Sugar and Cyanide ||

NOTE - READ FIRST!! This thread is for a gathering of purebloods, people of importance, and their families. If your character is a member of one of these groups, feel free to post here. Please note, that not everyone will interact with everyone else, or even at the same time.

Come on in - and get lost in the crowd.

- - -

Ritter Manor
Germany

Ondrea folded her arms across her chest, gazing out over the crowd of people swarming the ballroom - or whatever the owners (and Ondrea wasn't entire sure just whose house they were at) happened to call the large hall. Merlin, it's like they invited the entire bloody Wizarding world, she thought.

Her mother rested a hand on her shoulder and Ondrea offered the woman a smile. Helen Montgomery smiled brightly back before going off to speak with someone else. Ondrea watched the blonde haired woman as she crossed the room, ever stately, ever optimistic. A hint of sadness still hung around her, but that had a tendency to happen to people who'd just lost one of their children a few short months back.

The girl sighed, looking around again. She had been to so many of these blasted parties the last few months; though, this was certainly the largest yet. Apparently, Ondrea's mother took 'no-longer-terrified-of-practically-anyone-and-everyone' as 'budding-social-butterfly'. Ondrea didn't complain (much). Her parents had catered to her phobias and social anxiety for years. The least she could do is pretend to enjoy some stuffy old party.

Ondrea stepped away from the doorway to become lost in the crowd.

Karma's dark eyes swept the large room in search of alcohol. She did not want to be here. If Jet hadn't taken the portraits' advice and dragged her to this dumb party, she wouldn't have to act like she enjoyed being there.

She had slipped off her heels when Jet had his back turned and hid them under the table, but you couldn't tell because her dress went all the way to the floor. She grumbled something as Jet looked at her again, smiling winningly at him, folding her hands on the table. "Why am I here again?" She gritted out between her teeth.

Jet smiled back at her, taking her arm and forcing her to stand, though he made the gesture look gentle. She stood and he smiled, leaning close to her. "Smile." he said softly, his voice holding a threat that was almost nonexistent in his posture and expression. "You're the last of your father's line, just as I am. You have to mingle. These people are important for our future."

He leaned even closer. "And don't you dare say they're human. I know that."

Aquila smiled at his parents as the waltzed into the stupidly huge manor, but that smile turned into a grimance as soon as their backs were turned.

Honestly! What was he supposed to be gaining from this? This was - this was -

His smile snapped back into place as soon as his parents returned with some of their god forsaken friends. Of course, Aquila charming, and minipulating as ever, managed to keep up a steady conversation of pleasentries, until he reached a point where he couldn't stand it any longer.

"Mum, I'm going to go get some food," he smiled innocently, "a growing boy has to eat."

Not waiting for a responce - knowing full well that his parents believed he could do no wrong - he ducked out of their little cirlce and made a beeline for a corner that had the least amount of people, and once hidden from view started rather violently attacking his tie.

"Stupid Monkey suit," he grumbled loosening the thing to a level that was managable, "Whoever thought of these things should have been dragged out to the street and shot."

One thing Kass hated was big gathering. But she really had no choice, but to come. Since she was the one to convie them to let her transfer. She knew that she had to start acting like their lap dog. And this only reminded her that was why she was here.

Looking around, she didn't see anybody that she knew. But since she never really talked to anybody. She didn't expect for anybody to know who she was. Kass then started to roll her eyes, as if she was getting bored.

Roman smiled at the guests he was talking to. He wasn't really quite sure who they were, though he thought at least one of them was a CEO. Both were stuffy middle-aged men in tuxedos.

"But of course your mother has told me that you're attending Durmstrang. You know, I used to go there, as well. It is an excellent school, really excellent...." Roman smiled at the men as they prattled on.

"Make sure to say hello to your father, the old trickster! Why you can't imagine the things we did together when we were at school..."

He tried to keep up his smile, "That's wonderful. You'll have to finish telling me about that later. I believe my mother's calling for me across the room."

He weaved quickly through the crowd before either of them could protest. Roman straightened out of sight of the men, and saw a boy he recognized from school, "Aquila! I didn't know you knew my parents!"

Lisette clung to the arm of her date. What was his name? Ernie? Ernest? Irving? Alex. Right. His name was Alex. She turned towards him, "Alex, sweetie. You're tie is all messy." She giggled and got up on her toes to fix the tall, gangly redhead's tie, making sure to bring her face close to his, "There. All better." She giggled again. This kid wasn't attractive at all, but he had connections.

"Hon, I'm gonna go get us some punch, okay? Why don't you go dance a little and I'll meet you there." Liz threw him a charming smile and dashed out across the room, stopping once she was sure he couldn't find her through the crowd.

"Good God, what a loser," she laughed quietly to herself, waving to a cute boy a couple of feet away from her, but he got lost in the crowd. She fixed her long gown and looked around the room for someone to talk to.

People. She was actually around people again. Oh sure it'd been a while since she'd been kidnapped - or crownapped, as it was being called now - but Savannah still hadn't gotten over her week in that blasted cave.

And for once, she was actually happy that her mother had dragged her along to a party. Staying home alone would've driven her off the edge.

Smiling at her mother before smoothing out her dark blue dress, she looked around. Just because she wanted to be around people didn't mean she wanted to anyone. But she couldn't just stand here by her mother's side like a child.

Noticing a blonde girl by herself, Savannah headed towards her. Smirking at her, she waved, "Not enjoying the party?"

Faye fiddled at the hem of the silly dress she was wearing. She looked ridiculous and felt ridiclous. Honestly, her parents should have left her at home. They always used to leave her at home. What on earth would have possesed them to think she need to be here now?

"Now remember," her father looked at her sternly, "Whatever else, you are a Hansoff, so do not mess this up for us. The school seemed to think you were worth wasting a spot over, so why don't you make yourself useful, and at least flash that pretty face of yours around, attach it with our name."

Faye looked at her feet and nodded as he spoke. Then with a final reminder of how she was supposed to behave - and a comment from her mother that at least she wasn't ugly as well as useless - they left her to wander on her own.

Which she did, and was surprised to see a few familar faces. She thought she saw a girl from the cave, but really - did she? - she blanked that time from her mind so much that she just didn't bother anymore.

What came as a more surprise was when she stumbled upon two boys, who looked about her own age. One who might have been familar, and the other...

"Roman?"

Kassidy then started to brush out the wrinkles in her black dress. If her mother was here, she would yell at her and saying that she needed to look her best. But Kass just wanted to be herself, she hated coming to these parties. All thing she was glad of was actually dressing up.

She then looked up when she heard that someone actually talking to her. " These kind of parties are really not my thing. I would rather be at home writting a friend from Durmstrang, well she was my only friend there."

Technically, Julian wasn't supposed to be there. Pureblood parties didn't want Muggle-born partiers, but that hadn't stopped him. And what was the worst they could do? Kick him out? Laughable. He was the life of a party.

Smiling to himself, Julian sauntered in and was immediately greeted by a large crowd. Most people would be rather terrified at the sight of it, but Julian Andre Rousseau wasn't most people. By now, he was used to the large crowds. After all, his parents made it their business to host large parties every few weeks.

Weaving in and out of the crowd, he found himself beside a familiar dark haired girl. Smirking at her, Julian whispered in her ear, "Well Lissy, aren't you looking beautiful? You always do, but today..." he trailed off, content with letting his eyes linger over her body.

Kallie walked about hte room, smoothing out the skirt of her sleek black cocktail dress as she wandered around the room.

She hated the mass amounts of people - truely did. In her mind this was the picture of out of control.

But it was business. Nothing like these kinds of parties for making connections, and keeping old ones.

So keeping her head high, taking pride in herself and her country, she contiued to move about the room, waiting to find her best move.

Lisette spun around at the voice of Julian, "You're not looking so bad yourself," she gave him a flirtatious grin, "In fact, you're looking very classy today."

"Well, are you going to invite me to dance? Or am I going to have to find another partner?" She laughed and put her hands behind her back, swaying from side to side like a little girl, "Please?"

"I know how you feel," Savannah said with a dramatic sigh, standing beside her, "I usually hate parties, but tonight....."

Trailing off, Savannah decided not to tell her about being crownapped. She didn't want her sympathy and besides, it would make her seem young and needy for attention, something she definetely did not want, "Tonight just feels different," She finished lamely, brushing her hands against her dress.

Ophelia flounced about the room, revealing in the people and the importance. God she loved these things.

This was the best of the best right here. She just passed the minister on the way in, and there had always been rumours about certain mob influences...

Power and prestiege was centered right here and she was living it, breathing it, being it.

Swishing her hair over her shoulder, she looked around, tilting her head. This was the place to be.

Kendera's hair had taken on a distinctive reddish hue as her grandmother steered her into the Ritter's manor house and into the ballroom.

"Frau Krause!" someone greeted the woman almost immediately. "I was hoping we would see you here. So good to see you. And this? Oh, right. This must be your granddaughter. Such a pretty girl. She clearly takes after your side of the family."

"That's correct," her grandmother told the man. "This is my granddaughter, Lidwina. She's currently a student at Durmstrang."

It's Kendera, the girl thought bitterly. Merlin, she hoped that boy whose parents her grandmother tried to arrange a betrothal with wasn't here. That would be awkward. Particularly since she had hated the boy on sight.

"Is that so?" the man said, sounding enthralled. The obsequious idiot prattled on, eventually getting around to something to do with Arithmancy and the works of the great Della Krause.

Kendera finally managed to slip away. She was there for decorative purposes primarily, anyway. And maybe to be introduced to some eligible pureblooded prat whose parents were important. The thirteen-year-old really hated her grandparents, sometimes. Especially her grandmother.

Sighing, she wove sullenly through the crowd, intent on finding something to drink. Or a victim. She'd brought a couple spare outfits, suitable for each gender. Nothing like practicing her acting to brighten up a dull party. The girl's eyes turned purple at the pleasant thought.

Perhaps, this party might turn out well, after all.



(OOC: Kendera's grandmother, Della Krause, is the leading expert in Arithmancy and has published several books on the subject. The Krauses are an old pureblood German line. Kendera herself is the last of the James line [a British line].)

Kass smiled. " I know what you mean. My parents made me transfer schools, but at least my one friend Tessa writes me. " She then sighed a little bit. " That is why my parnets yanked me, cause I wasn't socializing." But she didn't want to tell her problems to a complete stranger.

" Kassidy Dupre." She then held out her hand, hope that she would at least get a handshake.

Grinning back at Lisette just as flirtatiously, he put a hand over his heart, blue eyes sparkling, "Why thank you, Lissy. I couldn't have said it better myself,"

If there was one good thing about Beauxbatons, it was they'd taught him to dance. Reminding himself to thank the Creative Arts Professor, Julian grinned. Holding out his hand, he raised an eyebrow, "Well, if you insist. I really can't say no to such a pretty face,"

"Faye!" Roman smiled, eager to have a conversation not involving business or his family, which were really synonymous when he thought about it. "What... what are you doing here? I didn't think you were the partying type."

Then again, he had remembered his parents talking about the Hasnoffs earlier. They were surprised that he recognized the name, and he was even more surprised to discover that his parents had no idea who Faye was.

"Are you okay?" He said in a slightly more serious tone. He was talking, of course, about the.... incident... that happened awhile ago. He had seen her in class, but he never got the chance to talk to her after she arrived at school.

"Well, I guess it's better to have one true friend than hundreds that barely matter," Thinking of JJ, Savannah's expression hardened. She had to begin tracking down the Moon Twins. After all, they needed to learn that you couldn't mess with her friend and get away with it.

"I barely socialize," Savannah said with an eye roll, "But my mother thinks I do, so it works for me," Shaking Kassidy's hand, she introduced herself, "I'm Savannah. Savannah Lerran," Tonight, she didn't care what people thought of her surname.

The french girl, wandered around the room looking at certain members with disgust. It was true, her mother wasn't exactly the typical pureblood elitiest, but Ninette loved a party of any kind and was not going to miss out on this one.

She looked around. It was true it could be a slight Faux pas to show up sans date, but honestly, the girl felt like she would have better luck playing the field without some drag along who thought he had a claim to her.

She flashed a smile when she saw Lis toying along Julian. She'd bother them later. Tonight, she had bigger fish to fry.

And with that, she plunged into the fray to find herself the perfect fling.

Ondrea's nose wrinkled in disgust. Gah! Who invited the veela? The girl sputtered slightly, weaving quickly away from the disgustingly sweet smell. Vampires were pretty bad, to her nose - they sort of smelled like dusty potpourri - but nothing, absolutely nothing, seconded a veela (or half-veela, for that matter) in regards to stench.

Speaking of vampires, though, Ondrea let out a rather defeated sounding laugh. There were all sort of things here...

She looked up, as the vampire was practically upon her and she didn't want to run into whoever it was. Then, she blinked in mild surprise.

"Karma Black?"

Karma Black is here? was Ondrea's first thought, though it was immediately eclipsed by, Karma Black is a vampire?!

Lisette had to admit the she was quite fond of Julian. He was almost as conceited as she was, which was saying something.

She led the boy onto the floor, laughing. Then she gently placed her hand on his shoulder, "I have to warn you, I'm an excellent dance partner."

Karma turned away from Jet, resisting the urge to turn and kick Jet in a place he'd feel, hopefully for the rest of his life.

"Hello." She said, with a wide smile. Her eyes took in the girl before her, her head tilting to the side. "You were a Ravenclaw, weren't you?" She asked. "On...Ondrea... Montgomery, isn't it?" She noticed Jet had disappeared into the crowd, but she couldn't bring herself to care.

Shaking his head at Lisette, Julian let her lead him on to the dance floor. "Oh darling," He said, leaning towards her with the beginnings of a lecherous grin on his lips, "You should know, I'm good at everything,"

Teasing Lisette had to be one of the many things that he enjoyed doing. It was just so much fun to get a reaction from her.