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Valentine's Banquet
Author: Ella
Date: 04-25-12 18:01
The Great Hall looked much different from its usual arrangement when Ella and Francis entered the room together. Gone were the four long tables, though sections of them remained. Smaller tables took up the remaining space, with some of them more intimate in size than others.
Besides the different furnishings, the Great Hall was decked out in Valentine's Day decorations, the dominant colors being red, pink and white, though there were some purples thrown in as well. The candles that lit the room bobbed in the air over the tables, though there were some directly on the tables too.
Ella and Francis had opted against reserving a table with Professor McGonagall, both having come to the conclusion that they wouldn't feel very cozy with teachers in the room with them. Although they did treat tonight as a date, both were dressed rather casually. Ella wore a nice pair of jeans and a short-sleeved, scoop-neck sweater with a camisole underneath, while Francis wore his uniform slacks and shirt, without his tie and slightly unbuttoned.
"Where do you want to sit?" Ella asked, after a few minutes of lingering near the doorway.
"You pick," Francis replied, running his fingers through his hair. He had that slightly mussed up hairstyle that didn't require any effort and which tended to drive girls wild.
Ella glanced around the Great Hall. There was room at some of the larger smaller tables, which didn't require a reservation, as well as at the normal tables.
"Let's be different and sit over there," Ella finally decided, pointing to a table near what looked like a chocolate fountain.
They made their way over there and sat down. So far, they were the only ones at the table, but that would undoubtedly change soon. Theirs had a purple orchid as a centerpiece. The tableware was the kind used during Hogwarts feasts––gold plated, at least from the look. An assortment of desserts were already available, like a platter of fairycakes and a bowl of chocolate truffles. There were also little candy hearts and chocolate-covered strawberries.
Ella's mouth watered just looking at the fare, but before she felt tempted to reach out and have dessert before dinner, food appeared on her plate, sent straight up by the house-elves in the kitchen below.
Livid Magenta
Author: Phyllida
Date: 04-25-12 18:22
Following the onset of evening on the 14th of February, the subterraneous cavity of the seventh year Slytherin girls' dormitory was filled with young women primping and preening. Phyllida gazed at her reflection through a haze of perfume, nose twitching occasionally at the mingling of so many an odour and aroma. Berengaria Montagu had been given a bottle of fragrance titled 'Blue Enchantress' as a Christmas gift – she and the other girls were busily spraying the air, watching the bluish mist form a sylphy woman who blew them a pungently floral kiss. Phyllida frowned, resuming the battle with her frizzing hair. The silver locket engraved with the Spore arms glinted in the soft, greenish gloom of twilight.
Of all the girls, Ferne was the most recumbent, spread out over her velvet-caparisoned bed. Ptolemy was perched on her lap, in front of the scroll of parchment she was distractedly annotating, surveying the giggling girls with a yellow-eyed attentiveness. He purred pleasurably as Ferne gave his ears a distracted scratch.
Phyllida stood up, tossing the brush into her trunk. "Which robes should I wear, Ferne? Green, obviously, but would the absinthe or the emerald suit better?"
Ferne didn't lift her eyes from her Transfiguration textbook. "Do as you like."
Turning her head, Phyllida gave a forbearing sigh. "Oh don't be like that, Fernie."
Her cousin made a face, mimicking Phyllida's last sentence.
"Fine," the redhead retorted. The emerald dress robes would do – they had been made for her birthday at Madam Malkin's, and were a particularly dazzling emerald with silver tassels. Only, they were no longer green.
In fact, everything in the wardrobe, from the hood of her school robes down to her pyjama bottoms, had turned a livid shade of red or pink – though more frequently, both. Her silver-and-emerald dress robes were now red piped with magenta; her school hat slouched self-consciously, for having been turned a blushing baby pink.
"I wanted to practice my colour-change spells. Also, I thought you'd like to get into the Valentine spirit," Ferne said in a deadpan.
Phyllida's face contorted. She reached for her wand.
"Viridius!" she hissed, turning each dress robe a safe shade of green.
Hostess
Author: Minerva McGonagall
Date: 04-25-12 19:18
Professor McGonagall stood at the entrance to the Great Hall and consulted a list of reservations she had taken for the Valentine's Day banquet. Once the evening festivities had been decided upon, Professor McGonagall had put notices up on all the notice boards around the castle. Reservations were required for the smallest of tables at the banquet, which would seat either a single couple or a pair. In some cases, the four individuals reserving a table consisted of a group of friends rather than couples.
By making Sunday the deadline to get reservations in, Professor McGonagall had had enough time to determine how many small tables would be needed. She'd helped rearrange the Great Hall after lunch and had overseen some of the decorating as well. Conveniently, Professor McGonagall didn't have classes Tuesdays, so she'd been able devote her full attention to preparing for the banquet.
When Mr. Fu approached with Miss Blackwood on his arm, Professor McGonagall consulted her list to verify their reservation and to see where she had placed them.
"Very well, come with me," she said to them. She led the third year Slytherin couple to a small, round table draped with a red tablecloth. Arthur pulled out a chair for Adina, who sat down with a demure smile on her lips.
"Enjoy your meal," Professor McGonagall said, and then she returned to the Great Hall doors to seat the next couple.
After filling several reservations, Professor McGonagall met her great nephew, who had found her in the entrance hall, where she had retreated to read through the remaining names on her list. Madoc wore his school uniform still, though his tie had been loosened. His hair was also a bit on the messy side, though with him still being quite young, it didn't look like a fashion trend as it tended to on older boys.
"Great Aunt," he said a bit breathlessly. "You need to come and see what's happened."
Professor McGonagall lowered the scroll she held. "What ever is the matter, Madoc?"
"It's Hubert," he said, seizing her by the hand to lead her back into the Great Hall.
Rather than explain just what Hubert MacBadger had gotten himself into, Madoc had his great aunt see for herself. She arrived to find some of the other teachers, including Professor Dumbledore, helping Hubert out of the chocolate fountain. He was coated in the silky stuff from head to foot.
Professor Dumbledore, wearing robes that were a deep purple color, smiled at Hubert. "The temptation was too great, was it not, Mr. MacBadger?"
Hubert, with rivulets of chocolate running down his face, said, "I didn't mean to fall in. I was just leaning, and I guess I leaned a little too far!"
"Yes, I would guess so," Dumbledore replied, his eyes twinkling.
There was a great deal of giggling from those who had witnessed Hubert's fall, and from those who were now watching the aftermath. Madoc had a big grin on his face.
Professor McGonagall gave him a little push to the section of Gryffindor table remaining. "Off you go, Madoc."
He looked disappointed that Professor McGonagall was making him move along, but he didn't argue with her. Still, he threw a few looks over his shoulder to see if the professors congregated around Hubert would use magic to clean him up or if they would send him off to take a shower and put on clean clothing.
Stay Until Astronomy?
Author: Saffron
Date: 04-25-12 19:20
Friends Marion DeMarco, Hope Hyland, Callie Blackwell, and Katheryn Finch had decided that this, their first Valentine's at Hogwarts, was dress up worthy. At their ages and being here at school, there's so few excuses to put on their prettiest frocks. None have formal dress robes, not having a reason so far as first years to need them, but they do have dressier dresses than what they usually wear.
Hope is wearing dark blue with tiny white flowers scattered about and a flouncy skirt. Callie's wearing a dress that's not quite the emerald of Slytherin green with a pale yellow ribbon threaded around the hem, neckline, and sleeves. Katheryn's dress is a lilac paisley with, fittingly for the occasion, a sweatheart neckline. Marion's is a deep midnight blue with a smattering of sparkly crystals to look like stars.
Each of the girls is also wearing light make-up. At their ages of 11 and 12, none of their parents approve of them wearing it. Though the other three do wear a little lipstick or a tiny bit of eye shadow from time to time since their parents are not around to police them, Marion has refrained from it to this point. There's no telling when Auntie Saffron would see her so better to not tempt fate. Tonight she decided to risk it, borrowing a pale pink lipstick from Hope that's really more of a lip gloss, a hint of eye shadow (also a pale pink) from Callie, and a barest hint of mascara from Katheryn to darken her lashes every so slightly.
With their pretty dresses, touches of make-up, low pumps, and extra attention given to their hair, the four friends feel festive and feminine and don't mind quite so much that none of them have a boy to sit with as a Valentine. There was some exchanges of Valentines among the first years but in most cases all were of a very general nature, swamped between friends.
Entering the Great Hall they toy with sitting at a table for six but then for no reason none could have verbalized, there is unspoken agreement to sit at one of the shortened long tables. Marion and Hope have fun pulling what look like Christmas crackers but are white with little pink and red hearts and along with the crack of being pulled apart, there's a shower of Valentine's confetti. Hope's has a few pieces of candy that match the hearts on the cracker's wrapper while Marion's contains a silvery crown decorated with shiny red hearts. Busy checking out the decorations and already sticking pieces of fruit in the chocolate fountain, Callie and Katheryn decide to wait a little while before opening their crackers.
Returning to her seat, a small mound of fruit now covered with heavenly smelling warm chocolate, Katheryn asks, "Do you think they'll let us stay here eating chocolate dipper fruit until it's time to go to Astronomy?"
Swiping a chunk of pineapple from Katheryn's plate, Marion grins. "As I don't have Astronomy again until next Monday, I'm fine with staying here with the fountain until then."
"You'd make yourself sick," Callie points out being practical.
"Yes, but until then I'd be eating chocolate and fruit," Marion grins wider, this time taking a raspberry dripping with chocolately goodness from Callie's plate. "I can live with that."
Dateless (Basil)
Author: Jared
Date: 04-26-12 12:06
Basil has tried not to put too much thought into the Valentine's Banquet. Asking Aleydis to allow him to escort her was, is, and shall be out of the question. Being the center of idle speculation and a betting pool is enough to keep him from having supper this evening, even if the decor and mood in the Great Hall is all hugs, kisses, non-alcoholic wine and roses, with a few disgustingly adorable stuffed teddy bears thrown in. He's also not going to be shunted to the even more overly decorated Commons to have a sandwich while constantly having to dodge exploding arrows full of glitter shot by cherubs.
Or course, the more Basil tried not to think about walking alone into the Great Hall tonight while Aleydis might have a date, the harder it was to think of anything else. Aware that she might see him, even if only to note his dateless state, Basil chose to wear black slacks and pale green shirt. No tie. No sense in overkill when he's got no date.
Even Ivan has a date, and what's more Ivan and his date are planning to sit, already sitting Basil sees as his eyes rake the Great Hall, at one of the smaller tables. Basil doesn't care this his best friend has a date when he does not, but did Ivan really have to ask a girl from another house? If Aleydis weren't in Hufflepuff, Basil would have pointed out to Ivan that Slytherin has an excellent offering of girls and there is no need to go looking elsewhere.
Initial survey of the room complete, Basil walks with purpose to the shortened table where Slytherin House's table generally extends much the length of the large room. Just before taking a seat he spots Julietta in lavender dress robes. Does that mean she's got a date or is she flaunting her single status? Not that Etta has much to flaunt. If you ask him, Basil still thinks the only reason Deak Bennett had anything to do with her for so long is that she put out.
Idly popping a heart shaped cherry bon bon in his mouth, Basil slowly, almost thoughtfully, chews, attempting not to appear interested in spotting Aleydis among the growing in the Great Hall. As his eyes move from table to table, he wonders if she'll be wearing the small spray of hair flowers sent from an anonymous Valentine.
Popping another sweet into his mouth, for the first time in his years at Hogwarts, Basil thinks it really sucks to be without a date on Valentine's.
Interruptions - Mockridge Dower
Author: Nephele Mockridge
Date: 04-26-12 13:12
Kirley stuck his head into Nephele's parlor. "Did you send your favorite Valentine anything interesting?" he asked, ducking out as something breakable flew at his head.
"I bought Merope for Valeria as a birthday and Valentine gift. Plus, I found her a lovely silver charm bracelet with an emerald heart on it. Once she's sorted into Slytherin, I'll send her a charm of the crest," Nephele said, once she'd realized her brother would not be deterred.
"I didn't mean Valeria, and you know it, sister dear," he said, closing the door to her parlor behind him.
"It doesn't matter, he doesn't know I'm alive, other than as a former student who pesters him for advice on my niece's pre-Hogwarts lessons."
Kirley smirked and flipped through an album his twin usually had hidden. "Maybe you should send him one of these," he said, gesturing to a photograph one of her roommates had taken. The girls had gotten together over the summer after Seventh Year, to compare N.E.W.T.'s results and talk about life after school.
"Oh yes, then he'll lose what respect he does have for me and treat me like a Gryffindor," Nephele retorted. Her one roommate had dreams of being a photographer, and had convinced all of the others to help her build her portfolio. How Nephele had wound up in the riskier poses, she still didn't understand, but she had to admit, the girl had done a good job and she looked great.
"Maybe I should send him one and say it's from you," Kirley pondered and then ducked as the ink well crashed into the wall behind his head.
"Do it and I will tell Mother that you're secretly dating a Hufflepuff Muggleborn," Nephele hissed.
"Cruel witch! That's hitting below the belt, you know Mother would practically castrate me before she bothered to find out if it was true."
Nephele shrugged. "Then you might stay out of my love life, or lack thereof."
"Neph, you haven't dated since Hogwarts, and even then, you wouldn't really date either. You might sit near someone at a meal a time or two and then you were finished. They called you the Slytherin Ice Queen." Some of the other houses used another term, but Kirley wasn't stupid enough to say that to his sister's face.
She shrugged. "Boys never interested me long. They couldn't keep up mentally, and most of them haven't improved with time," she said. "It takes a keen mind to hold my attention."
"Obviously," Kirley drawled. "Anyway, I'm heading out, Mother is taking tea in her rooms, so it will be just you and Valeria if you wanted to treat the girl," he said with a hint of a smile. He adored his niece and it showed.
"I might, she's done quite well with her lessons, and she helped me with some Forgetfulness Potion this afternoon. "
"Excellent. Oh, and by the way, sister dear, Happy Valentine's," he said, tossing a small green and silver wrapped box onto her desk. Inside were a pair of emerald earrings shaped like small potions flasks. He had instantly thought of her when he'd seen them.
"Thank you, brother dear. Yours is on that table by the door." Kirley opened the box and laughed. A pair of silver serpents with emerald eyes greeted him. "You're always losing your cufflinks, I thought you'd appreciate these."
"Thanks, Neph. I'll Floo if I'm going to be late. Think about my suggestion of sending the picture, you never know, he might like it."
"Go before I get out my wand," Nephele replied with a sweet smile. There were days she wondered why she hadn't strangled her twin in utero.
At Dinner (Olive, Jade, Hunter)
Author: Emerald Green
Date: 04-26-12 16:25
"I forgot to tell Viktor something," Zuberi apologizes, excusing himself to go speak with Coach Krum at the head table.
No soon has he gone than Marjani dashes over from her own table. "Love your robes, but seriously, I still am having trouble wrapping my head around you as my brother's date?"
The dress robes in question are, fittingly or perhaps cliched and expected for the occasion, a deep shade of red. The wrist corsage Zuberi gave Olive is made up of peppermint carnations the red of which, while not an exact match, goes well with the shade of her robes.
"We've been over this, Marjani."
"I know, but he's my brother, and at one time none of us liked him very much."
"That's because he was being an angry ass. Now, he's really nice and we've really connected lately. I like Zuberi quite a lot."
Hearing the like stressed, Marjani frowns. "That much, huh?"
"Is it a problem for you?"
"No, I'm just hoping Zuberi doesn't muck it up and somewhere down the road you become my sister-in-law."
Olive laughs. "This is our first date, if you can call it a date with practically everyone else gathered around. Don't go marrying us off just yet." Shifting attention from herself she comments, "You look really nice. How come you didn't mention you had a date?"
Glancing over at a table where three couples plus a seventy year Gryffidnor sit, Marjani shrugs. "He only asked me last night."
"Two classes together today and lunch to mention it? Why was he last minute asking you?"
"He's a little shy around girls. He said he's been working up the courage to ask me for two weeks and only managed last night because he knew it was his last chance."
"As long as it wasn't out of desperation to show up with a date." Realizing how that sounds Olive hastens to say, "I hope you don't think I'm implying you were desperate to be asked so took the last minute invite."
"No, I knew what you meant. Okay, Zuberi's on his way back. I'll leave you two alone at your cute, snug little table for two."
Olive points a finger, "Tomorrow you WILL spill on whether you got a goodnight Valentine's snog out of this."
Marjani mock salutes. "Aye, aye, mon capitaine."
Watching her friend go, Olive can't help but smile. It's good to have Marjani being more playful and looking happy after being so overcome with grief at her sister's death. Zuberi too. He could have so easily slipped back into that angry at the world demeanor that was largely responsible for Professor Batuti bringing him and Marjani to Hogwarts. If he had, Olive would not be sitting at table for two at a Valentine's banquet with a smile this big at the sight of Zuberi drawning near.
****
Near the head table, occupying a seat near the end of one of the longer tables, Jade takes an experimental bite of a savory single person tart, being careful not to drip on the sunflower yellow outfit she's wearing. Next to her in his typical dinner wear of jeans and shirt, though at least a nicer polo style shirt and not a regular t-shirt, her twin gives her a nudge in the ribs.
"Is it good?"
She points to her full mouth to indicate she's chewing.
"Does that mean it's good or that you don't like it?"
Swallowing, Jade gives Hunter a look. "You can be so clueless sometimes. It meant my mouth is full, give me a second."
Not the least bit phased by his twin calling him clueless, Hunter's lips quirk up. "Your mouth isn't full now. Is it good?"
"Yes, very, but there's a little celery in it so you might not like it."
"As long as it's only a little bit, I don't mind. Someone told me that an older Hufflepuff asked you to the banquet."
"Who told you that?"
"I forget."
"That's what you always say when you remember something but don't want to say."
"Do not."
Jade gives him the look again.
"Okay, I do but only sometimes."
"So who told you?"
"Kay Dunlap."
"And how would he know?"
"I didn't ask. Is it true?"
"Yes, but as I'm sitting here with my twin, I must not have said yes, hmmmm."
"Why didn't you?"
"Because he is fourteen, maybe even fifteen by now. I am twelve and, as you very well know, I won't be thirteen until the end of April. I would have said yes but did not want Olive to be sent to Azkaban for murdering my date."
Hunter snickers.
"You find that funny?"
"Yeah, but Olive so would have done that. Why do you keep looking at me like that?"
"You wouldn't have wanted to do something because a fourteen or fifteen year old asked your twelve year old sister out?"
Hunter spreads his arms wide, encompassing the whole of the Great Hall. "You'd be here, with all these people. You're in different houses so you probably would have met out in the entry or in here and said goodbye at the end of the banquet for the same reason. I'd only feel the need to step in if he tried to get you off alone somewhere AND as you are a beater on your house team, you have some wickedly deceptive muscles in your scrawny looking arm."
Jade smirks, but not because Hunter thinks she'd be capable of taking care of herself. "Some big words in there. I'm rubbing off on you. See, I keep telling you, you could have been in Ravenclaw."
Hunter makes a silly face at her then thrusts another single serving savory tart in front of her. "Here, make yourself useful. Taste this one for me too."
(Mark) Feelings
Author: Isolde
Date: 04-26-12 19:24
Mark had vacillated between reserving a table for two with Professor McGonagall and sitting with all of his friends at one of the larger tables. When he'd asked Kate her opinion, she'd said it honestly didn't matter to her. She would be happy to sit with him alone or with all the others. After giving the matter some thought, Mark ultimately reserved a table for two for himself and Kate.
They sat there now and dined on chicken florentine, which followed an appetizer of cheese-filled ravioli. Mark raised his goblet to his lips and swallowed a sip of sparkling cider.
"This is really nice," Kate said. She wore a simple red dress that had cap sleeves and fell to her knees. The emerald necklace she'd found in an egg during last year's Easter festivities hung around her neck. Although Mark hadn't given the necklace to her, it reminded her of him because he'd been the one to first put it around her neck.
"Yeah, it is," Mark said. He set the goblet back down and cast a look around the room. He saw Felicia and her date Baltus Crane seated together, talking animatedly about something that obviously interested them both. Gus and Johanna were no where to be seen.
"So did Johanna ever agree to go to the banquet with Gus?" Mark asked.
"She resisted him, which probably comes to a shock to Gus because no girl can resist him nowadays," Kate said with a knowing grin. "But I really don't know what Johanna ultimately decided. She's not here yet, is she?"
"And neither is Gus," Mark observed.
Kate pursed her lips together. "I hope everything is all right."
"I'm sure everything is."
Kate nodded. "I'm sure you're right."
They fell silent for a while as they chewed their food. Then Kate said, "I've noticed a lot of people looking at us."
"Let them look," Mark said with a shrug of his shoulders.
"I guess we've been "out" for a while, but this would be our first formal outing together. I'm glad you're comfortable with this."
Mark looked down at his plate for a moment. "I can't worry about what other people think anymore," he said, raising his gaze to meet Kate's. "I know how I feel about you."
Kate started to blush.
Mark looked down at his plate again. He'd never said anything so hokey before in his life, but he found that it didn't bother him very much. Well, it made him feel a little embarrassed himself but he certainly wasn't ashamed.
He flicked his gaze back up and smiled at Kate. "Happy Valentine's Day."
"Happy Valentine's Day," she echoed happily.