The Hour of the Wolf [GILDEROY]

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Poppy loved any excuse to leave the school grounds for a party, but she had to admit that she had some reservations about attending the Rosier/Fudge Engagement party. It was at Hogsmeade, the place where her brother had died just a few months before. Poppy had declined the previous Hogsmeade trips this semester, but at the same time found the castle to be quite suffocating. So she dressed in a new purple dress and let her natural auburn colored hair shine down her shoulders, and made her way to the party. Both Priscilla and Riley were purebloods, but many of those associated with the family were in Slytherin, including Riley’s little sister Lydia, who Poppy liked. She figured the families would be busy with themselves however, so she would have to make do with whoever else attended the party.

As she made the trek to Hogsmeade, Poppy wondered what it would be like if her parents had arranged her own marriage. She knew their marriage hadn’t exactly been arranged, but their parents had certainly pushed the pair together often enough during summer holidays from her mothers’ recollections. They had five children from their happy marriage, well, she supposed four now. She briefly wondered if Aisling or her brother would come to this, but quickly realized that was nearly impossible. Aisling wouldn’t be caught dead at something like this, and her brother was content in staying in the Hogwarts library from open to close. Poppy entered Puddifoot’s and immediately appreciated the effort they had gone to in order to decorate the place. She slid past the door and off to one side. It was different than the Masquerade to be sure; she recognized most of the faces in the room. Still, a shyness overtook her and she stood in a corner, waiting for someone to notice and approach the lone girl.

OPEN!

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Gilderoy never really could figure out what was going on between Riley, Kinsey and Priscilla. One day Riley was going out with Kinsey and then next thing he knew Riley seemed to be engaged with Priscilla. It was interesting to say the least but as it didn’t really involve him it wasn’t as interesting to him as what was going on in Gilderoy’s own life. Still he was friends with Kinsey and had at least talked to Riley a few times. He had half expected this to all blow up and Riley and Kinsey to get back together yet along came the day of Riley and Priscilla’s engagement party. That was a sign that all this wasn’t some weird game that he just couldn’t understand and they really had been arranged by their families. Yet for all that oddness of the event he wasn’t about to miss a party. Gilderoy hadn’t been to Hogsmeade much since the dragon attack. He had gone the first break they got and saw some of the damage yet hadn’t come the passed few times, he had N.E.W.Ts to worry about.

As much as Gilderoy enjoyed being just a little late he was in Hogsmeade a bit too early. Part of him wanted to see how much of the place was still damaged which to his mild surprise it was pretty much back to normal. Some things looked newer as they had to be replaced obviously but besides that it was the same old Hogsmeade. Gilderoy did feel a little silly walking around Hogsmeade in formal attire, he was getting a few looks but then again he couldn’t blame people for taking a second look. Proceeding to Madam Puddifoot’s he opened the door and found it wasn’t as bad as normal. The engagement decorations were better than the amounts of pink and hearts that normally filled the place. Gilderoy had nothing against pink or hearts, it could be romantic to take someone here at times but it was just a little.. much for Gilderoy.

Surveying the room he had thought about going to see the hosts of the party, offer a congratulations but just from where he was he could see they were already swarmed. No surprise as this party was about them after all. Gilderoy decided not to get involved in that just yet. Instead he found a rather striking face with red locks standing by herself in a corner. He had seen the girl a few times but never really introduced himself. Looking at her now he realized how much of a shame that had been and decided to correct that. Walking up he just stood near by and smiled. “Trying to stay out of the way? I get it. Don’t want to steal the fiancée’s spotlight, which you easily could.” Gilderoy said finally speaking up offering a compliment. “Very classy. I’m gilderoy by the way.”

@poppy

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Poppy wasn’t surprised with Gilderoy Lockhart (Jr) made his entrance to the engagement party, but she WAS surprised when he came up to talk to her. “I know who you are,” she blurted out before realizing what she was saying, and blushed. “I mean, I’ve seen you around the castle a lot, and you’re Head Boy. I was just promoted to Prefect this year after Addilyn made Head Girl,” she explained. Realizing she was babbling, she stuck out her hand. “Poppy, Poppy Hargrave,” she introduced herself.

Surveying the crowd, she was surprised she didn’t see Riley Fudge anywhere. Priscilla Rosier was here, surely her fiance wasn’t far behind. “I don’t see Riley as one to be late to his own party. Do you think he’s waiting for a grand entrance or something? My dad told me in some religions, the groom comes in on an elephant,” she whispered, smiling a little at the idea. It would be marvelous to see a handsome groom come in on an elephant; even if it wasn’t her religion, she rather liked the idea of having a grand sort of entrance. “What about you, what would be your ideal entrance to your own wedding...or party of sorts,” she asked him curiously.

@lockhart

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Gilderoy smirked slightly as the girl explained that she knew who he was quickly as her face went red for a moment. Quickly she explained how she knew him, going to on to say she was a prefect now with the old one moving on to head girl. “Well, thankfully that saves me from any further introductions and explaining who I am. Still it doesn’t seem that fair, you’ve seen me around the castle a lot yet I haven’t been lucky enough to see you as much.” Gilderoy said with a smile as he tried to ease the awkwardness the girl might have been feeling. He was Gilderoy after all so it was fair for someone to be nervous meeting him but he’d rather they didn’t. The girl offered her hand and her name, Poppy. Normally Gilderoy was fine with just shaking hands but as this was a more formal occasion he took the opportunity to be more classy. Taking her hand and leaning down he kissed the back of it before standing back up. “Since we’re at a somewhat fancy gathering I might as well go all out.” Gilderoy explained with a small smirk, “also the name is very fitting, just as lovely as the flower.”

In hushed tones Poppy asked about Riley being late for his own engagement party and if he might even be making some grand entrance. Going on to talk about how some religions have the groom entering on an elephant. Gilderoy held back a small chuckle at the idea of Riley trying to enter the building on an elephant. “I doubt it’s going to be anything as grand as that, possibly just letting the fiancée get her time to shine. At worst a small case of cold feet as he works up some courage.” Gilderoy whispered back to Poppy it wasn’t a conversation one wanted to have out in the open during an engagement party. Even if the whole Riley and Priscilla arranged marriage seemed weird to him. “Me?” Gilderoy asked back for a moment as she question him on his idea for a wedding entrance or at least to the party would be. He oddly had thought of it a number of times. “I’m a fan of the the traditional waiting at the alter for the bride to walk down.” Gilderoy explained as that’s just how he pictured his wedding going. The crowd could look forward toward him as they waiting for the bride to walk down the aisle. “As for a party entrance I’m not entirely sure but I would like it to be a big one I imagine, one with the bride and me. Why do you ask? Are you already trying to plan things?” Gilderoy finished talking about the idea of entrances as he teased Poppy for a second just making a joke.

@poppy

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Poppy giggled as Gilderoy openly flirted with her; she knew he did that with everyone though, she wasn’t special. Still, he did know how to make her feel nice. “Thank you, my mother told me I was born blonde, but then my hair changed to a vibrant red hours later. I’m a Metamorphmagi, but the color inspired the name so to speak,” she told him. As a demonstration, Poppy concentrated, and saw out of the corner of her eye that her red locks turned to platinum blonde. Concentrating again, they returned back to her preferred red color. “I mainly use it to change hair styles, which seems a bit superficial. My sister uses hers in...other ways,” she explained, scrunching up her nose a bit. Aisling was like night to Poppy’s day; they were complete opposites, but of course both had been born Metamorphmagi. Aisling liked to change her face with her ability; Poppy actually thought Aislings’ normal face had grown quite pretty, but she hadn’t had the opportunity to tell her that. Well, that and she hadn’t exactly wanted to; didn’t need her sisters ego to inflate after all.

“Probably letting Priscilla soak up some attention, you’re likely right,” Poppy agreed, before blushing furiously at his comment. “What? No just...all girls think about that sort of thing,” she stammered. Fortunately, their attention was called as Riley entered the room. “He looks flustered, I wonder if he lost something?” she whispered to Gilderoy.

@lockhart

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Poppy explained that she had actually been born with blonde hair but that it changed to red he was seeing now hours after her birth. He was about to ask about that till she explained she was actually a Metamorphmagi, which saved Gilderoy a number of questions. He didn’t have much time to say anything else as Poppy demonstrated the fact by changing her hair to platinum blonde then back to the red it had been. Poppy went on to explain she mostly used it to change her hair style while her sister changed in other ways. He knew the ability ran in blood lines but two sisters both with the ability was pretty impressive. “Well from what I see there isn’t much else to change, you look amazing already. I do have to admit both hair colors look amazing on you too but I am partial to the striking red. Even as a baby you had wonderful taste” Gilderoy explained as it was very much the case in his mind. Poppy was a very beautiful girl, abilities and all. He did take a moment to wonder just what her sister was doing with her abilities also.

“It would be the courteous thing to do, this day is as much hers as it is his.” Gilderoy replied and quickly laughed as Poppy blushed for a moment before defending why she asked him about his wedding plans. He had only been teasing her but he did love the reaction and the cute blushing she had going on. “I’m just messing with you, I understand what you mean. It’s not just girls too as I’ve obviously thought about how I’d like a few things when the time comes.” As he finished explained he heard some people speak up, looking over it would seem Riley had finally joined the party. Yet he didn’t look like someone who was here to celebrate his future wedding. Poppy whispered that Riley had looked flustered on his way to meet Priscilla he presumed but instead Riley had walked toward an older couple, possibly his parents. “Hopefully it wasn’t the ring he lost but I get the feeling it’s worse than that.”

@poppy

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Poppy nodded in agreement; she could definitely see herself get carried away with the idea of a wedding being only about the bride, but luckily she had a younger sister who she KNEW would set her straight if she got too much like a bridezilla. “You have?” she asked, sounding surprised even though she really wasn’t. “Like what?” she asked, curious what the famed son of Gilderoy Lockhart would have planned for his big day.

Before he could respond however, Riley Fudge was calling for their attention. Poppys’ eyes grew wider and wider as he explained that he would not in fact be marrying Priscilla at all, and how he was basically disowning himself from his own family. Poppy could not believe it; Priscilla and she had never exactly been the best of mates, but she had no qualms with the girl, and had known many Pureblood families tended to arrange marriages to keep their bloodlines pure. She had also known that Kinsey Bainbridge, a sweet but (in her opinion) shy girl also in Ravenclaw had spent a lot of time with him last year; she wondered if that had anything to do with this. “Well,” Poppy said after Riley made his exit and the families began arguing with each other. “I certainly wasn’t expecting the party to go quite like this.”

@lockhart

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Gilderoy smirked slightly as Poppy asked him what he had thought of for his own wedding. “Personally I don’t need some big entrance for the ceremony. I actually like that the groom just walks down with someone and then stands there and waits. I’d get the best view of watching the bride walk down the aisle.” Gilderoy explained, “I don’t really have much planned just how I imagine it might go. I’m open to suggestions from the bride. Have any?” He added teasingly with a laugh just so she knew he was only playing around. “What about you, what do you imagine for your big day, or are you set on elephants bringing the groom in?”

Gilderoy had expected a few things as he watched Riley march determinedly toward what he could only assume was his family. An argument, something was wrong with the engagement reception or something silly along those lines. As Riley called for everyone and declared he wouldn’t be marrying Priscilla or anyone his family had picked out. Also he disowned himself than rather still be apart of his family. Riley quickly left and with that his family and Gilderoy assumed Priscilla's began fighting. The beauty beside him explained that she hadn’t expected the party to go like this. “Me neither... yet I believe that would count as one grand entrance and exit.” He thought out loud, only imagining that Kinsey would be glad to hear this news. Priscilla on the other hand, Gilderoy wasn’t sure how she would take all this.

@poppy

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Poppy smiled a little at Gilderoy’s description. “Isn’t it custom though in Anglican ceremonies for the groom to be facing forward instead of watching the bride walk down the aisle?” she asked him teasingly. She had of course watched the royal wedding when she was much younger with her mum, and she remembered the prince sneaking a quick look at his bride, even though he was supposed to be facing the bishop the entire time. Poppy had found that to be incredibly romantic; he was just so excited to see her, and who wouldn’t be! She remembered how gorgeous the duchess to be’s dress was; the perfect mix of modern, classic and elegant. She highly doubted that Gilderoy would know what she was talking about however, so she kept her musings to herself.

It ended up being for the best, as the next few moments of the party were very interesting, to say the least. Poppy knew that out of everyone, Kinsey would be the happiest to hear what went down today, and she was sure someone was making a beeline for her back at the castle. Poppy didn’t think she had been invited for obvious reasons, and she doubted that Kinsey would have come even if she was - she wasn’t a masochist anyway. “Well, I’d go see how Priscilla is if I wasn’t afraid she might bite the head off the next person who comes near her,” she said with a soft chuckle. “Should we make our way out of here to avoid the blowout or do we want to watch this trainwreck?” she asked him.

@lockhart

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There was a small smirk on Gilderoy’s face as Poppy questioned him about tradition and how he wouldn’t be able to look toward his bride to be. “Tradition is all well and good and maybe when the day comes I’ll be more incline to follow them. I just imagine that I’d already have gone most of the day without seeing my bride to be as it’s bad luck to see the bride before the wedding. I don’t think I’d want to want any longer.” At least he assumed he wouldn’t want to wait the extra minute or two as the bride to be walked down the aisle. This was far enough away that he couldn’t be sure honestly what would happen. “Of all my strong suits; patience as never been the strongest one when he comes to things I’m excited for.” Gilderoy added with a small laugh as he mused about it for a second, looking around the room to see what the hold up with the reception was once more. “Whatever happens, we have plenty of time till we have work out all those details.” Looking back toward the redhead with a small smirk and a wink.

“Yes, for the safety of that pretty head and just your well-being in general, I’d avoid Priscilla for a bit.” Gilderoy replied for a moment not really looking toward Poppy but toward the two families fighting between each other. Gilderoy has his doubts about arranged marriages from the moment he heard of Riley and Priscilla’s engagement and it would seem he was right. Not hard to be surprised there. Gilderoy did finally look over to Poppy as she asked what they should do, stay or go. “I’m interested to see just how bad this might get and if I was in any lesser company I might suggest staying. Yet, if you’re allowing me the chance to steal a few minutes of your time in Hogsmeade I’m going to have to take you up on that offer.”

@poppy