#prophetball

Kingsley didn’t mind this ball, not really. For once he didn’t have to work the event. It’d been proper ages since he’d had a night on the town with his boyfriend and friends without having to run patrols or check IDs. Though he did miss working with Valka. The Ministry had to take her off babysitting duties eventually, right? For the moment it didn’t do to dwell on it. Best to turn his attentions to happier things.

Like, say, hiring a cupid to follow Benj around and sing completely true and accurate compliments about one of his best friends. Merlin knows Benjy got down on himself about things like these big parties full of dressed up people. Kingsley got it, he really did. 

When Benjy, followed by his intrepid working cupid, met him on the edge of the dance floor with a flush on his cheeks, Kingsley gave him a beatific smile. “Hullo there, Benj. I see you’ve got yourself a nice seasonally appropriate hanger-on.”

Of course, Emmeline knew that Death Eaters had lives outside their terror mongering and nighttime activities. She knew this. They tailed suspected Death Eaters all the time. But seeing the man she’d knocked out and then helped heal in an alley at Malcolm Greengrass’s fancy charity event certainly threw her for a loop. On one hand, it meant that her healing had held up well and the man had survived. On the other hand, he was just... walking around as though he’d earned a free pass. Though she supposed he had surrendered. No one of the other Death Eaters had ever surrendered. Even Nigel they’d had to arrest and lean on first.

Well. If she had to stay at this fancy pants event for a least another hour to make sure Hestia didn’t bother her about never socializing, then she might as well make that hour count. Healers did follow-ups all the time. This one just happened at a party and the original work had occurred in an alley. 

“You’re looking much better now.” She said quietly once she got in within earshot of the other man. Had she ever gotten his name? Emm couldn’t remember. “Glad to see you got out of that alley.”

@softboi-malfoy​

The last time he’d run into Lucius Malfoy, he’d literally dragged him across Hogwarts grounds. Kingsley did feel a bit bad about that, all things considered. Especially now that Lucius walked with a cane. It hadn’t been the most thought-out maneuver of all time. Then again he’d hardly been in the right state of mind. The only thing he’d thought of was Anson. Now he had Anson back, and he owed Lucius an apology.

Approaching Lucius carefully, Kingsley made sure to stop before he got within actual touching distance. Anything he could do to make sure Lucius knew he wouldn’t take him on a mad dash across the countryside or something.

“Hello, Lucius.” He said, offering the man a small smile. “Promise I’m not about to take you with me on a jog this time.” Kingsley joked, though he did admit it came out a bit weak.

What surprised him more was that she hadn’t dragged her brother along. Maybe it was because she had a date. Hadn’t Tristan mentioned some sort of boy toy? Pat hadn’t even begun to start teasing her for that. Now seemed as good a time to start as any.

Grinning wide, he snagged two flutes of champagne and made his way across the room to stand besides her. “Hey there, Trouble. You’re all dressed up. Where’s the arm candy? I’ve heard there’s arm candy in your life now. Come to the ball to show them off?”

Seeing Diana out and about this soon after having her baby didn’t really surprise him. All of Laure’s stories had painted her as rather the social butterfly. Only she seemed to do it simply for the status of it all rather than the joy of it. Gilderoy could respect that, even if he couldn’t fathom leaving a baby alone this young. He had the habit of hovering over his infant cousins when he visited. So many things could happen to babies, after all. It seemed wise to keep an eye on them.

“Diana,” He said pleasantly, opening his arms in a welcoming gesture as he approached her. She looked pristine as always and Gil could respect that as well. Never hurt to be the second best dressed person at a party. “So lovely to see you out and about, your husband is such a doll for putting this all on. Did you help with the decorating? It has the touch of someone with a keen eye.”

Patrick didn’t have many ball appropriate suits. When Yuki had told him under uncertain terms that if she had to go then he did too, he’d thrown on the suit and tie he’d used for his job interview and decided that would do. If anyone complained then he’d just blame it on his government salary. Not that he really believed anyone would spend this ball looking at him but weirder things had happened.

When he spotted Bailey Shaw from across the room, he raised an eyebrow. She certainly looked about as comfortable here as he did. At least her outfit actually looked put together rather than the only thing available on hand. 

“Nice to see you outside an alley.”  He joked, hands stuffed in his pockets. “I gotta say, you clean up loads nicer than I manage.”