"You Think I'd Let Some Common Owl Touch My Mail?" She Scoffed Shaking Her Head. "I'm Not Poor."

Serra's dress for her birthday party, featuring an unnecessarily long train

"I'm not sure." She sighed, shrugging her shoulders. It was complicated. She couldn't openly be rude, as it was a public setting. Serra had no idea just what her parents had in store for them. "Yeah and i want the presents, so i'll suck it up."

"Are you going to go through with it?" Willa asked, curious. Willa wasn't quite sure of how she would navigate that situation. Faced with an ex at your own birthday party, at the request of your parents? Even the thought made Willa sigh and lean back in her chair.

"I mean obviously, you want the birthday party..."

"I suppose it is?" Serra's eyebrows furrowed together for a second, confused as to why he was asking but dismissed it quickly. "Oh I heard what happened to hear. It is quite a shame that her betrothal fell through. It was so many years in the making after all. Oh you mean you want me to watch you duel? I can do that." Serra wasn't a good dueller herself, but she figured she didn't need to be. It's not like she was fighting in the war.

Her smile widened from his compliments. She enjoyed talking to him and dancing with him. "Thank you for the compliment. I am careful with the things I care about." Which mainly involved her appearance, but to her that was extremely important. Appearances mattered. "You should know I am better than all of them." Serra's tone matter of fact, a smirk playing on her lips.

"Not at all. I like talking to you. I don't think you are boring." They had liking to talk in common, especially when it came to her favorite subject: herself.

"Transfiguration is good as is potions. I swear by Valeria Flint, unfortunate circumstances surrounding the woman but wonderful for poisons and potions. I dabble in a bit of everything, anything that might give me an edge in dueling or seems fun, perhaps I could show you sometime? As far as transfiguration I think my greatest feat is summoning ropes, a nice trick especially if you can do so wordlessly, though it is important to get the gestures perfect and have a good bond with your wand." Antonin looked into Serra's eyes losing himself in them. "You surprise me though, those are both very precise magics. I pride myself at being able to read people, but you surprise me, I find that refreshing, you are not a boring woman or shallow, something to be treasured especially among most eligible ladies on offer." He looked pointedly at a few other guests around the dancefloor. "I hope you don't find me too much of a boor, I've been told I enjoy the sound of my own voice perhaps a bit too much, but I find you are easy to talk to."

"I got about seven new wedding appropriate formal dresses, I figured I wanted to be as well prepared for wedding season as I can. Then I got a couple more evening dresses for various occasions that lean less formal than weddings, five sundresses and three day dresses. Which should be enough, but I have a standby monthly appointment at Madame Malkins in case I need an emergency dress made."

He smiled squeezing her hand and linking arms nudging her shoulder like an old friend. "Of course I do, now tell me more about these dresses, are they all formal or are there some sundresses mixed in, do they all look as good as this one, and who is your designer and tailor, if you don't have anyone specific I can recommend a good one, not that you need it you would look good in a burlap sack, though I imagine it would be harder to dance in."

"It would have been rather embarrassing for you." Serra giggled, her superiority complex obvious. Annoyed that Alara didn't ask she provided the information herself. "I'm here with Antonin."

Alara rolled her eyes at her cousin and glanced around for Evan to come save her from this monster. "Do you think I would have attended if he wasn't with me?" She wouldn't have. This was the world they grew up in, didn't mean she had to be here. Emir and Mira would have been enough for the family appearance.

@themalcolmparkinson

status: open for everyone location: anywhere

"I assure you, I am not back in London by my own free will." Serra pouted, clearly annoyed that she couldn't have stayed in Paris. She'd liked it there, even going so far as attending that fashion design course recommended to her by Leta. Her parents had wanted her to return to England in January after the whole embarrassment that was Alara running away and being blown off the family tree. The compromise that had been reached meant that as soon as her course was completed she'd return. They were adamant about being back before her birthday, while she had no idea why that was so important. "It is all Alara's fault. Obviously. Couldn't help but turn out a traitor."

I dont ever have to make sense cause im cute

"Wonderfully. With lots of champagne." She sighed wistfully, already missing the beautiful city she got to call home for a few short months. It had more charm and elegance than London did. It felt more refined.

"I ran into him on the street as I was going to visit my father at the shop. He said something about me looking much better here than I would in Paris, so I said I would look good everywhere. Because that is a fact." The last bit was said as an afterthought. "He's been begging for forgiveness for years. With all the jewellery and dresses he's been buying me. I have yet to see him on his knees though."

"How did Paris treat you? Too many hours spent at the Avenue des Champs-Elysées" Willa asked intrigued, quietly thanking the waitress as two teapots were sat in front of the pair. Serra understood Willa's love for the finer things in life, and while most would expect their attitudes to clash, in fact it made quite the harmonious balance.

Pouring tea for herself and Serra, Willa's eyebrow quirked in response the the mention of Malcolm Parkinson. Back at Hogwarts, Willa recalled first talking to Serra after the commotion between Serra and Malcolm, and of course, Charity Burbage. She was slightly older, but that didn't stop word from spreading. "What happened?" Setting the teapot back down, she looked back at her friend. "I sure hope that he begged for forgiveness."

"Not when the other option would be listening to you talk." Serra smiled, overly sweet. Onlookers would think they were having a grand old time, catching up with family. Meanwhile Alara was her least liked family member. "So what?"

"Do you ever shut up?" It was amazing how much Serra frustrated her and she didn't understand where this competition was coming from. That is what it felt like. She wanted her cousin to be happy, but constantly dragging her down made it hard to even convey any of it. "I don't think I remember asking who you came with." She stated, feeling bad for the wizard in question.