End of The Year Ball

Outfit

This was the last one of these that LJ was going to attend, this was his last ball at Hogwarts. There were a lot of last going on. But there was a last time for everything. He thought about what that meant. About what it would mean to walk across that stage and know that he was never coming back inside these walls. It was a powerful thing, a monumentous thing, for someone like him. Someone that knew that Hogwarts wasn’t all that itnwas cracked up to be. Whether or not that held true for everyone, he didn’t know, but that was how it was for him. This was the last time that he was going to be in the position that he was in now. It was the last time that he was going to step into something like this. In a lot of ways, he thought that this was just going to be the beginning, the beginning of the rest of his life.

And that wasn’t a common sentiment. He knew that there were plenty of people that were going to miss this place. People that hadnt thought all that much about being here in the first place. LJ figured that they should probably take bets. About who was going to do what, and by the end of the night how much firewhiskey they had dumped in the punch bowl. All that he could really hope for was that nothing like what happened last year happened again. He hadn’t been here. After Ma had died Dad had kept him home through the last month of school, but it had still happened. The muggleborn registration has been enacted right here in this hall. And it was more complicated than that, he knew so, but that didn’t change the fact that something had happened. That they had been there to witness it. Something had changed that night, and since then things had changed again. True world was not a stable one, and they were about to be thrown into it head first.

There were only a handful of duties tha he had actually taken seriously when it had come to this job as Head Boy, and chaperoning the dance was one of them. He had always been a bit of a wall flower but that didn’t stop him from watching. And Merlin knew that there were plenty of people to watch. Whether or not that was a part of his plan, well that was yet to be determined for the evening. What he did know was that there were plenty of people to be watching. He looked over at @caerus , who had come in with him and nodded to a group of first years that were hanging out on the edge of the dance floor. “What do you make of them? They still think these things are fun...”

 Chuckling a little bit he let his eyes skim over the crowd. There were professors hanging around the outside edges of the room, making sure that nothing went awry. But as he scanned the crowd, he was sure that the trouble makers knew how to avoid watchful eyes. There were plenty of people that knew how to avoid those eyes though, and it was one such person that he was looking for now. @lylasbisa was conspicuously missing from LJ’s radar and he thought that at this point he was pretty good at picking Red out from the crowd. He hadn’t seen @lyla either though. Which had him worrying a touch about whether Red and Blue were together somewhere. That alone could have been dangerous.

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Sorry for doing it like this guys! I promise I will fix any terrible hotel room blunders tomorrow when I get home! But keep in mind that the party is already in full swing!

 

End Of Year Ball 2018

Outfit to be added soon

Well, this was indeed it. Sebastian had been in this school over a year now, and this ball really brought things round full circle. So much had happened since he had taken this position- there had been a lot of bad, by his hand as well as others- but there had been no wide scale attacks within the walls nor an uprising. For that he felt he had to chalkup a score on the esteemed board. Because things could have gone for worse than they had and it would have spelled trouble that they wouldn't come back from. Now that he'd settled into his position though he felt he had also changed within himself, from the man he'd been when he'd first stood within this hall a year past. He had mellowed, learned great deals more patience, and started to see things in a new light than before. Most of that he could probably put down to Charlotte, and then @odelia , for keeping him sane and talking things through with him so he wasn't just troubleshooting within himself. He was also less impulsive and had greater reigns on his temper... something that had helped great deals when it had come to his brother.

In the next few weeks while the students finished with their exams, many decisions had to be made and things had to be put in place in time for term breaking, as over the Summer no one would be within the halls. The next Head Boy and Head Girl still had to be fully decided, and those to come had big shoes to fill. @lj and @truly had flourished in their positions and he couldn't really fault them for anything; His decision, helped along by the opinions of his staff, had been a solid one and he was proud of it and the things the pair had achieved. Those who stepped in next would have to be hot off the mark to keep up with their predecessors. In short, there was a lot to look over and think on before he drafted his list of desirables and compared it with Odelia's, then with his Heads of House. Prefects would then have to be decided, which was no less important, and then everything else. Things may be slowing down for the students at this time of year, but they weren't for him, for sure.

Looking around the hall, he grinned at Odelia and looked away to smile at @saoirse . A more recent change of staff, and unlike Garnet had been, pleasant to be around. As far as House Heads went he was confident in that decision too. Then he turned back to the room at large, full to the brim of milling bodies, and kept an easy smile playing about his lips. Many in the hall would be graduating at the end of June and going off into the world to forge their new paths, to find their ways in life with the careers and jobs that suited them. A great deal would likely be going to Lufkin, and he was glad at the fact that it seemed these days more and more chose further education over jumping into the lake of life with both feet and no harness. It meant less failure, for them. It meant they had a better chance of finding their feet and making the right decisions first time while still having a safety net of sorts. And honestly, Sebastian was looking forward to seeing them outwith the school setting to see how they developed as people in their own rights, and perhaps getting to know them as such.

Raising his glass to his mouth, he sighed contentedly and slipped a hand within his pocket as he relaxed. Ever vigilant did not mean forever tense. That would wreak murder on him, and he was already trying to defy aging badly as it was without turning himself prematurely grey. "I never get tired of these things, even though I've attended more than most." He said lightly, turning back to @odelia.

Another year closes

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She was nearly four months along, and she hadn't expected how much she'd despise it.

Sickness had been managed by potions, some of which she'd brewed herself. That wasn't it, no. But the last time she'd remembered being pregnant, when she'd been aware of every movement had been with Hyperion. She'd been in and out of her mind during Tamara, floating on potions to keep her moving and going about her day, to try to pull her out of the cloud she'd been in. They'd worked, mostly. Dulled the pain, dulled the edge, but she'd barely been aware of Tamara until her daughter was beginning to walk.

But it need only been for five more months. Then possibly one other time-- a spare, if she could. Astoria knew more than many how fragile children were, that even after the first year there was no certainty of further life even with peace. She'd made her bed, coming back in as a Lady Greengrass, her sister's heir. It meant little: unless Daphne would pass early, Astoria's children would receive the title. It was well enough; she doubted that the rest of the Greengrasses would accept a reformed near-blood traitor as well as some other families had. Her arrangement had ensured that the Notts might not choose Rosalind's line over hers, but for the other wives. . .

Well, there were years to work on that. Summers. She'd manage it. And if Daphne thought to betray her by marrying some minor lord to have a child. . . well. Astoria was a Healer, a potionologist, a herbologist. She was both the best person to go to, the expected person to go to, and the person best able to take care of anything. Best, perhaps to take those precautions if Daphne decide to marry without children. The latter was rather more likely than the former, with Daphne despising the mess and inconvenience of anything to do with children, including the mess of begetting and birthing them more than most.

She ought to have let Tamara be with her father. He'd. . .he'd been better at loving her, at caring for her, and Astoria could only show her love rarely, only on nights when Tamara was healing from something complicated. It would have made things much simpler, but Astoria couldn't--

No, that wasn't quite accurate. She had needed someone to hold to, someone she could be someone else for. Needed to feel as if she was doing this for someone, as if this wasn't just for the sister who wanted a favor from her. She'd allowed Daphne to play with her life and move her path about, recognizing her sister as the more capable gardener for the situation.

Not in all, however. Weeds were to be removed and destroyed, and Daphne would see Seraphina Nott as little more than an irritable weed, easily removed if she was looking from a Herbologist's standpoint, for all that she made a rather solid and reliable fence against her heirs being claimed as Notts. Theodore already had a standing heir apparent, and enough documents had been signed before and after the wedding, and more after the birth. Astoria was grateful for all that, though she knew Seraphina abhorred her. It was fortunate that she hadn't needed the Wing.

Her eyes caught @petrova 's form, and it was foolish perhaps, sentimentality from the security she provided that Astoria's heirs would never be Notts if they lived, some awkward acknowledgement of the higher position in the household Astoria would never visit, and Astoria bent her knees, inclining her head in a short bow in her direction. She wasn't quite sure if the Ravenclaw would see it, and it was likely that even if she did, she wouldn't acknowledge it. She didn't expect or desire any sort of response, really-- reciprocation was something she had first learned with Kate and Kirk, then with Anthony and his family, and even now it was still something she was unused to.

outfit

The year was ending and it was honestly not as bad as she expected it to be when she started. Really, she shouldn't have been surprised, if there was anything the Krai had actually taught her was that she was durable. She adapted, she survived, and she would do so no matter what. Death came for everyone and it was the only thing that would stop her in her tracks, nothing else could, nothing else would. Of that she was now certain. On the other side of the world, things had seem distant and yet somehow permanent. Of course, they hadn't been. Of course, something had changed, and it had been hard to accept it. Hard to stop being angry and feeling betrayed, not so much for what had happened in itself -though, for a time there she had wondered if going back to the Krai was a good idea- but because of the promises that had been broken. That had been worst of all, but she had gotten through it. With some help, with some company, and that was new and surprising. Sera was a solitary person, but she didn't know if she was so naturally or if it was something she had taught herself to be. Either way, she had become close to some people. That had helped, and in the end she was just... calm again. It was good to be peaceful once more because it made for a clear head and she needed a clear head to continue with her research.

The Ball was not as harrying as it would once have been. Granted, she still didn't particularly enjoy loud or crowded places, but she didn't need someone to be by her side constantly in order to feel at ease. She valued Rhea's company, though she had no doubt that she'd only gotten that because her cousin wanted to pick her clothing for her. She knew @caerus and @lj had gone on ahead, and they were probably somewhere around with @lyla, if Caerus hadn't wandered off already to make out with someone yet. He tended to do that, his disappearances were never mysterious. Still, she didn't know if she should go directly to them. It was the last Ball at school, for the seventh years, perhaps they wanted that time amongst themselves. Rhea said she shouldn't look so clingy and... well, after asking for an explanation on what clingy meant, she figured spending time with her youngest cousin was pleasant too. So she did, even if Rhea brought along her gaggle of loud and annoying friends. Perhaps that other Slytherin girl would be here, was her name Oralie Slughorn? It might be. She was pleasant enough, and more silent than most. If she saw the girl, perhaps she would greet her. The Jones girl might be somewhere around too, but she had her own friends and Sera didn't like new people all that much.

She had been looking around the room when she spotted... Asteria Greengrass. Ah. Theo had asked her not to commit murder somewhere that would make it difficult for him to cover it up. And to give him a head's up. Sera had considered killing the woman and she knew that she would feel no regret if she did. The bow was odd, Sera never much understood that action. Still, she went over, eyes cold as she looked over the shorter woman. She was slender, so her stomach was already showing. Only barely, really. She wondered if she should say something. All she could think of to say at this moment was how lucky Astoria was to be alive, her daughter too. After all, she had made promises to Theo but Theo had broken his promises to her. Plus, she had never actually said that she wouldn't kill anyone and he hadn't asked her not to kill Astoria. It was risky of the woman, but she didn't think that her step-mother knew just what Serafina occupied her days with. "When are you due?" Rhea said killing pregnant women was a bad thing, as if murder itself weren't already bad. Some people had the oddest twists to their morality, in this place.

The 13 year old could not believe it was the end of year ball already. It seemed like it was only yesterday that he was arriving back at Hogwarts to start another school year. Donald was dressed in in somewhat smart clothes, as usual for students at the end of year ball. He wore a light blue and black checked shirt, some black trousers, and his school shoes. His hair, of course, was its usual gelled up spikey affair. He wouldn’t have his hair any other way after all.

Donnie entered the ball and wondered if he should talk to some of the older years leaving and wish them luck, if it that would be weird? The only older students he really knew where his fellow quidditch teammates. Would it be rude of him not to wish them luck or would it be rude for him to interrupt what they were doing? Would people like @lj , his captain, take offence at him for not saying goodbye and not wishing him luck in the future? The pale skinned lad decided that, in the end, he would be better off leaving it. The youngster was too embarrassed and too nervous to talk to LJ, especially in front of his friends. If he had a chance to talk to his fellow Ravenclaw team members before they left, he would. Well, probably, maybe?

In any case, hopefully this end of year will be less eventful than last year. He wandered around the hall a bit, looking a bit lost, looking for someone he knew to talk too, or something to do.  

"November." She had been relieved when she found out the date. If she had to go through pregnancy once more, then it was perhaps, best for her emotions should she not give birth in the same month when she had had her first. She'd spent much of Tamara's generations in a dizzy haze of grief and potions; she hadn't been able to hold her daughter for months, too reminded of Tamara's older brother for all that they looked little alike other than in the typical way babes often did, though that resemblance was gleaned more by the careful pictures of Anthony and his parents rather than Astœria's own memories.

@petrova's acknowledgement of her itself had been a surprise, for all that Astoria's face was smooth as it had been before; Astoria had, she half-realized, expected to be ignored, and had been content with that. Still, the slight bow had been true, so she would have done the same, even had she been aware that Seraphina  would respond. There had always been the chance that she would, after all. She was Theodore's daughter, and Nott had been known for his tendency to play with people.

You'll see even less of me at that time. Though that much was rather obvious, she supposed, and there was little reason to say that. Seraphina had been in Ravenclaw for a reason, after all.

Astoria was training one of the other Healers to take over as Matron while Astoria wouldn't be able to act as such. Depending on how the pregnancy struck her in the later months, she might have to be off for most of the fall term, returning only in December. She'd spoken with both Sebastian and Odelia about that, with the reassurance she would return. Astoria had little reason to stay, and even less reason to be a mother sitting at home. She'd never quite been made for that, even when she'd been Asteria and imagining who she might marry. Daphne, however, had been even less made for that, and Astoria doubted Daphne would be able to carry a child without having Astoria to brew an aborticant. That was simple how Daphne was made to be, fortunately for Astoria.