Leo took her hand and shook it. "Pleasure to meet you, too. Don't worry, all she says about you are good. It made me want to meet you even more. And here I am. I must be really lucky to meet the famous Fran. I heard all about your escapades." He gave a small smile at her last sentence. "Ahhh, we'll that's too bad. My boys are all muggles, so I don't think they'd get Quidditch. They're mostly into other sports, though, if you're the sports type."

He laughed at Lua's remark. "That is true. I think if you've told them about the sport itself, they would go crazy wanting to see it. I think Anthony would do anything to get himself into that sport. Vinnie would do that, too. With a mean face, not to mention. Nick... Nick would be damaged the second he rides the broom," he laughed.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Super Spaz

Marco's breathe caught in his chest. That voice still made him feel like a little boy. "Professor Erikson, Sir." He span round to see it was actually him. That guy was still huge, even if Marco had grown since. He still had that menacing thing going on, that Marco remembered. Even his smirk was evil.

He chuckled softly. "I am no longer your professor, nor am I one at all. Though, I suppose that means I don't have to worry about being fired to take vengeance." Oh, he would have fun teasing this boy. And he'd show everything to Rin later.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Seeker_Seven

Eyebrows raised, Tag gave his old Herbology professor a wide grin, and shook his hand heartily. A slight flush crept up his neck at the man's comment. Oh dear. He probably remembered every stupid thing Tag had ever done in class. . . "I can't believe you put up with me. I never would have made it through Herbology OWLs without you! And sometimes I even have to use it." He put his hands in his pockets, still slightly embarrassed.[/B]

Drago gave him a good-natured smile. "Well, the goal was to make sure everyone learned at least something. If you made it through OWLs, I did a well enough job. I only regret letting everyone down in my last few years there."

"Oh thank god! I thought Lua had told you about something terrible or something. Don't ask me why I thought she would do that, I'm just odd." Francesca shrugged and then chuckled. "How about I teach them about Quidditch and then they can teach me about muggle sports. The only one I really know anything about is football. Not the hand egg one, mind you. The one that involves kicking an actual ball but I don't quite understand it." The only reason Fran really knew about that sport was because her former boss when she first started working at the American ministry was a muggle born and he always brought his workers to a sports grill to watch the games while they "discussed" business. Oh how she missed him sometimes even if he did try to hit on her all the time.

Smiling as Josh agreed that Patroclus could come along, Evelyn looked at both Gryffindors for a moment before glancing around once more. Returning students? Oh jeez...hopefully that one guy didn't come. Whatever the Gryffindor's name was...

Whatever though. If he did, then she was ready to get out of any situation he put forth. Oh, oh Merlin. What if...what if Bunz came!? "I think we should." she said, rapidly turning the scowl on her face to a sweet smile before moving in the middle between Josh and Patroclus. Best forget about any particular people showing up at the Ball and just have some fun right? Hooking her right arm with Josh's first, she glanced at him in the eyes for a moment before looking over to Patroclus and hooking her left arm with his.

"Let us...gooooo inside." And make sure no one destroys all their hard work! Hehe.

Trust Celestina Warbuck to lose her date at the beginning of the ball. It wasn't her fault that all the dolled-up young ones were making her feel claustrophobic and old. Puffing out her cheeks, she glanced over her shoulder expecting to see her date mingling. He seemed the type.

When that didn't happen, Celestina stopped walking long enough to adjust her dress. Maybe, later, she could sneak into the bathroom and put some sticking charm on it. It was a miracle her date hadn't suggested it already--or had he? Maybe he did and Bucky was doing her best to tune him out.

It was then, hands on the bustier of her dress, that she noticed a particular man. A particular man with a very distinguishable jawline. A particular man with the last name Moretti. "Oh no. No. no no no. no. no."

WHY in Shining Orbs did she not think about accepting the invitation further? She should have known that Leo Moretti was going to attend--attached to Lua. Even if she didn't like this situation running away was only get her face-first into another awkward situation. That or with a sprained ankles considering the shoes she was wearing.

Walking up the group, wishing she had a plate of mini-wieners to distract her, Celestina cleared her throat. "Oh, yay. Class of 2065."

OR something.

Leo nodded his head as he chuckled. "They would love that. My cousin Frankie probably knows every sport in the world. It really is annoying sometimes since he makes up some excuse of watching a game on TV. Some games are ever weird. He's family, though, what can you do?" He laughed, shrugging his shoulders. "I'll invite you over when the fellas vist. You'll fit in perfectly."

And speaking of fitting in...

The man did not expect seeing a very old friend of his here at the alumni. One minute he was chatting away with Lua's old friend, and the next there stood Celestina Warbuck. Leo stared at her for a few moments, unblinkingly. He couldn't believe his own eyes. When his mind finally registered that it was Bucky after all, he immediately let go of Lua and pulled her into a crushing hug.

"Bucky!" Leo exclaimed, crushing her some more. And seeing as he's much more taller than her, he lifted her off a few inches off of the ground. "Ohhhh! Ohhhhhhh, it's soooo good to see you!"

"You'll definitely have to invite me over whenever I'm in your area again. Maybe a weekend where I'm not working!" Francesca grinned then eyed the girl who joined them. She definitely remembered her but she had never quite spent loads of time with her. She took a step back and laughed when the girl was picked up by Leo. Oh how mean that was. If someone did that to her she'd probably..well you know how this works. Kick to the face and such things. Knowing Francesca's luck, it would be someone she actually cared about seeing. "I'm actually class of 2062 but hey cheers to you. I don't think you remember me though Bucky." She gave her a smile then waited on Leo to stop abusing her.

All of a sudden, the air was crushed out from her lungs. Gritting her teeth, she did her best to not kick him on the shins, or the knees, or the family jewels. She was a grown-up after all. Celestina Warbuck - Mistress of....er...Photography and um...Money.

Maybe.

"Moretti," she wheezed, face losing its color. "I appreciate the nostalgia, really, but...." WHEEZE. CAN'T. BREATHE. Weakly, she grinned toothily at...Nik's girl-friend--friend who is a girl. Bucky never figured that out.

He didn't realize that he was crushing her to the point of suffocation. That was until she pointed it out to him by wheezing. Leo looked down at her and blinked as if he were a five year old child.

"Oh. Sorry," he murmured, placing her back down where she belonged. "Well, this is really surprising! I never expected seeing you here, Bucky! How are you doing? You look great, if I must say. Life's been treating you well. You know if things aren't going well, you can always call on me."

Lua was grinning, grinning cheekily at how well Leo and Fran got along, sometimes she worried on how well Leo would accept her friends. But heavens this was relieving and he wanted to hook her up with one of the boys! YAY!

Trying to keep her enthusiasm toned down, she frowned at Fran. "Now why would i go say something horrible about you to Leo?" she playfully teased her friend. "I have to agree you are odd sometimes" she cringed her nose playfully at her friend then smiled along as Leo suggested more men for Fran. "Oh see, you won't have to escape me now, two invitations!" she giggled and then Leo... who was that girl?

She didn't mind her husband hugging other girls, well depending on who they are.. but ohh! "Yes Fran you know her" she elbowed Fran with a whisper, "she's the one that lost her turtle once, or was it kidnapped" she trailed off thoughtfully then decided it didn't matter.

"Hey Celestina!" she waved at the girl, well Leo's broad body covered most of her so there was no possible way for her to shake hands or anything. "Nice to see you again".

"Leo can we not commit murder here? I mean yes there are enough people wearing black for a funeral but let's not." Francesca shook her head and flashed another grin at Bucky. She vaguely remembered Bucky being around when she was at Hogwarts. The big thing she remembered was that giant turtle she had because it had tried to eat Nikolai on more than one occasion. "So...do you still have that cannibalistic turtle?"

"Do you really want to know the answer to that?" Hawken asked with a raised eyebrow. He walked them up to where Tag was standing around with a few different people and gave the group a way with his available hand. The other was tucked against his side as he ascorted Kay along the entrance way. If Hawk was a normal man, he probably would have taken offense to Tag's compliment of being 'lovely.' As was, Hawken was not your average man and so he simply replied. "Thank You...good choice in picking out your own suit by the way." He left out that he probably would have worn a different tie with the shirt Tag was wearing since suits weren't usually Tag's preferred dress-code.
"I don't think," Hawk said leaning in, sensing Kay's hesitence and eying of Tag's appearance. "You'll have to worry about that. " One good thing about remaining friends with peopl you knew from school-days was that you could usually tell what set them off - history and familiarity with them and all that.

He turned his attention to the young lady standing next to Tag and smiled. "Hullo."

A girl with red hair meandered past. "Say Tag, isn't that Bucky?"

I never expected seeing you here, Bucky! What? Was she supposed to die after she graduated Hogwarts? Start living in a ditch with earthworms for neighbors? Is that?

Life's been treating you well. Sure, if living for a few years off instant ramen in an apartment that leaked in every corner was life treating her well, she supposed Moretti was spot on. Raising a brow at him, Celestina scratched her cheek thoughtfully. Maybe she was reading way too much into his words.

You know if things aren't going well, you can always call on me. No. Bucky could not call on him! That would be weird and inappropriate and they just didn't have that relationship. Hey, Moretti, can I borrow 50 G's? I kinda owe a lot in rent. Oh, Hey Moretti. I need to buy personal lady stuff. Mind shipping in?

No. That. Was. Not. Happening. Ever.

Taking a deep breath, she smiled crookedly for Leo's benefit. "Thanks....." I guess. "Um. You look...the same." That was a compliment. Turning to Lua Celestina noted she seemed less scary. Perhaps her little girl mind had shed Lua Stone in some kind of wicked witch light.

Maybe--or maybe Bucks was done being petrified. Who knew? "It's a tortoise," she corrected both Lua and...Fran. That was her name! She knew it sounded like Flan except less deadly. "And, yeah, Rosemary is still alive. She's at home, sleeping. She's been grumpy these past days. I had to put her on a diet."

Bucky then just full stopped talking. It occurred to her that no one cared about her pet reptile's overweight issue. "So. You're all....here...together? You know, with someone? Or alone." Or married with children and crup puppies and a white picket-fence.

Leo's shoulders tensed a little at Fran's words. He knew she had said it in jest. "Yeah, everyone looks like they are in a funeral." He agreed, nodding his head along.

His brows furrowed as his wife and her friend asked Bucky about a turtle. What turtle? Leo never heard of this before? Did she have a deceased pet? Oh my, that would be so sad if she did. At that very moment, Moretti decided that he'd buy her a cat if she did have a deceased pet. No one should be alone. Not that he suspected her being alone.

Not at all.

"Do I?" He beamed, straightening up. He was like a child when someone complimented him. "I thought I would've looked really old by now, but I guess not! Ha! That's just great."

So the turtle, tortoise, whatever it was, was still alive. Leo let go a sigh of relief. Still, the buying her a cat idea sounded really good. The cat would keep the tortoise and Bucky company.

"Lu and I are married," he informed her with a goofy grin as he wrapped his arm around Lua's waist again. "We have an eight year old son named Christopher. He is the sweetest little thing. You should come visit and see him!" Leo suggested. Oh, he would love it if Bucky saw Christopher. He knew his son would love her to bits. "What about you, Bucks?"

Oops. She struck a nerve with Leo. It was bound to happen at some point during the night and this was probably going to be one of many times Francesca struck nerves with people here. She couldn't believe after all this time Bucky still had that blasted tortoise though. Turtle, tortoise what was the difference really? She brushed a strand of hair behind her head and smiled. "Actually I am here by myself. No shame in it either. I...haven't really kept in touch with anyone from here since I left? I mean it just happened ya know?" It wasn't like Fran MEANT for it to happen. It just did and she wasn't exactly the type to write to someone first.

Tia felt a bit out of place she hadnt seen anybody she went to school with now and well she wasnt too sure about who was attending from her time

Oh, great. Another friend married off. If Celestina had to attend another wedding she was going to destroy that wedding cake. Deadly lactose filled wedding cake MOCKING HER atop the table, reminding her of everything she couldn't have: Wedding Gown, Groom and most importantly....Cake.

FUH.

"Eight year olds," she mumbled and chuckled, rubbing her bottom lip with one finger. What Celestina needed was a glass or a cup of something to hide behind. "I don't know about children and I. I'm currently trying to get used to the idea that I can interact with them and you know, not break out in hives. I'm babysitting a toddler."

Celestina chose silence over answering Moretti. It was a good call too, because Fran was busy informing all of them how it was perfectly fine and dandy and normal to be going stag. Single. Lonely. Whatever. All of those.

"I have a date," she answered truthfully, still rubbing her bottom lip. "He's...um...somewhere around here. I lost him, to be quite honest with you. I'm sure he's busy talking to someone who is um...also busy."

Leo nodded his head. "Yes, he's eight. A little hyper, but we can handle him perfectly. He's literally a cross between me and Lua. I bet you, you'd love him to bits." He grinned, pride filling him up as he spoke more of his son.

Turning his head towards Fran, he smiled. "No shame in being alone. We're all friends here. It's not like we're going to leave you all by yourself, wallowing in misery. Like they say, misery loves company!" He didn't even know if he phrased that properly. Leo then looked at Bucky as she spoke of having a date. He stared at her for a few moments and somehow, he felt a wave of pity crash into him. Poor thing. She was making up the fact she had a date. Didn't want to seem like she was all alone...

Speaking of which.

"Ehm. Bucky, still don't... That is, you still don't make pillow babies, do you?" He asked Bucky in all seriousness. He could never forget that year when she accused him of being the father of her pillow baby. Those OWLs really damaged her head. Poor thing.

"So who exactly is your date Bucky? I mean are we going to meet him?" Francesca was still extremely nervous about being here. One person she was close with in school had spotted her already, how many more could be there? Not like it mattered anyway. Fran would handle herself the way she always did: like there was nothing wrong because showing that something was wrong was something she refused to do. She snorted when Leo mentioned pillow babies. "Um pillow babies? Was I around for this? Because I want details. Right now."

The only reason Celestina was currently 'wallowing in misery' was because Leo Moretti just wouldn't shut his trap about his children and bringing up ridiculous memories from their school days. Chewing on the inside of her cheek, Bucky cast a wistful look at the food table.

If only something flew at her face right now to distract everyone, she'd be truly happy.

"Yeah, I make pillow babies all the time," she commented dryly, staring pointedly at Moretti. "I have an entire room just for them. One day, I'll take over the entire isle of Ireland with them. It's a marvelous plan."

Now where the hell were the refreshments?! "You don't know him, Fran," mumbled Bucky narrowing her eyes at suspicious people over her shoulder. "He's younger than us."

Yeah. Younger. "Is into some secret stuff with potions. I'm not supposed to talk about it." Much.

Leo's eyes widened, immediately believing what she said. "Now, now, Bucky. Whatever rough patch you're going through can be solved. You don't need to resort to the pillow babies. Do you need to talk to someone? I think my cousin knows someone. They're very good from what I heard."

Oh, poor Buckster. Who would have known that loneliness brought her so much pain?! Leo would've placed a hand on his heart and acted a little dramatically. He didn't want to do it, though. Not with Bucky in front of him.

Poor, poor Bucky.

"Bucky, you don't have to go on about your date." Leo murmured gently, taking her hand into his. He looked up into her green eyes and gently patted her hand. "It's alright. Everything will be fine."

"I'm sorry to hear that" Lua sighed apologetically about Rosemary, poor thing, if she's on a diet then she was probably at an unhealthy stage....Pillow babies? Lua tried hard not to raise her brow or even ask about it because of her Leo's tone. For all she knew Fran and Celestina were so lucky to be single, they could dance with whomever they wanted, chatted anyone one up and not feel tiny bit of guilt about it.

"Mhmm" she giggled, "both of you will like Christopher, such a good boy he is" she missed him already, intertwining her fingers with Leo, he looked so much like Leo in her eyes but Leo thinks he took from the both of them. Sigh.

Noticing that Fran was pressing Celestina to a near pulp, Lua squeezed Leo's hand and looked up at him sweetly, "let's move into the hall" she hoped that would help ease the tension between them. Hmm. She wondered if Leo would dance with both girls..

She looked around for Serena, where did her sister go?

"Just exactly how much younger is he than us? Are you dating someone underage? Is it a secret relationship you're hiding from his parents because you'll go to jail for it?" Fran gave the girl a questioning stare before Leo basically took her hand in his and offered her therapy for pretending to have a date or something like that. Leo definitely had it all wrong in her opinion. Bucky's date was obviously still a student at Hogwarts which is why she didn't want to say anything about him. Who would want to say something like that anyway? Fran didn't have a problem with it but the other judgey types here probably would.

As Helena told how she managed to break her nose Chris just joked slightly as he shoved his hands into his pockets. "Yeaaah that sounds like you." He said with a small smile. "Sooo are you working anywhere now?" He asked trying to make conversation.

Leo Moretti was still horrible at picking up sarcasm. Silently, Celestina watched as he took her hand in his, patted it, mumbled some crap in her direction about who knows what. Blinking, Bucky pulled her hand (and body) away from Moretti.

"I was only talking about him because you brought it up," she answered a little confused. Honestly, what was wrong with Leo? He was such a weirdo. Such a weirdo.

Not weirder than Fran, apparently! Wide-eyed and red-faced, Celestina just stared at...Nik's girl-friend, friend who was a girl. Vannacutt sure...

Whatever. "Yeah," she drawled, her answer to all of those questions even if they were untrue. "Absolutely. Azkaban is just waiting for me. Don't tell anyone."

Pointing a finger at the food table, Celestina pressed her lips together before smacking them loudly. "I'm practically going to pass out," stated the red-headed witch. She would pass out, but not out of hunger. "So, I'm going to go check out what's for free."

Right. Moving there. As soon as she was done being polite.