Self Preservation vs Fun open Closed

Another uneventful day is enough for Alexis. She couldn't take it anymore. She is in desperate need of something else to do, reading is not helping her this time, neither is painting. Maybe her family is right. She spent too much time in the library. But how could that be possible? There is no such thing as 'too much time in the library'.

Alexis strolled down into the courtyard thinking maybe someone she knows will be here or she will make friend with whoever is there.

She noticed a dark-haired Slytherin girl, sitting alone. The girl looked as if she was in her own little world and hasn't noticed Alexis yet. The Slytherin girl doesn't look familiar, maybe she's from another year? Second year? Maybe.

Alexis started to taking a slow step, closing the distance between her and the girl, careful not to startle her. In her head, thinking about how to start a conversation, what could she possibly talk about now? She have no idea.

"Hi. Do you mind if I sit with you?" Alexis asked as she stopped at the empty spot beside the girl.

"I'm Alexis, by the way. First year" She said with a friendly smile on her face.

Adohiro stepped here, he had been too busy preparing for his club's first event, a Cambodian New Year Fest for his Asian Society Club. He had been running back and forth to get water and to fill the water guns and get hoses. It was very tiring so he had come here to sit down and relax. It was quite a nice day and he knew people were getting insane over the upcoming ball. He hated these sort of events, only the popular people had fun while those below or who had no friends were bored to tears. It was no fun and he wondered if anyone was going to be crowned King and Queen like those American Prom. It certainly was annoying but balls were always a popularity contest. He hated it and he would see two girls talking among themselves. Were they flirting about who they were going to ask out for the date or were they complaining about it? He would never know. He did not recognize any of the two before him so he would walk over to the two. "Hello my name is Adohiro Moira. Are you two talking about the Ball? I am not looking forward to it." He hoped he would not look like a downer or anything.

@Alexis Asterion @Illowy Magnard

Alexis turned her head towards the new boy who just joined them. He was another Slytherin student. Is this a Slytherin territory she didn't know about?

She studied him for a moment, she doesn't know him but he just introduced himself so that's okay. Realising that she hadn't said anything yet. She said,

"Hello, my name is Alexis. Nice to meet you" Then she remembered he said something about the ball.

"You mean the rumours? The Blossom Ball? Why not? I mean, fancy dresses and party after the curfew? Sounds amazing to me." Alexis was a little confused. There are people who doesn't like to party?

Alexis has a big family which means a lot of relatives. Her family has this thing, 'Family's Gala'. It's an annual event, strictly private, family and invite only. Every year, one family would volunteer to host the gala and everyone in the family must attend, no excuses. It's a black tie event, and she loves it. She's got to hang out with her cousins and got an opportunity to dress up. This ball would be just another excuse for her to buy a new dress, go out of her dorm after the curfew and hang out with her friends.

"what exactly happened last year anyway? Why was it cancelled? and do we need to bring dates?"

At first, Illowy barely registered the younger student approaching her until she spoke, pulling the snake from her thoughts to peer up at the child. Truthfully, it surprised her that the other would have just simply wandered up to her in such a way; did they know each other? Clearly not as the eaglet introduced herself, "Illowy. Second Year." she introduced herself simple, "I don't care if you sit."

Even when normal in appearance, Illowy would have been surprised to be approached, especially by a first year. She wasn't under any illusion that she tended to give off a rather cold or distant air. Rarely did the snake find herself in a group of her peers outside of class, and she had a reputation of being stoic and crass in conversation, unamaused by nonsense usually enjoyed by children her own age.

Then along came another youngling. For the love of all things decent, was she a magnet for the first years today or something? This one was less surprising in a way, but only as she recognized the lad as being a first year from her own house; though for the life of her she couldn't recall his name. Not that there was much of a need to as he introduced himself. Her brow furrowed in confusion as he asked if they'd been talking about the ball, wondering why he would have assumed such a thing - though she had been thinking about it.

Pale, ghostly eyes flicked back to the Ravenclaw girl as she started spitting questions about the ball. Truly, children never knew anything about anything. The older girl sighed, raking a hand through her confused waves and curls as she got to her feet, "Frankly, you don't need to know what happened last year beyond the fire that broke out." she spoke firmly, though for once she tried to keep her tone from being too terribly cold. They were only first years after all, and though Illowy hated admitting it aloud, she did have a soft spot for them, "Secondly, its cancelled because something is wrong on Hogwarts grounds, and I think the attack on Slytherin house was the last straw for the faculty. Students are being attacked, which leads me to your final question: no, you don't need dates because if you have any sense about you, you won't go. Purely for your own safety. If this party does happen, there are going to be no adults to protect you, and the last thing we need is to repeat what happened to m-"

She stopped herself for a moment. Perhaps it wasn't wise to reveal the horrors that she and her friends had witnessed the year previous after being lost from the Blossom Ball and into the Forbidden Forest. The last thing she wanted was for anyone else to get it in their minds to repeat the scarring events, "Never mind. It just isn't safe. We don't need anyone else getting hurt."

Adohiro would hear about the last fiasco that happened in the ball. He did remember hearing about it from a few older students, he could not believe that people would set fire to things or anything dangerous like that and all that terrible stuff! It was certainly insane! He hoped the people who were responsible were expelled and sent to prison. "Were the people who did this expelled and sent to prison?" He would in a naive and innocent manner. In Adohiro's book, people like that would be immediately jailed for putting people's lives in danger and locked in a cell with the key burned. "I have a date luckily. So I am able to go. But what is the female to male ratio in Hogwarts? I assume not everyone is going to have a partner or we will only have males or females left over. And I doubt some females will want to go with other females and vice versa for the males." Adohiro would speak. He certainly sounded mature and it shone through. "Or what if there was an odd one out who could not have a partner? I see the flaw in this requiring a partner at this moment."

@Illowy Magnard @Alexis Asterion

(Too bad I joined in 2018 and had to leave to unforeseen things, wish I saw this drama lol)

"True, not everyone can find a date, but even if you don't have a partner does not mean you can't have fun, just don't look miserable and people will come hang out with you. Being the odd one out could not be that bad, think about it as... Shining solo!"

Back at home the gala never required a date, but Alexis does not think it was a problem at all. She will have fun at the party, with or without a date. Because she knew, as long as she was having fun, she could be the people magnet. Alexis smiled to herself and thought, My self esteem could not be more high.

Alexis turned to the second year girl with a smile on her face, "Thanks for the warning."

"Anyway, how about we talk about something else? Like how do we get pass the professors and the prefects. Sounds like fun, isn't it?"

Alexis imagine sneaking around in the castle at night, she was so excited about learning all the hidden spot in the castle. Even if she got caught, it would be worth all the detentions she was going to get. "I think I'm more excited about sneaking around more than the party itself."

@Adohiro Moira
@Illowy Magnard