[img align=left]https://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b174/theatticbox/sutherland.png[/img]Beathan Sutherland, once he had finished Scotland the Brave had gone on to play a few popular muggle and wizarding songs on his bagpipes, including a rendition of the muggle song Royals by Lorde.

When the bagpipe player stopped to take a break, he took a sip of water and tapped on the microphone to get everyone's attention. However, instead of announcing he would be taking a break, he found himself to be speaking nonsense sounds.

"ANG X'DD LR ESPXAT S GRR LQRSP--GSXE, GHSE XZ HSJJRAXAT? ZNORNAR KSDD EHR HRSWOXZEQRZZ!"

Puzzled, Beathan walks off the stage, leaving the students to wonder what he had said. It seemed Peeves may be up to his dirty tricks again.

(OOC note: For this challenge, decode the cryptogram and sMail with the answer. Don't worry about helping him, our new matron will set him straight! Everyone who submits the correct answer will receive 10 House Points toward their House! No hints this time! Non-members can play as well, though they will not be awarded any points.)

He thanked Beth for the promised picture and then lead Sam to the dance floor. "I won't let you fall," he promised, "and I've enchanted me shoes so you can step on them with no fear in 'urtin' me." They started dancing and she had indeed improved dramatically. "You're doing so well!" he beamed proudly.

Magnus twirled Sam and brought her back to him without incident. He spotted Gaia and Adrien on the dance floor and greeted them, "Looking good you two." Paddy was still over by the drinks but he hoped she'd dance. Maybe he'd insist on a dance and he also owed Beth one too.

[img align=left]https://i.imgur.com/2KrP3xq.png[/img] Gaia giggled "You two look great together!" ( ) Gaia was taken by surprise at that moment when Adrien () twirled her around him.

Adrien smirked as he could see the surprise flit across Gaia's face as he spun her around. He ended the twirl in a dip, her hair almost touching the ground, "What?" He asked, plastering an innocent look on his face as he pulled her back up to him. He smiled and began the dance again, his feet moving in time with the music. He'd heard Magnus from across the floor when he spun his date, so he looked over to them, "Likewise, my friend, you two make a great pair!"

Megan looked over at & her dance partner () and smiled back. "I'll save you a dance!" she promised, laughing easily at the sheer delight of seeing her friend having a wonderful time.

Aderyn smiled and accepted Poppy's compliment on her and Emmy's outfits.

"Thank you! You're too kind. You look amazing, too! That dress is stunning!"

She turned her attention to Beth, taking another sip of her punch.

"It'll be even more fun with more bobbers! Who knows what sorts of fun enchantments could be hidden in some of those apples that the sign doesn't talk about..."

[img align=left]http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y273/LostDani/fairytaleHA.png[/img]"Let's go bob for apples, then!" said Emmy, taking and then tugging on Aderyn's hand, and gesturing for Poppy to follow them. "I've always been good at this game!"

She pulled Aderyn with her to the large tub of apples floating in the water and stared down at them, pondering which one to choose.

"Okay. I'm gonna go for that one. It looks safe." Emmy decided, pointing at one of them for Aderyn and Poppy's benefits, though the safe comment was a pure guess; all the apples looked exactly the same.

Emmy carefully got down on her knees and leant over the tub, lowering her face into it and aiming for the apple of her choice. It only took her a couple of tries to nab it. Finally she managed to sink her canines into it, piercing the skin. She tasted the sweet juice as it slipped into her mouth and she sat up, her face dripping and parts of her hair wet where it had hung around her face and gotten into the water.

"Ha! Got it!" She said, her voice muffled around the apple. She stood and closed her mouth, biting a chunk out of the apple. She chewed, enjoying the sweet taste of the fruit, when a sudden wave of extreme fatigue washed over her.

"Aw crap," was all she managed to say before she began to stagger. She felt everything going black and within seconds she'd collapsed on the ground, limp and deeply asleep, the apple rolling away as she hit the floor.

( )

Aderyn followed Emmy over to the tub to bob for apples, gesturing for the others to come along. She peered closely at the fruit in the tub, wondering whether her natural propensity towards herbology would help her choose the safe apples to no avail. As Emmy got down to give it a try, Aderyn stood next to her girlfriend, watching the girl try to snag an apple. As Emmy finally did so, Aderyn grinned and high-fived her.

"Nice work!"

The celebration was short-lived, however, as suddenly Emmy began to sway. Before Aderyn could react, Emmy swayed and fell over, hitting the ground and beginning to snore. She frowned in concern, but then laughed at her friend's awful luck.

"Well, maybe my luck will be better! Here goes!"

Dipping forward, Aderyn held her hair back as she gave bobbing for apples a try. It took her a while longer than it had taken Emmy, but eventually she managed to grab and apple and she came up grinning with it held in her teeth.

"Yes!"

She bit into the apple, groaning in contentment at how delicious it was. As she ate, however, something began to feel off. She felt a sort of faint, staticky buzzing in her head and when she missed her mouth on the next bite, she reached up with her free hand, yelping as she realized she'd fallen victim to one of the other enchantments. She'd grown a pumpkin head!

"Oh bollocks. Who else is brave enough?"

Ethel let out a whoop (she'd forgotten about doing her pretty dress justice with her manners ages ago) and pumped a fist in the air. "Let's boogie!" she hollered, and bounced after Adrien and Gaia. Once on the floor she let the beat move her, flailing her arms with passion (if not skill) and bopping up and down. "I love this song!" she cheered, not seeming to care that she'd never heard it before.

Oh! I would enjoy sleeping all day sometimes too! Hmmm

Emmy and Aderyn ( ) you two are so brave! Maybe you two getting enchanted ones decreases my odds.. so here goes (nothing, I hope!)... Judy walks over to the tub, trying to stretch her head as far as possible so her puffy sleeves don't get wet. It takes a few minutes to snag an apple and Judy comes up sputtering from the water in her nose. Gross! Well, at least this apple is nice and tart. Judy anxiously waits for something to happen, tentatively taking another small bite. The only tingling is her own anxiety though. Yay! I got a regular one! :D

The pair looked like they where, pardon the pun, having a ball. Magnus smiled knowing he'd catch up with them on a cool down or something and so turned his attention back to Sam.

“That’s awesome.” He grinned at Poppy () “I think it’s perfect without the crown.” He pushed his own farther back on his head. “Duno how fancy people put up with these things, if I didn’t magic it to my head I would have lost it ten time by now.”

Fade quickly realized he hadn’t spoken clearly and felt terrible that poor was feeling flustered. “What I should have asked was, who are you dressed as?” This time miraculously the blush remained only on his face. So she was new to the school. Suddenly a hundred questions flooded his mind. “How are you liking Hogwarts so far? What school were you attending before?” Maybe it was too many questions all at once. But he was very curious to find out.

Across the way Fade spotted a pair of incredibly detailed wings, and wondered if actual fairies had been invited to attend. () But before he could summon the courage to outwrite compliment the pretty stranger he spotted and her date and a wide grin spread across his face. “Hi guys, you two look great! I’m Fade by the way, don’t think we’ve been introduced.” He extended a hand to Adrian.

Enviously Fade watched a few couples depart the conversation with the intention to dance. Turning away from the dance floor, he grinned at as she passed. “I think yours is better.” It really was an interesting choice, and Fade admired her sense of humor.

“Right?” He nodded at Beth () “I was late getting back form break so I had a ton of work to catch up on… I’m still behind.” He scratched the back of his head sheepishly. It was sort of embarrassing to admit he was being lax with his school work, especially to the head-girl. “But I’m OK, can’t complain.” Well of course he could, but now wasn’t the time. “What about you?” Absently he began fiddling with the rose he was still holding. Thankfully it had been charmed to not fall apart as easily as a regular flower, if not all that would remain by now would be a prickly stem.

[img align=left]https://i.imgur.com/2KrP3xq.png[/img] Gaia couldn't stop laughing, she hasn't have this much fun in a long time. Watching Ethel dance was an art in itself, "You are doing great, Ethel()! Just be careful with the people around you, we talked about this only two steps length to any side!" Gaia said giggling when she noticed Fade () walking her way. She let go of her date long enough to give Fade a side hug "I think you look dashing! I feel like I haven't seen you in forever!" Gaia beamed returning her attention to Adrien () who was about to deep her again. "I think it might be time for some refreshments! Would you like something to drink?"

Gaia's warning came three seconds before she barely avoided flinging herself into a group of chatting students. At the last minute she blinked at Gaia and veered off course so she landed on an uninhabited square of dance floor. Phew! That had been close. Ethel did her best to pass it off like the whole incident had gone according to plan.

Sauvage felt a bit bombarded by all the questions at first, and silly to have not realized what Fade initially asked, but was happy to find someone to talk to at the ball. She smiled and began answering the flood of questions. "Of course that's what you meant! Right, well, I'm not really one specific character, so much as I am my own take on a general fairy tale creature?" Her explanation turned into a question as she finished and she chewed on her lip, trying to think of what to say. "It'll help if I answer your other question first, I suppose. "She laughed apologetically - she'd always been terrible at explaining, especially in English. "I was born in France and I spent my first two and a half years of school at Beauxbatons Academy of Magic. Back home, we have a general fairy tale about invisible winged folk who enjoy meddling in the fates of others, both muggles and magic folk alike. I was always really taken to the tempting, yet frightening idea of knowing the destiny of someone and being able to help or hinder it without them ever even knowing." She stopped, feeling her explanation was enough. She looked around absently, then blushed and said, "Oh, and I'm liking Hogwarts very much. It's different but, it's a good different."

Sauvage noticed a girl in blue, uninhibitedly taking control of the dance floor. She quickly ran up to the dancer, dodging her wayward movements, and said, "I just felt I needed to tell you how much I adore your hair. And how happy you look dancing out here. I hope you have a fun night!"

{ OOC We need you come play! }

"Nice to meet you Fade," he said with a friendly smile as he took the hand in a firm handshake. "My name's Adrien, are you having a good time so far?" He asked before grabbed Gaia's hands again and twirling her into another dip.

Adrien turned as Ethel fell onto the space on the dance floor and laughed as he helped her to her feet. "Be careful there, Ethel, we don't want you getting hurt!"

He heard Gaia then ask if anyone wanted any refreshments. He nodded, "I'm parched and I think I could eat a whole table at the Great Hall right now if someone allowed me to," he laughed out.

Here we are having our Ball, we are allowed to bring guests so hold on to your invitation. Everyone is dressed in muggle fairytale costumes as you can see....

"Ooopsie," she said, patting Adrien on the back in thanks for his service. "Thanks, Adrien! Might not've come back from that one." Another time she might have been embarrassed at the display (though probably not) but tonight was for dancing.

Just then the next song kicked in. As she launched into an impressively enthusiastic display of the Running Man, a girl she didn't recognize ran up to her. At the compliment said girl bestowed on her, Ethel beamed happily, not missing a step. "Oh thank you," she said earnestly, pumping her arms with the skill of a mall walker. "Gaia helped me pick out a style. She's brilliant at fashion stuff. I tried out a few beauty charms of my own though and wasn't sure how they turned out. Your hair looks amazing as well. And your wings! You look like a proper faerie!"

[img align=left]https://i.imgur.com/2KrP3xq.png[/img] Gaia left Ethel to her dancing "I'll bring you a butterbeer!"; shaking her head and smiling she grabbed Adrien's hand "Let's go eat all the food on a table!" she winked and gave him a wicked grin "I am really hungry too!"

( )