Open Not Quite a Princess

[Lucy Montague]

Lucy had been tempted to come as the same costume a second year in a row, but something made her change her mind. She always liked the idea of the renegade princess; a princess turned warrior who fought for the side of justice. It was a nice little fantasy, and it helped her decide on her costume for that year. Lucy didn't think she'd win a category again, but it was fun to dress up - especially with her cool foam sword, which looked shockingly real. It was really cool, and she wished she had someone who she could pretend to duel with - that'd be fun. For the time being, she made her way to the punch bowl, scooping out some of the punch into a cup.

 

[Teddy Pirrip]

Teddy had wisely ditched his impractical Halloween costume and was looking decidedly less ghostly in his normal clothes. He spotted Lucy at the drinks table and went over to her to make a playful comment. "You're brave," he quipped, a smirk playing on his lips. "Drinking the punch." Teddy hadn't spiked it, but in a school like Hogwarts, there was bound to be some unkind potion thrown in there.

 

[Lucy Montague]

Lucy blinked, turning to recognise Teddy. His words alarmed her - she hadn't thought about someone spiking the punch with something at all. "Do you really think it isn't safe?" she asked, now a bit concerned. Lucy eyed the beverage in it's cup, as though able to ascertain anything. "I dare you to try it," she then said holding out the cup to him, feeling emboldened. If he'd put something in it, he'd probably refuse, she reasoned. But if he didn't really know for sure, he might go for it anyway. That was her hypothesis, at least.

 

[Teddy Pirrip]

He laughed nervously as he eyed the cup Lucy offered him. "You know, I didn't really mean to put any ideas in your head," he said with a half grin. "But, sure, let's give it a shot." Teddy took the cup and took a small sip. After a moment, he playfully grinned. "Well, it tastes fine to me, no..." Suddenly, he collapsed onto the floor, spilling the punch around him and pretended to be dead. In the back of his mind, he did wonder if he had taken it a bit too far but it was funny to him in that moment.

 

[Amodeus Jones]

Amodeus wasn't counting on how heavy this cloak was. He tripped over it several times, but eventually made his way to the Halloween event- though with considerably more bruises than before. He spotted Teddy with Lucy and walked over, but before he could say anything Teddy had fallen over. "Oh no!" He declared, but he was sure that Teddy was joking. He undid his cloak and threw it over his friend, looking up to Lucy. "Your majesty, what happened to Teddy Bear?"

 

[Lucy Montague]

Lucy balked, her face turning white. "I - I just asked him to try the punch - is he okay?" Lucy paused, then remembered what her parents had taught her about first aid. She launched herself down onto the floor besides Teddy, taking to her knees and tried to find his pulse on his wrist. "He's still got a pulse," she said, and then checked to see if he was still breathing. "He...he seems okay? I don't know though, Teddy? Can you hear me?" she asked nervously. She was starting to feel really bad that she'd dared him to drink the punch but could it really be that someone had poisoned it? She didn't know enough about poisons to say for sure.

 

[Teddy Pirrip]

Teddy lay sprawled on the floor, his cheek pressed against the cold, hard surface, made even more uncomfortable by the wetness underneath from the spilled juice. He tried to stay 'dead' and fight back the urge to laugh, but it escaped as a scoff, a brief, muffled expulsion of air. However, the absurdity of Amodeus laying his cloak over him and Lucy taking his pulse was too much. His amusement started as a chuckle, a low and restrained vibration in his chest. Then, like a dam breaking, it turned into full laughter.

 

[Amodeus Jones]

Amodeus got onto his knees beside Lucy, his hand hovering over her shoulder. "Princess, I think-" He tried to tell her, but then Teddy was laughing. Deus couldn't help a little giggle- laughter was contagious! But he turned to Lucy. "I think he's just playing a prank," He offered, clearing his throat.

 

[Lucy Montague]

Lucy's face went from a overly serious one, breaking slowly into the realisation that this wasn't real - Teddy wasn't really hurt. She looked between Teddy and Deus a couple of times, and was flooded with relief, unable to help but smile. "Oh my god, really, Teddy?" she said but there was little accusation in it; she was half-laughing as she said it. "You really had me going there! I went into full healer mode." Lucy rose from her knees and back onto her feet. She was so glad Teddy was okay, and amazed at how fully she'd been fooled.