There was moisture in the air, the kind that settles on leaves in pearls of translucent sheen, the kind that settles in hearts in the form of another thing of beauty - another thing of beauty, another ever-lasting joy.

In the distance, a purple flower raised its little head, welcoming the onset of night; and the grass ran, still wet from the spurt of rain it had bathed in earlier that day, as Varius Lestrange's feet crunched against it, their sound a happy one. A fruit-laden branch hung from a tree, and Varius pushed it out of his way as he whisked out of sight, his profile sharp in the light of the lamp that was a low moon.

“Varius, you fool! Come back!”

The only half-angry voice was Andra Castle's, but Varius Lestrange did not seem too intent on obeying it. The eighteen-year old stuck his tongue out at his tall cousin - she was pretty tall, as tall as him - running off with what was supposed to be her favourite bracelet.

“Catch me if you can!” he cried, waving the thing at her. It caught the moonlight, shimmered in it, and Andra gasped - a heavy diamond had crowned the piece of jewellery's band of platinum until only a few minutes ago, but it was no longer in place - it was, clearly, gone.

“WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY BRACELET! VARIUS!”

She literally lunged at him and Varius, who had not expected this, failed to whisk out of her sight in time. She managed to grab his arm – and, consequently, sent both of them crashing into the ground, where they collapsed in a heap. Andra was on her feet first, mock fury in her eyes, but then she looked at him, tangled in the wet grass, and laughter rose in her eyes.

“You’re an idiot, Var, you're such an idiot,” she said, holding out a hand to help him up.

“So are you,” He grinned, refusing to take her hand - ah, silly, pretended arrogance. He stood up and dusted his robes, but the grass clung to his hair, and Andra laughed out loud. “Why do I have silly cousins like you, Anderz?”

Anderz - the nickname he knew she hated most. He had used it on purpose, and Andra's reaction was exactly as he had expected it to be. “VARIUS LESTRANGE! IF YOU CALL ME THAT ONCE MORE, just ONCE MORE, I will -”

“Gotcha!”

He ran off once more, as fast as his legs could carry him. She grinned to herself, made ready to follow - and then she laughed, and did not. Ah yes, for once in her - their - life, Andra Castle let her favourite cousin get away with a prank meant to infuriate her. Let him get away with a prank - because the sky had dulled, the depths of eve approached and that meant, clearly meant, that she had to change. Change into her dress for the ball, because tonight would be grand.

She would, finally, be the Hostess.