Be Careful What You Wish For ((Lori & Scott))

[Theo Darke]

Starcrossed lovers... if only that were true.

“Lori!” Theo downed the last two steps in one jump and stood before his best friend with a wide grin. His eyes did a quick survey of Lori’s attire, causing his smile to only widen further. “You look perfect.” He stressed genuinely. “Just like her in the film, but much blonder. But you know, the actress is actually blonde in real life? I can’t say I’m unbiased towards blondes.” Eyes twinkling, Theo straightened down his own costume and looked optimistically at Lori, “So, how do I look? Is it obvious, what I’m dressed as?” The chain mail chinked loudly as Theo moved, which caused him to chuckle. “It’s a noisy costume.” He grimaced, then shrugged. “But I’m sure there’ll be plenty of other boys wearing similar things, so I won’t stand out too much. Hopefully next to you it will be obvious what our costumes represent.” Theo sent Lori a reassuringly smile. “You really do look like an angel.” He concluded, carefully extending a hand to brush the wings that adorned her back. “Shall we?” He gave Lori a brilliantly polite but excited smile, and lifted his hand next to her arm for her to take. “Otherwise we’ll miss the beginning ceremony, and we wouldn’t want that.” Theo was looking forward to the Ball; the King, Queen, Prince and Princess would be announced. He knew many of the Court members, but there were not many from his year – Kiana Brightstar for Gryffindor and Valmer Van Ruster for Slytherin being the only fifth years. Theo hoped Kiana would win for Queen; she was a very friendly girl, and a good fellow prefect. He also knew the other prefects up for nomination, such as Bryce Alexander, the Hufflepuff seventh year for King, and Mackenzie Holden for Slytherin; and of course, the prefects in the year above him in Ravenclaw, Alex and Celia. In the Junior court, Skyler Willis was and Anastasia Castlerock were the only ones he recognised, since they were fellow Ravens too.

Theo and Lori left the room with a mass of other excited Ravenclaw students dressed as all sorts. Theo smiled at some of their costumes; it would be a full evening tonight. They finally reached the Great Hall, and Theo steered Lori in carefully through the crowds. “Wow.” Was all he murmured when his eyes landed on the décor of the Great Hall; it had been transformed into a Winter Ball, all right. Along with the other chattering pupils, Theo and Lori waited for the event to begin with Professor Dumbledore’s words. They greeted a few friends, some of whom had guessed their costume choice. Originally when Theo had come up with the idea, he had been worried that people would think him and Lori weird, as Theo was gay. He and Lori weren’t an item, so why dress as Romeo and Juliet? Still, it wasn’t like Theo was attending the Ball with a guy, and Lori hadn’t chosen anyone else. They always went together, and their costume was for the fun of the occasion only, and nothing else. Theo thought it was a good idea; he was fond of Shakespeare, the muggle playwright, and an even more avid fan of his most famous play, Romeo and Juliet. Although the couple were not ‘famous historical people’, they were famous people from history, albeit fantastical characters. The tragic love story of Romeo and Juliet was known throughout the world. Theo looked to Lori after an audience with some fellow fifth year Hufflepuffs. “Are you okay?” He asked her softly, his nudge gentle. Theo’s eyes scanned the room momentarily after questioning Lori, hoping for an answer; he also hoped he would spy Scott somewhere…

Finally, the anticipating audience hushed when the Headmaster began to speak. Theo listened intently, clapped, and then watched in eagerness as the crowning began. First, Harmony Chan was given the small silver crown, the Princess of the Ball. Theo didn’t know the girl personally, but he believed her to be in fourth year; he remembered she had played in the first Quidditch match of the season the other day, Hufflepuff against Gryffindor. Harmony was a good Chaser; she had scored the first ten points for her team, and she appeared to be dressed as Mulan, the Disney character, tonight. Next, Skyler Willis, the little Ravenclaw first year, was crowned Prince. Theo clapped loudly, and was delighted and surprised that a first year – a Ravenclaw! – had been chosen. The youngest of the entire Court, Skyler was dressed as Icarus, a famous boy from a Greek myth. Following him was Kiana as Queen, which Theo was extremely pleased about. He felt she deserved it. Finally, Bryce Alexander was crowned King, to which Theo was also satisfied about. Like Harmony, Theo had witnessed Bryce’s flying abilities the other day in the Quidditch match.

The crowning ceremony was over, and the lights came up again. Theo started to look around the room immediately, but seeing no Scott, turned to Lori with a bright smile. “Well done Kia, right?” Pleased, Theo’s eyes darted round the Great Hall once more, this time to the dance floor, where a few couples were already gathering for the first song. “Let’s dance!” Theo suggested playfully and grabbed Lori other hand. Walking backwards, he pulled her to the dance floor and grabbed her waist. “You know I’m no dancer, so you can lead.” Theo murmured dryly. He stared at his shoes, careful not to step on Lori’s dainty toes; although Theo didn’t have ‘two left feet’, he had never been a great dancer. He wasn’t that graceful either. Lori on the other hand had the posture and appearance of an angel. Slowly she and Theo moved across the floor to the violin music, Theo looking around over Lori’s shoulder. Her wing obscured his view at times, but generally he could survey the buzzing Great Hall. Suddenly his eyes landed on a familiar figure and he started in the dance. “Oh, sorry,” Theo immediately apologised to Lori, before letting go and grabbing her hands, “But I just spotted Scott. Finally! Come on, you have to meet him.” Hastily Theo pulled Lori towards the refreshments table, where Scott was drinking. “Scott!” Theo called with a wide grin. “I’ve been looking for you everywhere. How are you? Well done in the Quidditch match the other day, by the way.” He patted Scott once on the back friendlily, before dragging Lori forward. “This is Lori, my best friend. I’ve promised to introduce you both to each other, and I’m sorry it’s been delayed for ages. I don’t need to do names and stuff, right? You guys both know each other already, anyway.” Beaming, Theo grabbed some punch and handed some to Lori. “How about you guys dance?” He suggested with a sly smile. “I’m tired already. I think I’ll stay here and… rest. Go on.” He gave both Scott and Lori a soft push.

[Lori Leigh R6]

Lori smiled at her reflection in the mirror before heading down to the Common Room. Juliet. She absolutely loved Shakespeare and Romeo and Juliet was a classic. Besides, both Theo and Lori loved the movie. Lori would sit in her room hour after hour watching the video. She was obsessed was muggle television and movies which was the only reason that her parents bought her a television one year for Christmas. Lori looked like the actress in the movie pretty much. Once Lori and Theo decided on a couple to portray, Lori’s mother went straight to work making the dress. It was gorgeous. It looked like the one from the movie. The outfits that Theo and Lori were wearing were from the party scene where Juliet and Romeo first saw each other. Love at first sight. Lori loved fairy tales and love tales like that. She loved them even if she felt like she would never have her own fairy tale. After all, when she thought of her own fairy tale, she thought of a ring on her finger, Theo by her side, and blonde children playing about the yard. This would never be reality. Lori was convinced that her fairy tale wouldn’t come true, but she still loved them in general. Lori was convinced that her fairy tale was ruined, but what is the point in not believing in a beautiful thing?

Lori giggled as Theo jumped down the steps in his costume. “Well thank you kind sir.” She said curtsying and smiling. Lori smiled at what Theo said about the actress from the movie. “I know. Why couldn’t Juliet be a blonde? I’ve always imagined that she and Romeo had matching hair.” Or maybe that was Lori and Theo..nevermind. Lori smiled at Theo’s loud costume. “It’s awesome. Yea I think boys would rather wear metal than tights. Can’t imagine why.” She joked. Boys could be stubborn like that sometimes. Lori had to stop herself from blushing when Theo said that she looked like an angel. She couldn’t help it. She was still trying to get over Theo. At least she was getting better at it. She was thinking about it less and she was getting tired of her fake smile. She was more like her old self. But that didn’t mean that the pain of it all was gone. “Thanks.” She said simply. She smiled as he brushed her wings. Those she had picked up at a costume shop in Hogsmeade. They reminded her of Greek Goddess wings. Actually, that was probably what costume they were supposed to be for. Whatever. Lori was an angel through and through. She nodded and then took his arm and left the common room.

Lori smiled as she looked around the Great Hall. The professors always did a great job decorating. Lori looked around at all the couples. She waved at the many people that she recognized. She could feel the eyes on her and Theo. Lori shook her head lightly and quit looking at the couples. This would be a fun night and not a sad one. Lori wouldn’t let it be a sad night. So if she didn’t look at the couples, she would think about Theo that way. Yep, that was all she needed to do. She just needed to remember that Theo was her best friend. Then she could have a fun time. Lori’s eyes lingered on the fifth year Hufflepuff that were staring at her and Theo. She turned to Theo. “Yea, I’m fine.” She lied. She didn’t mean to lie, but she didn’t want to say how uncomfortable she felt for the moment. Lori couldn’t let Theo know anything that would lead him to the truth. Then their friendship might be ruined.

Lori watched as the Queen, King, Prince, and Princess were announced. She smiled and clapped for Kia. Lori nodded as Harmony Chan made Princess. Lori didn’t know her, but she did watch her at the Quidditch Match. She was a great player. Then Skyler was crowned Prince. Lori clapped. Yay for Ravenclaw! She knew that a lot of people liked Skyler. Then fellow fifth year Gryffindor Kia Brightstar, was announced queen. She was a lot of fun to be around and a Prefect to boot. Lori smiled. And finally, Bryce was announced King. Lori didn’t know much about him really. Lori smiled. She was just thankful that now all of the attention was on the four and not her and Theo. For once, maybe her luck had changed.

Lori nodded when Theo talked about Kia. “She deserved it.” She said sincerely. Lori watched as Theo looked around the room. He was mot likely looking for Scott and Lori knew it. But she decided to let it slide. This was her night, right? Scott couldn’t take it away. Lori smiled as they exclaimed that they should dance. She giggled as they moved to the dance floor. Lori sighed. “The guy is supposed to lead, but I will make an exception for you and your two left feet.” She teased playfully. She smiled lightly. She missed this. She missed hanging out with Theo and just having fun. She was doing her best to push all other thoughts out of her mind. Lori wouldn’t let anything ruin this night, right? Suddenly, Theo let go of Lori’s hands and ran over somewhere. Lori looked around. Scott. She hadn’t even met him and yet she knew him. Theo talked about him non-stop. Lori sighed as Theo dragged Lori over. Great. This was the guy that Theo loved to talk about. So much for a perfect night. “Hi.” Lori smiled sweetly even though she wished that Scott would just go away. Lori took a sip of punch as Theo handed it to her. “Huh?” She exclaimed as Theo pushed her to dance with Scott. She wanted to say no, but she wouldn’t. Theo wanted her to talk to Scott so she would talk to Scott. She just wouldn’t be happy about it. Lori handed her punch back to Theo as he continued to push her and Scott to dance. Lori sighed and turned around to face Scott. “Umm, I don’t really dance much.” She said looking back to Theo who gave her a look saying that she should dance with Scott. “But..Theo..” She said looking back to him. In this, Lori meant that she would do anything that Theo wanted her to do. She looked back to Scott waiting for him to say something. She would dance with him. She just wouldn’t be happy about it.

[Scott Ryder G7]

Scott hadn't really spent hours pouring over ideas of what he might wear to the winter ball. They were supposed to wear costumes that portrayed famous historical figures, and Scott's idea simply came from an old costume that he had used a few years back when he had attended a Halloween party with his sister Flick. She had went as a fairy while Scott was the legendary King Arthur. Though, at the time, he was quite a bit smaller than he was now, and so he was more of a prince than a king. Also, being that the costume was a few years old, he had to borrow a charm book from the library that taught him some basic fabric stretching charms so that he could fit into the knight-like outfit. It was a simple costume, topped with a crown and finished with a plastic sword that was supposed to be the legendary Excalibur. Scott was pleased with the costume overall though. It was simple enough yet acceptable; nothing that would stand out among other costumes, but also enough to let him blend in for the occasion.

With no date or even a group of friends to arrive with, Scott ventured from the Gryffindor common room to the Great Hall all alone. He didn't mind it though. Scott liked having his moments of independence. Happy by himself, but showing no outward signs of actually being happy, Scott stood by the refreshments table, sipping his juice as the courts were announced. He joined in the clapping, happy that Kia had been named Queen of the ball. Just a few weeks back, the two of them had had an encounter in the common room in which she helped him to heal Hunter's injured wing. She was an overall kind and friendly girl, which was why he was happy for her to have won the title of Queen, aside from the fact that she was representing the Gryffindor house. Shortly, the crowing ended and couples flooded the dance floor. It was a marvelous occasion for sure, and when Scott saw Flick having a grand time, a subtle yet noticeable smile finally graced his lips.

As he was watching the dance floor, Scott was somewhat surprised to hear his name being called from his side. Turning, he saw Theo dragging an angelic looking girl his way. He immediately recognized it as Lori without Theo needing to introduce her. Scott wasn't sure who they were supposed to be, but he figured that they were obviously meant to be together as it was just expected that Theo and Lori would arrive as a pair. Anything else would have been out of the ordinary. "I've been in the same place the entire time. Haven't moved from the refreshments," Scott greeted a bit shyly. It wasn't Theo that made him nervous but Lori. He knew her fairly well from classes and knew that she was kind, but he hadn't ever had to talk to her really. "I'm doing well," he answered. Theo then questioned about Quidditch. "I could have done better though. The Snitch took way to long to even find, too." Scott wasn't really in a mood to talk about Quidditch. He didn't like bragging or talking about failure, so even if the outcome had been different, he'd have still not preferred talking about it. Scott was still trying to convince himself that trying out for the team was the best choice to have made in the first place, but now wasn't the time.

Scott gave a nod of acknowledgment when Lori said hi to him. "Yeah, I know Lori," Scott managed in return with a forced yet kind smile. Before he even had time to say much more or think about what he should say, Theo had quite randomly and unexpectedly suggested that the two of them, Scott and Lori, dance together. "Oh... I don't..." he began, but it seemed useless as Lori was almost thrust into his arms in a gentle manner by Theo. "...dance," Scott finished with an awkward grin. Lori said pretty much the same thing, and it didn't take a psychologist to tell that both she and Scott were a bit uncomfortable and unsure of what to do or say. Regardless, having been thrown into the situation by Theo, they both were left with little else to do but dance with each other. Lucky for Scott, he had a bit of a natural affinity for dancing, so he didn't seem like a total fool.

It didn't take long for Scott to realize that people were probably very curious to see the two of them dancing together. Lori was quite beautiful and well known, where as Scott was more shy and introverted such that he wasn't widely known or adored as Lori was. He hoped she wasn't totally miserable to have to dance with him, but he was too nervous and full of worry to really enjoy the chance to dance with someone so pretty. What was nice about Lori too was that she was known to have a kind heart. She and Theo both were very kind, which was why they were popular and had often been referred to as the 'golden couple' before Theo had announced being gay. Even Scott had always assumed that the two were perfect for each other, and it was only natural to wonder if Lori actually liked Theo as more than a friend. It would be terribly rude to ask though, so he was mostly silent as the two of them floated to the music.

A minute or so passed in silence before Scott figured he should at least try to make some sort of conversation. It made him more nervous though, which was why his speech came out slightly stuttered; nothing terribly noticeable, but to Scott he felt even more of a fool. "So... uh, what couple do you and Theo represent?" he asked. His question was short, and he didn't bother to expound on it at all. The less he spoke, the less he could seem like a total idiot. While waiting for an answer, he caught a glance of Theo and still couldn't believe that he had forced Lori and him together in such a way. He wasn't sure if he should be angry, excited, or what... but Scott was nervous, that was for sure.

[Theo Darke]

“I’m blind then.” Theo gave an embarrassed cough when Scott said he hadn’t moved at all, before smiling again. The Quidditch topic sailed over their heads before Theo introduced them. Perhaps it was the excitement of the Ball, coupled with his eagerness for Scott and Lori to meet and get on well which propelled Theo to suggest the two to dance together. He really was keen for Scott and Lori to befriend each other almost automatically, because he shared everything with Lori, and if Scott was to be his friend, he couldn’t see why he wouldn’t like Lori. In Theo’s opinion, he thought the two had personalities that matched up fine. Perhaps, he mused, Lori would even end up fancying him. She did call Scott ‘cute’ before the Quidditch match – that comment had made Theo smile in recollection. And Scott seemed the type to be a Prince Charming and sweep Lori off her feet. His thoughts in the clouds, Theo barely noticed how reluctant both Scott and Lori were about dancing; instead, noticing their slow reactions, gave them another push. “Come on now, guys. Don’t be shy. Am I the only enthusiastic one here?” Shaking his head dismally, Theo gave his friends a final shove, before stepping back to lean against the refreshments table.

Hearing Scott try to say he didn’t dance, Theo cracked a lopsided smile. “You’re not the only one who normally doesn’t dance, Scott, but it’s a special occasion. And Lori’s a brilliant dancer – she can lead you. She does for me.” Chuckling, Theo gave Lori an odd look when she said she didn’t dance much. He was starting to cotton onto her reluctance, but simply couldn’t understand why she was so much so. “But Lori, that doesn’t mean you’re not very good at it. With practice you know you would be fantastic.” Sighing at Lori’s lack of confidence in her abilities, Theo made a mental note to later tackle Lori’s sudden front of coldness and reluctance. He really wished she didn’t sound so forlorn. Scott was nervous, Theo could tell now after calming down a bit, but that was expected. Scott was nervous when he had first spoken to Theo; he seemed the shy type, and he hadn’t expected anything more. Theo was happy his new friend was trying for him though. “Come on.” Theo said one more time gently, left hand on the small of Lori’s back, his right on Scott’s shoulder. He carefully steered them to the edge of the dance floor where he and Lori had left before.

“I’ll be by the drinks if you need me.” Theo smiled encouragingly with a waving hand. “I might dance if someone asks me, but I’ll probably be drowning my miseries with alcohol.” His voice dripped of sarcasm and then he laughed. With that he left the pair of them to dance and returned to the refreshments table to sit out for the time being. Grabbing an orange juice, Theo sipped it and looked round for some seats. Finding a free one a few metres away he moved to sit there. The Ball was really underway, with many couples on the dance floor and others mingling by the food and drink. Theo leaned back and relaxed, glad to not be dancing; he enjoyed it to an extent, but he always felt a little self-conscious doing it in front of so many people. Not that they were watching too closely… or perhaps they were, since he had been with Lori. Dismissing the thought from his head, Theo felt his excitement spiral down a bit. Perhaps he had been a bit too enthusiastic for Lori and Scott, Theo suddenly thought worriedly. Normally Theo wasn’t that overbearing, but… he hadn’t met a good friend like Scott in the long time – especially after coming out about himself being gay, Theo hadn’t felt secure for a long time. Although Scott was someone he had just met, Theo just… knew that there was something about him that he should acquaint with Lori.

It was true, Theo thought. Perhaps his lovely Lori would like Scott, and the feelings reciprocated. Perhaps that was what had driven him to act so impulsively. He hoped both his friends would forgive him, but Theo was glad to watch them bond. His eyes sought their figures out and he smiled a little at the scene. They looked good together, but it was obvious as they moved slowly to the music that they weren’t too comfortable. “Relax.” Theo murmured under his breath, taking in their facial expressions with a close eye. However, after a moment or so Theo looked away, a slight pain welling into his chest. Perhaps it was a feeling of loss and hurt, because Theo was the one being left out and his two friends were now bonding. But this was he wanted in the first place, and so he swallowed his emotions. It was stupid, really, though Theo; after all, Scott would never take his best friend away from him so harshly, and Lori would never leave him like that. Lori too would never purposefully steal Scott for herself, and Scott, Theo thought, would do well to cement their friendship. Scott was the only friend Theo had felt confident enough about to introduce to Lori and into their world… even Dylan hadn’t been mentioned to Lori. He was one of those friends that Theo kept on his ‘male’ lifestyle list. Plus Dylan was in a way even shyer than Scott, though there was the Hogsmeade trip coming up…

Theo gave a small sigh. He was worried about his actions tonight – too brash, too overexcited. He was worried that Lori and Scott would not bond and blame him for it too. But this worrying was stupid. Theo knew when he was being silly, and so cast the thoughts away like rubbish. It was pointless to wonder about what ifs, Theo had never been like that. He was one to not obsess too much and get on with what he had. For Theo, life was a glass half full rather than a glass half empty. Lori may be the kinder one, but Theo knew he was the more optimistic of the two. In fact, sometimes he thought Lori would be downright pessimistic, but that was on rare occasions. He didn’t know about Scott, but he seemed like an optimistic person. Theo liked optimism… he liked hope and inspiration.

((I realised I kinda posted Theo OOC in the first post, so my apologies for that if that weirded you guys out, lol.))

[Lori Leigh R6]

Lori eyed Theo. He didn’t understand. He couldn’t understand. This was hard for Lori. This was the first ball since Theo had come out as being gay. Before, Lori and Theo would go together and everyone would stare at the “perfect couple”. And they were. At least Lori thought they were. Alright so maybe Lori and Theo were never a couple, but Lori always thought that was the way that it was supposed to be. She was supposed to be with Theo. She was! But that dream was smashed. Theo had no idea how hard it was for Lori to be dancing with Scott. This was the boy that Theo seemed to bring up every moment of every day. He didn’t mean to. Lori knew he wasn’t trying to be rude by it. Besides, he didn’t know the truth. He didn’t know the secret that Lori had been trying to ignore for months. If he really knew, Lori didn’t know what would happen. Would things ever be the same? Probably not. This was a secret that was better kept that way. Lori had to keep going on like everything was fine. She had been doing it for months, now she had the rest of her life to go. Lori looked to Scott. He was cute. He seemed sweet even if he was a tad quiet. But, he was the boy that Theo couldn’t help but talk about. Lori couldn’t help but be jealous of Scott.

Lori could barely make out a word. Theo was so intent on Lori and Scott getting to know each other. Couldn’t he just slow it down a little? But, Lori knew Theo. He wanted Lori and Scott to get along. Lori just wasn’t sure if she could. Lori nodded to what Theo said. By what she said to Scott, she really just wanted to get out of dancing with him, but Theo wouldn’t allow it. He seemed intent on getting them to talk. Lori was a pretty good dancer. She had a dancer’s body really, tall and thin. But, she never had the passion for it. No, she would rather be playing her violin or dreaming of being a lead in a Broadway Play. Lori didn’t go after this dream. It was a little dream for her. But she had always wanted to dance around on stage and have fun. But she knew that she would be afraid if she did. Lori offered a tiny smile. She had to try and get to know Scott. Theo wouldn’t let it be any other way. It would take some time and Lori wouldn’t like it, but she had to get used to Scott. For Theo’s sake.

Theo moved Scott and Lori to the other side of the floor. Lori then placed her tiny hands on Scott’s shoulders and they began to dance. After a minute, she noticed the glances that they were getting from around the room. Lori was pretty popular even if she didn’t brag about it much. Yes, she did have a lot of friends, but Theo was her best-friend. She liked all of her other friends, but sometimes, they got to be too much. Some people loved to ask Lori about her and Theo. They wanted to know if he was really gay or if it was a cover-up for something. One rumor even suggested that Theo wasn’t gay at all and actually he and Lori were married. If only that were true. Lori usually felt a bit more confident, but she didn’t for the moment. Not with everyone watching her and Scott’s every move. They were probably wondering why the heck the two were dancing together. Scott was known for playing Quidditch, but he wasn’t exactly as popular as Lori and Theo were. Lori and Theo didn’t care much about that they nor did they talk about being popular. Being popular was just something that they were. That didn’t mean that they wanted to be that way. Sometimes, Lori just wanted to blend in with the background so she could forget everything. Then she could go back in to her fantasy world where everything was perfect. But nothing was perfect in real life and Lori had to get used to this.

Lori looked to Scott as he tried to make some conversation. Lori could try more. She knew this. But she wasn’t ready to. Nope. She was going to be stubborn and take her time. She wasn’t ready for Scott. She wasn’t ready for Scott to take Theo away from her. “We’re Romeo and Juliet.” She said simply. But, she felt bad for acting a bit cold, so she decided to be nicer. She didn’t want to be, but she would for Theo. Lori looked to Theo. If he knew the truth, she wouldn’t be dancing with Scott right now. “We’re dressed like in the latest Romeo and Juliet movie. Umm, we’re wearing what they wore to the party where they met.” She smiled. “I love that movie, it’s magical. It brings Shakespeare to life.” She loved fairy tales. Lori and Theo loved that movie. Actually, they loved Shakespeare in general. Lori’s favorite was The Midsummer Night’s Dream. But, she was a Romeo and Juliet fan as well. Yes, their tale was tragic, but it was a classic and beautiful. Well, until that whole dying part of course.

Lori looked around the room again. People were starting to dance more and focus on Lori and Scott less which was a good thing. Lori just wanted a normal ball for once. She wanted to have fun with Theo. But apparently, that wouldn’t happen. Oh well. Lori would not let Scott ruin her ball. She couldn’t. Lori looked to Scott. “So, I don’t know much about you really.” She figured that she should get to the point even if she really didn’t have one. Lori wasn’t usually this forward, but it was a weird night. She couldn’t help that the jealousy monster was building up inside of her. “Well, besides what Theo says.” She said simply. She didn’t want to come off as cool at all and she hoped that she wasn’t. But over the months, it was getting harder and harder for Lori to control her actions. “Who are you?” It was a weird question. One that only Lori would ask. It was one of those things that Lori just wanted to know the truth. She didn’t care that she was being forward nor did she care. Lori wanted to know if she could really trust Scott. So maybe she was getting in over her head. Maybe she didn’t want to know the answer, but she wasn’t thinking. She was acting on jealousy more than anything.

[Scott Ryder G7]

Eventually, Theo left the two of them alone on the dance floor and announced that he'd be by the drink table. Scott wasn't sure if he was glad to have Theo leave or not. With him there, he felt a silent pressure like he needed to live up to the expectations that Theo seemed to put onto the bonding process between Scott and Lori. Yet, with him gone, that just left Lori, which Scott barely knew. She was kind at least, or of what he knew of her he had made that assumption. Awkward was the only way to describe the two of them as they danced. Scott did let Lori do some of the leading as well, for he just wasn't the type to step up and take charge. He hoped she didn't care. For now, Scott was just trying to get through this without either making a fool of himself or causing Lori to absolutely hate him. It shouldn't be too hard if he just stayed quiet and kind, nothing overbearing.

"Oh, I can't say I've seen the movie," he answered, when Lori told him where the idea of their costumes had come from. "But I do know the story quite well. Well, I'm sure everyone knows that story." Scott wasn't even an avid reader and he knew the story of Romeo and Juliet. It was a classic, and even more, it was Shakespeare. Anyone who had ever picked up a book had likely heard of Shakespeare. Again, Scott was silent, not quite sure where to take the conversation. He wasn't going to speak unless he knew what he wanted to say ahead of time. He hated simply grasping for straws when it came time to have a conversation. It was so uncomfortable for him, as social encounters were not of the things he favoured.

It wasn't long though before Lori burst into another topic of conversation. After explaining she didn't know much about Scott (big surprise there), she asked him quite an odd question. Well, it wasn't so much an odd inquiry, but just the way she had worded it left Scott a bit speechless, which was of course normal for him. "Who am I?" he repeated, stalling for time as he started to wonder how he should even go about answering that question. He felt his cheeks redden with anxiety. Well, I am Scott Ryder, fifth year Gryffindor. Was that really his identity? His name, year, and house? Surely he could come up with a better answer than that. Lori was obviously wanting to know more about him than what she already knew, and everything he had just thought in his mind were evident truths that she didn't need him to tell her. "I'm a brother of two," he offered quietly. The words had almost slipped out before he had even gotten a chance to think about what he was saying. The answer was true at least, and it did kind of explain a bit about Scott, or at least the fact that he was really close to his family. "Felicity, who's a year behind me in Gryffindor. We call her Flick. And Evelyn who lives at home. They are my two younger sisters."

Scott paused for a few seconds. Did she want more than that? He was still a bit confused about the question in general, but something inside of him felt like he needed to say more. And so he did, despite his natural tendency to say less. "I'm really interested in muggle technology. I love Quidditch, but not so much the whole aspect of playing in front of the entire school." He stopped again, feeling that every word he say was one too many. Surely though by now he had at least given her a sufficient answer to what she was looking for. "What about you?" he asked instinctively. He really was quite interested to know a bit more about Lori, and he was glad to get the spotlight off of himself. He much preferred listening to speaking, and so hopefully Lori could tell quite a bit about herself. Before she answered, Scott stole a glance over toward the drink table, half hoping to see Theo coming back over to let them know that they could be finished. It wasn't that he didn't like Lori, in fact he thought she was a rather nice girl from what he had seen of her so far. It just was the awkwardness of the whole situation. Dancing with someone wasn't Scott's ideal way of getting to know them. Just a back and forth conversation was a step for him. In his and Theo's case, it was an act of bullying that lead them to speak. For some reason though, he was a lot less nervous around Theo than he was Lori. He couldn't tell why, but he quickly turned his attention back to her as she began to answer the question in return.

[Lori Leigh R6]

Lori eyed Theo as she peered over Scott’s shoulder. He was at the beverage table. Lori couldn’t help but sigh. Moving beyond the whole Lori loved Theo thing, she wanted to be with her friend. She just wanted to have a normal time at the ball with him, but alas. Theo just had to push her together with Scott. It wasn’t that Lori didn’t like Scott. He seemed okay. Plus, Lori knew that if Theo liked him so much, he couldn’t be so bad. But, she couldn’t help but feel jealous around him. He was taking Theo. Her Theo. Theo talked about him so much it made Lori want to run out of the room in tears. And normally, she would, but she couldn’t cry over this. She couldn’t let Theo know how she really felt. Lori glanced at Scott. Usually, she was much more open to people. Yes, in a way she was open to Scott but she wasn’t as open as she usually was. She just wanted him to disappear, to go back to being someone that neither Theo nor Lori knew. Lori knew this was a bad thought, but she couldn’t push it away. The sweet, loving Lori seemed gone for the night. And what replaced her was a jealous monster who just wanted her best-friend back.

Lori nodded as Scott said he hadn’t seen the movie. Lori loved movies especially classics. But she loved newer ones too. She loved Breakfast at Tiffany’s and Audrey Hepburn. True, this wasn’t a common hobby of wizarding kids, especially those with strict wizarding families, but Lori couldn’t help but sit with her eyes glues to the TV. screen for hours. Movie and television fascinated her and she couldn’t help but wish she was one of those beautiful actresses sipping tea while glancing calmly at her diamond encrusted watch. “Yea, it’s a classic.” She said half-heartedly. What Lori would give to be watching that movie right now? It would take her mind off of everything. Plus, if she was watching it, she wouldn’t be with Scott. This was maybe the most awkward situation Lori had ever been in. She felt as if the silence between them would never fade. She sighed and flashed a smile to Theo when he looked her way. Put on a happy face. She told herself even if she simply wanted to run away like a little girl.

Lori nearly blushed as she heard Scott repeat her question. She made a mistake. She shouldn’t have said that. Lori just couldn’t control her actions. She was like a little child in that way sometimes. The words just came out before Lori could stop them. She just couldn’t hold her tongue. Lori eyed him. He seemed uncomfortable. She put him on the spot, didn’t she? She didn’t mean to. Stupid words! Lori nodded as he talked about his sisters. It was interesting that he brought them up first when asked who he was. It was something Lori would be as well. She loved her family dearly. She smiled lightly. It sounded like a cute family. True, Lori knew nothing about them, but the names sounded cute. Yes, Lori was naïve, but she couldn’t help it.

Lori couldn’t help but smile when Scott talked about himself. He was fascinating really. True, he didn’t say all that much, but Lori didn’t care. She still wanted to know more, but Lori would hold off. She could wait. What about her? Where could she begin? She nodded slightly. She didn’t mind talking about herself and her family, but sometimes she felt a bit shy. “I have a little sister, Florence. Theo calls her Flo.” She added just in case Theo ever brought her name up. He only really called her Flo. “She’s a first year Ravenclaw.” She nodded. Lori looked around for her little blonde-headed sister that looked like a miniature Lori. But she was no where in site. She didn’t feel the need to talk about Theo. It was no secret that they had been best-friends since birth practically and shared the same birth-date. “I like muggle technology too,” She said glad that they had something in common. “Eespecially television. I dunno. They fascinate me. I’ve always liked watching the actresses and thinking how cool it would be to stand up there.” She blushed. She rarely spoke of this dream out loud. It just sort of slipped out though. “I’m not good a sports really, but I love music.” Lori could talk and talk once she got going. She wasn’t sure if this was the right time, but she couldn’t help herself. “I’m horrible at Transfigurations.” She threw out. “But, Theo helps me with it.” She nodded. Theo was good that way. “I dunno what else to say.” She smiled lightly and looked to Scott. “I guess there really isn’t much to me.” Lori had a way of underestimating herself sometimes. And she didn’t even notice it. Lori sighed and tried to think of something to say. The music stayed at the same, slow pace. Lori felt a bit more comfortable, but still. Scott was still a bit fuzzy to her. She wanted to know more, but she couldn’t bring herself to ask. She looked at their feet and then back to Scott. A grin formed on her face. “What do you mean don’t dance? You’re nearly a pro.” She encouraged. She eyed Scott waiting for him to respond.

[Scott Ryder G7]

"I think I've seen her around," he said, remembering that there was a younger girl that did look very much like Lori. It had to have been Flo, Scott was almost certain. The golden hair and the smile, they were quite identical in those aspects. "That's cool. Television can get quite addictive," he admitted. "My weakness is my laptop. I could spend hours of my days on that piece of muggle magic," he said with an instinctive smile. Without even realising it, Lori was drawing Scott out of his shell, allowing him to feel slightly comfortable as the two of them shared a bit about themselves. "I'm sure there's much more to you than you think," he said with a nod. If he wasn't mistaken, Lori seemed a bit unlike what he had expected of her. It wasn't a bad sort of difference though. She just seemed a bit more reserved and laid back than he had thought. Perhaps she was as shy as he was to have been thrown into such a situation. "I mean, you're... well, you're kind. Not just any girl would have been as willing to be thrown into my arms. I can't say I'm the most popular guy." He blushed a bit as his smiled weakened into a grin.

"Theo has a great friend in you," he added, his sudden fear of socialising was temporarily hushed. "For being so popular, it's always good to see that you are both great people. Sometimes, it seems that a thing such as popularity can ruin people, if you know what I mean." Scott started to think he should be quiet again. He didn't want to push the boundary too much. If he was going to step out of his comfort zone, he wanted to be sure that he was just a few steps away from finding it again. Nothing was scarier than stepping out of your comfort zone to the point that you knew it was almost impossible to get back to it.

After Lori complimented him, Scott blushed even more, having forgot for a moment that he really was dancing. "Oh, um... I must have simply lost myself in the music. Now more aware of what he was doing, Scott was careful to continue to try his best to save himself from looking like a fool. His eyes caught her looking at him, and another nervous grin flashed across his face as he hurried to look away. The music was starting to slow, indicating that the song was coming to an end. He hardly expected that they would dance for another song, but he wasn't sure. He figured though that Lori would want to return to Theo. They had come as a pair after all.

The music finally stopped for good, and many of the couples left the dance floor to get some refreshments. Scott glanced back at Lori, raising his brow as almost a silent inquiry of whether or not they too would head back to where Theo was waiting. From what he saw, he figured this was a good idea, and so he escorted her with his elbow out for her to hold, just like his father had taught him to do in the 'gentlemanly' way. "Thanks for the dance," he said as they walked toward the drink table. Theo was still there, waiting for them to return. Scott was silent at that point, almost certain that Theo would be the first to speak. He felt a lot more comfortable now though than before. Maybe Theo's idea to push he and Lori together was a good idea after all. Even if he still was a bit nervous around her, he felt a lot better about spending time with Theo and Lori. He only hoped that they both felt the same way in return. Theo perhaps obviously did, but Scott wasn't so sure about Lori.

[Theo Darke]

Theo was sipping his orange juice in deep thought, carefully steering away from feelings concerning Lori and Scott being together; his eyes remained steadfastly on his glass as the music, the dancing, the laughter and joviality sailed over his head, as though he wasn’t in the room experiencing the same Ball. Theo was occupied in a little world of his own, and although this was rare, he savoured the moment too; it was uncommon for him not to be with someone else (especially Lori), not to be chuckling and having fun with other people, unless his head was tucked into a book or absorbed in homework. So this little slice of solitude Theo was grateful for, and he made the best of it, reflecting on things he normally didn’t have the time to sit and think about. It was ironic that he would come to the Ball and end up today of all days enjoying privacy, because one would imagine lots of socialising and gaiety during such an evening, but on the contrary, this meant Theo could blend in invisible amongst the happiness that wrapped people up in one another, and be alone. To most of the swirling, colourful world around him, he was just another figure sitting on a chair, because they were so preoccupied with one another. And to Theo, everyone else was just a blur. However, this gentle peace was soon broken, expectedly, by a group of giggling girls in his year. Theo’s eyes clicked upwards as they moved to sit by him, two on either side, his inner thoughts fading away to be replaced with his usual calm exterior which showed on his face. “Good evening, ladies.” He said smoothly in a gentleman’s formal manner. “May I say you all look stunning tonight.” He added with a small smile.

“Oh, Theo!” The girl directly to his left giggled in amusement, lightly hitting his arm. Her brunette curls were piled high on her head, cascading down with some glittering ornaments in her hair. “You’re so cute. Really, if you weren’t gay I would take you all for myself.”
“Lena!” The dark haired girl beside her spoke out in mock horror, but she evidently could not refuse a smile of hilarity. “Leave poor Theo alone. If he wanted your advances I’m sure he would say so.”
“It’s fine.” Theo chose to smile serenely, shaking his head. “I’m quite used to it by now. It holds no offence for me. Would you ladies like a drink?” The four girls nodded enthusiastically; all of them were dressed in beautiful shimmering dresses; Gryffindor Lena in glossy pale pink, the dark haired girl beside her, Patricia, in periwinkle blue, the girl on Theo’s right in apple green, and the last in pale sunshine yellow. Theo retrieved his wand and motioned towards the refreshments table, summoning four glasses towards them. The girls plucked them out of the air, murmuring their thanks, before turning to their ‘victim’ once more.
The girl in yellow, Sara, a Hufflepuff, spoke out now curiously. “Where is Lori, Theo? After all, she might not be pleased with us fawning all over you...”
Theo waved off Sara’s subtle accusations. “Lori wouldn’t mind.” He tried not to sound irritated. Could people not just leave his best friend alone? He really disliked the interest and insinuations some girls in his year held for Lori. “She’s dancing with a friend.” He added in reply, his eyes glancing to across to her and Scott momentarily.
“Who is that?” Anita, dressed in green, motioned at Scott, a curious and almost disbelieving look on her face. “He looks really good with Lori!”
“Scott Ryder, Gryffindor. Our year, Anita, our year.” Patricia, the only Ravenclaw, tutted, sipping her lemonade. “He is quite the looker, is he not? He’s always been so quiet, it’s like he’s not even there.”
“Can’t believe he’s never caught my eye…” Anita, a Hufflepuff like Sara, smirked a little, her eyes lingering on Scott’s face before turning back to Theo, who was quiet and subdued. “Are they dating?” She demanded of him.
“Uh… no.” Theo looked up at Anita in confusion. Why would Scott and Lori be together? They had only just met. But of course, the girls didn’t know that, so refraining a sigh, Theo explained. “I only introduced Scott to Lori tonight. He’s a good friend of mine.”
“Wasn’t he the one who won the Gryffindor game? That Seeker?” Lena suddenly piped up excitedly, craning her neck for a better view of the said subject of conversation. “My hero!”

The girls suddenly started to squeal excitedly to each other, and Theo tried to refrain a roll of his eyes. This was a good reason why he had never felt attracted to girls; they were so… girly. Then again, so was Lori, but there was something kind and sincere about Lori that meant Theo could look past her girly ways that could often get on his usual nerves. Nowadays, Theo could tolerate Lori’s habits because she was his best friend and he was so used to it; but these girls were only giving him a headache. Coupled with the heightening level of noise in the Great Hall, Theo was starting to feel somewhat suffocated. “Excuse me, ladies.” Theo sent a large, fake smile at his company and proceeded to stand up, draining his glass in one gulp. “I need a refill. Talk to you later.” And with a charming half bow, Theo disappeared towards the refreshments table, glad for a break away from the noisy chatter buzzing in his ears. Wiping his brow with a sigh of relief, Theo reached for another glass of juice to keep him hydrated. His costume was beginning to heat up and cling to him uncomfortably from the increasing temperature. It was then Scott and Lori joined him again, causing Theo to look up in surprise. “Oh, the song finished?” He asked with a returning twinkle in his eye. However, underneath his smile he was feeling weary and fatigued by the night’s events. He didn’t even know why he felt so tired now, but he longed to fall onto his bed for some good shut-eye.

“I don’t know about you guys, but… I’m not feeling so great. Why don’t you keep Lori company for me, Scott? I think I’m going to retire for the night. The Ball has exhausted me already.” He shook his head and laughed in embarrassment. “It was great seeing you tonight too, Scott,” Theo addressed his male friend sincerely, “I’m sorry I’ve been so anti-social. How about joining Lori and me next weekend for the Hogsmeade trip? It’d be great to have you tag along. I expect to see you there.” He gave a fake jovial grin, before grasping Lori’s arm. He pulled her forward and planted a chaste kiss on her cheek, before drawing away with a small smile. “Don’t worry about me. Just have some fun, let loose a bit. You’ve been a bit quiet recently.” He murmured softly so only Lori could hear, before grinning as much as he could again. “Well, have a nice evening.” He let go of her gently and stepped back, before reaching for her fallen hand and kissing it, a small smile curling against the back of her skin. “Your Romeo departs.” Theo declared finally with a regal bow, before turning around and sweeping through the crowds quickly, his head screaming for sleep.

((You guys can wrap it up the way you want. Or not at all. Lol, I’m not bothered. Yay, another one finished!))