#nox.event043

tempest is mid-conversation with a couple of very boring pureblood wizards with good standing at the ministry, nodding when appropriate and calculating in their mind when to politely excuse themselves when she spots ezekiel nearby. she'd chosen to engage in the discussion when they'd off-hand mentioned the dumbledore's army, hoping to glean something of interest, and all too happy to use their looks to ease into it. after about ten minutes of idle gossip ( though the men in question would have never called it something as base as that ) and nothing remotely fascinating learned, she's beyond grateful for his interruption.    “ darling! ”    tempest spins, one hand on his chest and trying to subtly yank him closer with the other as she leans forward to press a kiss on his cheek.    “ if you'll excuse me, gentlemen. ”     the wizards nod, looking a touch mollified, and she starts to position the two of them as if they were going to go around greeting, face set to look besotted.

“ maybe. ”    tempest's finger swirls along the rim of their glass, face impassive and voice monotone. they're looking directly at the group that minette is talking about, slightly tilted head the only visible signal that they're interested in this conversation at all. they're not sure what, exactly, minette is talking about if they're being entirely honest – they'd let the start of their exchange wash over their brain with zero thought, and they're just at that stage of the night where they don't mind looking a little standoffish and rude.    “ i suppose they're wondering just how so many banned wix got in. ”

there had been a point in his life where dudley would have responded to this question with an over-the-top defensiveness. maybe even started a fight. as it stands, there is still a touch of that in his bones, when he bristles a bit and asks :     “ why's what so important? d'you mean the muggle liasion department? ”     he's immediately ready to jump to the defence of his job & to the very importance of liaising with muggles in the first place. while he's grateful to not be involved with the presentation for this year, he's stationed in front of it regardless, bulking out the distinct lack of a crowd. there for moral support, even if his lack of involvement this year is potentially because of the slight from the minister. to be fair, he was never very good at public speaking.

“mm?”    tempest taps a pattern out on the chair they're sat on, only half listening as they glance around at the mostly - empty set up for the presentation. she doesn't intend to be, but her resting face does mean that she's unintentionally glaring daggers at the poor ministry worker who's getting the last little bits of their presentation ready. the chair niko is referring to is, of course, one that tempest has their legs up on. there were quite a few free, after all, so it wasn't like they were depriving anyone of their resting place.     “ only myself. ”     if it were anyone else, they probably wouldn't move once the words had settled in, but for him they raise their legs up slowly and sit themselves in a more … amicable position. instead, they end up leaning forward, elbows on their own knees – as if the sanitised department presentation from the department for the regulation and control of magical creatures is really the most fascinating thing to witness.    “ surprised you haven't left yet. antonin getting stricter? ”

@hoggleswart / any!

@woesbegone

“ here's hoping. ”    tempest raises her champagne flute to clink against marietta's own without looking away from the brooders in question. to a point they can understand the anger and frustration from those who had been snubbed at the ministry gala this year, but honestly she doesn't know what they had expected. it's the same thing that happened last year, and they hadn't kicked off nearly enough of a fuss about it at that time, so why wouldn't karkaroff go a step further ?  tempest would've immediately made much more of a hubbub if they were in the da's shoes, so their sympathies were waning with each minute that passed without something drastic happening. it didn't help their attitude that they were getting bored, as well.   “ they're here, aren't they? made it in. they could at least make a scene. ”

dudley sputters so hard that his drink shoots up his nose, leaving him helplessly coughing, face tucked into his own elbow as he tries to regain his composure. it takes a sharp breath out of his nose, and he still doesn't think he'll stop feeling the liquid up there for… the rest of the night, at least, but at least he can breathe again. they both gain a few suspicious and snotty looks from the strangers nearby, but dudley's well-practised in ignoring these.     “ fuck, you're right, i did. ”     the noise dudley makes as he thinks back on the memory is a strangled laugh, and he tries and fails to look sheepish and keep the laugh down.    “ doesn't mean i'm not right this time. ”