New Year's Eve

[Larissa Sedgwick]

December 31st, 2037.

Music thumped and pounded the walls of the house as the bass level revved up. While the tunes were now slightly dated, a picture of her youth was pasted across Larissa's head and memories flooded back. The party was now in full swing, yet more guests were still arriving. Friends from her childhood days turned up with spouses. Those who had children had clearly left them in the care of relatives. Tonight, Lily was staying with an elderly neighbour who happened, most fortunately, to adore the child and loved playing board games with her.
As Larissa roamed through the mass of dancers, drinkers, and chatters, she stumbled across Grakul. They made eye contact in the hallway and stared each other down. The party was so loud, nobody would have noticed the two of them as they linked hands and made their way up the stairs towards the bedroom.

 

[Andrew Sedgwick]

Andrew cautiously balanced a drinks tray on either arm, glasses of liquid dancing upon each, jumping with the rhythm of the music. The man had no idea where his wife had gotten to, but he simply assumed she had found someone to talk to and was enjoying herself too much to remember her hostess duties.
Andrew was aware that some of the guests may be too intoxicated to make their way home, so he was preparing himself for a large number of them to crash for the night. He had even set out an extra three sets of pillows in the living room, one for each chair of the kitchen, and several upstairs in Lily's room. He had been uncertain of numbers, so it was better to be safe than sorry.

 

[Adrianne Finch]

Adrianne could not resist the allure of a New Year's Eve party, not even at her age. She had heard through the grape vine that Larissa would be holding one and, well, Larissa was a safe bet not to dob her in for any previous crimes she had committed. Adrianne was not sure as to whether or not Ioan would be joining her tonight; she had agreed with her husband that if he was to turn up, then she would be meeting him at the party. If she was perfectly honest, however, she would take this period of time without him, however long she got, to play a nice little game of 'payback'. All those times he had tried to or actually cheated on her.. She owed him one, at least. Adrianne made a conscious decision that the first wizard male she came across (providing he was of age, of course) would become her target for the evening.
She entered the party in full-swing, passing each guest with her head held high, pacing elegantly through a stream of girls waiting in the entrance. Their mouths fell agape and they paused in their conversation to watch her stare them out. Others Adrianne passed were too busy dancing to notice. Deciding that the party was not down here, she headed up the stairs to see who was about. A slow blink, a turn of the head through a crack in a doorway. Couples in rooms. She did not care who they were or what they were up to, that was not her business.
Adrianne reached a room she believed to be free of people, and she turned the handle. Someone else turned it at exactly the same time and stepped out, closing it firmly behind themselves. Adrianne looked the man over and recognised him instantly. The music was so loud that her words could not have been heard, had she spoken any. Instead, Adrianne took Grakul by the hand. The music changed and the crowd downstairs screamed in joy and excitement. Adrianne led him back down the stairs, down into the party to dance with him.

 

[Grakul Gellantara]

Grakul had not prepared himself for all the attention he was awarded that night. It had started off with Larissa, disappearing to a room upstairs for a good forty-five minutes of the party, then, just as he was leaving, believing the coast to be clear, he was led away by Adrianne; a woman he recognised to be a part of the Sedgwick family tree. He also knew exactly what she was from their past conversations just prior his capture and imprisonment.
Now the two of them were dancing close in the living room amongst a sea of jiving bodies. Arms and legs were flailing in time to the beat, witches and wizards of varying ages (all a minimum of seventeen years) were throwing themselves into the party. Grakul had no idea who half of them were, but it was not his house and his rules, so he simply had to go with it.
He wondered how Larissa would feel if she caught him dancing with another woman, let alone a relative. Then again, they weren't exactly together, anyway. It was just expressing the way they had felt for too long. Of course it meant more to Grakul, but he knew that they could never be accepted.

 

[Lumina Sangora]

Her habit of flitting between New Zealand and Britain had not stopped with her mature age. Lumina still frequented the beautiful habitats of New Zealand, and she still had many a friend here. It was a great surprise when a former student of hers had sent her and invitation to a New Year's Eve party. She felt it rude not to accept, and she had even arranged for a plus-one. Well, it was apparent they had yet to arrive. Would they even be here? Lumina had, initially, been tempted to bring her Auror mother, Boudicca, along, just to case out the people who would be at the party. But in the end, she had decided the elderly woman would probably 'cramp her style'. Besides, who wanted their on-again-off-again partner to have to suffer their mother's questions?
Lumina danced her way into the kitchen and found herself a drink which she sipped lightly at. She didn't want to get drunk, not in front of former students.

 

[Dakota Cinellison]

Dakota travelled enough as it was, so what was one more journey back home to New Zealand? They had been told on the invite that they could bring a plus-one. But Dakota had gone a little further. Not only had she brought her wife, Olamide, but she had also brought her old school friend, Rician. He had not received an invite and Dakota felt she could probably take a pretty good guess as to why. After all, she had dated the hostess for about a year of her youth. She knew what Larissa wanted in life. She knew the woman's cold-blooded determination.
Leading her beautifully dressed wife by the hand, the couple entered the fray. The music changed to something a little more bouncy, momentarily, and they giggled as they thanked Andrew for their drinks, which they downed, and headed into the living room where a couple of older people were dancing amongst the younger groups of witches and wizards. Rician was following behind. "Great party!" Dakota shouted over the suddenly screaming chords of music.

 

[Rician Serpenthelm]

Rician traipsed awkwardly in behind Dakota and her wife, Olamide. He knew he was not welcome here. Just as his old school friend, Robert, was not welcome here either. It was their blood status. But few knew what Larissa was truly like. Rician only knew partly because of his school days learning alongside the girl, and partly because of what Dakota had theorised before him.
The small group entered the building and the party started. Rician downed his drink and glanced around for someone else he might know. He had mentioned to Robert about the party and he wondered if he would turn up or not.
Rician stared around the room, his eyes drifting from one man to another. They all seemed to be partnered up. Except one guy who sat awkwardly avoiding eye contact with anyone. Rician made his way over to the man and sat down beside him on the sofa. "Hey," he said pleasantly, though he had to shout it to be heard, "I'm Rician. You enjoying the party?" Oh the awkwardness he felt.

 

[Robert Kain]

No invite. No request for attendance. No nothing. But that wasn't going to hold Robert back. He decided that he needed to face Larissa. After what had happened between them those years ago.. It had left the man in a state of confusion. He knew what he felt, and had always felt for her. But they both had partners. They both had lives. She even had a child by Andrew. At least, Robert assumed it was Andrew's child, but he did not know whether or not Larissa had messed around prior to himself. No, that would be one of his questions.
The muggle-born stepped defiantly across the border of the doorway and forced his way upstairs, barging through the masses. He soon found her, standing at the top of the stairs as though she had been expecting him to be there. Robert walked towards her, stopping with his lips beside her ear so she could hear him over the thudding of the music. "I need to talk to you." He called loudly into her ear, "Let's go in there," he gestured to the bedroom. She obliged, and the two of them entered the room at first in silence. Now Robert could get his answers. "What happened between us.. Was that just another one of your sick jokes? Was it a one-off to get back at your husband?"

 

[Larissa Sedgwick]

Larissa rolled her eyes as she recognised Robert arriving at the party. Yes, of course the mudblood would be there. Of course they'd all crash it. Of course she couldn't keep this New Year's Eve relatively drama free. She sighed quietly and waited for it all to come raining down. But Robert simply asked to speak to her, and the two headed back into the bedroom Larissa had previously been in with Grakul. She sat down on the freshly made bed and plucked her heels from her feet, knowing that this was going to be a long conversation. She flicked her wand at the bedroom door, and it locked. She flicked it again. "Muffliato." The sound outside deadened to a muffled thunk thunk thunk. Now they could really talk. The clock was ticking. Midnight was on its way.
"Do you really think that's all it was?" The Scitorari looked the man who could be her victim, directly in the eyes. She could almost feel his soul. It ached with the strain of his new relationship, it ached with longing to be with the woman he had always loved and loathed. Maybe tonight she would give him that. Maybe just one more time..
Larissa leant forward, her hand on Robert's leg beside her. Her lips met his and, for one glorious moment she was young again. She was safe. She was content. She had not a care in the world. But she withdrew. Only for a moment. Only long enough to speak.
"Does this seem like a sick joke to you?"

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