Drop It Like It's Hot

[Sibella Runcorn]

It felt so wonderful to be able to attend an event without the need for any sort of mourning attire! The new debutante's had been lovely in their presentation. Now, the night of revelry could truly begin. Sibella was here in support of some relation or another but mainly, she had felt so deprived of proper socializing ever since she had done away with her stupid husband.

Fanning herself with her fan, her eyes danced over the various occupants of the room as she wondered who might be open for some idle chatter. Her internal musings were disrupted, however, when someone brushed past her and she noticed that they had dropped something.

"Excuse me, I think you dropped something," she said, hoping they would hear her.

  

[Drusilla Travers]

@'Tristan Michaud'
@'Sibella Runcorn'

It was the first time in almost three years - since her sister's debut into society, to be precise - that Dru had last attended the Hogwarts Coming Out Ball. Having traveled abroad on and off since her marriage to Zach in 1880, there was neither the time nor the obligation to the attend the others when there was no one to support, but a cousin on her mother's side was debuting, and although she wasn't overly familiar with the girl - theirs was a considerable age gap; the girl was born just as Dru was heading off to school! - it seemed rude not to attend in support. Besides, any chance to visit her old alma mater was a welcome one, and the evening in addition to proving enjoyable thus far, also seemed to be tinged with a hint of nostalgia, as well .

The ladies now presented, the first strings of music rang throughout the hall, signaling the proper start to the evening, and Dru wasted no time in seeing to it that her sister had a dance partner. Even if Cora was by no means a fresh debutante, the event was as good a chance as any to ensure that her Season started out on the right foot, as would Dru's as she made an effort to mingle amongst the crowd. With her husband abroad, it was up to her to maintain their social status among their English acquaintances,  and Dru refused to allow her winter in seclusion to negatively impact the network that she and Zach had so meticulously built up over the years.

Feeling a little parched, Dru excused herself from a Ministry official and his wife, heading for the refreshments table before a voice stopped her in her tracks. Looking down, her eyes widened slightly at the sight of her bracelet lying on the stone ground. It had been a present given to her by Zach on the occasion of their sixth anniversary, and as such, she was very fond of it - but she must have not realized it wasn't clasped fully! "Oh, goodness," she voiced, stooping down to collect the precious piece before turning to the young woman - for, indeed, she looked quite young; most likely around Cora's age - with an appreciative smile. "Thank you for bringing it to my attention. It would have been sorely missed."

Words: 389 | Outfit: Info here!

  

[Sibella Runcorn]

The bracelet was a beautiful object so she was glad to see it returned to its rightful owner. She watched as the woman stooped to pick it up before turning to her. "You're quite welcome. It would have been a shame for you to lose it, it looks so beautiful," she complimented with a genuine smile.

She didn't think she recognized the older woman at all but that was probably to be expected. She had been in mourning for what should have been the prime of her debutante life. That tended to put a damper on the acquaintances one picked up in the social scene.

  

[Drusilla Travers]

@'Tristan Michaud'
@'Sibella Runcorn'

Dru smiled at the woman's praise of the bracelet; she had to quite agree. "Thank you, it was a thoughtful gift from my husband," she explained, reclasping the elegant piece around her wrist again where it rightfully belonged. "I doubt he would have been too pleased if it'd been lost." Well, that wasn't true necessarily. If Dru had lost the bracelet, Zach likely would have simply replaced it with a new one, but she would have mourned its absence regardless, for its sheer sentimental value.

"I don't believe we've properly met," Dru commented after taking another look at the red-head and still unable to make a connection between a name and face. "Mrs. Drusilla Travers," she introduced, a polite smile on her lips. "Might I inquire as to whom I have the pleasure of speaking with?"

Words: 136 | Outfit: info here!

  

[Sibella Runcorn]

Sibella smiled amiably when the woman said it was a gift from her husband. Sibella's own experience with a husband had been rather horrid but she wasn't bitter to the point that another womans obvious contentment with their spouse displeased her. If anything, it gave her an odd kind of hope that she might find someone better suited to her.

"I am Mrs. Sibella Runcorn," she introduced in return. "Perhaps we run in different social circles but I am glad to be meeting you now."

  

[Drusilla Travers]

@'Tristan Michaud'
@'Sibella Runcorn'

Ah yes, Mrs. Runcorn. She and Zach weren't overly familiar with the Runcorns, given their respective age gaps (not overly large, but big enough to make a difference in which circles they ran in), but if Dru remembered correctly, the young woman had been widowed a few years back, which would explain her lack of involvement on the social scene until now and perhaps why Dru hadn't yet had the pleasure of making her acquaintance.

"Likewise, Mrs. Runcorn," Dru responded cordially, thinking her new acquaintance a fine talking companion for the moment, and she took a sip of her champagne before inquiring, "I trust you've been enjoying your evening? The Hogwarts Coming Out Ball has always been a rather popular event, though I must confess to having missed the last year or two." Between traveling, cancellations, and a pregnancy, there had been little reason to attend beyond Cordelia's debut in 1884, but everyone who was everyone was there, and she was privately a bit grateful to her mother for persuading her to come.

  

[Sibella Runcorn]

Between mourning and being pregnant, Sibella had not had much chance to broaden her social horizons. Something that she was quite keen on changing. "I am enjoying it very much. The only Coming Out ball that I got to attend were ones hosted during my own NEWT school years and of course, my own graduation." It had been cancelled in 1885 anyway but even so, she had not been too happy about having to miss out on so much pomp and circumstance. "It is such a relief to be in the company of fellow adult women." For the longest time it had just bene either her husband or her son that she could rely on for company that wasn't the help.

  

[Drusilla Travers]

"I can imagine," Dru sympathized with a small smile at the redhead. "For all that mourning is a respected social obligation, it does have its disadvantages." And for a young woman of Mrs. Runcorn's age, the rituals of mourning - to retreat from one's society, in particular - must have been awfully tedious, and not to mention, a hinderance to establishing herself as notable society figure. But there was time still for her to make her mark, and with her youth, vitality, and good breeding, there was no reason that she couldn't remarry again if she truly wanted to somewhere down the line, though Dru wouldn't blame her in the slightest if she'd decided to hold off for a few years.

"Though you'll surely have more opportunity to be among them as the Season progresses," she assured. "The ladies' club too, I'm sure you know, is also a fine place to make acquaintances." While Drusilla couldn't claim to be a staunch blood purist, and thus did not wholly agree with the pureblood ideal (though she would never say as much out loud), she did have to admit that The Lady Morgana boasted an opportunity to mingle with society's elite, and any woman lucky enough to be granted access would be a fool not to take advantage of it.