Surprise Birthday Party

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As the Alayna was still out for the day, thanks to Carina and Astrid, Ptolemy was busy setting up the common room for her surprise party. He had asked the house elves to make all of her favourites, but ensured there was a good selection of canapés and petit fours that everyone with their distinguished tastes would enjoy. There was also a large, three tier cake he had ordered from a bakery in Horizont - chocolate and caramel - with a salmon pink frosting. Champagne flutes were placed to cover one of the side tables, although the Champagne itself was kept out of sight.

He and a few others had hung streamers and paper chains around the room, and there were several hundred balloons bobbing about the high ceiling. Everything was looking in good progress, and it wasn't long before Alayna would be there herself.

Most of Alayna's friends were in Slytherin house, but there were a few from other houses who he'd managed to sneak in. He was sure there'd be at least one person who had something to say about that, but he wouldn't let them ruin what was going to be, hopefully, a very memorable night for her.

"Burke - I'd asked you to put candles on that cake half an hour ago. Will you see to it already?" he snapped impatiently to Hector, getting cranky with some of his 'help'.

Looking at Ptolemy now talking to Thius, Bellona blinked a few times when Jeneva was right up in front of her.

"Hmm. Let me look."

She made sure to at least look like she was doing a thorough job with checking.

"You're fine. Also... that dress. It's, er..."

How should she describe it exactly...

@Jeneva Avery

A misunderstanding?

It certainly didn't sound like it.

"Ah, at least it had gotten resolved..."

He knew whatever went on had to be more than just a misunderstanding, but he kept it hidden from his face. Thius grabbed one of the tarts and placed it on a small plate. "Bellona's helped me fairly recently, and we've enjoyed talking to one another."

And he might've had a wet dream or two. So what?

@Ptolemy Rowle

"What about my dress?!"

She spent FIVE days deciding what to wear today. Did her method of pre-planning fail her? That just couldn't be the case...

@Bellona Lestrange

"Of course."

And he wouldn't hear another word of it. It was playing in the back of his mind, and it if it was with him then it definitely was with Alayna. Something wasn't right about it. Was he entirely certain about it being a prank? Having a photo of them as children was extremely elaborate, not to mention unnerving, if it was a prank.

He forced himself back into the room. "I see. I had liked her, perhaps, but my opinion has changed somewhat since she seems to be very ugly towards Alayna all of a sudden." He kept a steady gaze on him, measuring his expression carefully. "Are you courting her?"

@Melanthius Burke

"I only thought it was a bit clingy, that's all!" she protested, in an undertone.

Of course, with her very slender frame, she could get away with it...

@Jeneva Avery

"Ptolemy, if there's anybody between us who should be familiar with how women socialize, it's you."

After all, Ptolemy's always had the most female friends out of all the guys in their community. You'd almost think he was gay if he had a penchant for flamboyancy.

Just as he was taking a bite of his tart, he glared at him in surprise, not expecting that question.

"No, I'm not."

Yet he felt determined to have her notice him in that way....

@Ptolemy Rowle

"A bit clingy?!"

Bellona really had the audacity to say that while her hips were on display! Ugh! She pulled out her compact and began to touch up her makeup. She had to look pristine at all times!

@Bellona Lestrange

"But it isn't just women, is it."

His gaze drifted over him accusingly.

"I do wish you had the sensibility to be frank with me, as you are a friend of mine."

He turned his head slightly away from him.

"We can talk about that another time, perhaps."

His eyes moved to Bellona and her friend Jeneva. Didn't Alayna had a dress very similar to that?

"I think you suit one another rather well."

@Melanthius Burke

"For the love of Merlin, Jen. You look absolutely stunning, I just thought it wasn't your usual pick, that's all."

Argh.

Ptolemy was looking right at them. Bellona prodded Jeneva's side slightly. She smiled at him briefly before turning away once more.

"Have you got champagne yet?"

@Jeneva Avery

"Perhaps we can."

With how Ptolemy was one wrong move away from expulsion, who could blame Thius or just about everybody else for giving both him and Alayna the side eye as of late?

It was self-preservation.

"You do?"

Glancing towards Bellona and Jeneva, he assumed they were talking about womanly matters.

Thius drank more of the champagne hoping it'd loosen up a little; the last thing he wanted to deal with was the thoughts. Those blasted, horrid thoughts...

He couldn't expect to feel the comforting, frigid cold on his cheeks whenever he was distressed.

@Ptolemy Rowle

Jeneva put her compact away after emphasizing the rosy blush on her cheeks. At least she could upstage frumpy, pregnant Alayna just by being her!

"Champagne? I avoid anything with bubbles, it bloats."

@Bellona Lestrange

"I do. You seem to be quite natural around her, whereas there were many times around us that you were quite distressed."

He had some value of friendship, or at least brotherhood, when it came to being around those he grew up with. He just didn't have a lot of patience for anyone else. Perhaps Alayna could teach him a thing or two about tolerance, at least.

"Make sure you eat enough before you start knocking back too many of those," he warned, glancing around for a knife to cut the cake with.

"Who would like some cake?" he ventured, to everybody, smiling.

@Melanthius Burke

Bellona narrowed her eyes at her.

"I'll have some cake," she said, drifting towards the table. It was one of the things she'd came for.

"Really? I haven't noticed..."

He did feel rather comfortable around her as she didn't seem to, at least overtly, think of him as being weird or, worse, cuckoo. Although he'd always held an interest in ladies, this was the first time Thius found himself really gravitating to one. At least he wouldn't have to worry about Bellona trying to lobotomize him...

Thius stared down at the champagne flute before responding, "I'll take a slice."

He needed to not be too foolish with the alcohol.

@Ptolemy Rowle

Setting the first slice to one side for Alayna, he cut some other slices and put them onto plates with forks.

"You could have a small slice, and eat it with a fork like the rest of us," Ptolemy remarked, smirking. "Or feel free to take any of the canapes if it isn't your fancy."

He handed a slice to Bellona and Thius, then took Alayna's slice over to her with a kiss to her cheek.

"How are you feeling now?" he asked her gently.

@Jeneva Avery @Alayna Nott

Looking down at her slice, Bellona moved so she was next to Melanthius, leaning back on the table behind her.

"So? What did he say? Did you get anything out of him?"

@Melanthius Burke

Looking over the refreshment table, Jeneva grimaced before relenting and grabbing a small plate of some fruits.

She rejoined Bellona with a disgusted look on her face. "At least these fruits are in season!"

@Bellona Lestrange

He shook his head before having their, um, moment together interrupted by Jeneva.

"No, he said it was an misunderstanding," Thius revealed through gritted teeth, his eyes rolling. "I know she's hormonal, but I highly doubt a misunderstanding would cause her to react so strongly."

@Bellona Lestrange

"I doubt it too..."

She glanced over at them, and then to Jeneva fussing over fruit.

"And fruit isn't messier than cake with all that juice..." she criticised. "Just have some cake. It actually looks pretty good." Running her fork through a bit of it, she savoured the taste. Very, very chocolatey. But surprisingly light.

"I thought I heard the word sister when they were upstairs, but Alayna doesn't have a sister so that can't be right. Unless it was her Mother's sister... But that's Carina's Mother. I don't know. It's weird."

Taking a bite of the cake, he rolled his eyes again at Jeneva's whining; she was as much of a airhead as many of the blondes in Hogwarts... How could Bellona bear being around her?

"I thought I heard a half in there, as if there's a half-sister. I'm not quite sure how Astoria would have anything to do with it, if her, as she's been deceased for years now..."

This was all rather strange, really.

"Do you have anything to contribute, Avery?"

@Bellona Lestrange

"Have cake so close to spring formal season? Are you nuts?!"

Her appearance was her greatest asset; she had to be in tip-top shape at all times! She already had slight menstrual bloating, Jeneva didn't want to worsen it.

"I didn't really hear anything..."

Other than Alayna's crying.

@Bellona Lestrange

Alaynas head was all over the place as she tried to interact with her friends. She had a smile on her face that very few people would be able to tell was fake and forced. When Ptolemy came over with a slice of cake, she gave him a genuine smile and kisses his cheek, "I'm fine. Me and Atticus will figure this all out. But I'll be ok." She stroked his arm gently before taking a bite of the cake, "Buttercream. My favorite"

@Ptolemy Rowle

"I don't like seeing you like this, not at your birthday party..."

He kissed her cheek, looking concerned as he stroked back her hair.

@Alayna Nott

"Half sister, half monster."

She snorted.

"If she did have a half sister, that would be quite the scandal..."