Airey felt a bit awful about organizing this with the other Hogwarts professors and then asking students to PAY to get into the Observatory. So, before he went inside to set things up, the astronomer decided to take a page from former Head Boy Oakey Gunter's playbook. He had done some cabinet diving in the kitchens earlier in the week to find a jar large enough to hold all of the loose change that he had found via flipping over cushions in common rooms and the staff break room when no one was looking. It obviously wasn't enough of a supply, but he had a few donations to the cause as well.

So, jar of sickles off to the side of the turnstiles, Airey grabbed his bag o' goodies and slipped the proper coinage before passing through and entering the Observatory to start setting up.

Okay, she still didn’t liked it to pay for ANYTHING she did here on Hogwarts, her mom had already paid for her, but, because she wanted to go to this party and she KNEW that she couldn’t get further without paying she… did it. BUT she still hated it and she REALLY didn’t looked happy at the moment! So, when she had walked up to the astronomy tower she paid what she needed to pay and walked further, hoping that the party was worth it and not a waste of her money!

How nice of Professor Flamsteed to pay for their entrance! Not like it was a huge burden on Caleb's expenses or anything - what else would he spend his money on? - but it was still nice to know that the Professor had their backs. He hadn't really paid attention too much at the competition, because...well, he wasn't competing so what did it have to do with him? But he was always up for a party!

He took some money out of the jar, enough to pay his toll, and then plopped it in the appropriate receptacle before passing through.

A party?

Ella was up for that. She could use a break from studying and homework. The blonde wandered to the turnstiles with a small smile playing on her lips and stopped short when she saw the jar of coins. Hey! This was like the jar Oakey had set up for the badgers. Oakey Worm. Le sigh. She missed him a little, y'know. Only a little though.

Scooping out the appropriate fare for the turnstile, the blonde inserted the coins and made her way to the observatory. It was party time, was it not? Grin.

Another party? Awesome. Wade pretty much loved these. The cool part about it was that it'll be free. Yesiree free, it is. Taking a break from his creature reviewing, Wade headed on up to the Observatory to where the turnstiles were at.. oh, hello there coin jar. Guess Flamsteed wasn't the only one who remembers previous Head Boy Oakey Pokey.

Taking enough sickles, he placed them right into the turnstile before making his way in. The only question left in Wade's mind was, will there be any pickles left for him?

Minerva walked up to the observatory she had seen the notice board about a party. Party she could so handle. She had been studying a lot lately and after seeing how fantastic her fellow schoolmates did on the first round, she was just feeling pressure. So much pressure and stress to do well. So the extra studying was needed, but for now she would see what this party was all about.


Entering where the turnstiles were Min couldn't help but smile at the jar. That was so sweet of Professor Flamsteed. She walked over to the jar and took enough sickles, then went to the dumb turnstiles and put the money in. There she had paid now time for a party..

With a merry smile, Botros added sickles into the jar, paid and then entered the observatory.

A party! And it was freeeeeee! But wait, there's more! IT'S IN THE OBSERVATORY!!!! Tora bounded towards the turnstile, hardly containing her excitement. Oh look, there was Professor Botros too! She was about to give a wave when she noticed him putting a couple sickles to ill up the somewhat depleted jar.

Oh. That was really nice of him to do that.... and now that Tora had seen where the money was coming from she felt a little guilty. She couldn't take other people's money! Especially not a Professor's.

Like always she carried around her magical bag that held all her stuff, including her coin purse with her allowance money. She brought this out and peered inside, noting that she still had quite a bit of money left to last her the rest of the school year. Not enough to donate to the jar, but certainly enough to get through the turnstile without having to use anyone else's money. She smiled and pulled out the correct coinage before dropping her money purse inside her bag again and pushing through the turnstile. Now that she was in the party she could go say hello to everyone!

A party wouldn't hurt THAT bad, right? Especially since it was kind of like a party dedicated to her. Kat did survive the first round of the Quiz Bowl thing and she, too, participated in it. She had every right to come to the party and celebrate and enjoy herself. They showed Beauxbatons and Durmstrang who was BOSS anyway.

Oh hey. They didn't have to PAY then? There was a jar filled with sickles, which came from Professor Flamsteed. At least that's what the label on the jar said. Kat kept it in mind to thank him for letting them do this for free because the Head Girl was honestly sick with all the stupid turnstiles. Kat took 6 sickles from the jar and dropped it inside the turnstile and oooooooooff she went. Time to get the celebration started, yeah?

Mischa was not surprised to find that he had to pay to enter this party. He had heard all about Hogwarts financial troubles. Atleast he did not have to use his own money. With a smirk Mischa collected six sickles from the jar. But on second thought why not six more? Karina was supposed to be here soon also. He collected an additional six.

Mischa's eyes roved all around hoping to see Karina. How drastically things had changed between them since that first task. The Durmstrang student's thoughts were still on Karina when he mindlessly turned his eyes to the jar of coins. And an idea flashed in his head. Another smirk crept onto his face. Yes. What an idea.

Students actually had to pay to enter a school sponsored party? Pathetic. Durmstrang would never make their students pay and certainly not their guests. Though she supposed Hogwarts got around that little technicality by having one of the professors - or whomever - put a little coin jar out by the turnstiles. Still, she looked at the turnstiles with disgust as she approached them.

The only other person out by them was Mischa and Bronislava gave him a curt nod as she dipped her hand into the jar taking out the required amount of coins. She was about to drop the coins into the slot when she had an idea. She wondered how likely the other students would be to attend if they did have to use their own money, especially considering all the other places they did have to use it just to keep academically fit.

Looking around, she could see that Mischa was the only one anywhere near them and that she was completely hidden from view by those inside the observatory. Once she was absolutely certain that no one else could possibly see her, she gave her classmate a smirk and a discreet wink, then quickly moved the jar onto the floor somewhat behind the turnstiles as if she was moving it out of the way for her to drop the coins into the slot. Dropping her coins in, she then reached over and waved her wand at the jar, muttering a few words in Croatian, and cast a disillusionment charm on it, completely hiding it from view. Giving Mischa a smirk, the Durmstrang girl made her way into the party.

The jar of coins the Astronomy professor had set out for students and staff out of the goodness of his heart was gone. Not GONE gone, but to anyone who passed by now it would appear to be so.

Looks like the rest of you will have to pay your way into the party now on your own sickles.

Gaston neeeded to mingle, with girls that was evidently.

After checking his comb over was at it's best and after making sure his teeth were pearl white, Gaston made his way towards the observatory and stopped at a turnstile. Lucky for him he had money of his own and paid six sickles then entered.

He was ready to party!

What? The jar of coins is gone?! Karina had not bothered to bring her own money up with her because she had known that it would be free; why bring money to a free party? Times must be hard indeed for Hogwartians if they now tax people to get into a free party. She saw Mischa standing nearby and moved over to complain to him. He must have been caught outside without payment as well. The Swede smiled as she approached her former enemy, now her friend, and leaned up against the wall next to him. "I see you're stuck without payment as well," she sighed as she crossed her arms.

Sophie had her mind elsewhere when she went up to the Observatory. Not that she didn't feel like socializing and stuff, but she still had all of those Charms and wandless magic stuff zooming around in her mind and she didn't really want to let go of those awesome thoughts. Charms were simply BRILLIANT!

When the turnstiles appeared in front of her, she was momentarily confused, but didn't think much about it. Pulling out 6 sickles from her pocket, she payed the fee and entered.

Hearing her voice, Mischa turned to face the girl who had become his friend. In a way. He could not stop himself but he was pleased to see her. Immensely so. Mischa scanned their surroundings. No one else around. Good. "I vas about to hide coin jar but Broni used the Disillusionment charm.'' Broni's idea was better. Let the Hogwartians who knew about the jar go scramble trying to find it when it was right under their noses.

"I am not stuck,'' Mischa replied to the statement. "Neither are you.'' He held out his hand which had been concealing the twelve sickles. Karina would figure it out now. He had been hoping she was going to the party and had saved her some coins.

Ascanius had heard this shindig was free, so naturally he was goinb to go, yeah? Any chance to bother Glitter Trousers and look good doing it was always preferable to Ascanius. So he'd grace the Astronomy nut with his presence.

Walking over to the turnstile, he saw that the Glitter Trousers idiot was ALSO a liar. Pfft. Free, his very shapely BUM. Ugh. This was ridiculous.

Grumbling, he forked up some of his own hard earned money and walked in.

Vilhelm stuck his hand in his pocket, looking slightly out of place. As he approached the entrance, he saw Mischa and Karina. He walked over to them, overhearing a bit of their conversation.

"Good vurk," he told them. He had been told that there would be a jar, and he had planned on perhaps bringing it into the party. But now there was no need for that. He stepped forward and paid in the turnstile. He turned around to face the two fellow Durmstrangers. "Shall we join the party?"

Karina gave a playful grin towards Mischa and took the coins from his outstretched hand. "Why thank you, how kind," she said grabbing the same had in which the coins had been in and pulling him towards the turnstiles. She might have been a bit flirtatious friendly until she noticed Vilhelm also at the turnstile.

"We're coming," she said, regaining her cool demeanor and reluctantly dropping Cha's hand. She then paid the turnstile and swept through without a backward glance. Even though she wanted to.

....................... wait up, wasn't this thing supposed to be free? West couldn't SEE anything resembling money. There was a bit of a queue too apparently, people milling about moneyless...

Well he'd not brought any himself. Maybe they were somewhere he couldn't see? No harm trying, faster than going down to the common room for a few sickles anyways. The tall sixteen year old held his wand out and cast, "Accio sickles."

As soon as the last syllable left the boy's mouth, the invisible jar of coins FLEW from its position on the floor and...
*TWACK*
...collided with the boy's face in a shower of invisible sickles that made the loveliest ping ping ting noises as they fell to the floor.

.............. and West was out. Unconscious. Flat on his back. Because whatever THAT was had hit him THAT hard. Nose. Eyes. Head. General face area. Bloody nose yes? Yes.

Quidditch captain out yo.

Free party?

Charlie was up for this, especially because if it had cost, she wouldn't have been able to go. How generous was Professor Flamsteed? She made a mental note to thank him when she got through to the party.

... But thanking him was wiped out of her mind upon seeing bacon!boy Quidditch Captain on the floor, apparently unconscious. Frown settling onto her face, Charlie hurriedly began looking around for the sickles. Sickles that she needed to go and get a Professor to come and LOOK at the unconcious boy on the floor.

"HELP."

Someone come, please.

Yes time for a party. This one would a lot more fun than the last one she'd gone too. Adelaide was happy to be inside and was almost up to the tower when she heard a loud thud. Uh oh. That didn't sound good.

She rushed up the last bit of stairs to see West lying on the floor with a girl she somewhat recognized lying next to him. "Um...I'll go get someone." She grabbed some sickles out of her pocket, not seeing any around, and deposited them before heading to look for a professor of sorts.