Cookies and Costumes

[Professor Cyndi Kingsley]

Professor Kingsley was a big fan of Halloween. She enjoyed the fun of it all, the candy, and the opportunity to let her hair down and don a costume. She'd put some work into her costume this year, having researched a fair bit to make sure she was as accurate as possible, though she was sure she was wrong. Professor Kingsley would have liked to ask someone, a muggleborn for some advice, but she'd made due with asking at the shop where she'd placed the order, the shopkeeper quite eager to add some accessories. When Cyndi had seen the price, she'd realized exactly why the shopkeeper had been so eager, but she was sure it would be worth it since she'd likely have the opportunity to wear this to another costumed event.

With a smile, Professor Kingsley circulated the room, greeting her colleagues and then heading for the food table for a few snacks. With a small plate with a few cookies and a cup full of butterbeer, Cyndi made her way towards the tables dotting the edges of the dance floor. Taking a seat, the woman's leg rocked to the beat of the music playing as she nibbled on her snacks and watched the other costumed people roaming around. The costume contest was going to be a tough one this year. There were so many great costumes!

 

[Layla Reyes]

Layla Reyes was seriously missing her boyfriend, Joel. She had attended all the dances with him last year, and he always made sure she had a great time. Unfortunately for her, Joel had graduated and left her behind. Instead of skipping the feast this year, Layla had decided to go by herself. She had picked out a rather creepy costume as a doll. Upon entering, she saw her Aunt sitting alone. She knew it was probably totally lame to talk to a Professor at the feast, but she didn't see many people she knew. Layla gathered a drink for herself before heading to the table where Cyndi was sitting. "Hi Aunt Cyndi. I love your costume." she said with a smile.

 

[Dymetris Kozlov]

Dymetris had always liked Halloween, he remembered one time during his school years at Hogwarts he dressed like an avatar and won the costume contest. He didn't know what exactly what an avatar was, he only knew what they looked like in some muggel magazine. He looked like an alien, that's as close as he would interpreted his costume at the time. Tonight, clad in a torn shirt and fake blood coming from a fake open gunshot wound, he ought did himself. A bit gruesome, yeah he could see he had overdid it by the stares he was getting. Nevertheless, he went wondering around the great hall on his own til he stopped by a table where Professor Kingsley currently occupied with a student. "Happy Halloween! Don't you two look great."
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[Professor Cyndi Kingsley]

Turning her head as she heard her name, Cyndi did a small double-take as she saw her niece, Layla in a very creepy costume. Halloween was one of her favorite wizarding holidays, a time for fun and for them to not be so conscious of being wizards and different to the rest of the world. "Thanks, Lay. Yours is...creepy. You'll get my vote for scariest costume" she said with a small chuckle. Her nieces and nephews and definitely her son didn't often go out of their way to speak to her during school functions. She understood. "It's your last Halloween party. Are you ready for all of this to end?" she said, her smile still kind. Cyndi didn't see Layla quite as often as she saw her other nieces but the young girl had a special place in her heart as did the others. Layla was so sweet and kind to everyone.

Taking in the newcomer, Cyndi took in his costume. Dymetris had been a student of hers many, many years ago. It was crazy that he'd now returned and was teaching at the castle. More and more, she was seeing familiar faces, though Dymetris was a lot friendlier towards her than some of the others. "Happy Halloween!", Dymetris she replied. "This is my niece, Layla. She's a seventh year. Hufflepuff. Your house, if I remember correctly" she grinned as she finished the introduction, not realizing that perhaps Layla was one of his students and had already met him.

 

[Dymetris Kozlov]

Dymetris still couldn't believe he was back here again. After all these years and all the trouble he had caused. He laughed at some of the mess, more than the others some days. "How's the night treating you both? Wish I weren't so picky with my sweets. Salty snacks all I want." he said this and dug into a bowl of potato chips. He ate some while he made quick eye contact to Layla. "Your niece? Oh, I'm afraid I haven't. Or just haven't been paying too much attention. Nice to meet you Layla! Creepy costume, are you suppose to be like Annabelle or something?"
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[Layla Reyes]

Layla grinned at Cyndi as she complimented her costume. "Thank you. That's what I hoped." she said proudly. The brunette nodded her head at the next question. "Yes. It's really not quite the same without Joel. I miss him." Layla said, referencing her boyfriend. They had been seeing each other since Layla's fifth year after Felix broke up with her. He had been in Cyndi's house, so she knew her aunt knew him. Just then, another Professor joined them. He seemed nice, and he was certainly nice to look at. "No, we haven't met, but it's nice to meet you." the Hufflepuff said in a friendly voice. "That's exactly right." she answered with a wicked grin. Layla was more well behaved than her cousins, who she had seen bickering right before she entered, but that didn't mean she didn't know how to have fun.