gown

There were few Balls Amy didn't attend, she enjoyed them and @carrow rarely refused her. Public appearances were important, and they were related to enough families for their attendance to be expected in most events. He was the heir to the Carrow line, after all, and Amycus and Alecto were hardly the public image one wanted to present. They went together, of course, because they always did, and Atropos stayed away. Thankfully. Her own parents would likely attend, which was a nightmare in and of itself. Between Thorfinn's 'woe is me' disposition and her mother being about as sociable as Blast Ended Skrewt. She and her husband would have enough proper company, though, for however long they decided to stay. Her cousins @jules, @loraine, @ivan and @caterina would all be attending, albeit with their own dates. She didn't know who Cat would be taking with her, but she had arranged for Jules to take Lance's cousin Anastasia with him. She was a sweet woman and of proper birth, Amycus' only child. Ivan would be taking @blanche, who she personally knew from university. They got along rather well. Loraine would be taking Lord Parkinson, as always, though she'd heard from her cousin that something was being arranged for her. What a mystery. He'd have to be a very fine man to get her aunt to consider arranging something, unless Amy was missing some of the politics behind it. Considering that she hadn't talked to her aunt Eleanor about it, she had no doubt that she was.

Of her cousins, however, it seemed she and Lancelot had arrived first. They'd greeted @andi and Rodolphus Azazel Lestrange, even though it was Lady Lestrange's Ball, for all intents and purposes. At some point they had been more closely related by marriage, having been a first cousin of her mother's, but they'd never been close. That was Leda's fault, obviously, since she'd pulled back from everyone after the death of Amy's father. No matter, it made no difference. They were practically strangers. Just a cordial greeting had been enough, then they moved on to a side of the Ballroom, taking their drinks and waiting patiently for the arrival of their closer acquaintances. She supposed that Lance would also be wanting to see @sebastian, though she didn't know who he would be escorting. If anyone at all, of course, a man of his standing wasn't obligated to bring anyone if he didn't wish to. From what she'd heard, Lance's other cousins @hestia and Flora Megaera Carrow would also be attending. Lovely women, she enjoyed having them over when they stopped for tea. She hadn't talked to them lately, though, so even though she knew they would most likely be coming, she wasn't aware of who they would bring. Well, surprises tended to be fun... usually. She'd pressed the usually heavily onto Sebastian.

In a corner she could see some others she knew. Amelia Aziza Travers, who she knew personally, and Mikhael Albert Travers. Engaged, she knew. She'd found out personally from him, of course, he wanted to see if she was comfortable continuing their arrangement. At first she'd agreed, but really she'd left the ultimate choice to decide with Lancelot. More than aware of who her lovers were, he was, and being betrothed did put a certain amount of risk on the whole thing. It was why she'd decided not to interact in public with him anymore. Besides the fact that a public scandal was the last thing she wanted, she also didn't much feel like making so much trouble for Amelia herself. She was doing Amy a favour by looking out for Dio while at school... and they were accompanied by @lily. Amy had never interacted much with her, she had no opinion. So, in silence, she let her eyes trail away and back to her husband. She raised an eyebrow at him, not commenting but conveying all the meaning she wanted to. Merlin, she hoped something would happen in this Ball. She couldn't very well drink herself into a fun time, no, that was not something done in public.

Lily met Amelia Aziza Travers 's eyes and returned the other Slytherin's smile with one of her own. A set of mascara-laden eyelashes fluttered briefly closed and then open again. Lily would never do something so vulgar as to wink... well, she wouldn't admit it, anyway. The blonde knew exactly what thoughts were running through the other girl's mind, and, perhaps because Amelia knew her better than anyone else, her fellow student was entirely correct. A spark of amusement danced briefly in her molten chocolate eyes as she turned to face the girl's fiance, pearly white teeth bared in what Lily considered to be her most captivating smile.

She was the heiress to one of the oldest and richest families in the magical world, and as such, she was guaranteed a fortune, and a not inconsiderable amount of power in the fullness of time. All that she had to do was wait; this was an offer that she couldn't refuse- if she had been religious then it would have been a godsend- and Lily Rose Greengrass was not such a fool as to allow a chance like that to disappear into thin air. She was the heir to the Greengrass family all right, and everyone had better get used to it. If Lily had anything to do with it, then her mother would never live to bear a boy- not that she foresaw much intervention on her own part to be necessary. Any man would have to be mad in order to marry her mother- and she sincerely hoped that her mother would have enough sense to insist on marriage, in order to avoid the undesirable consequences which had resulted from her last dalliance out of wedlock. Lily had been living with her mother for far longer than she would care to remember, and she knew very well that anyone with an option would do anything to avoid staying in the same house as Daphne, even if it cost him his fortune.

And it damn well would cost him his fortune, because Daphne never went into anything without a contingency plan, and she certainly never went into anything when she couldn't see a tangible benefit to herself. Lily might have admired the woman on this basis, had it not been for the fact that she hated her mother so much. Honestly, she could name a list of reasons ten miles long for her feelings on the matter, but really, none of them mattered. Daphne just annoyed her on a deep and intrusive level, and usually, people who did that to Lily Greengrass regretted it. Just because Daphne had not done so so far did not by any means mean that she would not do so in the future. Because Lily was adamantly certain in her own mind that she would, and tremendously so.

The blonde dropped a graceful half curtsey, holding out her hand courteously to the man who had seen fit to become engaged to her best friend. "Such a pleasure to meet you, my lord." she lied smoothly, her deep brown eyes becoming merry and bright in a way that was second nature to Lily. Of course she wasn't trying to steal Amelia's fiance; she couldn't stand the man already after only a few moments and besides, she might be unscrupulous but there were limits. Still, it never hurt to make a good- or even stunning- first impression and one never knew, Mikhael Albert Travers might be able to do something to help her one day. "I do hope you're going to look after Amelia!" Because it would be such a shame to have to murder him...

Lily raised an eyebrow as Victoire Molly Weasley approached her. Cool, calm, unruffled. And stunningly gorgeous, obviously. As for the Delacour lady, well, the woman didn't impress her. But then Lily was not easy to impress. The impressive never are. "Why, my dear Miss Delacour!" she began with a respectful inclination of the head towards Lord Rosier, a smile of sheer delight spreading across her features- Merlin, she was a good actress. "Such a pleasure to meet you- I've heard so much about you! But really, I didn't think of you as the kind of woman to listen to malicious gossip..."

PART OF YOUR WORLD

OUTFIT

There were days when Remington Monroe wished to Merlin that she had been born a pureblood. There was something about the antiquity of pureblood society that so enraptured her. It was like living in a society where kings and queens — or in this case, Lords and Ladies — existed and ruled their kingdoms with iron fists. Sometimes she imagined what it might have been like if her mother had survived. Would she have been welcomed into this world with just her mother’s name? Would she have been an outsider like she was now? Surely, things would have been different. And yet, perhaps they would have been exactly the same. But tonight? It didn’t matter. Why? Because tonight, she was one of them. On the arm of Athazaz Acanthus Bones , she was just as much a pureblood woman as anyone else in the room. She felt like she belonged…not like she was an outsider struggling to look into the fishbowl. No, she was a bright red angel fish in a sea of other fishes. For the first time in her life, she was old enough to come to parties like this. and it was a dream. At least, it would be as soon as they got inside.

She was thankful that her best friend’s brother had been able to escort her tonight. It wasn’t something that she wanted to miss. And it wasn’t as if they were entirely strangers. She knew him better than most because as long as she had been friends with Amelia, there had been Atha. “I never said thank you,” Remy said, stopping in front of the door as she turned to face her date. She didn’t want to get sentimental, and Atha didn’t want that either. She hardly ever accessed her deeper emotions, especially not the ones that connected with feeling like an outcast in pureblood society.

Pausing again, she reached up and straightened his tie before putting her hand on his chest. “And don’t mind what Caerus said about us. He can be an ass.” But he’s my ass, she thought before offering Athazaz a smile and then turning to face the door. “I suppose we should go in, then,” there was a part of her that was a bit apprehensive. A bit frightened to open the door herself and enter into this new world.

Remy knocked, her hand connecting with the door in three short rasps and a small house elf answered. She could hardly contain the delight she felt in seeing one up close outside of the Nott’s home. They were a rarity in her life. Moving past the elf and into the room, she was greeted with the most beautiful decorations and an even more beautifully dressed host. Pureblood’s and society’s best were milling around the room and Remy took a moment to take it all in. She unlatched herself from Atha’s hand and spun around in a slow circle, admiring it all until she found herself staring at Amelia Aziza Travers , @lily , and Mikhael Albert Travers . “Atha, look!” It was obvious that she was excited to see her friends and swept into a silly, unpracticed courtesy as she approached them. “Well if I’d known all the pureblood parties were like this, I would’ve broken into society a long time ago.”

PLEASEDON'TKILLME

outfit

He very rarely argued with his mother, rarely disagreed with her. That was him-- Athazaz Bones, rarely liking disagreement, usually leaving the room or leaving home when it came to disagreements between Amelia and their mother. But he'd faced another argument-- his mother had been furious when she'd learned why he'd needed some of Justin's things, had been upset that he'd been putting himself into such danger, being a Bones in Lestrange castle. He still hadn't told her Amelia was going, but he'd-- he'd gone, because Amelia had told him to, and he'd given his word to Remington. Remy?

The cuff links had been a sort of gift from his father-- well, he'd had an elf pick up them, to make sure they'd matched Remy's earrings. Apparently it was good to look a pair, even if it was friendly. He wasn't quite sure how it had been figured out-- but Amelia, probably. The more expensive things were from there, and he wasn't used to-- used to--

It was one thing to know that people had money, and another thing to wear it. He could-- okay, he could do this. He'd been rattled when he'd gone to pick up Remy, and had definitely been treated to a few more creative things from Caerus Nott. He'd done his best not to stammer out agreements and promises, and had luckily been a near-complete success. With perhaps a visible gulp, but-- he was only a Hufflepuff, and Amelia telling him that the Notts might remember that one of their great-grandmothers had been a Nott who married a Bones and later been killed by the last dark lord, so he took the threats seriously, agreeing to all if he did anything to Remy, and that he would be the soul of propriety, help her have fun.

He could do this, he could. He’d sworn he would, and he did not back out of promises. He was here for Remington, and she was the main attraction? He was just the. . .not even arm candy, really, the transportation and way in that he'd somehow received. At his. . .date, yes, that was okay, he could say that, spoke, and he grinned.

Okay, he could do this. They do do this. "It's no problem at all." He nodded his thanks as @remington fixed his tie. "You never had to, and hey-- likely in a few years it'll be Amelia asking you to do the same to me. Erm--" could he refer to the Ravenclaw Prefect so casually? That was another thing he wasn't sure about, though Remy would know, or Amelia would know. Or Nick, even. "It was fine. It's gonna be okay." If that meant the conversation or the ball, he decided to not say. Whichever Remy wanted to take in as was his intended meaning.

She knocked on the door, and he quashed down his reaction to turn back because he gave his word, and he didn't break his word. Never did, never had. He'd promised her and Caerus he wouldn't mess up the night, and swore to Amelia. At Remy's excitement to be in, at her. . .wonder? he felt more comfortable, more at ease in here with Remy's joy, at her taking in the place.

She spotted a crowd of people around their age-- Amelia and @lily, Victoire Molly Weasley and. . .Rosier from last year? Edward-- no, Edmund. Okay, she'd curtsied, so he should . . .bow, right? He didn't recognize Mikhael Albert Travers, having no idea who the older man. Maybe he'd taken Lily Greengrass. But there were at least two pureloods, so he did bow. Should he stick out his hand? Merlin, there were more people than he really knew what do do with, since he was pretty sure it would be bad to shake everyone's hand, and as he didn't know who the older man was, he wasn't sure if he was above Edmund Rosier or below, so okay, he'd respond if anyone else did. It would be for Amelia to mention their relation-- or anyone else, really, since Remy and Lily Greengrass were very aware of it. Victoire he recognized from Hogwarts-- two years older, Hufflepuff, and working in St. Mungo's where Nick interned.

"May I introduce Miss Remington Monroe, who honored me with her presence tonight?” He made a short bow, towards the older men. Hold on, was it supposed to be him first? Well, too late for that, and Remy was the more important one tonight. "I'm Athazaz Bones. Pleasure to meet you." There, okay, that hadn't been so bad, and he'd known he couldn't forgo using his surname-- it would be questioned, or he might be teased about it. It was also no question of using his father's name, as that would surely incur punishment. Between him and his sister, they had the name of the witch who had filled and bettered Crouch’s shoes, sending many to Azkaban— well, lacking a Susan which their mother was.

He didn't meet Amelia's eyes, not wanting to see how he’d failed— because he had to have.

Winter Solstice Ball

Outfit

Carlisle knew what was happening. The family at least, knew what was happening. He thought that it was smart, and that it was probably time, but he had to admit that it wasn't what he had expected that family meeting to have been about. He didn't think that there was anything remotely resembling the realm of normal about their lives anymore, but they were going with it. They were doing the best that they could, and that meant that they were going to make choices that they should have made before. It had meant that they were going to choose sides, because the time to choose sides was coming. It was slowly edging in to everything that they did, every choice that they made, they were choosing sides, and Carlisle thought that they were not foolish enough as a society to not realize what was happening here tonight. At least those of them that had been doing this for their entire lives. Some of the younger ones might not have felt it. The generations that hadn't grown up with balls and social occasions. Things like this had been fairly slim for years in there. But they were back now, and this... Solstice... It was important. It was important enough that having it somewhere that was not the Minister's home, was telling. But it wasn't their Minister that was throwing it. It was his cousin. And Carlisle didn't think that anyone really thought that Rodolphus had had a hand in any of this. He had married her, and made it her castle too, and that was probably about it as far as him helping with the Ball had gone. 

But it wasn't the Ball itself that Carlisle thought that people were going to leave her talking about. Or at least the right people. Letting the world see what was really going on in the shadows was the first step here tonight. He didn't think that anyone that didn't know was going to leave here with some insight, but they could. There was always the possibility that someone would push just a little too far, and something could happen. He had come to expect that something was going to happen at nearly every large, social, situation that they found themselves in, but this time, there was something else going on. There was something beneath the surface that he knew people were going to be aware of soon enough. There weren't a great deal of secrets throughout their world, and some of them were at least known to those around them. They were planning matches, they were binding even more strongly together, and Carlisle thought that anyone that was paying attention would be able to figure that out. That they were arranging marriages, that they were coexisting, and even those of them that normally didn't get along, could learn to get along for this. To take back what was theirs. Essentially he thought that that was what was going to happen. Tonight was just the beginning. It was just one step at a time towards getting everyone right where they needed to be.

And some of the pieces were already there. Some of the pieces were falling into place with nothing more than conversations. With handshakes, and contracts. Rumors were going to start to fly, and he hadn't been told yet what it was that they were going to do with them. He didn't know who was even going to be able to tell them that, his cousin, or his fiancée... Sloane Cressida Rosier was gifted, and he knew it, but he also knew that if she had seen something, like she thought that she was going to the other night, she hadn't shared it. And he had thought that she would have said. That she wasn't going to want to do anything to hurt this plan. She was as much a part of this as he was. They were in this together, but with everything going on, even he and Genevieve had been getting along. The air was changing around them, and for him, at least, he thought that it was getting easier to breath. Things weren't suffocating, it didn't feel like the world was ending. It felt like a step in the right direction. It was just a matter of keeping that progress going now, that they were going to have to be supportive about. That was all that they could do. Be supportive. And right now they were being supportive from the kitchen. The party had started at eight, and Carlisle had already been here for twenty minutes before that. Anything that Andromeda had needed done last minute they were helping do, but it was past eight now, and he was still hiding in the kitchen with some of the whisky he was so prone to stealing from her. 

Outfit

He had thought his invitation had been a mistake; but when no recall message was sent with it; perhaps he had actually been invited. The Dean of Lufkin was not the person who would normally associate with a person named Lestrange; unless of course he had been hunting and arresting the entire family when he had been Head of Magical Law back during the first war. Keaton shouldn’t be here; he didn’t fit in with these people, he wasn’t one of ‘their’ kind. He wasn’t a pureblood and he wasn’t a Death Eater. He was just, Keaton Irons the Dean of Lufkin University. That was when he realized that was probably why he had been invited, he was the head of one of the most prestigious magical institutes of higher education, and he was proud of his job and how he had changed some of the aspects of the school for the better. Keaton was firm, yet kind and helpful in the way he ran his school. He was fair, just, and supportive.

He helped any student who came into his office, muggleborns before the damned registration, half-bloods, and pureblood alike. He didn’t show favoritism; he helped the children of Death Eaters, and the children of those whom were affected by the Death Eaters. He was Order, he was going to stand out here; he didn’t belong. But he was an old general; he knew the best way to spy on your enemy was to eat at their table; but he knew that the chances of being stabbed in the back and floated down a river was still a solid chance; but one he was willing to take.

He didn’t have a date; or a guest; or whatever he was supposed to bring. Keaton hadn’t been on a date since the death of his wife a few years back. He was an old man, he had children, surely there was no one whom wanted to settle down with him. Besides, the chance at finding someone whom had been as half as wonderful as Mari would have been impossible. He also knew that he may not find someone like there here, in this place. As he walked through the front doors of the literal castle; Keaton felt uneasy, but he was a professional, he wouldn’t let his mind betray his thoughts, his feelings; he would keep the unsureness out of his mind so those who wanted to read him; couldn’t.

]As he fully entered where the festivities were were be commenced, he watched and looked around; he saw some of his students; Victoire Molly Weasley and @shi were the first two he had spotted and he nodded politely at the two witches; he knew that there would be more; the recent class of Hogwarts whom had left that hallowed castle had recently enrolled in Lufkin; he knew their names and their faces, but he hadn’t spoke to a lot of them; there had been nearly too many. But Keaton just watched as the people came in; he watched closely at what each one did. Each Death Eater he knew of, each one that he saw; and that was what he did; he blended in, he was a professional, but he kept his eyes out on anything that seemed out of place. Maybe someone would brave the social norms to speak to the old Head; maybe not; either way, he was already here.

As the Wheel of the Year
turns once more,
I honor the eternal cycle of birth, life, death and rebirth.

gown

Eleanor had known things would change soon. While traditional pureblood society had banded together when they were being oppressed, it was only a matter of time before differences started to make themselves known. There were the older families, the stricter ones, the more violent ones, the few that remained of the Sacred Twenty-Eight, and then there were the others. Being an 'other' was never good when it came to them, it was always a dangerous position to be in. That was why she had been so worried about her son, not wanting him to tie himself down to these people. Those people. Those who would soon be labelled 'other'. It was all they could be, foreign, marrying into families, breaking up proper marriages, mixing their bloodlines with impure ones. It had only been a matter of time, really, before things reached a breaking point. Many families had voiced their concerns and disagreement with certain aspects, and they had been ignored. How could she be surprised, when she'd been approached by Lady Lestrange for a private conversation? Well, maybe she'd been slightly surprised at being talked to so personally, she and Andromeda had never much spoken, not even after she returned into the fold. Her interactions had always been rather more with her current husband, back during the war. Still, Eleanor always had tremendous respect for women who took control of their lives, no matter how it was that they did it. Her news had been interesting, her offers and proposals even more so, and quite profitable to boot. There had never really been a doubt that she would support it, and considering that her father was currently not handling reality all that well, she was the one bringing along most of the families she was related to. Uncle Chadwick was not the head of the family just yet, and while her father was incapacitated, that was up to her.

Well, it made tonight's ball interesting, if nothing else. She had quite high hopes for the matter, though she knew it was all quite dangerous. These were the people that had gotten rid of Durant with them, people they'd worked alongside with for various years. Never trust a pureblood, the rule of thumb seemed to be, not if you don't share blood, not if you step out of line. Unfortunately for them, they had both of these causes. She doubted it would happen all too soon, however, since it was imperative that the planning went correctly. It was why the foreigners were all invited to this Ball, after all, but also why she had made sure @jules saw sense, once and for all. It was not a matter of blood or propriety, it was a matter of safety. Roma Avery Warrington and her would be pleased when he showed up with someone else on his arm, or at least by himself. The Ball would be fine, therefore. At the point of their arrival, they had greeted @andi and Rodolphus Azazel Lestrange, of course, but merely the bare politeness that was warranted. There would be time for conversation, one in which they weren't surrounded by guests. She would approach at a latter point, perhaps, for the socialising part of the evening.  She'd spotted @keaton, the Dean of Lufkin. A hubbub of Order members and such riffraff, she could not quite conceive that she had sent her sons there, or that the current Minister had refrained from clearing out the place like they had done with Hogwarts. She had seen her niece and her husband, both of which got along well with her children, though none of her own had arrived just yet. A pity, she always preferred punctuality. Then again, @ivan was accompanying @blanche, and @loraine would be brought along by @fernando. It was really on them. No matter.

"Drinks, I suppose," she said, turning to Roma. "It seems most have decided to arrive more than fashionably late. I guess that on my side of the family, it is merely due to a general lack of appreciation for socialisation."

You And I Make a Good Team

OUTFIT

Balls, Dances, Galas, and Weddings. He had been to so many throughout his life that at this point; he hated them with a passion. He willingly went to the last wedding he went too; Donna had always been good to him when he was younger, when he needed a place to stay; she had always let him crash in a guest room or a couch, the least he could have done was go to her wedding. It was there that he had done something he hadn’t done in year and years. He danced. He danced with the person he never expected to dance with; the person who had basically changed the way that he thought about certain things; someone who understood the type of person that he was, because they were so similar. It was the second event that they had spent at the refreshment tables together at; both not wanting to do anything remotely festive; but that changed at Donna’s wedding. They had danced; Felix took the lead and they had strolled across the dance floor like they were supposed to the entire time. It was something that Felix didn’t even do more than once at his own wedding. There was just something about her something about the woman he pined for.

He had taken her out a few weeks back for her birthday. Dinner and then surprised her with concert tickets to her favorite band. She had mentioned that she hadn’t seen them in a long time; but could never find someone to go with, or someone to take her. So Felix had done some digging; he found the show and he ordered the tickets; it had been sold out; but when he told the venue owner who he was, two tickets suddenly became available. Even in the lowest positions outside the ministry; the Avery name was known; the sacred twenty-eight name ran its way through the houses of all witches and wizards. That concert, while it was not really Felix’s choice of music, he loved watching Theodora Lillian Mountbatten have a blast, sing, and dance to all of her favorite songs. Felix knew a few, so the ones he had known, they did duets of. Pulling a few strings even got her backstage to meet the band, take a few photos, and sign some autographs. He wondered if she enjoyed it; but he got his answer with a good night kiss before he apparated from her front porch that night.

They had been to coffees, lunches, dinners. They went out with one another friends; they had a good time together. Most of all; Felix felt good about being around her; he longed to be around her. He had even done something he hadn’t done in a long time; and that was leave work early just so he could surprise her with take out Japanese. Who was he? Felix Arcturus Avery; the man who hated mud bloods with a passion; the man who divorced his own wife because he didn’t want her tied down to a man who didnt love her like he should. He had been changing, he still hated mudbloods; that would never change. But Thea challenged him; she was spunky, she was intelligent, she was also kind when she wanted to be. She challenged him to be a better man, not just for himself; but for her as well. Tonight was special for the both of them; tonight they were not here singly as Felix Avery or Theodora Mountbatten; they were here as Lord Felix Avery and Lady Theodora Mountbatten. As he walked into the main room; he felt peoples attention move to him, he didn’t let it bother him. He knew how people felt about his divorce from Alessia.

He didn’t care. Many pureblood families had done much, much worse than what he did. A divorce from a spouse was nothing compared to infidelity and cheating. Which Felix technically didn’t do. Had he kissed Thea? Yes. But the papers for the divorce had already been in motion; he didn’t see Thea again until nearly a month after he and Alessia had signed the papers. Perhaps it was a matter that Alessia was pregnant with their child; a daughter. Rumors swirled that it was because she could not bear him a son, a heir. No. Incorrect. Felix was thrilled to have a daughter, but his contacts with Alessia had been strained due to their circumstance. It was best to let things pass between them, simmer down, and anger that both parties shared to die away, before attempting to speak about their parenting circumstances. Thea knew how thrilled he was to have a daughter; it was one of the first things they discussed with one another before officially becoming official. His father had been the one who wanted him to have a son; Felix simply wanted to be happy.

He looked over to his date; officially, and smiled. Felix had come to her home and picked her up; offering her a bottle of wine which he had picked up a few days prior, because they both finished her last bottle and he promised to replenish it. From there they came here; both not completely thrilled with the aspect of another high society get together; but this would be their first outing as a couple, and that thought also excited him. His arm had been hooked out, offering her to snake her arm through it as some of the men in the room looked at Thea as if she were still an available prospect. Felix wanted to ensure that this was not the case; not that they had agreed to get married or anything; Felix didn’t want to rush into another marriage after a few weeks of dating; he wanted to wait, to know that this was love and not lust; but they both knew the truth; they were mad for one another. As Felix looked around the room he saw those he knew; Mikhael Albert Travers from the ministry; @eleanor, also from the ministry, and related to him through his father. He was sure he would see his other cousins and family members her as well; but he knew that he needed to do the right thing and greet their host and hostess as well, but he would allow Thea to do the talking; she was much better at it. He turned to Theodora Lillian Mountbatten and smiled; ”I suppose we can’t just sit at the drink table all night this time, can we love?” his accent peaking through in his words as he smiled and kissed her hand gently.

The rumbling from distant shores sends me to sleep
But the facts of life, can sometimes make it hard to dream

he's in a tux, just roll with it

For a couple of weeks now, Jules had agonised over this ball. He hadn't want to come,
hadn't want to do anything but stay in his rooms and draw and paint and try to feel something. He had been so angry, before. The conversation with his mother, with Lori, with Constance. So much anger that drained and left him with nothing at all. He wasn't angry, upset, hurt. He was just fucking tired right now. Read for the year to be over, ready for the next step. He didn't even know anymore, what he wanted to do. Nothing, he guessed. In the end, Jules figured that what he wanted would never matter so he'd do what he had to. Pay more attention to the Wizengamot, focus on his studies, avoid every single person he knew - except Anya, because she didn't remind him of duty and honour. One foot in front of the other, until he could find it in himself to be happy with this. Or, at the very least, to accept it. Acceptance was easier to aim for than happiness, in any case, and Jules could learn to be content. That or he'd have to get better at pretending, for the sake of peace and stability in that house. Avoiding people would only work for a while.

After the heart-wrenching talk with Constance, Jules had gone drinking with Uncle Fer - who gave him life advice that was actually useful in non-sexual situation. He seemed to be on Jules' mother's side very firmly but at the very least, he respected Jules' personal sacrifices. And besides having very good alcohol, he had solved his ball dilemma. He had to go, there was no way around it. But coming without a date when he did have a girlfriend would be worse than appearing with Constance. At first, Jules considered Anya but she just laughed at his face, even after he gave her some pretty trinket he had found among his things - pearls, the way she liked. Thinking about it, it wasn't such a god idea after all and the last thing Jules needed was to give his mother more reason to be disappointed in him. @shi had given him an out, in this. His cousin and him weren't that close but he knew he could talk to her, if he needed. And she arranged for @carrow 's cousin Anastasia to be his date to the ball, without asking anything in return. Or rather, maybe to encourage the hunting parties he and Lance had sometimes in a way to get her husband out of her hair. Who knew, with Amy. Jules had never before spoken to her but she was sweet enough, from what he had been able to judge. They talked a bit when he went to pick her up at her place and this wouldn't be completely terrible.

Arriving at the castle, first order of business was to escort Lady Carrow to greet their hosts. Polite bows sufficed for now, there would be time for him to approach the Lord Lestrange afterwards for conversation. @loraine and @fernando hadn't arrived yet, neither had @ivan and @blanche , which was hilarious since Jules started getting ready long after his brother and still managed to beat him to the ball. @shi was there already with @carrow and Jules steered Anastasia towards them, well aware his mothers Roma Avery Warrington and @eleanor were already at the party. He had seen them from the corner of his eye but Jules was determined to start the ball in a high note and speaking to them would have to wait until he had some alcohol in his system. Nodding to the Dean @keaton on the way - the man made Jules' skin itch but he had to be polite -, he and Anastasia made their way to their cousins - ha - and Jules smiled easily at Amy, before offering a hand to Lance. "This ball is promising to be interesting," he commented, airily, keeping his voice low. A floating tray with champagne passed near them and Jules snatched two flutes, gallantly presenting one to Anastasia. "So much old blood in the same place. The potential to violence and feuds is endless."

'Cause we're the masters of our own fate
We're the captains of our own souls

imaginary tux

Another ball. It was just Thor's luck that people kept throwing this social events when all he wanted was to lock himself inside his study and pretend he didn't exist for a few weeks. That or he'd go knock on Leander's door - again - and weep - again - because he couldn't seem to behave like an adult where his brother was concerned. But no, this was important. Back at the Minister's ball, Thor had gone because unity was something they needed. Change was too fresh, too raw. Even though they were more fractured than a shattered crystal vase, the Death Eaters needed to hold together and present an united front to the world, lest they show weakness. It would be their downfall. In the end, all of their efforts had been for nothing. Ares had gone and dragged another halfblood to the ball, testing and trying the patience of every single pureblood on his side. Instead of healing, of helping, the ball ended up exposing rifts that were impossible to heal. Thor, for himself, didn't think them worthy trying even if healing had been possible. He wasn't a man to give second chances often or at all. Third chances were unheard of. Ares Wentzell had used up all his good will and, whilst Thor wouldn't move against him - he was no leader of men, good gracious, and the last thing he needed was more work -, he wouldn't stand in the way if one of them decided to.

The source was...unexpected. Because Whilst maybe some could believe it was Rodolphus behind this all, Thor had a little better analysis of the situation than most. He watched, simple as that. And whilst Rod had been rather displeased with the whole thing, the moves had been Lady Lestrange's. El had come to him to talk, nothing in particular, but he had been able to read between the lines - just as she knew he would. Something was coming and it was...interesting. The catalyst of it all even more so, because Thor remembered a time when the Lady in question had caused an irreparable fracture in the House of Black by running away with a mudblood. She seemed to be firmly back, though, and with that halfblood spawn of hers dead, Thor supposed the woman was entitled to a new beginning, if she regretted what happened back in the day. It amused him, to think about what Potter was thinking of all of this. He hoped it hurt him, to see his allies deserting him. Hoped he'd watch as the world went the way it was supposed to be without being able to lift a finger to do anything. He'd speak to Lady Andromeda, soon. The time for inaction was over and if the witch was planning what he thought she was, she'd need political support. Thor would give it, if asked, but being proactive was always better.

Holding Leda tight by the arm, Thor steered her towards their hosts, quickly paying their respects before dragging his wife towards the place he could see @eleanor and Roma Avery Warrington standing together. @shi and @carrow were by the other side, with @jules and...that wasn't Wentzell's niece, on his arm. If he wasn't mistaken, that was Amycus girl. Interesting. El would know how to explain better, he thought. There were people he didn't like, around the place, but he made sure to ignore them. If Lady Lestrange thought to invite certain people, then she had her reasons. Getting himself a glass of scotch - and making sure Leda wouldn't pick anything too strong for herself -, Thor kissed El on the cheek, doing the same for Roma. "Cousin. Mind telling what miracle has come upon Jules' mind today?" subtly, he indicated the boy with his head.