"That's Good. I'm Glad To Hear It." Being A Good Host Was Important, Even If Technically Her Parents

If there was one thing that was constant, it was her dislike of Alara. The two of them had never gotten along, despite their parents trying to force them together at every family event growing up. It only made Serra dislike her more. "Please, you wish your hands looked as well maintained as mine. Here I thought you'd be proud of your workers hands." She rolled her eyes. "I wouldn't want to be in charge. But they'd totally leave me to it if I wanted to be." Which was a lie.

One would think cousins were close, and she would have wished that, considering they were close in age, yet the opposite happened — driving them apart. Azure hues glance down at her perfectly manicured nails, keeping them tidy for work. "I'd hate to take it away from you. Your claws really need working on." A sweet smile on her features. "You sure about that?" It shouldn't come this naturally to insult family like this. "You are here, in the shop, and I can assume they would not leave you in charge." The place would surely burn to the ground if she was left alone to her own devices.

"She isn't?" It was said as more of a question rather than a fact, needing the reassurance of hearing him say it again, say that she was the only one that mattered. Words were important to her, especially when they came out of his mouth. She cared about what he thought about her, how he saw her, she always had. The anguish in his eyes as so obvious right now she was wavering in her disbelief for him. Was he actually being honest with her? Was it over? Had it been over? "My birthday. After my parents announcement. He thought I deserved to know." Serra still remembered how angry she had been, how upset. Now he was telling her all the right things, what she had longed to hear from him back then. They were different people now and yet, still the same. She'd never been indifferent towards him, if she had she could have thrown out his many gifts, but she had kept every single one. "Keep talking..."

"She's not special," he corrected lowly, no longer glancing in both directions before he spoke. At least it was the first honest thing he could mean completely. There was no obligations tying him to Charity and not much of a reputation that clung to her name which was probably what made her hold his attention in the first place. She was under the radar enough, but apparently not. Malcolm's head hung for a moment, then blinked back up at her. His problems only ached more as he knew that he was the reason for placing the mistrust in the first place. He had buried it under the many years they had spent apart, but now, it was heavily back in his face. He never liked dealing with his own consequences, but he never thought of Serra as a problem or a consequence. She was more defined by everything that he couldn't understand, couldn't have. "When did he even tell you this?" he asked, brow raised. " This was clearly something he would need to talk to Evan about later. "I have no intentions of making you look like a fool, my love. She's in the past already before we even had this conversation. I will handle it later, alright? But please know that you are the only person of my affection...truly. You know that."

"Thank you. London certainly has seen better days now that I have returned." While the Nott name was one familiar to her, she did not spend much time with the other witch so Serra concluded her to hold no significant importance to herself. "Clearly you were the wrong person to talk to. My apologies."

Pandora was grabbing a few items needed for the shop that when she heard a voice talking, she turned to make sure it was her being talked to. "Welcome back?" She knew of Serra Borgin, younger than her, but not by too much. The witch had also heard about what happened with Alara Selwyn, but chose to stay out of it. It was not her business. "I don't know how you want me to answer that."

She smiled, pleased when he agreed with her sentiment. Not that it surprised her, he was a smart man- that made a dumb mistake in choosing to get married to Alara, but luckily he got out of it unscathed. He could have suffered for years. "That is true, I look good in everything." Some colors and cuts suited her less than others, but that didn't mean she looked bad in anything she wore. Her eyes shined with excitement at the prospect of more presents, she was easy to please in that regard. "What kind of information? Gossip? About who?" She said having to look up when he put his arms around her waist. It was her birthday, she was allowed to indulge. "You patented it and everything? Must be worth something."

A chuckle went past his lips but found himself nodding amused at her words. "Yes, yes you are." He agreed, not one to shy away from complimenting pretty witches any chance he got, and finding her spirit quite appealing as he also believed himself to be that good. "There's no way you'd look bad in it." Evan settled with a sly grin, brazen eyes wandering down her body. "Ah multiple presents, that I can do. I've got two things you might enjoy, love." The wizard told her, his hands finding her waist loosely and having her look at him. "One is information, valuable one. The other is something I call the Rosier method, that one you really don't want to miss."

"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.

location: madame malkins status: for @xantoninxdolohovx

Meeting up with Antonin was something she'd been excited about all week. The prospect of shopping and buying something new always thrilled her and having someone there complimenting her was a bonus. They had also discussed her finding new things for him, so this day would surely be fun for her. "We'll start looking for me and then we'll look for outfits for you as well. Perhaps we can find something that matches the ones I will be choosing for myself. Is there any color you particularly like?"

"Because bothering you is so fun." It was one of her favorite past times. after all, ever since she had been a little girl. "Is your fiancé here tonight or did he make you come alone?"

Serra was the last person Alara wished to run into. Not in the mood to deal with her cousin, or the judgement that came from her, she lets out a sigh. "Why don't you find someone else to bother." The sooner the other took off she could go off to find Evan.

"I agree. My taste truly is impeccable, I am glad that someone recognises it. Although I'm not surprised that it's you." She gave her a rare genuine smile. Mira was very smart, perhaps the smartest of her three cousins. "Oh I would have, but my parents forbade me from kicking people out. Even if I feel that it does speak against everything I stand for to let this go.

Mira smiled and nodded. "Well once more it's clear you have impeccable taste." She informed her with a smile. She may not have much in common with Serra but she knew the girl always appreciated a compliment and knowing that others admired her choice in all things. She shook her head at the comment, a smile twitching on the corner of her lips. "Well not everyone can be stylish Serra. No doubt they're relieved to find the birthday girl isn't turning them away at the door because of their style choice." She wouldn't have put it past her after all.

"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?”

"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?”