Anita was engrossed in conversation, but her ears picked up something else during the lull. HOW RUDE! Was that MAN bad mouthing her CHOCOLATE? Her precious chocolate that she made by hand. Again, HOW RUDE! Clearing her throat so as to get the men's attention she said, "Pardon me for eavesdropping... but did you really just say there is something wrong with my chocolate?" Her tone was clipped and she found herself putting her hands on her hips in a bit of a huff. Rude, rude boys!

Lucy smiled and snatched a napkin and handed over. "Is the ice-cream nice?" She asked with a soft smile. She had such a soft spot for kids but tended to get way over protective around them - which is why she NEVER babysits. She panics totally if the kid falls and gives them so much bandages that you couldn't see the kid. Well that was an exageration but still. She did go overboard.

"That's cool." Lucy nodded looking at the child with amazement. "I've never met a metamorphagus before." She shaked her head. It was, like, awesome. Reaaaaaaaally awesome. Lucy grinned.

Lu blinked and smiled as the girl's hair changed again. "What's your actual hair colour sweetie?" She asked pouring herself some juice into a little plastic cup. The girl sipped her juice and smiled again at the little girl who she still didn't know the name of.

"Yup, well, sorta. I worked in Mainteance for six months and then went to America for a couple of years to wear my sister is living and worked there but I'm back and yeah. I like just got my owl with where I'm working just a couple of minutes ago." Lucy smiled. "You are speaking to the Officer for Export and Import of Magical Creatures. At your service." *Salute* "And you? Are you new, I mean." Yay, they were talking again.

"No." Milton mumbled when she mentioned her father. "I tend to keep to myself..." he said. He then hastily added, "don't want people to steal my secrets."

Yeah... that made him sound not completely anti-social by choice, right?

If only he had taken his own potion... he wouldn't have this problem then.

It seemed like he wasn't the only one avoiding topics. She dabbled in what she did before? He wondered what that was. She seemed far too pretty to do anything worth being shy about.

(It was a known fact afterall that one couldn't be both evil and beautiful. Beautifully evil? Of course. Evilly beautiful? Sure. But not evil AND beautiful.)

He looked down at the shirt that was thrown across his shoulder. He thought it was a souvenir... not a dress requirement. But, the lady he'd been chatting with didn't seem to care too much, so it must have been okay that he wasn't wearing it.

He listened rather impatiently as the large man continued to speak.

"Can he even do that...?" he asked at the mention of cancelling O.W.L.S.

Wasn't passing those things a requirement?

Aliceara found herself leaning a bit closer to Milton as he'd started mumbling, as if embarrassed or even more shy than he'd been over most of the conversation. She hadn't wanted to make him uncomfortable, but then, it was hard to tell if it was her or just the whole event that was making him act this way. She wasn't quite vain enough to think it was entirely herself. "Oh," she replied as he'd said he kept to himself. "In some respects, that's a good state of mind to be in. Professionally, at least in your line of work. I've found that sometimes it helps to actually converse with people socially, though," she observed, continuing her train of thought as she gave him a little smile. It was a gentle nudge toward trying to get him to be less shy, but she couldn't say whether or not he'd take it.

He hadn't as of yet, but in a way his silence was almost refreshing. Usually she had people trying to talk her head off at parties, so finding someone who wasn't was nice. Maybe it was the difference between splitting herself between both worlds and restricting herself to only the Wizarding world. Either way, she oddly liked it, not even thinking that his silence could mean he was puzzling over the answer she'd given him. As long as he didn't question it, she was still safe. (Even though the odds of a potioneer having any connection with her cousin were slim to none. Even her father didn't speak with Nikolai unless he absolutely had to.)

The shirt comment of the rather corpulent focus of this party seemed to have gotten a reaction from her fellow shopkeeper, and Aliceara smiled a little to herself as she noticed the glance in her peripheral vision as she continued to watch the goings-on up on the dais. Nobody was going to scare her into wearing anything that clashed with her outfit, and anyone that tried was fooling themselves. But she turned back to Milton with a shrug as he spoke again, questioning more of the announcements that had occurred. "It seems he has. I guess we'll find out if it lasts," she replied lightly, if a bit cynical. Anyone with the pull to shut down all of Diagon Alley was going to be hard to get around, no pun intended. And, munching on one of the deviled eggs still left on her plate, she glanced around as she waited to see if her companion agreed, blue eyes focusing on what seemed to be the start of an argument near the other end of the buffet. Hmmm.

"Ah, yes..." Milton said. He was quite surprised to hear himself actually agreeing. "As long as they're not after my secret ingredients, of course." he added. That sounded much better than admitting that this socializing thing wasn't as completely awful as he expected.

"So have you seen that man before?" he asked. He didn't recall ever seeing him before. And he was sure he wouldn't have missed a man so large. But the way the large man was talking... he must have done something important prior to this... right?

He was also curious at to what the large man meant by 'change. He hadn't worked at his shop long - just a year - and every once in a while still felt like he hadn't adjusted fully. Throwing 'change' in to the mix would throw him off completely.

As he thought he noticed that the fellow shopkeeper had finished commenting and was looking at someone else at the buffet table.

Oh no! Had he bored her?

Perhaps he shouldn't jump to conclusions like that. Maybe she was acquainted with them and merely wanted to wave at them in greeting.

Yes, yes. That was all. Surely he wasn't too incredibly boring...

Glancing over at the seating area in search of Brett, still listening intentively to the conversation, Artemis' dark blue eyes moved back toward Anita as the woman cleared her throat. About to apologize if it seemed she hadn't been paying attention, Artie didn't so much as open her mouth before noticing that wasn't the reason for the sound. Something was wrong with the chocolate...? "I think it's wonderful." She said quietly, feeling that it was necessary to reassure Anita after the comment that was apparently made.

Right. Smirking a bit, Alex turned his head slowly and faced the two ladies. "If you are indeed the one that made this atrocity, then yes, I did say there is something wrong with your chocolate," he said slowly and with great emphasis on the word WRONG.

Cutting his eyes to the other woman he looked her up and down and snorted. "Well then your taste is as bad as her chocolate, then," he pointed out as the woman spoke up for her.

"I didn't catch your names... would you be so kind as to oblige?" he insisted. Really, it would be ignorant of them not to oblige. He would find out one way or another. And Ren would have some fun, too.

Aliceara had been around enough people at parties to understand how shocked Milton must have been when he'd agreed with her. More accurately, she'd dealt with enough painfully shy people in the last to understand him. Either way, his sentence was graced with another smile from herself. "I can't believe too many people manage to try to make off with your secrets," she replied in amusement. He didn't seem the type to really talk much to people, let alone let them close enough to attempt nefariousness.

But then it seemed the topic had changed to Lord Borr and everything connected to the large man, and she shrugged a shoulder slightly in response to his question. She didn't want to jar the plate still in one hand, even though it would have been entertaining, given her introduction to her fellow shopkeeper. "Not exactly. I've heard stories, but that's about it. This is the first time I've seen him," she replied. And she hoped it would be the last, although she had to admit that now she at least knew the stories were true. And all the emphasis on change, in the Ministry and elsewhere, unnerved her. Diagon Alley was a safe haven for her, so if that was threatened, she didn't like it.

After watching the small group at the other end of the table, a delicate eyebrow raising as she heard the one man's words to the two women, she realized Milton was watching her and turned back to him. "Do you recognize any of them over there?," she asked quietly, not necessarily expecting an answer in the affirmative. She thought the women were fellow Diagon Alley people, but the men seemed dangerous. "I don't think that, whatever is going on over there, is going to be good." She hated to say that, but with every other unsettling thing about this party, it was hard to not expect worse.

Caroline wiped off her face, nodding as the lady asked if it was good. Mommy always did say she had problems getting the food in her mouth. Oh well. *shrug*

"It's brown," she told her, "... I think." Was it brown? Hmm, it was when she got out of the bath. Lost in though, the girl's hair dangled back down to it's original straight, light brown. "Yup. It's brown." Problem solved.

Elias nodded. Wow. Quite a life story.

He clapped as the girl proclaimed her title. "Ahh, very impressive." he chuckled. "Oh, me? I studied in Austrailia after I graduated and eventually ended up living and teaching there for some time. We moved back to England just recently," he told her. "Now I'm Recycling Commissioner for the Department of Environmental Regulation and Protection."

Man, that was a long title.

As Alex spoke Ren was actually looking at the buffet spread. He had to admit it looked impressive from afar but up close it was even more astonishing. Then again, His Largeness wouldnt have it any other way.

So impressive it must be that someone brought something to add to the spread as if to showcase their creations as worthy to be with such delectably distinguished company. Ren's brows knitted together as he looked at the unauthorized additions "And MLE simply allowed this person to waltz right through and place this here? For all we know this could've been meant to poison his Lordship. Worthless security, the lot of them."

And SHRILL comes she who brings trouble. And the very same who brought the suspicious confectioneries it seems. With a friend. Conspiracy indeed!

"It is wrong to assume that your chocolates would be welcomed so willingly without question." he replied curtly as his dark eyes glared at the self righteous little woman. Then it shifted to her companion "Do you think its wonderful to bring food that you know his Lordship would like-- and use that to harm him?..." His eyes narrows as they stare squarely at the two women. And in a dangerous snarl he adds "And now I'm sure you assumed that your true motives would go by unnoticed, waved off as a gesture of thoughtfulness and goodwill? How stupid do you think we are?" Oh we are on to you conspirators!

Anita stood, mouth agape, completely in shock at their words...Why... were they SERIOUS?

Her face began to turn a slight tinge of pink and she placed her hands on her hips as she stepped forward. "What exactly offends you so? I am Anita Forrester, the candy lady from Sugarplums... I would NEVER foul my own creations with something so sinister. You two IDIOTS are clearly trying to start unecessary drama. Why is that? Your jobs are unsatisfying? You are little minions to the fat man on the dais and that doesn't pay well enough? Great Circe... you two are pathetic," Anita said as she made to turn back to Artemis, her hair flying over her shoulder as she did... hopefully smacking one of the idiots in the face.

Artemis' eyebrows raised as one of the men looked her over and snorted in response, wondering exactily what he found to be so amusing. Her taste? "And you would know because you tried it, right?" Artie's tone never wavered, never changing from casual. She honestly doubted he had. Not that she cared about his opinion, he didn't even know her nor did she know him. Something that was pointed out when he asked for their names.

For a moment, she considered not telling him her name. Not because being the daughter of an Auror, she should know to be a bit wary of sketchy, rude types like this man; It was because he wasn't terribly polite and after insulting both Anita and herself, Artemis didn't see why she should bother with continuing the 'discussion'. But then, he was probably involved with the party enough to find her name out for himself. "Artemis Chosen." Unlike Anita, Artie didn't offer her position in Diagon Alley.

To HARM him? Yes, because that was logical. Of course, why hadn't she thought of that? Anita had brought a bunch of chocolates, pretending it was out of kindness when really it was to poison that Borr man. Artemis had thought the first man was a bit off, but she was quite positive the second man was delusional. "Actually, I do believe Anita brought it for the guests as well. Have you see anyone drop dead yet after eating a piece of chocolate?" Artie asked quietly, straight-faced and completely serious. The man was delusional and paraniod, apparently.

Such.. odd men. Artemis couldn't figure out what the issue was, honestly. No one was throwing up as far as she could see, no one was complaining about stomach aches from what she could hear and she was living proof it wasn't poisoned; Not that THAT idea held any logic to begin with. But it seemed Anita had enough of the nonsense, and made the fact quite clear. Probably a bit too clear, not that Artie could blame her.

Artemis offered a sympathetic look as Anita turned to face her again.

His dark eyes shifted from one brunette to the other, one over-caffeinated Anita Forrester, and the other Artemis Chosen-- who sounded like she could use a cup of whatever this Anita was on.

Chosen.... the Jokes shop was run by a Chosen. And from the Hogwarts files there was another Chosen amongst the students. Hmm very interesting.

He would've gloated at the obvious unease of the two women and left them for Alex to toy with but the over-caffenated one just had to do the triple whammy: she just had to call them an IDIOT didnt she? And PATHETIC. Oh and here's the clincher-- she turned her back suddenly as if to end this conversation.

No one turns their back on Ren Sakura. Unless they wanted to end up as a bloody mess on the floor.

The Scribbulus shopkeep learned that the hard way.

His face stayed the same unnerving calm but his hand has gripped his hidden wand so tightly to hold the fury within. "Ms Forrester, my apologies, we seem to have... misunderstood each other. Let me try to explain..." He quickly came up behind the Sugarplums shopkeep and, with his wand completely hidden from view, silently cast a spell that sent a few volts of electricity down her spine. Closing the gap between them quickly he caught her arm, gripping it tightly and keeping her from collapsing-- or making it obvious about what just happened. "Lets go out for a walk shall we? Its such a lovely evening to just be spent inside a tent" he said with a smile that never reaches his cold dark eyes, staring at Artemis and giving her a look that she had better start moving in the direction of the door. He tilted his head that only Alex would understand-- back him up so they could both take care of business.

Anita felt the jolt hit her and she made a little EEP noise as her knees began to buckle... and then HE was there gripping her arm tightly. Her bottom lip began to wibble and tears sprung to her eyes. "Y-y-yes, sir. Whatever you say," she stuttered out.

Anita gave an Artemis a look that said she had better do as she was told as well... Anita was shaking from head to toe and quite frankly, she was frightened. Great, her mouth and her chocolate would be her demise one of these days... she hoped it wasn't today.

Alexa watched the whole scene unfold... good thing Ren was there, Alex would not have been able to control his temper. Not. At. All. When he saw his signal he stepped up, wand hidden from the naked eye and jabbed it into Miss Chosen's side. "Yes, we should take a walk and talk about all of this, dears. Do join us Miss Chosen," he said in a calm voice, but his held the answer that if she did not then she would suffer. Greatly. Grabbing her arm tightly he began to lead her away, following Ren.

J,J. Starr was not happy with those two jerks that were attacking those women. " What, you can't handle cancy?" JOe Jon Montcenaggio asked them. " moommy did not feed yo uany" J.J. smirked at them. " Get a grip on life men or else" he warned them.