(no subject)
Date: Wednesday, October 11, 2000
Time: About 6pm
Location: The Blackpool Tower Ballrooms, Blackpool
Characters Involved: OPEN TO ALL (Pansy's such an attention whore)
Rating: PG-13ish
Pansy stood at the centre of the stage and tinkled a cake fork elegantly against a champagne flute. The sound was magically magnified and the ballroom fell silent, her guests watching her expectantly. Her guests. Her first soiree. Pansy could see her mother standing towards the front, one eyebrow raised, waiting for her daughter to make a mistake here, in front of all these people. If Pansy hadn't been so sure of herself she might have been nervous, but she had written this speech out ten times and she had composed it so carefully.
Nothing would go wrong tonight.
"Ladies and gentleman," Pansy said, and her voice was likewise magnified by a milder form of the Sonorus charm so that everyone could hear her, "a few moments of your time." She knew she looked good, standing in the spotlights so that the satin gleamed. "A number of us will be forced to depart soon and before I leave, I would like to say a few words of thanks. To my father, for always supporting me. To my mother, for always showing me the best that I could be. And to all my guests for being here to help me celebrate my twenty-first birthday. I hope it will be the first of many similar functions in the future."
She paused to allow for a smattering of applause but before she could continue much further beyond spreading her arms, a new voice broke over her own and the Sonorus charm was broken.
The voice was deep and masculine and Pansy joined her guests in craning her neck in an attempt to see who was speaking. She certainly didn't recognise it, and whoever it was, they were ruining her Philanthropic moment, when she had been going to announce certain charitable endeavours she had made in honour of her birthday and unveil the table of gifts for her guests. One stiletto-d foot tapped against the wood of the stage floor. This was not on. Her guests weren't even looking at her now. She had a bad feeling about this.
"And now, ladies and gentleman," said the voice, "do let's join our voices for the Slytherin princess, the girl to whom we all owe so much. Happy Birthday, Pansy Parkinson."
As a baritone voice rang out across the room and people, glancing at each other, began to hesitantly sing "For She's a Jolly Good Fellow", there was a smll bang and slips of paper began to fall from the ceiling like over-sized confetti. Pansy looked to her parents; her mother was watching the proceedings with an amused eye as though this was all Pansy's fault. Her father caught her glance and shrugged. He, at least, had no more idea of what was going on than Pansy. She hadn't even ordered confetti!
Then, as the papers fell to the ground, Pansy saw that there was writing on the sheets and her stomach gave a wrench. She really hadn't planned this. Guests were stooping to pick up the leaflets and Pansy hesitantly grabbed one from the air as it fell. There were hundreds upon hundreds of them - more than enough for everyone here to take several home with them and Pansy felt sick as she scanned the lines.
My dear Reader,
I do hope you are enjoying the festivities. Miss Parkinson I know, enjoys only the best and buys only quality - the salmon, did it melt in your mouth? The champagne, did the bubbles fizz delightfully upon your palate? The chocolate, did it melt as soon as it lay upon your tongue?
I'm sure it did. The Parkinsons, after all, are one of our greatest families. Aren't you all lucky to be invited to one of their parties - did you feel a rush of adrenalin when you found you'd been invited? Did you buy something new to wear?
A rush of excitement isn't so dissimilar from a rush of fear. The Parkinsons are used to inciting both, they should know. I was surprised, when I saw the invitations, that Miss Parkinson hadn't chosen to throw a Masquerade Ball. Lying and cheating and building facades seems to be a talent that runs in the family.
Yes, ladies and gentleman, I hope you have been enjoying your wine and your fingerfood - I hope they turned to blood and to ash in your mouths. You have been consuming the wares of Death Eaters, of murderers, of traitors. They are rich and they are rotten and yet you fawn about them and you wish you were like them.
Isn't it great what money and good blood can do for you, even after all that we fought to destroy? Ministry officials, I know that you are amongst my audience. Investigate this family and you'll find a Parkinson finger in every pie and a Parkinson fly in every ointment. No other family has switched sides during a conflict to such lack of condemnation from all involved - from either side!
Adolphus Parkinson, businessman and entrepeneur - look for his secret accounts. The ones he doesn't declare to the Ministry.
Anna-Marie Parkinson, a society beauty since her early years - look at her acquaintances, at the ladies she lunches with. Examine more closely the origins of her early jewels.
Pansy Parkinson, a rising star and birthday girl - watch her. Remember where she comes from. Look at who she associated with during her formative years. Look at her criminal record. Look at her left forearm... no, more closely than that.
I give these warnings to the wizarding world. The Parkinsons are the rats on your Titanic. For now they are content to leech off your bounty - they'll be happy enough to jump ship when you look like going under.
Even now, the Death Eaters are still winning. Look around you. They are everywhere you are.
Pansy finished reading and looked up. She couldn't see Perry immediately - she wondered if he was still here, if he'd seen this poison. Then she caught her mother's eye.
Anna-Marie no longer looked amused.
Time: About 6pm
Location: The Blackpool Tower Ballrooms, Blackpool
Characters Involved: OPEN TO ALL (Pansy's such an attention whore)
Rating: PG-13ish
Pansy stood at the centre of the stage and tinkled a cake fork elegantly against a champagne flute. The sound was magically magnified and the ballroom fell silent, her guests watching her expectantly. Her guests. Her first soiree. Pansy could see her mother standing towards the front, one eyebrow raised, waiting for her daughter to make a mistake here, in front of all these people. If Pansy hadn't been so sure of herself she might have been nervous, but she had written this speech out ten times and she had composed it so carefully.
Nothing would go wrong tonight.
"Ladies and gentleman," Pansy said, and her voice was likewise magnified by a milder form of the Sonorus charm so that everyone could hear her, "a few moments of your time." She knew she looked good, standing in the spotlights so that the satin gleamed. "A number of us will be forced to depart soon and before I leave, I would like to say a few words of thanks. To my father, for always supporting me. To my mother, for always showing me the best that I could be. And to all my guests for being here to help me celebrate my twenty-first birthday. I hope it will be the first of many similar functions in the future."
She paused to allow for a smattering of applause but before she could continue much further beyond spreading her arms, a new voice broke over her own and the Sonorus charm was broken.
The voice was deep and masculine and Pansy joined her guests in craning her neck in an attempt to see who was speaking. She certainly didn't recognise it, and whoever it was, they were ruining her Philanthropic moment, when she had been going to announce certain charitable endeavours she had made in honour of her birthday and unveil the table of gifts for her guests. One stiletto-d foot tapped against the wood of the stage floor. This was not on. Her guests weren't even looking at her now. She had a bad feeling about this.
"And now, ladies and gentleman," said the voice, "do let's join our voices for the Slytherin princess, the girl to whom we all owe so much. Happy Birthday, Pansy Parkinson."
As a baritone voice rang out across the room and people, glancing at each other, began to hesitantly sing "For She's a Jolly Good Fellow", there was a smll bang and slips of paper began to fall from the ceiling like over-sized confetti. Pansy looked to her parents; her mother was watching the proceedings with an amused eye as though this was all Pansy's fault. Her father caught her glance and shrugged. He, at least, had no more idea of what was going on than Pansy. She hadn't even ordered confetti!
Then, as the papers fell to the ground, Pansy saw that there was writing on the sheets and her stomach gave a wrench. She really hadn't planned this. Guests were stooping to pick up the leaflets and Pansy hesitantly grabbed one from the air as it fell. There were hundreds upon hundreds of them - more than enough for everyone here to take several home with them and Pansy felt sick as she scanned the lines.
My dear Reader,
I do hope you are enjoying the festivities. Miss Parkinson I know, enjoys only the best and buys only quality - the salmon, did it melt in your mouth? The champagne, did the bubbles fizz delightfully upon your palate? The chocolate, did it melt as soon as it lay upon your tongue?
I'm sure it did. The Parkinsons, after all, are one of our greatest families. Aren't you all lucky to be invited to one of their parties - did you feel a rush of adrenalin when you found you'd been invited? Did you buy something new to wear?
A rush of excitement isn't so dissimilar from a rush of fear. The Parkinsons are used to inciting both, they should know. I was surprised, when I saw the invitations, that Miss Parkinson hadn't chosen to throw a Masquerade Ball. Lying and cheating and building facades seems to be a talent that runs in the family.
Yes, ladies and gentleman, I hope you have been enjoying your wine and your fingerfood - I hope they turned to blood and to ash in your mouths. You have been consuming the wares of Death Eaters, of murderers, of traitors. They are rich and they are rotten and yet you fawn about them and you wish you were like them.
Isn't it great what money and good blood can do for you, even after all that we fought to destroy? Ministry officials, I know that you are amongst my audience. Investigate this family and you'll find a Parkinson finger in every pie and a Parkinson fly in every ointment. No other family has switched sides during a conflict to such lack of condemnation from all involved - from either side!
Adolphus Parkinson, businessman and entrepeneur - look for his secret accounts. The ones he doesn't declare to the Ministry.
Anna-Marie Parkinson, a society beauty since her early years - look at her acquaintances, at the ladies she lunches with. Examine more closely the origins of her early jewels.
Pansy Parkinson, a rising star and birthday girl - watch her. Remember where she comes from. Look at who she associated with during her formative years. Look at her criminal record. Look at her left forearm... no, more closely than that.
I give these warnings to the wizarding world. The Parkinsons are the rats on your Titanic. For now they are content to leech off your bounty - they'll be happy enough to jump ship when you look like going under.
Even now, the Death Eaters are still winning. Look around you. They are everywhere you are.
Pansy finished reading and looked up. She couldn't see Perry immediately - she wondered if he was still here, if he'd seen this poison. Then she caught her mother's eye.
Anna-Marie no longer looked amused.