Re: [OPEN/MASS THREAD] Valentine's Day Party

[Margo P. Richards]

Had she done it?

Had she cracked through the too-cool, over-it-all, I-don't-have-to-explain-myself-to-you shell and made her way into the nougat-y let's-be-friends center?

She wasn't sure, but she was taking that smile as a  victory. She'd have to remind him later that the smile suited him. He should wear it more often.

People loved to be told they should smile more.

She clucked her tongue at his words and did a quick scan of the party, her lips curling upwards as the idea hatched, her eyes falling on a particular pair. "You ever played matchmaker?" She leaned in towards him, pointing him towards her targets with her eyes, saying, "What do you think? Waldorf and Evander would be a match made in nerd heaven. Or, we could place our bets on the dark horse. Did you notice Lux and Zabini getting along over there?"

[Clytemnestra Lux]

Clytemnestra rolled her eyes. Really?

"Apollo makes a terrible Slytherin," she observed.

"Even if it isn't true," Clytemnestra gave Christian a significant look that said she thought it definitely was, "the more he reacts to people talking about it, the more they'll believe it must be."

She sighed, but then smiled.

"Well, parties never going well is one of the reasons to attend, of course. We all know it's going to end with drama, and we all want to be here to see it."

"I suppose if the drama involves your brother, you can hex me and say I insulted your parents or something. Just, try not to ruin my dress. I want it to last more than one night," she offered.

[Clair Sauvage]

Lol. Of course he'd never "played matchmaker". That sounded boring af. Clair wasn't interested in anyone's love life, unless it somehow involved him.

"Got a better idea," he replied, fishing in his pocket for a sickle and summoning an empty cup from the table.

"We put a sickle in the kitty for every couple. The person who can get the most couples to make out wins the entire kitty at the end of the night. No telling people about the bet, and no offering to share the rewards. Sound good?"

He tried to balance up the two couples Margo just named. On one hand, Clytemnestra had just rolled her eyes at Christian, which wasn't heartening, but on the other, Charlotte was pretty uptight.

"I think you should go first, since it's your idea. Try and get Lottie and Evander to kiss."

[Apollo Zabini]

The shock of the evening? Probably the moment when Christian Zabini, one of the targets of Clytemnestra's commentary during study hours, actually agreed with her and then laughed at something she said. Apollo could see the nod from where he was standing, could see the surprise that preceded the Hufflepuffs smirk and only half-reluctant laughter.

Of course, it wasn't quite the shock of the evening, was it? Not when Violet, the seventh year that a fair few students had been eyeing for the past few years, lifted up on her toes to whisper something to Julian. Apollo didn't understand her desire to intervene, but the plan was actually rather amusing once they had agreed upon one. Not that Christian or his new almost-companion - or whatever Lux was to him now - would agree.

In fact, Christian took another drink from his cup before turning to refill it. As Cly had said, a party was almost useless if nothing happened. Christian had never really cared for them, but he couldn't deny that she had a point.

"Should I be concerned that you'll be creating some sort of argument like during the study session?"

So perhaps that was a bit too blatant. He'd been the one to stand up and leave, after all. Not Apollo. But that came from Lux hitting too close to home when it came to something she likely could not have expected him to be affronted about.

"As keen as he was to snap at everyone in on that," Christian said, hoping to save things before he completely derailed what was actually a pleasant conversation, "I think he was more upset with Julian, really. But please, if you're going to rile anybody up - especially my brother - try and do it before Ace decides to show up. She means well, but we both know she'll get involved."

[Clytemnestra Lux]

Clytemnestra just laughed.

"On the contrary," she replied.

"The thing about a lot of Slytherins," she explained, "is they think being cunning is doing things like putting potions in people's drinks.  Anyone could do that."

"I could have told Julian to shut up like a good and proper housemate.  And then Julian would have gone on believing what he liked, and several other people in that room would have been convinced of it too.  But if I act like I think Apollo is a pathetic toerag and I tell Julian he's wrong because Apollo is a pathetic toerag who no woman would look twice at, it doesn't look like I'm defending him at all, so people believe me."

"And that's why you might want to hex me," she said. "If he does something monumentally stupid, people will pay more attention to us getting into a fight. I mean, hopefully."

[Cassiopeia Cheshire]

Cassiopeia just basically listened what there was said and she had already drunk her drink. She didn't really mind the taste of it. This wasn't her first time drinking something strong even if she won't really go and admit it. She wasn't even sure what she would say there so girl just walked over the drink table and took herself a new drink.

She had decided to enjoy the party there and well even if it meant to be drunk a little then no big deal for her really. She is sure she needs to put in somewhere later but she still tries to decide where to. Even if she knows most of the people here some way already.

Another hand Ezra who was there had no idea what he would do even. He didn't really plan to drink there. He began to walk around the crowds there and well tried to listen what they were saying but not being that social about everything. He really wasn't sure how to butt in the there. He soon stopped in front of drink table and scanned what they have there. He didn't really want anything to do with alcohol. He didn't drink drinking that much.

[Julian Kapur]

The drink had been strong.

Really strong.

He was feeling fuzzy already, which could have been the product of Violet "Hottie the Body" pressing up against him to whisper an invitation in his ear, lips almost brushing his ear. And his mind was doing backflips and his heart was pounding and Merlon, this didn't feel just like a lusty dream come true.

He really loved Violet. He wasn't sure why he hadn't realized it before, but how couldn't he? She was beautiful and she was smiling patiently at him while he tried to get a grip with reality.

She had asked him if he wanted to see something. Outside. Not at the party.

What was he still doing here?

He set his drink down and nodded eagerly, glancing around at his friends with an open mouth, not sure what to say.

There was nothing to be said.

He grabbed Violet's hand and headed towards the door.

[Charlotte Waldorf]

Charlotte was surprised with Molly who came to her and gave her the cup with something that smells really suspicious. She frowned and looked at other Ravenclaw girl.
"What the hell is this? I think we are not supposed to drink alcohol at the school. That would look bad on my resume" she said almost angrily but when Molly started leading her somewhere, who knows where.

At the end, it looked like Molly's goal is young Slytherin girl. She is not much younger than them, maybe two or three years but still.

"Molly, what the hell are you doing?" but it was too late, they were already there and Molly actually started the conversation. Can this night be weirder? Seeing that, Charlotte decided she will actually need a drink, even if that could be a poison as well.
She drunk everything and looked at the girl trying to smile.

[Christian Zabini]

Christian nearly let his eyebrow lift when he realized she was amused to some extent as well. Whether it was a laugh at Apollo or the conversation itself, Christian didn't think he cared. It wasn't accurate, but for a minute there it felt like he hadn't had a simple, easy laugh in a good while.

"Well, I don't actually know if he asked the hat for a specific house. But he's never been very secretive," Christian agreed. But then he looked back over at Julian and frowned a little. "You think she's given him a laced drink?"

As soon as he'd voiced his question, though, his mouth thinned into a line. "Yeah, alright. Good shout." Because there went Violet and Julian, heading towards the exit. Perhaps if he wasn't so irritated with Julian, he wouldn't have been so concerned for someone as nice as Violet.

Shaking his head, Christian turned to face Clytemnestra properly. When he really ignored the other students, something registered on his face and he tilted his chin.

"Why are you interested in helping him, anyway?"

[Molly Weasley]

The world had gone mad.

She could see it all in her trek towards Charlotte and the path to the Slytherin. Lux and Christian were joking around. Apollo had enlist the help of Violet, of all people. And now Julian was being dragged from his innocent fun to something that would, no doubt, spell his doom.

And she wasn't exactly thrilled Margo was chumming it up with Savauge.

But this was what she got for her distant treatment of people. She could hardly spend all year keeping to herself and then butt in once she got irked. That wasn't the way the game was played. She made her bed. She'd lie in it.

She let out a sigh, and anyone who knew her well enough might have been surprised at what was her second expression of frustration in a mere matter of weeks. "It's about time someone told you, Charlotte, that permanent records are just scare tactics by professors. You could streak through the halls nude and your grades are still going to get you wherever. Especially if you're going to uni. Do you think you're going to give your next school your actual file from Hogwarts?"

She had been wanting to say all of that for awhile. But now she had a reason.

Before Charlotte could respond, Molly had timed it well, they reached the Slytherin girl. "Ravenclaw's Ravenclaw," Molly said by way of response. "Do you know each other? McKinley, this is-"

"Charlotte!"

Oh come on.

Margo was suddenly there, throwing her arms around Waldorf. "I have to talk to you about something. I'm going to steal her, is that okay?" And then she was dragging the other Ravenclaw off, twisting their arms together as she reached out to catch another pair of drinks. "Here look casual, drink this."

Molly didn't know why she bothered.