GAH Zander Didn't want to be one of the first people here , but he appeared he was. British soldier from the 1700's .... he guessed there maybe be a few dressed similar , but would they have a cool toy rifle like him ?! he doubted it !

Kurumi made her way over to the tables looking for something sweet to eat. She was having a hard time maneuvering in her massive white dress, but she somehow managed to not knock anything over. Once she had arrived at the table, she saw the boy that she had met in the student garden under, well, rather interesting circumstances.

"Um, hello, again," Kurumi said bowing her head slightly.

Kita walked along the Lower Tables with her hands holding a portion of the dress of her skirt. She was in a bit of a shock. Everything looked absolutely wonderful here! The decoration, the way things were organised in such a short space of time and the fact that the theme was wonderful! British History. Who knew such a small country had so much history behind it?

She walked over to an Elizabethan themed table and sat down, taking care to flatten her dress down in the meantime. She had momentarily forgotten what it felt like to go to a ball in a long dress and yet she had decided to come in a dress that was worse than the one she wore last year. At least that one didn't have ruffles on it. And it certainly didn't make her feel like she was about to suffocate.

He glanced up when he heard a hello, and smiled slightly , he pulled at the short red waistcoat that was part of his uniform " Floating girl right? " he couldn't help a slight chuckle. " thats a biiig dress you've got there " it was a very nice dress .. but big , he imagined shed have trouble walking around with it on ! .

He took a sip from his pumpkin juice " Im Zander by the way , now weve met properly ... on the ground ... "

"Uh...yeah..." Kurumi said turning bright red. The floating girl...well, things could have been worse she supposed. "I'm Kurumi." She then noticed the drink that Zander was sipping on. "It's nice to meet you, Zander...um...is that...pumpkin juice?"

Simon Bennett, complete with his period English pirate costume minus the hat, made his way towards the frozen lake for the time of the tea party. He looked around at the set-up having to admit the prefects had done an awesome job with their planning and decorations and such. Trying to decide which direction he should go in, the sixth year finally opted to walk towards the quiter atmosphere of the lower tables. The boy simply wandering for now since he was alone and wasn't sure where any of his friends might be.

Zander noticed her go red and felt a little bad for referring to her as the floating girl ... " Nice to meet you Kurumi, i was only joking with the floating girl thing by the way ... " he said with a slight smile as he turned his attention to the drink " yeah it is " He glanced around.... the party , well was it a party ? ... whatever it was , it was filling with people now. " what year are you in ?" he asked the girl making convosation

Kurumi reached over for one of the delicious looking quiches when she saw Simon make his appearance. Smiling at the Quidditch captain, she attempted to turn around in her massive skirt without knocking over the table. "Hello, Simon," she said placing the quiche on a napkin. "How are you? You guys played an excellent match again Ravenclaw."


"Oh! I love pumpkin juice! I can't get any of it when I am not in London," she chirped pouring herself a glass. "I did try to make it over the summer...it looked horrible and tasted even worse." She took a sip of the juice and a smile appeared on her face. "I'm a second year in Gryffindor," Kurumi answered taking another sip. "If I remember your robes correctly...you are in Slytherin?"

As Kurumi turned around, Simon reconized the younger girl just barely in her costume, though her voice as she spoke confirmed her identity. "Hi Kurumi, I'm well," he answered walking closer to the two. "Hello," he greeted with a polite nod at the boy before smiling at the quidditch comment.

"Why thank you, I'm quite proud of them," he added, the boy taking in his fellow Gryffindor's appearance again. The poofy white dress seeming like it could be a pain but it certain was elegent and fit the period piece."I must say you look great."

"I have to admit, I really do not know much about Quidditch," she frowned slightly. Unless you counted the chaos of flying last term. "I don't think it is something I can really understand by just reading about in the library..." which was rather disappointing seeing as that had been how she learned about everything else.

Kurumi blushed at Simon's words. She never was very good at receiving compliments about her appearance - especially after she had been forced to hide her natural features for so long. "Thank you," she whispered in response.

" im hopeless at making things too " he said thinking back to the cupcake incident with Caroline. He nodded slightly at her as she mentioned him being in Slytherin " your memory is spot on " the corners of his mouth twitched towards a smile, as he gazed lovingly at the toy rifle that matched his outfit. He gazed back across at Kurumi " im in the fourth year "

Vashti wasn't sure where to start first at this party, but her decision was soon made when she saw the food. It was always food first for her. There were two areas for it, it seemed, but she chose the lower tables since she could get a nice view of those awesome tea cups and sleigh rides from there.

There seemed to be only a few people she knew here, but they were already talking to other people and she didn't want to interrupt them. So she took a seat by herself for now, hoping one of her friends would come over, and occupied herself with trying to decide what to eat first.

"I wouldn't say that I am hopeless," she blushed not really wanting to brag about herself. "It is just hard to make things from the wizarding world back in my non-magical environment..." There, that was the delicate way to put things. "I actually bake often, at least three times a week down in the kitchens."

She took another sip of her pumpkin juice. "Perhaps the house elves would be willing to tell me the recipe for pumpkin juice..." she wondered out loud. Her cheeks flushed pink for a moment. "S-S-S-S-Sorry! I often have recipes on the mind..."

Kurumi looked down at the ground, well, her own skirt because of its size. "I have several friends in Slytherin, but they are all first or second years...except for Salander," she said changing topics and blushing even more.

He understood that it must be hard , baking like muggles, he didnt have a clue. " you bake in the kitchens ?" he said sounding a little bit surprised, he realised his glass was mid air between table and his mouth " Ive baked in the kitchens .... well I've watched my friend burn cupcakes ... but yeah ".

Zander laughed as she mentioned about recipes and waved a hand asif to say its okay... " im sure the Elfs would .. there helpful little things " hmmm did referring to Elfs as things sound a bit to Slytherin ? .... " its good that you can cook though " he said cutting across his own thoughts " a talent i wish i had " .

She probably knew alot more people in Slytherin than he did ! Zander was unfortunately a bit of a loner at the moment, he coughed slightly fiddling with one of the buttons on his costume " well err ... i transferred here " he began , still looking at his glass, he didnt like sounding like he had no friends but truthfully ... it was kinda near to the truth " i mean ive only been here about ... 3 weeks, so i only really know one person in my house " he pulled a face that was half embarrassment, half shame.

"Cupcakes?" Kurumi asked tilting her head to the side. He wouldn't happen to be referring to Katie, would he? She had just started on a cupcake spree as if she were trying to compete with Kurumi. Then again, Katie and her cupcakes hadn't made their appearance recently, so perhaps not. "I don't bake cupcakes. I prefer to bake cookies."

"They certainly are," Kurumi said clapping her hands together. "Twinkle, she is the House Elf I talk to the most, is always ready to help me gather my usual baking supplies." Hopefully this didn't make her look like her only friends were House Elves...they were very kind though and she did consider a few of them, especially Twinkle, to be her friend. "My mother taught me how to bake," she explained. "I have been baking ever since I was old enough to hold a wooden spoon."

Noticing Zander's discomfort, Kurumi was a bit embarrassed that she had been the cause. "I'm sorry!" she exclaimed putting her glass of pumpkin juice down and bowing several times. "I didn't know! I suppose a Welcome to Hogarts is in order then!" She continued to bow a few more times. Oops...she was doing it again. Bowing too much.

" Cookies are cool " he said nodding slightly, " well like i said, i didnt really bake anything myself , i broke an egg or two " he couldn't help but laughing at his own words , he realised how silly this probably sounded to Kurumi. He listened to her talk about the Elfs and the one she talked too " its odd for me, that we can just wonder into the kitchens when we want !" maybe his old school was just strict ? " at my old school, we weren't allowed to do that " he took another sip from his juice surveying the area, eyeing various peoples costumes.

Zander really didnt mind , he was a little surprised that she was bowing ?! " no its fine .. there's no need to err .. bow " he had an utterly confused look upon his face , maybe it was her culture. His thoughts wondered elsewhere for a while, he was a little embarrassed that he had basically told her that he was a total loner " im just a bit ... shy with new people.. " this was true, he was surprised he approached Kurumi and her friend down in the student gardens.

Hes gaze was then caught by the menu and he picked one up " have you had a look at these " he said glancing up at kurumi " oooo they have butterbeer ... "

"Where did you go to school before?" Kurumi asked hoping that that wasn't too personal a question. She wasn't that aware of other magical schools around the world, to last term's Triwizard Tournament had been an eyeopening experience for her. "My school back in Japan didn't have a kitchen, but we had a home economics classroom where I spent most of my free time...well, there and the library."

Kurumi flushed a slightly deeper shade of pink. "S-S-S-S-Sorry," she mumbled. "I, erm, I get nervous around new people as well." And then her Japanese tendencies came out. Well, the manners her mother taught her to be more specific.

Kurumi leaned over as best she could - corsets were horrible inventions - to take a look at the menu. "Butterbeer...I'm not sure I have ever had that," she mused trying to remember her trip to Hogsmeade. She had been too focussed on pumpkin juice to have been interested in anything else.

He rubbed the top of his head, his short hair always felt a bit weird just after it had been cut, he put the menu down for a second before he started talking " well i went to school in Italy... strangely enough me not speaking the language didnt matter, it was an English speaking school " he could picture his old dorm room in his minds eye " its not a very big school at all" . Was Kurumi talking Japanese now ... home ecowhatt ?? ... he vaguely remembered something similar from muggle studies . he coughed slighly, as he always did before he asked or said something awkward " errm .. whats home eco... errm whatever it was " .

He waved off the apology " no .. no don't say sorry, just don't feel the need to bow" he chuckled slightly, he should have noticed straight away it was a japanese tendency to do things like that, then again he did think it might be a stereotype, and he hated those. His eyes widened slightly as she said she had never had butterbeer before " really ?! " he asked in slight amazement " butterbeer is amazing !" , He glanced around trying to see where the butterbeer was, he had to get her one.

He got up from the table " err watch my Gun " he nodded towards the plastic gun that was part of his uniform " ill get some butterbeers , you have to try it ! " he said with an encouraging smile. He disappeared for about 40 seconds, and then reappeared looking pleased with himself. He handed Kurumi a bottle of butterbeer with its distinctive honey colour, suddenly he realised maybe she didnt want butterbeer, he did kind of just ... not ask her. " 'course if your happy with pumpkin juice ill have it "

"In Italy!?" Kurumi chirped perhaps a little too loudly. "You should meet my friend Sophia then. She is from there." It was times like this that made Kurumi love Hogwarts even more. The fact that people from all over the world could somehow find common ground and make connections that they would have never thought possible. "Oh, sorry, home economics was a class where we learned how to cook and sew. It is a common subject in non-magical schools." Zander didn't seem like some of the other Slytherin students she had met who were against most non-magical things, which was a relief!

Holding on to his prop, Kurumi was reminded of all the water fights she used to have with her brothers in the summer with those little plastic guns that you had to constantly refill and get a few inches away from the other person to actually hit them with any water. "O-Okay," she nodded.

When Zander reappeared, which was surprisingly fast, Kurumi took the bottle from him and admired the color for a moment. "It kind of looks like butterscotch," she smiled as another cookie recipe popped into her head. If only she had room for her cookie notebook within the massive amounts of fabric that was her dress. Nervously, seeing as one never knew just WHAT was going to be in these wizarding beverages, she took a sip and was momentarily over whelmed by the flavor for a moment. "It's like, nothing I have ever tasted before!" she smiled. Wonder how it would be as an ingredient in a cookie...

Despite feeling rather uncomfortable and not really liking tea, Destiny Shepard arrived at the Prefect's Tea Party dressed for success. Or was she dressed to impress? Eh, she didn't know. All she knew was that she was indeed dressed and dressed in a dress she was!

Hmm.

With the Gryffindor Prefect badge in her hand, she stopped just outside the marquee and took a quick look around, the sudden feeling of nervousness overtaking her. What if the package she found in the dungeons was for a different Destiny Shepard? What if THAT Destiny Shepard was now dress-less and was walking around looking for her dress!?

Why didn't she think of all this before she put the thing on?

Quickly deciding that she was going to go back to the castle before she made a fool of herself, she started to slowly back out of the marquee. And she had almost made it out unseen when she noticed the second best thing ever.

CHOCOLATE. Chocolate in brownie form.

Hopefully that other Destiny Shepard doesn't mind chocolate on her dress.

Selena was teetering along in her gold shoes. She felt very Gryffindorish for a Slytherin... seeing as all she was wearing was pretty much gold and red. Minus that weird crown thingy on her head that slipped every other second. Selena pushed it back to the top of her head. Stupid crown. It needed to learn to stay where it was.

She walked over to the table with food because that was, obviously, where all the awesome people were who ate a lot. Like her. But Selena, being indecisive couldn't decide on what to get. She moved up and down the table, the now four feet, 7 inch Slytherin felt very tall in her heels. Even if everyone was taller and she couldn't walk in them. Anyways, Selena wanted food. Lalala, what to take?

He walked into the party and looked around. At least he wasn't the only one looking a bit out of place. He spotted her and everyone else on the room evaporated.

His breath hitched in his throat as he looked at his taller than normal girlfriend. She looked right uncomfortable in the heels she must be wearing and it made him smile.

Dillon weaved his way through the tables and conversations of his classmates pausing only to wave and smile at friends. His destination was his girlfriend's side. "Good day my lady," he whispered into her ear coming up behind her with a huge smile on his face.

Charlie sidled, or as close to sidled as one could get in these heels, up to the food table. Mmm. Food. Charlie had no idea why she was always hungry but she didn't complain seeing as she apparently kept off all the wait she should have gained.

The affectionately dubbed Charlie the Unicorn, by her lovely Lion Cub, stood behind a girl in mostly red and gold. But because the girl stood right in front of the sandwhiches she had to tap the girl on the shoulder. "Excuse me, do you mind if I grab just a few of those sandwhichs real quick?"

Charlie's blue ball gown hung over top of her feet, she hoped that when the girl let her in the space she wouldn't fall flat on her face. Wouldn't that be something embarrassing.

Selena was still pondering over the choices, wanting nothing more than to shift from one foot to the other without falling over the skirts of the dress and stuff. She heard someone say something and jumped a bit, which wasn't good because Selena possessed zeeerrroooo grace while in heels. Actually... she didn't really have much grace.

eep. Selena was teetering again, her arms waving up and down and all around before she regained her balance. Psht. See. She was a bird. She flew herself to be straight again. Duuuh. "Oh, hi, sorry," Selena chirped, a happy smile on her face as she attempted to shift over a bit and stumbled again in the direction of the other person before catching herself.

"Eh, sorry, my name's Selena," Selena said brightly as she attempted to curtsy but stumbled... again. It seemed like that little mishap hadn't bothered her in the slightest. In a way it hadn't. She tripped all the time. And then someone whispered something in her ear!! ZOMBIE. HAWK. Something was going to eat her!

Selena turned around and saw Diggy, grinning from ear to ear. "Good evening to you as well, Lord Greenwood," she said happily as she attempted to curtsy... again. And again, she stumbled and almost fell. Merlin heels were a pain!