Everything is Not What it Was

[Cassius Lestrange]

10/27; Dippet Halloween

Cash asked for a fortnight. But a fortnight was not very long, and he had no leads, and he did not know what to say to Tiberius. So he was going to parties and pretending to be a person with something left inside.

He was dressed like an explorer and it had him feeling rather like an asshole. Rather than lurking by the sides of the ballroom, as was his usual way, Cash had actually danced with several random debutantes and drank a glass of champagne. He could do this. He could fake this.

(At home, there was the pocketwatch, waiting for him.)

But now he was trying to avoid a broom bunny. She had a thing for the Cannons - usually for Fitz Prewett, he had gathered - and she had definitely been watching him, and Cash was determined to avoid being acquaintance-perved on by someone who really wanted him to be his captain. 

There was another girl, dressed like the sun and to the side of the ballroom, and Cash recognized her. Vaguely, but he did. It was the recognition that caught him, because recognition was a bit scarce at times, and it probably meant that she was a pureblood. Or that they were related. He didn't know, but she was a better option than Dorothea Potts.

"Quick," he said, "Pretend we're talking. I'm being stalked."

@'Nora Abercrombie' @'Elsie Beauregard'

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   Elsie Beauregard

[Nora Abercrombie]

Nora was, as usual, trying to avoid the throng of people. Honestly she'd thought things were slowing down for the year, but here she was again. At least as a costume party, she supposed it wasn't the same boring ball. Dressed as the sun she was already regretting her choice as she saw the other girls' costumes. They were all far more dainty and feminine than hers. With bold colors and the gold, it was far too masculine. It had just sounded so pretty when the seamstress described it and something different; standing out was not what she'd envisioned.

Cruising the perimeter, avoiding both her sister and her mother, Nora watched the people dance around her, trying to glean anything she could from how she should be acting, versus how she felt like acting. It was frustrating to say the least. Nora knew how she should present herself, but it was much easier said than done.

Perhaps she should just find a drink and hide. That would be far easier than trying to force herself into an uncomfortable situation. As she turned, she stopped abruptly at the appearance of the young Mr. Lestrange. She knew of him, certainly, though had never really spoken to him. They were... almost related, but not closely enough for them to be any kind of acquainted. Maybe, it was through marriage if anything. Nora was not the best with keeping track of just how many... cousins she had.

"Oh certainly," She squeaked after a moment of shock. "Your team seems to be holding steadily in the middle of the race this year." She said before she really thought about it. Nora instantly covered her mouth, aghast that her first words to him were about quidditch and not something more... well appropriate for a lady of her nature! Just because she followed the ranking and professional season did not mean she should be discussing the topic at a party!

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   Ophelia Dippet

[Cassius Lestrange]

Cash blinked. He was used to being recognized - even before he started playing Quidditch he was usually identifiable as a Lestrange - but he wasn't used to debutantes talking to him about Quidditch rankings. Usually when Cash discussed Quidditch rankings with anyone it was with teammates on an outing, or, before Eli's death, him rambling incessantly at Angie until she threw something at him.

So Miss Sun was a bit of a surprise. Not in a bad way - she just was.

He grinned at her, a small but genuine grin. "You're quite right," Cash said, "We just can't seem to squeak above fifth - Miss Blackwood leaving doesn't help, either." He rolled his eyes. Cash was quite vexed with their former chaser; who left in the middle of a season?

The following 1 user Likes Cassius Lestrange's post:1 user Likes Cassius Lestrange's post
   Nora Abercrombie

[Nora Abercrombie]

Nora visibly relaxed when Mr. Lestrange smiled at her. She was always so nervous to do or say the wrong thing and she thought for sure she'd stuck her foot in her mouth there! Talking about quidditch with a gentleman she had no acquaintance with previously! What was wrong with her? Honestly.

"Oh yes, well." Nora was not one to speak ill of anyone, but she rather thought Miss Blackwood had been in the wrong field to begin with and seemed quite, well, all over the place. "It is unfortunate, hopefully your second string is more... reliable." Oh that was probably a little harsh, but true! It wasn't nice of her to say anything however and she would leave it at that.

Glancing around quickly, Nora wondered just who Mr. Lestrange was hiding from, but figured that was none of her business. She was, in fact, quite fine with being his conversation partner for the moment if it helped him get through the evening with  relative ease. She would appreciate the same sometimes, but rarely found herself so lucky. Most of the time, one-on-one, Nora was able to handle situations like this, once the ice was broken, but on the whole, she lacked the right... personality to truly light up a room like one of her sisters. Oh well, the shadows did just fine for her.

Deciding to push past her accidental gossip, Nora took a look at Mr. Lestrange's costume, but wasn't exactly sure what it was a replica of. "Do you mind my asking what your costume is? It's very creative, but I'm afraid I don't know exactly what it is." Worldly Nora was not, most unfortunately.

  

[Cassius Lestrange]

Cash glanced down at his own costume, and smiled at her. "My cousin suggested that I go as a magazine," he admitted, "But I wasn't so sure of that." He was not wrapped around Ellory's finger, unlike her Caldiera cousin, and really didn't fancy the thought of pleating himself with pages of The Communist Manifesto or whatever else Ellory had in mind.

"I wasn't so sure on that, but I read a lot of books, so - muggle explorer," Cash said, "One of the ones who go to Tanganyika, or somewhere similarly adventurous." The last time Cash had worn a Halloween costume, he had been a pirate with Angie and Eli. He had also become a pirate, because it was the year of the curse - and he wasn't sure that being an explorer would be any better, so hopefully that didn't happen here. An explorer was kind of like a cursebreaker, wasn't it?

He wanted to say Dr. David Livingstone, I presume? but wasn't sure that Miss Sun would recognize the famous phrase. It was muggle, after all, and not everyone read odd books as much as he did.

"It's weird, I know. Might have been better off as the magazine."

  

[Nora Abercrombie]

"Oh how clever!" Nora always liked the less obvious costumes. She was not very well-versed in muggle explorer books, but she could easily envision the setting now that she knew what she had a focal point. Perhaps she'd have to give one a try, she did enjoy reading in her free time. "A magazine would have been a little more abstract I suppose, but I think this is unique." Nora pondered how one would even go about that, but in the moment it was irrelevant.

Glancing around again, she wondered if Mr. Lestrange's undesirable conversation partner had given up yet or not, but she supposed she really shouldn't be too worried about it now, it wasn't like she could take personal offence if he decided to move on, she'd likely served her purpose for now. "Do you have a favorite adventure novel?" Nora questioned in an attempt to keep the conversation flowing, hoping her question wasn't too personal.

  

[Cassius Lestrange]

"It's muggle," Cash admitted. Hopefully she wouldn't be offended; if they were related, even if just through marriage, that was a genuine risk. "But I'm rather fond of Treasure Island."

They were, Cash realized, talking only about him. This was a problem, as he mostly hated talking about himself, and also because it made him feel remarkably self-centered. (Also because he was ostensibly supposed to be getting to know women -- awkward enough on its own.)

"What's your favorite novel? Adventure or otherwise," Cash said. As a Ravenclaw, he couldn't help but use books as a jumping-off point.

  

[Nora Abercrombie]

Nora had never been one to put much stock into the blood purity of her authors, but she supposed that Mr. Lestrange would start with that, given their peers' typical view on such matters, but it didn't phase Nora much. "I don't think I've ever heard of it," Not totally surprising, considering she had never really considered the genre, but perhaps she'd investigate herself to see if she would like it.

Upon the return of the question, Nora's cheeks turned every the slightest shade of pink. She read quite a bit in her free time, but mostly silly, frivolous novels meant to entertain ladies of her age with tales of wild romance and high society. Admitting which her favorite novel was to a young gentleman would likely get her laughed at, but he seemed to have been genuinely honest with her, so at least she could return in kind. "Please don't think me frivolous," Which was hard considering the nature of the book. "But my current favorite is Far from the Madding Crowd." It did change, but she always came back to that one.

"I'm rereading Alice's Adventures in Wonderland at the moment as well." She supposed it could be an adventure novel of sorts? Maybe that could redeem her? Well there was nothing like admitting to something like that to make her a little extra sheepish!

  

[Cassius Lestrange]

"I don't think you're frivolous," Cash said, genuinely, eyebrows quirking up at her in surprise, "I've heard that's good." She wasn't the most confident girl, he could tell - the self-deprecation had him rather reminded of himself, or of Ellory.

"That one, too!" Cash said, "Though I haven't read it. I think my cousin may've, though - Miss Ellory Pendergast." In truth he was not sure that Ellory had, but this debutante had Ellory on his mind, and he was now determined to make her feel better instead of awkward. He could sympathize with feeling awkward; in reality if she was any more confident he probably would have been daunted by her, and by the task he had before him.

(Could she be the girl for that?)

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   Ophelia Dippet

[Nora Abercrombie]

Nora smiled sheepishly when Mr. Lestrange assured her that he didn't think her frivolous. That alone made her feel a little more at ease. He seemed quite amiable, which was probably why some lass had been hunting him down in the first place! Of course Nora hadn't forgotten that their only reason to converse was that he was avoiding somebody else, but at least it was a pleasant conversation.

Ellory Pendergast... Oh yes right, cousin Elwin's sister-in-law. Though Nora was not always the most social, she did at least try and keep track of who was who, because most people were important somehow. "She's very sweet, your cousin. My cousin is married to her sister." It was a little odd how close all of their families were, honestly, but it made remembering everybody a little easier... sometimes.  

Shifting her weight, Nora tried not to fidget, but had never quite mastered the skill of sitting or standing still. She clasped her hands behind her back and tried not to get awkward. "Do you mind my asking the author of your Treasure Island? I've been looking for something new to read." Nora was never afraid to try a new book! It was one of few things she could feel confident in.

  

[Cassius Lestrange]

"Evelyn?" Cash said, although it was largely rhetorical. Ellory's other sisters were all dead. "You must be a Miss Abercrombie, then - or mother's side?" He was going to feel immediately and distinctly awkward if this were not the case, but supposed that it was an easy way to get her name without an actual, official, introduction. She already knew who he was, after all - side effect of being famous.

"It was written by Robert Louis Stevenson," Cash said, flushing a little at how easily he recalled the writer's name.

@'Elsie Beauregard' SRY IM TRASH

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   Elsie Beauregard, Ophelia Dippet

[Nora Abercrombie]

Nora nodded along with Mr. Lestrange's assumptions. "Nora Abercrombie. And yes, my cousin Elwin married Evelyn." Very sweet, the pair of them, though Nora had never spent copious amounts of time in either's company, they had always been kind to her at family gatherings and the like. Funny though, how they were all woven into the same web of families.

"I'll do my best to remember that." Nora chuckled quietly behind her hand, making a mental note, though she was unlikely to forget. Books were the perfect escape for Nora, though she was often told to pull her self out of them and be social, which was not her forté.

Unfortunately, now they'd exhausted her repertoire of things to talk about. Well she supposed they could circle back around to quidditch. "I know it's a little ways off, but how do you think your team will fair in for the cup this season?" Hopefully that was a discussion she could navigate.