Open Wincing the Night Away

[Indira Khatri]

Indi wasn't sure why she had decided to come to the Yule Ball. It wasn't like she had or even wanted a date but there was something about sitting in the dorm all night that was too depressing for even her to bear. Not after a semester of keep her head buried in her books and not when the rest of her roommate were attending. But part of her wished the night would go quickly and she could go to bed. Indi made her way up to the front of the great hall where the huge Christmas tree was and started to inspect some of the presents. There had to be something good somewhere in the pile. She picked up one of the presents and shook it gently to hear if she could make out anything that would help her identify it's contents.

 

[Doroteya Melnik]

Doroteya had no interest in dancing, but she did have an interest in free presents. She walked towards the great, twinkling tree in a straight line, pausing to wait for dancers move out of her way. It was difficult to tell whether the dirty looks she received were because of this, or because she had come to the ball dressed in an old shirt, jeans, and trainers, but she wasn't going to let them affect her either way. She was going to grab as many presents as she could carry, and perhaps a couple of pies, and then nobody would see her for the rest of the night.

The tree looked even bigger up close. It was so big, it looked like it ought to have dominated the room, yet it didn't - such was the scale of the great hall. A likeminded Slytherin girl had beat her to the present pile, though her approach was better thought-out than Doroteya's. She was looking for the good stuff. "What have you found?" Doroteya asked, crouching down and rattling a small square parcel. "Do you think any of them are money?"

 

[Professor Cyndi Kingsley]

"You'll have to open one and see" the professor stated with a wink as she heard the comment while walking towards the snack table. She'd heard what some of the presents contained and was eager to see them ripped open during the course of the evening. That was one of the best parts of the holidays for the woman, watching children be children and adults turn into children for an all too brief moment as they wondered about their presents and dug in.

 

[Indira Khatri]

Indi looked up when she heard someone ask her a question and she turned to see a younger Slytherin girl who seemed particularly interested in the presents as well. “Not sure.” she answered with a shrug and tossed the box at the girl. “What do you think?” she asked before picking up another one and giving it a light shake as well. This one felt a bit heavier and it sounded like one solid thing. Indi thought for a moment when the other girl asked if it was money. “I guess some of them could have a few galleons. That would make a pretty decent gift.” she said and turned much quicker when she heard Professor Kingsley approach them. She was suddenly worried she was breaking some kind of rule but realized how silly that sounded. She could hardly get in trouble for being picky. But she smiled at the professor. “Of course. That’s the only way to know for sure.” Indi turned the present over in her hands unsure if this was the one she wanted to go with.

 

[Doroteya Melnik]

Doroteya caught the box, held it up to her ear, and gave it a shake. “Not money,” she said, with confidence. When money was hard to come by, you became sensitive to all of the different sounds coins made.

Usually, Doroteya was also sensitive to the sounds approaching professors made, but Professor Kingsley managed to make her startle. A guilty conscience, perhaps. Doroteya presumed they were only supposed to take one gift each, but as this rule was implicit, and she was still learning the social etiquette in New Zealand, she was banking on getting away with at least three. Five, if she went for the little ones. She glared at Professor Kingsley's back. It was the sort of look that could have earned her a detention, if the professor turned around. It felt good.

Doroteya returned her attention to the girl beside her. "What do you want? Things to wear? Toys? Maybe, chocolates? I can help you." If you help me get away with taking five, she added in her mind.