smallestopener | The Princess Birthday Ball

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birthday

The Princess Birthday Ball

The huge, white tent sprawls on the lawn beside the lake. It has been transfigured there for a very special occasion. A stone walkway leads from the bar to the tent - the pavements are wide enough that ladies' dresses won't trail on the ground as they make their way to the entrance. Over the draped curtains of the entrance way is a large banner which reads "Happy 7th Birthday, Ingress".

Once inside, the honored guests will be in the midst of an enchanted ballroom. There are balloons drifting in bunches from the circular tables lining the sides of the large dance floor. Floating candlabras glow with gentle light from above. There are trees in large ornamental pots interspersed throughout sparkling with fairy lights from real fairies.

One long banquet table is positioned on along the side of the ballroom - there are treats of all description. Little finger sandwiches, chopped up fruit, cookies, cheese and crackers, and other child-friendly h'ors douerves are presented to make sure the dancers are sustained throughout the the party. There are large bowls of ice cream (kept cold with magic)and sundae fixings. Punch bowls of sherbet-flavored drinks await ladling into crystal goblets. But most impressive is the large birthday cake with blue, purple, and pink icing roses festooning it.

Ingress is busy greeting her guests in her gown - a birthday gift from Amy and Susan - but soon she'll be dancing to the music provided by the overlarge Gramophone in the corner, which is playing a wide array of dancing music from waltz standards to court music to pop hits of the 20th century.

Tom, who's pretty tired from the magical effort required to pull this off, is in the background making sure his little girl is having a perfect party, and Princess Amy is helping Ingress in her hostess duties.

Come in and enjoy the party!

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"Neither had I, little one," says Tom proudly. "I'm quite pleased he came."

She makes an extra special curtsey once Salazar Slytherin is before her. "Welcome to my party, Sir," she says. She likes Salazar already. Wizards and witches are fun people to be friends with and they often dress all fancy.

Hearing his name called, Salazar grins when he sees Tom and the small lady before him. "Good Day, Master Tom and Lady Ingress!"

When he draws closer, he taps the presents again and they come to rest in front of Ingress. Salazar bows low to her.

"Lady Ingress, this is certainly my pleasure. I am most pleased to find that a young lady as yourself is associated with my line. You may call me Salazar, if you so wish. Good wishes to you on this day of celebration of your birth!"

He motions to the gifts. "I hope you mind not that I have brought some things for Master Tom and Lady Door as well as yourself?" Pointing to two smallish packages, "Those are for them, and these," he taps the other five, "are yours." They float up to about Ingress's waist.

Upon one of the packages which float to Tom is written (in a fine spidery script) "The Lady Door." In it are three bottles shaped like lotus flowers, made of unbreakable brightly colored glass and filled with lotion, perfume and all-purpose oil, each with the lotus scent. The second package, addressed to "Master Tom" contains a leather cord, upon which hangs a pewter Ankh, the symbol of life in Eygptian culture and a silver Eye of Horus ring.

The packages for Ingress contain:

~ A small tarnished silver box with a mirror inside the top and plush velvet lining and engraved designs all around the outer edges;

~ A delicate Eygptian Princess Headdress made by Madaeze;

~ A wall hanging of dried lotus flowers, charmed to keep their scent;

~ Some lotus oil in a simpler (but still made with the same unbreakable glass) bottle than Door's;

~ And, in the last package, the crowning jewel (at least according to Salazar): a turqouis scarab necklace on a brown leather cord. When worn, the charm creates the illusion that the wearer's clothes are the most fanciful and exquisite clothes wealth can buy, even if all the person is wearing are rags.

Salazar *really* hopes ~~Tom~~ Ingress likes ~~his~~ her gifts.

Ingress does, she does indeed. With glee she opens the packages and oohs and ahhs. There is only one problem.

"I don't have enough heads to wear my tiara and the headdress," she frets.

Tom admires his ankh and ring. It feels rather like his birthday, as well, and his grin might just be as youthful as Ingress's.

Upon her words, though, he adds quickly, "Well, one head is really all you need, love, so you can take turns with the tiara and the headdress."

With powerful wizards, one needs to wtch what one wishes for.

He turns to Salazar. "Thank you so much. You can't imagine how pleased I am that you've come."

Salazar, with a quick glance to Tom, hastily bends his knee to be level with Ingress.

"Yes, Tom is right, and after all, I have been told by very reliable people that headdresses are used with a very specific sort of dress anyway, so the tiara would be most useful for everyday wear."

He lifts the scarab necklace and holds it gingerly.

"There is a charm on this necklace to change your clothes to dress of any color, style and fabric you choose as long as you wear it. If you wish, you may share it with friends. Perhaps, if you want, I could bring you another next time."

"Oh!" she says, and she holds it and closes her eyes. When she opens them, her dress is green. "WOW!"

She immediately thinks of Laerke and how much she'll like something like this. But she's going to play with it first.

"Thanks, Salazar!" She gives him a hug. That's what he gets for bending to be level with her, you see. "I'm glad Tom has someone from his family now."

Tom chuckles. "It's a fine charm, Salazar. Of course, I can't imagine it would be anything but."

And here we were all thinking Salazar's ego couldn't boost any higher.

Boy were we wrong.

Salazar grins like a goofball and hugs Ingress back.

"My dearest Lady Ingress, I am glad to have my own family finally. I do hope I can consider you and Lady Door family as well as Master Tom? I can feel that you are a most amazing and special young girl."

He rises, shrugging with an sheepish grin to Tom. "I was given the idea by Madaeze. She and I have discussed you, Ingress and Door at length. She has much more knowledge of what female children enjoy than I. I was all but ready with that silver engraved box there."

"I should have liked the box just fine. I have stuff to put in it. But I liked everything." She sniffs the lotus wall hanging and smiles. Then she turns her dress into one of fabric with sparkly silver scales. "Ooh, mermaid!"

"We should be honored to be considered as such," Tom says. Door has come over and is now holding Tom's hand. "Shouldn't we, darling? Salazar Slytherin, this is my wife, the Lady Door."

Door extends a hand to Salazar. "We most certainly should. It's lovely to meet you. Tom's told me a great deal about you - some of which from before he met you."

Salazar's eyes light up again when Door comes over.

"My beautiful Lady, it is an honor." He bows as he did with Ingress and reaches for her hand, laying a soft kiss on it.

"I see now how it is that Ingress can be such a charming and beautiful young lady. So much like her sister."

Straightening, he smiles gently. "I only hope I live to his words."

Door nods to Salazar and glances at Tom, who is happier than she's seen him outside of their family rooms in a long time.

"I think that's a safe bet."

"You'll have to join us for dinner sometime soon, or perhaps it would be better for us to travel to your castle?"

"That would be fantastic. I do believe it would be easier for you three to come to my castle, and Madaeze would be overjoyed to meet the Small Lady Ingress in person. But I would, at some future date, like to dine with you at your own residence."

"We four, actually. Our boy is-" Tom scans the crowd, "Well, Gavroche is somewhere, but you'll like him, as well. If you'd like, we can leave the ladies to their hostessing and find a table."

Door rolls her eyes and shakes her head with amusement. "Yes, you two go off and leave the hard work to us."

She takes Ingress's hand and shoos Tom and Salazar with the other.

Ingress is wearing the headdress now, and as she waves to Salazar, it slips over one eye.

"See you later, Salazar!"

Salazar does the Dark Ages equivalent of a mental facepalm and nods.

"Yes, yes, let's us do that. Forgive me Lady Ingress for keeping you from your other honored guests? I am a rather selfish old man when it comes to things like this. I am new at this family concept."

He waves to Ingress with a huge smile playing on his lips and in his eyes.

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The Princess Birthday Ball

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