Order of Merlin Ceremony - Dinner

[fi_admin]

Date: 26 May 2000
Time: 6:00pm - 7:00pm
Location The Pegasus Hotel, Crystal Ballroom - Diagon Alley

Comments

[nowillbutthis]

Daphne slipped into a chair, her eyes spanning the room as she listened to the hushed voices of people whispering in anticipation of the ceremony. She caught a flash of old schoolmates across the room and considered joining them for a moment, then decided she would prefer to sit and wait to see what happened.

She noticed Snape sitting at a table adjourning her own. Her eyebrow arched. At least the conversations nearby would be interesting. She wondered, not for the first time, how her former Head of House had come to take up with werewolves. It still amazed her how much things had changed after the war. Turning back to her plate, she began to eat quietly, hoping that he had not noticed her quiet stare.

[nowillbutthis]

Daphne looked up as the woman seated herself. Another face from Hogwarts, dimmed by all that had happened between the present and the past. She smiled quietly, trying to look welcoming although she knew it didn't come naturally to her.

"Hi," she added, eyes searching the rest of the hall to see who else was coming. "Enjoying the night so far?"

[subtle_simmer]

Severus had not survived being Death Eater or spy for over twenty years by not being observant, and had not missed the silent observation of the young woman a few places away from himself. When the wandering elves had taken their meal orders and quickly provided the fare, he watched as the newcomer joined Miss Greengrass, then nodded at both of them.

Severus made a point of knowing all his students by name, carefully memorising names and faces at the Sorting each year. It made it so much easier to reprimand them intimidatingly if he could drip their names with scathing disdain.

Another favourite past-time which was not in that blasted book Molly Weasley had leant him.

Well, one thing which was in the book was to look for opportunities to have conversation or extend politeness or some other such rubbish. This, at least, seemed an ideal opportunity

[freakedwithjet]

Pansy was always fashionably late; she liked to cause a stir with her entrance. Unfortunately tonight she seemed to have misjudged her timing and people were just beginning to move from one room to another as she glided through the door in deep turquoise dress robes with peacock feather trim. More than slightly showy perhaps, but at least they weren't floral.

She followed the trickle of people through to the other room and looked around the tables. Snape was sat at one - not a chance in hell, Pansy thought - and at the other... Jesus, was that Daphne Greengrass?

This was too great an opportunity to pass up and Pansy moved over to Daphne's table. She had a vague idea that the other girl had been at Hogwarts, but no more than that. Sliding into a seat and smoothing her skirt, she raised a eyebrow at Daphne and, "Daphne, where on earth have you been hiding?"

Holding her hand out to the other girl, she simply said, "Pansy Parkinson."

Best wait and see who this other girl was, before bothering with pleasantries.

[nowillbutthis]

Daphne's gaze rested on Pansy for a moment. This was not a position she longed to be, between former housemate and professor. She dropped the stare. She'd never been able to challenge Pansy in school- the other girl simply frightened her in ways that she couldn't explain. Even now, she felt the familiar wave of insecurity rising in her stomach and she forced it down by smiling at Lisa.

"Nice to meet you," she returned the girl's handshake lightly, trying to smile through the shadow on her face. Looking back to Snape, then Pansy before she spoke again, Daphne responded to Lisa, "I was training to be an Auror but with recent events, I'm afraid I've been transferred." She didn't want to lay the gory details out before the rest of Slytherin House- it was bad enough being trapped amongst them.

[prophecyofpadma]

Padma approached the table rather hesitantly. She and Lisa hadn't really been that close. She hadn't been close with many people. But it was just good manners to greet someone during events such as these...unless you were interrupting on a conversation.

Padma hovered near the table, glancing up at Theo a bit to see if he thought it was appropriate to intrude. But, as usual, the expression on his face was impassive and highly unreadable. Oh, well. If they didn't want them there, the occupants of the table would most likely make it clear by pointedly, but politely ignoring them as per traditional manners.

"Lisa?" Padma voiced rather hesitantly.

[nott_naught]

"Hallo Pansy. Daphne, you're looking rather well. Enjoying the dinner, sir?"

There. That should just about cover it. Except for the Ravenclaw. Lisa something or another. She looked familiar, but Theo hadn't really bothered to remember the name of every student in Hogwarts.

Padma sounded hesitant. Was she wary of their reception? Merlin, it wasn't because she was with him, was it? Her hand was still on his arm, and Theo felt the comforting warmth, a physical bond that she was still there.

"May we join you?"

[freakedwithjet]

Pansy held Daphne's gaze until the other girl dropped hers and then felt triumphant. At least with some people the old Slytherin ways died hard. It was nice to know that not everything changed.

She raised her eyebrows at the other Slytherin girl. "An Auror, eh? You should have come along for my arrest - I'm sure that would have amused you." There was a coldness in her voice because Pansy thought it probably would have - the queen of Slytherin brought so low.

Pansy was beginning to regret sitting at this table but then Theo arrived with one of the Patil girls on his arm and things began to look up. She smiled at him and said, "As far as I'm concerned, sit right down and introduce me to whichever of the twins you've got with you." She turned slightly in her chair to look at the other girl. "I hope you aren't going to be afraid to talk to me - it's so irritating when that happens."

[prophecyofpadma]

Padma had only really been paying half attention to Theo's greetings, enough to pick up on the names. Daphne's, at least. Pansy she had remembered. She doubted anyone who had had any experience with the girl, even secondhand, would be likely to forget about her.

Still, the address that she assumed had been meant for her had been a bit of a surprise. All right. Maybe she had sounded hesitant on her initial address towards Lisa, but Padma hadn't been sure she hadn't been interrupting anything. "Afraid?" Padma repeated with an incredulous expression. "Why would I be afraid speak with you? And as for my identity... I'm supposing it would be far too trite to suggest that you guess."

[subtle_simmer]

"Hello, Theo. Good evening Miss Patil. The food is as food always is at these sorts of events - designed far more to impress one with expense and fuss than palatablity," Severus replied with a smirk. "Still, it is edible, and at the Ministry's largess, so I intend to make the most of it."

Though, of course, he had tested everything for poison or other tampering upon being served, first.

Waving a hand at the vacant seats still surrounding the table, he nodded, and even stood to wait for the females of the new arrivals to be seated.

"Of course you may join us. We will be quite the cheeriest table in the place, don't you think?" he asked dryly. "You have settled in to your new lodgings without difficulty, I trust?"

[subtle_simmer]

"Miss Parkinson," Severus said, glancing over her with sharp observation, since last he had seen her, she was just recovering from illness. "I am pleased to see you looking so well-recovered."

He did not ignore the fact that she 'sided' closer to Miss Greengrass than with him and the werewolves, but he was satisfied she'd approached the table at all.