Grand entrance! ((Vince, Nasser))

[dana]

Dana stretched lazily as one of her friends slipped out of the room closing the door behind her. She had a failry simply costume herself, so Dana had opened her jewelry, wardrobe and books with useful spells to her friends who might want to borrow something for their own costumes. Finally alone in her room once again Dana changed her clothes. A pair of tight black pants that fit perfectly around her legs and a knee-length boots with steel heels and toes as well as silver decorations on the sides of boots. Adding a black blouse, Dana spent a few moments arranging the lace surrounding it. It showed a bit of a cleavage but nothing overly much – just a bit of a hint of what might be under the partially see-through blouse.
Pulling on a leather wasit-coat Dana sipped it up half-way so that the lace of her silk-blouse stayed perfectly in view but now merely Dana’s arms were visible through the sleeves of her white blouse. Adding a wide and rather heavy leather belt Dana finally glanced in the mirror. The costume wasn’t girly. But that was why Dana had chosen it – the belt, pants and boots brought out her height and slimness perfectly, the lace added a feminin touch and the waistcoat added a bit of danger.

Letting a comp slip through her hair Dana put on a wide-brimmed black hat with a luxurious feather swinging over it Dana sat in forn to fhte mirror-stand and carefully started to apply make-up. Drawing a pair of sarcasitcally arched eye-brows, almost shockingly red-lips and a black beauty-mark at one of her eye-brows Dana was feeling rated satisfied with her looks. And finally the accessories. The small scull on crossed bones on the front of her hat. The silvery muggle-gun that she had gotten from Kris’s weapon hall slipped onto his right hip. It was authentic, but Dana had been very careful to let Kris remove all the bullets before taking it. The long, a bit curvy sword that reached Dana’s ankles came from Kris’s castle as well. It has a long Toledo steel blade and a silver hand-hold with real jewels worked into it. This had Kris charmed as well – a small air pillow covering the sharp blade so Dana wouldn’t cut herself and so that there wouldn’t be any accidents should someone walk into her back.

Adding a few pieces of jewelry – suiting earrings, necklace and rings Dana finally set to work on the last accessory. Theorethically pirates should be supporting an owl, but Dana had had more than enough of those parakeets during Transfiguration homework. So she placed a scarf on her bed and picking up her wand muttered the suiting charms and spells. Smirking at the silver snake now slithering on her bed Dana reached out her hand and let the snake curl around her fingers before moving up to her shoulder. The nsake wasn’t poisonous and Dana added one more charm to the snake so it wouldn’t move farther than gliding over her shoudlers, hands and body up to her waist. The snake would add one more dangerous element to her costume. There had been a few female pirates. Dana certainly had the required character for it. Which governer would dare to deny her of something? None, because Dana wouldn't have had any problems using her saber on them at such case.

Finally feeling settled with her looks Dana saluted to herself in the mirror and left the dormitory. Passing through the rather empty common room Dana moved to the entrance to the Great Hall quickly and swiftly. Looking at the crowd gathered at the Great Hall door Dana grimaced. She didn’t really feel like pushing through the crowd. Looking around the Hall Dana smirked at a sudden though and ran down the last staircase meeting up with Vincent Crabbe just as he exited the dungeons.
„Vincent Crabbe. Would you mind if I called you Vincent? Or Vince? Just the person I need. You are going to the Great Hall, am I correct? Of course, everyone are going there,“ Dana measured Crabbe’s outfit before flashing him a smile, „Fitting costume. Original. But would you mind terribly walking with me? There is such a crowd at the door – I would feel much better if someone big and strong was there to offer me... moral support at least while making my way through.“
Slipping one arm comfortably into the crook of Vince’s elbow Dana batted her eye-lashes towards him. She coulnd’t really look like an innocent and sweetly helpless maiden with this outfit, especialyl with the snake curving around her neck and shoulder, but she gave her best. At the very least people would let Crabbe pass – he wasn’t known as very friendly – so Dna would get into the Great Hall easily. If the boy would agree. So Dana just continued to smile while looking at the year older boy.

[Vincent Crabbe Jr.]

The mountain troll was descending from his cave high on the peaks to terrorise the ordinary residents. In his hand he carried a vicious looking club that could probably pack a hefty punch, which also looked extraordinarily like a Beater's bat. His dark green clothing which made sure he looked extremely bulky were nevertheless just admirably adapted forest green wizard dress robes. There was an interesting storage pouch which looked exactly the right size to fit that fearsome club, and his face looked murderous enough. The heavy dragon-skin boots made a large thumping sound as the troll made his way, his height enough to allow him to loom above those he encountered on the way. Except he was going up instead of down. He would have liked to be bearing down upon the helpless masses, but instead he seemed to be doomed to appear from the belly of the mountain. From a rather deep cave, obviously. Very useful steps though.

It hadn't taken much to transform Vincent Crabbe into a troll. He'd hardly had to enhance his looks whatsoever; he could rival a troll with his handsome looks. Just a spell to make him appear slightly taller to everyone else. More intimidating. People were staying out of his way too, looking more alarmed than usual at his coming. His potential brute force showed through today, as glaringly obvious as the look on his face which was stormy, moody and showed he would evidently have no lack of resolve if anyone got in his way. Vincent wasn't even entirely sure why he was going to the Halloween Ball. People wanting you to talk to them, and expecting you to say intelligent things. They didn't usually lay that burden on Vincent but still he despised any social events. But the food was always worth it. There was nothing that would stop Vincent from eating that food once he had determined it was for him. Just like the mountain troll, he intended to leave destruction in his wake. Everybody had better make sure not to eat the food he wanted.

His determined thoughts were interrupted as he was addressed by somebody he did know by sight - Dana Coran, today in quite a fetching outfit. A pirate perhaps; her appearance bore some similarities to some of the old wizard pirates. Piratess in her case most probably. He believed she was some relation to Kris Graas, who was a Slytherin in the year below him, one who he didn't have much desire to meet again in a hostile situation, considering the fact that he had been rather too good an opponent for Vincent to repeat the experience (though he had been so misguided as to support one of the most mindless Gryffindors!) Vincent stared at the Ravenclaw blankly for a moment, probably looking rather stupid. But it was the best way he had of making sure no one could see what he was thinking at any rate. They generally did take him as stupid, but Vincent was not fool enough to see that Dana evidently wanted something out of him. Well, he would oblige for now - his father could hardly disapprove since she was related to highly influential people, and a pureblood as was now common knowledge across the school. By this time she had joined arms with him, and he started moving forward again, most people making a wide berth around him as usual and so the route clearing before them easily.
He gave a low grunt, sounding very much in character as a troll, before saying in reply in his usual growling tones, "I doubt I have much choice." And indeed he doubted she would have any qualms about calling him 'Vince' whether he objected or not. "I don't see much of a crowd at the door. But it surely wouldn't be much of an obstacle for a piratess at any rate?"

[dana]

Dana was glad to see Crabbe startin got move on again without even protesting against her arm on his elbow. Dana hadn’t really expected this to be this easy. But as it was, she was glad about it. Besides people moved out of the way shockingly quickly. Dana let out a low impressed whistle at one Gryfifndor boy. The boy slipped, fell but not once did he cease moving out of the way. Then again – Dana measured the club Crabbe was holding in his hand appreciatingly. That club might make her move out of the way rathe quickly as well. More gracefully than the boy perhaps, but still move. Perhpas she should make a habit of accompaning Crabbe in the school hallways. It would make moving from one classroom to an other quicker and must easier as people wouldn’t run into her constantly at such case.

„Piratess or not, I do value this sword. If having an authorical company works just as well – or even better – then why should I wave my sword with a thread to put it just through anyone. Wouldn’t want to ruin the blade, after all,“ Dana smirked at Crabbe rather calmly, silnetly pondering that this might yet proove to be a rather interesting experience.
„Well, I suppose the snake might have handled things as well unles I had had to put a charm on it to make sure it didn’t move away from me. Don’t think very many people could tell at first glance that it’s transfigured, charmed and that my scarf is most certainly not poisonous,“ Dana raised her left hand and let the silvery snake glide through her fingers before it started moving up her arm once again.

At least Dana was in no hurry to leave Crabbe so she dind’t remove her hand from the crook of his elbow after they had entered they Great Hall and instead just surveyed the surroundings. Halloween had never been one of Dana’s favorite holidays and she wasn’t overly celebratory either. But that didn’t mean she couldn’t enjoy herself or that she woulnd’t know how to put on a good face. After all she had been taught to always smile no matter the occasion.
So Dana turned towards Crabbe with a calm smile on her lips as she cocked her head slightly. „Care for a quick snack? Or a drink? I must admit that I almost skipped dinner with helping others to get ready for the ball, so I could use some food. There’s even a rather unoccupied table over there. Will you be accompaning me?“ Dana tilted her head a little fixing the position of her pirates hat on her head for a moment as she waited for Crabbe’s answer. „I must certainly thank you for the help of getting through the crowd as well. You must save a dance for me later on!“

[Nasser Salah G6]

Nasser had no partner to the Halloween ball. He hadn’t looked for one this year as he wasn't too excited about in and there wasn't anyone he felt he was dying to ask, which was how he had felt last year about Alexa Lee. He knew you could go with someone who was just a friend but then he decided he would rather spend the night with a group of friends rather than just one person. Most of the people he knew had partners but he knew of no-one who was going that had a partner who was more than just a friend, so he supposed he might get a chance to dance this year. He'd liked it very much last year and he was a much better dancer now he'd actually taken the time to learn how to do it properly.

Nasser's first idea for a costume was a Healer, which was what he wanted to be after he left Hogwarts. Then he decided to go for something that would require a little more creativity, like last year's costume, when he had gone dressed up as Godric Gryffindor. This year though he'd chosen a Muggle hero, which though he knew wouldn’t be known by most of his fellows, would be a fun costume to wear. Nasser pulled on the black trousers he'd bought, and then put on the black shirt with the jagged edges forming the bottom of the shirt and the ends of the half sleeves. The rest of the sleeves were white. Nasser buckled up his belt, put on his small hat and now he was ready to go. He pointed his wand at his dark green boots and they laced themselves up and then he left the Gryffindor common room on his own. Nasser looked at his reflection with a small smile. His transformation to Robin Hood had been successful if he said so himself.

Nasser saw a fifth year Ravenclaw with whom he was acquainted and he smiled and approached him. "Seen Dana?" he him, thinking that Dana would probably be with a group of people since she was popular. He hadn’t got a chance to ask her who she was going with since he didn’t see her in classes and outside of them he figured she would be busy with her cousin Kris and so Nasser had decided that as a good friend he should just let her be for a while. He had a lot of confidence in Dana, and was sure she would make it though this tragedy that had befallen her, for he had seen Kris around and found him to be fending for himself quite well. Nasser felt sympathy for Kris but did not try to show it. A Slytherin was a Slytherin, and a Muggle-born was a Muggle-born and some things were sadly very hard to change. Anyway, he wanted to talk to her if not dance with her, for he had missed her in the last few days. "Oh yes, she's over that with that huge Slytherin bloke," said the boy, pointing at Dana.

Nasser's eyes widened in surprise. Dana, clad in an elaborate costume that made her look very attractive and positively dangerous, was standing with Vincent Crabbe. In his surprise Nasser didn’t stop to think that they were probably just talking, for they were standing rather close with no-one else with them and Nasser automatically assumed the worst: they were here together. Vincent was wearing the perfect costume: he'd come as a mountain troll. Since he had the build and intelligence of one Nasser couldn’t help but make the connection in his mind as he rushed over to the pair and tried to keep his voice low and under control. He didn’t stop to greet Vincent, but plunged into speech.

"Dana promised me a dance," Nasser lied. He led Dana onto the floor, glad he had grown a few inches during the summer because he could whisper angrily in Dana's ear during the dance. He pushed her away keeping hold of her hand before the music started. "I'll steer," said Nasser, though the way his fingers had been pressed a little harder then necessary on the sides of Dana's arms when he had led her onto the floor had already said that. He didn’t completely understand why he was so irate, Dana was a big girl after all, and he'd acted in a very uncharacteristic manner when he'd been going through his own hardships, but right now he wasn't feeling at all sympathetic, for he'd never imagined this happening, no matter how sad Dana was. Vincent Crabbe?

The music started with a sad expressive melody, and Nasser pulled Dana to him and leaned close to her ear. "What a wonderful choice for a date!" said Nasser, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Tell me, what did you choose him for?" Nasser continued. He draped her across one knee as the dance proceeded. "His stunning looks?" Nasser pulled her up again. "Or his intelligent conversation?" Nasser spoke into her other ear as he twirled her around. He had to be quiet for a few moments as they continued the next few steps which meant she wasn't close enough for whispering, but the fierce glare in his eyes said all he wanted. "Difficult choice, I must say, since they are both non-existent," said Nasser, as the music built up. Nasser helped her glide on the floor and go into a series of turns before continuing. Then the loud notes faded and were followed by an even more mournful tune, during which they had to dance slowly and Nasser could no longer express his anger in his movements. "I must have been mistaken when I thought that what Caiest and I said had any effect on you Dana," he said sadly, and then raised his hand and brought it close to her face, not quite touching it. He had to move it as they continued to dance, and suddenly he did not know whether he was sad or angry or both. He knew words weren't enough, they hadn’t been in his case, but they'd been a start. And he had wanted so much to have helped.

The dance was about to end. Nasser twirled Dana the last time and then pulled her to him as the last note was played so her back was against him and his hands were on her waist. His mouth was right next to her ear as Nasser wanted and he had one last chance to express his frustration with his friend. "You've driven me crazy, Dana Coran," he said, slightly breathless from the fast-paced dance. "And you've taken my breath away," he finished, pushing away a strand of her hair with his fingers from her face and staring into her eyes, meaning the sentence in both the literal and figurative sense.

[dana]

Dana smirked and played idly with the snake around her wrist right now while talking to Crabbe. Somehwere deep in her mind Dana got an inkling that perhaps the boy wasn’t as thick as he appeared to be. Dana at least tried her very best to not underestimate him. Kris was better than she was in duelling. And Crabbe if not completely won but at the very lest had tied with Kris. So Dana watched, talked and learned.
Dana glanced up and smiled at Nasser who was coming their way giving while raising her hand in a wave as well. A moment later Nasser was already by their side and gripping Dana’s arm yanked her along. Not realy liking being yanked along Dana was almost ready to scowl but a glance at Nasser’s face made her figure that something must be wrong. So Dana turned her head lightly offering Vince a quick flash of smile and a nod instead of a good-bye and let herself be lead – or dragged rather – to the dance-floor.
Sending a curious glance at Nasser as he snapped that he’ll steer Dana refrained from comment other than arching an eye-brow. He’ll steer? What else had he been planning? As a girl Dana had always been taught to follow the lead of her dance-partners, no matter how unskilled they were. Nasser however obviously could dance well as Dana found herself being spinned away rather quickly.

Dana had prepared to hear some concerning news. What else could make he usually so patient Gryffindor act so randomly? So when Nasser started picking on Crabbe Dana didn’t exactly believe her ears. Since when was Nasser this prejudiced? Was this even an important enough problem to drag her away to the dance-floor so abruptly? Dana scowled back at Nasser having no choice but to hold onto his shoulders for support as she was bent. Her wide-brimmed hat falling off form her head Dana’s scowl only deepened. However she wasn’t given much time to answer before she was sent twirling again. Dana held her tongue smartly as the dance itself ended a few moments later as well. Which really wasn’t bad as the sword tangling from her hip didn’t really make dancing at such a quick-pace very easy especially if she was expected to twirl, turn and make graceful stepouts.
As the move ended with her back towards Nasser, Dana was forced to turn her head as she glared at Nasser. „You can be an idiot,“ Dana hissed stepping forward and taking hold of her hat on the ground before turning back at Nasser. Not wanting to argue with him in the middle of the dance-floor Dana just simply grabbed his arm and this time she yanked Nasser to the side away form dancing couples, choosing a bit more shielded corner. She didn’t the whole bloody school watch their arguement after all!

Glaring at Nasser Dana placed her hat back on her head where the big feather swayed for a while as Dana frowned. „What on earth has gotten into you? Should you have actually bothered to talk to me previously, you would have known that I decided long ago to come to the party alone. And even that only because I wanted to see if Cleo would kick Kris or not,“ Dana’s eyes slipped to the couple – it was hard to miss them thanks to Cleo’s bright fire-spirit costume – a moment before they slipped out of the Great Hall. At least they seemed to be alright which was good and an amused smirk curved one of her lip-corners before Dana turned her attention back at Nasser and returne to scowling.
„I most certainly didn’t feel like barging through a crowd of younger years at the door, especially not with this sword on my hip. There’s a charm casted to make sure I won’t cut anyone but it’s still heavy and getting hit by it wouldn’t be fun. I joined Crabbe while entering the Great Hall so I wouldn’t accidentally hurt someone as people clear away from his path!“

Dana poked Nasser in his chest with her index finger as she continued her quiet, but none the less angry speech: „We had just entered the bloody room when a ’hero’ grabbed my arm and I was so rudely yanked away. And what IF I had came with Vince? For heaven’s sake – Vincent Crabbe is a human as well! He feels and thinks. He’s not some boogie-man used to scare children! Have you ever even bothered to think that perhaps you aren’t looking past the appearance and his house-badge? Slytherins cry just the same as Gryffindors and they hurt just as badly. Slytherins have just been hurt one time to many for them to dare to show their tears and fears to anyone that simply.
Oh yes, I know the saying that all Slytherins are bad and become Death Eaters. Well, they aren’t Death Eaters yet! Perhpas they would choose some other way, if people would actually be kinder and not assume the worst out of them! Look at Kris – don’t you think he is under pressure? He is pureblood, from an influential family and he’s rich... think he isn’t under pressure to join Death Eaters? Wouldn’t you have assumed he would have joined the ’Dark Side’ as it’s so drastically called? Do you seriously think it’s easy for him now, after he clearly showed where he’s loyalties lay? No exactly with the aurors, but could you see him joining the Death Eaters now, after they took his eye-sight?
Many Slytherins have connections with Death Eaters, because Death Eaters are purebloods. But what do you expect? Voldemort has always been praised around them ever since they were born. Do you really think turning against their families, friends, everything they have ever been taught would be easy for ANY Slytherin when the rest of the school treats them like the plague? Thinking they are worthless? Brainless and without feelings like you just portraited Crabbe to be like?“

Dana closed her eyes and rubbed her eyes tiredly not even caring right now whether she smudged her black eye-liner or not. What was she supposed to answer to such accusations that changed to worry a moment later? Was there even a correct answer? „You and Caiest got through to me. Perhaps it didn’t seem like that, but you did. I was ready to flee that day. Break my wand, leave behind my name and everything and just run to someplace where no one would know me because I didn’t know how I could ever face Kris again. But you two talked me into staying. Showed me that perhpas tomorrow would be a bit easer. Perhpas I over-reacted just now, but there was no reason for you to drag me away like a caveman. I’m sorry if I made you worry or bothered you. I most certainly didn’t want to do that.“
Dana shook her head a bit wonderingly feelingly simply... confused. „I really am sorry, for whatever I did that made you so upset,“ Dana touched Nassers arm for a moment and offered him a bit of a sad smile before turning and wrapping her arms around herself. Walking to the refreshments table Dana picked up a cup of drink. Taking a small sip Dana grimaced lightly. She would give a lot for nice hot coffee right now, but she had never managed to learn that spell to turn a drink into coffee properly. So Dana just took one more sip with a slight grimace and turned around, leaning lightly on the empty table-corner and looking at the dancers with a slight frown still displayed on her features.


((Well, this had been left alone for long enough. PErhaps you'll get some inspiration back soon, Vince. *huggles both*))

[Nasser Salah G6]

Nasser completely ignored Dana when she called him an idiot. Right now, he thought the person who was acting liking an idiot certainly wasn't him, and he was fuming inwardly so much he almost couldn’t hear her. Finally the dance ended and Nasser watched Dana put on her hat, the look in his eyes still angry and confused as he finally decided to listen to her. He did remember seeing Cleo in a costume that stood out amongst all of the others, but then that was characteristic of her, if you knew nothing about Cleo Hardwick, you knew that she was a girl who stood out and usually did everything differently than everyone else. He hadn’t known she was here with Kris Graas. He'd only had eyes for Dana. He almost sighed with relief when he saw that the Dana who was talking right now was almost the same as the Dana he'd met and known for the past few months, but then she said something that touched a nerve.

"Dana, until very recently, I had a BEST FRIEND in Slytherin. Don’t you call me prejudiced! And you're with Crabbe in class, I would assume you could tell how thick-headed he is after six years of taking classes with him! The people in his own house make fun of him! Frankly I thought this was some act of desperation – I haven’t seen or talked to you in so long, and that time I had no idea if we'd got to you or not but simply trusted a gut feeling that told me we had and that I knew you enough to think you'd try and fight and help Kris through this and not give in to your misery. Which I now know is the case," said Nasser, not knowing if he was more annoyed with himself for jumping to conclusions or annoyed with Dana. "And without insulting him anymore, I don't have a low opinion of him because he's in Slytherin! I'd speak to a Slytherin any day of the WEEK if I knew I wouldn’t get my head bitten off, and anyway, this is not the time to have a row about house unity!" He felt like a fool when Dana apologised, for he knew it was he who was at fault and not her, and he followed her to the refreshments, not too sure what to say, and how hoping he wasn't to make another blunder.

"I think you’d better just… go pick up where you left off with Cra… Vincent. We can talk later Dana," said Nasser, almost blushing in embarrassment at his mistake. Nasser almost never blushed, and it was a mark of how embarrassed he felt that he could feel his cheeks reddening. There was one thing he had to make sure Dana knew though before he left her. "Don’t be sorry for making me feel concerned about you, Dana, you know what you mean to -," Nasser stopped mid-sentence, a look of amusement replacing the concerned look in his dark green eyes. The look on Dana's face suddenly made him want to smile, for though it usually wasn't easy for him to tell what she was thinking, he thought he knew what it was now. "Pity they aren't serving coffee right now, isn't it?" he said softly. He gave Dana's shoulder a squeeze, and then made his way to the door of the Hall, trying to move as fast as he could without drawing any attention to himself.

((Thanks you two, I enjoyed this a lot!))