On a platform raised on othe outskirts of Hogsmeade, where the cobblestone faded into the grass by the sides of a stone stage, the Wild Beings had started preforming some time after the barrage of bagpipes had calmed, and just finished the live premiere of four new songs from their new album[1] Salem's song was preformed last, but the band stayed on stage and continued playing: wizards, witches, bobcats, bears, eagles, and a few oversized salamanders. The bears gave low growls, the cats gave various purrs and hisses, the eagles batted their wings against the wind, the salamanders were giving reptilian hums, and the humans of the band were singing in varying tones from animal noises to human hums as they looped the tunes of the song until they were all magicked into their own purple outfits and the animals had their own star-spangled furs and feathers.

Amidst the cheers and calm rush of the music Shela Byrne, the leader of the band, gave her own closing to the music, first in English, then to French, then to Norwegian, and then to Swedish. After Shela finished, Naila picked up her microphone as she strode around in her dress and raised a long and dramatic arm as she waved the crowd. "So I saw a few you dancing out there in the crowd, si?" she said with her own excited Italian accent as the crowd answered with cheers. "Va bene[2]!" her voice gave her own chipper growl as she nodded and added, "Perhaps it's time you all had some room to show-off, and show a little school pride too?" Naila's hair fell over her face as a devilish smile tugged on her lips; the crowd only gave a beat of silence before breaking out in more cheers.

"Perfect." The witch winked at the crowd as she raised her hands to the side again, "So if you don't want to dance you better stray to the sidelines!"

As if she were withholding a secret, Naila's slim finger raised to her peach lips, "So, here are the rules..."

1.	We Build Our Own Castles (Hogwarts,) Faisons Jaillir des Etincelles (Beauxbatons,) Forhekse den Immaterielle Varige (Durmstrang,) and Motley-Magicked Fanatics (Salem) from their new album..
2.	oh good!

Naomi had turned fourteen on the first day of August while in Jamaica to the sound of drums. Then she was sleeping at in her bedroom in Ireland, but it wasn't long before someone dragged her off to Hogsmeade and her world was filled with music and excitement again.

So first it was day of drums.

Then it was a day of bagpipes. Bagpipes. She was glad when it was finished.

For Naomi, Wild Beings was a break from the windbag instruments. The band may have been loud, but there was something more pleasant about their music; it was like listening to nature breaking out into a melody, or the distant rattles of cicadas rom a forest, or autumn leaves scraping against the ground as if they were magicked to make music like the beginning of a song in some muggle cartoon. The band just seemed to make life larger and louder. The only part that bothered her was the screaming crowd of people, luckily she was sleepy enough to ignore them.

• "We will have a dance-off for each of the four songs. But the competitors will be picked with a little magic!"

With eyes peacefully closed, arms crossed, and a foot lazily tapping to the music, Naomi was enjoying whatever half of dreamland she was sleeping in. The witch was sitting on, and propping herself up against, some wooden boxes placed around the crowd and that were used for a few birds earlier. Her white cropped hoodie poked out beneath her green and blue patterned dress, unevenly wrapped around her body and split down the side of her thigh, which were wearing white shorts that matched her hood and bobbed with the rest of her leg as her boot beat against the ground as while she dreamily listened to the crooning voice of Naila Ferrari.

• "The stones are charmed, so watch where you step!"

As soon as the half-veela finished her sentence Naomi's green eye peeked open and looked down at the ground. A pink and purple puff of smoke clouded her vision as Naila's voice turned through a few other languages before speaking again.

• "Once you step on a stone and turn colors, pick someone from another school to dance with."

With a dark purple hand, Naomi pulled a curly strand of bright pink hair far out in front of her narrow virid gaze. concentrating on trying to change the hair back to black. It wasn't working. She let go of her hair as it recoiled and Naomi slowly pulled herself up to stand, so she could observe her now purple and pink clothes and shoes.

• "We'll be watching everyone dance and putting everyone up on the banners for everyone else to see, so the crowd can pick the winners. The school with the most winners gets a prize. Ready?"

Naomi pulled at a few more curls as they fell back around her waist, and stared at the floating banners circling the audience. It was like waking up from one dreamy daze and into another one. With Music.

A tall boy then rushed in front of her and triggered a puff his own colorful smoke and a snicker of a giggle came out of her throat as she stopped playing with her hair and looked at the guy. Her eyebrows arched and a challenging smile played on her lips as she yelled at him in her twisting lilt, "Hey, t'ink you can dance?"

By the time he had made his way out of the crowd, Tracy had already lost her.

Amidst the rest of the dancers the boy stood there, feeling more than a little upset. Normally he paid more addition than that, didn’t he? A little music—no matter how new, or exciting, or just plain awesome it was—was no excuse not to notice the girl’s now-apparent delicate. . . ness. Ugh, man, now he wasn’t even thinking right-

But there was little he could do about it now. Those few moments spent berating himself, as it turned out, decided for him. A sudden burst of smoke later he was slapstick orange, and once again the music caught up with him as it always had—strongly. Slowly, almost reluctantly, Tracy gave the new face a smile that grew wider and wider with every beat. “What, think you can?” he tossed back, noting the girl’s purpleness with a broad grin.

Orange and purple. Jesus-goddamn-Christ wouldn’t they be a sight for sore eyes. If she could keep up. . .

Well, he really hoped she could, because that look in her eyes had Salem’s current Swing King giving the little lady a bow—tipping his invisible hat that did his roots proud—and matching her challenge with a grin of his own.

Back under the parasol with a chilled water, Ligeia recuperated from her romp with Étienne Miroux. Good to know she could still hold her own in the dancing. There was probably going to be much dancing in the upcoming year, such as the Yule Ball at Christmas. And any respectable lady had her ballroom gown in the preparatory stages already. Dear sister Polka-Dot promised to help with the train but the rest of the design put her off.

Ligeia detached a fan from the shaft of her parasol and began swaying a cool breeze across her face. That was when the band, playing an interlude after the earlier scottish dancing, announced a new challenge. "Galloping ghouls, nice to see the old entertainments popular again."

Ligeia found herself by one of those color changing stones, her whitest skin taking a leaf green hue. "So," she marveled at the enchantment, removing a black glove from her hand, "this is how the other half lives."

As her implements were latched up to their slots in her parasol, Ligeia eyed for her dance partner, or if anyone received bleached white skin like hers. Dear Étienne, perhaps, or someone new? If the latter she just may have him tossing his cupcakes yet!

The bright orange color the boy turned brought out a genuine laugh in the purple girl. Of course then he threw her own jest right back at her--as if he knew anything. 

The neon orange boy's manners did nothing to impress the purple and pink Naomi; she continued to smile and took his hat-tipping hand and pulled him up "Hah!" took his hat-tipping hand in her own and pulled him back up in front of her. Many other individuals of the crowd had also started to change colors, like everyone suddenly had become brightly colored chameleons for a big party.

"You bein' some entertainment so far, best keep eet up," she said happily taking his hand, "Or I'll have to lead." Her voice oozed with confidence and honesty. She didn't even bother thinking about how on earth she was suppose to lead someone who looked nearly twice her weight, but she figured anything could be done if you put your mind to it.