2015 hours, Central London
The Opium Garden


Raine Almasy stood in the powder room watching her own reflection in the mirror as she fixed her lipstick. It tasted liked vanilla icing and she resisted the urge to wrinkle her nose distastefully. A waitress entered the room and sounds came filtering through from the  dimly lit restaurant interior, where the Gryffindor managed to glimpse a canopy of oriental lanterns floating gently above. Music was playing on the WWN but the downpour outdoors obscured its tunes, while those guests who entered came in from the storm with exclamations of surprise.

To think there had been clear skies all day.

Having spent most of her winter break in London city with aunt Ira, her parents had forwarded the kind gift of a birthday celebration at one of Raine's favoured restaurants in London city. It was no mean age. An open invitation had been sent to classmates, servers drafted into obliging what was inevitably going to be a fickle gathering- and as a final courtesy, her aunt had left off duties as chaperone to meet with a previous engagement at the Opera House instead.

An unappreciated courtesy as it left Raine rather alone- a host. Friends had already begun arriving to set tables and flutes of liquor (bubbly for the terribly young), she could hardly keep herself locked up in the powder room all evening.

"Alright, birthday girl..." the redhead told the reflection with a wry smile. Another year without her sister. "Time to grow up again."

Raine turned lithely, nodding at the bemused waitress who held open the door, and then exited into the restaurant to join the hubbub of her peers. You could only turn seventeen once after all.

---

Coming in from the monsoon, Abby had spent the past few minutes mooching spells off of friends to dry her bare legs and shoes. Her hair, which she’d curled and crimped for the occasion, now looked like it matched the weather, bunching around her face in a blond cloud.

After the whirlwind of the holidays, it was with much relief (and squealing) that Abby had received the owl carrying Raine’s gift this morning. She’d custom-ordered the perfume from a company in Paris, one that specialized in creating scents unique to the person wearing it. Abby had filled out a questionnaire about Raine’s hobbies, her appearance, the places she’d been. And then she’d sent the answers in and crossed her fingers, hoping they wouldn’t send her a bottle that smelled like a sweaty Quidditch uniform.

No, the bottle itself reminded her of fire. And the scent was lovely and subtle, but lingered. It made an impression, like Raine.

She left the sparkly box in the gift pile for Raine to open later.

Once the birthday girl made her entrance, Abby was one of the first to rush over, grinning widely. Though they were almost the same height, she stood on her tiptoes out of habit and wrapped her in a hug.

“Raine!” She exclaimed into her hair, then pulled back. “It’s been too long. A whole week. Happy Birthday! Now that you’re seventeen, I’ll be dragging you out to the pubs with me before school starts again. No escape for you!”

Parties. After the pomp, circumstance, and seeing Tappy in that suit that accompanied the Yule Ball, a real party sounded like good fun. Preferably drunken good fun. Maybe with more betting. She had a few sickles to spare.

Gigi had slipped an old hoodie on over her corset. The long boots kept her out of the puddles at least, and with having to wear those pathetic uniforms at school all year she was going to wear what she wanted.

Even if that short skirt left her legs a bit cold.  She'd deal.

Her gift for Raine, a card stuffed with a wad of Muggle money and a taped-on package containing a quill in Gryffindor red with googly eyes (googly eyes were cool), was plopped atop the pile of gifts where it wobbled unsteadily.

Before greeting the birthday girl-woman, important line there, and one which Gigi was looking forward to crossing herself, she snagged one of the flutes and gulped at it, managing not to make  a face. "Hey Raine! Happy birthday!" She wasn't a bad sort, for a prefect. Even if those bets had cost Gigi a couple coins. "Nice party." Woohoo, alcohol.

"It's hard to explain but, in a simplified version, you're not invited," Sasha explained in German as he pushed the car door open and climbed out onto the sidewalk.  Finding a way to convince Anton that he really couldn't just pop in and say hi, without explaining in full detail, had been a bit of a trick.  Especially after Sasha's polo teammate had discovered that it was a coming of age party for a girl, which would attended by quite a few other girls. 

Despite the disappointment of not being able to crash (for reasons Anton had not fully accepted as absolute), Anton had followed through on his offer to give Sasha a lift from Anton's home in Northern London, where Sasha had spent the day catching up with his three teammates, to the right neighborhood.  "Yes and, really.  You're fine.  My sister will drive me back." 

Sasha bid his friend goodbye and waited, watching to make sure the other young man didn't, in fact, park and try to follow.  After taking a moment to straighten his coat and tie and check his shoes for scuffs, Sasha followed the sidewalk until he spotted the restaurant and stepped inside.   

Gigi and Abby were already in the midst of offering their excited, giddy greetings and birthday wishes when Sasha approached the three.  Taking great care not to look too closely at Gigi's choice of attire, Sasha offered the group a shy, lopsided grin and shrugged.  "Allo.  Happy Geburtstag." 

It was a refreshing change of pace to see the Hogwarts lot, polished and primed beyond their castle walls. Although the person Raine was most delighted to see was of course Abby, even if they had last caught sight of one another earlier in the month. The Gryffindor grinned through her friend's loud exclamations and fell into the hug wholeheartedly.

"Wonderful," she laughed with only an inkling of dread at the idea of being towed into pubs. "We'll terrify the barmen together." Or at least one of them would, depending on the situation.

Familiar faces were flocking about the restaurant between tables of food and trays of champagne- a few called out birthday wishes. Amongst those snapping at the liquor was the unerringly wicked Trishna. Raine raised an eyebrow at Gigi's greeting. "I'm glad you're enjoying yourself," her grin widened. "You might yet be a chance to practice my sobering charms." Which, unsurprisingly, was a pre-birthday gift from her parents.

Between her classmate's determination to be intoxicated and Abby (who might as well have been), Schlawkward's diffident entrance was a mild reprieve.

"Danke," Raine nodded once politely and then made a show of appraising the Ravenclaw's attire in her best impression of Darian Morgan. "Very nice. Sharp, not particularly outlandish." An inane notion pulled at her lips, turning its smile impish. "I'm sure Abby agrees."

“And all the pub-goers!” Abby added, glad that Raine seemed so happy. She picked up a flute as well, sipping at the drink, though she was certain she would do a lot of sipping between now and the end of the party, resulting in Tipsy!Abby.

The flute halfway to her mouth, Abby paused at Raine’s suggestion, then giggled. "Hey now! He always looks very nice," she adopted Raine's tone, slanting Sasha a look. Merlin knew no one needed to encourage her to be flirtatious.

She gave him a hug, smiling up at him for a moment. Abby had just seen him at the Trishna’s[1], but it still felt like the winter holiday was slipping away far too fast. “Hi!”

Knowing better not to hug Georgiana, Abby settled for sending her a cheery grin.

“Gigi! Where’d you get your skirt? I love it.” She was not just being polite. It looked like the sort of thing she’d hide in her purse to put on when she was out clubbing, and then switch clothes just before Aileen saw her.

1.	Making an assumption, but trying to keep it vague!

"Just don't sober me up too early." The smirk accompanying her words was somewhat kinder than usual. Seemed that vacation and alcohol were good for her mood. So far, at least. Add enough more and who knew what would happen. A hangover wouldn't be any fun either.

If she hadn't been buzzed, and thus happy, Gigi might have read Abby's comment with a more cynical eye. But here and now, she actually looked flattered. "Thanks! Undergroundsomething, I think. Had it for a bit." To her disappointment, she'd rather stopped growing a while back. "Don't get to wear it enough."

At least wearing it was worth it. Sasha's reactions were fun to watch. He seemed to be mastering the art of not quite looking at her.

Drinking girls seemed to be a growing trend in the parties Sasha was finding himself in these days.  All three seemed to have already started.  If, at any point, he got nervous and awkward, he could always spend some time pondering whether that fact was correlative, causative or consequential over some mineral water and lemon. 

Because he was such the life of any party. 

Sasha had already been blushing, despite no one being aware of that thought process, when Raine remarked on his attire.  "I ... um, oh, thank you," he offered, glancing between Raine and Abby. 

Abby then turned the girl's attention to Georgiana's rather length-challenged skirt and Sasha tried his best to appear in agreement without actually making himself fully aware of what he was agreeing to.  "It is quite ... lovely," Sasha offered, for the sake of being polite. 

He needed more male friends. 

"How do you not break your ankle?" Sasha asked, focusing on Georgiana's shoes.  Those, for the moment, seemed the safest article of clothing to regard.

While the others turned their attention onto Gigi’s attire, Theo peeled himself away from the wall, that nonchalant smile he’d been wearing giving way to something fainter but there—which was to say, sincere, in that way he usually was but different in the sense that no one was about to get hurt. Maybe. Like the others, he had attended for Raine, and like the others he had waited. But now that she was here, Theo made his way over to the group, long strides slowly but steadily carrying him over; he had never been particularly patient (learned to be, yes, but never was), and, well-

Mingling was one thing; it certainly had its uses, and Raine’s Squib friend seemed pleasant enough. But with the birthday girl now present - the space immediately beside her so lacking his presence - the Slytherin boy wasn’t terribly interested in rubbing elbows with the likes of Trishna and Schlagenweit—at least, not until he’d warned Raine about her present, anyway.

Making no attempt to sneak up on her, Theo drew close, hands in pockets as he came to stand by the Gryffindor’s side. “Practice, Schlagenweit,” he quipped, offering the other boy a bland smile. Blue eyes lazily slid down Gigi’s legs. “Clearly she’s had a lot of it.”

He flashed Raine an innocent grin. “Happy birthday, Almasy.”

   

So far, so good. If Raine took any pride or credit in being a host (which she blatantly did not) she would have been rather pleased to see that everyone appeared to be in amicable moods. Her own disposition was relaxed- smiling at everything Abby or Gigi said, laughing at Sasha's deflection of attention.

Exercising good timing and a lack of his typical stealthiness, Theo Whitman appeared next to her. He was both in and out of his natural element amongst them.

"It has been a happy one thus far," Raine replied with a friendly but somewhat suspicious glimmer in her eye. It struck her at this moment that she had an unusual number of snakes for friends. "I'm still waiting for the other foot to drop."

Georgianna's promise to get drunk was taken seriously and she expected that someone would eventually attempt to ply Sasha with liquor if not some other substance of questionable nature. A song Raine recognized came on over the WWN and her ears pricked up with interest.

"Something I recognize, finally!" she remarked in a dry voice. "Dance with the birthday girl, anyone?"[1]

1.	Raine's stepping out of interactions for the dance, feel free to join her and/or carry on the conversation!

"Underground something..." she repeated. No, that couldn't be an actual shop in the Underground. Could it? Abby glanced at Sasha. Maybe she'd ask him to clarify later. It'd be worth it to see him try to avoid looking at Georgiana's legs again.

Of course, Theo was not shy!

Abby grinned, glancing from Theo to Raine. Ooo, so that was still happening! She couldn't wait to hear all the details. She tried to squash any lingering concerns that Theo Whitman fit into the typical snobby Whitman mold (Oz being her only reference), because for the most part, she trusted Raine's judgment.

At the very least, he was cute! He got at least half a stamp of approval just for that.

"Theo, hop to it. But I get to dance with her next!" Abby teased.[1]

Since Georgiana seemed to be in a good mood, Abby hooked an arm with Sasha's and gently tugged him forward so they could talk to her. Abby assumed that Sasha might need a few minutes before she inflicted modern dance on him, so she inflicted a drink on him instead.

She handed him a flute, cheerfully proclaiming, "Peer pressure!"

Abby then looked at Gigi, who she'd also seen recently. "Did you get good loot for Christmas? Or are you," she paused, thinking. "Looting all the games. Finding loot in games? I know one of those is right!"

1.	Abby's playing matchmaker (not that Theo needs help ), but if someone else would like to dance with Raine, let me know and I'll edit!

Skirts worked on Whitman. That was useful...for science. Between the buzz and the company, Gigi was feeling a little warmer, so she slid the hoodie off-something that was a bit of a struggle while still holding the drink.

Showed that bright corset off to good effect, though. And when soft black fabric was completely pulled over her head and she could see again, well, maybe Abby could get him to drink. Corset might cause it, even. Fact that it matched her eyes perfectly didn't hurt.

Things to remember.

"Got loot, and looted everything. Tappy got me an eagle for Christmas. It eat snakes and everything." Oh, and her drink was empty. Time for another one! Just took a moment to snag it before going on. "Thought about naming it Richard and training it to attack faces, but went for Sylvanas instead. Reach pre-order, jewelry," hmm, maybe she could have worn the jewelry. Next time. "Mass Effect 2, and a pile of gift cards. Actually dragged myself out of bed early just to snag the 360. Lots of good loots."

What was it they said about being careful what one wished for?  Sasha watched as Whitman joined their little cluster, offering his own personal hypothesis and assessment of the logistics of Georgiana's attire.  If the sampling of Georgiana's dress Sasha had seen around the house was any indication, Whitman's guess was probably right. 

"I see," Sasha said, simply, unsure whether the conversation topic required further expounding.  He hoped not.  "Going Underground?" Sasha offered, when Abby looked towards him for help.  "In Essex?" 

Not that the Ravenclaw would have any idea if that was where Georgiana had gone shopping.  It was the only place with 'underground' in the name he could think of.  And, he was at least hoping to sound like he had something to contribute to the conversation. A hint of a blush rose in the Ravenclaw's cheeks, first when Abby hooked an arm in his and second when he found a glass in his hand. 

"Oh.  But, I'm ... I'm not seventeen, yet," Sasha reminded Abby, quietly, looking down at the glass in his hand. 

As Georgiana delved into her holiday gifts, the Ravenclaw listening politely though his attention rested firmly on a rather boring painting on the wall just behind and to the left of the Slytherin. 

Roh hated London weather, loathed it entirely, she was a tropical creature - even if she had been born and raised here. When she'd first arrived at the party (after a quick stop to drop off Raine's present[1]) she'd spent a good twenty minutes in the loo readjusting the bun of braids atop her head, reapplying makeup, and drying a dress that fit more like a second skin than fabric. Body shaming issues simply did not exist in the Roh-Ballentine household - as much as she could whine about her mothers they gave her much more freedom than many of her peers experienced, especially in terms of finding her own personhood.

She had been sharing conversation with a rather dull busboy who did not seem to understand that she should have been making the rounds and talking to the birthday girl. The second time he invaded her space she promptly stepped on his foot and excused herself by saying "I think I see my friends just over there," before approaching the trio of Sasha, Abby, and Gigi. She wasn't as familiar with the other two as she was Gigi but she knew enough to get on alright, her smile bright as she snuck up behind Trishna and gave her backside a playful slap with her clutch, voice  teasing, "Looking devilish as always Nugget. Skirt is just long enough to be cheeky and not get you arrested for public indecency".

She shifted her green eyes toward Abby, her smile softening a little from playful to genuine, "You look especially lovely. I didn't get to tell you at the Yule Ball but I adored your dress," and she had - Roh wasn't the sort to just offer up compliments to make conversation...that's what playful insults were for. Snagging a glass off the passing tray she tilted her head at Sasha's hesitation, "I hardly think anyone is counting, Gigi's half your sized and a third of the way to shalacked. I think you can handle one glass. Loosen up the bowtie, live a little. Far better you do it with the three of us, while only two have moderately terrible intentions than wait for Deus to show up and notice you're still sober. You'll thank Abby latter".

1.	A scarf of Crimson, and a necklace

Theo shot Abby an amused smile—the last bit of attention he’d give any of the group until he returned. Everything else was directed at the lithe figure sauntering away.

She always did have a way of capturing it.

He caught up with her swiftly. One arm snaking around that slim waist, Theo tugged her flush against him from behind. His head dipped low until lips brushed against the pale shell of an ear. “Dibs,” he purred, grinning a grin that bordered on just this side of savage, and he moved with her with ease. There was a lot to be said of encouragement.