She resisted a smirk - though she wished she could see under his mask to get some kind of a feel for what he was really thinking. It covered up just a little too much of his face to gain much at all. Though, from his choice of words and reptile argument, she guessed Raiden was enjoying this game as much as she was. In which case, it was a good thing he'd come tonight. If only for that.

She gave a nod at being called smart, allowing a small smile to form on her lips. "What did you expect from an eagle?" she replied, almost teasingly. "Sharp eyes, sharp mind."

He had a good point. "I'm sure there is someone out there, who would debate that point as a possilbe paradox. Some obscure philosophy or something, involving a time-space continuum or higher dimensions. But I concede to your point." She smiled. He was just being picky, to catch her out, she was sure. And he was doing well. Maybe too well. "Unless the room infinitely big, or infinitely small. Because then, wherever you stood...you'd be closest and farthest from everywhere all at once."

She saw that flickered of a lip turning upwards. It was cute. "I didn't say it was," she defended. "I was merely suggesting the angle of the mirror was anticipated incorrectly." She chuckled as something went through her mind. To do with forwards and backwards logic on a statement. And hoping that full equality rang true here.

"And yet, I see his intellect is good. A mind of wit and fervour," Nia commented back. "He's also earnt a good deal of respect, though he might not be aware of it." At the sneaky bit, she grinned, recalling a conversation from the days after the Champions were announced. About him trying to teach her to be sneaky. It felt so long ago, even though she hadn't really done much of excitement this year.

"It's a shame you think less of him than I," Nia concluded, looking over to the champions table with him. "But, somehow, I don't think it would be fair for me to judge."

"Was your first year scary? with Seventh years all running about fighting each other?" She ask, a serious look on her face."

Jacob immedietly after entering the room, found the food table. The banana costume was already bugging him, especially the news paper on the inside. But if he didn't have the newspaper, the banana would look saggy, and Jacob did not want to be a saggy banana. After inspecting the the table for a bit, he decided that everything looked quite delicious. Except...

"Dave?" he said softly. and walked over to a bowl of fruits. Jacob Picked up the banana on top. "DAVE!!!" he yelled "Those Monsters! What did they do to you?" this was an outrage... and Jacob was getting too much in character with his banana suit. Oh well, nothing out of the ordinary there. "Why must good bananas die young?!" He dropped to his knees holding Dave the banana, like he was going to start crying. When something caught his eye.

"Ooooh!" he said excitedly, and got up off the floor. "Cake!" And not that evil blue cake that they had at the Quidditch party... It still haunted his nightmares... that evil, evil caking, with it's mocking laugh.

Jacob dropped the banana back onto the table and took a slice of cake. This was part of his mourning period for Dave.

"It was scary but i made it though".Then i found that my childhood friend went to hogwarts.Aleast you have me as new friend.Do you like to cook she smiled.

Hello JoeyI've missed you you look very lovely.he kissed her lips and hugged her tight.I went as the made hatter.

Joey blushed taking off her mask for a moment to kiss him.joey kisses johnny and take his hands and they leave the table.

"Sharp eyes indeed." He shifted on the spot, switching the position of his legs. "Either sharp eyes, or I'm really just... very obvious."

He hoped it was the former, and that she was the only Eagle with very sharp eyes. Least, the only one looking for him. That would work, please.

"Well, with our current location, we don't exactly fit in that situation of infinites, do we." He tucked the mirror, and the hand, back into his pocket, and wished that this mask didn't mess with his peripheral vision quite so much. It was irksome, having to turn his head a bit rather than just letting his eyes look to the side. "In this hall, I have to be either to one side, or the other, or in the middle."

Unless he managed to clone himself, but somehow he didn't think that would help anything at all. Although... no. No. It wouldn't help to have more than one of him in the same space at the same time.

...there was a banana. Shouting about someone named Dave and cradling a much smaller banana. His initial instinct was to straighten up a little bit, because four years of being a prefect and doing this job had engrained in him the need to be ready for crazy students to do insane things. However... the kid went after the cake, and he let his shoulders relax against the wall once more.

"Unlikely, really." The mirror being angled wrong and showing her an angel he didn't mean for her to see. He fell silent when she launched into a list of... praise. Stomach gave a twist, and his hands pushed deeper into his pockets.

"People can be unrealistic sometimes." Like Daphne's apparent expectation for Cela to be perfect at everything. Nia was either trying very hard to stroke his ego, or she was really very disillusioned. "It can happen when you're too close to a situation."

Fang blinked a bit and watched them go off together, "Cute couple..." She turned her attention back to the ball, 'but now who am I going to talk to?'

He was glad when the Care of Magical Creatures professor decided to just leave him be. He probably scared her off with all the mooing. Not that that was a bad thing, mind you. Nope, now he was going to moo at everyone that tried to engage him in awkward conversation. It seemed to do the trick.

He still hadn't figured out how he was supposed to eat though. Or drink. Heck, he was going to dehydrate in this costume. All hot and sticky. NO AIR.

The Herbology professor shifted and tugged awkwardly at his cow costume and observed a giant, yellow banana not far away.

At least he wasn't dressed THAT ridiculously.

Right?

"Hello Professor Dodson"Nice Cow Costume.Well I Enjoyed herebolgy/charms class.

Sage just about jumped out of his skin when he heard someone address him as PROFESSOR DODSON. Huh. Noone was meant to know who he was! That's why he'd work such an outrageous costume that made breathing difficult!

The giant cow merely stared at the girl.

Then it MOOOooOOooOOOooo'd and darted off in the direction of the dance floor.

Time to escape.

Nia looked him over, almost bemused. "You're not obvious. I questioned myself more than once. And I knew you were here and was looking for you." Add in the fact he wasn't anywhere near the Champions' seating, and her wings blocking a good amount of view - well, he should be pretty well covered.

She shrugged. "I know, but it's healthy to keep my mind considering such things." And, he'd let her go with it. For which, she was grateful. "In this hall, you are exactly right," she agreed with a smile and twinkle in her eye. She went to slip her arm through his. The one he had put in his pocket. A friendly gesture to say thanks for coming.

...errr, banana...at the food table? With a banana? The irony. More worrying was the fact she recognised the voice. She couldn't help but chuckle. The legendary Blue cake victim and beater extraordinaire also known as Jacob Blunt. She glanced at Raiden, wondering whether it was worth talking to him. She was the 'Claw Prefect, afterall. But then he seemed distracted by cake. Looked like he'd actually get to eat this one. Hehehe. Best left to it, most likely. A vision of him, cake and a member of the Claw Quidditch team...yeah, most likely to end in ballroom disaster. Safer to leave be.

She blushed. Of course it was unlikely. But then, so was her being an angel. Outfit aside. She could partly accept the pretty bit though. Partly. Not being on the Quidditch Pitch as much had forced Nia to rethink some of her wardrobe. And sporting her shorter hairstyle had helped with her inner confidence a bit too. Really, she'd been avoiding the inevitable.

Did he always win? Hmm.

"Perhaps," Nia said, dropping her gaze. "And you're saying I'm too close." She swallowed slowly, nibbling the inside of her lip. She'd been having a bit of fun. What she'd said, she had meant it. But what could she say, now... Really and honestly? "I didn't mean to offend you," she said softly, squeezing his arm gently. "Butttt, you could pretend to be that guy for the night. To fit in with the disguised thing..."

Because he was starving, of course! That's why he made a trip to the Food table as soon as he entered. And thirsty, the puffy tie made him thirsty, perhaps it was his mind playing tricks on him. Perhaps.

Either way, the mini-Kingsley took up a butterbeer and eyed the stuff that lay in there for them to eat. Everything looked splendid, but all he wanted right now was one of those muffins Emmy made for Fletcher.

Bah. He took a piece of chocolate until he finally decided what else to grab, it's not like he'll be seating right away, yes? He'd just entered, he had all his right to stand here looking like a gentleman from some novel...except, he was actually playing Kingsley.

Well, with that... then maybe he was safe. He could continue his anonymity. It was just a matter of keeping his distance, so they couldn't recognise his eyes, then? He supposed his voice had given him away immediately. There really wasn't anything to be done about either of those, at least nothing he felt was worth putting effort into.

Wasn't like he'd be expected to talk or anything anyway. Only to Nia, as far as he could hope.

"Was hoping the mask would be enough to throw people," he mused, one arm relaxing to allow her to loop hers through it while the other hand touched the edges of said mask. "I guess it worked a little?"

His attention was drawn for a moment when the cow moooooo'd again, confirming that it was some guy in there, and then ran off.

...odd. As odd as the banana, which still held a small fraction of his attention. Just in case, you know... the banana went bananas. Hogwarts students had a bad habit of going insane at the least convenient times.

"You didn't offend me," he protested, shaking his head. "'s just that most times, friends are too close to see their friends' faults, you know." He paused, head turning slightly so he could look directly at her, and the arm she was holding squeezed her arm against his side. "Or they're too nice, so they exaggerate things to make someone feel better."

Heh. The young man shook his head again, more gentle with the action this time. He couldn't be that person. Leaning sideways, he put his mouth as close to her ear as he could without really moving and whispered.

"Some things you just can't fake."

There was sooo many things Arya loved about her costume. One, it had a cape. An I'm-about-to-defend-Gondor cape that flowed behind her and she skipped over to the food table. Two, no shoes. Nuff said. Three, well..... three didn't matter cause the first two were just too awesome.

Her eyes didn't settle on any particular costume, she had one goal in mind, check out the food table. She wasn't starving, she just wanted to see if the food was as awesome as it had been the last ball.

And it was!!

The girl didn't cease her skipping as she neared the table, instead taking a small hop that cause her to lean against the table with one hand, the other dangling over the food, wiggling fingers anxious to pick up something.

Hmm.

It was the ruffles that caught her eye. And how low they were. Kingsley wasn't that short. Tall really. So when she glance up, a confused frown laced her features. Only, it wasn't Kingsley......

"...Treyen?" With each passing second she spent staring at him, her frown transformed into a goofy grin. She had to stifle a giggle as her legs swung absently. Was he suppose to be who she thought he was. Hm. "I like the ruffles."

It was the sound of his name being called that made him look away from the table, though, he already knew who to find. Arya, of course.

Chocolate in his right hand, the boy chuckled, "I don't know how Kingsley wears this everyday, really" he said, shaking his head. The man was mad, because this wasn't as comfortable as he thought it'd be. Well, truth be told, he never thought of it as comfortable. But, either way, he'd forgotten to keep in character! So, Treyen straightened up, and finished his chocolate before bowing a bit as if to greet Arya.

"And who are you supposed to be, Miss Lovegoods? And why are you barefoot?" yes! That would be something Kingsley would ask, no? Ahaaaaa, totally. He was doing good.

But, really, no shoes? Either she lost them or the costume was meant to have no shoes. If the latter, then it was awesome! Because she didn't need the shoes.

Her arm looped through, Nia looked up at the mask. She was intrigued how it was held on. Magic, obviously. But what sort of sticking charm? It seemed to be holding on well, with the facial movement. "I think it was a mixture of it all. Not knowing what to expect. The mask, the outfit, the hair." Hmm. Would it be wrong of her to touch the hair? You know, to check whether or not it was real? She reached out to touch it. "And the lack of introduction," she added with a wry smile.

If she hadn't offended him, she must have done still something bad, Nia concluded mentally. And, she didn't really know how to take his next words. She looked at him almost shyly as her arm got squeezed with his. She was honoured that perhaps he did think she was too close. Because that meant a lot about their friendship. But at the same time, it was a bit of a downer that he thought she'd overly exaggerate things. And...what was wrong with making someone feel better. That was what friends were for, right? A quote stood out in her mind.

Friends are quiet angels who lift us to our feet when our wings forget how to fly.

Heh. Angel.

"I just try and be a good friend," Nia answered after some thought. "There for the best times. And there for the worse." She wanted tonight to come under the 'best' category. They were leaving soon. With only really NEWTs to go. They had to go off in style. Had to. Because, quite frankly, this year had been the most boring of her seven. And she couldn't remember Hogwarts like that.

She needed to shift this doubtful melancholy that had appeared from seemingly nowhere.

His whispered words didn't help much. "It's a costume ball," Nia muttered back. "Be who YOU want to be." Had it been wrong to think this was a good idea? Possibly. "Me? I wanna celebrate. Dance. Have a laugh and some fun. With a good friend." She leant her head on his arm/shoulder. "You."

Arya couldn't hold back her giggles when her suspicions were confirmed. He was here as Kingsley! Priceless. She leaned against the table more as she laughed, legs swinging a bit more, before she grounded herself.

Didn't wanna fall face first in the pudding now did she?

"I think he really likes ruffles." Her grin grew at the thought of her Transfiguration's Professor shopping in a shop for clothes with ruffles. The outfit didn't look comfortable though, itchy really. That chocolate in his hand looked good though. Sheeee would have to get some. "What made you decided to go as, Kingsley?"

Hehe. Miss Lovegoods? He was playing the part of Kingsley, well.....she could certainly play the part of herself. "I'm barefoot Professor," she giggled a bit before regaining control of herself. "Because hobbits don't wear shoes. Their feet are too big." And hairy. Her's were nether cause she didn't care to take it that far. "I'm suppose to be a hobbit on her way to defend Gondor."

She twiiirled to show off her cap and all the new shiny.

Nikolai figured, since this costume ball was held in his honor, they would stockpile the food table with foods he liked, but that was not the case. Alright, so the ball wasn't held just for him, but he was one of the twelve Champions, wasn't he?

He was, so why was the table full of food he did not want?

Standing at the table, with his Zorro cape blowing behind him as if there were a fan on him at all times, he looked the table up and down in search of something edible. Maybe he would just.. skip the food table all together. He didn't have to eat, really.

Ohh, wait!

Was that pudding?

Hmmmm. At least he could say he was full of surprises? A smile tinged his lips and a bemused chuckle caught in his throat. The clothes weren't that strange, just... dark. The mask, he figured, would make it fit the requirement of 'costume'.

"I didn't mean to do that, really," he murmured, in reference to his hair. When her hand reached for it, he tilted his head toward it, a lock of the longish mop dislodging from behind his ear and hanging across his face. "I was messing with charms... I guess I did mean to do it? Didn't mean to make it so long, though. I'll fix it later, cut it back to where it's meant to be and everything."

Because he felt a bit silly with it like this. It was longer than it had been in a long time. Really, it felt weird, having it all over the back of his neck and around his ears like this.

"You are a good friend." Good friends were totally capable of exaggeration. He wrinkled his nose, and the mask shifted slightly with the effort. Probably shouldn't do that, unless he wanted to have to stick it on again later.

Was she bothered with him now? Hmm. He gave her arm another gentle squeeze as she muttered, deciding to forego that part of the conversation. He would just be this, and they'd leave it at that.

"You're pretty much the only reason I'm here," he murmured, shifting his shoulder so it wouldn't beas inaccessible. "Whatever you want tonight, you know?"

If she wanted to have fun, and dance, and stuff like that... he'd try. Surely she'd be distracting enough from the other students to make him not want to leave.

Yeah so at the moment the ball was no fun. Where the heck were her friends? Oh yeah, one was in detention, Aiden was God knows, jack wasn't there yet and the others she just couldn't account for either. Sigh. She figured she probably should just grab something to snack on.

In honour of her Gaia outfit she took up a small bowl of strawberries and pulled the other bowl containing cream forward. The princess of the harvest was going to consume said harvest. She chuckled at the thought. As she lowered her hand to dip the strawberry into the cream, she caught sight of someone she hadn't spoken to in months. Such a shame since the term was ending.

" Do you see nothing to your taste?" she asked with one brow slightly raised. The foreigners certainly had a hard time getting used to their food. She smirked slightly." I bet you haven't even tried half the stuff there...ever."

"What, mean to make it longer than mine?" Nia chuckled as she reached for the fallen lock of hair. She ran her fingers through - it was soft, and the added length felt as natural as the rest of it. Satisfied, she tucked it carefully back. She liked it this length. It suited him.

"You don't have to cut it back..." she caught herself saying, before she trailed off. Who was she to say really? But... "I like it." And somehow, the clothes and the hair and the mask suited this moody version of Raiden.

Nia gave doubtful shrug. "I can only but do my best," she said softly she let out a small sigh. Almost inaudible. Would a good friend have encouraged him somewhere it was becoming more obvious he didn't want to be? A knot ited in her stomach. It was as if his dark powers were overcoming her light. And truthfully, that kinda hurt.

His squeeze make her look up, and a hint of a smile could be seen as she looked up at his mask. He was cute. No doubting it. Those eyes. She was one lucky girl to be on his arm, really. Whether that be because he was actually here or because there was probably many another female in Hogwarts that wouldn't have minded being in her position. Minus the down, disappointed part of Raiden, of course.

...And then maybe he was like that - because, because he knew he could be around her. That she wouldn't judge, and she'd be understanding. That'd she'd been there at the Tournament, behind him all the way. And maybe, just maybe, she could help.

"Me? I'm not sure I believe you," Nia replied, shifting her head on his shoulder where he had moved slightly. She could see him now, and could ensure her wings were not in the way or would get damaged. "I want...us to have a good time." She smiled. "To ignore everyone else, enjoy the food, have a dance. And leave this place in style." She looked up, her turquoise eyes wide. She fluttered her eyelids at him.

"You think you can manage all that for an angel? And is there anything else you might want to add?"

Of all the times for her stomach to make itself know, Sylvie was not at all pleased. She really hadn't planned on partaking in any of the goodies before her, but her stomach had other ideas. The faint sound of her stomach grumbling was easier settled than ignored. Maybe just a salad would work to settle it.

Stuffing her face was not something she was planning on doing. No that was not going to happen.

Making her way over, she helped herself to a tiny bit of food. It was just a snack after all.

"It's not hard to make my hair longer than yours," he said lightly, with a glance at hers. "Might have been longer than yours even before... it was getting kinda shaggy."

She liked it. He couldn't help but chuckle at that; for some reason he found that immensely amusing. He would admit to himself that it didn't look bad, even when it was just... there, hanging all about. It did strike him that it seemed to be only a handful of girls, the majority from Ravenclaw, that had strong opinions about his head either way.

"Maybe I'll keep it a bit... dunno, though. If it gets in the way, then it has to go." And he was sure Cela would want it short at her wedding, something he would fully submit to. He'd already be on the wrong side of the aisle.

His free hand touched the mask again, making sure the seams over his nose were still fitted where they were meant to be. It felt... odd. A mask. He couldn't remember ever having worn one before, and it felt strange as it pressed lightly against his features. Strange, and yet comfortable, in a way. It was an amusing thing to know that hiding merely a part of his face would conceal his identity enough that Nia couldn't tell who he was without closer inspection.

"Your best is entirely enough." He was beginning to get that nagging feeling. That he had already ruined her night, just by his existence. He didn't like that. The boy turned his head slightly, looking down at her, and his voicer lowered to a whisper again. "Nobody else knows I'm here, do they now."

Merlin willing, it'll stay that way.

"If I were here for them, they'd know." He probably wouldn't have worn the mask, then. Heh. He was going to resist the smile that threatened to appear at her batting, but it wasn't worth the effort. Nia deserved smiles. "I can't make any promises, but I can surely try."

Did he want to add anything? Hidden expression thoughtful, he considered. What was there to add?

"No. 'cept you're more Slytherin than I gave you credit for."

Laughter? That's what he got? Awesome! Since she wasn't laughing at him, then he was more than okay with that. If Kingsley ever saw him, will he be laughing too? That was his intention, after all. He'd never seen the man laugh.

"Well, let me tell you that you have to love them in order to wear them" he nodded, and spoke with a very serious tone, "Or have a purpose to do so" true, like now, his purpose was to dress up like Kingsley, and ruffles were implied, so he had to wear them. He didn't look bad, though, but he wouldn't wear this every single day. Nope. Actually, he liked muggle wear too much, and the robes only a little.

"Do you want some?" he asked, after seeing how she eyed the chocolate in his hand, "Oh, because...well, he's one of my favorite Professors, and his clothes do look slightly like a costume, don't you think so?" because Treyen made it pass like a costume, totally, and in reality, Professor Kingsley always looked like he was going somewhere other than his classroom.

Mmmmhmmm. Treyen placed a serious expression on his face, and resisted the urge to laugh when she called him 'Professor'. A hobbit. Yes, he knew what those little people were, actually, he could pass as a big hobbit, "Gondor?" what was that and why were they in need of being defended? "It is very nice looking, the white tree, seems like an intricate design" he nodded, gesturing towards the front of her costume.