And I see fire, hollowing souls
And I see fire, blood in the breeze
And I hope that you'll remember me

outfit

This ball had come at the best and worse possible time. Their island was filled with people of their line, trueborn and bastard born alike, pureblood and halfblood - and one couldn't be allowed to forget about Jenny, the mudblood, but that was neither here not there. Naturally, none of them other than the main family had been invited so someone should stay behind with them, to be polite and keep company. Shaera would have volunteered herself and Jae, both to force her Mother to leave the island for a while and because she was exhausted, but there were two reasons why she was very much not able to do so. First, her job meant that she had to report on those things for the masses that weren't lucky enough to warrant an invitation but would no doubt be salivating to know about every single detail of what happened. Shaera could only write a proper article if she had first hand account on it, after all. And the second reason...her cousins and their cousins are not to be trusted around her brother. Jaehaerys is hers and she will not tolerate their looks, loose tongues and even looser skirts.

So she had dressed and done her hair and made sure Jae was presentable. Jenny would serve adequately to look after Aerys and Rhaella for the night, giving her and Duncan something to focus on that wasn't their disgustingly love sick conversations and looks. Rhae and Dae would or wouldn't come but Shaera decided that since she had to be at this ball anyway, she might as well enjoy herself and make it a date night. With two small children and full time jobs, she and Jae barely had time to breathe, much less actually do anything romantic with just the two of them. Not that this ball would be anything like that but being able to show off her brother - how good they looked together, all silver and and purple eyed and tall - wasn't something she wanted to pass. Opportunities such as these came up only in specific moments of the year and had to be seized when possible.

Straightening her skirts with her free hand, Shae tightened her grip on Jaehaerys' arm and looked around. "Well, I have to give it to our hosts. Decoration is spotless," she commented, walking inside along the flow of people. Jae snorted, not really interested in decoration of any sort but willing to humour her in it. Their hosts were in a very visible position but other than deferential nods and making sure to look appropriately appreciative of their being there, the two blondes walked straight past them, knowing that neither had anything of interest to converse with them anyway. Well, Jae might have. It wasn't like this ball, not held by the Minister, was pure nicety from their part. Jae might know more. He ought to know more and her brother would tell. "You see, Jaehaerys," she started, sweetly, accepting the flute of champagne he gave her with a sharp smile. "One would think the Lestranges wouldn't have bothered hosting this ball when we have a Minister who could, and should by all accounts, have done it himself. Know anything about it?" By his flinch, she hadn't been the only one to notice something about it. Of course not. They were Maenlarys, Aegon's own blood. Politics was what they breathed. And this woman was their own blood too, even if she didn't know of it.

OUTFIT

High society functions were always one of the perks of working in the publication industry. Someone had to be there to cover the glitz and the glamor of it all. There had to be documentation — pretty sonnets written about the pureblood families and photos that showed the dazzling state of things. It was all about appearances in this world, Harlow had learned that very early on. Her mother had been all about them and look how far that had gotten her… The blonde mentally reminded herself that she needed to check in with the woman who birthed her…make sure that she wasn’t off her rails again. She was tucked into the home in Paris, but that didn’t mean that she wouldn’t cause issues. Merlin’s Beard, her mother had a temper. She was inclined to ignore everyone around her except to lash out at them with the pent up anger she had been holding in for decades.

Tonight, however, Harlow was going to leave all of that behind. She had managed to escape the parchment and quill duty for the evening and found herself at the Winter Solstice Ball entirely as a guest. The invitation itself hadn’t surprised her, but what she had done next, had. Harlow had decided to invite her favorite bartender — and potential girlfriend — @malissa.

She wasn’t entirely sure where they stood. Nor was she sure that she was ready to define their relationship. Harlow wasn’t much for girlfriends…though, she couldn’t deny that she was attracted to Mal. She had just had…difficultly maintaining good relations with significant others in the past. Then again, Mal didn’t exactly feel like all of her other past lovers.

Malissa made her feel like she could be herself — unapologetically. She didn’t judge her when she spoke her mine, instead, she encouraged it. Looking over, she smiled slightly at the girl that was standing next to her. She looked stunning, she thought as she pulled her a little bit closer. She could tell that she was stressed out. Something about the way that she tensed as they approached the castle. “Mal, you need to relax,” Harlow said as they finally made it inside. They walked towards the rest of the party, following the sounds of music, talking, and laughter. “What are you so worried about, anyway?” She asked, raising her perfectly arched eyebrows.

Her career as an Unspeakable kept her mind busy when she wasn't writing, but the latter tended to take over at inopportune times to render her unsociable. Hence, it had been a while since she had spent time with any of her friends, which was awful considering one of her best friends had just gotten married a few weeks previous to tonight. @donna had been positively radiant that night, but in the time since she had found herself otherwise preoccupied than going to visit. So therefore she was grateful that this event had been thrown so she had a reason to step outwith her usual confines to see those she hadn't in a while as well as to meet new acquaintances.

Inviting Rylan had been a gamble. They weren't the closest of friends, nor were they entire strangers, but from past experience she knew him to be pleasant company. Good-humoured and generally just an easy conversationalist. It was how they had ended up speaking at Lufkin; she wasn't exactly the largest history buff yet that was the subject he taught alongside a man named Aydrien and an assistant... whose name currently escaped her mind. Belinda? Possibly, but she wouldn't swear to it. At any rate he had made a good impression, and she could only imagine she had as well for they had stayed in contact. And now here she was, walking this grand ballroom while on his arm. Silently praying that she didn't run into her brother if he chose to turn up. Honestly she wasn't even sure if he was in Britain, as she had only heard from him after telling him that @adrian had gotten his books back alright.

At that point, she wondered slightly whether he too would be in evidence. More than likely. The Lestrange's weren't people you easily stepped out of humouring when they sent out an invite. Or at least, from what she had heard, Lord Lestrange was not. His marriage to @andi was recent and she didn't know much of the older Witch in due honesty, though all the same she had the good sense not to under estimate nor imagine less of her. She was the Director of the Hospital and was a Black. That enough warranted a good amount of respect. Turning back to her companion, she smiled at @rylan and softly squeezed her arm with her hand. "You're welcome. And thank you for not turning me down. This doesn't seem like the kind of place to turn up alone to." Lorelei returned, turning to smile pleasantly at those they passed. "Though I have to wonder why it's your first. Surely there have been other things for you to attend?"

Ah... well, she supposed it was best to get the greeting of their hosts done sooner rather than latter. Even if Rodolphus Azazel Lestrange all but seemed to demand the eye's attention, and she was loathe to allow herself to look at him lest she end up staring. The woman he was with held almost the same kind of feeling and it was then that she got her first glance at Lady Lestrange. A very proud looking woman, though she could only imagine how much right she had to such a stance. She allowed Rylan to lead her... which he did so for a few more feet before stopping quite abruptly to look towards a closeby group. Shooting him a questioning look, she looked over her shoulder to check they hadn't gotten in the way of anyone else. Seeing no one, she returned her gaze back to the Wizard with her brows raised.

"Of course what? Rylan?"

But he hadn't heard her, and she was then lead in a totally different direction from the Lestrange's to speak to... someone. Smiling graciously at the woman with the right mannerisms following as she was introduced, and fought her brows rising as the other Witch's name was withheld. What had gotten into Rylan? Who were these people? But apparently she was to be left unknowing as the other Witch suggested going elsewhere to talk... while she was left with her two companions, whose names she did at least have. Tightening her hands slightly, she waited for him to agree and leave her or arrange to discuss who her father was later.

Honestly, she was a little lost. Clearly he had heard something she hadn't, whilst being caught up with preparing to go and great their hosts. And it involved this woman's father. For the first time in ages, she could honestly say that she needed a drink.

This ball was not something that Reina really wanted to be at. She had her reasons for going, but staying at home with Dean was not really going to be an option. She had been invited, and as a secretary it was a large thing for her t o even be invited to go. She was honored to be able to go, and to be the one who even got invited to think like that and showing off that she was happily married to a man like Dean was freaking amazing. She knew that he was so much more than she could have ever asked for. She cared about him, more than she wanted to admit and this was kind of the icing on the cake. Not to mention the fact that she knew that William was seeing someone and blackmailing him had just lost it’s luster once Dean had taken over the bar.
 
She was happy, for one of the first times in her life. She didn’t want for anything, She didn’t need to ask for anything. He was there for her when he needed her, and she was there for him, a cooling balm for his ire. It was more than she could have hoped for, he was more than she ever thought she would have. Was he perfect? Hell no, but he made her feel like she was, and he made her happy, he made her daughter happy. She could not remember a time in Rivas young life that she has smiled so much.

From what she knew of the British wizarding world these kind of events were usually reserved for those of higher status. Half bloods like her of little to no connection, and being from America made things a little confusing. However when Reina walked on on the arm of her husband she saw the variety of people and understood. Something she could not name was in the air, and it put a stiffness to her spine. They wouldn't be there too long, she knew it. He had barely kept his hands off her on the way there, let alone there.

Grinning she looking over st her husband and laughed. ”I am giving it two hours before we leave, what's your wager, husband? Loser folds laundry. “ She liked making things contests for chores, it kept things lively and it was fun for them. ”You look amazing by the way, @singer"

For how smart he knew Remy was, Caerus had no idea why she had gone to such lengths to get into this ball, when it could have been so much easier. He knew that she was friends with Amelia—and Amelia wasn’t bad, honestly, but Bones? Athazaz Bones? He didn’t know what the Slytherin had been thinking with that one, but there was no changing that now. He had just gotten his point across when the Hufflepuff had come to pick her up. He didn’t know if Bones had been expecting that one… he didn’t know if he’d known from the start that Remy stayed at the Nott Estate over the holidays. It wasn’t exactly a secret, but they didn’t go around talking about it all the time either. She didn’t want to go back to the orphanage. He more than understood that, so she stayed with them, and he didn’t say much about it. They usually had a pretty good time, but this was the first year that they’d really had something like this to go to. Would have been a hell of a lot easier for her to just go with him, then for him to have to find another date, and then steal Remy away from Bones once he got bored. His date was… fine, but she had friends here that she wanted to talk to also, so really it worked out to leave her to her own devices while he found Remy.

He didn’t think much of approaching the group—he was at ease in most all situations, so asking to borrow Remy, and doing so as politely as possible, was just normal for him. He knew that she understood. His date was boring, and he was still annoyed that she had come with a Bones to begin with. They might as well do something interested as opposed to standing around all night. Bringing a flask was just… habit. He was sure that the drinks that they had here were probably better than what he’d brought—but what he had was stronger, and easier to access… that and Remy was still sixteen, so this was just a simple solution, in his mind. He rolled his eyes at her comment about having a date, good-naturedly of course… kind of, before following her once she grabbed his tie. “Oh I know. Surprised I even lasted the hour, really.” He countered, shifting slightly as she leaned back against the wall, further blocking her from view. He knew her well enough to know that she wouldn’t bitch about her shoes all night, at least until they got back to the estate. Then he probably wasn’t going to hear the end of it—but hell, she’d chosen the bloody shoes. Women.

@remington knew how it went at parties like these, so he wasn’t surprised when she started seeking out the flask. She had been gone from the estate by the time he had gotten it and filled it, but she knew that he didn’t go to parties without, if he could help it. They had their own liquor, their own drinks, but his father’s liquor cabinet had some higher proof alcohol that wasn’t usually considered… appropriate for a party. So obviously, he had to have it himself. “’Course I did. Only the best.” He grinned, before taking the flask from her and taking a swig himself. It was certainly strong, bit stronger than he remembered, but that was the point. The stronger the alcohol, the better—at parties like these anyway. He wasn’t really a champagne type of a guy, unless literally handed a glass. Then he wasn’t exactly going to turn it down. Raising his eyebrows as she spoke again, Caerus didn’t immediately look in the direction she mentioned. He thought that he knew exactly who she was talking about anyhow, and once she brought up Macmillan, he realized that he was right. “Freya Ollivander. Not too much. You’d probably know more than I do.” She kept up with gossip more than he did, anyhow. All he knew was that she had been Freya Smith before this year, and then she apparently found out that she was a pureblood.

Henri raised his eyebrows at his date, a small smirk lingering on the edges of his lips. Of course he wasn’t going to ditch her the first chance that he got. She obviously had no idea what sort of hold she had on him. But he wasn’t about to let slip that he was feeling more for her than the simple teacher-student relationship. No, Henri wasn’t one to let his emotions out on a long leash and accept the consequences. He preferred to keep quiet about these sorts of things. “Hardly,” He answered, putting his arm around the small of her back and pulling her softly against him. It could have just been seen as Henri being Henri. He was a ladies man…or at least, he had been back in France. Ophelia might have know that. It could have been where her skepticism was coming into play. But he had turned over a new leaf now that he was in England. He was actually trying to learn things for his father’s sake. And he was actually interested in Ophelia and pursing her beyond being his teacher. But that was a discussion for another time and place.

His eyes lingered on Galenia Ollivander Álvarez for a moment as he, too, smiled, though it felt more forced than he would have liked. The rumors had been spreading about him — the little Frenchman who was traveling to different countries, stealing secrets as he went along. He was sure that Gal had heard and taken them to heart. But Henri didn’t feel as if he was here to steal. No, he felt that he was here to learn.

He couldn’t blame her for being defensive.

“Stars fall, sometimes,” he said, casually catching the arm of one of the wandering waiters who had a few drinks left. He quickly began grabbing them and distributing the champagne to the rest of the group. “To new alliances,” he said as he grabbed his glass and held it into the air. “Families forgetting about the feuds of the past.” He looked directly at Galenia, now, a glimmer of something mischievous in his eyes.

He turned to look at his date, giving her a small wink and the smiling. He wasn’t sure what her relationship with Gal was, but he was interested to find out. Perhaps she found the woman just as pretentious and demeaning as Henri did. He raised his eyebrows at @ophelia . “What would you say, Ophelia? Am I a quick study or a lump of rocks as Ms. Ollivander would call me?”

Just as another man and his date approached, Henri smiled slightly. Another Ollivander for him to torture? What were the odds. “Henri Paquet,” he said holding out his hand and shaking @rylan ’s.

A lot had happened for Logan in the past few weeks. He had hoped that tonight would go well but the wizard was still on edge given that there would be a lot of fellow Quidditch players at the ball. Logan was most worried about his captain. Sure he knew that Lee was a nice girl and she would not be mean in the slightest to @alayla given that he told her the news before tonight. They had managed to avoid any media coverage of the news until now given that they had eloped. His parents had been disappointed to learn they had gone to Helsinki to get married given that he was their oldest and they had imagined having a big affair for his wedding but Logan wondered if they could have a party once the baby was here. They could discuss it later. Logan had to ensure that his wife had a good tonight first. She had attended balls at Hogwarts but these types were a bit different, they were definitely less dramatic. It was something that Logan was sure that Alayla would welcome. He was grateful their mini me had behaved and not caused too much trouble for their mother during the day and while she had dressed for tonight.

The crowd tonight was really mixed and while Logan did recognise some faces he was not leaving Alayla’s side. She was his priority and he was going to stay here. Logan knew they had to greet their hosts but that was a daunting task even for someone like him. He really not in favour of what purebloods were doing to muggleborns but a ball was not somewhere to get political and he had personally never met Andromeda Lestrange but she was a healer and had a lot respect for those in that profession given that they were the ones who had played a part in saving his life three years ago but also they would be the ones to bring his child into the world. In the all their check ups to date he had asked as many questions as he could think of. Truthfully Logan had not seen him becoming a father for a few years just yet but fate had had other plans for the two of them. That was not say he wasn't happy. He was so excited but equally nervous but he knew his duty was to his wife and two make sure she was cared for. At least with him being a Quidditch player she or their baby would never have to want for anything and Logan was going to make sure that was always the case.

He really wasn’t sure how the two witches would take to each other but he only hoped it was positive. It had to be positive for his sake. Yes maybe he was selfish on that part but both Alayla and @leah were important to him. He had to either live or work with both of them and he knew that their first meeting tonight could go wrong if he was not there. He knew that this had go perfectly. He looked between both of them as Leah came forward and hugged his wife. Well that was a good start he thought to himself. ”Excuse me, flattery gets me lots of places, i’m your favourite team mate after all” he smirked, knowing it may not be entirely true but he had a habit of talking himself up. Alayla would be used to it but well before she had met him had always doubted himself and he had refused to tap into the positive side of him. He was no longer like that of course.

”I’m silent, like a mouse” he said jokingly as he crossed his arms behind his back. That of course was not entirely true as Alayla would know from the bedroom and Leah would know when it came to him shouting at their teammates during a match. As Leah spoke he gave her warning look. ”Are you really suggesting I’m easily distracted?” the wizard asked, pretending to be offended. He could concentrate if he tried hard enough.

Remy liked parties — especially pureblood parties. But the unfortunate fact of the matter was that she had little access to them. Being the daughter of a pureblood and a halfblood, she wasn’t exactly the most desirable bachelorette that society had to offer. Amelia, on the other hand, was. That was the reason she had grown up going to parties like these and had found herself in an arranged marriage to a pureblood man. She was desirable…Remy was…well, she was the leftovers. Perhaps that was the reason she had been so eager to take Athazaz’s invitation. She wasn’t sure that there would be another. It wasn’t like she was pureblood royalty. No, she was a halfblood who liked to pretend that she was better than everyone else.

She was honestly very surprised that she didn’t know the girl. Remington made it her business to know everyone else’s. That was part of who she was. She dealt in secrets — put pressure on people with them — and the fact that she knew little to nothing about the strawberry blonde Gryffindor was unsettling. How was she supposed to force the girl’s hand if she knew nothing about her? “Well she’s staring, that’s about all I know right now,” she peered over his shoulder, narrowing her eyes slightly. She wasn’t jealous — she didn’t feel that way about Caerus (at least, not in her conscious thoughts). It was more of a protective reflex. He was always snogging and shagging his way through Hogwarts, but this girl seemed…different. She almost seemed too good. Remy raised her eyebrows slightly, her eyes drifting again to AJ Macmillan who was standing beside her. They seemed like they were both looking for….well, them. What an interesting development, Remy thought pulling her arms slightly together without thinking.

She managed to pull @caerus a bit closer to her by slightly closing the circle her arms were making. She pulled back, looking at him curiously. “Sorry, all in the name of investigation,” she said with a mischievous grin. “She likes you, that’s all I can tell. Good luck with that. If she’s anything like Macmillan, she’ll steal your story and ask you on a date in the same day.” Remington rolled her eyes as she let go of Caerus’ neck, taking the flask again as she leaned against the wall and took another deep swig. The alcohol burned going down, but she chose to ignore it. She knew it would have the desired effect before too long. Leaning down, she buckled her shoes back on and then stood, holding out the flask to the Ravenclaw opposite her. “One more drink and then I want to dance,” she said, raising an eyebrow to judge his reaction. She knew that dancing with Caerus would cause a stir…and it would allow her a closer look at the two Gryffindors who wouldn’t stop scanning the room to figure out where Remy and Caerus had gone.

Remy excused himself, and he twisted himself out of the group, leaving himself to find Nick.

He’d known, even before Amelia mentioned it, that he couldn’t wear his mother’s heirlooms.

He wasn’t stupid, after all. Bones wore bones, it was what they were known for; that and the dead in wars and the dead in the ground and hot wands in wars and the cemetery they lived in and the cemeteries they patroned and helped with. They wore skulls on rings, femurs as pendants, talons as cuffs and brooches, hands on necks, teeth on wrists, and in one case, a mandible as a necklace. If they were all assembled, they would have a many-headed skeleton that with the proper charms might be able to take a step before caving in on itself. He’d asked his mother, once, how many of them were human, or how many had merely been charmed. She’d glanced askance, and pulled a face, before answering that to her knowledge her rings, Amelia's ring, Carin(a)'s band, and his ring were human and true, shrunken and hopefully fairly traded for.

But tonight, bones belonged to the men and women who had emblazoned skulls and snakes on their arms. Here, skulls were death and life-- death they’d deal out, life they would take, not reminders of mortality and justice that was to be seen. Skulls were threats here, promises to be dealt in death-to-come, and who was he to be one? He was a failure as Bones, even in that way. Or perhaps not so much one-- there was usually a surviving Bones to have the Bones who’d duel to death.
He knew, he would hate himself in years. He had little doubts that when his newest sibling was born, that his mother would do something, and so would end the first Bones of this generation. Carin would avenge her. His grandma would-- he didn’t know Agatha. He knew his father dismissed her as a fading craven, but Agatha had been a Slytherin, and she’d lived through things Athazaz wouldn’t have been able to. He’d raise his youngest sibling to try to not do so-- but how successful would he be? Would the new child remember Carin as his father had some distant memories of his own father, remember Carin as their mother remembered her cousins (that was to say: not at all), or have clear and visceral ones? If the latter--if they would be any more similar to the Bones family, then they too, might die, and--

Atha would be alone, the last Bones, his siblings and mother killed by those who were in this room tonight. He’d hate himself later, he knew he would, for acting like everything was fine, but-- he was doing this for them, wasn’t he? While they lived, he would? He could, because after they were all gone, he didn’t know if he could carry on.

He’d leave Amelia alone, but--

Perhaps that ought to sting him. He’d managed during those months they hadn’t talked, watched her slowly fall apart. He’d thought she wouldn’t notice him missing, thought he would be more hurt. He’d been surprised to realize she needed him more than he did her. But that was also it, wasn’t it? She’d chosen Zabini, and was enmeshing herself in a group of that type, bright and beaming like everything was fine.

So they’d die. They’d die and he’d die-- before or after children? Would anyone tend the graves, or would it be left to distant cousins that Susans or Amelias had married? Who would remember the legacies in the ground and in the laws? He didn't know.

Contrasting well and matching with @sienna-- they did, after all, have a reputation as an impeccably matched set, and he'd picked out their outfits, they had entered the room with Amelia, and made the sort of distant-but-polite greeting that was to be expected here. The boy was to be escorting another half-blood-- one of Amelia's little friends, who was claimed to show promise, from some of the rumors. He had little doubt that the they were helped in part, by the Slytherins in that year who liked to cling together, though he did find her a more suitable companion than the Kirkpatrick girl.

Amelia headed off to her betrothed, and he supposed that there, at least, she might be trusted. A small crowd of similarly-aged adolescents gathered around, including the boy. He was wary of the boy being in attendance, but his cufflinks were charmed so that they might hear what he said. It was a simple spell, and easily enough to fool, but if the boy did so here, it would simply prove that he was ready to be taken care of. He was handy enough blackmail for his whore of a mother, and when that would fail to serve, Blaise would dispose of him, or let his mother or wife so do.

Amelia's friend separated from the boy-- proving she did have some sense, at least, and Blaise turned to his wife. "Have you the urge to see old friends again?"