| Details for Mallow Houses and the Beach |
| Summary: | In a moment of random inspiration, Silas Meliflua organizes and pays for a Bonfire party in Hogsmeade. Many come. Some drama ensues. A little bit of Marshmallow Madness occurs as well. |
| Date: | 07 February, 1939 |
| Location: | Hogsmeade Public Beach |
| Related: | — |
| Characters |
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This narrow crescent of grainy sand and smooth small beach stones spans east to west between the fortified Hogwarts Campus wall to the east and eventually fades into a heathery moor the west. The only spot along the shore that isn't given completely to a topography of rocks and roots, the latter of which extend right out into the lake, this section of the shore is for public use by wizards tourist or local alike. Wards and spells not to mention the under water life of the Black Lake, keep the students in and the rest of the world from going onto the closed campus.
The idea had come, somewhat spur of the moment. He'd talked with her about it over breakfast that morning, and had sent out a few owls, and in the end, the idea had grown into something rather real. Silas and Genevieve had been some of the first to get there, and working with one of the locals right now, he was doing his best to get the actual fire ready to start. It was going to be a big one, too, the stack actually set in the middle of the beach, and easily five feet tall.
Once set up, Silas takes a step back, and one of the locals casts a simple firestarting spell. The bonfire is set up perfectly — it seems almost to catch alight instantaneously, letting out a roar, and quite quickly, heat begins to permeate the area around it.A pile of blankets have been set aside, and even some drinks offered on a smallish table nearby. Silas grabs two of the former, and looks about for Jenny, to see where she's gotten to during the preparations.
Jenny was…sitting on her arse smoking a fag, perched atop a bit of fallen log drawn rather near where they'd managed to set up the bonfire. Who knew that Silas had actually been serious about it. Her general motto was crash something that already existed. But…dreamers will dream and so, Solomon was there, in a pair of sleek black trousers that fit rather well beneath those flaring robes that fit so well around her torso, a deep purple blouse with just enough frill to make it flirty. She'd a smile for the boy too, offering a wave when she caught his eyes drifting in her direction.
Green isn't exactly the first thought in accessorizing when it comes to black trimmed in crimson, but Variel's necklace is more companion than fashion statement. Clever keeps its head- and just its head- poked out from the capsule of warmth that is Variel Weasley, and his left hand toys with a silver chain dangling from his sleeve, opening, closing, opening as he walks. If he knows he's doing it, there's no sign of it. As he approaches the soon-to-expand bonfire party, he throws his right hand up and waves. "Hullo, the beach!"
Certainly, an existing party would likely have more there, but… someone has to start it. And so… Silas had. With hopes that more would come later… he'd tried to spread the word around as best he could. Still… it would be fun.
He'd opted for something a bit new this time around, fashion-wise. He was still in winter robes during the preparations, but occasionally, as things were getting set up, it would have been noticeable that underneath, he was actually wearing trousers himself. Off of school property, no less. And, as the warmth of the fire begins to grow, he finally loosens those robes, to show that indeed he's wearing slacks, and a blouse-like shirt. Each jade black, with green runners, and tailored just so… but it's definitely a change of pace for him.
Seeing Jenny still on the log, he smiles, and comes over, waiting for her to finish the cigarette. He takes in her outfit for a moment again, gaze appreciative, before he smiles, "I think this will work…" And then Variel is calling out, and he turns his gaze over to the boy, waving him over.
"Your first foray into the social world," Jenny teases, taking one last hit and flicking the remains off towards the waters edge so that she can give a decidedly thorough exhale and then extend a slender arm out, to welcome Silas all the closer. Close enough for her to fit her back against his ribs in a sort of backwards snuggle while she fishes for a mint from one of her pockets so that he doesn't find a cause to grump about her breath.
"It's like watching you grow up. You've come such a long way," she teases, affection in the tone and as the mint's had time to settle the worst of it, tilts her head upwards for a kiss.
It's in the wake of that little gesture, that she offers a wave in greeting towards Weasley.
Variel makes his approach with relative haste, opting for fireside warmth rather than flurryborn chills. As he reaches them, he offers both a smile. "Hullo, Meliflua, Solomon- you're both well, I do hope?"
The redhead tucks his hands into the pockets of his close-tailored robe, not too dissimilar in cut or style from Jenny's, barring the slight allowances for gender, of course.
Silas takes the teasing actually rather well, slipping his arms around her to better allow that closeness. "Well, I figure… better to go all in, than wait, right?" He watches as a few others start to gather, either drawn by the fire, or perhaps the word actually had spread somewhat. "Time to stop hesitating… and just… do." As her head tilts up, he takes that offer as well, an honest kiss given, even as Variel finally approaches.
At the other young man's voice, he breaks the kiss off, a light chuckle. "Well as always, Weasley. Thank you. And yourself as well, I hope?"
With a nip to Sy's bottom lip in the wake of that kiss, Jenny nods. "Yes. It is better to go all in, than to wonder. Sometimes…it's a mistake but, sometimes from the ashes of mistakes, greater truths become plain," Jenny murmurs and loops a lazy arm around the boy's waist. Content and comfortable, before waving to a fellow quidditch player, who'd taken up a spot on the other side of the fire, clearly with this week's latest girl on his arm.
"Evening, Weasley. How goes it?"
Variel nods with a genial enough smile. "Doing pretty well, you two. Thanks for inquiring. Not a ton going on, I don't suppose, since the mess with Sykes is calmed over, but doing well." He reaches up to stroke a couple fingers along the brave snake's head as it tastes the chilly air with forked tongue. "You two? Getting along pretty well, I see!" He offers a grin. "Good on you both, though." He slings himself down nearby, back to the log they're on, no concern for the sand getting on his robes.
Ilsa arrives from Stables.
"Without mistakes, we never learn. And without learning… well… we get a lot more free time, I guess." A chuckle escapes Silas, and another warm look is given to Jenny. Looking back at Variel, he nods again, "Madeline was telling me about your prowess and bravery at the duel, indeed. I'm glad to hear that whatever argument was surrounding that, was resolved."
And then with the remark on them specifically, Silas smiles widely, a simple "Indeed." escaping him as he offers Jenny a little squeeze.
"Some things are worth knowing." Jenny replies, the girl content to simply cuddle the boy that she's resting against. From the inside pocket of her robes though, comes a slender flask and the cap's unscrewed so that she can take a long sip before offering it up to Silas.
"Oh hey yeah, I heard about that. Some kind of punches were thrown, weren't they? I've heard so many different stories about that," Solomon offered, looking to Weasley. She watched him for a long moment, before the look eased and something akin to a smile that was just as welcoming settled into place. "Aye."
Ilsa walks along the shore, black boots carrying her along at a leisurely pace as she approaches the bonfire. Pausing in place, she holds her hands out toward the flames, welcoming the warmth. Her gaze strays toward the trio of students nearby, a polite nod of greeting offered. "This is a nice set-up," she remarks offhandedly. "Good way of escaping the chill a bit."
"One punch, and it didn't connect. Sykes was trying to play at being big boy on campus and picked a right horrid way t'do it, yeh see. Selwyn thought to-" Variel pauses, shakes his head. "Thought isn't the right word, but he meant to set him to rights the easy way, an' I killed two birds with one stone and put a few pillows between Selwyn and Sykes. MIGHT be that said pillows were ALSO beating him about the head and shoulders as he'd seen fit to slander my -entire- family in his bid to prove his bollocks, and he went -off- about it, some sorta show no fear thing." Variel shrugs. "I called him out, he manned up and offered apology whether or not he won our duel, and when he woke up after, that's exactly what he did. Lesson learned, no hard feelings, like." Jenny's glance his way meets one of his own, and he holds her look quizzically until she smiles and responds. He grins, too, and tosses a look to Ilsa as she arrives while her cousin is under tangential discussion. "Hullo, there, Selwyn."
Taking the flask for his own sip, Silas purses his lips for just a moment, smiling down at Jenny afterward. The flask is handed back with a quiet word of thanks, before he returns his attention to Variel, "Sounds dreadful, and… a Sykes pulling up family names for mistreatment? Very odd. Selwyn, on the other hand… not as shocking, from what I've heard. Although the rumors did get rather ridiculous."
At the approach of another student, Silas turns his head toward the voice, and nods, waving her over. Why not? He's being Sociable Sy today. "Evening! And thank you!" He takes the praise personally.
"See," Jenny murmurs up towards Silas, letting the general gossip of the school drift in one ear and out the other, for wiggling her fingers towards the fire for a moment while Sy's holding her flask. Upon its return, it disappears into her pocket and she slides a hand up the outside of the boy's thigh only to stop at his waistband and give a little tug.
"These are new. In fact, I wasn't sure you even owned a pair," she teases. "But….they look good on you. Really good." Wink. Though, a smile was cast Ilsa's way as well, when the girl joined them and at her compliment, a proud smile was tossed up in Sy's direction.
"Hello, Weasley," Ilsa responds, a hand lifting to wave once it has been sufficiently less chilled. She smiles appreciatively, drifting over toward the group. "Ah, talking of the recent incident involving my cousin? I've only heard bits and pieces myself. I'm glad to hear that the thing was settled." There's a pause, perhaps a hint of surprise alight in her gaze as she notes the closeness between Genevieve and Silas. But if there's an indication of anything wrong, it's gone only a moment later. "This really was a good idea. I expect we might gain a larger crowd as word spreads, but it's somewhat peaceful like this."
"It was aggravating. In the end, though, the duel was satisfying. Not… my usual manner of handling an issue, but awfully effective. And yeh, I was surprised, too. Wouldn'ta thought it of him until he said it. In the end, he was just posturing, but…" Variel shakes his head. "Selwyn handled himself alright once he came to his senses." He seems a bit surprised. "Rumors? How ridiculous?" The redhead bolsters Ilsa's compliment with a grin towards Sy as well. "Aye, your cousin. And settled it is- no worries, there."
"I think the best one I heard had Selwyn attacking Sykes in his sleep… but that sounded preposterous. And there may have been talk of hexes…" Silas offers as a response, before his attention is successfully stolen away by Jenny, "It… well… let us just say that I don't own many. Or, well, that there's just this pair for now, other than my uniform slacks. They still feel a bit odd, but…" A grin, "If you like them, I may have to try more." A wink.
Looking back to Ilsa, he nods. "It was spur of the moment. I'll take the fact that those who have arrived as a measure of its success."
"I don't know," Jenny murmured, smiling up in Sy's direction, before her bottom lip tucked in between her teeth and with an impish smile the girl stretched up so that she could borrow the boy's ear for a quiet word, while the groupd talked the lastest in duelling. If only it'd been Quidditch, alas.
Ilsa casts Variel a look of relief. "Thank you for the reassurance. I can't rest easy when anyone in my family is upset or displeased. It's good to know all is well. Now I won't have to go after anyone." Her words are accompanied by a goodnatured grin, signaling that she's only teasing about the last part.
Dropping down to the ground, she wraps her scarf more firmly around her neck and reaches her hands out toward the fire once more. "Any source for the inspiration? Or just decided to host a fun start to the weekend?" she questions curiously, gaze once more sliding toward the couple.
"In his sleep?!" Variel laughs companionably. "Not likely. I suppose that's from Sykes crying foul, as though I'd ambushed him instead of warned Selwyn off breaking his nose. Still, he didn't really mean all that bad- he just got in so deep he kept digging just to try to stay ahead of the cave in." Variel's left smirking at Jenny whispering to Silas, glancing at Ilsa, curious what her reaction is to their canoodling. She seems more occupied with simply not being called to act as a Fury, and wondering over the inspiration for the party- worthy topics, both, so he turns to see what the couple's response is.
Silas nods again, and seems about to reply when Jenny whispers something into his ear. With his fair skin, and the firelight as it is… it's easy to see a blush that carries from the top of his hairline, all the way below his neckline, although the smile just manages to get wider. It takes a cough or two for him to regain his composure, but in the interim one of the hands wrapped about her seeks out her own.
He looks to Ilsa, "It was a combination of factors, really. The desire to see people out and having fun without it being the same thing every Hogsmeade weekend. The joy and comfort of a fire on the beach. And a celebration, perhaps," he looks back at Jenny, "that I wanted to share with people. So rather than just thinking it would be nice… we did it."
Jenny's grin was impish, when Silas turned such a delightful shade of red. Her hand finding his easily enough so that she could lace her fingers through his and offer a gentle squeeze of affection. Her smile too, was soft when she looked at him.
"Mmm, yes. I think he's pretty much summed it up. And it's always so hard to find music in the pubs and next weekend everything's going to be a disguisting shade of pink with every idiot and her best friend trying to find someone to spend forever with thanks to that crap about having fate show you your true love." Eyes rolled, nose wrinked.
Ilsa nods quietly at the responses from both Silas and Genevieve. Jenny's latter remark prompts a peal of laughter, the Selwyn's head tilted back in a moment of pure amusement. "Is that truly what the holiday is supposed to be for?" she inquires teasingly. "I thought it was just a good excuse to dress up cute and have a nice dinner. Give or receive chocolates, that sort of thing. Fate being involved? That's something altogether different."
Her attention shifts from the other girl to the blushing Meliflua. There's a pause before she leans in, murmuring questioningly to Variel.
Variel leans in to offer a response to Ilsa's question, grinning a touch as he does so. "And it's not so bad as long as it's not taken serious. It could be a lot of fun, seeing what the Divination students come up with as far as matching you up with someone. Taking it serious? Definitely shady, but if you're just in for a lark, why not?" He grins. "And it's a good day to make someone feel special, romantic or otherwise."
Silas again smiles back at Jenny, still a touch pink over whatever she said, although it seems to be localized to the cheeks and the tips of his ears now. However, he still responds, "Don't need divination, anyhow. The future is what we make it… not what some tea leaves divine. We'll just have to find other ways to enjoy it, is all."
He then looks between Ilsa, and Variel, and a touch of a frown crosses his face, "Is there something amiss? If there's a question, Miss Selwyn, that you have, understand I'll be happy to answer it, within reason." He looks down to Jenny, the grin creeping back. "Some things are private, but still…"
"And futures change. Day like that is too much pressure. Stupid crush of expectations with no room for change and the kind of sensation for those who are alone that because they are alone, somehow they are unworthy or unfit. It's a bit like bullshit, if you ask me." Grumped, before tucking in closer to the boy who was with her. She lingered for a moment, close enough to kiss his cheek before pushing upwards to her feet.
"Drink?" Offered, in the wake of his question for Ilsa.
Ilsa murmurs a quiet response to Variel before returning attention to the topic at hand. "I think that's exactly it. It's fun if you're willing to let it be light-hearted and not put too much stock into it. It's when people start worrying about soul mates and eternal love that it because a bit too much. Why be so serious?"
There's a pause, blue eyes meeting Silas's gaze directly as she considers. "I just… I had thought Solomon was with someone else, that's all," she blurts out, openly honest as often is the case. "Perhaps I'm mistaken. Or it's none of my business." Her shoulders rise just slightly into a shrug before she brightens and turns to Jenny. "A drink, yes. That sounds perfect!"
Ilsa hops to her feet, to make it clear that she doesn't expect Jenny to get her one. Just that she agrees with the idea.
"Drink," Variel acknowledges gratefully. "Any choices?" He cranes to get a good look. "No worries, Silas, we're-" Being particularly blunt, is apparently the way that sentence gets ended. He gets to his feet alongside Ilsa as well, starting towards the beverages. "-trying to be discrete in our curiosity, that's all. Nothing to frown over, we promise."
The various talk of Valentine's day, pretty much goes crashing down about Silas' ears as he hears Ilsa' question. Well. Damn. That was definitely not the right one to try to draw out. He stands as well, going pretty much immediately to Jenny's side, protective, not certain how exactly she's going to react to it. And, frankly, because he's not certain any response he can give is going to prevent a negative response from her toward the girl.
It's not that far to the table, and a hand goes to her side, "I am with her, Selwyn. Jenny and I… are. And in the end, that's all that matters."
It's a bristling. One that ripples from head to toe with the kind of snarl that would have looked more at home on a boy, but then, with Jenny's scarred knuckles and her repeatedly broken nose, perhaps…perhaps it is at home after all.
"Then…why don't you ask Solomon, instead of talking about her like she wasn't sitting right there, hm?" Inquired, before her flicked over the flat of her teeth and caught her bottom lip.
"So aye, it's none of yer fuckin' business and aye, Goyle and I are not together anymore. Because that's what happens when you walk away. But Silas is sweet and has a kinder tongue than I do, so…don't mind me, hm?" A ghost of a smile, before she withdrew that flask from her pocket and turned it up for a nice long drink.
Variel grimaces at the paired defensive responses, his voice firm as he speaks up. "Because she didn't want to break the mood, Solomon, that's all. Wasn't gossip, just figuring how to read things. Last she knew, things were different- but if they -weren't- and she thought they -were-, that'd be it's own kettle'a awkward, eh?" Variel glances between the assorted folks. "We're tryin'ta mind yeh, Solomon. Think she just thought yer boy was invitin' her to be more open than'e was. Nobody's downin' on anyone else, so what say we just have a good time, mm?"
There she goes again, opening her big mouth. Ilsa pauses, catching her bottom lip between her teeth as her smile instantly fades. "Meliflua /asked/," she murmurs, momentarily bewildered. A look of relief flickers over her features as Variel defends her, and she nods firmly. "I just didn't know if I had been mistaken or… anyway, it really is none of my business and I didn't mean to break the mood. Let's just please drink and forget about it?"
Silas stands there beside Jenny, silent for the moment, the hand at her side offered there for the support it can offer. Once she's finished the pull from her flask, he moves to step behind her, his other hand going to her own arm. He doesn't push then, or apologize for them, or for her. Instead, he just lets her feel his presence there, figuratively and literally standing behind her, leaning forward to whisper in her ear, and then aloud, "What do you say, Jen?" And his tone, suggests that he'll respect her choice.
"Aren't you the hero," Jenny drawls in Variel's direction, with a wry twist of her lips but…it was Sy's presence that saw her thawed and the agressive stance eased back into something more mellow and less inclined to try her fist against his ability to draw his wand and spell her. That was the thing with most of wizarding kid. Wand first. Fist later. Alphard understood the difference.
"We'll drink." As if she wasn't already. "Sy's gone to quite a lot of trouble putting it together, after all." And the crowd had been growing, while they were talking. Couples milled around the bonfire roasting various treats with levitation charms and someone had engorged a piece of chocolate so that it was melting down on pieces of bread and various fruits like some sort of fondu. Others had settled against a stretch of beach where music was being played to lift the spirits and the skirts of some of the dancers who were enjoying the evening.
Ilsa remains rooted to her spot, gaze shifting from Jenny to Silas and back. Her lips press together into a thin line, a quiet nod given as the other girl agrees to drink and perhaps drop the subject. She hastens toward Variel, still disquieted by the entire exchange. "Right. Drinks," she repeats numbly, clearing her throat.
Variel's left hand starts its uninvited calisthenics again. Close. Open. Close, and stay closed. The redhead takes a moment to pull smokescented air into his lungs and let it out. "Ain't playin hero, Solomon, I was tryin'ta calm things daown. Sounded like this is s'posed'ta be a celebration- be a right shame t'damp it down over a misunderstandin'. Yeh looked proper happy. Jest tryin'ta get yeh back there." With the firewarmth, a certain green specimen seems to have gotten bolder, and crawled up the back of Variel's neck to perch its head atop his, black eyes gleaming in the firelight. "Naow," he continues, his accent exposing his sincerity, "wha's good ta drink, yeh two? Could use one m'self."
For whatever reason, Silas smiles again, leaning his head around to place a light kiss on Jenny's ear, before reaching around her to grab two bottles. One of which he passes over to Variel, the other to Ilsa. Pumpkin juice, spiced. He then looks back to Jenny, and asks, "Want to share something? Your choice."
"Not particularly," Jenny replied to the budding little social creature that was Sy. And in trousers, no less. That part still amused her. So the grin turned slantways and then…, "Is that…Merlin's balls, Sy, look!" And there loomed an all too amusing sticky disaster on the horizon, whilst someone had begun engorging a marshmellow.
Ilsa nods in solemn agreement with Variel, relaxing slightly only when the other two seem not to be dwelling on the past conversation. She exhales quietly, raising the bottle to Silas in a gesture of gratitude. "This looks like just the thing," she remarks, lifting the bottle to her lips for a long sip. Brows arched, she turns to follow Jenny's gaze toward the nearby scene, a faint grin returning.
Variel smiles at last as he's handed the drink, cracking it open and holding it up so Clever can flick its tongue at the fizz. Then he lowers the bottle and drinks a good bit, his posture relaxing as the group calms down. The engorged marshmallow seems to leave him a touch concerned, in an amused way, as he watches the proceeding swelling of the mallow. "This is either going to be very funny or REALLY bloody hilarious.
Attracted by the light of the fire, and the sound of the music, a woman out for an evening strolls makes her way towards the beach. Kahren smiles at the sight of the students having fun, her hands shoved into her pockets to keep them warm. She spent more than a few Hogsmeade weekends here, herself. She starts to stroll past, when someone catches her eye and gives her a moment's pause. Is that… a giant marshmallow?
Snapping his fingers, Silas grins, his hand lingering just a little longer than perhaps appropriate as he moves around from behind here, where it had remained at her side, before disengaging to go around the table, and root about in a box of additional drinks behind it.
Out comes a bottle not unlike the ones the pumpkin juice came in, although this is a little more… red. There's no fizz, either, when he pops the top. A quick sip, and he smiles. "Yes. Good." It gets passed over to Jenny. And then she calls attention to the marshmallow. Silas' first response, really, is to see if he thinks they would be in the blast radius… although it does shock a laugh out of him.
Blast Radius is a good word and yes, yes they are. Because the thing is swelling by the moment, it's sticky goodness compounding, while the smarties in charge of this little stunt are starting to look a little worried themselves..
Meanwhile, Jenny's tucking her flask back into her robes and trading that off for…the fizzless bit of red that Silas is offering her. What is this?! A sip. A blink and the little twang to the aftertaste courts a smile. Enough of one that, her head tips up and the girl takes a moment to steal another kiss.
The marshmellow's shadow growing by the moment. And this is clearly why it's a bad idea for multiple people to use the same charm all at once.
To make matters worse? Some smartass waaay near the back has picked up a new idea himself and there's a wizz and a bang and someone yelling, 'Erecto!' at the bloated marshmellow. So…what happens when a giant marshmellow is suddenly turned into a house? Bouncy, bouncy, bouncy, WEEEEE.
"… I think, all things concerned, that this-" Variel mutters, letting his wand drop from his sleeve, the silver chain attached jangling faintly. "-Impervius Glucus-" He incants as he casts the simple- did he just enchant himself against sugar?… ohhhhh, giant marshmallow bounce house. Tailor. RIGHT. "-is only prudent." He grins, though, clearly amused now that he's ensured to be protected from sugary backlash when it INEVITABLY explodes. "Anyone else want one? Just in case?"
Ilsa tilts her head back, eyes closed as the spiced drink slides down her throat. Lowering the bottle, she glances back to Variel and laughs. "I've a feeling things might get very interesting," she notes attention returning to the giant inflated marshallow… that suddenly transforms into a bounce house. Any former trace of unease is gone now, replaced by laughter. "That's a very good idea, Weasley."
"The marshmallow is a house now…" Kahren remarks to herself, staring at the unlikely structure with a mix of amusement and surprise. The unlikely things that students think of… Where does that creativity /go/ after graduation? It just seems to fizzle away. She's standing a short distance away from the group of students at the (non-alcoholic) drinks.
With not much to do this Hogsmeade weekend, Marcus finds himself wandering. And wandering takes him well, here. Seeing the group of students, along with the giant marshmallow bounce house and the bonfire, he approaches, out of curiosity more than anything. As he gets closer, and sees some familiar faces, he slows down, but continues approaching.
And since Silas is one for being completely outside of his normal character today, he adds to the whole 'set up a social event at random' and 'wore trousers in public' oddities of the day by grinning at Variel, and shrugging, "They wash." And to that he adds a bit of a grin. Then again, it's not like he's wearing silk.
Of course, anything else he might have said is silenced when another kiss is stolen, and once again he pays absolutely no attention to the rest of the world for that moment.
Jenny heard, 'erect'. It was enough to cut through the line of her thought and have her head swiveling around towards the shouter. If only to see just what the hell had… "By Merlin's crooked cock," the girl snorted, because her drinks were not of the age friendly variety and it tempered her breath and the glaze in her eyes.
"We've got to g..Oh." Right. So. That was..Marcus, was who that was. And try as she might the last memory she could conjur of seeing him had been last Sunday night. "So…somebody made a marshmellow house." Incase it wasn't apparent. Hey, at least this time she's not in a skirt.
"I'm going in!"
Variel laughs openly as Jenny proclaims her intent to charge the marshmallow bounce house, apparently satisfied enough where he stands right now. He drains another draught from his pumpkin juice, spotting Marcus and lifting his drink in his direction in a silent greeting. He seems to be pleased enough standing with Ilsa, without throwing himself into the child-lost-in-the-woods wettest of dreams.
Color creeps onto Kahren's cheeks at the exclaimation of the young girl. What a horribly crude thing to say! She shakes her head, moving towards the group of students, with the hopes of continuing past them, and towardst he beach itself. Perhaps there'll be comewhere quiet she can simply sit, and listen to the music.
His path takes him toward Variel and Ilsa. "Weasley, Selwyn," he greets, flashing a smirk at the two, one that remains on his face as he glances at the marshmallow house. And then at Silas and Genevieve. His eyes narrow, but then he spies Kahren and he arches a brow.
"Isn't she a little old to be hanging out with students?" He looks at Variel and Ilsa. "Or did you all find yourself a chaperone to come here?"
Ilsa nearly chokes on her drink, sent into a fit of coughing as she hears Jenny's words. "By Merlin's what?" she asks, appearing caught between surprise and amusement. She spots Kahren in passing, noting that the woman appears just as shocked and offers a smile in greeting. Marcus's arrival is also noted, the girl's bottle held aloft in a sort of wave.
"She's not a chaperone, Goyle. Just an unfortunate witness to the chaos, I think," she explains with a faint grin. Her gaze turns to follow Jenny's dash toward the bounce house, curious to see what might happen.
"I'm not even sure she seems to want to be witness. Maybe just the music? Or waiting in case someone impales themselves on a roasting stick?" Variel shrugs, those are his best guesses. "How's life, Goyle?"
A brow arches as Jenny makes her declaration, but at the same time, there's a shrug, and he reaches to snag the bottle from her playfully before taking a drink of his own. He sees Marcus coming, and for a moment actually considers offering some to him… he's close enough, but that look also lets him see the narrowing of the eyes, and the movement is aborted almost as soon as it begins. Instead, Silas shrugs off his robes, leaving him in just the blouse and trousers, and kicks off his short boots as well, "Race you?" Is offered to Jenny. Of course, we all know who'll win that one.
The woman smiles at Marcus with a hint of apology as she remarks, "I do apologize - it's hard to overlook such cheery music, and such a large smile. I hope you're all enjoying the weekend," she says to the students. She glances around - perhaps hoping to see some sign of her cousins, but none of them seem present. "Don't let me interrupt you," she adds politely, moving to walk past them.
"Threetwoonego!" The words tripped out just as easily as Kahren did across the sand, which was melding with the bottom of the marshmellow house of horrors as it settled. Thus, did Jenny run. Jump. And summarily…land. While realizing how this could potientally be…bad. At least until you worked your feet out of the sticky and just managed to focus on the powdery outline that did not invite you to sink into the floor as quickly.
Variel laughs as the pair get ready to bolt towards the marshmallow house, grinning at Meliflua. "Silas! Can we get a taste of whatever it is you've got there while you're gone? Promise there'll be at LEAST two swallows left when you get back!"
"Ah," Marcus replies to Ilsa, then looking at Variel. He arches a brow, and flashes the other one a grin. "I'm fantastic," except he sounds completely the opposite of fantastic. There is a dark tinge to the tone of his voice. "How about you both?" He looks as Weasley as he asks, and then at Ilsa.
He blinks when the older woman addresses him. "Very well, I forgive you," he says to her, all serious like. "But, don't let it happen again. And don't worry, I don't think you're interrupting," he glances in the direction of the bounce house. "But if you want to interrupt, by all means, don't let me stop you."
Ilsa offers Kahren a welcoming smile. "The beach is for anyone to enjoy. It's no interruption," she assures before turning to Marcus. "Well enough. A weekend of adventures away from the castle… and it's starting off on a good foot already." She gestures to the bonfire and the nearby marshmallow bounce house before curiosity turns her gaze to the red drink that the other pair were sipping. Something stronger perhaps?
Kahren's eyes go towards the marshmallow house and she laughs, shaking her head slightly. "Oh, I shant. And thank you for the offer, but I don't think I will. If any of you happen to see Ulysses, Adorabella, Leoric or Elric Selwyn, though, do let them know that Kahren says hello."
Indeed, the drink is something stronger. Weak… but fruity, not sweet but tart, and just a hint of fermentation. The request is unheard, since the bottle is set down next to boots and robes and the like, and Sy is tearing off towards the house. And where Genevieve flies toward it? He dives, head on, right next to her. Splat. Face full of mallow.
"My poor boots!" Jenny bemoans, because she's having trouble with traction, for all that if she could find some way to keep them from slipping off her feet she -might- be able to walk up a wall. None of this is important. What is, is getting them off. And one after another, they go flying out the door. Covered in mallow. This is clearly going to be a mess and because her robe is sticking, that just as quickly follows suit; for all that the sticky nature of the mess means that like attracks like and it gets caught on the archway of the door; dangling on the breeze. She's laughing, at least, though whether it's happy, buzzed or manic is hard to pin down.
"That's never going to come out of your hair." Point and laugh. Point and laugh.
It's little more work than a flick of the wand and a murmured word to call up the bottle settling with the robes and such. With the bottle in hand, Variel lifts it to sniff at the bouquet, grinning. "This smells exciting." He's not about to make her try something he hasn't swilled himself, first, and does so, enjoying the first mouthful with consideration, and the second with gusto. "This IS quite good! Not as much kick as Bungbarrel, but nothing wrong with that- here, Ilsa, try a bit." He offers the bottle over, glancing back to Marcus. "I'm well enough, I suppose! Better than I expected to be this evening, that's for sure."
Marcus arches a brow at Kahren and shrugs. He nods to Ilsa, but it is without interest. And Variel gets a flat, "Good for you, mate." Lips forming a smirk, he gets moving as he walks towards the marshmallow house. Once he's close enough, he takes a moment to study Jenny. Silas is all but ignored.
"When you're done having fun, we need to talk," he says to her. "Without him," he gestures to Silas.
Ilsa is studiously avoiding looking in the direction of the marshmallow bounce house as Marcus treks his way over there. Luckily the mystery drink provides the perfect distraction. She reaches out to take the bottle from Variel, sniffing the fruity scent before tipping the bottle back for a tentative sip. Her eyes light up, the tip of her tongue running along her lips. "Really good," she enthuses. "This might even be a new favorite, whatever it is." She takes another enthusiastic swig of the drink before offering it back to Variel.
A familiar figure walking up the beach towards the gathering and the bonfire. Like a moth to.. well, a flame indeed. Myrus stops his slow and casual pace with his hands shoved into his pockets he looks at those gathered that he can see. A nod in greeting just yet as he asks generally, "What's the occasion?" A glance to the blankets, table of drinks, and big bouncy-houshmallow. "Looks deliciously entertaining."
Silas pulls his face out of the mallow with a sound is something like a snake fighting to get out of a vacuum. His face is covered with the stuff, as is… pretty much everything on his front. He was in the process of clearing off his face, when Marcus approached, and only a quick realization of someone being in the way prevents him from flinging mallow in that direction.
Then the words crash that happy feeling almost immediate. His eyes narrow, and he bites back whatever he wants to say… partly because his desire to stand up is arrested by the fact that somehow, in the reaction, he got one arm stuck elbow-deep in the mallow again.
Instead, he only gets out a single word, "Jackass…" Yep. Silas-Sweartime.
Kahren nods to the students again, her gaze lingering for a moment on Ilsa. The girl looked familiar - one of Leoric's friends, wasn't she? Or- was she the cousin? Still, it's a student party and she's dreadfully out of place. She moves past them, down towards the water, to stroll along the shore.
"Now?" Jenny replies, peering back towards the voice in the doorway to the land of plush walls that offer a rather remarkable sort of soundproofing because in the end, it's hard to yell through marshmallow. "Sure, why not now." A hint of spark in that? Perhaps but, Jenny makes to cling to the wall; her first attempt leaving her nothing but a handful of mallow so that she's got to try again, just to get her balance and if maybe, her free hand caught Sy's back about the same time he cursed and his face went forward that was sheer accident of trying to get up right? And not at all to cut him off.
"Am I coming out or are you coming in?"
Lucretia arrives down on the beach, hair fluttering around her head like some sort of ominous dark cloud. Spotting the students, one hand goes up in greeting, fingers wiggling before she spots Variel and heads in his direction. "What is that?" she asks of her friend, pointing to the giant mallow, a small shiver given before she pulls her cloak more firmly about herself and drops herself down to sit, waiting for the fire to take effect and warm her up, if only a little.
Variel looks up from the delicious… what, raspberry cordial, perhaps? Delicious stuff, whatever it is, and towards Marcus and the bouncy house. He frowns- no, that's more of a scowl- and makes a brief apology to Ilsa before starting that way. Lucretia's arrival earns a pause; he hushes her gently as he can manage without losing the urgency of it, then continues towards the confrontation, stopping some good distance behind Marcus so as not to crowd.
It takes a moment to recognize the voice that just arrived, as Myrus was still looking at the engorged marshmallow as someone else inquires about it. He looks, and spies Lucretia. "Hey, how are your plants doing? Better now? Or still having problems?"
It seemed like there was something very interesting going on at the houshmallow's 'front doorstep'. So, he joins Variel over there, leaning over to quietly aside to him so as not to interfere really, "What's going on? You look quite cross over something."
"Why so upset, Meliflua. I just want to talk," Marcus offers, smiling at Silas. Except is not a real smile. "I'm quite confident that Jenny doesn't need you present, to have a little chat," he simply says, with a shrug.
"Now, later. Doesn't matter to me," he says to Jenny. He glances back, seeing Variel approaching and smirks. "That depends on if others want to use the thing, I suppose. If you want met to go in, I'll go in," he grins. "But Meliflua can step out then."
Flrmp. Mrph. Grumble. Face in mallow. Hard to talk. Hard to breathe. Marcus gets ignored as Silas works to get his face unstuck again.
Recognition dawns as Ilsa places Kahren's face from a previous Hogsmeade weekend. She lifts a hand in a wave to the woman, her smile brightening. She takes the drink back from Variel for another eager sip or two, then watches the events unfolding by the giant inflated marshmallow. "A marshmallow bounce house," she murmurs distractedly to Lucretia, offering a brief smile although her gaze seems to be focused upon the group now.
"Then pull," Jenny grumped, glowering past Marcus towards the gathering assortment of gawkers over the boy's shoulder. It's funny, what medlers can do to one's opinion of a scene. "Because I'm somewhat stuck and we'll go talk. Otherwise I'm afraid the Hero of Gryffindor will feel the need to shove his nose in it." Ankle deep in mallow, Jenny attempts to push herself forward to gain enough ground to be properly removed.
With a bit of a shrug, Marcus walks over to do as Jenny says. And pulls, to help her out.
Lucretia stares blankly at the gigantic mallow, eyes unblinking. "That looks like it could be fun," she says, not yet registering quite yet just what's going on. "Perhaps I'll give it a go in a bit, but not until I've warmed up." A blow is given her fingers and she offers Ilsa a smile before looking back towards Variel and the others already at the mallow.
At which point an engorged chocolate frog the size of a small but friendly dog, goes hopping down the beach.
Variel's approach halts as Myrus arrives as well. He never gets close enough to hear Jenny's grumblings or, for that matter, whatever it is Marcus is saying. He turns to herd Myrus back towards Ilsa and Lucretia instead, explaining on the way. "Nothing to mull over, Myrus. C'mon, there's drinks this way and I don't know how long that 'mallow is gonna last at this rate." Back by Lucretia and Ilsa, Variel drops down next to the latter. "That, Lu, is a house someone made out of a too-big marshmallow. It is also an impending disaster of the most hilarious kind housing an impending disaster without much hilarity at all." He reaches to request the bottle back from Ilsa as he explains.
His ears are not filled. And while Silas pulls head face out of the mallow, he says nothing. Does nothing. Doesn't even move, then. Timing is of course, everything. It would be Marcus who would come to his event. His fun. And do this. Timing.
Fine.
Face was covered. No one could see his expression. That was good. Instead, while Marcus was helping Jenny out of the mess, Silas was silently working to extricate himself as well. The fun had been taken from the evening, at least for him.
*Squelch* One leg free.
Strolling down the beach, Kahren lets out a quiet, startled cry, and takes a quick step back. What is tha- "Oh." It's a chocolate frog? She can't help but laugh. /Students/!
Well it wasn't housing it for much longer. Jenny tumbled out, with assistance, a sticky mess still trying to get her fingers to unstick. "I think…that would work better with taffy or some sort of gummy, rather than a marshmallow. It's too soft," the tall sugar garbed chaser complained and found some small comfort in the fact that with the way the sand stuck to the mallow on the bottom of her feet, shoes weren't necessary to ruin on the inside, too.
"It's okay, Sy. Just..have a drink and relax and try not to lick anything and I'll be back. I promise." To Marcus, Jenny said simply, "Lead the way." While Myrus was offered a brief smile. Dammit, it looked like she had a webbed hand.
Rus just… herds back over to the group at-large and shrugs, plopping himself down on the ground after snagging a blanket and laying it out. At least his bum wouldn't get too cold from the ground too quickly with that. And.. oh whatever, he'd even lay down across the thing, hands over his stomach staring upward to the stars he could see past the glow of the bonfire. "Guess everyone's having disasters nowadays. Did I start a trend? GLorious." Sarcasm couldn't be so thick anywhere else todayas he says that monotonously.
Ilsa waves to Myrus as Variel leads him away from the marshmallow bounce house, then turns to nod to Lucretia. "It could be great fun or a ridiculously amusing mess. Though both have possibilities." She relinquishes the bottle to Variel with a sudden grin. "We have to find out what that stuff is. Besides fantastic."
Marcus glances over at Silas, taking so much time to remove himself and can't help but smile a little. His attention, however, is on Jenny and regardless of his demeanor, he makes sure to help her come out, and does his best to keep her from falling on her face.
"Gummy," he simply observes once Jenny is out. He glances at Silas again, then at the gathered group. There's a pause and a deep breath. "She'll be back," he agrees quietly and nods to Jenny. "This way," he leads her away.
Esther arrives at the beach, looking… Well, mostly curiously. Esther's been feeling vulnerable - Even a bit timid lately, and it shows in her stance, walking with her shoulders a little hunched. She hesitates for a moment, before stepping out onto the soft sand. Approaching the bonfire.
Lucretia smiles tentatively at Myrus. Their last exchange hadn't gone so well and so she exercises at least a little caution around him. "Hello, Myrus. My plants are doing very well, thank you. One of the puffapods exploded but my friend Angus helped me sort the mess out." Her voice tails off a little as attention goes back once more to Genevieve, Marcus and Silas and, seeing the mess the girl emerges in, she can't help but giggle. So kill her. She's thirteen. "Someone should roll her in sand," she suggests, then looks around for something to drink.
Myrus cranes his head to look at Lucretia, the blanket crinkling a little under his neck, then he wordlessly looks at Marcus leading Genevieve off. He returns to staring upward, commenting with lament, "But then the marshmallow would be inedible.."
"I meant Genevieve, not the marshmallow itself," Lu says to Myrus, a small frown puckering her brow. Boys. So dumb…
Esther gives you a cookie.
"And I meant the marshmallow /stuck to/ her." Myrusscoffs, girls. So dumb…
"All right." Comes Silas' reply, to Jenny as she leaves, his other leg coming out a moment after. He's pretty much covered, sadly, from head to toe in mallow. That wasn't a wise choice. But it had sounded sounded fun. He grabs Jenny's discarded robes and shoes, already mallowed as well, and starts squelching back to the main group. He doesn't bother to try to remove anything, just yet.
As he does so, the robes in his hand begin to rustle… and a flask flies out from them, in the direction Jenny and Marcus just left in. That gives Silas pause. However, as he gets closer tot he greater group, he just stands there a moment, a forced impassion on a face really not capable of showing any emotion at the moment… although for the last comment, his stares directly at Myrus.
"Well, Lowe, unless your name starts with Em Ay Ar See these days, you wouldn't be eating the marshmallow off of Solomon anyhow." Variel snarks more or less good naturedly. It seems a touch soured by something Ilsa's said to him quiet-like, or vice versa, but he's not resigned to being a complete grouch just yet. He catches Esther's approach and remarks quietly. "I've had enough mess. Carrow," Variel says, "Are you in a place where you can deal with your cousin? Because she's coming this way and I would really prefer no venom to pass one way or the other."
Variel blinks. "… bloody hell, I went with the easy spelling. It's Silas, not Marcus, the name was just easier to swap." He just groans at himself and glances to see if Silas caught that.
Esther heard that. And she saw them. Variel. Silas. Myrus. All a bit much, right now. The girl pauses, midstep - And her foot goes from forefoot, to backfoot. The girl turns, and begins to walk back the way she came without staying around for the bonfire. Without a word. Clearly things still aren't too well with her cousin.
Lucretia blushes horribly. "Oh…" This to Myrus at his suggestion as to what might be happening to Jenny before Variel speaks up. "Just who is she dating? I thought she was with Marcus, not Silas." Eyes flick over towards the latter who's heading their way before she spots Esther approaching. "Esth—" But then she's going again. Its a case of revolving doors, were there doors. Which there aren't. Unable to keep up, she hugs her legs into herself and just watches quietly. Quiet except for the hopeful question she asks. "Does anyone have something warm to drink?"
Ilsa snorts a laugh at the exchange between Myrus and Lucretia. Lucretia's question about who Jenny is dating prompts a somewhat worried look from Ilsa. That question was not a good choice when Ilsa asked it. Rather than answering the first question, she focuses on the last. "I'm not sure what all the choices are. The spiced pumpkin juice is good, though." A few quiet comments traded with Variel bring a slight frown and a look of resignation.
Carrow. When Variel says his name like that it makes Myrus smile. Genuinely twisted. "Ah, it's starting to catch on. I rather like how it sounds." He lilts his head to the side a little and shrugs in his laying position. Speaking loudly enough that was obviously for Esther to hear and directed at her.
"If she wants to talk to me, she can." A glance to Silas and /that look/. What, you have a problem with me too, Silas?" Tch. "Get in line."
He was going to say something to Lucretia, but a glance to Ilsa as she starts offering. So no need there. And about her plants, and the Genevieve thing, Myrus just drops that. Unless someone else brings it back up.
Step. Step. Silas just walks through all of that, slowly picking off chunks of mallow off himself, and throwing them at the fire. A look at Variel. A look at Lucretia. A decided flick of the wrist to splat Variel with the very materials he tried to protect himself against a few minutes earlier. "She's dating Silas. Again. Sorta." He says, very matter-of-factly despite the actual words. "And this whole thing was for the two of us. So… can someone please tell me who took my ruddy drink?"
Splat. Variel would probably be inclined to look down at the mallow on his chest, but a good bit landed on his face. There's… an oddness to it, though, as the stuff slides slowly off of him like melting butter down the hot side of a pan. He brushes at it to help it get on its way, throwing Silas a wry look. He's holding the bottle, after all. "Nope." He insists, "Haven't a clue where that drink of yours went." He's working his wand free as he says it, pausing to tap said instrument against the bottle and proclaiming a word of particular insight.
"Repleo."
The bottle makes some gurgly sounds. THEN Variel offers it up, mallow dripping listlessly off his hand. "Ah, here it is. Found it!"
Lucretia reaches for a glass of pumpkin juice on Ilsa's recommendation, a wrinkle of her nose given as a bit of the mallow that Silas flings Variel's way almost splat her too. "Eww. Watch out." She tucks herself in against the older Gryffindor boy, her friendship with him granting her that leeway. "Please. Someone use the cleaning up spell on him before he gunges us all with that stuff. I would, but its not one I'm familiar with." Her voice is plaintive, thought the request is genuine before she lifts her glass and takes a much welcome sip of its contents.
Glancing back periodically at the gigantic chocolate frog, Kahren continues her stroll down the beach, and out of sight.
Kahren leaves, heading towards Stables [W].
Kahren has left.
Ilsa wrinkles her nose, a hand lifting to ward off any stray marshmallow bits being flung in her direction. A smile tugs her lips upwards as she watches Variel replenish the bottle before returning Silas's drink. "Decided against a turn in the bounce house yourself?" she asks Lucretia, gesturing to the marshmallow mess.
The little bit of acting out seems to have Mollified Silas a bit, enough that he smiles, and takes the bottle back from Variel when he offers it. A long swwig is taken, "Thanks, Variel." Using a familiar name. Something he's not done with the boy before. "Could someone do as Black suggests? I'm horrible at casting it on myself. I would appreciate the help."
Mentioning his cousin had put a sour expression on Myrus' face. He was fidgity now. Twiddling his thumbs and his leg bouncing a little.
Lucretia raises one brow at Ilsa's suggestion, a terribly pointed look given the sticky, gunky mess that's Silas Meliflua. "I don't think I will be," she says. "Not after seeing Meliflua." A small grin is allowed to brighten her face with that and she reaches into her pocket, pulling out a bag of jelly beans. A few get spilt into her lap and she picks one of her favourites, a red one. Not that the colour means much where Bertie Bott's beans are concerned, they're just a smokescreen for the sneaky way he has of switching colours and flavours around. Its like a Russian roulette. She pops it in her mouth without further comment and gestures to Ilsa to help herself to one, if she's so inclined.
Variel grins and relents to lifting his wand towards Silas and offering a timely, "Tergeo." Goo sloughs off him like water, staining the sand beneath him, leaving the boy without a touch of mallow to be found. His own mallow is treated to the same, leaving the group mallowless and fancy free. "So anyone get through the evening without something being totally ruined? Anyone?" He actually sounds decently cheerful- no self-pity or anything along those lines at least.
Silas looks at Variel with a grunt, but he offers another smile, and mouthed thanks. "It's not ruined. Just… darkened. They needed to talk. He could have just waited… rather than bringing the anger into my event." A shrug, and he looks at Lucretia, motioning to himself, "It washes off." He takes his drink, though, and walks back over to his robe and boots, which he proceeds to put back on.
Myrus hears what Silas says, and he sits up, rolling to a kneeling position and standing from there. He gathers up the blanket and puts it back on the pile. "I'm going to head back to the castle." Probably for reasons that Silas may understand then, based upon what he just said, and considering the look on Myrus' face ever since Esther was announced by Variel and Myrus acknowledged her offhandedly like that.
And up the path towards Hogwarts he would head, unless someone had something to say to him, and he'd wave to everyone at least.
Ilsa casts Lucretia a wry look. "Fair enough. A bit too messy for my liking as well," she decides. Leaning forward, she plucks a red jelly bean from the selection and pops it in her mouth. "Mmm, cinnamon." She casts Variel a small smile, shaking her head. "No one's immune. Disaster all around," she answers, although the words are spoken in a lighthearted tone that indicates she may be mostly joking. Casting Silas a sympathetic look, she nods. "The timing probably wasn't the best. This is still fun though."
Lucretia picks a yellow bean from the pile and tosses it straight in the fire. "I have a bad feeling about yellow tonight," she says, tipping her head upwards at Variel's question. "Well my evening's not been ruined, but then I was late to the party. Who's to say what might have befallen me had I arrived along with everyone else." A sip of her pumpkin juice is taken before she falls quiet, watching Myrus leave with an unreadable expression on her face. She's not often one to hold her tongue around others, but for some reason, she is today. Something on her mind, perhaps.
"Myrus! Have a good night, would you?" Variel offers the departing Eagle. There's a wave, as well, and then back to sitting and chatting. "I do think it's been a good time overall. I wasn't meaning to imply the entire event a waste, Silas, I hope you know. I meant a light-hearted invitation for everyone to vent a bit and get back into the spirit of things!"
Variel does give Lu a bit of the curious eyeball when she stays quiet. That IS odd for her, after all.
Silas nods at Variel, "I appreciate it. This is supposed to be a thing of celebration." And indeed, for the larger grouping of near-anonymous students around them, dancing, laughing, making horrible charms decisions… there is still a very happy, positive energy going about. He leans back against the log, just sitting there… "This is still a good thing. And she'll be back," he says perhaps to himself.
Lucretia has things on her mind it seems. Too many things. She stands, brushes the beans from her lap and heads back to the castle without speaking again.
Ilsa's gaze lifts to follow the direction of Lucretia's abrupt, silent departure. Her brow furrows in silent concern, her own features drawn into a contemplative expression. Releasing a quiet breath, she offers a smile to the others. "I should be going too. It really was a perfect celebration, Meliflua. Such a good idea. Thank you all for the good company."
Variel gets to his feet to help Ilsa up. "I'll need to get a few pages of Charms work done too, if I don't want to be stuck in the castle all weekend. I'll walk you back, Ilsa." He gives Silas a grin. "Much obliged, Silas- this really was a lot of fun."
Silas lifts his bottle to Variel and Ilsa, nodding, "And thank you for coming. I'll… remain here for a while. Listen to the joy around me for a while. And wait. Be well."
Ilsa nods agreeably to Variel, brushing off her skirt and pausing to wait for him to join her. "Perfect. I could use the company on the walk back," she agrees. "Enjoy yourself, Meliflua. Thanks again!"
Variel nods. "I'll do my best, Silas. Enjoy the merriment!" Variel takes a few steps to catch up, then keeps pace with Ilsa on her way back to the castle.