The Ministerial Ball

James Wake never liked ties. They were like reverse nooses. Add that to the suit Alan had forced him to size out himself felt like cardboard. The coarse material felt wrong against his skin. He did not like getting dressed up for anything beyond what was necessary, but lo and behold. It behooved his uncle to send out the child to represent him. The Head of Alchemy had little regard for formalities such as this little "ball." If History was written by the victors, then the Order liked to mark it's, what, 50th page in the book. With a party.

Ace had little need to attend, but he certainly did not want to disobey Alan when his only other option was to go home. It made the boy shudder to consider Alan's wrath. Instead, he entered the Ministry through the Floo network. James was preparing himself to bored already. He could easily identify a bunch of his former teachers. He tried to make himself scarce. After the meeting where Jess instigated a rebellion against Majere, James didn't want to talk to them.

Alexa watched as the ballroom filled with people, and she played with a loose thread on her dress. She was bored, and wanted to leave. She did not know many people, and those she did know she had just said hi to at school. Alexa got up, deciding she had been here long enough, and made her way to the door. But she saw James, and turned around, silently thanking Merlin he was here. "Hey." She said.

"Yeah hahaha," Willow laughed at Abbey's comment before getting some punch herself. "Cheers!" She tapped her little cup against Abbey's. "Oh I'm good, thanks! I've just been busy with...stuff." She told Jess. She took a sip of her sweet punch tasting the yummy goodness on her lips. "Mmmmmmmm this is so good! Are you sure it's not spiked?" She laughed and licked her lips.

Matt Lestrange wrote:A smile spread across Matt's face, he was pulling Sophia's leg. "Haha, No you're okay!" he chuckled. "I remember my days of spiking the punch bowl..." he sighed remembering his days at Hogwarts. "Sophia, no need to get serious. I have my potion remember..." he said grinning every so largly. "Like I said Abbey, I'm keeping myself occupied..." he said winking avoiding Sophia's gaze.

Nikki Granger wrote:Nikki arrived at the Ministerial Ball. She smiled and then bit her lip. To her, going to balls and dances were the greatest thing ever. So fun and exciting and seems new to her each time. Tonight she wore natural make up, a little bit of perfume and her hair was both curly and straight at the same time. As for her clothes she wore a pretty extravagant dress. It was black and had skinny straps, and a tight fitting kind of boob tube and for the skirt it was puffy with many layers of white and black netty type fabric. As for shoes she had black high heels that showed her big and a little bit of her second toes. She saw her sister and almost ran to her causing her tip, but she didn't, she just ran fast and did tiny tripes because the dress was long. Hello Sis! Nikki smiled and gave her a hug. Looking smokin' hot as always. Nikki winked.

Sophia laughed when he said he remebers his days of spiking the punch! "Oh really daddy, you spiked the punch once?"Sophia asked him smiling. Sophia nevered spiked the punch but she did get drunk by it. Sophia nodded when he said there was no need for her to get serious. "Alright, Sorry daddy."said Sophia softly. As she noticed he wasn't looking at her in the eyes and she lip her lip trying to hide her anger. Looking around once more for Johnatahn she sighed again when she didn't see him. Sophia smiled when Nikki her sister hugged her and said she looked smoking hot she laughed. "Thanks Nikki sis, you look hot as always."said Sophia giving her a soft warm smile and hugged her back. Although even though Nikki would be her sister no matter what, she felt weird calling her that now seeing how she was a Lestrange now. Apparently Nikki didn't know, and she didn't want to tell her now and ruin her night.

Khaat smiled seeing Jess on his feet again and looking so much better, "Glad you're looking a lot better, Jess. How are you feeling--really? We would not have missed this night for the world. It was far too long in coming. I know you've heard this before, but Sirius and Remus and that whole lot would have been exceedingly proud of you for the way you pulled this around. That was something they just did not ever have the opportunity to do. It was one of their greatest dreams but they didn't have the window of opportunity like you did. I have Remus's and Sirius's journals if someday you'd like to see them. They wrote a lot about what they wanted to see for the Order. You'd be pleased to see how many of their dreams the Order has actually made come true. And my mother has Dumbledore's pensieve so, there's more in there too, that someday may interest you. "

Mariana felt rather weird about going to such a formal ball and especially with Matt.She did feel something for him though it was more like an attraction then anything else. She had picked a dress a few days ago only thinking about how ridiculus she would feel in it. Why didn't i just say no? she thought for herself.Going to such an offical ball was not her specialitty and she had no idea who was the new minister though she imagined it would probably Wilson and she didn't particulary like toasting at that annoying pest's health.She apparated at the Ministry where the ball was held and just wondered is she going to die from embarassment though it would probably be rude to leave Matt hanging.She walked inside the hall and scanned for Matt hoping she didn't look too ridiculus...

Outfit:

Spoiler:

"Hey Nikki!" Matt said to Nikki, "Not just one bowl of punch Sophia!" he said winking, then he spotted Mari wandering in. "Ummm....I have to use the little Vampires room, I'll be back!" he said and he walked over to Mari. "Hello Mari, you look ravishing tonight..." he said smiling at her.

Another weekend, another ball. What else was new?

Amelia sighed as she looked in the full length mirror of her dormitory, turning this way and that in her dress and checking to make sure that she hadn’t missed some invisible wrinkle or speck of dust. She was a perfectionist to a fault – was there any other kind? – and this process had been going on for quite some time.

As usual, going to this ball had not been Amelia’s idea. Her parents were going to be out of town – her mother at a concert in the states, her father out on one of his sabbaticals – and thus they had appointed Amelia as the representative for the Lyons family. Appointed her without her consent, mind you. But then again, that wasn’t all that different for them.

With her class schedule, imperium squad duties, and sanity preserving extra-curricular activities, Amelia hadn’t been able to come home to go shopping with her mother for the gown she would be stuck in for the Ministerial Ball. Amelia hadn’t known at the time if this would be a blessing or a curse; shopping with her mother was a trying experience, but not having any say in a gown she would be forced to wear in public was a bit daunting. To be honest, though, Amelia likely would have had little say in the dress choice anyway.

The dress had, thankfully, arrived by post yesterday. Amelia wasn’t all that worried, because she could easily have worn the same dress she wore to the Yule Ball, but her mother would likely have a small stroke if Amelia wore the same gown to more than one formal function. Her mother did not believe in recycling formal attire, so Amelia was thankful to receive the oversized package, if only to avoid the drama of dealing with Antoinette.

Upon opening the parcel, Amelia had found a black gown, simple at first glance, but Amelia knew her mother better than that. After she had taken it out of the box Amelia had noticed the crystal encrusted neckline and the daringly open back. The fabric of the dress was smooth and when Amelia had tried it on, she knew her mother’s work was exquisite; the dress fit her like a glove. The black was dramatic against her pale skin and red hair, but in a way, it suited her, at least from the front. The back, with its dramatic plunge leaving the curve of her spine exposed... that was another story.

Having already stalled long enough, Amelia sighed and tucked a stray curl behind her ear, applying lipstick as her mother had insisted she do just before turning on the spot and apparating to the Ministry of Magic.

The Ministry was already crowded, everyone coming out in their finery to hear about the new appointment to Minister. As a citizen of the magical community, Amelia was mildly interested in the announcement which was to take place tonight, but not so much so that she was excited about this event. Amelia wasn’t great in social situations, and not having a date tonight meant she would either sit alone – which she could probably handle – or be forced to make small talk with whoever deemed her worthy of their interest – which she would probably fail dismally at.

Here goes nothing, Amelia thought, walking into the main room where the celebration was to take place, letting her eyes dart around the room and take in the decorations and guests. If nothing else, tonight would be a treat for her senses; everything, it seemed, glittered and shone as if brand new.

((Amelia’s gown:

Spoiler:

))

Matt Lestrange wrote:"Hey Nikki!" Matt said to Nikki, "Not just one bowl of punch Sophia!" he said winking, then he spotted Mari wandering in. "Ummm....I have to use the little Vampires room, I'll be back!" he said and he walked over to Mari. "Hello Mari, you look ravishing tonight..." he said smiling at her.

Mariana looked as Matt got to her first with a sarcastic look. "I can't believe you are making me do this. Me & ball dresses don't go together..Just tell me i don't look too ridiculus" she replied not feeling quite like herself in this long blue ball dress.Though she had a bandage on her left shoulder she grieved more about being dressed like she was dressed then about her shoulder. Majority of her body had bandages though shoulder was the only noticable one. "And thanks i know you are just saying that to make me feel better..." she said as she smiled to him not even sure why herself.

Alexa Finnigan wrote:Alexa watched as the ballroom filled with people, and she played with a loose thread on her dress. She was bored, and wanted to leave. She did not know many people, and those she did know she had just said hi to at school. Alexa got up, deciding she had been here long enough, and made her way to the door. But she saw James, and turned around, silently thanking Merlin he was here. "Hey." She said.

"Alexa?" James asked, surprised that any other student would be at this ball. The ball was still going to drag on, but the fact that Alexa Finnigan was there as well seemed to indicate that not everything would end up as drawn-out and pitiful as it could have been. James still felt like he had to hold himself back. He regained his posture, and composed his face. "How do you do?" he asked her, offering her his hand.