Roxanne endured the beginning of the year ceremonies for two reasons. It made her parents happy to see her genuinely excited about something, and because it gave her something to focus on that wasn't the stress of the upcoming year. This would be her sixth year, one left until she had to decide what she would do for the rest of her life and as much as she enjoyed her time at the school she knew that a year wasn't long enough to accomplish every single thing she wanted. She spent as little time on the platform as possible, giving her parents a kiss and a hug goodbye as she raced to find an empty seat to spread out her books on. She was reading ahead, as usual, never content unless she knew everything she could about a subject. She was stuck on divination for the most part, wondering why she ever elected to take such a nonsensical class.
It made zero sense to her, the act of divining the future from things like tea leaves and what not. Whoever had come up with such a thing had no common sense - or so she liked to think.
But luckily the mind-bending subject was just distracting enough to make the long train ride pass by faster than usual. She had learned early on that idle chit chat didn't make the time pass any faster and was no distraction from the motion sickness of being swayed back and forth constantly - but a good book or study materials made the ride feel like almost nothing. The worst part was always waiting for the first years sorting and the commencement speech to end before getting to her favorite part - the feast. Nobody knew where she got her famous metabolism from, they all just knew to stay out of her way and not attempt to talk while she scarfed down on calorie after calorie. Roxanne rarely stopped to breathe between bites.
...
Later, once everyone had gone to bed she attempted to find something to wear to the party that night. Her usual wardrobe always consisted of baggy sweaters and pants with far too many pockets - where else would she stash her snacks after all? She always made sure to have a surplus of food on her at all times. Because quite frankly, she didn't fully trust the hangover cure that their trusty party-planners had concocted and liked to be somewhat sober before the end of the party - and nothing sobered her up better than food and water.
"Where are you off to?" Marleen Frost, one of her roommates for the past few years asked. Her head tucked into a book, but brown eyes glancing over the tops of the pages at her. She was a mousy witch that very rarely spoke outside of queries. And always managed to be the last one to leave the common room and head to sleep. Roxanne didn't mind her, but also didn't have time for her either.
"Going to get some extra studying in before bed. Be back soon." Roxanne lied easily, watching the other witches eyes narrow in contemplation. "You can't study here?" She asked, once more delaying Roxanne at the door. The brunette witch sighed heavily, "While everyone is off to bed? No Marleen, now I'll be back later like I said."
"Whatever, do try to avoid getting points taken from our house yeah?"
Roxanne rolled her eyes.
She hated the way some people couldn't mind their own business here. She could do whatever she wanted, and if that included (accidentally because she'd never do it on purpose) getting caught doing something bad then that was her own business. Not that she would purposely do anything to wreck their houses reputation (or her own for that matter) She had far more sense than that. The parties were just a way for her to let go and unwind for a little bit before the stress of school overwhelmed her.
And that's the thought she kept in mind as she walked in. Assaulted immediately by the sights and sounds and smells. She smiled softly, weaving her way towards Teddy. He was already crowded, but she knew exactly what she wanted from his bag of goodies and simply plucked up a shot of euphoria elixir without a word. She needed the boost to get her night going, otherwise she would overthink everything and drag the mood down.
"Thanks teds," She said, though she didn't know whether he would hear him over the growing crowd or not. Her entire body buzzed with the high of instant happiness. Giddy and euphoric as she went. She simply slipped back into the crowd, dancing with some of the other party-goers. Though she quickly spotted Victoire and grinned at her cousin.
"Hey Victoire!" She waved, beckoning her cousin to come dance if she wanted.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Meeeoooow
Lily stared out over the expanse of the platform, lacking the trepedation she felt in years prior. Her mothers hand on her shoulder and her father standing just behind the bunch of them kept her from racing ahead despite wanting so badly to. Her eyes scanned the crowd despite mostly only being able to see a blur of black robes with the odd house color mixed in. She tightened the gold and red scarf around her neck and frowned.
meeoow, meeoow, meooow.
"Hush Blaze I know." She glanced down at her feline companion, locked up in his carrier atop the trolley that contained way too many trunks. His little red face and bright blue eyes were screwed up as he mewled away pitifully. "We'll be there soon, then you can play all you want" She knew exactly how he felt, restrained when all they wanted to do was run and be free.
She glanced at her mothers face, wondering when she would ever stop being self conscious about being walked to the platform by her parents - it was embarrassing, she was far too old for an escort. Maybe the first few years were alright, when she was too little to notice the staring. But more and more it became a spectacle just to be seen with them. First years were the worst about it, growing up on stories of the war. Lily didn't get it, they were just people. Then again, she had grown up with their constant groundings and speeches about being her best - so perhaps her perception was just a tad on the side of skewed.
"Are you listening dear?" Her mothers voice echoed in her ear for what must of been the second time. Her feet itched, urging her to disappear into the crowd before she had to endure whatever goodbye speech she was about to receive. "Yes mum." She stopped herself before rolling her eyes - her mother was not to be trifled with.
"Be safe, stay out of trouble...and stay away from the Quidditch pitch." Her mothers tone left no room for argument, but Lily felt that instinctive urge to backtalk rise up in her gut. She swallowed it down and plastered on the most innocent smile she could - not that hard to accomplish overall. "Of course, can I go now?"
Her mothers lips pursed in the way that Lily knew meant that she really, really couldn't go. That was the face she saw in her nightmares after pulling a particularly stunning prank on someone. But finally the grip on her shoulder was released and Ginny Potter nodded her head ever so slightly. "Alright, go on then." Lily's face broke into a true grin then, hugging both of her parents quickly before gripping her trolley and racing off to the train.
Screeching out a high pitched "Byyeeeee" As she went.
The second she boarded the train and put away her things she unlatched the front of the cat carrier and let Blaze run free. His little feline body zig zagging away hastily. She'd find him later - he never went too far from her anyways. Two peas in a pod, they were. She didn't mind the train ride in but it hasn't ever been an exciting event since first year passed, so she found herself a compartment to hunker down in with a couple of other Gryffindors in her year and spent the rest of the ride chatting away and plotting all the trouble she would get into this year.
...
Lily twirled in the mirror, her outfit sparkling as the light caught on the jeweled top. This was going to be her first time being at one of her brothers (and his friends,) secret parties. Her heart had skipped a beat when Rose's invitation lit up before her, a grin splitting her face in two as she squealed in delight. Blaze had puffed up his fur, offended by her loudness as she dashed off to hide. She had always wondered why her brother and other people sometimes disappeared during the night - she spent much of her time sneaking around after hours but hadn't known that this was what they were doing.
Really, she was just a bit annoyed she hadn't been invited earlier. She knew how to keep a secret!
"Ooooh Blazey, I'm so excited!" She turned away from the mirror, her pink skirt fluttering around her knees. She bent down and scooped her little feline companion up and spun in a circle. Ignoring his mewl of distaste at being roughly handled. He would get over it. "I'll be back soon ok?" She giggled as he nudged her face with his head, little white and red furs sticking to her clothes like she knew would happen. She didn't mind, those were the hazards of having a a little fluff.
She didn't want to arrive too early to the party but she didn't want to miss out either. Her nerves were on edge as she put Blaze down and placed her robes on over the outfit she wore. She would just need to remember to pick it back up from wherever she discarded it later.
The corridors were quiet this time of night and Lily had no issue navigating the shadows - she was small, both in stature and size so blending in never was a problem. If not for how brightly she dressed and how loud she could be she would become practically invisible in a crowd. She used that to her advantage now, though she had long since become a pro of sneaking around after hours to cause mischief.
By the time she walked into the party it seemed to be in full swing, her eyes widened excitedly - there were so many people here. The smell of sweat and alcohol burned at her nose, as welcoming as the fog of smoke that clung to the air. Moondew, she's never had it before but certainly knows what it smells like. She shrugged off the robes she wore and let them pool up in a corner nearby the entrance.
Her eyes scanned the crowd before she spotted Neo in the crowd.
"Neo!" She shouted over the crowd, swimming her way through the throng of bodies to reach him. Though she could barely see over most of them and had to force her way to his side. Slinging her arm around his shoulders in a half hug. Amazed by the sight of the joint in his hand - she had only ever drank before and even then it had only been butter beers and a sip of wine at Christmas time.
"Can I try?"
RPG
