Open no longer a child.

[Selene Le Fey]

it was the yule ball. Selene was looking forward to going home and spending the holidays with her family, not that most of her family wasn't already at school but her grandma and aunts weren't. she would also be turning thirteen over the holidays. There was something special impressive being a teenager. she would no longer be a child. maybe being a teenager meant she would be able to find out some truth. she got dressed for the ball in a dress she had found in an old trunk at home she had also taken her hair out of its usual braids and straightened it so it hung long. It may not be the most stylish outfit but it was comfortable and she liked it. She made her way to the hall and looked around as the hall felt very fancy pale blue soft gold and white make it the hall so pretty. She wasn't sure what to do now she was here and wished she had organised to spend the evening with a friend or someone but she hadn't she moved into the hall and wandered over to where there were some seats. and sat down watching out over the hall to see if anyone she knew would be arriving.

 

[Jasper Night]

Jasper hadn't enjoyed last year's the yule ball a lot, but he had a plan for this one. He was hoping to add some stink pellets to the punch and watch people get grossed out by it. It would be a fun prank, he was sure. So he had a small bag of stink pellets in his pocket as he made his way into the room, and he tried to look inconspicuous as he walked around the hall. He figured it would be best to wait with his prank until it was a bit later so people would be more distracted. At least, he hoped so. He passed a girl sitting on a chair and paused in his step as he recognized her, his hand in his pocket to ensure the bag was still there. "Oh. Hey." He said, giving Selene a quick smile. "Do you like this sort of thing?" He asked, somehow feeling a bit surprised. He had figured Selene was a big nerd, but maybe even nerds liked parties sometimes. He figured maybe if he was seen talking to her maybe he would seem less suspicious. Selene didn't seem like the type who got in trouble.

 

[Selene Le Fey]

Selene looked up as someone approached her. she recognised the boy and was first to admit it was not the person she was expecting. not that she was expecting anyone in particular but she had got a distinct impression the last time they had met that he thought she was boring. maybe she was wrong and had been too quick to judge. "Hey Jasper. happy Yule" she said. it wasn't the usual greeting which would be Merry Christmas. but it was the yule ball. and her family celebrated yule more than christmas. or rather yule for religious reasons and Christmas for presents. not that she and Helliana got much for Christmas as their birthdays were a week later. Actually, come to think of it she still needed to get heli a present. she would have to go into brightstone or the mall over the break. she was broken from this train of thought by Jasper's question. it was rather abrupt. "of course i enjoy the ball. what is not to enjoy about it?" she said "are you here with anyone or did you want to get some food?" she asked. she wasn't sure why. she was not asking him out, but she did realise it was a little sad to be sitting at the table alone even this early in the night when she could quite feasibly have been waiting for someone. but it felt like something she should ask.

 

[Jasper Night]

Jasper glanced around quickly to see where the teachers were, but to his annoyance they still didn't seem to be very distracted. He hoped that adding stink pellets to the punch wasn't going to be a noisy affair. He had no idea if it would make the drinks react in some way, as he hadn't tested it yet. He nodded as the girl wished him a happy Yule, but then rolled his eyes a bit as she asked why someone wouldn't enjoy it. "It would be better if there were more presents and food and less mushy stuff." He said, gesturing to some older students dancing. "It's gross to see people dance and kiss, bleh." He stuck out his tongue to indicate how gross it all was. "I'm mostly here for the food, and cause my dad sent me a suit I guess." He shrugged. "Are you here with anyone?" He didn't think many kids in their year were taking dates, but maybe he was wrong. Besides, she could just be here with a friend. But he decided that it would be funnier to tease her a bit. "A daaate?" He asked, grinning. He was mostly saying it for a reaction, not because he thought Selene actually had a date. There was no one in sight, after all.

 

[Selene Le Fey]

Selene followed Jasper's gaze as he said how the ball could be improved. "Some food would be good Is it any good? i haven't had any yet" she said she didn't want to comment about the mushy stuff. it wasn't something she was interested in yet. but maybe it was something she would enjoy once she was older, once she was a teenager. it seemed like something teenagers liked. She was just content with watching the people. "I wasn't planning on coming with anyone. but I was hoping to run into a friend. or my sister somewhere she said. she hoped that she would see heli around. she missed hanging out with her sister and she had the kind of sunshine that wou'd make the ball seem even more fun. selene saw some people pass by eating and it made her stomach grumble. "did you want to get some fppd or drink? she asked. looking at the good table unsure what or where to start.

 

[Jasper Night]

Jasper shrugged as she asked if the food was any good. "I haven't tried yet, but usually it is." He told her. "The house elves know how to cook, for sure." He said, glancing around again distractedly. He was a bit disappointed when she didn't really rise to his teasing, but let it go. Clearly, she didn't have a date. Which was good, because he thought that sort of thing was pretty gross at their age. Or any age, really. Jasper didn't think he would ever want to go to the ball with a date. Her comment about going to get some food or drink made him think of is prank again, and he wondered if he could use her as a cover if they went together. "Sounds good!" He said with a bit more enthusiasm. "Let's go."

 

[Selene Le Fey]

selene nodded in agreement as jasper said that the house elves made good food. "there are some things that will never taste s good as when my grandma makes them. but their food comes close" she said. grandma morgan was a fantastic cook and grew a lot of her own vegetables. she was glad that hasper liked the idea of getting good. she made her way to the food table navigating her way around a group of Gryffindors who were talking about quidditch before taking a plate and putting some things on it. turkey, roast potatoes, Brussel sprouts, carrot gravy and cranberry sauce. it would be easier to fill the plate up with food before picking up a goblet as then she didn't have to carry a full goblet while loading her plate. "well it looks and smells delicious" she said. making her way over to the punch. "did you want some punch" she said ladeling out a goblet which she would take or give to Jasper if he wanted it.

 

[Jasper Night]

Jasper shrugged at Selene's words. He didn't have a grandmother, only a grandfather who he really couldn't imagine in a kitchen. A potions lab, yes. But imagining his granddad cooking and wearing an apron was a funny but also very strange mental image. He followed the girl to the snack table, glancing around at the teachers again. He pulled his face as he saw the girl got healthy food too. "Sprouts, really?" He asked her, baffled. He watched as she poured some punch for herself, and after one last glance at the nearest teachers decided to just go for it. "No, hold onto that one for yourself." He grinned. "You're lucky you got some now." He then took the small bag of stink pellets out of his pocket. "If anyone asks, you saw nothing." He said as he quickly shook one or two into the punch bowl. He hoped Blake or Tyler would try to get some, that would be hilarious.

 

[Monty Pendleton]

Monty had spent most of the evening drifting around the edge of the hall, hoping not to have to talk to any of his colleagues. He knew Katherine wouldn't have been pleased, but there was only so much pleasant chit-chat he could take before he started feeling dizzy. Anyway, he was mostly here to chaperone the children - to make sure none of them were getting up to mischief. Monty's eyes narrowed. Where Jasper went, mischief usually followed. Monty watched as the Slytherin and his friend approached the punch bowl. The boy took a pouch out of his pocket, and quick as a flash had dropped something into the punch. Monty moved in from behind. "Ahem," he said, holding his hand out. "Show me."

 

[Selene Le Fey]

Selene took picked a sprout off her plate and put it in her mouth it was a good size to eat while she was picking things up. the boy's reactions was not what she had expected. "Of course, they are part of traditional christmas dinner. and we don't celebrate Christmas properly at home but the food is good" she said. swallowing it. before adding a couple more carrots onto her plate. they looked like really good carrots, the little dutch ones filled with flavour. she looked at him quizzically as he told her that she was lucky to have some punch now and to hold onto it. he was making no sense. that was until he pulled something out of his pocket and put it in the bowl. "really Jasper" she said the quizzical look turning into an accusatory tone. what sort of obsession did this boy have with stink pellets? the last time the had met he was talking about throwing them out of the north tower.
just then another voice made her jump and almost drop her punch. she turned around to see professor Pendleton standing behind them. she liked professor Pendelton. she didn't want him to think she had something to do with Jasper's behaviour. she scowled at the boy. she did not want to get into trouble because of him. "Evening professor" she said. her scowl fading as she faced him being replaced by a normal expression, if not slightly red in the cheeks.

 

[Jasper Night]

Jasper puled a face as Selene ate the sprout. He didn't get why students ate vegetables when no one was watching them. Though he seemed to recall Selene's mother was a professor. Perhaps she was watching. He laughed a little at Selene's tone, and shrugged. "You need to learn to have fun-" He started to say, but then he heard someone cough behind him and turned in place. Selene greeted the professor, and Jasper tried to follow soot. "Evening." He said, smiling quickly and trying to put the bag back into his pocket without him noticing it. But it was clearly too late. The professor held out his hand and told him to show what he was holding. For a moment, Jasper wondered if it would do him any good to pretend not to know what he meant. Or to pretend it was all Selene's idea. But no, that wouldn't be fair. That would be like what Blake and Tyler had done to him. He sighed heavily and handed over the bag. "Just a bit of fun, Professor." He said, trying to appeal to the man's sense of humor. Which he definitely had most of all the professors, so perhaps it would be okay.