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Tweak says, "Orange is the new blue."

Meaghan will deflect until the end of time (mmmcc) wrote in neeps,
@ 2017-12-29 19:50:00

Entry tags:

! ic/ooc, ainsley galbraith, angus campbell, augustus pye, florinda mcgonagall, georgi draganov, gregor mcgregor, jason king, kal sharma, lorna macfarlane, madeline savage, maggie macdougal, meaghan mccormack, owen macfarlane, x-joy willison

Who: Sorry we never sent IC invites, basically practically everyone is invited since it's thrown by two Prides and a Magpie (medic).
What: Housewarming! Plus ~~Christmas~~ Hogmanay! Plus Joy's (super-belated) birthday!
When: 29 December, evening
Where: The Cattery, Paisley
Warnings: TBD

LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION: The Cattery is a large, six-bedroom house split down the middle, three bedrooms on each side. The ~~heroes of our story~~ hostesses of the party, Florinda McGonagall, Joy Willison and Meaghan McCormack, live on one side. Indira Choudry (Tutshill), Moonlight Flower MacLean (Wigtown) and Meleri Mousley (Caerphilly) live on the other side, but the party also spills into their side and the front and back gardens.

Despite Meaghan's claims, it's pretty clear that this was originally intended to be a Christmas party (in part), but since there are three different things being celebrated here, the decor is a little, shall we say, eclectic.

Dave the Quidditch Tree (small enough to be potted, large enough that lifting him takes some concentration) is decked out with plenty of little brooms, quaffles and bludgers, with a Golden Snitch on top. If asked, or even if not asked, Meaghan will inform people very seriously that all the broom ornaments are Comets. She will even explain which models. The brooms will all look roughly the same. Meaghan's chimera, Mickey, is prowling around its branches. there are also some pig ornaments from the clubhouse prank, though at this point they're not actively singing, just oinking softly, but they'll sing if you poke 'em enough. (The pigs are important because HOGMANAY, obviously.)

There's a giant Australian flag on the door and little Australian flag toothpicks on most of the food, because Meaghan ordered a box of them and there's more than she knows what to do with. There's a lot of pink for Joy, and gold because gold goes well with pink, obviously, and Joy's a Pride so that also counts for being about Joy.

The Drinks: The three pictured drinks are all hot alcoholic coffee drinks. There is also butterbeer, both regular and seasonal gingersnap flavours, hot chocolate, and eggnog. (You can probably get them without alcohol if you really want, but why would you WANNA?)
The Eats: Sweet potato chips with dipping sauces, tasty pasties and kebabs
The Sweets: Chocolate-dipped shortbread stars, spiced shortbread, jammy stars, ginger cats, fairy bread
The Most Important: Joy's birthday cake is pink and covered in stars. Some of the stars on the top of the cake are sugar, some of them are SPARKLERS. Can you guess which?? The cake also has a little figurine sitting on it of a kangaroo and a koala.

PARTWAY THROUGH THE EVENING, A SURPRISE: The party has been going for an hour or two when out of nowhere, what to our wondering ears should appear but an All-Weird-Sisters rendition of the Twelve Days of Christmas, apparently recorded at a concert (is that German coming from the audience?). At some point the days get out of order. This was not planned, at least not by the hostesses. It's very, very loud. Where is it coming from?? Is it coming from the other side of the house? Feel free to hunt down and destroy the cause of this monstrosity. (Or maybe you actually like the Weird Sisters, in which case, enjoy?)

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	Re: WHAT'S THAT HORRIBLE NOISE? lionhearts 2017-12-31 05:21 am UTC (link)
	Florrie is merry enough that she laughs and laughs and laughs. And encourages people to sing along. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	Re: WHAT'S THAT HORRIBLE NOISE? mmmcc 2017-12-31 07:01 pm UTC (link)
	Meaghan, meanwhile, is dramatically groaning and covering her ears. (People totally should sing along though.) (Reply to this) (Parent)

	Re: WHAT'S THAT HORRIBLE NOISE? left_magpie 2017-12-31 07:17 pm UTC (link)
	Gregor hands the guitar over to Herman Wintringham, the Sisters' lutist. He had a nice picking style, but he apparently only knew the filthiest songs in the songbook. As he set into "The Ballad of Eskimo Nell", Gregor took the opportunity to take Florrie aside. "You're looking amazing tonight, and you've changed your perfume since the other day." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

Re: WHAT'S THAT HORRIBLE NOISE?

lionhearts
2017-12-31 07:25 pm UTC (link)

Florrie nodded. (It took her a minute to remember that she had been stinking of bruise paste the last time she'd seen him, since she wasn't wearing any scent tonight except what the fancy soaps she'd got from Aureliana smelled of.) "If you're asking if I'm ready to be Mrs McGregor, alas not, but I am on the market again in the New Year. Cav and I have called it off."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

Re: WHAT'S THAT HORRIBLE NOISE?

left_magpie
2017-12-31 07:42 pm UTC (link)

"Well, I'll try to dodge Goodwitch O'Sullivan and her questions until we can formalize things and have the banns properly read. Lynn is with Meg and Shiela for the night, which lets me caterwaul down here." He tried to keep a straight face as a different Weird Sister started in on God Bless the Bastard King of England, but couldn't quite manage.

"Angus Campbell has kindly offered to loan you a bag to put over my head so that you don't have to see my face, if you find yourself in need of one."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	Re: WHAT'S THAT HORRIBLE NOISE? lionhearts 2017-12-31 07:47 pm UTC (link)
	Florrie glanced over at the singers. "I think we can find a better use for the sack than over your head," she said, because she certainly could right now and bet Meaghan could too. "I can understand why it has to be this way, but it's still not any fun to get the heave-ho between Christmas and Hogmanay, on the night of your housewarning." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

Re: WHAT'S THAT HORRIBLE NOISE?

left_magpie
2017-12-31 08:48 pm UTC (link)

Gregor laughs. "Well, they are professional musicians, which means they're on key and on tempo, which makes this 200% better than most rugby singalongs. But it also means they know the most non-Hogwarts friendly songs."

Behind him, the band proves his point, this time in four part do-wop harmony. "I'd say 'I've created a monster', but I think they created themselves."

"This place looks like it's a blast. So many nice people. I've been neglecting your side of the party in favor of your neighbors, who let me in to listen to the wireless and play along with the carols. You should totally get to know them."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

Re: WHAT'S THAT HORRIBLE NOISE?

lionhearts
2017-12-31 09:00 pm UTC (link)

Florrie is still giggling at the music.

"Whoever's over there will be round here in a while. We're always in and out and I've got to know them. I think they like me because I always buy extra bog roll after Meaghan nicks theirs," Florrie explains. "Also I use hospital grade soundproof charms when they throw a party. I think I may be the oldest one here by five or six years but sometimes I feel like I'm their mum. Or at least their big sister."

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Re: WHAT'S THAT HORRIBLE NOISE?

left_magpie
2017-12-31 10:06 pm UTC (link)

"This next one is scottish!", a different singer called out, behind them. "Four and twenty virgins came down from Inverness, and when the ball was over there were four and twenty less..." Gregor didn't think Florrie would appreciate that one, either.

"Their hotter big sister, who sometimes lets them borrow her clothes? I can see that. Or is it merely because the kinds of people who play professional quidditch are somehow eternally in need of a big sister? Meaghan, or 'Mega-Hen' (as we called her when we were out of her hearing), was in the tower a few years behind me and if you think she needs a big sister now, you should've seen her as a 5th year."

"It's strange. I played in school with so many of the current scottish starters, not just Meaghan, but Mad Duck, Jason, the Campbells, the Savages, Dunny Oglethorpe, and I feel like I'm a million years older than they are, despite the fact that I make my living acting out silly jokes in a bird costume."

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Re: WHAT'S THAT HORRIBLE NOISE?

lionhearts
2018-01-01 03:33 am UTC (link)

"You've done a lot in the last few years. Even Meaghan, who's done quite a bit more than you might expect, hasn't done as much as you." Florrie sighed as she pondered where her quidditch mates were: retired, returning from retirement, or worse.

"I played at the same time as Oighrig MacDonald and Lorna was my Captain. And Potter was our Seeker. James, of course." Which was a depressing thought, so Florrie finished the wine in her glass (not that much) down to the dregs.

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Re: WHAT'S THAT HORRIBLE NOISE?

left_magpie
2018-01-01 03:49 am UTC (link)

"I did what I had to. But every time I think I have my life figured out, at least for a little while, life likes to remind me who is and who isn't in the conductor of this particular train."

Seeing her empty glass, not to mention another mine in the waters ahead, Gregor changed the subject again. "Shall we get another? After my earlier musical-battle with The Megahen, I'm afraid to return to the house without an escort."

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	Re: WHAT'S THAT HORRIBLE NOISE? lionhearts 2018-01-01 03:58 am UTC (link)
	"Aye. It's about time to switch to coffee anyroad. And consider potions for tomorrow's hangover to boot. I reckon if ever I'm going to get royally pissed, a night I don't have to apparate home is the time to do it." She started to push herself to her feet on her high heels to escort Gregor in past her housemate. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

Re: WHAT'S THAT HORRIBLE NOISE?

left_magpie
2018-01-01 08:35 am UTC (link)

"Singing always sobers me up. I think it's the performance rush of it plus all the extra air I breathe. It used to be a useful talent when we had to make sure we got paid after gigs. Less useful than being six-foot-five would be, but still."

He held out his hand to help her up if she wanted it, "and I wanted to thank you for helping with Lynn last week. I know both she and I felt more confident because she had a grown woman she could speak to for anything.

"What I'm saying is it's nice to have friends for backup, because this is a new game for me."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

Re: WHAT'S THAT HORRIBLE NOISE?

lionhearts
2018-01-01 07:47 pm UTC (link)

Florrie accepted the help, because even with all the charms, the heels were still not what she was used to, and she'd rather have the help than a twisted ankle. "Ah, you're quite welcome, you and Lynn both. I'm glad we're friends as well, and that she'll have all the help she needs.

She thought about it for a moment as she started to pick her way carefully up the stairs into the house, and added, "Why don't you bring her round on New Year's and let me introduce her round to the house, and if you're early enough you'll be our first footing and our luck for the year."

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