she reached the ballroom—luckily, students were still trickling in—and her gaze landed on the elegant blue dress that Illowy was wearing. Her eyes widened in awe as she approached her. “You look absolutely stunning, Illowy,” she exclaimed. What good had Ruby done to deserve the privilege of ever being with someone this beautiful and talented?

“I'm sorry for running late, I was making sure I had this for you,” she quickly explained, and held out a corsage with a smile on her face. “Epigaea and ferns.” Thanks for that, Peri, she thought, making a mental note to tell him how it went. The young wizard had helped her obtain the epigaea and figure out flower language that would be appropriate for the situation. Eventually, it had resulted in something that roughly meant that she felt a budding, sincere, magical fascination, which was completely true. The bright smile she wore would not be wavering any time soon. Whenever Illowy had accepted the corsage and made it a part of her outfit or, alternatively, rejected it, Ruby would simply ask, “May I?” She extended an arm for Illowy to take if she wanted to, and Ruby would attempt to guide her into the ball side by side. A carefree smile showed her happiness, the feeling that this was where she was meant to be.

She would scan the room, light blue eyes taking in the decorations and the bustling of the students. The presence of people all around her living vibrant lives of their own with friends and connections and fancy costumes might have affected her differently had her current circumstances not been applicable. In her first year and much of her second year, she would have been particularly interested in observing these students in an attempt to learn more about them and their behaviours. For part of her second year into her third year, she would have been resentful or aloof. But none of that was the case this time. While she glanced around in the hopes of spotting a friend, the focus of her attention was just on one special person tonight. The music was perfect for dancing to and Ruby turned to face Illowy, the irrepressible smile growing into an even wider grin. “Might I have the pleasure of accompanying you in a dance?” she asked in a playfully serious tone, eyes shining with a childish eagerness. She had forgotten to ask Illowy's thoughts on dancing ahead of time or if she had any other plan for tonight, but Ruby supposed she would find out soon enough.

Action: No moderated action; offering Illowy a corsage and asking her to dance
Abilities: Perfectionist | Fearless | Spell Spread
Statistics: Stamina: 7 | Evasion: 7 | Strength: 5 | Wisdom: 10 | Arcane Power: 7 | Accuracy: 10
Posts: [x]

*.·:·.☽✧ ✦ ✧☾.·:·.*

Owl for Interactions!
Interacting with @Cassandra Ironwoods and @Lindsey Springhall
Mentions @Wyatt Starkey and @Autumn Ivy

Past Posts: [I] [II] [III]

Mars smiled into the rim of their cup as they listened to Lindsey speak. She seemed bright, sociable and friendly, and they automatically felt their shoulders relax, eyes trained on the Hufflepuff.

They half-snorted at her question. Okay, it was a fair assumption, seeing as they'd asked first, and earlier this evening they had been contemplating doing it, but now that the words were said aloud, it seemed ridiculous. Them, going to a ball with someone? It had been enough of a pain to drag themselves here as it was.

"No, no," they smiled at her, I'm just here for the food honestly. I don't know about Cash though. They're usually so popular that I was surprised when they bothered with me at all." Mars gave their friend a teasing grin, folding their arms over their chest.

A look back at Lindsey and Mars noticed that her eyes had wandered. Tracing her gaze, their eyes landed on two figures. Hmm. A boy and a girl, chatting. Dates, perhaps? They glanced back at their companion and suddenly, the pieces clicked. Was that...

"Is one of them your date?" they asked, a sly grin starting to spread over their face. They didn't want to assume sexuality, but they felt confident enough to say that one of them was the Princex Charming Lindsey was waiting for. Why else would she be starting?

Shifting their weight, Mars finally put the cup back down on the table. They pushed themselves up, rocking back on their heels, and rubbed their hands together.

"Well then, Lindsey," Mars laughed, "Shall we go and deliver you?"

ACTION: N/A
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STA: 5 | EVA: 7 | STR: 3 | WIS: 7 | ARC: 5 | ACC: 8
Parseltongue Adept • Prodigal Charms

Owl for Interactions!
Interacting with @Melissa Land and Violet Tempete^{@Autumn Ivy}

Past Posts: [I] [II] [III] [IV] [V] [VI] [VII]

Ah. As he'd assumed, it'd only taken a few minutes for his next partner to arrive. Her steps seemed sure and steady as she weaved through the crowd, dress swaying around her form. It was tasteful, solid-colored, and flattered against the gold accents, hair done up neatly. Maybe a bit... boring for his tastes, but he'd certainly seen worse.

When she stopped in front of him, Alexander couldn't help but admire something hidden in her eyes. He would admit—however occasionally—that there existed people he felt a sort of calling to. Perhaps it was a recognition of himself in those irises.

He couldn't help but smirk internally at her expression as she appraised him though. For all he saw of himself in her, there was their difference in levels. Alexander was never anything less than a gentleman, soft and charming in every aspect. Raised eyebrows right off the bat... one could never be too careful about first impressions.

Her next words sent him into a split of harried thoughts as well. A large part of him was spent keeping his smile effortless and tone straight as he replied, "Miss Katherine? No, not a date. Just a" plaything "request I thought rude to turn down." He wanted so badly to burst out laughing at her words. He could do better? Of course he could. What an absolutely tasteless thing to say though. Again he could see the difference in their abilities—to have those thoughts was only natural, but to say them? That was the biggest red flag there was. The possibilities, the number of people who might be listening—

His point was proven not a second later.

A young girl, dripping in all black, walked up to them. Alexander had half a moment to be appalled at her outfit before she unleashed a tirade of insults at his new partner. He could hardly believe his ears. It seemed entirely uncalled for, incredibly inappropriate, and to a large degree, quite disgusting. There was nothing more disgraceful than jabbing at someone's appearance. Who stooped so low as to do that? At the very least, couldn't she have come up with some well-thought-out insults? Come now, only people who didn't know what they were talking about came with those points.

There was a bloom of something protective in his chest. He might not know the name of the girl who'd come up to him, but he respected her far more than this stranger. She would probably prove to be annoying in the future, but at least she had the decency to appear graceful and intelligent. He could hardly say that about the other one.

"My dear, there's no need for such hostility," he spoke, shifting his body half in front of his partner. She'd only stated the truth, after all. He really could do better. "A ball is something we're meant to enjoy.

He smiled, leaving himself loose. Looking back at his partner, he deemed her strong enough to speak for herself. He'd let her defend. No need to say more.

ACTION: N/A
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STA: 7 | EVA: 10 | STR: 6 | WIS: 8 | ARC: 3 | ACC: 6
Non-Human Enthusiast • Charmer

Interacting with | @Zykeal Lane
Open to Interactions, please owl first!

Dee was basically gloating as Zyk seemed to be shocked into speechlessness at first sight of the ballroom. They had done an incredible job, that wasn't arrogance, just facts. She grinned at the Irish phrase, then, not wanting to take all the credit, added, "It is, isn't it? Flash did most of the work here. We should stop by the Costume Party later, too, Peri did a great job there." She wasn't going to mention where Ileen and her efforts had been focused, that was for later. She wasn't going to ruin the surprise by giving out hints.

Her eyes were shining as she tugged him further forward. She hadn't been bothered by him changing her hold on his wrist to them holding hands, just as she hadn't when they'd done the same thing at summer camp. It certainly was more convenient, and it would be easy to lose each other in the crowd if they didn't hold onto each other. And a crowd it was, already, although the ball had barely really started.

When Zykeal agreed to dance before she'd even finished asking, Dee paused for a moment, taken by surprise, before she burst into laughter, and nodded in agreement. "You know how to dance?" she asked, a little surprised, then added an explanation. "It doesn't seem like your kind of thing." Not that it was her kind of thing, but still. "But yes, let's go!"

Out on the dance floor, Dee happily took the opportunity to twirl around, the fringes of her dress flying, the golden decorations catching the candle light that illuminated the ballroom. Her general dancing skills notwithstanding, spinning around was something she did often enough for no reason that she managed to do it gracefully and came back around with a smile on her face.

She followed the first few steps easily - this swaying to slow music thing was much easier than what Ileen had tried and failed to teach her, but looked up at Zykeal in response to his hand on her hip, eyebrows raised, expression lighthearted teasing. "You know that your hand isn't supposed to be on my hip?" she asked. At least that's what Ileen had said. Was she a know-it-all? Obviously, even if she didn't have the slightest clue about the topic.

Post tracker | x x x

1) Krasivyy (Means Beautiful, pronounced Cry-see-voyh)

Playing as: Milosh Rehnquist
Action: Attempting to dance with Angel
Interactions: @Santario Martin as iNPC Angélique (Angel) & Open
Mentions: None but Open

Reducio

Percy looks back to his companion with an uneasy expression at first, but a few seconds later his face fades into a smile "Of course..." replied the boy as he slowly followed beside her to the dance floor. In the mean time, his eyes and ears were wide open for anything out of the ordinary just so he was ready to act when things surely went haywire. The pair slowly came to a halt in the middle and faced each other, before Percy did a smooth bow as an introduction to their dancing. His smile still stayed across his face as he put one hand on her shoulder and another round her waist, making sure to set up his stance properly before they began to slowly dance.

Gray looked into her navy blue eyes and moved his feet elegantly in rhythm to the music, as well as making sure to not step on Amara's foot. So far, it was going perfectly but he couldn't get too comfortable with his surroundings just yet. Although, it was only right to enjoy the moment while everything was peaceful "You doing alright?" questioned the boy thoughtfully as he continued to look into her eyes "My hope is that the rest of the night stays like this, but knowing Hogwarts something is bound to happen" he said with a small shake of his head "But, if it stays like this how we are now I'd leave the ball a happy lad"