YUSH.
I've caught up, Maxie. :glomp:
And I'm loving all these posts that I've read so far.
They're all very interesting. :yes:
And I still like Jenna. :D

Oh, oh! Can't wait for the ball. So excitinggg. TWO balls, in fact. :xd:
POST! Now.

Iloveyou. :loved:

Much as she hated Victoria Glad, Andra Castle had to admit that the black dress her mother’s best friend had picked suited her stupendously.

Standing in front of her gold-edged full-length mirror, the teenager looked at own her reflection with admiration - it bordered, yes, on the verge of self-conceit, but she was not to blame: it was not her fault she had near-perfect features, or eyes the tincture of the deepest of nights - relishing, in quietude, the delicious cut of the grand, black gown three tailors had collaborated to stitch for her; and the neckline that shone in the illumination of her room, its decoration shapes of lovely, rhinestone clips.

Stick straight and let open, her black hair added to the effect, and Andra brushed, in a most leisurely way, bangs out of her eyes to grin at herself.

“Andra!” Countess Alva Castle called from the staircase.

“Yes, mother?” she asked, peeking out of the door.

“Are you ready, darling?" Her mother's tones were a little flustered, a fact Andra failed to register. "The guests will arrive soon, and Varius says he has set up the lights. You better go see them, honey. You're ready, aren't you?”

“Give me a minute, mother.”




*

“Taaada!” Varius Lestrange announced merrily.

It was his signature word, and he used it when he was at his happiest. Andra registered this with half a smile, but then she beamed, for she was glad at his expertise of the subject of charms - with one flick of his hand, her cousin had caused the entire length of Castle gardens (and they were very vast, open rolls of grass, I assure you) to light up with candles of gold that floated in midair, and were a delicious part of the larger decorations that would unroll their pretty wings for the night.

The rosebushes glimmered into the evening, as tiny fairies settled into their depths, and Andra’s eyes were full of pleasure. He had, it was clear, made her day.

“Var – this is beautiful!” she exclaimed when she found, at long, long last, her voice. She thumped him – hard – on the back, and then she wrapped her arms around him in a way that was purely sisterly. She had always been sure Varius could do this, though his often non-serious attitude towards her - towards most things, in general; even the severity of life itself - sometimes put her in doubt about his abilities. But then again, she had always had a feeling that non-seriousness was.... pretended. “You - let me inform you, dear Mr. Lestrange - are amazing!”

“Ouch, Anderz, were you trying to kill me what that pat?” Varius asked, rubbing his back in response. “It hurt, you know. Or don't you?”

“If there was not the danger that I might ruin my dress, Varius, I would punch you for calling me that,” Andra replied, ignoring with great ease, most of what he had said – the exception was, of course, his affectionate nickname for her, a nickname that she bore little love for. It was, after all, a most unladylike one.

"You call that a dress, Anderz?” Varius replied cheekily.

“You –”

But he had run off, laughing. Andra near about swore out loud, but then she grinned to herself, and turned away. He could run, for now -- she would get him, later.

Only.... two. -shifty-

I hit 50K, a couple of days ago. ^_^
Good luck with your Nano!
ANNAVANNNNAAA! *madtackle*

It is GOOOOODDD to see you here. <3
Glad to know you like the updates. && Jenna, too.

:loved:

good one maxie...waiting for more...

MAXIIIIIE!

It's good to be here. :xd:
:loved:

:faint: :faint: :faint:

:O! I always knew you wrote beautifully, but you describe it so amazingly. I just want to be there, I seriously do! :glomp:
The only thing left is DRAMA! :mwaha:

:whistle:

Thanks a bunch, luff. <3
I love to have you here, you know that, don't you? =D
-blushiewushie-

Thankyoouuuuu! What drama? :whistle:
xDD

Awww. *TacklesMaxie*



Heheheh.

Quote:

Thankyoouuuuu! What drama? :whistle: xDD

:P Post, post! Me need MORE.

Great post Maxerzz!!
I have to go, sorry the comment it so short!! :(
Jess(:

Post? Pwease? :loved:

Nano what Nano? *makes plans for next year* I'm moving into a monastery ...
 

Cutest ever! :lol: I can't help but feel these two have more than a fleeting friendship coming up, maybe? How close a cousin is he?

I thnk it's cute she likes her nickname too because it's unladylike I can't help feeling like quite possibly Andra doesn't like being a lady but wants to be a tomboy instead? :gasp: :lol: :shifty:

Neways, here again, always late but always here Loves *glomps* Pams and all that ... I shall return.

I loved your whole description of the dress in all fairness but your attention to details, wow. That really floored me. I'm impressed Maxie, you see, when you want to you can be very descriptive and I must admit I do adore it. :yes:

Keep up the brilliant writing and Congratulations again on your Nano *cries in happiness for you* :bye:

The way this fic is going, it will be a wonder if anyone gets to have more than a fleeting friendship come up. I seriously need to remove this from Romance Stories. It does NOT look like one, anymore.

-grumblegrumble-

Not that close, maybe? :shifty:
Heck, no. She LOVES the fashion part of it. Jewellery, dresses, high heels... stuff like that. But she does have a wild spirit. -shifteh-
Thank you. *huggle* The BEST of luck with your Nano, too. I knowww you can do it, Otts. I just knowww.

Andromeda Black’s generally pretty face wore an uncharacteristic scowl, and her eyes fiery with an anger the likes of which did not burn in them often - she was, by nature, a reserved person, and she associated, for the most part, with people she knew well, people who were not likely to incur her wrath. Her sisters were, of course, an exception - as the scene that now unfolded clearly narrated.

“I am not going!” the second of the famed Black sisters announced, stamping her foot on the elegantly-tiled, wooden floor. [The floor must have been pretty hurt by such a treatment: it was used to careful polish, and the click of expensive shoes -- ironically, mostly high heels that belonged to not-so-nice people.]

At the foot of the staircase, Bellatrix hitched her silk wrap over her shoulders, her manner calculatedly cool, her tones calmer than the gentles of winds when she spoke. “You will have to, Dromeda.” She might have been explaining, to a pretty child, that two plus two must always equal four. No exceptions.

“I do not see the need,” Andromeda returned haughtily, throwing back her head. It would be wrong to say she was not a Black - there were few others who could be as arrogant as her, when the time to show such a side arrived. “You know just as well as I do that the Castles are stuck-up snobs who hate the Blacks. What is the point of attending their ball, then?” Yes, that was Andromeda Black: logic speaking out loud.

Logic that aggravated her elder sister.

“It is one of the best balls the Wizarding World sees each year,” Bellatrix snapped, her cool breaking and anger setting in. “To refrain from attending would be to invite a scandal – The presence of the Blacks on a ball of such prestige is necessary.”

“You’ve got mom’s bug,” Andromeda said, rolling her eyes. “You know that bug she has? Of speaking grand words - even French and Latin, which she knows fully well I am not well-versed with - and not just simple English that normal human beings can understand? You know, don't you? Besides,” and now her eyes acquired something of a mischievous glint. "Scandal is delicious. The stuff drama is made of."

“They are already talking about you, Dromeda,” Bellatrix pressed on, absolutely ignoring the major part of Andromeda’s remarks - though they remained in her memory, ready to be used as quick weapons, any vulnerable moment in the future. “About how much of a disappointment you are turning out to be. Cissy is foolish, too, but at least she believes in the Black pride and nobility. You go too far.”

“You know what?” Andromeda said coldly - she might not have agreed with many of her family's ideals, but she prided on being a Black, and it stung to be told she did not live up to the standard of one. “You’re R-I-G-H-T, right! I don’t give a you-know-what about it! It’s who you are, not what your family name or your blood lineage is, Bella!" Her tones were fast escalating, for she did not have the cold, calculated control over her anger that came very naturally to her elder sister. "Dang you, dang the Blacks and their stupid -”

“Dromeda, this is not a game!" Bellatrix cut through, very coldly. Honestly, the stuff her sister talked, sometimes. You would think she came from some sort of rundown shack, not a House of the Blacks. "Come down at once.”

“Tell mother I’ll be in my room if she needs me to cook or something. Because I, for one, will not be forced to go this ball.” There was the sound of flats clicking across the floor, and Andromeda Black had disappeared from sight.

....

Andromeda: Oh yeah, we love each other SO much. *rolls eyes*
Glad I could make you laugh, lufflieee.

=DD

Hey Maxie :hello:

I see you're still plugging away at this story. :yes: I'm still here reading :lol:

Poor Andromeda, I know exactly the feeling. Yup yup. I'm usually cool, calm and collected, but throw my family in the mix and tempers flare and boil and you'd think you were in a sauna or in a kitchen with all the heat and fire going on ... :xd:

I would never have seen Bella as a socialite, this rings more to me like Cissy than Bellatrix, still, she's a Black and all, and given who their dear auntie was it doesn't surprise me they'd behave that way.

I never thought of Andromeda as stupid but that honestly makes her sound very ignorant. :yes: Honestly, I've never thought of Andromeda except as Teddy's Nana. Still, for her to talk in such a way, tsk, tsk, tsk. What's wrong with learning a few foreign languages? :lol: I love how Stuck-up Bella is though, that is very in keeping with her upbringing.

The Black women are so temperamental, I love that Maxie, I must admit :lol: Your story is going great Maxie, don't make us wait too long, and don't bother moving it from the Romance section ... :shifty: I know there are sparks of love here ... they'll turn into a flame sooner or later :mwaha:

~:paw1: