Yule Ball

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Yule Ball

In the time-honoured tradition of Hogwarts, we present to you our Yule Ball.

The Great Hall is a resplendant palace of ice, with iridescent lights and sparkling snowflakes all around.

If you participate in the Yule Ball, you can earn housepoints for the following categories, with a maximum of 60 points per person available:
· Outfit: description, picture, doll
· Music Suggestions
· Participation
· RPG style and creativity

Have fun!

"Do you have anyone you still talk to from your city?" Rista asked. She knew she may be pushing her luck, but she hoped this question wouldn't upset Shadow. Maybe it wouldn't be viewed as prying. That wasn't her intention, anyway.

"The city... doesn't exist anymore." Shadow bowed her head, biting back her sorrow. "The only other people who came from there are Elna, my guardian, and my sister."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Rista said, sincerely. "Do you still see them?" She added.

"Elna, yes, my sister, no."

"I don't have any siblings, so I can't quite understand what it would be like to lose that connection. I have aunts, uncles, and other relatives who only communicate with my family when necessity dictates it," Rista said. "Were you close to her?"

"No, we were kept apart. All I knew about her was that she was my sister."

"What about your guardian? Elna was her name?" Rista continued.

"Yes, she helps me with controlling my magic. When I had to leave the city, she came with me."

"Is your magic different, then?" Rista asked. "I would love to meet her, would that be allowed?"

"I think so, I only see her when I go back for the summer holidays. She won't let me come back any other time, insisting that 'I need to get a grip on myself and find some friends'." Shadow smiled at this point.

Rista laughed. "She sounds like a nice woman. Do you like sushi?" Rista asked, offering Shadow a piece. "The bit on top is just egg, so it's not raw fish or anything intimidating like that."

"I've seen and eaten a lot worse where I come from, believe me!" Shadow moved a piece of lettuce on her plate to reveal some sushi as well.

"Oh, good! Someone who won't wrinkle her nose at my food tastes! Almost everyone here thinks I'm crazy. Although I guess eating fish eggs and raw eel would seem a little odd to someone who'd never done it. They don't agree with my stomach, but it's worth it!"

Rista said this all in one breath. She was just so excited about the prospect of founding a possible kindred spirit.

"Whoa, don't you ever feel the need to breath?" Shadow joked, "you wouldn't even touch the stuff I used to eat! And judging by the way you eat that stuff, I suppose that's saying something."

"I don't know. There's a muggle television show (are you very familiar with t.v.?) anyway, it's Star Trek, and there were some strange foods I always wanted to try. It was just because of the fascination I hold for different cultures," Rista replied.

"I like to talk. Being an only child, I don't have many people to talk to at home."

(My cab will be here soon, so I'll say goodbye in advance. It probably won't be for another half hour, though. Just in case I disappear abruptly.)

"We don't even have a TV. They don't exist on Synairn." Shadow clapped a hand to her mouth.

Rista followed suit and skipped over what Shadow had let slip. It was clear it was something she didn't want people knowing about for one reason or other. Still, the name was familiar. Like a forgotten dream.

"Well, this show had a whole bunch of people from different planets. Some of them worked together and others fought. Pretty much like it is with the real world, just a much larger known population," Rista said. "It's my dad's favorite. I practically cut my teeth on the series."

"Anyway, once we finish eating, do you want to dance a little more." Rista had a feeling that Shadow would not feel like talking anymore about herself. She wanted to avoid the wall that seemed likely to come back up.

"Sure." Shadow slipped back into her way of not talking about anything related to herself.

Rista continued to eat in silence. She had something she was bursting to tell the whole world, but she was afraid that if she did, something would go wrong.

Shadow sensed that there was something that Rista was hiding.
"What's wrong?" She asked.

"Oh nothing. I promised myself I wouldn't tell anyone, but I can't keep it to myself. My mum's going to have a baby!" She said a little louder than she meant. Several people turned to look at her.

"Good for you! I hope your closer to your sibling than I ever was to my sister."

"I'm looking forward to having someone else in the family. My mum and dad are great, but it does get lonely after a while," Rista said.

"I'm not surprised, I'm used to being alone, because I was raised alone."

"I'm glad you were allowed to come here. I'm amazed that your guardian didn't want you to continue your training alone. Or is it your guardian who kept you isolated?" Rista asked.

"It was the ruler of the city who decided to keep me in isolation. My guardian sent me here because she was afraid that I wouldn't develop proper social skills. Like anyone would actually want to know me."

"Hey! Would I be talking to you if no one wanted to know you?" Rista asked. "Why wouldn't people want to get to know you? You're nice and, to be honest, the mystery you hold strikes the curiosity."

"You don't know where I came from yet."

Zelda walked across the room and got some more water...

"Well, that's true. But I don't think it would matter to me anyway," Rista replied to Shadow. "I think I'm going to get some butterbeer. Do you want anything?"

Zelda looked at the bar tender and heard what Rista and Shadow where saying. Zelda walked over to the two with two butter beers.. " I heard you say that you wanted butter beer.. " Here is two." Zelda said.

"Oh, thank you," Rista said, taking one. "Saves me the trouble of getting up." She opened it and took a long drink then said, "Are you having fun?"

" Yes... " Zelda said as she gave a butter beer to Shadow and than drank from her water.. " My I sit with you two?" Zelda asked.

"It's fine by me. Shadow?" Rista asked.

Zelda waited for Shadows reply. ( I have to go. I problem will not be on for a day or two or maybe just tomorrow. I have a lot of school stuff going on Aka clarinet.)

Rista sat their and sipped her butterbeer while she awaited confirmation from her friend. (okay. see ya soon. I played clarinet too, but was not very good)

"No, I'm fine thanks."

" Okay." Zelda said as she took out her wand and flicked it and the bottle disappeared. Zelda looked at Shadow and than sat down. " so are you two having a good time?" Zelda asked.

"Yeah, good enough."

" So?" Zelda said.

"So what?"

" I don't know what to do." Zelda said.

"Neither do I,"

"Well," Rista started, coming out of her own little world, "I think I'm going to go dance."

" Okay.." Zelda said.

"I don't know. Not much else to do. Have you noticed that this place seems to be mostly female?" Rista asked.

" Yes I have noticed that.... I don't have a boyfriend either." Zelda said.

The ball is now over.

As promised, everyone who participated earns 60 points!

Gryffindor
SilverLady: 60
hppamela: 60

Hufflepuff
Vulcan/Blackjack: 60
jennifer williams: 60
Snape Luffer: 60
kjmut: 60

Ravenclaw
stephy: 60
Elana: 60
polly: 60

Slytherin
ag167: 60
kathrineee_anne: 60
Shadow Granger: 60