After escaping that crazy people at he buffet table she made her way over to the band stand to see if anyone was there she could talk to. "Orlando," she squealed rushing over to him and throwing her arms around his legs. "Its a little scary down here," she whispered up to him. He was nearly two feet taller than her.

"Madame, you just wait and see," he boasted like an idiot when Lexi finally decided to show her face. A grin lit his own face up. He was glad to see her. NOW they could cause havoac and just be weird together, yeah!

"And FINALLY. Talk about being purposely and fashionably late!" he accussed before grabbing her hand and giving her a twirl.

The twirl was all he could do though when suddenly his two legs got attacked at. He nearly stumbled but straightened himself as he looked for the source.

HARLOW.

"Harlow!" he greeted her with a huge smile. "Well it is a ghost party so yeaaah ..!" he chuckled and since he was still holding Lexi's hand - he decided to give her another twirl before adding. "Don't worry though, lots of people are scared .. Aunty Lexi is scared too!"

Yep, Lexi will kill him now.

Wist Ebony had heard lots about Nick, Gryffindors ghost. He didn't seem nearly as scary as the Bloody Baron, and Wist wanted to meet him.
She still didn't exactly know how you were supposed to dress at a party like this, so she was wearing her black button to the throat jacket.

Lexi couldn't help but grin widely and give a giggle!snort at Orlando. "Madame? I quite like the ring of that. Madame Kennedy. Heheh." It made her sound ROYAL or sommat. She approved. Indeed.

She gave a squeal of delight as she allowed Orlando to twirl her. Her blonde hair went flying around as she twirled and giggled. HEHEHE. FUN FOR LIFE! "Oh I have been around. Just not in here, yet. You know they have filthy shrunken heads in there?" she said with another giggle. "But, yes. I am always fashionable." CHYEAH.

...

......

"Ohhhh no. No Aunty Lexi here. Just Lexi thank you very much. And I am NOT scared. Harlow there is nothing to be afraid of. Sir Nicholas and the other ghosts are not to be feared. We should all respect them and celebrate with them. There is nothing down here that can harm you," she said gently before giving Orlando a death glare.

HEHEHE. And then she was spinning again. WHEEEEEE. On her way back around, though... she did aim a punch at Orlando's arm. Hehe. Teach him to call her Auntie anything.

Putting her hands behind her back, Thea bounced on the balls of her feet. 'That's a really pretty name!' Thea blinked. She didn't know anybody called Phoenix.. And this one should feel special.. she didn't normally compliment peoples' names. Well ..that was a lie. Thea was actually a nice person.. most of the time. Giggling slightly, Thea shuck her head. They both knew it was a terrible joke. 'Oh yeah.. i'm feeling it.' Rolling her eyes, the Gryffindor giggled again.

'Would you like to dance?' Thea asked, raising an eyebrow as she grinned and took a bow. 'I'll have to warn you though.. I am pretty epic.' She grinned at her new pal

Phoenix laughed with relief that Thea hadn't been offended by her joke and Thea's complimenting of her name 'Thanks, Thea's nice as well, almost as unusual as Phoenix.' she said with a wide grin, it was nice to meet someone else with an unfamiliar name.

'Yes I would love to dance.' Phoenix replied, making an attempt at a curtsy and nearly unbalancing herself 'And don't worry, as you can see I'm not the most graceful on my feet.' she said, laughing as she followed her new found friend onto the dancefloor.

Harlow hugged Orland tighter as he was clearly happy to see her. She was happy to see him. She let go and stepped back as it looked like him and Lexi were dancing. "Are you scared? Just a little?" she asked him.

Harlow nodded at Lexi's words. If she said there wasn't anything to be scared of then there was nothing to be scared of. And if there was she was quickly enough to crawl up Orlando's back before anything got her. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to cut in." she stepped back off the dance floor and out of the way.

Laughing at Phoenix's attempt at a curtsey, Thea began her dancing again. 'This music is.. GREAT!' Emphasising the last word, Thea gace her fellow second year a double thumbs up. She almost wished they would change the record, or whatever it was, and play something a little more upbeat. Twirling around some more, Thea's light flowery skirt flew out around her as did her mop of dark raven coloured hair. Patting her mane back inot place, Thea grinned. 'Were you here last year?' She asked, curious. Thea was sure she hadn't seen this girl.. and she would of remembered her because of her prettyful name! *giggle*.

Shrugging her shoulders, Thea pulled a face. 'My name isn't that unheard of.. but my Mother did have a taste for giving me and my brothers unique names..' shaking her head, her grey eyes swept around the dance floor. She spotted other people dancing too, and they looked older. The pair wouldn't look too much like over enthusiastic weirdos then.. probably not the best look to go for while at a deathday party.

Phoenix giggled as she and Thea twirled madly around the dancefloor, she hadn't had this much fun for ages! Although Thea was right about the music, Phoenix wasn't really bothered, as long as it had a rhythm she was gonna dance and enjoy herself.

'Yeah I was here last year, but some...stuff happened to my family and I wasn't really up to socialising much.' Phoenix caught herself, talking about that and dancing at the same time? Man that was hard 'What about you, you can't be a firstie.'

Phoenix grinned when Thea said it was her mother who had named her 'Parents have a habit of doing that although I have my magical Nana to thank for my name.' she said with a small laugh.

Ryden didn't even know why she was here. She'd heard people gossiping about this party thing around the castle for a few days now, so the blonde had finished all her homework early - like the disgustingly good little girl she was becoming - and decided to head down to the dungeons. Plus, she'd been in a terrible mood since she'd gotten out of bed this morning, so a deathday party seemed appropriate.

Naturally, she went to the place from which the horrible noises where coming. Such OLD music, this was. Seriously. Staring at the dead band for a little while, Ryden paid no attention to the dancers whatsoever until a shiver ran down her spine and she shuddered. It was cold down here. The movement caused the dancers to come into view. . .

And one particular dancer stood out more than the others. ORLANDO? The blonde's eyes narrowed and her lips pursed as she watched with little amusement as he twirled around one the most HORRID girls in the school before moving to hug a non-important firstie.

HER. He had to be here with HER?! UGH. LOOK at her. Happily laughing away with him with those stupid tall genes of hers. Didn't she have a boyfriend? Where was HE, then?! And WHY, for MERLIN'S sake, was Orlando messing with her? She was scum. She was horrible. She was MEAN and EVIL and Ryden did NOT like her.

. . . What was her name again?

UGH. Folding her arms over her chest, she glared at the threesome as they chattered from the shadows, making sure she was not in Orlando's line of vision. Of course - SHE wouldn't want to intrude on this happy little scene.

Alice was always interested by Nearly Headless Nick, and his Ghost stories. No pun intended so she decided to go to his deathday party, and perhaps learn more about the traditions. She sat quietly, after giving her greetings to Nick, and whipped out her note pad.

"They will have everything filthy here, Lexi. That's part of the deathday party charm!" he said, wiggling his hip a little - hoping both of the girls in front of him joined in too.

He laughed when Lexi glared at him and proceeded to nod when she spoke to little Harlow. "I am scared too, Harlow! Don't worry if something scary happens, I'll be the first one who runs away with you"

Yep.

When his twirl ended with a punch on the arm, Orlando mock winced. "OUCH. LEX. You been lifting weights or something? THAT HURT!" He tried to whine but ended up laughing. Seeing Harlow trying to walk away - Orlando almost huffed. "Oh no no no ..!" he almost sang and grabbed her little hand to pull her back on the dance floor.

"It would be a pleasure and a guy's perfect dream to dance with such gorgeous ladies," he grinned - still in his cheery mood. "And Harlow .. dancing might help you in forgetting that this is a scary party," he added before taking both of their hands and twirling them. THERE. He could make both of them happy!


There was ONE girl who he was unintentionally not making happy, of course. But the Gryffindor was pretty oblivious. He moved on to wiggle his hips a little more before letting Lexi's hand go and taking both of Harlow's hands and spinning her and dancing a little of goofily with her. And then letting Harlow's hands go and dancing with Lexi; twirling her and then smoothly dipping her. Yep, he could dance, alright!

Lexi smiled brightly at the girl as she nodded. That's right! "I told you I would watch out for you, kiddo. If you need me. I am always around," Lexi said as she twiiiiiirled around the dance floor. HEHEHEHE.

Lexi was totally oblivious to the glaring girl. In fact... even if she HAD noticed her she wouldn't care one little bit that she was glaring seeing as she had no CLUE that she was glaring because Lexi was dancing with Orlando. Lexi had come to expect glaring from the poor unfortunate child. Bless her little soul... Lexi was sure she didn't know HOW to smile.

Lexi shook her head in disgust before she started to shimmy about. hehehe. "I quite enjoy Sir Nicholas' Deathday celebrations for all reason aside from the filthy dungeons. He deserves respect of the utmost!" Lexi exclaimed. Mhm. She was here for Sir Nick, not the decor.

OH! Orlando was INCORRIGIBLE. She felt like punching him AGAIN for messing with Harlow like that. HMPH. Lexi shook her finger at him and looked at Harlow and rolled her eyes. "How HE got sorted into Gryffindor I will NEVER know. If anything SCARY happens come to me and I will sort it out," she said to the girl with a wink.

"Naaaah. Not weight lifting. Just takes a lot of strength to carry around this much awesome is all," she said in reply to Orlando. Then with a giggle she started to do the Twist. Yes, it was RATHER silly for someone as mature as Lexi, but fun was FUN. Heh.

While Orlando was spinning Harlow about Lexi began to spin and twirl on her own. No, she was NOT a ballerina, but she SO wished she was. Hehehe. She spun with less grace, but she did not care one little bit. And then... Orlando spun her about and GASP! He DIPPED her. She erupted in a fit of giggles at this and blew her fringe from her face. "Mister Renaldi... I had no IDEA you could dance so well." GIGGLES FOR LIFE!

Harlow giggled as Orlando pulled her back onto the dance floor and twirled her. Her white robes flared out around her. This was what you did at a party. You giggled and danced. She twirled under Orlando's arms, and then he grabbed both of her hands and swung her around the dance floor. Harlow;s feet left the ground as he twirled her. Once he left her go she was dizzy.

Harlow gave Lexi a quick hug before she spun back onto the dance floor and out of reach.

This was one of those moments when one feels absolutely sick to the stomach with the site in front of him, yet he must continue watching or he'll get sicker. This was how Ryden felt as she watched her boyfriend's festivities with the horrible Gryffindor girl who had an absentee boyfriend and a little Slytherin first year.

Her hands were slowly fisting as she watched the scene unfold. Ryden dropped her arms back to her sides - hands fisted tightly - as the girl PUNCHED Orlando just for fun, and he laughed right along with her. He LAUGHED. He didn't even THINK. He didn't even entertain the thought of her for one TINY second. GAH. Why SHOULD punching remind Orlando of his girlfriend? Hmm? It wasn't as if during their first interaction that had been exactly what she did. What a STRANGE girlfriend she was - punching him. He was MUCH better off with this silly, giggly, twirly, brainless, MEAN character he was laughing with.

Her teeth bared and her eyes glazed over, she almost pounced out of her shadow there and then when she saw that they were now back to dancing. Lots of twirling and things that she couldn't do. For the first time in her life, she felt her anger ebb away to be replaced by a different emotion... a stronger one. And it wasn't even petty jealously. It was envy.

Or something in between. If Orlando were to dip her like that she'd make them both fall to the ground. If he tried to twirl her like that, she'd probably hit him with a flailing hand. If he tried to talk to her like that, in the offhand fun way he was with this bright GRYFFINDOR, she wouldn't take it well. She'd think he was being weird.

Ryden would rather eat dragon poop than become the horrible Gryffindor girl Orlando was having fun with, but the blonde found that she had a few qualities that Ryden did not possess at all. Another was that, appearance wise, she fit Orlando more. She could actually reach his face without straining.

. . .

Who would have thought Ryden would turn out to be the jealous girlfriend type? Certainly, she hadn't thought so. Releasing the tension she had in her fists, Ryden slid to the dark ground, now completely enveloped in the shadows. She wouldn't go to him... Not yet. Not until she knew what she wanted to say.


What was it Orlando had called her? Ah, yes. Gorgeous. Gorgeous Gryffindor. Well, they both were gorgeous Gryffindors. Now wasn't that a match made in bloody heaven?

Sir Nicholas drifted into the room through the far wall, through a few students, and paused in the middle of the dance floor. His feet hovered several inches above the floor as he gazed upon his guests. Here. To celebrate his birthday.

"Ahem." His somber gaze took them all in. "I would like to welcome you all to my party. I realize it is not perhaps as grand or exhultant as a Headless Hunt or some equal frivolity, but you are most welcome here. Please eat and dance and play to your hearts content." He bowed deeply, and his head wobbled a bit.

Perhaps the students would be so kind as to come and congratulate him in person.

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! YAY!

Lexi had just brought herself out of the dip that Orlando had put her in when she spotted her house ghost and the GUEST OF HONOUR! Trumpets should have blasted and such.

WHY WERE THERE NO TRUMPETS?!

Hmph.

Righting herself and smoothing her hair down Lexi made her way to the ghost and beamed brightly at him. "Sir Nicholas! Thank you for having us all here on this most spectacular occasion! Congratulations, Sir," she said as she gave him a FANCY curtsy and a giggle.

Stella hadn't done much more than sway slightly, and it was half to music in her own head even though the weird ghost music really wasn't that bad. It was definitely old-fashioned, though, and not by way of the waltz or anything. Not yet, at least, but she wasn't going to move until either that disgusting rotting smell dissipated by the tables or she just got used to it. It wasn't worth doing anything else, and she did want to enjoy this party. She just needed to figure out how to, especially when nobody was talking to her. And that bothered her not the least bit, since she was used to having someone to talk to at events. Of course, she probably would have had to drag Risa to something like this, if it had ever happened at Beauxbatons. Maybe pretending it was just a non-costume Halloween party would help.

Mid-sway, however, and mid-thought, she felt a tap on her shoulder. Or, near her shoulder, somewhere in the vicinity of her shoulder, and she turned to see a younger Slytherin standing there. A younger Slytherin who looked confused and not the least bit nervous. "Hello," she said with a smile, trying to at least make him feel not quite as much like he had wandered into a party half populated by ghosts. At least, that was her theory as to why he looked scared. "It's Sir Nicholas's deathday party?," she answered, the statement rising into a question at the end. Since she both didn't know the ghost in question (and she didn't even know if he was there yet), and still wasn't entirely sure what a deathday party was. She needed to see if she could find any information about ghost habits, or whatever, apparently, if she was going to stay at Hogwarts the next few years.

"THANK you, child," Sir Nicholas held onto his ruff as he bowed in her direction. It was so nice to find polite children in places such as this. He often despaired that the children of today were running to ruin, but this little one, and in his own house too, was quite polite.

Having become bored with trying to decide whether or not to poke at the gross food, Ashley wandered a bit more. There was music, and so he just had to make his way over to see if anyone was dancing, and to see if he might even give it a shot. What he didn't expect was a skeleton band to be playing the songs, but that just caused him to smile at the awesomeness of such a thing. Actually, he couldn't dance, as far as he knew, so he just stayed off to the side to watch everything else in the room.


Thankfully he wasn't in the middle of the room when the guest of honor arrived, because he might have had a small heart attack from the surprise. From his perch by the side of the room, he could just watch and listen to the little speech in an interested manner. Oh, he was seriously glad that he had decided to come.
And, since it was a party, and this was the guest of honor, he made his way over soon after, trying to look polite. He couldn't say he'd really ever spoken to the ghost, but you couldn't just be at someone's party without at least saying hi. How rude was that?
"Good evening, Sir Nicholas," he said with a nod. "This is a great party, thanks for inviting us!" He really was grateful that everyone had been included, instead of just the older students. "Congratulations on your... deathday?" And that one didn't come out quite as bright, because it was still somewhat curious. He'd hoped that he had that right, and wasn't just about to find out that he'd made a fool of himself with a slip of words.

"AHHHH! HERE'S THE DEATHDAY BOY!" exclaimed Sir Patrick as he passed through a group of students. He stopped several feet short of Sir Nicholas and took off his head as he made an overly exaggerated bow. Smiling, he straightened himself up and put his head back on.

He was such a show-off.

Oh dear mother of Merlin... had her ears deceived her or had someone actually uttered the words NEARLY HEADLESS NICK? THE SCANDAL. Lexi's head snapped around looking for the offender. Sheesh! Didn't people realize they should respect the house ghosts. Even the creepy old Baron should be respected. Or at the very least avoided.


Turning her attention back to Sir Nick she smiled politely and nodded. "You are very welcome, Sir Nicholas. Have a smashing time, Sir!" Hehe. She hoped he would indeed have a fabulous time at his party. It was, after all, in his honour.

Giving him another small curtsy she made her way back over toward Orlando and Harlow and returned to shaking her groove thang.

Sky had been roaming around the party for a few minutes now. She hadn't known what to expect at a deathday party, but it was less somber than she thought. She suddenly spotted Wist in the (small) crowd.
"Hey," she said. "Are you having fun?"

Sky spotted the ghost in question. "Thank you for inviting us to your party, sir," she said. She was unsure rather or not you congratulated one on a deathday, so she just left that part out.

Rose grinned and saw a boy she'd met earlier. She walked up behind him and put her hand over his eyes. 'Guess who?' Rose chuckled as she stepped in front, taking her hands off of the boys eyes. 'Hey Ashley!' Rose smiled. 'You havin' fun at the Deathday Partay?' Rose chuckled. 'CONGRATS, SIR NICK!' Rose whooped. Sir Nick was their House Ghost, she liked him enough!

"Well..glad to know that you didn't get offended." Daphne looked at him with a grin. She turned towards the now slightly crowded dance floor before she asked, "Are you going to dance?"

Daphne gave a small snort. "Flirting with yourself? Ah. My mistake. Well, I was going say that it was working but now.." She attempted to make a disgusted face although it must have looked funny because she could feel another smile spreading across her face. "It's not Blah..I like it." Daphne said, with a smile. "At least, it's better than mine.." Not that she didn't like her name but it had a really old world feel to it.

Huh. "I'm sorry but I don't see any trees around here.." Daphne gave a smirk and continued, "Anyway..I don't climb trees."