masquerade ball

First topic message reminder :

I pm'd elfie and asked and she said it was fine as it will get people into the spirit for the big masquerade event later on.

so here we are, a masquerade ball


::the great hall was decorated with a spectacular array of lights and tinsel as it awaited the arrival of the students in masks::

::She walked into the hall, mask on her face, wondering whether anyone would recognise her::

(

Boggartntheclost wrote:

...and he hadn't made an arse of himself...though there was still time for him to do that....

*laughs* Nice...)

"So...." Elana said, cocking her head to look up at Drake. "What are we supposed to do now?"

::She looked around her and saw many friends of hers in a group, all unmasked. She smiled at them, waving her fingers. 'Can you believe this!?' she mouthed. I know I can't. She laughed slightly, looking down at her mask.::

(Isn't it though?)

"That's a good question." He chuckled and looked around, running a hand through his hair. "Reckon the ball's gonna be over soon?" He arched a questioning brow and looked back to Elana. Man this was something. He followed her gaze to her riends and he offered a smile and a small wave. He recognized a few, but didn't really know any of them.

Adam seemed to have died or something, so Ginny walked around the room. She turned around and laughed and waved at Jesse.

"Shocker of shockers..." the red head murmured to herself as she kept on marching across the Great Hall. Her brown eyes looked up and saw Kitty calling her name and she chuckled. Then however, Ginny was dragged over to the dance floor by Skully. Giggling she moved her feet to the pounding music.

"Wooohooo! Oh thanks Lifey! I love yours too." Out of the corner of her eye she saw Elana (aka Peanut, her daughter) hanging around with a boy she didnt know. The maternal instincts in her reared up and she turned to Jesse, Elana's adoptive father (well he is ^.^).

"A-hem, Elana is with a boy. You wanna go over or should I?"

(RUN BOGGY!! The parents are coming!)

(Mum, you're embarrassing me! *blushes and giggles*)

::Oh no, Elana thought worridly, eyes widening as she saw her Mum come back into the hall and spot her. It's too late to hide, she saw me already! What do I do? She turned to Drake.::

"My Mum's coming over," she whispered, looking up appologetically. "She's- erm- a bit protective of me (I am her Peanut after all) so she might not like- well, of course she'll like you," she added hurridly. "But just so you're warned, she's won the dueling tournament before and isn't nice to be around when angry."

::She smoothed down the creases in her royal blue dress, looking at the floor. Why oh why did this have to happen?!::

(No, it really was a good idea Gin, I like it. *laughs* Poor Boogy!)

(o.o)

As the smile still played on his lips Drake looked over his shoulder as Elana warned him of her mum. "Oh, bloody hell." Those emerald eyes suddenly grew panicked as he looked back to Elana. "What do I do?" His left hand dove into his coat pocket and fumbled with his wand awkwardl(Don't kill Boggy!)

"No, no put it away!" Elana said, flustered and now bouncing back and forth on the balls of her feet. "That'll make her angry! Wait- then again maybe it won't, since it would be like you're protecting yourself which is good to know." She let out a small muffled wail of despair. "Just act natural." She reached over and squeezed Drake's hand, giving him a reasuring look. She put on a bright smile and waited for her Mum to get to them. The poor guy...::

He didn't actually have the thing out yet...just thinking about it. It was still tucked away in his pocket. He had enough of a hard time with his own parents nonetheless the parents of a girl he had been spending a little more than just friendly time with. "N-natural?" Those emerald eyes reflected nothing but panic as he waited for the girl's mum to march over and whack him a good one.

::Lifey, finally noticing that the party was about to liven up a bit, was torn::

::she desparatly wanted to watch the show (she had a feeling gin would win, mums always do), but she didn't wan Lana's night to be ruined.::

"Gin, your little girl is growing up"

::she tried to reason calmly, all the while holding her brother Jesse by the back of the shirt as he was struggling to tear after the couple and was muttering a the distinctive phrase 'limb from limb'::

"Jesse! Sit" ::she commanded, pointing to a chair in a corner with her free hand:: "Gin! don't be overly protective, i'm sure he's very nice."

::She had a feeling that neither parent would listen to her.::

::She was right, Gin went tearing past her towards her daughter.::

"Well at least don't kill him!" ::Lifey yellled after her, grabbing some punch and popcorn to watch the fight.::

::Elana kept the smile on her face, but it didn't reach her worry filled eyes. Oh Mum, we didn't do anything but dance, talk and drink punch! she thought. Don't kill him! She noticed Lifey go over to Ginny and Jesse, and gave a sigh of relief. But Gin wasn't giving up that easily. Thanks for trying Lifers, she thought, making eye contact with her. She sighed, wondering if she was going to have to make a trip to the Hospital Wing that night.::

::Lifey looked at lana and shrugged apologetically.::

'I tried' ::she mouthed, looking worried,::

::Lifey wondered where allof her friends had gone and if anyone was still willing to talk to her.::

::she was bored again and starting to feel lonely::

::Elana quickly slid over a few feet, coming in front of Drake so her mother would have to talk to her first.::

"Hey Mum," she said, a pleasant expression covering her worry as Gin came to them. "My, don't you look wonderful! That dress is divine! Is something wrong?" she asked, "just noticing" how angry her mother was. She hoped that Gin wouldn't explode.::

Drake was speechless. I don't want to die. He wrung his leather gloved hands nervously as the woman stalked over to them. Keep it cool, Drake.He offered a smile though it was very awkward as he stood there, Elana now infront of him acting as a bumper between he and her mother. He took one step to the side and leveled himself up alongside Elena, bowing lightly. "Evening, ma'am. You look lovely this evening."

::Lifey quickly ducked out of the hall. She didn't want to be hit by an explosion of angry mother that is gin.::


"dear lord please let the innocent lives be saved tonight. it was just a simple dance" ::She prayed aloud:

(lol Lifers! Ah, Gin, if it helps, let's pretend my complete name is Elana Lynn Richardson :D )

"Evening, ma'am. You look lovely this evening."

::Wow, he was put into the right house. Not many people are brave enough to approach Mum when she's like this. She saw him come even with her and the slight bow, and began to hope. She had to admit that if she wasn't Gin's daughter, she wouldn't be standing here, all innocent looking. She would have run off to the Tower.::

::But then, Elana saw her auntie run out of the hall, and her heart filled with dread. She was fingering a fold in her dress where she had hidden her wand, just in case. When she had gotten the dress, there was no where to put her wand, and she didn't want to carry it around in a purse all night long, so she had just taken a fold and sewed it together so it was just big enough to hold her wand. You couldn't tell from the outside that there was a wand hidden inside, and Elana hoped that she wouldn't have to take it out.::

::Goat walked down the hall taking a couple moments to stop and adjust his new tie that accented his pearly gray and nicely pressed formal suit. He then saw a girl who looked like a very nice person and said hi to her.He then bowed in a gentleman type of manner and said::

Hi, I saw there was a ball so I came to check it out. Do you have a date?"

::Ginny brushed past Lifey and walked over to Elana and that guy who was daring to stand near her (hehe poor Boggy!) She smiled slightly as both of the guilty parties complimented her appearance.::

"Thank you, you both look lovely as well. Now Elana Lynn Richardson, care to tell me who this young man is?" ::her smile remained sweetly intact, but her arms folded and her foot tapped impatiently. The red had head on her best "Answer truthfully or by hexed" look.::

Jess coughed and looked at herself in the mirror. She had fallen asleep in the bathroom on the conveint couch and she woke up hearing a load of ruckess going on in the dance. She straightened her dress and mannaged her hair as much as possible then headed out only to step into a world of havoc. Wondering what in the world is giong on she just stared at the chaos.

"Hey Mum," Elana said warrily, hand not straying from her hidden wand. "Erm, this is Drake, you may know him as Boggy." She took a big breath and continued, "We met earlier tonight when we were still masked and he asked me if I wanted to dance with him and of course I said yes and so we danced and then had some punch then went outside and talked about the QWT and Quidditch then came back inside and danced again and then there was the unmasking and then I saw you and you came over and are now asking me questions!" she said in one breath. She had noticed her mother's look, and decided that nothing could be gained by being untruthful. She gave her Mum a look that said, quite truthfully, "And nothing else happened."

::She nodded while uncrossing her arms and pulling her wand out of a random pocket of nowhere::

"Oh, is that so?" ::she asked sweetly.::

::Elana's eyes widened to their full extent as Gin took out her wand. She had heard that tone of voice before when Gin was extreemly angry at one of her sons or daughters.::

"Now Mum," Elana said, her voice becoming higher and shaky as she took half a step backwards. "Let's be reasonable, shall we?"

::Ginny chuckled::

"I am being reasonable. I haven't hexed him yet, have I?"

::Lifey looked up from where she had been spying on boggy, lana, and gin::

::A nice man was talking to her. she blinked and smiled slightly::

"Hello, and no, i don't have a date, makes for a bit of a boring ball...."

::She trailed off::

"Yet?! YET?! What are you- Mum, please!" She again placed herself between her slightly crazed Mum (jk...you know I love you Gin Gin ) and Boggy. "I'm a growing up Mum, you have to accept that!"

"Indeed it does. Well I haven't a date either and so if you'd like to be mine I'd be honored."

::He smiled though he was nervous::

::Ginny smiled down at her daughter, although her brown eyes remained fixed on Boggy. She patted her peanut on the head and said::

"Of course you are. And I'm so proud to know that you've made it to your age (haha love you Peanut!) but I just need to make sure that your friend here is safe for my grown up daughter to hang out with!"

"I'd love to be your date"

::She looked flattered and happy::

::Elana scowled, crossing her arms stubbornly. Have to get back at her for that for sure...but how? She had many ideas, but was too good to do them. Curse my modesty...::

"Mum," she said, eyes narrowing and color rising in her cheeks as her anger grew, "do you not trust my judgement? Do you not trust me?" Guilt time...::

::The mother seemed startled.::

"Not trust you and your judgement? Why of course I do trust you and your judgement. It's his I want to see if I have issues with." ::Ginny gestured with her wand at Boggy once more::

"Well," Elana said, happy that she was finally gaining some ground in this argument, "If you trust my judgement, then you should trust the choices I make. That includes the people I chose to talk to."

::She smirked slightly, raising an eyebrow. Take that Mum.::

"Well of course I trust you to talk to him. But I just don't trust him to talk back!" ::Ginny said with a slight smirk right back at Elana. She wasn't the mother of 23 kids for nothing, after all.::

(OC: Yoohoo? Boggy?)

::Damn, Elana thought, trying with dificulty to not let her expression give away the defeat she was beginning to feel.::

"I- erm- well," she said, looking up at Drake/Boggy for backup. Help me, please! she thought frantically, eyes telling him instead of words. She mustn't win... She bit her lip, worrying, but was determined not to give up yet.::

(Sorry, I've had a few busy days at work!)

Drake had stood and watched the argument for a long time...it took a long while for the shock of Ginny being upon them with a wand drawn for the shock to wear off. He looked over at Elana with those emerald eyes which were no longer panicked, but calm and collected and those eyes smiled. Its ok. Were all they said. "Ma'am." He turned to Ginny and offered a small smile. "I know you have no reason in this world to trust me, but please allow me the opportunity to prove to you that I am." Come on Drake, keep at it! He slipped his black leather mask into his pocket and looked at Ginny.

::Jen popped out from nowhere in a lavender ballgown and a sparkly silver mask in her left hand.::

"Whoops," she said with a guilty grin. "I got carried away with homework and completely forgotten about the ball, Seems I've missed everything!" Glancing from glaring Ginny, to a flustered Elana, to a nervous Drake behind her, Jen pieced everything together.::

"Why Elana you look gorgous! And you've found someone nice to go to the ball with." Jen exclaimed as she placed a hand on Ginny's wand arm to hold her from making an rash movements. "It's so boring to go alone. Aren't you happy Elana's having a good time Ginny?" She gave Elana and Drake a slight wink as she tried to calm Ginny down.::

What a relife! Someone had come to...step in. "Evening, Jen." He smiled, all the while his eyes remaining on Ginny.

::Jen smiled warmly at Drake.::

"Evening to you to Drake!" she exclaimed cheerfully. "Ginny, I've been meaning to talk to you about some Hufflepuff business. And look the ball's almost ending! Why don't you two go dance one more time before the night ends? Go over to the speakers over there." Jen waved Elana and Drake back to the dancefloor.

Whispering slightly to Drake, "Go wayy over there at the other end of the room. I can probably hold her off for only one song. So enjoy yourselves. Ginny!" Jen said in a louder voice. "Let's go talk to Elfie about hosting another ball while they dance! I bet we could convince her to kidnap Zac Effron into singing here!"

(It's ok Drake, Just getting kinda anxious)

::Elana held his gaze and was immediately comforted, and relaxed a bit.::

"Ma'am, I know you have no reason in this world to trust me, but please allow me the opportunity to prove to you that I am."

::But before Gin had a chance to reply, Jenn came in (!!!).::

"Whoops," said Jenn. "I got carried away with homework and completely forgotten about the ball, Seems I've missed everything. Why Elana you look gorgous! And you've found someone nice to go to the ball with. It's so boring to go alone. Aren't you happy Elana's having a good time Ginny?" She gave Elana and Drake a slight wink as she tried to calm Ginny down.::

::Elana returned the wink, trying to hold in her giggles. Jenn was her savior, there was no doubt about that. Before she could return the complement and thank her properly, Drake spoke.::

"Evening, Jen."

"Evening to you to Drake! Ginny, I've been meaning to talk to you about some Hufflepuff business. And look the ball's almost ending! Why don't you two go dance one more time before the night ends? Go over to the speakers over there." Jen waved Elana and Drake back to the dancefloor. "Go way over there at the other end of the room. I can probably hold her off for only one song. So enjoy yourselves. Ginny!" Jen said in a louder voice. "Let's go talk to Elfie about hosting another ball while they dance! I bet we could convince her to kidnap Zac Effron into singing here!"

::Elana blinked a few times, trying to believe that that had really happened. 'I love you Jen' Elana mouthed greatfully to her friend.::

"Oh my goodness!" she exclaimed loudly, pointing to the other end of the hall. As many curious eyes found her, she shouted, "HARRY POTTER!"

::She watched gleefully as a swarm of fangirls rushed towards the spot she had pointed to. A perfect distraction, she thought, a large grin spreading itself across her face. She grabbed Boggy/Drake's hand and gave a tug.::

"Wanna dance?" she asked. "Because if you do this is probably going to be our last time."

::Jen grinned at Elana's tactics and strolled over to the punch bowl. Pouring herself a glass, she quietly sipped the drink as she tapped her foot to the beat of the music.::

::Ginny grudgingly allowed herself to be lead away, but had perked up with the Zac Efron thing. She opened her mouth to Jenn to suggest possible tactics with which they could kidnap him from California when she heard someone shout "HARRY POTTER"::

"Where?! Outta my way girlies!!" ::She darted into the throng and fought her way into the middle, accidentally setting off a few stunning spells on those who dared get in her way.::

"Hey...there's no Harry Potter here!" ::the red head shouted with a pout. Ginny looked up and saw that Elana was...dancing with that Boggy guy! Her grip tightened on her wand, but then she paused and decided to give him this chance. He had after all, asked very nicely.::

"Well, you better impress me boy..." ::Ginny whispered to herself, walking over to a far corner of the Great Hall, her brown eyes never leaving the pair::

Whew. They were out of the woods atleast temporarily. "That would be great." He followed on Elena's heels as she drug him back out to the dance floor. "Nice move." He watched all the fangirls...and Ginny run over to the far end of the Hall, scrambling over a non-existant Harry Potter. He smiled and looked down at Elana. "Shall we then?" He took one of her hands in his and placed the other on her waist and fell into the song that was being played. I just hope that after this I don't die.

"Nice move."

::Elana laughed softly, looking over at the chaotic mass of fangirls.::

"Shall we then?"

::She beamed, looking up at him as he took her hand.::

"Why yes, we shall. After all that work it would be a waste not to."

"True." He glanced over his shoulder at Ginny and then back down to Elena. "Have you had a good night?" I know I have. He reflected upon the night and, after they were both over being nervous, the night had actually gone quite smoothly...until her mum put the fear of god in him.

::Jen grinned at the sight of the adorable couple dancing in the corner, oblivious to the world. She walked over to Ginny and Life::

"So since I was so late, did I miss anything?" she asked trying to distract Ginny from the pair. "What's happened so far?"

(Jenn...have I told you lately that I love you? )

"Have you had a good night?"

"Better than any I've had before," Elana said truthfully. She was silent for a moment, lost in thought. "But I need you to promise me something," she said, looking up at him.::

He smiled. At least he wasn't totally boring. In fact he had found himself to be rather a mite bit more charismatic than he thought he could be.

"But I need you to promise me something."

He quirked an inquiring brow and looked down at her, emerald eyes fixed upon hers. "Anything."

::Lifey smiled at jenn, and looked around for goat, who seemed to have dissapeared.::

"well, not tooooo much" ::she said, grinning slyly::

"Anything."

::Locking her slightly teary eyes with his, she gave him a small sad smile.::

"I need you to promise me that I won't wake up in a few moments to find that I dreamt this all."

::She couldn't help looking down and closing her eyes, battling for the second time that night to keep the tears inside, wondering if maybe she shouldn't have said that. But she needed reassurance from someone, preferably Drake, that this was not some wonderful fantasy taking place inside her mind. Sure, many parts of the night hadn't been anywhere close to perfect, but where would the 'fantasy' get a plot if there was no conflict, example: Mum's rage and questioning.::

::Nice work, she thought, wishing she could take back her last words. Now he's going to think you've never had anything good happen to you in your entire life. She opened her mouth to speak, then stopped, at a loss of what to say.::

A small smile played at his lips. He himself feared waking up tomorrow and this all being some wonderful vision of his inner mind...and if not, and it really happened, she acting as if he didn't exist anymore. "Don't worry." As he had previously that night, he gently lifted her chin to look into her eyes. "I'm here and this isn't a dream." He lifted the hand he held within his own to his lips and gently kissed the back of it, thinking it wiser than most other possible actions.

(So true...Mum would probably Avada us both Ah well :D )

"Don't worry," He said, lifting her chin to look into his eyes. "I'm here and this isn't a dream."

::Elana returned his gaze with her own emerald eyes and a small smile, glad that she hadn't done anything too stupid. She stood on her tiptoes for a moment to kiss him quickly on the cheek (THE CHEEK MOTHER).::

"Thank you for such a wonderful night," she said softly. And what a night it has been.::

(I don't wanna be Avadaed...noooo)

A slight blush rose to his cheeks by this action, and he no longer had his mask to cover it up. He smiled and ran the hand upon her waist through his hair. "Don't thank me." He was dissapointed to hear the song ending. "I wanted to. I had a great time too...I'd like to spend more time with you." And he hoped that he could...and not be Avada Kevaraed by Ginny.

(omg, this is so sad! Is the ball really ending? We should have an 'After The Ball' thread or something...though I don't know what we would rp about, but I don't want this to go away!!!)

"I would too," Elana said with a smile, part because of his words and part because of the blush. She sighed as the song ended, the last dance of the night the band promised. She looked around the Hall for her Mum and found her looking at her and Drake. She gave Ginny a 'See, I was good' look and turned back to Drake.::

"So..." she said as a few students left the Hall. "Any idea of what happens now?"