The Grand Ball, all are welcome!

[Tyler]

(Pad gave me permission to GODmove Tristan…Thank you very much! And GOD MY MUSE IS KILLING ME! Sorry for the suckish post)

Tyler smiled at the clothes comment. He had put a lot of work into this outfit. Tyler looked in front of him. No one was in the common room besides Tristan and him, so he moved his hand into Tristan’s hand. Tyler smiled and started walking with him. They walked rather quickly, because they were a good twenty minutes late as is. As they walked up the stairs from the cold dungeon, of where the Hufflepuff common room was hidden behind a portrait of food, Tyler started to hear the chatter of students and the music of some Wizard Rock band he didn’t know the name of. He and Tristan took a right before they hit the doors and started to walk up alternate stairs.

Tyler knew these stairs well. From being in Hogwarts for six years, Tyler found these stairs quite useful to avoid the morning rush of students from the Great Hall. These stairs emptied directly in the wall just behind the Grand Staircase. This way Tristan and Tyler could make the Grand Entrance, they deserved. As the climb the stairs the music and chatter got louder and louder until it seemed at an almost roar at the fake wall. Tyler smiled at Tristan, who was slightly taller than he was, and said, “Ready?” Waiting a few seconds for the reply from Tristan and accepting it. Tyler pushed the wall open and a wall of light hit the both of them.

They stepped out into the light holding hands.

[padfoot!]

Before they left the common room, Tyler took hold of Tristan’s hand, and intertwining their fingers, he gripped it back, a little hint of nervousness there still. He had pretty much made this decision on his own, and he thought Tyler was worth it, but he was just getting ready for the swarm of questions and pranks and people trying to ridicule him for the sexuality he has chosen, but he figured for this boy, it would be worth it. He would not be expecting all this if it were not for the fact that he was a famed Quidditch player among the school, much like Sirius Potter, only not quite as popular, but still none the less. As the two of them, still hand in hand, left the now deserted common room, he took in one last calming type breath, and he felt Tyler give his hand a reassuring squeeze, and the boys left for the walk to the Great Hall where the night’s events were taking place.

As they walked through the halls, Tristan was still thinking far too much about what the other kids in the dance would think of him after tonight. He needed something to distract him, something to take his mind off that. Knowing they were already gives or takes twenty minutes late for the ball, he almost regretted his sudden impulse to do this, but he did it anyways. He stopped dead in his tracks, and tugged at Tyler’s hand. The dark haired boy kind of looked at him questioningly and Tristan smiled at him. He pulled him closer to him, and his bright blue eyes looked right in his, and he gently let his lips fall against the others. Yes, it was one of many kisses the two had shared since Tristan had first come out, but it was one of the first in a place they might possibly be seen, and at this point, Tristan was sure he did not want to turn back.

“Come on,” he said softly, and the two started on random back ways through the halls and down stairs until they reached the entrance hall. When they did, Tristan felt the butterflies flip in his stomach once more, but this time he did not get scared and shy away from it, instead he looked down to Tyler, who was just the tiniest bit shorter than himself. ‘Ready?’ Tyler asked him, and with a small nod, he said, “Well it’s now or never, so I guess now.” Tyler accepted his answer and pushed open the door, and the dance was filled with people, all of whom Tristan pretty much knew. Weather it be friends or foes, there was near a thousand people or more, and at first, no heads turned, they just assumed someone was arriving late to the dance, no big deal. But then, when they realized it was two boys, and they were linked by intertwined fingers, the whispering began to start. Tristan ignored it as a few couples pointed, and some younger kids tried to hide whispers behind their hands –like that wasn’t obvious. The two boys walked into the dance, and were ready to have a good time, and Tristan lead Tyler into the room by the hand, trying to act as though they were the only ones there.

[Eri]

Estrella watched as Sirius stepped up to the plate to defend his team. Smiling she listened to his insults with dancing hazel eyes; oh how she loved a good test of wits. She was a little surprised when he gave her an extremely charming smile and was hard pressed not to return it with a flirtatious one of her own.

Once she had heard his piece Estrella shook her head and stepped up so she had to crane her neck—though not much seeing as she did stand at five feet nine inches—back to look up into his charming gray eyes.

“You know,” she mused, “you can’t be all that intelligent because, if you hadn’t noticed, you just rephrased what I just said. Can’t you come up with your own insults?”

Before he could interrupt she leaned in to whisper so only he could hear, “Maybe I like you too much to insult you.” Leaning away she continued in a louder voice, “You are so on. All you’ve got to do is name the time, if you have the guts.” They were almost nose to nose now and Estrella suddenly had the overwhelming urge to kiss him full on the lips, but didn’t, mainly because she though the heart attacks everyone would have suffered would make the evening unenjoyable.

Rose had seen the way Sirius’ eyes had changed from defensive to charming in a split second and the wink he’d given to Estrella. Rose knew for a fact that most of the female population would have killed, and gladly, to have Sirius Potter, Gryffindor quidditch star and hottest guy in the school, look at them like that. Rose also knew that Estrella was not one of those girls, but rather the select few (mainly his relations) that gagged at just the thought, so she was surprised when Estrella blushed rather than scowled.

With curious gray eyes Rose watched the interactions of her two best friends. There was obviously something going on there and she intended to find out. If Estrella didn’t tell her Rose would drag the information from Sirius with brute force.[/color][/center]

[Holly]

Isabel was about to reply when a couple walked in. She glanced up and instantly her eyes turned to stone. "Oh shit,"she muttered angrily. So this was what had been bothering Tristan. This was why he had been avoiding her. "Excuse us for a moment,"she said stiffly. Managing to force a fake smile, she grabbed Allison's arm and marched up to Tristan and Tyler. "May I have a word?" she asked through clenched teeth.

Allison turned to see what Isabel was cursing at and she gasped. Tristan was there holding hands with Tyler Wataloe! As Isabel pulled her towards Tristan, Allison could see the hurt and anger in her best friend's eyes. Isabel had ALWAYS told Tristan everything and now he hadn't told her something extremely important. Allison hoped that, for his sake, Tristan knew what he had gotten himself into.

[Eri]

Rose, deciding to break up Estrella and Sirius before the tension in the air suffocated them all, reached up and placed a hand on Estrella’s shoulder. Immediately Estrella’s hazel eyes broke contact with Sirius’ gray ones and whipped around to look down into Rose’s.

“Come one,” Rose said. “Let’s go dance.” With that Rose dragged Estrella by the wrist towards the dance floor and away from Sirius.

[/color]

font]Estrella smirked at Sirius before allowing Rose to drag her away. Just as she was about to enter the churning, pulsating mass of hyped up, adrenaline-filled students she chanced a wistful look over her shoulder but was then swallowed by the crowd. [/font]

Within five seconds of stepping onto the dance floor Estrella was dancing with a very handsome seventh-year Gryffindor while Rose was close by with a sixth-year Hufflepuff. Both girls were having a good time but Estrella couldn’t shake the guilty twinge that plagued her stomach as she moved seductively to the beat.

The next song that came on made Rose and Estrella grin at each other. Whoever was the D.J. must like old muggle songs, they thought as Shakira’s Hips Don’t Lie blasted through the Hall. Simultaneously the two best friends moved toward each other and began to dance, moving their hips in tight, alluring circles. Soon a circle had formed around the them and Estrella stepped up.

Estrella could feel quite a few hormonal guys’ eyes on her as she stepped into the middle of the circle but she didn’t care. Dancing to her was like flying but without a broom. It made her feel powerful; that she could draw the attention of so many always surprised and delighted her.

With seductive circles of her hips and alluring hand motions she captivated the imagination of almost all of the boys in the circle. She danced that way for the first verse then switched to belly dancing for the second. By the time the third verse came around she was ready for a break. A glance was all that was needed to signal for Rose to take over.

Rose danced off to one side of the circle as Estrella took center stage. She didn’t mind really. After all that tension with Sirius it was obvious Estrella needed to blow off some steam and Rose always loved to see that fire in Estrella’s bright hazel eyes when her friend danced.
Rose watched as Estrella danced the first and second verses with two different styles and was ready and waiting when she glanced at her, signaling that she was ready to hand the show over.

Rose knew that the boys were watching them switch off and that they were sad to see Estrella go. That won’t last long, she thought. Estrella was a good dancer but Rose was five times better and they both knew it.

With ease Rose began to twirl and shake her hips. Her body was graceful, her eyes closed in ecstasy; oh how she loved the adrenaline rush performing gave her. Nothing could make her high like the roar of a good crowd and the feel of many pairs of eyes watching her every move. [/color]

As the song ended Estrella and Rose smiled and hugged each other, panting. Since they hadn’t danced like that in a while their abdomens were a little soar and they were glad that the next song that to come on was a nice, soothing slow one.

With their arms linked together the girls headed off the dance floor, much to the disappointment of their audience. They took seats a round table and watched the pairs hug and sway gently back and forth.[/center]

[padfoot!]

Sirius was pretty calm considering having a banter battle with the one girl he had actually considered wanting to go to the ball with tonight. But beside the point he was angered that she had said his insults were the same, and he planned to correct that. “Okay, so explain to me how while I insulted your team in the same style, that they were the same insults. You called my chasers uncoordinated; I said yours could not throw the Quaffle halfway across the pitch. You said my beaters can’t aim, I said yours wouldn’t be able to hit it if the Bludger sat still. You insulted my seekers broom; I said yours can’t see past his nose, if that. I said your keeper couldn’t save anything if his life depended on it. Those are hardly the same insults, and they are highly my own, while thrown back at you in your own style for lack of enough irritation on my part.”

He sighed, “Rephrasing would have been your chasers can’t fly straight, your beaters can’t hit anyone and your seekers broom is old.” James Sirius Potter, once a smart ass, always a smart ass. No matter how much he wanted to just lean forward and kiss the girl in front of him. Sometimes he just couldn’t help himself and defending his team was just part of him. She then leaned up closer to him, so that only he could hear what she said and with good reasons too. She said that perhaps the reason she had not insulted him was because she liked him too much. With a smile coming across his face he waited for her to speak again once she went back to her normal height. She said he was on, name a time. “I’ll get back to you on that,” he said with another wink, but this one he did not have to hide because his friends would pretty much think he was being sarcastic with it.

Then Rose did what she thought was the smartest idea for the situation and grabbed Estrella and dragged her out to the dance floor. Sirius watched as she danced with another Gryffindor, which surprised some people but you could tell she was just being flirty, especially when her and Rose started trading off during the chorus of an old song from the muggle world. He watched as though mesmerized for only a few seconds but forced himself to tear his eyes away for everyone would know it was not his cousin Rose he was looking at. He thought for a moment; he had to get Estrella and him outside the dance, and alone would be optimal. When the girls were done with their dance and a slower song came on, the crowd around them died and the couples paired off and started to sway back and forth in each others arms. Sirius fingered his pocket, felt the flask, and pulled it out to sip his firewhiskey, and replaced it momentarily. Then he made his way over to the girls table.

“So, Miss Malfoy, would you care to join me on a walk outside?” he asked her with a flash of his smile and a curious look on his face. “A little chat, captain to captain, or something of the sort,” he said to her and he watched her carefully. “What could it hurt, right?” he asked and he turned to walk away, looking over his shoulder to see if she was getting up to come with him.

During the big dance off with Rose Weasley and Estrella Malfoy even Teddy and Victorie had watched, and found it most interesting. Teddy had magnified his voice once more when it was over and said, “Thanks for the awesome entertainment from Miss Weasley and Miss Malfoy!” and the whole room seemed to applaud.

Tristan seemed less nervous now, everyone seemed to be freaked out a little, but he figured he could ignore it. But the one thing he was dreading happened. Isabel came over to him, red faced and angry. ‘May I have a moment?’ she asked him and he nodded. “I’ll be right back, Tyler.” He said and excused himself and took his sister by the arm, keeping it just him and her. “Sorry Alley, but I need to talk to my sister alone. Tyler will keep you company, right Ty?” and without waiting for a response he walked off with his sister.

“Bel, before you even get close to freaking out on me; let me tell you I tried to tell you. And I chickened out more or less. I know you probably hate me now, and that’s basically what I was afraid of in telling you. I wasn’t going to come tonight, especially not with him, but I really wanted to. Just looking at you, you’re probably more made about not knowing than the truth itself, but either way, don’t hate me,” he pleaded to his twin sister, and glared at some third years that were laughing in his direction. With his stare on them, they shut up and he looked back to his sister with a look of slight desperation on his face… Please Bel, he thought to himself waiting for her to freak out on him.

[Tyler]

From then on Tyler allowed Tristan to take the lead. He knew that Tristan was ready by the way he kissed Tyler in the hallway just after leaving the Common Room. At first there was little reaction, and then only the people in the first 4 rows even noticed that two guys were holding hands. Whispers started to fly as “Hips Don’t Lie” started to blare. Tyler thought, ~What an odd DJ.~ Quickly after Isabel and her friend Allison came up to the couple.

‘May I have a moment?’

Suddenly Tristan was dragged off and her friend Allison was left. Tyler smiled as if he knew everything was going to be okay. From the anger Tristan’s twin sisters eyes, and voice Tyler knew there would be some shouting. A whisper floated into Tyler’s ears as he waited for Tristan, “Is this some bad joke, or a spell?” Tyler turned to head to see a third year Hufflepuff and her date talking. Instantly he recognized the guy as one of the chasers of the Quiddich team. He started toward Tyler. He looked quite angry. The second he got to Tyler he pulled him aside to avoid any eyes and ears.

“Take whatever spell or curse you have on him off, right now!” The guy was almost at a shouting point but refrained just enough not to cause a ruckus. Tyler, quickly taking offence smartly replied, “He’s under a stronger charm than you can break.” By this, Tyler meant love; however, that seemed to make the Hufflepuff even angrier. The Hufflepuff started to take out his wand but Tyler punched him straight in the chest. With that, the Hufflepuff fell to the ground dropping his wand and clutching his chest. He was winded.

It seemed that his date was watching and quickly rushed to his side. She gave him a rather nasty look and went to trying to help her date. “Try again and you’ll find yourself dropping without your broom on the Quiddich field,” and with that Tyler walked back to Allison. Tristan was still talking to his sister and everyone else seemed to have gone about their normal dance activities. “So Allison, right?” Tyler waited for the response. “Who are you here with?” Tyler knew this conversation meant nothing to him, but with Tristan being almost killed by his sister, he had to do something. The punch bowl was yards away and he didn’t want to leave Allison just standing here. She almost looked as if she saw a ghost, or an extremely mad friend.

[Holly]

Isabel stared at her brother her eyes full of hurt. "Tris, you can't even begin to understand how hurt I am. You lied to me. You told me nothing was wrong. How could you do this to me? I'm your twin sister, for crying out loud! We share everything! You've always been my best friend,"she said angrily. At this point, Isabel didn't even care that her voice was rising and people were staring at them.

She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, "Listen,"she said, her voice was quieter but it was trembling. "I don't....I don't care anymore. Just do whatever you want. It's not like you cared what I thought about this anyway," her voice broke on the last word and she fled the Great Hall, her sobs echcoing behind her.

Allison shot Tristan a glare and said, "What the hell did you do, Tris?" Her voice was full of anger, which was rare for sweet, calm, Allison. She raised her wand and angrily said, "Opungo." A flock of birds appeared from nowhere and shot straight at him. As they began to attack, Allison ran from the Great Hall after her friend.

[Katie]

"Of course I've looked foward to this! And so far, this night is perfect, it really is Ted." Tori replied resting her head on his shoulder. She closed her eyes for a minute and felt blissfully happy, she honestly did. She opened her eyes and looed up at Teddy who had kissed her on her cheek. With a sly grin she lifted her head and kissed him softly on the lips and smiled again. "I'm glad we're together again, hot stuff." she giggled.

Then the converstaion shifted back to her cousins, Cameryn and Chase. She let a small sigh, "True, I've been on the recieving end of her temper many times. Usually things are fine after her being angry for a little while. I guess, we should just let them solve it themselves." she said without taking her eyes off of Teddy. She blushed a little when he called her "honey", that was a new one.

She stopped dancing when she saw everyone else had to watch her cousin, Rose and her best friend Estrella do their thing. Victoire shook her head and laughed as she watched them dance. "The hams." she giggled to Teddy. They were really good and it was fun to watch. When they were done Tori called out jokingly "Damn! You girls were fiiiiine!" and winked at Rose.

[Holly]

Isabel blindly ran, crashing into a number of people as she did so. She could hear Allison pounding after her, but she did not slow. It helped that she was so in shape; she could go on running for a while. Slamming through the front doors, Isabel ran towards the lake. When she reached the bank, she collapsed sobbing so hard she couldn't breathe.

Allison ran as fast as she could after her best friend. People were staring as the two of them flew past. Isabel was considerably faster, but Allison ran as hard as she could trying to keep up. She wasn't sure what Isabel would do in her grief, but she knew it couldn't be any good. Isabel collapsed near the lake and Allison arrived a few seconds later, and her mouth dropped open in shock.

She had never seen Isabel in so much pain before; she was lying on the ground, her hands covering her face, her head resting near a large rock as she sobbed. Allison knelt down and tentitivly put her arms around her. Isabel collapsed into Allison, nearly knocking her over. She held her close and made soft shhhh noises as her friend completely broke down.

Leaning back, Allison hugged Isabel tightly; she didn't care about the Ball, or O.J., or anything right now except the fact that Isabel was in immense pain. She'd get back at Tristan for what he had done. She suspected that Isabel's tears had something to do with the fact that Tris had not shared his secret with her. That was Isabel's favorite thing about being a twin: the sharing of secrets.

[Eri]

The two girls sat at their table in silence, enjoying the music and comfortable atmosphere. It didn’t take long for Rose to be asked to dance by a particularly handsome Ravenclaw seventh-year, leaving Estrella to watch the swaying couples alone.

Estrella sipped her punch and surveyed the crowd, thoroughly disinterested. It was always the same at these dances. Rose got a partner which left her sitting by herself (not that Estrella was jealous). She smiled when Teddy Lupin thanked she and Rose for their entertainment but then went back to staring into space, not really paying attention to those around her.

Estrella heard a voice speak to her from her left and snapped her head around, rather startled at the interruption; she had been thinking and analyzing that night by the Black Lake with Sirius. Craning her neck she looked up into the sparkling gray eyes of Sirius himself.

She listened as he talked then nodded her head in ascension to his invitation of a stroll, keeping her face expressionless. When he turned and walked away she assumed she was meant to follow. Carefully, so as not to bump anyone or trip, she followed him through the crowd and out into the nearly empty Entrance Hall. At this point Estrella took the lead and walked outside, turned left and made for a lone Weeping Willow standing thirty yards from the front doors.

Once Estrella reached the Willow she slipped past its hanging branches, which sighed softly at her touch, and settled herself leaning against the trunk. The Willow’s hanging branches shielded them from the view of passers-by and muffled most of the noise spilling from the oak front doors. Turning back she watched to see if Sirius would follow her and desperately hoped that he would because, in her mind, she thought she would probably look very picturesque in her current position.[/center][/b][/color]

[padfoot!]

Tristan felt defeated. His own sister had not reacted as most might expect. Angry and screaming to defeat the opponent in a battle of wits, but instead she screamed and started to cry as she did so. She said so many things, and Tristan’s heart sank at every single one of them. Every time she said something else, he felt more and more guilty. More and more alone… Even if the love of his life and his other half were within five feet of him. Even Allison was mad at him, and that was a first, Allison never seemed to be mad at anyone. (With the exception of the Weasley twins when they pranked the entire Slytherin house.

Isabel stormed out of the Great Hall and Allison quickly followed after her. Feeling lost Tristan looked over to Tyler. His blue eyes, normally filled with sparkling excitement, were now dull in disappointment in himself, for keeping something this important from his sister for all this time. “What do I do now?” he mused to himself and to Tyler as well. He turned to walk away and stopped, looked back to Tyler, grabbed his hand again, and walked them both outside, which was probably a good thing after what just happened between him and one of Tristan’s fellow teammates. When they were in the entrance hall, Tristan collapsed onto the steps with his face buried in his hands.

“Oh my god…” were the only words he could utter but he hoped that Tyler would be at his side as he stressed over what would now happen with his sister. This was not a moment to cry type of defeated, just a stressed I need a drink, type of defeated. And the feeling of just having let down the only person in the world you had once trusted everything to.

Teddy grinned as Tori complimented her cousin Rose and her friend Estrella Malfoy. “You two were excellent, I was not just saying to make it seem more eventful, I swear,” he said with a smile towards them. He then turned his attention back to Victorie, and he smiled at her. “I love you,” he said with a soft tone to his voice that was not normally there. “I am so glad you didn’t move on without me, because you’re the only one in the world for me,” and he kissed her once more, in the middle of the dance floor. Everyone probably thought it was weird that they were teachers now, considering the two looked so similar to the students, not being too much older than them anyways.

When Sirius looked over his shoulder, still inside the Great Hall he noticed she was indeed following, and taking the path that he carefully mapped out for them, his large muscular body making a path for her to follow with less to run into. When they reached the entrance hall, he took notice of his good friend Tyler, and his assumed date, a Quidditch Rival, Tristan Peakes. Tristan seemed pretty upset, but Tyler looked as though he were trying to help him feel better, so he figured it was nothing they had done to one another, other wise he would have stopped to make sure Tyler was okay. They were like brothers after all.

When they reached that far, Estrella took the lead, which he could not help but be a little turned on by. The fact that she was independent enough, and bold enough to lead him to wherever they would talk, where as other girls wait to be led by the hand like a mindless drone. She took them outside and down a long cobbled path until they reached an old Willow with sagging branches, hanging lower than most, all the way past the ground. She pulled them back and walked into the enclosure the tree created for them, and waited for him to do the same.

When he reached her she was leaning against the Willow, because of course its hard to sit in a dress. He could not help but want to kiss her right then and there, just by the provocative site of the Slytherin Beauty. And that is exactly what he did. When he noticed the Willows sad branches fall back behind him, he walked up to her, and gave her one more soft kiss on the lips. “It’s good to see you again,” he said softly in her ear, kissing her neck once, his clean shaven face against her soft pale skin. “And don’t think because I was wasted, that I forgot our night a few weeks ago. I was hoping perhaps we could enjoy each others company once more?” and he surfaced his face, and his grey green eyes, this time not blood shot, but enchanting, looked right at hers as he waited for her answer.

[Katie]

Tori smiled and hugged Teddy close to her. She laughed a bit at his comment to the girls and then looked back up at him again. Her smile widened as soon as he told her that he loved her. Because, those three words just made her night much more perfect. "I love you too." she replied and leaned in to kiss him but he had beaten her to it. She didn't care who was watching, all she cared about was that kiss and how good it felt to be his again. She stopped for a moment and replied mischieviously "Of course, we're like Bonnie and Clyde, or Branjelina...we just go together." she joked and then kissed him once more.

ooc: Sucky post, I know...

[administrators]

The Remainder of the Ball Goes as Told,

The twins are still in a big argument about Chase and Sophie lying, or at least misleading Cam. BUT near the end of the dance, the trio pulled off the miraculous plan they had from the beginning, creating a snow that filled the Great Hall, in each of the colors of the houses as it fell, never hitting the ground, and never feeling cold on anyones skin.

The Peakes twins, are still fighting as well, and Isabella still refuses to talk to Tristan. Tristan is still sorry and confused in the hall with Tyler at his side to comfort him. What was instore for the new couple, only time would tell.

Teddy and Tori, had the rest of the most romantic evening they ever could have imagined. Perfect down the the very last kiss goodnight.

EVERYONE NOT INVOLVED IN THE DRAMA, had the fun night they had been expecting all along! Lots of dancing and food and drinks. Awesome music filled the light air the remainder of the evening until 2 am when the professors (besides Teddy and Tori of course) decided it was time for the night to come to a close.

As for Sirius and Estrella, no one saw the the remainder of the night. No one really knows when they left and could really tell that the left together. It had seemed like it but maybe the had just gone for a breath of fresh air... at the same time?

Well, all in all, I think this was a good close to an excellent night! Keep your eyes open for the next S/D!