MASQUERADE PART FIVE Who: Everyone who bought a ticket! Where: Artemis Theatre, Diagon Alley When: 9:00 pm October 31 - 1:00 am November 1, 1979 What: A Masquerade Ball for the Foundation for the Promotion of Wizarding Society and Culture, hosted by the Malfoys
Rufus and Julianne Julianne, dressed as an angel, felt uncomfortable leaving Regulus, even if it was just for a few minutes, but the night, thus far, had been going smoothly. The masquerade was beautiful and the environment was social, surely nothing could go wrong on a night like this! Having excused herself from her fiancee (still an odd but wonderful concept), Julianne made her way to the ladies room. While she was in awe of all the women's costumes, she couldn't help but feel proud that hers, made of the finest materials, also happened to be handmade. She wouldn't tell anyone, nor did she suppose it was something to brag about, but it was a silent accomplishment nevertheless.
A few moments later, after having checked that her halo was still floating above her head and that her wings remained in shape, Julianne made her way out into the main ballroom, her eyes quickly scanning the crowd beneath her mask for Regulus. Unfortunately, her attention remained purely on finding her fiancee and not on where exactly she was walking toward.. or into.
"Unf!" It was not every day that the head of the auror office plowed into an attractive blonde ... well, that wasn't exactly true. A revision: it was not every day that the head of the auror office plowed into an attractive blonde on accident. Add to the fact that said woman was dressed as an angel and, well, Rufus Scrimgeour might have once considered himself a lucky man. Tonight, however, he was accompanied by a rather delectable Amelia Bones - and at this very moment, he was waiting for her to return from doing - well, whatever it was women did for so long in the loo.
"Terribly sorry!" He apologised, stepping back to offer Julianne a hand so she might steady herself. He looked quite a sight in his doctor who costume - certainly alien to any poor purist girl who wandered by - but he didn't seem to realise how silly he looked and was, for all intents and purposes, happy as a lamb. It occurred to him that as she'd collided into him and as he hadn't much to do till Amelia returned, that he might as well ask her to dance. And so he did.
"Care to dance?"
One foot crossed the other and Julianne took the man's hand before she had the opportunity to further embarrass herself. Running into people just didn't happen. Luckily she felt somewhat hidden beneath her mask. "No, no, my apologies. I was.." her voice trailed off. She didn't need to explain what she was doing to a complete stranger. "--Wasn't quite paying attention." Taking the time to get a better look at the man's costume, she didn't let her judgement show. He looked like he was dressed like a muggle man who picked out random articles of winter clothing blindly.
Precisely the moment she was about to excuse herself, the blonde man asked her to dance. Julianne did her best to fight back a slight grimace and turned it into a soft smile. Her answer was the hand that she offered to him. Hopefully this wouldn't take long, and hopefully Regulus would come find her and whisk her away.
Rufus bowed politely and led Julianne onto the dance floor; he wasn't entirely devoid of charm, even if it had been a while since he'd exercised it on the nearest blonde. This entire event reminded him of a Christmas Party - the last Christmas Party people'd actually enjoyed at the DMLE. The one before the war. The one where they'd still known how to smile. He pressed his hand gently into her lower back - in the least invasive, but still firm, way possible - and led her into a quadrille with an equally mismatched looking couple.
"I hope I haven't stolen you away from anyone," he offered, guiding her through the first few steps. Considering he hadn't left the office for the better part of seven years, he was still surprisingly light on his feet.
Perhaps it was simply because she didn't know the man, or because she was away from Regulus, her safety net, that she felt slightly at unease as they began to dance. She gave a slight curtsy to him, her demeanour quite fluid. If it was anything, it was the familiarity of the dance that gave her the smallest bit of comfort.
"I sure he wouldn't mind," she said politely. It was not as if she'd simply walk away from the dance when the man was nothing but kind, thus far anyway. However, it did not keep her from looking out for one Horatio, hopefully strolling close by at the perfect moment. "And how are you enjoying the night?" Julianne asked as she was twirled.
Rufus always found these sorts of dances quaint, but a bit perplexing. What was the point of dancing when you spent half the time separated from your partner? Oh well, at least it didn't make for awkward touching moments during the dance, considering he had no idea who this girl was - but she did sound rather well bred (from his limited knowledge of the variations of upper class English accents).
"Quite well, thank you," he replied in kind, pressing one hand into the small of his back and the other into her palm. "Not quite used to all this..." he wasn't sure what to call it. "Done-up-ness," he tacked on unhelpfully at the end.
While Julianne had meant to merely smile politely and go about their dance, the manner in which the man spoke about the masquerade made her laugh. Surely most of the attendees were not used to such lavish balls and dressing up for these sort of occasions, but to hear a full grown man (from which she concluded) speak about it with such honesty resulted in laughter.
"Well, as long as you're enjoying the evening. I'm sure dressing for occasions was rather entertaining. I'm glad the event is such a success. It is, after all, for a good cause."
A charming smile lit his face as Rufus was met with laughter. He rather liked making girls laugh - especially when he didn't know them and doubly so when it didn't seem to be forced for his benefit. "I am enjoying it, though I'm used to getting dressed up a little differently, I admit." He gave a sheepish waggle of his sleeves and the returned to position so he could turn his partner. "You look far more comfortable with all this."
"Yes, it is not every day that we can dress up like whatever and whomever we wish." Though perhaps most people did wear masks every day and life was a masquerade without the fancy clothing.. She smiled at him slightly though she did not seem to understand what the man was supposed to be dressed up as. Julianne decided it was best to not ask, both to be polite and also so that she wouldn't be negative if he began to explain about some muggle character that he was supposed to be. It also didn't sit well with her that she could be dancing with a potential muggleborn, a characteristic that she had been taught to be adverse to. But what she did not know would not harm her. Afterall, he did seem like a kind person.
"Yes, well, I know my share of dances," she said modestly, just as she curtsied once again.
"That much is apparent!" He replied with another turn. "This is luckily one of the ones I know or I'd be stepping all over your feet." Rufus doubted he actually would ever step on anyone's feet, but the idea brought a smile to his lips (why? nobody knew - all this socialising was a bit overwhelming after so long cooped up in the office with other uncultured people for company).
"You dance quite well, sir. You ought to have a bit more faith," Julianne said as she smiled at him, trying to be somewhat encouraging. However, at the bottom of her stomach, she could feel butterflies and this time, it wasn't the good kind. Despite only a minute or two passing, Julianne couldn't see Regulus at where she had last left them. As the dance came to a slow, she curtsied once more. "Thank you for the dance," she said genuinely, trying her best to keep her gaze on him and not searching the crowds. "I must excuse myself but I hope you have a wonderful time at the ball."
Rufus wasn't an auror for his pretty face - he could tell when a girl was looking for someone - and so as she hurriedly (but very politely) excused herself, he tipped his (ridiculous looking) hat and stepped out of the quartet so that another couple could take their place. "It was my pleasure and I shall do my very best." And in that line of thought, he turned and peered across the crowd for a very certain brunette.
Regulus and Julianne After parting ways with his mystery partner, Regulus found himself looking forward to once again finding Julianne for the evening. Despite his cousin Narcissa's success with sociability, it had never been something Regulus was particularly interested in (and even if he had possessed an interest, it was perhaps even less of a talent), especially not with unidentifiable strangers hidden behind masks. He felt that the brief dance had filled his quota of stranger-acknowledgment, and when he spotted Julianne stepping away from a dance of her own, he began his careful weaving through the crowds to reunite. At least, as her fiance, he did not have to worry about someone else attempting to monopolise her time and attentions, as not only was that against the rules to show preference (though he imagine there were those among the uneducated masses who would be unaware), but he could fend off whoever he pleased. He did not recognise her partner as the man, too, disappeared, but his existence was promptly forgotten, discarded as unnecessary in Regulus's overall concerns. He had caused no grave upset or excessive happiness, therefore he was quite insignificant.
A contented expression resurfaced as Regulus reached her, tipping his head slightly in acknowledgment. "There you are."
Julianne, who was parted with Regulus for only a moment, which turned into a few moments due to a dance, was searching rather frantically for Regulus. What if, during the brief moment that she had been dancing, something had happened to him? What if that's why she hadn't seen him for a while?! Subtle panic began to build and Julianne bit her lower lip nervously. There were just so many people around.. Julianne was headed back to the place where she had last left Regulus when she heard the voice she had been listening for just behind her. Turning around, she nearly buried herself into him, a hug of relief that was quite instinctive. After a brief second to analyse her actions, Julianne stepped away rather embarrassed and timidly. Her relief, however, was clearly shown through her eyes and body language.
"I was leaving the ladies room when I ran into someone, who asked to dance, and I wasn't sure where you were and I could not necessarily refuse and by the time it had ended I was not sure if I could find you with so many people.." Pause for breath. "I'm glad you managed to find me or else I might have gone around in circles.. My sense of direction is not all that great." Was she rambling? Julianne abruptly shut her mouth, deciding not to speak until Regulus responded first.
"Worry not," he said, the corner of his mouth twitching up just slightly at her flustered manner, "I would not leave you to wander about the masses for longer than entirely necessary. There is no telling what filth might be about, but I suppose it is good for the Foundation's image." The enjoyment of Regulus's evening spiked significantly to return to its favourable state, and he supposed that, shortly, they could find their friends and see how the evening was going in that right. Perhaps it defeated the purpose of a masquerade to know what people were dressed as and spend time in the company of your typical associates, but he did not feel that the purpose was as important as his own comfort and the comfort of his friends.
"Now that I have found you, would you care to dance, my lady?" he asked with a little bow -- proper and gentlemanly as always, though lighter than his typical seriousness.
It wasn't normal to become so calm so quick, but perhaps the rationality that there was nothing to worry about any longer now that he was with her (or that she was with him) made things feel more at ease. Julianne merely nodded to his statement, her eyes leisurely scanning through the crowd. Who knew which were here for fun and who were here to cause harm. While she honestly hoped nothing would go wrong, she could not help but have these thoughts.
With Rilassamento playing in the background, Julianne smiled softly and curtsied gracefully to Regulus' bow. "I would be honoured." While the waltz had already begun, it was with ease that the couple were able to slide in. Their form had been taught to perfection as children, something that was not forgotten, and it clearly showed on the dance floor. Among the common crowd, their presence gave off a different sort of air and for a moment, Julianne didn't mind the slight attention. While Julianne Wilkes would shy away from shining too brightly, Mr and Mrs Regulus Black could have all the attention in the world and she wouldn't mind.
The grace of the dance was neither completely natural nor completely contrived; ballroom dancing had never been Regulus's absolute favourite priority growing up, but it was at the (somewhat frequent) events such as these that it was all the more relieving to have such practice. Relaxing was a far easier task when his partner was not a stranger, and as they swept easily across the floor, he could not help but neglect any attendance to the other couples.
"And yourself? How are you enjoying the masquerade?"
"The evening has been quite lovely," he responded with a small smile, "and I know Narcissa has worked very hard on it, so I am relieved that everything is going smoothly. Allowing the uncultured to join in the revelry could have potentially been a disaster, but thus far everyone seems to be respected Cissa's hospitality."
Juls nodded in agreement. "I really ought to not be so worried, I almost feel like I'm waiting for something to go wrong when things are perfect." The words that Sirius had told her had not once left her mind but as time began to pass, her worries began to dissolve one by one. Things would be All Right. As they passed another couple, she caught eye with a rather bored looking man and quickly looked away. "I almost forget that we're all wearing masks.." she said softly, deciding to keep her eyes either on the decorations or on Regulus.
"I forget easily with you and remember quite easily with the strangers whose paths I have crossed, I must say. Though it is strange to be unable to entirely see your face." When they had gracefully spun past the man, away from prying eyes or ears, he continued, "It is perfectly reasonable to have a concern -- especially in light of recent events, but there seems to be far more 'innocent' people than people who they would target, so it does not strike me as the most sensible social function to pitch a fuss."
Julianne nodded once more. She felt safe with Regulus, despite all such recent events, and she did her best to not let her true feelings bleed into the rather wonderful night. She would not want to ruin anything.. And then shortly after, a calming feeling came over her -- a feeling that she, for a second, thought to be the workings of a calming draught potion. But it was just a moment after that she realized that the feeling of peace was due to Regulus. The feeling had been with her all throughout her childhood, their Hogwarts years, when Georgie and Mr Black passed away.. It had always been there, she just had failed to recognize it as something more than just comfort. Julianne smiled slightly, her hand tightening just barely as they continued to dance.
The music seemed to stretch comfortably over time, each song blending into the next in smooth succession. When a fair amount of time had passed, and a break seemed in order, Regulus took a step back and ended with a pleasant little bow; together, they slipped into the crowd to acquire refreshments.
Lily and Graley Graley was bored. There was no way around it, and it wasn't exactly like he hadn't expected to spend the entire Masquerade sitting in a corner trying to look more interested in the proceedings than he actually was, but the fact of the matter was that for all he was trying to have fun. He just wasn't, not that it would come as any surprise to anyone. He had never much been one for any sort of dance or anything else, and it was only by the skin of his teeth that he'd previously managed to get away with going to any sort of social function, that and his job. But as right now his job was done and he was left, all bored and without a single thing to do and so it was annoying to him to even consider trying to do something like his friends and family did. Once, once he might have been able to enjoy this sort of lifestyle, but necessity had made him get a job, and now he loved it, loved the thrill and he knew he was rough around the edges, that he'd grown up as such, and he was trying so that was a start.
He'd opted out of a costume, instead merely dressing nicely with the first black mask he could find, only wearing one to make sure that he could. He sighed, standing up from the chair he had been sitting in, forcing himself not to slouch for the time being and made his way over until he managed to find someone with a tray of drinks and took one before heading back towards the chair, to sit down and wait around as long as he could before leaving for the night, to go home and have some real alcohol instead of wine.
Lily as busy making her way around the room, bustling about in her gorgeous pink dress, her red hair dyed dark brown and her eyes charmed to match. The freckles on her shoulders and bosom had had to go, but several glamour charms later and a mask firmly in place, Lily knew that she was largely unrecognizable, even if someone tried very hard to guess who she was. She saw the figure stand, get a drink, and resume his seat. His shape and stance suggested that of a man at least a few decades older than herself, at least as far as she could tell. Smoothing out her long white gloves, Lily moved closer to him, and sat down beside him, angling her body in a welcoming fashion to him.
"Good evening," she said softly, using an affected, low voice. "What a lovely party."
Graley looked up at the sound of a voice and he sat up a little straighter out of habit before rising and nodding his head. "Good evening,' he said bowing slightly in welcome out of politeness and upbringing than anything else as he took another mouthful of his wine and looked around, feeling uncomfortable in his mask before his attention went back to the girl. "It is rather...lovely," he said fighting to keep the distaste for such a thing out of his voice and succeeding. "Are you enjoying yourself?"
"Very much so," Lily said, placing her hands carefully in her lap, flicking her eyes to look at his through the mask before looking down demurely. "Although," she said, her head tilted toward the swirling dances. "I haven't danced nearly as much as I know my slippers can manage." She gave a little laugh, twisting it into a very un-Lily like giggle. "And yourself?"
He listened to the girl speak and nodded his head. "I am sure there are quite a number of men who would fill your dance card for the evening," he said hoping that she wasn't attempting to ask him to dance. He inclined his head again. "In a manner of speaking yes," he said. He was having fun, if fun included wanting to go throw yourself into Dragon's fire or some such thing.
"So many of them seem busy," she said, going so far as to let the pads of three gloved fingers rest on his arm for a moment before she removed them. She decided to push the fact that she was a married woman out of her mind for just one moment, and leaned forward so that her bosom was more visible for the man. She didn't recognize the voice, but she was going to determine if he was one of them or not.
Graley felt the fingers on his arm and he turned his head, spotting her leaning forward and spotted the subtle move that he knew quite well from when his belated wife would do it when they were younger, and he was glad for the mask as he frowned in distaste at the move, not wanting to be reminded of her, at all, but forced himself to be cordial. "Only for the moment, I am sure one of them will make time for a lady such as yourself," he said nodding his head praying to Merlin that she would take the hint and leave.
"A lady cannot help where her attentions lie," Lily said, her tone light and even although Lily was feeling annoyed with his lack of enthusiasm. She glanced at the cup in his hand for a moment. "Or perhaps I ought to have some refreshments before I journey out and resume my dancing." At least she'd have an excuse to sit with him, if he wasn't going to dance with her.
Graley was beginning to feel a little bit like he would never get rid of her, and he was being as cordial as he could, but his temper had never been the best in the world and so he managed another slow incline of his head before holding out his arm to her. "Perhaps you would care for a dance with me before you go?" he asked keeping his voice bland for the time being.
"Oh," she said, as though it was the kindest invitation in the world. "You are too kind to me," she took his arm and leaned on him just enough as he guided her onto the floor, ready to make Mrs. P proud with the dancing she had learned. She pretended that this man was James so that she could touch him and flirt with him without feeling the slightest bit uncomfortable. Lily didn't lean on him any more than exactly how her mother-in-law had taught her, and she smiled gaily.
"A lady must always be careful who she dances with, even in a masquerade," she said, speaking low enough for only Graley to ear.
He felt the slight pressure on his arm from where she was leaning on it and he rolled his eyes, biting the inside of his lip to keep from making some remark about how if she liked dancing so much she should be able to stand on her own two feet, but he kept it inside as they made it to the dance floor. "I am sure you will be fine," he said turning and holding out his arms as he had been taught to.
"With you, of course," she said. "I can tell that you are a man of breeding. But so many..." Lily let out a sigh. "There are many here tonight that I could never stand to be in the company of for long. Narcissa Malfoy is kind to let them partake in an affair far beyond their dreams. I understand she is only trying to do good, but it does put the more respectable ladies in a position of vulnerability," she said, tilting her neck gracefully. "I'm sure you agree."
Graley listened to her speak and he nodded his head as he did so. "I am sure Na-Mrs. Malfoy will not allow such a thing to happen," he said formally as they began to dance, keeping his back stiff and as far away as he could get away with. "So I am sure you will be fine," he said.
"But she did allow anyone to buy tickets," Lily said, inclining her head closer to him. "So that could mean that anyone could be here. Even those terrorists."
"You should be more specific on terriorsts," he murmured quietly. "As with my last recollection there were two such bands at the moment," he said looking at her before he inclined his head. "Although the Lady does have a point, but it is rather much to lively of an event to talk about such depressing things," he said.
"There is only one band of terrorists," she sniffed, "And anyone who doesn't take the word of the Daily Prophet as absolute truth ought to know that." She pulled her mouth down into half a frown. "But of course, good sir, you are right. We ought to talk of happy things. Such as when this cruel war shall be over," she put a bit more pressure on his arm. "And things shall be made right, as they always ought to have been."
Choosing to keep silent he was glad when she seemed to shut up for a breif moment, before she continued and manged to not sigh as he inclined his head, yet again. "I am sure that this war will be over before you or any of us know it with the right victors in their rightful place," he said keeping his opinions vague.
"Oh," she sighed, looking up at the ceiling as though thoroughly relieved. "Do you really think so? I know I might just be silly, fretting over something that might be so quickly won, but I cannot help but be worried even in such a place as this that it is only a matter of time before I might be hurt, or that my brother might be injured, only because we hold fast to the truth."
Graley merely shrugged a shoulder. "I cannot tell the outcome of the war anymore than I can of the weather next time I'm at work," he explained easily enough as he listened to her speak. "The truth?" he asked. "That seems like a rather heavy statement considering truth is merely a matter of opinion."
Lily was confused with his change of opinion. "But you just said that the war would be over soon," she said. "Why would you contradict yourself so quickly?"
"I think it will be over soon, but I am not a seer so how I can know for certain it won't go on for another ten, fifteen years?" he replied.
"Surely not," Lily said, letting anxiety flood her voice, tilting her head down. "I cannot imagine that the truth would not be able to win out. I don't believe truth is only a matter of opinion, otherwise Mudbloods could be just as correct as those who understand the value of pedigree are. Contradictions, you see."
Graley nodded his head at that. "I suppose you are correct," he said inclining his head, perhaps a little bit impressed about that.
"Of course," she said smoothly. "One must never suggest that they understand what it means to be gifted with truth. They might eventually learn what is right, but without careful, strong guidance..." She let out another sigh, as though she understood that it was possible, but highly unlikely. Lily was glad that the song appeared to be coming to an end.
Graley merely nodded his head, also glad that the song was coming to a halt. "People seem to be beginning to be arrogant enough to believe that blood doesn't matter since the colour is the same when in actual fact that while we all bleed red, there are other subtle indications," he said easily.
"I quite agree," said Lily, taking a step back from him as the song came to and end. "Good breeding is always easy to spot when one knows what to look for, wouldn't you say?"
Graley nodded his head, forcing himself not to make a mention of how it wasn't always evident with some people, but he would much rather end the conversation rather than start up at a new one. He thought about not saying anything for a moment before he decided against it. "It is," he said shortly.
Lily nodded, smiling graciously at him. She gave him a little curtsy. "Thank you for the dance," she said, and she began slipping through the crowd, going off to let the others know that he was, indeed, a suspect.
Pepper had just finished dancing with some girl in a nice, non-pure dress who had unfortunately turned out to be terminably boring - not that he'd intended doing anything anyway, really, as he'd hardly forgotten his deal with Jo. As was becoming habit at the end of each dance he glanced around quickly, trying to see if any of the costumes he recognised were coming towards him, and spotted Lily making her way off the dance floor. She saw him, too, it seemed, and he nodded at her signal, turning to track the man she'd indicated. He wasn't far away, but he was headed in the opposite direction, and Pepper hurried after him without bothering to hide his movements, taking long strides through the crowd until he was close enough to reach out and grab (lightly, while affixing the portkey to the slightly loose fabric of his sleeve) his arm-- "Geoffrey?" he asked, voice thick as though he were slightly tipsy, and peered at the man before shaking his head. "Sorry, thought you were someone else."
Kingsley and Meg Kingsley wasn't surprised in the least that he was getting weird stares. It was a pretty decent Pureblood detector, though, as they seemed to do their very best to avoid the tall man in a giant sunflower costume. He had a mask though, and there hadn't been anything that said he couldn't wear green spandex, so he met the basic requirements and used his height to his advantage when the ticket-taker at the floo gave him a funny look.
"Shiiiiiiiit this looks good," he said to nobody in particular as he made his way to the h'or devour table. The buffet had been delicious and this look just as good. Little plates were set on one side and he helped himself to the chocolate covered fruit and found his favourite type of biscuit. "Not bad, Malfoys, not bad."
It would be impossible for her not to recognize Kingsley, both because he towered even over her, and because who else would show up in that particular costume. Pausing for only a moment to appreciate the way his body looked in the costume (which was probably what made people the most uncomfortable), she downed another glass of champagne and feigned a wobble over to him. "KINGS!" She shouted, throwing her arms around his neck, unmindful of his plate of food. "YOU LOOK SMASHING!"
Kingsley saw a flash of white and gold as something launched itself at him and after a moment he realised that something was a person. "Megs?" he asked, trying to keep his balance while somehow managing to set his plate on the table behind him. She was dressed in a toga with a gold mask, and her quiver was digging into his ribs thought he didn't notice too much. "Heeeey, you're drunk aren't you?"
"Incredibly so, my love!" She said, turning her laughing face up to his. "You are the cutest little sunflower at the whole party!"
"I can smell it on your breath," he laughed, holding her up. The scent lingered briefly in the space between their faces. It was faint, but unmistakable to Kingsley. Well, it was nice to see her having a good time, and Kingsley was no stranger to intoxication himself, so there were no judgments being passed on his part. "An' I don't quite think everyone else'd agree with you 'bout me."
"Screw them, I think you're delightful. And you look fit as hell in this get up." She said with a broad wink.
Kingsley chuckled. "If that's th' case then, may I have the - er, do the hon-" This proper talk was ridiculous. "Sod it. Fancy a dance?"
Proper talk was certainly not the rule of this conversation. "Um..." her eyes looked about for Caradoc, who seemed to be off making a circuit again. "Well, why not?"
"If you're worried I'm'a going to really try to snog you then yell 'bout makin' Mudblood babies, you 'aven't got anyfing to worry 'bout," he said as he moved to put one arm on her back and lead them to the dancefloor, referencing a conversation they'd had. The memory amused him, even with the reprimand from 'Ol Crouchy that seemed to come each time he wrote in the ruddy journal. Speaking of, he hadn't seen Crouch yet, but that thought didn't really bother him. He'd probably just get yelled at again for his sunflower costume. "Nosiree."
"I trust you. And no, I'm just worried about being seen with a strapping lad such as yourself making my boyfriend jealous." She said with a smirk, following him onto the floor. Her steps were graceful if not skilled, her hands light where they met his body.
"No?" he asked. "When can I meet this bloke? If my 'ands wander enough will 'e come over 'ere and yell?" He glanced around to see if anyone was watching the two of them dance, but realised that a lot of people were watching them dance, likely due to Kingsley's ridiculous costume.
She giggled as she too looked around and realized they did have a rather sizable audience. "Maybe, but he'd likely punch you in the face, and I don't want that. It's such a lovely face!"
Kingsley rolled his eyes. "Don't let 'im 'ear you say that," he warned, starting to grow weary of the slow music. He'd much rather they play something more... upbeat. Something like Rapper's Delight, though he knew that was about as likely as Crouch giving him a hug tonight. "This music's no fun to dance to," he complained.
"Dip me, that'll liven things up." She said with a grin, spinning away from him so that her skirt flared around her knees. When she came back, she located Doc in the crowd and pointed to him. "There he is." Kingsley did as she said, trying to follow where her finger was pointing as he did so. He got a glimpse of her boyfriend, though with a mask on he wasn't too sure he'd quite be able to recognise him again. He thought about complaining slightly, but she was drunk and likely wouldn't even remember it. Well, he'd have to bug her another time, while she was sober. "Much better," he agreed. "Bet we could teach a think or two 'bout dancing to some of these hoighty-toighty folks," he whispered in her ear.
She perked up, grinning as she gripped his arm for support. She was finding pretending to be drunk was a lot more fun than actually being drunk. You got to appreciate reactions a whole lot more. "Have anything in mind?"
He slipped his arm around her back as she faltered, holding her up. "I do, but I'm not real sure you're up to it right about now." He started to lead her off the dance floor. "Thank you for the dance though, Megs."
She pouted up at him, pushing her hair from her eyes. "The song isn't over, Kings!"
"I know," he said, still trying to lead her, "but I'm real hungry."
"Oh my god, I totally am too what a good idea!" She said with a laugh, pushing her arm through his and clinging tightly.
Good, he thought, that wasn't too bad. The dancing had been enjoyable but Kingsley was a bit worried that Meg was getting too drunk. Getting some food into her would probably be a good idea. "All right, let's go," he said as they left the dancefloor, headed toward the buffet.
Dedalus & Carlotta [PLACEHOLDER] Even though the focus was supposed to be on the Order's well-calculated plans, Dedalus saw no reason not to try and have a good time otherwise. He needed to blend in with everyone else, and he couldn't do that if he spent the entire evening standing around idly and keeping watch to make sure all was well. The location was very beautiful, and despite these people being who they were, he couldn't help but feel impressed by all the extravagance.
Scoping the area around him, he spotted Carlotta out the corner of his eye. She didn't seem to have a partner, so he wasted no time in approaching her and delicately extending an arm.
"Good evening," he said.
Carlotta had danced during the evening of course, but she had sat the last dance out. She almost enjoyed watching people in their masks and costumes as much as she enjoyed dancing, but then Carlotta nearly always enjoyed herself if she put her mind to it and she didn't go to a masquerade to not enjoy herself. She turned her head as a young man spoke, or possibly an older one, it was difficult to tell with the masks on, but then that was the point.
"Oh, good evening," she said pleasantly. "Have you been enjoying yourself?"
Dedalus returned her words with a bright smile, trying not to think about how this person could very easily be affiliated with the enemy. She seemed to give off a sense of propriety and politeness that blended her in quite well with most everyone else. "How could I possibly not enjoy myself, especially now that I've been graced with such fine company?" he said, continuing to smile at her.
Carlotta gave him a bright smile, but she was pleased with this young man who seemed to be in such fine spirits. "And I do thank you," she did enjoy social gatherings. In spite of how difficult the atmosphere had been, and even the horrible events earlier in the week, the masquerade had been quite pleasant and she was enjoying the few hours that there would be a break. Carlotta did not mind being around people who thought opposite of her. After all, liberty meant that everyone had the right to their opinion, even if she did not approve of said opinion.
"Do you often come to dances like these?" Carlotta asked. It should give her an idea of where he was at in the social sphere.
[TAG]
Grady and Narcissa Tonight was not about fear or aggravation. It wasn't about the innocent victims of werewolves or the hundreds lost at Godric's Hollow. Tonight was a night to forget his worries and focus on making Mary smile. After dropping off Meg and Katie at his in-laws in Northern Ireland, Grady had shown up on his old Housemate's doorstep an hour before the grande event, dressed in a blue coachman's costume which was home-sewn by his Mam. While there was no beautiful carriage to drive Cinder-Mary to the Ball, he had at least been able to pull off a fairytale-styled dress, again made by his Mam (thank Merlin Frannie and Mary were nearly the same size.) After a half hour of pleading, insisting, and a hint of teasing, Mary was finally in her costume and the two were on their way to the Malfoy's Masquerade. The pair of mates stuck together for most of the evening, venturing apart here and there to mingle with the other guests, although Grady kept one hand near his wand and an eye out for Mary, just in case.
Having sampled a bit of the hors d'oeuvres, the Irishman adjusted his mask and ventured around the outskirts of the dance floor. He had just spotted his companion down the hall when he passed by a group of younger wizards.
"Someone ask her." "Dunna looket me!" "You're the one who likes her." "She hates me! You go. Tell her how suave I am." "I am not dancing with her, she's my cousin!" "If it works for the Purebloods..."
Grady let out a laugh, unwittingly catching the boys' attention. "Having a bit o' trouble, lads?"
They all looked to one another before the fair-haired one stepped forward, "These peons are too afraid of the female form to ask a woman to dance."
"Oh, come of it, Will," his friend chimed in. "You were the one talking about pissing your pants!"
If he could have seen past the mask, Grady could have sworn Will's face had just flushed in embarrassment. As the trio began arguing, he put up a hand to silence them. "It can' be tha' difficult t' ask a bird."
"Really?" Will backfired. "Prove it."
Narcissa twisted the ribbon on her mask until it neatly shifted back into a handheld one, and took it off her face. Her dances had all gone marvelously so far; the most recent partner had been Rodolphus, and her next would hopefully be another one with Lucius, or perhaps Rabastan or Graley if she came upon them first. Strolling towards a group that looked likely, she neatly indulged in several conversations and avoided several others. Merlin, those Harpers could be terribly terribly verbose.
"Excuse me," she said politely to a group of boys in her way, not really paying mind to any of them. Was that Corbina and Astra up ahead?
The boys quickly stepped aside to permit the lady through, most of them with eyes wide open. Will smirked at Grady after she was gone. "Ask her."
"Will, are you daft?!" the freckle-faced boy asked, removing his own mask to reveal how shocked he was. "That's M'Lady Malfoy!"
"Oh, cut the act, Hugh! You are not some petty scouring boy; you are supposed to be Hamlet! And it is not 'M'lady', just 'Lady' unless you are addressing her! Merlin's balls...." Will turned his attention back to the matter at hand. "Well? What do you say?"
Finding himself facing three pairs of eager young eyes, only one of which had a malicious gleam, Grady surprised the lot when he merely tugged on his coat, adjusted the placement of his mask and cleared his throat. "Watch an' learn, boyos." With a wink, he turned from the group and hurried through the crowd so he could hopefully stop Narcissa before the lads were out of earshot. "Excuse me! Na--- Ah, Mrs. Malfoy!"
Narcissa glanced around upon hearing her name. Merlin, that voice sounded terribly familiar, and yet, she could not place it. That was the terribly inconvenient part of a Masquerade, already she had met that Bletchley girl, whose voice she had forgotten. Most of the right sort of people were easy enough to pick out anyway, by the elegance of their costumes and manners. What sort of costume was that? She had absolutely no idea. "Yes?"
Grady smiled widely at his old schoolmate, the expression showing just below the fabric of his mask, which covered the majority of his nose and eyes. Sweeping her a somewhat clumsy bow in greeting, he complimented, "You are hosting a grande ball --" what was that term the boy had used? "-- M'lady."
"Thank you." For Merlin's sake, Narcissa had places to go and people of actual importance to converse with. "I do hope you are enjoying yourself."
"It's difficult not t' what with all the festivities going on." He stretched out a hand to jesture toward the throng of people twirling about the floor. Hearing a snicker from behind, Grady glanced over his shoulder to look at the boys, who, it seemed, had moved a bit closer to eavesdrop on the conversation. Giving another win, although he wasn't certain if they could see it through the mask, the Irishman returned his attention to Narcissa. It was time to show these blokes how it was done. "Would you care t' dance?"
That accent did not escape Narcissa's notice, and years of self control prevented an expression of annoyed disgust from coming across her face. Was she honestly being asked to dance by some sort of lower class person of highly questionable origin? She quickly thought through her options- declining outright would look horribly rude, as people were everywhere. Claiming a prior engagement would generally work, but the issue was that she did not have one. Where in the world was Lucius? Or Rabastan; he still owed her a dance. Slowly and deliberately (glancing out of the corners of her eyes to make sure that Rabastan wasn't conveniently coming to help her- what a friend(!), she put her mask back on her face. "Yes, thank you. I would very much enjoy that."
"Brill!" It was difficult to tell whether or not Narcissa even recognised him, but he decided to let her take her own time in figuring things out. The game was much more fun to participate in when she was clueless. Hearing the orchestra strike up a chord, Grady offered his arm in order to lead them out onto the dance floor. What had Frannie called this kind? The melody was slower and repeated every so often... A tarantella? No, those ones were fast. Bloody hell, maybe he should have written a cheat sheet on the inside of his sleeve. At least it was slow.
Glancing around to make sure he was immitating the other gentlemen, Grady bowed - with a few rough pauses in the execution - before offering his right hand once more. The left was not exactly certain just how low would be appropriate. "Erm.... Don' you love the classics," he attempted to jest, settling for placing his hand up around the curve of Narcissa's waist rather than closer to her hip. "Yes," Narcissa said as she took his hand and they began dancing, wincing slightly when she heard him say 'brill.' What sort of mangled form of English was this? "I do enjoy waltzes quite a bit," she continued, the slight emphasis on the word demonstrating that she hoped he knew how it was danced. How long was this particular one? I really ought to know, but I do not, Narcissa thought grimly to herself. Next time, she was going to look over all of the music selections. "What sort of music do you prefer? I have always been fond of the Baroque period myself." Music was a perfectly acceptable topic of conversation while dancing.
Waltz! That was the word! The 'one-two-three, one-two-three' piece that had him stepping on his baby sister's feet for a good hour. As they began to move, he started glancing down, hoping he would not crush Narcissa's feet as horribly as he had Frannie.
"Broke?" he chuckled, lifting his gaze as he remembered all the yelling about 'eyes up!' "I would figure a classy lady like yourself enjoyed a more expensive sound. Say.... Tie-cough-ski!" He was the bloke who wrote the music to that toy-come-to-life story, right? "Now, if you're looking for broke, you should get your hands on U2, bunch of nice up-and-comers. Saw them in the pubs the past few years. Great talent. Or a few o' th'early Beatles tracks. Those boyos were fantastic with music tha' can cheer you up. Who doesn' need a bit o' cheering now and then, yea?" He paused a moment to glance at their feet again. So far, so good. "Bu' then tha's why you're doing all the good for the community."
Narcissa wrinkled her nose. "How very... cosmopolitan. I suppose they are all of muggle origin? I am afraid that my extensive musical education has not touched on any of them. But yes, Tchaikovsky's work is quite enjoyable." She stepped carefully - it simply wouldn't do for him to get dirt on her shoes. "Well, yes. It does seem some days that our community does not have enough to smile about. I think the Foundation has been doing a phenomenal job in that regards." Foundation propaganda was easy.
A small chuckle escaped before Grady could reign it in. "You should throw a carnival next. 'Dunk the Muggle' might bring in a good laugh." Look up, man; look up! Fighting the urge to stare at his feet, Grady averted his gaze to the side of the room where he found the young boys staring. Even Will's mouth was slightly ajar. Unfortunately, he chose the wrong moment to turn away and mistook a step, landing his own foot slightly on his partner's. "Oiy," he jumped back, looking down to assess the damage. "Sorry there, Narcy. Only had a few lessons t' learn me steps."
Narcissa scrunched her nose. "For your information, we have already had an incredibly successful carnival." Eugenics seminars mixed with food and puppet shows had been highly successful with all age groups. "And I also think that- augh," she winced, stumbling as her foot was trod upon. "How dare-..." There were only two people she knew of who took pleasure in calling her by that horrid nickname 'Narcy', and she highly doubted her dance partner was That Terribly Crude and Generally Awful McKinnon Girl. "Grady Bell? I thought I told you never to call me that when we were first years," she continued with a scowl. Thank goodness the music was beginning to die down. "What are you doing here, anyway?"
The previous chuckle paled in comparison with the outright laugher pouring from Grady's mouth at her temper. "Sorry," he apologised once more, attempting to control himself enough to speak. "You know, if you wouldn' make such amusing faces, it would kill the mood t' hassle you more often." Seeing that his honest opinion was not working to calm her down - not that he had expected it to - Grady ventured further to explain himself. "'M here as Fairy Godmam t' a friend. Every girl deserves t' feel like a princess for a night. This was open to the general public if I remember. " Speaking of his Cinderella, the Irishman took in a sweep of the room in search of Mary. "As for the dance, some boyos needed a lesson on how to catch a beauty, so... suppose I should be thanking you, Mrs. Malfoy." The emphasis on her name was not in mocking (much), but meant to show he could act like a respectable gentleman, when he had the mind for it. "If you'd like, I can pay to have the Muggle germs removed from your dress." "That will not be necessary, thank you," Narcissa said cooly. As though she needed money from muggles and their ilk. She took a deep breath and forced herself to count to ten. Frowning this much would cause wrinkles, and would that not be simply horrid? But it was quite hard not to frown when surrounded by such imbeciles. "Go back to your Cinderella, then, Bell. Good evening." Turning on one heel, she swept away.
"Thanks for no' stepping on me roses!" Watching Narcissa retreat through the crowd, Grady shook his head before making his way toward the opposite edge. "And tha', lads," he said as he came closer to Will and his friends, "is how you trap a bird for five minutes." Offering a final wink, he left the boys to find their own dates so he could search for his own.
Astra and Aloysius Aloysius ambled around the edges of the crowds and adjusted his mask a little. He was slightly surprised at the number of people who had turned up though he supposed that in the rather grim times that currently existed, people might be eager to grab any opportunity to have a good time. And from what he could see, everyone did seem to be having a good time. The Malfoys may be part of that silly pureblood group but they did know how to throw a good party. He just wished he could relax enough to enjoy it. He knew he should really leave his worries about his work behind tonight but in the last couple of weeks, they'd sort of taken up residence and weren't interested in moving out.
He sighed then squared his shoulders. No, he was going to attempt to enjoy himself tonight and forget about his little niggling worries and concerns. He was tempted to find Pepper and Jo but decided that instead he might put some of the advice that young pureblood girl... he couldn't remember her name off the top of his head... had written in her journal. He set his glass of wine aside and looked around. He was pretty sure he still remembered how to dance, now he just had to find a partner.
He saw a woman standing on her own and walked up to her. She was dressed all in black and pearls and silver and he gave her a small bow and a smile. "May I have the pleasure of this dance?"
Narcissa had outdone herself, in Astra's opinion, and despite her worst fears the common element hadn't caused too much of a scene with their behaviour. So far, at least. Still, the atmosphere was quite different from a private party; with people from so many different sectors of society it was impossible to know who everyone was, especially with masks and costumes, and there wasn't so much of the feeling that everything one said or did was subject to scrutiny or had to mean something. Of course, there was also not the feeling of absolute belonging and familiarity, the confident comfortability of being around people that were so much like her. She supposed everything had its ups and downs.
Her smile was automatic when someone approached her, turning to look at him and recognising only the fact that she didn't recognise him, nor his costume, as gentlemanly as it seemed to be. He at least seemed well-spoken, though, as much as she could tell from so few words. "Of course," she replied lightly, the edge of the French accent she was affecting for the evening colouring her words. It was perhaps not the best disguise of her voice for those who knew her, but it was fun, anyway.
Aloysius offered his arm as he considered her voice. He was fairly sure she was young. She certainly sounded young. And possibly French though he was horrible at working out accents. He'd much rather pay attention to what a person was saying than how they were saying it.
He led the young woman out onto the dance floor then smiled sheepishly as he took her into his arms so they could start dancing. "I do apologise if I'm a little rusty. I haven't danced since the last Ministry ball, which was... well, quite a while ago."
Ministry. Of course they'd be hobnobbing around, Astra had seen quite a few of them talking about it on the journals, but she still had to remember to keep her expression the same gracious mask it had been. Was this an Auror? He seemed more civilised than most of them, at least...
Though this closely partnered with him, she was glad again she'd decided to wear heels. He didn't seem to be as tall as Marius but he still towered almost a head above her. At least Marius had the excuse of being a Lestrange! "Understandable," she replied, though she personally didn't see how anyone would want to go so long without dancing. "I was not aware the Ministry held balls, so it must have been quite some time ago."
Aloysius was extremely glad he'd long ago mastered the art of thinking about more than one thing at a time as he needed that particular skill to remember the steps of the dance and concentrate on what his partner was saying. He'd freely admit to being socially inept but even he knew that ignoring one's dance partner was a social faux pas.
He frowned, though it was hidden behind his mask, as he counted back to when the last Ministry ball had occurred, aware he'd definitely given away where he worked with that comment. Not to worry, so few people in the Ministry had actually met him that eh wasn't overly concerned abotu being recognised.
"Quite some time now that I think about it," he said with amusement. "Well before... recent troubles started. They were always greeted with a certain amount of glee by the women and resignation by the men." He paused thoughtfully before saying somewhat wistfully, "They were fun though. Oddly enough, I find that I miss them. It was one of the few times I really got to meet other people in the Ministry."
Probably not the DMLE, then, they seemed to band together more often then not. Astra relaxed a little at that; almost all her trouble from the Ministry had come from that department, so whoever this man was, he was almost undoubtably completely innocent where she was concerned. He seemed genuine enough, too, and his musing got an honest smile out of her. "I think that's the case at most dances, Monsieur, though I have met some men who like to dance. I don't know why more people don't enjoy it. It's good enough exercise in its own right, even if not as manly as some pursuits."
Her tone was clearly teasing, her playfulness an obvious sign that she had no need to pay attention to the movements of the dance; it was a simple one, and one that she'd learned long before she'd even gone to Hogwarts. Even if that wasn't the case, she cared more for proving to the Ministry that pure society was entirely affable and charming more than a flawless performance for someone who would likely miss the nuances anyway.
Aloysius chuckled as he began to relax into the dance, the movements he'd learned a long time ago coming back to him. His partner didn't seem to be having much trouble, which quite likely made her a pureblood. Maybe. Or at the very least a young woman interested in dancing. Who didn't necessarily need to be a pureblood, he supposed, though how many other women had the kind of opportunities to learn these sorts of dances to the point where they were second nature.
"I think it's more that most men don't feel like they dance well," he said with a grin. "And men being men, we don't like to admit to not be the best at anything and there's really nowhere to hide on a dance floor. It's a man thing." He paused for a moment. "And I'm doing another man thing. I'm forgetting to compliment you on what you're wearing. I know I'm supposed to do that. It is very lovely. It's... the night sky, isn't it?"
Astra laughed at his obvious social ineptitude - not in a cruel way, just purely amused. She didn't have a clue where it might be in the Ministry that he worked to have turned out like this, but wherever it was, they were doing a far better job than the seemingly deliberate fostering of arrogance and irreverence in law enforcement. "Your theory may hold some truth. I have an older brother who I've seen become quite irrationally depreciating about what he's capable of as soon as women become involved. The irony is that we're often more concerned about doing something wrong ourselves than in picking out slight faults in our partners."
Though that was true for some more than others. She did not think Anzhelina was ever particularly insecure. Her cousin often seemed to hold herself quite apart from those around her, which Astra imagined was at least part of why they had never been very close. She, on the other hand, felt like her every action was under scrutiny sometimes, particularly since her engagement to Marius. Speaking of; "Yes, and my fiance is matching in gold as the sun. He's also an excellent dancer who does not indulge often enough. Though... I'm not sure I recognise yours?"
Aloysius laughed as well. She had a very pretty laugh and he felt a certain amount of accomplishment at having made her laugh. "Ah, now that's en entirely different man thing. That's the thing where we want the woman we're interested in to be complimentary about whatever it is we're being deprecating about. I think the theory is that if she's interested, she'll be complimentary and if she'd not, she'll be dismissive." he was fairly sure he was right there. It had been a long time since he'd played those sorts of games and he'd never been very good at them in the first place.
He nodded. "Ah, I'd noticed that there were a number of matching costumes. I'd imagine they'd be other couples or perhaps groups of friends. Tha's a good idea." He wondered briefly if he'd made some kind of faux pas by asking an engaged woman to dance but she wasn't acting as though he had and the advice the young lass had given him in the journals didn't suggest that either. "Elementary, my dear Watson. I'm Sherlock Holmes," he said with a grin. "The Great Detective. He was a big fan of logic and deductive thinking and those are two things I quite like myself."
The blankness probably showed on her face, as the name didn't immediately ring a bell - nor did it after a few moment's further thought. And Astra considered herself, if not well-read, than at least possessing of a wide range of cursory knowledge on various subjects, which made it fairly possible that this Sherlock Holmes creature had some kind of Muggle influence. That did make it somewhat surprising that he would simply assume people knew of the man; surely even if he were Muggleborn, he would realise that their world was very different from the place where he'd grown up?
Still, her affected French accent, even if the lightness of it implied time spent in England to soften it, gave her opportunity to be polite about the narrow focus of his foreign oddities. "I suppose he is not so well-known in France," she commented, admitting freely her ignorance. "And I have been focused on other things while in England." All completely true, however strong the implications toward a falsehood.
Either she was a pureblood or a witch who was completely disinterested in anything Muggle or just not very well-read. Aloysius had never been concerned that someone might 'disapprove' of his reading habits. Any true bibliophile wouldn't care where the books came from as long as they were compelling or interesting or informative or any combination of the above.
"Oh, I'd say the French know of the Great Detective," he said with growing enthusiasm. The Holmes mysteries had always been a favourite of his. "The Sherlock Holmes stories were written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. He's a Muggle but that's hardly anything to worry about given how well he writes. Sherlock Holmes was a great lover of logic and rational thought and I think any person, Muggle or magical, can agree that those are fine things, especially a Ravenclaw like myself."
Astra resisted the slightly bitchy urge to just stare blankly at her companion; she might have indulged if he was someone she knew and disliked, but at Narcissa's ball, representing their culture and society, it would be hideously gauche and rude. It wasn't as though the conversation were completely unsalvageable, after all. "At least superficially similar to the Dathon Vancourt series, then?" she asked, referring to the mystery novels starring an armchair detective with several acquaintances who brought him all sorts of fantastic and unsavoury stories. She had never been a particular fan, really, but she had read one or two, which was more than she could say for this Muggle character her partner seemed so enthused about.
"Well, not really," Aloysius said, warming up to his subject. Books and the discussion thereof was always guaranteed to get him going, to the point where he often forget about who he was talking to, especially if they didn't have a strong personality and were willing to interject with their own opinions. "I suppose Sherlock's brother Mycroft might be the closest to Vancourt but the stories were never about Mycroft. No, Sherlock Holmes did his own investigating along with his faithful companion, Dr John Watson. They mostly did their investigations in London and various areas of England though they did sometimes go to Europe, the most famous one being Reichenbach Falls in Switzerland."
"Ah!" Switzerland, at least, she was more familiar with, having read far too many brochures and chapters in wedding planning, though she wasn't sure she'd come across the name Reichenbach. It sounded familiar, but not so much that she could place it more firmly than "somewhere in the Swiss-German area". "I have never read very many detective novels, but perhaps I will look out for the name, if I ever have time to read again. Sometimes it feels as though the year will be out before I can even draw breath." She kept an amused note in her voice in line with the obvious exaggeration, no matter how true the sentiment was. Not that she minded the load, really; it was good to keep busy.