t h e r e s e ❥ (alongday) wrote in valesco,
@ 2010-11-07 22:36:00

Entry tags:

alice longbottom, danielle rookwood, donovan rookwood, edward pennifold, frank longbottom, graciela pennifold, group, mackenzie goldstein, sebastian goldstein

OPEN TO EVERYONE! MINISTRY CELEBRATION!
It was very hard to keep a smile on her face when only a week ago two of her best friends had been murdered, one was arrested for being a killer and death eater, and a fourth was blown to pieces. Alice had spent the last seven days in a giant haze, and she herself wasn't exactly sure how she'd even gotten herself dressed for this Ministry celebration.

She was staring quite hard at the blown up poster of the Potters from their wedding day. The walls were adorned with pictures of James, Lily, and Harry, along with other pictures of the men and women who have given their lives for the war effort. Alice wasn't sure whether this was something she was touched or disgusted by. She loved seeing the smiling faces of her friends and the others---some were co-workers, people she'd had lunch in the ministry cafeteria with, but...the Ministry hadn't done much outside of the auror squad to stop the war, and it was really some freak accident by Harry Potter that had ended it...so to see how the wizarding community was so undoubtedly behind their ministry and the the minister right now was a bit disturbing...

Alice let out a breath and looked for her husband. It had taken much effort to get Frank out here (that part, she did remember quite clearly), and she did understand his sentiments. Not showing up, however, would create even more stress. The Longbottoms were quite publicly good friends of the Potters, and the ministry had wasted no time in making that connection. Alice was finding quotes in the Prophet that she'd supposedly said about Lily and their school days which weren't true at all (even if they were nothing but glowing reviews). Maybe she and Frank could leave now that they've made an appearance, and Alice headed toward the buffet table; it was her first guest as to where to find her husband.

(Post a new comment)

Donovan >>

curador
2010-11-08 04:20 am UTC (link)

Danielle, as she sat at the counter of the bar, wondered who was staffing St. Mungo's as it appeared that all of her fellow healers were in attendance at the memorial party. Her eyes searched the crowd as she tried to count the number of healers, and she was astounded that they had somehow managed to have enough people to cover. She supposed that the event really was a momentous occasion, so many strings had to be pulled, but...

She would order one last drink before she headed back to the hospital to check on her patients. Danielle felt strange being outside of St. Mungo's as it had become something of her haven. Her patients and co-workers liked her, they liked being around her, and even when things went wrong or someone was particularly sick, Danielle knew what to do. It was when she stepped out into the supposed 'real' world that she had absolutely no idea what she was doing.

Danielle turned to look out at the celebration once again, and she felt her face flush as she spotted the reason for her crazy hours at St. Mungo's. Of course, he'd be here. Of course Donovan would be at the one event she actually decided to attend in the last three months. Danielle swiveled back toward the counter and asked for the tab.

(Reply to this)

__frankish
2010-11-08 05:05 am UTC (link)

Frank really had no bloody idea why people kept on perceiving him as friendly and approachable these days. Did he look that way right now? No, no he was very sure that the surly glare he was sporting and dark cloud over his head were still very much present. But that didn't stop them, no no, everyone and their bloody mother had made a point to come and talk with him at least once so far. How was the appropriate? At all? And how could they be--- Frank couldn't help but feel an extra bit of spite if he spotted individuals laughing loudly.

It just wasn't right, this wasn't right. None of this made any sense; the Ministry, the laughter, James and Lily--- when he had thought about how everything would end, this was the absolute last way he imagined it. Everything, everything about the last week was just... completely unimaginable, and in the worst of ways.

Turning to his left, Frank noticed that Alice had finally returned and fount him. At first, he held his tongue. As much as he wanted to voice his thoughts, it wouldn't be right of him to pull his wife down even more after the near explosion that occurred in their house earlier about attending this bloody party. So, it took a few moments, but Frank finally did look up to Alice and move closer to her.

"You look very beautiful," Frank mumbled quietly, the best first attempt at an apology he could muster.

(Reply to this)(Thread)

alongday
2010-11-09 01:40 am UTC (link)

Alice's smile was the first real one she'd felt slide on her face all week, and she pushed forward to kiss Frank on the cheek, "Thank you."

She was proud of Frank, considering the circumstances. He and Alice had always been somewhat opposite with their tactics in life, especially when it came to being an auror, so it was hard for her to understand sometimes why he did what he did or reacted the way he did. With the Potters, however, and then with Sirius, Alice had been so ready to let Frank unleash his rage against their former friend. It had been so hard to put her hands up (and threaten to raise her wand) and stop him from going mad against Sirius Black, but she had to. She didn't want to risk having Frank lose any sense of humanity, and she knew it had been hard for him to keep that sanity since his time in Paris, so she'd really---

---she'd really been trying to keep her husband from going crazy, no matter how much he thought she was working against him.

"I don't think there will be any more speeches," she said softly, moving to sidle up against Frank. Alice pressed her nose to his cheek and let out a breath, her arm moving around him. In these public appearances, Alice always felt better when she was right by his side. "I think we can escape."

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

__frankish
2010-11-09 03:55 am UTC (link)

Frank's brow rose with intrigue, genuinely surprised that Alice was suggesting an exit so young in the night. Though, he supposed he should know better. Alice always knew what an appropriate action would be and what wasn't, while he just blundered around doing whatever the hell he wanted most of the time. He should listen to her much more often, and control his temper-- but sometimes it was just too hard to cool down the burning rage that would course through his body.

"Finally," he spoke as his hand reached for her, fingers locking with hers. Frank held his gaze low to match Alice's, dipping his chin to look down at their feet. Why did things always have to get so fucked up? Why was it so difficult to just-- just be like this? Calm, quiet and normal. He enjoyed this kind of moments he and Alice had, especially when it came to being in public. Actually, it was the only kind of display of affection he approved of. Sometimes it was necessary to stop and get themselves on the same page.

"I would like that. Being here doesn't feel right," Frank said in a low tone, feeling the rising anger from earlier beginning to die down for the time being. Maybe they could go home and have one night of not remembering all that had happened in the past two weeks. Wouldn't that be an absolute threat?

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

alongday
2010-11-11 01:59 am UTC (link)

There was a twitch in Frank's face that meant his blood was beginning to boil, so Alice kissed him quickly before squeezing his hand and pulling him through the crowd. Yes, they most definitely needed to get out of there, and if anyone asked she could say that Neville was causing her mother quite the fuss. Donna Goodsmith was much more willing to let the little boy run around and cause a fuss, so it was definitely something that could be happening at that very moment.

Alice smiled at the thought of Neville covered in spaghetti sauce, racing after her parents' cat. He was so big already! Her baby boy could walk, run, pull off his socks (Neville hated socks, for some reason!), and now that the war was over they could do so much more together. Their boy had been stuck in the house for so long, except when he was being watched by their parents or Emmeline, or the random trips to Order members. It was a good thing that their house was so big or else Neville would probably go crazy being inside all day, but now it was safe. Mostly. It was mostly safe.

At the very least, Voldemort was gone. They had been able to thwart his efforts against the family, his attacks having put their lives on pause. Now, they could actually look toward the future. Frank could---relax. He deserved to relax. Neville could expand his horizons, and she...Alice smiled.

"Frank," she mused out loud as he pushed open the door to get out of the main ballroom. It was a million times quieter out here, and it felt like they'd entered a different world. Alice trailed behind slightly, letting her husband take the lead. "What would you think about me staying home with Neville, for a bit? And for...other things?"

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

__frankish
2010-11-23 03:35 am UTC (link)

Much better. Frank felt himself significantly relax once they left the crowed room and walked into the larger foyer area. All that chattering and pleasing and sucking up-- it had become harder and harder for him to deal with. There was only so much fakeness he could take after having to deal with reality for so long.

"Other things?" he repeated, not understanding at first. Frank turned to Alice behind him, hoping for a cue from her face. Staying home? As in... not going into work everyday. And doing other things that were much less serious than they had been dealing with for the past three years. Well--- who wouldn't want that? And if he could give that to Alice, which he could, then he would.

Nodding his head slowly, Frank began to smile. His feet stopped, giving Alice enough time to move closer to him, "I think," he started slowly, wrapping his arms around her and dipping his chin low while doing so. "If you want to, then it's a very good idea."

Actually, the more he thought about it, the more he wished he had realized this earlier. The idea of taking a break from being an auror had never occurred to him before. But now... would be a good time? Life was beginning to become much different now--- Frank couldn't quite bring himself to think that meant he could just drop being an auror though. It had been apart of him for so long, something he had latched onto as a defining subject of who he was... so maybe he would just take next week off. Start small and ease into it.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

alongday
2010-11-25 12:32 am UTC (link)

Alice hummed happily at his agreement. She would stay home. She'd be a stay-at-home mum with Neville, at least for a little bit. Mothers in the ministry did it all the time, and she had only taken the minimum amount of maternity leave allowed, so it was definitely the right decision to make. She'd missed out on a lot of valuable Neville time that she'd never get back, so Alice was going to do her best to make up for it.

And maybe make something else along the way.

Her arms slunk around Frank's shoulders and she pulled closer. If he had agreed with her staying home for a bit, he'd agree to her next venture too, right? They finally had less on their plates, Neville was running around as he hurtled toward his terrible twos, it was...good timing, on their part, Alice believed. Everyone else seemed to be doing it, too, so why not them? For once, they could have what everyone else had, and they'd be just as happy as the rest of the world.

She kissed him before she spoke, for good measure, "I want to have another baby," Alice bit her lip before quickly kissing Frank again, her inner courage that made her bring up the subject disappearing with concern. Would he really agree?

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

__frankish
2010-12-03 02:53 am UTC (link)

Frank stopped for a moment, letting Alice's words sink in. She wanted another baby? They had always talked about having a large family, but that had been during school in his four-poster bed late at night when they couldn't sleep. His thoughts did seldom change, though so... he was definitely not against the idea. Just-- she definitely meant soon. And hell, he had half a mind to start trying right herein spite of the bloody Ministry. But they were at an event for James and Lily....

James would've approved, Frank had no doubt about that, it was just-- was it wrong to feel insensitive for wanting to continue on? Without them. Acknowledging that they were moving on already? It sounded stupid the more he thought about it, because no one would want other to live like that, and Frank was proud Alice was so eager to start the rest of their lives, he just felt--- sad. Frank felt sad he no longer had James there to be his mirror life. And angry, so angry.

Frank took in a breath, feeling like he was pausing longer than he actually was. He wanted another baby, he did. What Frank wouldn't give for a girl, a little sister for Neville. So he should listen to Alice, trust her judgement that everything was going to be fine from now on, believe they had a chance at a normal life.

"I really want a girl this time," Frank spoke in a low tone, his lips pressing together to form a very small smile. He closed his eyes for a second, then pressed his forehead against Alice's after he spoke.

(Reply to this)(Parent)

Edward!

aheavenlycause
2010-11-10 01:14 am UTC (link)

It had taken Graciela nearly an hour to calm herself down after Edward had invited her to the celebration. It had taken her sister (who had moved in with her this past summer) nearly two, and after Andrea had relaxed, it occurred to Graciela that the invitation was not that of a date, but that nearly everyone who worked in Diagon Alley had been invited to the ministry event, and one of Calliope's employees had declined the offer. Graciela felt a bit embarrassed for being so excited about Edward's invitation, but it had been a very---exciting thing to think about! She had not seen Edward outside of professional things since they returned from their tour and that had been almost a month ago!

Ay, who was she kidding? She fancied Edward and he had absolutely no idea. Graciela was not even sure what to think about it! She had thought her feelings had been because of their close proximity over the summer, but even after these few weeks of being apart Graciela could not keep her mind from drifting toward him. The conversations they had. She had not been able to talk to someone about books and literature like she had with Edward since---well, since Hogwarts, with Edward!

Graciela squirmed uncomfortably near a table in the ballroom as she waited for Andrea to come back with their drinks. She should not be thinking of another man in that way, she had only been divorced since April. Though, she supposed, Alex had been thinking of other women since God knows when...

(Reply to this)(Thread)

esp
2010-11-24 03:37 am UTC (link)

What a glorious way to celebrate the turning event of their lives! You-Know-Who was defeated! The wizarding world could finally rest in peace! They were allowed to live normal lives again! Edward, while usually very capable of expressing himself through words, was finding lately he could not fully describe everything that was happening around him. It was just so-- so--- so--- unbelievable and tremendous!

Which was why he invited Graciela! They hadn't seen each other in a while, considering how close they had become over the summer, spending everyday with each other. Edward had come to find he enjoyed spending time with her, and what better way to catch up than invite her to one of the most symbolically important events of the year! He had no doubt she would enjoy herself here. So, the only thing left to do was technically locate her....

"Graciela!" Edward smiled widely once he finally found her. "You look lovely," he continued, leaning up against the chair next to where she was sitting.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

aheavenlycause
2010-11-30 06:15 pm UTC (link)

He startled her. Graciela jumped slightly, putting her hand to her chest. She had been focused on looking for Edward that she hadn't seen him coming. Her face flushed deeply and she nodded in thanks; suddenly she was quite conscious of how she looked and how revealing her dress might be seen as. Of course it was from Psyke's collection, her former sister-in-law promised she would never let her nephew's mother look less than perfect. It was a beautiful gown that she had been wary about, but Andrea had convinced her: she needed to look elegant if she wanted Edward to notice her.

But she did not really want him to notice her! Not yet! Well--she was unsure if she was ready for someone else to notice her!

"You look--very handsome!" she responded, clasping her hands around her clutch in front of her. Graciela felt uneasy now, but only because she was sure he could read her mind. He looked so handsome. He was so very handsome! She really thought his smile was so handsome, and he was smiling so big! It was contagious, really, and she smiled as well, even though she felt like her chest was going to burst open.

"It is a beautiful celebration!" What a silly thing to say! Of course it was! The war was over! Deus.

(Reply to this)(Parent)

macks
2010-11-23 11:42 pm UTC (link)

Mackenzie felt like a newborn, wide-eyed and wobble-legged, as she and Sebastian walked around the party. This was her first public appearance back in England, and--- and it was terrifying. She hadn't stopped clutching Sebastian's hand since they walked through the door, saying as little as possible to avoid any unfortunate occurrences. So many people were here! What if someone came up to them and she had completely forgotten who they were? Or a false memory provided her with something inappropriate?

It was difficult knowing she couldn't completely trust herself, a feeling Mackenzie had never thought she would experience. But, her situation now was much better than before. It was... becoming easier to differentiate. She and Sebastian had even come up with a game of sorts to help with those instances when she would get too confused.

Sebastian. Mackenzie instinctively moved herself closer to him as they walked back to their table, her other arm slipping to wrap around his as she rested her face on his shoulder. He had been absolutely wonderful the entire time, being nothing but a loving, solid rock through this.... memory-brainwashing ordeal. She couldn't be more thankful, or feel any luckier without him. It was just--- she knew--- she just loved him so much.

Blinking slowly, Mackenzie realized they had come to a stop. Looking toward his face, she gave a small smile. "I'm fine," she spoke softly, knowing the look currently on his fall all too well.

(Reply to this)(Thread)

sebclicks
2010-11-30 08:15 pm UTC (link)

Sebastian had been against this idea from the moment they'd received the invitation. He'd wished he'd checked the post earlier, because then Mackenzie wouldn't have found the invitation and insisted they go. The Potters were their friends, they had to go! They helped end the war! That poor baby, Harry! Sebastian had voiced his concerns, with the last few years under his belt he had no way of getting rid of the wary feelings that death eaters were going to burst through the doors of the gala like a big trick---aha! You-Know-Who lives!

It was proving not to be the case, as the gala was deep into the night and there had been no sign of a ruckus (other than some ministry fools having too much liquor by the bar). Sebastian was still finding it hard to concentrate on much of anything with his wife looking doe-like with her wide eyes and---Mackenzie was not fine.

"We should sit," Sebastian said with a firm nod. Maybe if they sat they could avoid the swelling of the crowd and the claustrophobia it brought. Mackenzie was not ready for this many people, he didn't know how he'd let this happen and---as much as he loved his wife and wanted to have fun with her, Sebastian didn't know when they'd really be able to do that again, "Sit---I can get you a drink?"

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

macks
2010-12-03 04:05 am UTC (link)

A lingering sigh escaped Mackenzie's lips as she serenely eased herself down onto one of the empty chairs in front of them. She was feeling a bit tired, but that had nothing to do with her head. It felt relatively fine--- well, as fine as it could be in this kind of situation. She had expected the head pain and the anxiety that would eventually lead to some form of confusion, but it at not point so far had become unbearable. And what was the worst thing that could happen? She would just knock herself out, if nothing creating a good scene. It wouldn't be unlike her to be associated with drama now would it?

"I am fine," Mackenzie repeated, reaching up for him. Sebastian was too tense; this was supposed to be a happy occasion, one of celebration for the Potters and the Wizarding World. But he did not look like he was enjoying himself. She was comforted that he was worried (she could only imagine what she would be like if the roles were reversed), but that didn't mean he couldn't enjoy himself a little bit.

"You sit," she continued, grabbing ahold of his front before he had the opportunity to escape through her grasp. Mackenzie tugged downward, attempting to get Sebastian to sit in the empty chair opposite her. "I do not want a drink. I want to sit with my husband at a nice table and relax for a few moments."

(Reply to this)(Parent)

scribbld is part of the horse.13 network
Design by Jimmy B.
Logo created by hitsuzen.
Scribbld System Status