| Details for Ceilidh - Is It Too Late to Say I'm Sorry? |
| Summary: | In which Leoric and eventually Artemis are introduced to the wonders of Scottish Country Dancing by Lucretia and Angus, and in which Brenda Bullstrode makes her dramatic debut |
| Date: | 1939-01-25 |
| Location: | Hogwarts Club Room |
| Related: | The Burns Night Feast |
| Characters |
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Angus gives a grin, as he watches the band from Hogsmeade setting up, "Och, Lulu, isn't this Grand?"
Lucretia nods her head. "Yes. It is. I mightn't have remembered that tonight is Burns Night until I stepped out into the Entry Hall and you were all dressed up and waiting to pipe the haggis in, but I have been looking forward to it for a while now. Just so much was happening today that it clean pushed it from my head." Adjusting the sash she wears diagonally on her torso, she nudges Angus with one elbow. "Macmillan tartan. I suppose you know that already though. Do you like it?"
Angus gives a grin, "I do. How many folks will wonder aboot what that means, without thinkin' that you've a right to it yoursel'?" And of course it does match his kilt. Muahahahaha. He pauses, "I'm no crampin' your style wi' the hairdresser am I?"
Lucretia smiles, adjusting the pin where the sash crosses on her hip. "This was my mother's, so it'd be funny if anyone were to think that it had a meaning beyond that I've a right to wear it myself and no. I don't think that you're cramping my style at all. Do you think you are?" And please, don't keep calling him a hairdresser, its not nice."
Angus gives a grin, "Well, he did braid it awful bonny." A pause, "Well, he seems to think you're dating, ken? That he's got the rights to who you dance wi'."
"We're not dating," Lucretia says, a hot blush rising in her cheeks. She's embarrassed enough to need to take a moment to fuss with her hair, redo her sash and straighten the simple black dress that she wears, all the time looking anywhere but at Angus. A small clearing of her throat is given and she plucks at her sash. "Did I mention that this was my mother's?"
Angus takes the hint, "Aye! Looks braw, Lulu!" He flashes a grin, "It suits you!"
Lucretia manages a smile, poking Angus gently. "You look braw too. And please don't pull Leo's leg about anything again. I've not liked a boy before and if you scare him away, I'll die. I really will."
Angus sniffs, "Och, if you _insist_, Lulu, but dinnae let him… ken… boss you 'round."
"Don't be daft, Angus," Lu says taking a moment to smooth the ruffles of his dress shirt. "He doesn't boss me around at all. I'm not that stupid that I'd allow it. BUT, it is nice to be treated like a girl and have someone wanting to do stuff with me. You should remember that for when you like someone. I don't think I even really noticed Leoric as a boy until he started doing that."
Angus ohs, "Like dancin', aye?" He gestures, "And while I remember, have _you_ left a lipstick mark on mah cheek, Quine?"
Lucretia smiles. "Like dancing. Yes." She taps her lips with one slender finger. "Angus. I don't wear lipstick. I don't even have any. So no, you have no lipstick on your cheek."
Angus ponders, and then asks, "Och, is it a bigger lassie thing? Medusa looks fine in it. Would yehs like me tae get you some?" Not 'buy', it's worth noting.
"I think its an older girl thing," Lu says. "So its okay, you don't have to get me any. Not that I've never worn it, because I have. When I was little I used to sit with mother and copy her. Makes you mouth go all sticky and your eyes feel heavy."
Angus nods, "Aye. Wish I could afford a dress that changes colour for yehs, Lulu, but y'ken hoo it is."
Lucretia laughs, wrapping both arms around Angus' middle in a sudden hug. "Angus! That's a lovely thing for you to say, but if I wanted a colour changing dress then I'm sure that I could just get one. You don't have to get me things to impress me, I like you just fine as you are."
Angus oophs, at the hug, and returns it, "Aye, well, sure it'd look gae bonny on yehs."
Lucretia smiles. "If I had one. Which I don't. But I like this dress that I'm wearing anyway. Its plain and simple and I can actually dance in it." Releasing Angus from the hug, she does a little twirl, letting the skirts just flare a little at her knees. "I mean," she adds, drawing to a breathless halt, hands finding his, "Its going to be important when we strip the willow together later. You will partner me for that one, won't you?"
Angus gives a grin, "Och aye! I'll be spinnin' you aroond so fast we're both gonnae be showin' knees!"
"At least my knees are nice," Lucretia smiles, a pointed look given Angus' own. "And at least yours aren't hairy yet. I suppose they will be one day though, look at Douglas'."
Angus nods, "Aye! Probably wull." A pause, "Nae sneakin' another peek, ken?" And he's a bit flushed as he says so.
"So long as you don't go flashing me," Lucretia says, a grin dimpling her cheeks. "Its not like I can help but see if you're all but lifting your kilt in front of me. I stand by what I said though, that was a wonderful dive you did at the party. Very impressive."
You say, "Aye, well… you were aboot tae get captured. Couldnae let that happen. An' it was a bonny wee fecht! Didya see the black eye Goyle had?"
"I still need to give Alphard that present that I got for him. The apology present," Lucretia says, hitching herself up to sit on one of the tables. "It turned out really nice too, Jocunda Sykes helped me to pick it out and I got the nicest case made to hold all the pieces." She swings her legs, heels bumping on the leg of the table. "When's your birthday, Angus?"
Angus blinks at the question, "June 27th." A pause, "Yours is in July, isn't it?"
Lucretia nods. "Yes. Mine's July. I only asked because I just realised that I don't know when your birthday is. And if I don't know when it is, I can't get you a present. Now I know though, I can remember it." There's a quick smile and the date gets committed to memory, the girl giving a small flick of her fingers through her hair. "Are you going to ask for a new broom from your parents?"
Leoric steps back into the room, having already taken the time to resettle his outfit before entering. He glances between the two as he does, smiling. "This is going to be pretty interesting. I haven't really bothered to participate in the dancing before now. Is it as fun as it sounds?"
Angus makes a little face, "I dinnae ken. I dinnae like tae ask them. When things are difficult. I'll ask Duggie hoo business is goin'"
Lucretia leans over and pats Angus gently on his shoulder. "You'll get a new one someday," she says to him. She's sitting on one of the tables with Angus standing nearby and they're talking about birthdays and broomsticks when Leoric walks back in. "Oh there you are. And yes! The dancing is amazing fun! Really easy to pick up too."
Angus gives Lucretia a smile, "Och, Aye. It's a piece o'cake. You'll catch it up in nae time. Or crash the whole reel to a halt."
"Well, it'd better be- otherwise I'm going to be absolutely lost." Leoric cracks a grin- in all honesty, he's not terrible at picking up steps and such. He steps over to where Lucretia is beaming, choosing to pretend he didn't hear the bit about the broomstick, lest tension arise. "Alright, so you two mentioned two dances before- Stripping the Willow and… something else that seemed like it'd leave Lu at the center of things. So, what're the steps?"
You say, "Dashing White Sergeant? Aye. That'll be a good one. Twa loons an' a quine, or a loon and twa quines, fur each set. Och, it's dead easy. Circle as a six, eight left, eight right, split into threes, Set to one o' your partners, and spin. Set tae the other, and spin. Eightsome dance aroond each other, then line o'three haulding hands, forward, back, forward, and cross the other three, and on tae make a new set o' six."
Lucretia slides off the table, brushing her dress neatly down into place. After listening to Angus' explanation of the Dashing White Sergeant, she gives a nod of her head. "But its sort of difficult to show the steps without it being actually danced with a group of other people, because in stripping the willow, you dance and twist down a line of people. A lot of it though, you swing around your partner. Like this." She holds an arm up, crooking it at the elbow and looping it with Angus', dancing neatly in one direction, before swapping arms and turning around. "See?"
Angus ponders, "Actually, stand there, Selwyn. Imagine yoursel' in a line o' folks." He extends his hands back to Lucretia. "Lets turn."
Lucretia takes Angus' arm and turns as requested.
Leoric nods and looks to his sides, clearly visualizing the other people before watching Angus and Lu start to dance. His hands twitch towards his pockets, but he seems to direct them to stay where they are, observing the steps as they develop.
And then on a count of eight, coming out of a tight, and fast spin, Angus lets go with one hand to free up one of Lu's hands, and then releases the other, launching her towards Leoric
Lucretia spins towards Leoric, a giggle bubbling up as her hand finds his. She grips fingers around his and pulls him into a spin. "That's it! See? And we just turn another time and then you let me move onto the next person."
Leoric laughs as she spins towards him and slings them both into a twirl. "Must I?" He seems earnest, but not serious, doing his best to do what he'd seen and send Lu back to Angus. "Are there any tricks to this to trip me up? Or is that about the gist of it?"
Angus has been keeping time, with little footmoves, and then launches himself back into collecting Lu, to keep speed and momentum up. Although there's no 2nd man to launch her to. "You dae that doon wi' the girl. And back up wi' the boy. And then yehs both go doon again both doin' it.
Lucretia's cheeks are quite pink and her eyes are sparkling by the time they finish another couple of spins. "So see? And then that's one rotation complete and you're all set up to start from the top again." As she speaks, she comes to a halt, picking bits of hair from where lengths of it have caught across her face. "Feel confident enough to give that one a try when they start the dance for real?"
Leoric helps with the tidying up of the fastidious little Black's hair, tucking it back behind her ear with a degree of concentration. "As ready as I'll ever be, I think. I'm never worried about being shown up- all that takes is Elric and I'm already overshadowed!" He smiles, clearly not minding, as he finishes helping Lu tidy up. "And the other one, Stripping the Willow. What's that like?"
You say, "That _was_ Stripping the Willow! Dashing White sergeant is the one I explained, rather than us practicing!"
"… oh." Leoric clears his throat. "I knew that! I knew that. Just, ah. Misspoke, yes. Yes." Nope. But he doesn't seem to expect them to believe him, anyway- he's being silly.
Lucretia smiles, tilting her head a little as Leoric takes care of her hair. "Can't really do the Dashing White Seargeant without another three to practice with, but when the band plays it, we'll hop right into it and drag you around, push you into the proper places and everything."
"Oh, good. Pushing and dragging. That sounds a LOVELY reel, it does." Leoric laughs, though, clearly in good spirits.
Angus laughs cheerfully, "It's dead easy. Think of it as weaving around a bludger. And hope Lucretia doesn't knock you over!" (re)
Lucretia swats Angus on the shoulder. "Are you comparing me to a bludger? That's the meanest thing I ever heard, Macmillan."
Leoric can't help but laugh as Lucretia assaults Angus for the percieved slight, hiding it behind a raised hand. "I can see how you'd be saying that, though I'd liken it more to chasing the Quaffle, and making sure I'm in position to catch it when it comes close. She's much nicer to hold than a bludger- she only hurts your ribs if you earn it."
Lucretia pokes her tongue out at both of the boys. "I'd compare myself more to the snitch; small and quick, easy to lose and harder to catch." There's a lift of one brow with that as she helps herself to a small glass of butterbeer that's being circulated amongst the ceilidh-goers, a sip taken as she regards the others over the rim of the glass.
Angus ooophs, "Aye. You're no like a Bludger. They dinae really hurt. But a Quaffle?" He snorts, "More like a Golden Snitch. Fast,…." And he tails off, as he's beaten to i.
"Ordinarily, I'd agree with you, Lu- I thought we were specifically talking about the dance floor, though, and with all those little rules you have to follow in these dances, I don't think anyone quite gets to be the Golden Snitch. At least not in the group dances." Leo glances between the others. "Does that make sense?"
Angus grins, "Good recovery, Loon, good recovery." He gives a grin, "But figures of eight are important in some o' the dances. Ken?"
Lucretia rolls her eyes. "I suppose that I could be the snitch in some of the dances, but no. You're right." There's a hitch of her shoulders as she takes another sip of her butterbeer, one hand wrapping her waist as she waits for the dancing proper to start. "Anyway. Do you like my sash, Leo? Its the Macmillan tartan." And watching him for his reaction, she runs a finger the length of the colourful fabric.
The band is just tuning up. And there's a clot of pupils here for the promise of dancing. Anything to pass an evening. Some of them are even betartaned
"It's lovely! I've wished once or twice that I might have a clan in my own family, but no such luck. I think you both look smashing in the tartan, truly." Leoric offers them both a smile, slipping an arm around her back and laying his hand across hers where it presses against her waist. "I suppose we'll have to do that dancing thing soon, hm?"
Lucretia grins. "Thank you. It was my mother's." She settles the sash back into place and dots a kiss to Leo's cheek. "Well it looks like things are about ready to start, there's some sets just starting to be formed and if we're quick we can join in the first dance." Wrapping her hand around his, she starts to tug him towards the dancing area.
Angus slips into the background, although just before the music starts he's grabbed by a fifth year Hufflepuff, "Come ON MacMillan! There's never enough boys! You'll have to dance with me!"
Leoric follows on Lucretia's heels, hand tangled pleasantly with her own and his face a touch red with the press of the girl's lips. He's quick to keep up with her, lest they be excluded from the first sets, and makes no bones about having to send her swirling off into the arms of others. He's too busy watching her move and trying not to embarass himself to be jealous!
Angus is being hauled around the room by 'Big' Brenda Bulstrode, 6' and 12 stones of young womanhood. He's doing his best through sheer speed to provide some angular momentum to her, but it's clear he's having to work damn hard for it!
Lucretia pushes Leo into his place within the line of boys then stands opposite to him amongst the girls. Grinning, she looks up and down the lines, and when the music starts she taps one foot in time with the rhythm as the first couple swing down the centre. "You next!" she calls across to him as the fifth year Ravenclaw girl splits from her partner and heads his way. That Angus is practically getting spun off his feet by Brenda, earns a quickly smothered giggle when she looks across to the other set, a tear needing to be hastily wiped from her eye.
Leoric catches the gist of the dance quickly. The pair do a set of twirls, then the girl works down spinning with the guys… Leoric's eyes are lighting up as he starts to get the idea, happily taking the Ravenclaw girl for a turn before sending her on her way, his eyes still on Lu as the pair reach the end and come back, this time the boy getting to dance about with the line of girls.
Brenda, it appears, is quite cheerful to trust in the athleticism of her partner to field her enthusiastic spins and dives. She's certainly not taking any prisoners, which given she's probably got at least 50% on Angus in weight is a tribute to her faith in his Quidditch skills transferring…. or testament to her Bull(strode) headedness. Angus's expression can best be described as 'grimly determined'.
Lucretia's hair flies as she takes her own spin with a 7th year Slytherin boy. Its quite a funny combination, he being near six foot to her lofty four foot nine inches, and he almost spins her right off her feet before she's deposited neatly back in her place. Its almost the exact opposite of what's occuring with Angus and his magnificent specimen of a dancing partner. She's not standing still for long though; the couple then coming back down the lines so that she gets another twirl quite quickly and another on the way back up. A clap of her hands is given in time with the beat of the instruments and as the couple take their place at the end of the line, she and Leo are at the head, ready to lead the whole set through the next rotation. "Ready?" she mouths across the divide in his direction, trusting that he'll have picked up enough from simply watching the first pairing.
Leoric has his eyes on Lucretia as often as the pair dancing their way down. At her mouthed question, he grins brightly and nods. When the beat comes, he steps across to link arms with Lucretia and start the set of turns all on their own up at the head of the group before starting her down the line of boys!
Angus finally finishes his ordeal by conservation of energy with Brenda Bullstrode, the 5th year Hufflepuff of Unusual Size, and is able to take his position in the boys line, and start clapping until it's time for him to twirl whoever's coming down his line. He's part of a set of people doing 'Strip the Willow' to the enthusiastic ministrations of the Hogsmeade Ceilidh band.
Lucretia steps forward to start the next rotation of the dance with Leoric. Her arm threads with his as they spin twice at the top, and then they're off, progressing down the middle with Lu twirling with each of the men on her side. Laughter gurgles in her throat as one of her partners trips over their own feet, but they both survive and then they're making their way back up the centre, Leo alternating with the girls this time. She's light on her feet, spinning and twirling and making sure that Leo doesn't miss his partners, even if one of them is a particularly gorgeous fourth year blonde that appers to deliberately fumble her steps.
Leoric does fine with the dancing, himself- it's the blonde tripping herself into his arms that almost throws him off. It's an awfully flattering gesture, but she finds herself back on her feet in place as Leo spins back into Lu's arms, sharing a particularly discrete, smothered laugh as he spins through their steps in the center for a few spins.
Angus is clapping away, breaking the beat only to take the turn with a variety of lady partners, as the set starts to move up the hall. It's clear he's trying to guide some of the less experienced members of his set. Unfortunately he's doing it in Doric, which is not resulting in plain sailing.
Lucretia actually manages to glare at the blonde, but whether its because of the obviousness of her move, or whether its the fact that she's a muggle-born, isn't terribly clear. It could be either reason. As the pair finish their rotation, she lifts her chin and places a kiss on Leo's cheek before re-taking her place in the line. Its not much, but its something. A staking of claim, perhaps.
Leoric might have been trying to do the same thing as Lucretia at the end of their rotation, and the turn of his head leaves their kisses overlapping with the corner of each other's mouths for just a moment. He backs into his spot at the end of the line, cheeks bright red and a thrilled grin on his face. He doesn't even notice the vaguely hurt gaze the blonde gives him from her spot in line, though the kiss seems to relax that into a disappointed sigh.
Angus adds to the general glaring going about. I mean, c'mon, this is CEILIDH. And there are Staff around, for precisely that sort of thing! But he recovers in time to spin a brunette Gryffyndor (who's also something of a Quidditch fan).
Couples rotate up and down and finally the dance comes to an end! Lu is quite breathless by the end of it, having been whirled up and down and all around before finally winding up back where she'd started. "See? I told you that it wasn't that difficult," she says to Leo, dragging him back over to where Angus is. "Angus! Did you enjoy that?! Wasn't it absolutely the best way to start the evening off?"
"Okay, alright, so it was easy. And fun. And not difficult." Leo follows Lucretia- he tells himself he's following, Selwyn's don't get dragged, after all- and settles beside her with an arm around her waist, a breathless smile on his face. "Did you get paired with who I think you got paired with, Angus?"
Angus gives a slightly pained nod, "Aye. Well, paired isnae a good wurd!" He looks around hurriedly to make sure she isn't in earshot, "She _grabbed_ me!"
"Grabbed you where?" Lu grins, a shake of her head given before she leans a little closer and whispers something quietly to Leoric.
Leoric returns the whisper, then turns towards Angus. "Give us a few, Angus, we need some air to cool off. There's a fourth year, blonde, she could use a partner- and she won't do that sort of grabbing." He offers a wave before turning to lead Lucretia out of the room.
Angus says hurriedly, "My _wrist_!" And he heads off to find the blonde.
Lucretia takes Leo's arm and, after checking that the blonde is an eastern block shotputter type, follows the Hufflepuff out.
Artemis can't put down her book, so when she enters the club room - letting out a delighted giggle - she keeps to wall with her pack worn at her side and a book opened in a hand. She would have loved to drag Noalan and Elspeth to dance, but perhaps they are busy with prefect duties. So Artemis comes alone, perhaps with a slight bit of hope she'd catch someone else. But as she enters her cheeks lightly colour at the dancing, pressing the open pages to her chest with her hands over the spine of the book.