Out by the lake, there is a large construction dedicated to the 10th birthday of Lady Ingress of the House of Arch. Ingress has had birthday parties on this site before - there was a
birthday princess ball her 7th year, a
playground party for her 6th.
This party is different from either of those. Tom, Door, and Ingress worked on the design for months.
There are three ways to get into the birthday party.
Guests can go through the
hedge maze. It's enchanted, of course, but the walls shift places at a docile rate. The path is wide and firm, so this is the easiest way to enter the party.
Guests might also try the
obstacle course of tubes to crawl through, walls to climb, ropes to swing over deep ball pits, curly slides to fling themselves down. The only enchantment on this entrance are anti-falling charms.
Or guests can bounce through the giant
bouncy castle!
Once they've passed through either of the three entrances,they will enter the
clearing for the birthday party proper. Picnic blankets are spread out over the grass, and there are plenty of chairs scattered about. Paper lanterns float above people's heads with purple and green streamers linking them together.
A long table overflows with plenty of cold water, birthday treats, and other refreshments. There is a cake with lots of icing roses, of course, and ice cream. Each guest may help him or herself to a
Wizarding cracker in a large basket at one end of the table, and
there is space beside it for gifts, should guests wish to bring one. Gifts are not expected, however.
Most importantly, there is Ingress, a little girl in the comfortable gray uniform of a Herald-in-training, who is not so little anymore.
Come and have fun!