May Day Evening [open event!]

[Erin Hoffman]

Like any other living soul, Erin loved festivities. Good food, good music, great clothes, cute boys, amazing friends, dancing...What wasn't there to love? Especially since today she decided to test a new fashion design on her brand new outfit/ Subtly mixing colors wasn't really an invention of hers, but she liked to think she was slightly more daring than most.

Her origonal idea to wear a black and red cherry patterned dress with a really cute pair of white pumps flew out the window when she saw it raining outside. Her mother and father told her not to worry, Diagon Ally would be completely dry, but the thought of the possibility of them being wrong and ruining her brand new shoes was horrific. Best to throw on something black (with a hint of pink) grab a yellow bag (to celebrate spring) topped with a vest (tank top underneath, of course) and a pair of bootcut jeans. Perfection.

The most important part of any celebration was good clothes, followed by excellent shopping and jamming music. When she and her family stepped into diagon ally, Erin felt as though she walked through the pearly gates of heaven. Every shop was open, samples of their wares glittering like gold accross the way. Everywhere screamed, "sale, Sale, SALE!" Her mother had given her an advance on allowance, plent of galleons and sickles to spend on many new clothes and treats.

She looked up at Robbie who, despite the fact that he nearly begged to be left home alone, seemed a bit happy to be there. Could be because his favorite song was floating above them, its rhythem and notes making Erin want to swing her hips right there.

Mum and Da' were busy chatting it up with the Porters who had spotted them as soon as they entered and immediately began to make small talk. "I'm going to see what kind of sales are at Olivanders for a new wand case," Erin muttered to her mother, who simply nodded and waved goodbye.

Pfft. Olivanders. Maybe she would make a stop there before they left, but her biggest interest was the robes. She didn't dare mention that to her mother, who believed she had too much clothing already, but with so much fun and excitement around, it would be nice to see if they had anything seasonal for sale.

[Emery Fletcher]

Large, overwhelming crowds were usually not Emery's potion. Really, who in their right mind like to be pressed up to a bunch of sweaty strangers, listen to bad music and eat greasy food? Not him. But he felt a duty to Eden, his little sister, to at least take her to the May Day Festival. She needed to be a regular kid and nearly every one at school was going. The little first year had run off ahead of him towards a store display, acting like the sweet terror everyone believed she should be. Thoughts of demons and dark days ahead, mercifully out of her head for the time being. Emery worried about Eden. She was far too serious and had farm to many worries in her small head for one so tiny.

But this was not a day to worry and despite the gloomy weather and the fact that he was not reading a book, he was determined to enjoy himself. If only, to prove to Eden and his friend Nuri that he could. He was not a stick in the mud, thank you very much.

Hands in his pockets he meandered his way through the crowd, thankful for being rather tall that he could keep sight on his tiny sister without having to be her shadow. He paused in front of the store front displaying different kinds of robes. Who needed more than three pairs? Really it was such a waste.

"What's the point in having a thousand different robes with tiny, nuance differences between them?" He said out loud in disbelief. It was then that he noticed a girl next to him staring at the same sale's display. She looked a little familiar and he probably saw her around school. Maybe in his year even, but she wasn't in his house. He'd have known if she was.

"I bet you know the difference between these robes and actually value it?"

[Erin Hoffman]

Erin blinked at the boy. Efrem? No...Emery? Yes. Fletcher was his last name is she recalled right. The two went to school together, he was in Robbie's house, Ravenclaw. She smiled and nodded, releasing a rather nice robe with a few pink flower embroidery designs on it. "Well, yes," she answered him, a tone that kind of waved off the question he had asked. "You don't have to be a fashion expert to understand design and quality."

She reached for the robe she was holding and fingered the flowers, "The beauty of having differences between robes is to express yourself in some way," she continued, her eyes admiring the small design before she turned her attention back to him. "Everyone is guilty of it. Taste in clothing, music, food, whatever is always an expression of who you are as an indivisual."

She smiled again, reaching inside the robe to check for a price, "Sometimes, though," she continued, dropping the price tag and began to skim through the other robes, "Looks can be decieving. That robe is deffinately not worth the 'sale' price they tagged it with."

[Conan Breandan]

Conan Breandan gave the sprite a strained smile. “I’ll be right back. I promise I’ll tell ye a story then.” He edged away from the red-headed Irish lad, his own lilting Irish brogue matching the insistences of the boy. The lad had shown up mid-way through his last performance, and now pestered him for an encore. An encore, however, he didn’t intend on giving at that moment. No, the gypsy storyteller had other prey, he’d spotted her familiar face among the throng earlier, and now he intended to track her down.

He slipped through the crowd, leaving Ralin behind easily, from much practice. And from then on it was simple, he knew his sister and knew she’d be performing, or at least hanging around the gypsy’s square, waiting to perform. And he found her, talking to a tall man about Conan’s own age. He vaguely recognized the man, but couldn’t place him.

“Hey kid.” He appeared next to his kid sister, giving the man a look-over. He didn’t seem to care and he wasn’t often around, but he wasn’t about to let just any male hang around his sister. Deciding the man didn’t look too lecherous (Particularly with the child hanging on his shoulders), he turned his attention back to Maebh. “Did ye really think I’d not miss ‘em?” He held out a hand. “Pass ‘em over, will ya?”

[Theo Bowre]

Theo was about to wish Maebh luck and to make good on her request to grab spectators when they were joined by a handsome-looking man with dark features and a discerning eye. It was obvious to Theo that the man was measuring him up. Whether he was a suspicious lover or a protective family member, the orphanage master did not know, but it was entirely okay by his standards and he let himself be judged. Theo knew what it meant to protect someone you loved. He held out his hand:

"Theo Bowre. And this is Sasha."

“Did ye really think I’d not miss ‘em? Pass ‘em over, will ya?”

Theo looked away as Conan spoke to Maebh, not wanting to pry or eavesdrop on their conversation. During the exchange, some of the eldest orphans returned to collect Sasha and to indicate that they were going as a group towards the front of the stage. A young boy joined them along with some of the other students at Hogwarts. He smiled at the thought that his charges were fitting in with their classmates.

Theo spotted the retreating form of Caleigh Pierce but she was too distant for him to grab her attention. Theo liked Caleigh: she was the one person at the Ministry, aside from Jack, that he could go to for advice on ministerial proceedings. She was an auror and a very good one; on several occasions she had been a true ally when helping to remove a child from a dangerous home and he was thankful for her kindness and her expertise. He then spotted Curse Kameren, the potions master, whom he had known by reputation far before meeting him to discuss one of his ward's failing grades. Curse was a top notch fellow and it was obvious that he was a favourite professor of the kids. Theo felt like a kid in a candy store when he saw the man's classroom. And always one to surprise, Curse was currently holding a goldfish. Theo watched the way he interacted with an attractive woman to his left: their body language spoke volumes and Theo looked away to give them their privacy too.

So many people. So many families and friends.

Why, then, did he feel so lonely today.

Theo glanced back to Maebh and the man, wondering whether he should bid a polite farewell. The crowd around the gypsy's stage was growing exponentially and he wanted to keep his eye on the kids before they were lost to the throngs.

[Maebh Breandan]

Maebh smiled as she spoke to Theo, she'd been about to excuse herself to continue her duties when a very familiar voice stopped her. She wondered when her dear brother would decide to grace the fair with his presence. She'd half been expecting him for the last week. It was obvious that he couldn't pass up such a prime opportunity to perform and act like a bully. She noticed his stark appraisal of Theo but for once the man did not open his hole and insult an unidentified male just because he dared to speak with his sister.

Maebh raised mocking eye brows at her brother. She knew exactly what he was after but a demand and a palm out was not going to get him his knives back. Instead she seized on the perfect distraction.

"Theo, love, this is my older brother Conan. I'm not sure if you met but I'm sure you've heard of Theo, Conan, he runs the orphanage for magical children." Her family had worked with the Harkness Home for many years. A few of their adopted siblings had spent some time there.

[Theo Bowre]

"Conan?" Theo smiled warmly, clapping the man on the shoulder. "I remember you. You had that amazing stunt you did with the knives and the glowing blade. I spent weeks and weeks trying to mimic that trick as a kid. Only succeeded in burning myself. Excellent to see you! Are you performing today?"

Theo was thankful for Maebh's kindness. She always found a way to make you feel welcome and he believed the family's success was due, in large part, to her heart. Maebh was like a finely crafted blade: forged by fire and honed through careful craftsmanship. A sentinel angel among the mortal men. Theo knew that his friend was smitten with her; he only hoped that Reckony Pike understood who she was.

"My kids are beyond ecstatic to see you. I fear I will be called upon to build a stage in their dormitory before nightfall. Last time they were this excited, I had to make a volcano in the garden. It upset the gnomes greatly. Break a leg, hey?"

[Conan Breandan]

"Theo, love, this is my older brother Conan. I'm not sure if you met but I'm sure you've heard of Theo, Conan, he runs the orphanage for magical children."

Clearly she wasn’t going to be making this easy for him. Conan closed his palm, choosing instead to glower at Theo as he clapped him on the shoulder. Conan did not like being touched. The glower turned into a bit of a preen as the man praised his performance.

"Conan?" Theo smiled warmly, clapping the man on the shoulder. "I remember you. You had that amazing stunt you did with the knives and the glowing blade. I spent weeks and weeks trying to mimic that trick as a kid. Only succeeded in burning myself. Excellent to see you! Are you performing today?"

“Ah, that’s because ye only do things the magical way.” Conan smiled, an idea hatching in his fertile brain. “Am I performing?” Something caught his eye, and his smile turned downright diabolical. There was nothing better than a challenge. All gypsies found them hard to resist. “Why yes, I am. In fact, I’m challenging my sister here in a Say.”

And just like the curious child she was, she couldn’t help but ask the terms. There were always terms.