"With The Colors You Just Said About Any Color I Wear Should Match. Adding Little Accents Of Whatever

"Yes." She grimaced, her tone petulant and angry and not nearly as blasé as she wanted to be. Normally no one got to her, she believed herself to sit pretty on her throne, a pedestal from where she looked down on others and now it seemed like her whole kingdom was crumbling. "I'm not as cheap and desperate and easy as you are." The insults kept flowing easily out of her lips but that didn't make her feel any better. Wandless magic was something she was quite good at when it came to beauty spells, needing to know she could do her hair in any situation. It wasn't even planned, her emotions getting the better of her as she turned Charity's hair into a hideously short bob with uneven bangs. A laugh left her lips as she started at the other, feeling like she won she made her way into the hallway. She needed to find Malcolm so he'd tell her this was all a bad joke.

She stared in bewilderment, surprised to see the toll her boyfriend's shenanigan had taken on her. It was hilarious to see the tormentor become the tormented one, all too annoyed to feel someone she saw as lesser get a small triumph. "Plenty, huh?" She repeated the witch's words, simply to spite her, a sly grin pulling at the corners of her lips. "The way he had fun with me, though, makes me think you two didn't have any." Charity stated, turning to washing her hands, pretending not to care for this conversation at all. She did, though, more so for the pure satistfaction of getting to pull one over someone as awful as Serra. "You don't have to, what do I care if you believe it or not?" She said with a shrug of her shoulders. "All I care is that I'm most certain I'll ride him again."

Serra jumped back as the ferret made contact with her shoes, shrieking. "Get that thing off of me." She wasn't good with animals, they had too much fur and it got everywhere. And she had a bad experience with a cat once. "I don't like anything with more than two legs. It's eyes are creepy too."

"She's not a thing, she's a ferret!" Clyde protested, not bothering to stop Bonnie from running over to sniff at Serra's shoes. There was absolutely nothing wrong with ferrets. Bonnie had all her shots and was the most well-behaved affectionate little thing. Why would Serra hate her? "What have you got against her, then?"

"Well again. I am better than you in every conceivable way, so I don't think that's true." Her smile saccharine as she spoke to her cousin. "Have fun." She was glad that this conversation was finally over. Serra didn't like Alara rattling her like this.

Alara gives a small shrug of her shoulders and takes a sip of her drink. "All I'm saying, if it can happen to me, it can happen to you." Azure hues catch sight of Evan. "Excuse me, I should make my way back to my fiancé." Plus she was done with the conversation. "Enjoy your evening." A faint smile before she turns walking away.

Serra sits down all poise and elegance, the diamond tennis bracelet Antonin had gotten her for her birthday teamed with necklace Malcolm had sent her for her birthday a couple of years ago. "It is truly a shame, but I do understand, Paris is lovely this time of year. You missed a lot, I came into the party single and ended it engaged. To Malcolm." Her parents had done it that way on purpose, she could not cause a scene in public after all.

"Well when you put it that way, I don't mind the company," Davina replied, gesturing to the open seat. She glanced at Serra from across the table. "I'm sorry I missed your birthday. I was in Paris," Davina lied. She hadn't attended because it was gauche to attend a party without a gift. "I hope that it was everything that you could have wanted. I would love to hear all the gossip, though, so sit and tell me everything."

"I do hope your wife is enjoying it as well." While she had messed with witches older than her before, but only those who she deemed inferior to her, someone of equal or higher standing she left alone. Serra was no fool and knew when she went against someone that had the potential to best her. "Oh actually I do love hosting events. Especially when they are in my honor." She thrived off of attention. "But I do plan on going to celebrate with my friends later. Away from the parents." She chuckled. "Paris was lovely. It is a gorgeous city."

"I'm very pleased to be here," he replied with equal good manners. Thirty minutes ago, that statement would have been a lie. But he had now settled into his night of absent relaxation, and was indeed enjoying doing nothing practical. It made a welcome change. "Your parents are family friends. Of course, we were happy to accept their invitation." Studying her for a beat, he smiled slyly. "However, between us, hostess circulating can become rather mind-numbing, can't it? I hope you have something more privately enjoyable planned, as well. How was your time in Paris?"

She crossed her arms when he rambled on, raising her eyebrows, her expression showing her impatience. She didn't know what he was trying to get at and she was sick of waiting. "We were what?" A frown came onto her face, clearly confused. What was he talking about? Surely she'd know if she had been engaged? "This is not the time to make jokes Malcolm." They were engaged. Past tense. They are engaged? Present tense. Merlin, her head was starting to hurt. "Options? What options? Are you going to 'fix things' without my knowledge or input again? I really don't understand what you're aiming for. Why send me all these gifts? To ease your guilt?"

"No, no, I mean—I've been trying to—" he began poorly, then stopped when she asked him to draw out the question. A question he had spent years practicing for, if this conversation ever happened. And no matter how many times he'd rehearsed it in his mind, nothing compared to this. There was no undoing what he'd said, the slip already out. Malcolm could try to obliviate her, but even the thought darkened his face. He dropped his gaze as if the ground held the answer. "Yes, we were engaged once," he said, his tone devoid of warmth. "But I was able to fix it." Malcolm knew he'd been a stupid kid then, not thinking clearly, overwhelmed by choices and deciding for them, for their future. At the time, it felt best, but he wondered if avoiding the circumstances then had cost them a better present. "This isn't how I wanted to tell you. Any of this…But please," he said, reaching for her hand. "We can look at options."

"Well I shall visit you here more often then." Serra decided. It is not as if she had a job that occupied her time so she knew she had plenty and keeping busy in a dress shop was much more fun than it was in her father's store. People kept asking her about certain items as if she cared or listened to her father explaining what it was when it was brought it. Her eyes lit up when she saw the fabric Leta had brought, glad that the blonde had understood her vision. "I like the sparkling one the best, but I do think it needs to be slightly darker, if it is too light it could wash me out as I am quite fair."

“Oh, hush. There is no need to announce yourself if you intend to come visit me here.” Besides that, Leta wouldn’t have demanded such a thing, especially not outside her own home. There, yes, perhaps there it would have been nice to receive a warning ahead of time. This way it had simply been a pleasant surprise, one that the blonde welcome.

With a flick of her wand the curtain between the front of the shop and the back they were now in vanished. The witch listened, nodding occasionally as she prepared some tea and moved through the rows of fabric before returning with a few different types of fabric, among them a shimmer blue, one charmed to hold constellations, one sparkling bright enough to be mistaken for stars. “What about these? If need be, I will simply create a fabric that matches what you need.” If Serra wished to walk among the stars in a dress, she would make it so. - @serraborgin

"I would not host a ball for you, I would host a ball for the pleasure of hosting one. I am an excellent hostess. My mother has trained me well." Her parents cared about a good education and making sure she would one day make a good pureblood wife, that she knew the importance of proper etiquette. Of course she preferred not do any work and simply sit back and relax, but she did enjoy party planning, dressing nice and telling people what to do. "I would look wonderful in a gown, you are correct with that assumption." She smiled, pleased at the compliment, blushing at the intensity of his stare as he went on. Guys her age were nothing like this, she didn't have much experience with older men. "It is a much more interesting topic. Truthfully, I do not care much for boys my age." She held his gaze, challenging him.

He dismissed the thought of mudbloods with a wave. “Interesting anomalies, but ultimately nothing more than something to be foisted off on squibs or the reason for them, but I don’t want to bore you with magical theories, and speculation. Are you offering to host a ball for me, Miss Borgin? If I didn’t know better I might think you are trying to snare me, not that I mind. I am sure you would look wonderful in a gown. I can see it, a splendid thing, for you paired with a simple domino mask, not that you would choose something simple, but your face hardly needs any hiding or accent, and it would be a crime to cover those lips.” He looked at her lips smiling a bit hungirly. “Yes, nothing that would impede you talking, drinking or kissing. When was the last time you had a good kiss? A much more interesting subject than dirty mudbloods don’t you think?”

"I do not like dancing with someone who does not how to do so. A man is expected to lead during the dance, but I will not be dancing with someone that has no rhythm or two left feet. It makes me look bad." Serra explained, figuring he would understand as he was a capable dancer himself. "Perhaps another time when I am wearing a shorter dress where I can move my legs more freely." The prospect of dancing with him again was exciting, she always enjoyed dancing with someone skilled. It was the only way it was fun.

"I love talking about myself. I'm amazing." Serra grinned. "I do not trust people who act demure and shy. If you do not recognise your qualities how do you expect someone else to do so? I think insecurity is quite embarrassing." She didn't realise how harsh her words sounded, her tone matter of fact. She'd never been insecure. "I am sure Leta will have no problem creating matching outfits for us."

At his question she paused, thinking for a moment. "I like transfiguration. And potions, depending on the ingredients. What about you?"

"Thank you. dancing with you proves my taste beyond a doubt already, but I’m glad you approve. I like to surround myself with capable people, yourself included. Knowing your background I almost want to try for a lift, but I’m not sure if your dress was made with that in mind and I don’t want to scandalize you when everything seems to be going so well.” He squeezed her hand trying to make up for it by keeping her as the center of attention, it wasn’t a hard thing she was bubbly, but in a fun way.  “I’m glad that you can keep a secret, and don’t mind talking about yourself.  False modesty and insecurity are unbecoming.  Yes it’s a date, we’ll have to arrange the shopping.  I’m curious what kind of dress you will help me pick out, perhaps I’ll let you pick out a matching outfit for me, could be fun.” It was easy to just float there discussing wardrobe and possible encounters listening, it felt easy, the nicer side of these kinds of things when everything fell into place. “What about magic, do you have any specialties, I’m sure a woman of your many talents must have a favorite?”

status: for @themalcolmparkinson

location: borgin manor, serra's birthday bash

Birthday party in full swing she went through the room, making rounds conversing with friends and acquaintances the like, politeness instilled into her when it came to hostess duties. It was something that came easily to her, she didn't mind being the center of attention. When her parents both came up onto the stage set up in the ballroom she hadn't thought anything of it at first, assuming they'd make some kind of big announcement about her birthday and compliment her, list her accomplishments perhaps.. That was how the speech had started but things quickly took a turn. 'We are extremely pleased to take this time to announce the engagement of our daughter Serra Borgin to the one and only Malcolm Parkinson!' Everyone's eyes turned towards her and while there was a polite smile seemingly frozen onto her face, she knew better than to openly show her shock and surprise. What the hell were her parents thinking?! Why hadn't they said anything to her. Wanting to go outside to get some air she quickly turned around, wanting to make her way outside, but stopping when she felt a hand on her forearm. Turning around in a swirl of pink she met Malcolm's eyes. He didn't look surprised. Why didn't he look surprised. She had explicitly disinvited him and yet, here he was. "Malcolm?" His name on her lips betrayed her surprise at his presence, but with all eyes on them she knew she had to be careful with her words.