(RoR) Before Christmas Party

[Mark Alméida]

Mark had decided to throw a before christmas party for anyone who wanted to join in. It didnt matter if they knew Mark or not, this was mainly so everyone could kick back, relax and enjoy themselves, forgetting about studying, or their quibbles with people. Forgetting even about their prefect duties, which he knew Maxi would. Maxi would never give up on an opportunity to have a party. Afterall this was just a bit of fun, why not get everyone along?

The room was very spacious now, with a bar along the backend of the room and many tables lining the outside of the room. The floor in the middle was comepletley empty for anyone who wanted to dance, or just wanted to stand around and have a chat. The room was decorated in red and gold for the Gryffindors, silver and green for the Slytherins, blue and black for the ravenclaws and of course, you couldnt forget about the hufflepuffs colours now could you? All in all, it was very colourfull. Though it also had a christmas tree in the corner of the room, not to mention many thistels of mistletoe and holly. It was a quite nice scene.

Mark was thinking something was missing but he wasnt entirely sure what. Stood in the middle of the room he began to think. Decorations... check... drinks and food... check, gotta love them house elves, tree... yeha... music... music... oh damn i forgot! with that a jukebox came into view in the corner of the room which made Mark smile. A song for everyones tastes. Perfect.

Heading over to the bar at the back of the room, Mark poured himself a drink before switching on the jukebox. He smiled to himself, this was so much better than pranking people all the time, which he hadnt done for a while. Must do that he thought, making a mental note on his endless list of things-to-do-before-im-too-old-to-do-it. He sat down on the couch that had suddenly appeared from nowhere, but he wasnt complaining, it was squishy, as Belle would say, which in Mark-tongue meant comfy.

[Max Hennerdale]

A rumour on the corridors told Maxi that a party was being thrown in the Room Of Requirement by one Mark Alméida. Maxi couldnt help it when he heard the rumour, he had to smile. Doing something for others wasnt exactly usually Marks style. Maybe he had turned over some form of new leaf? Though in Maxi's head, it said, i doubt it.

Walking over to the Room of Requirement he knew what he was there for so the door showed quite easily. Smirking as he walked in, arms folded, looking at Mark who seemed to be lazing on the couch with the music playing. The room was pretty large and something told Maxi that it would get bigger the more people came here.

"Im sure its against all the rules known to this school, especially now the Ministry is here, to throw any form of party Mr Alméida" Maxi spoke in a harsh tone. Though couldnt keep it when he saw the sausages on sticks, "Ooh, sausage" he said walking over to them and picking one up, "So come on, what made you do this really?"

Maxi got a drink before going over to join his friend on the couch. Smirking as he sipped his pumpkin juice, but them looked at him with a raised eyebrow, "Has this got alcohol in it Mark?"

[Mark Alméida]

Mark sat on the couch, lightly tapping his foot on the floor, listening to the music thumping away. He hadnt even notice anyone else come in, it was like he was in his own little world. It was only when he heard the familiar voice of one Maxi Hennerdale did he look up, with a grin he said, "Oh come on Max, dont be such a party pooper! Its only a laugh and besides, who wouldnt want to do something the ministry wouldnt approve of?"

Mark nearly choked on his pumpkin juice when Maxi seemed to get overexcited about the sausages on a stick. Typical Max, think only with his stomache, though Mark couldnt help but laugh. Maxi at a party with no sausages on a stick would be like a Romeo without a Juliet. It would be completely wrong and immoral.

"In all honesty Max, it seems everyones being a bit on the down side lately what with the Ministry and all, and i just thought that they all needed a pickerupper" He shrugged as he looked at Maxi. "And besides, a partys a party. Everyone enjoys a good ol' party right?"

"What? No!" Mark said jumping away from Maxi, "What do you take me for? Im not going to be responsible for getting eleven year olds drunk." Then he thought about it, it would be pretty funny. Though he decided not to put alcohol in any of the drinks, this was purely a social shindig, one night out of so many, a night to let loose and have some fun, and that was what Mark was going to do.

[Alexis Alméida]

Alexis, only after having been prodded about a thousand times in the ribs by her older brother Mark, did she finally agree to come to this party. Walking through the corridors and making her way to the room of requirement most reluctantly for a party she did not really want to go to, but knew she had to seeing as how she had promised she would. And even though Alexis was usually a bad tempered sort, she didnt break her promises. Though she wasnt looking forward to an evening full of Gryffindors and no-one decent to talk to. Either way, this was probably not going to be as much fun as Mark entailed it to be.

She stood outside the Room of Requirement thinking about this party. Then like told, she walked past it three times, feeling more than anything foolish and half hoping the door wouldnt show so she could go back to her common room and get into bed. Though, unfortunatly for Alexis, it did show, and she did have to walk through it. Sighing as she opened the door and stepped in, though her breath caught as she gazed at the room, he had kitted it out for everyones tastes, not just his own, or just for his own house and Alexis couldnt help a smile play on her face.

"Hello Mark" She said as she walked in, only then seeing Maxi sat beside him, flustering a little bit as she did she gave him a small nod of her head showing she had actually seen him. "I'll take it Dyanneabelle hasnt shown up yet?" she asked as she stood in the middle of the floor, still slightly taken aback by the rooms decor. "I must say Mark, you have done an astounding job in here"

[Max Hennerdale]

"I was joking you great lump of sockweed" Maxi spoke through his mouth full of sausage. "I dont even know what a sockweed is like, it was the first thing that came into my mind Mark so before you ask, dont" Maxi hadnt seen Mark in what seemed like forever, but they were both here now and it was time to get in some serious catch up before the place became too full. "Well i know i would, but this could lose me my prefect title you know"

"Well you cant blame them can you? People these days cant do anything without the Ministry breathing their necks all the time. Im surprised you managed to get this going without them noticing, though yeah i guess i agree its what everyone needs"

"Oh come on, not getting eleven year olds drunk?" Maxi spoke with a raised eyebrow, "You would jump at the chance to do that usually, though, it wouldnt be as much fun unless you were doing it at the same time would it?"

At that moment the door opened and Maxi leant forward to see who had arrived. His eyes fell upon Alexis, Mark's younger sister but not the youngest. He gave a smirk when she basically said she liked the decor, "Hello Lexi, nice to see you too"

[Professor Ashton Laurent]

Rumor had spread through the castle that Mark was holding a Christmas party, in the Room of Requirement. And Ashton, being the curious person he was, decided to check it out, making his way to the seventh floor corridor, he entered the room and looked around to see it decorated in all the house colors. There were even some people there, Mark, a Slytherin girl, and... Maxi? A bright smile lit up Ashton's face. "Maxi!" he said happily, in surprise

[arabella]

<sup>The talk around school was that a party was being held in the Room of Requirement and Arabella decided it would be a nice way of meeting new people. Since her first day at Hogwarts, Arabella had only managed to make herself known as the flying bookworm from the library and she was determined to make that change.

Wearing her favorite faded jeans and a nice cream sweater, Arabella entered the surprisingly nice decorated room and smiled with delight. Of course, she didn't really know anyone, making her feel just a little akward, but she shrugged and made an effort to join in the festivities.

Arabella walked over to the sitting area and plopped herself down on a nice comfy chair that sat not far from everyone else.</sup>

[Mark Alméida]

Mark looked over at the door to see who had walked in, voila! His sister, Alexis had shown up, someone he thought wouldnt, even though she had promised she would, sometimes, Alexis's word you just couldnt count on. "Hey there Lex, no, Belle hasnt shown up, i thought she would have been coming with you but i guess i was wrong"

He turned his attention back to Maxi and grinned in his usual way, "I wasnt going to ask what a sockweed was Max, in all honesty im not really sure i wanted to know" Mark grinned, he had never seen Maxi so passionate about anything before, well maybe about Ash but that was allowed, "Oh come on Maxi, its a bit of Christmas fun, im sure the professors wont look upon it as breaking any laws"

"Yeah i guess your right, the Ministry are proving to be a little bit of a handful, not to mention nausiating"

"Of course not" Mark said standing up and going to the middle of the room, raising his hands above his heads and pulling some funny faces for a little while before composing himself, "Why would i want to watch a load of eleven year old drunkards when im not drunk myself? I think i would rather eat my own eyeballs"

"And enter Ashton!" Mark said, feighning a bow, "Oh great lord Ashton" he laughed before standing up and thrusting some pumpkin juice into his hands, "How is one?"

Turning to see the door open once more, a pretty blonde girl walked in, Now thats a sight i could get used to looking at he thought to himself as he walked over to her, offering her some pumpkin juice as she sat down. "Hello there Princess. Im Mark, i dont believe ive seen you around before"

[Max Hennerdale]

"Ashton!" Maxi said, happy to finally see his boyfriend, "Ive missed you" he walked over to Ashton, giving him the biggest hug he could muster before turning around back to Mark, "I think eating eyeballs might be a tad discusting dont you?" He laughed. "Oh," Maxi dragged Ashton over to Alexis and stood him in front of her, "Alexis, this is Ashton, Ashton, Alexis, Marks sister. Well one of them. Not too sure where the other one is"

[arabella]

<sup>Arabella laughed when the Gryffindor boy had called her 'Princess'. Taking the pumpkin juice from him, she smiled "Thank you. Actually, Mark, my name is Arabella but you can call my Ari and the reason you haven't seen me before is because I'm a new student, I just transfered the day before," she said before taking a sip of the juice.

Arabella smiled, "Not bad for pumpkin juice, I actually despise anything that contains pumpkins," she said with a slight giggle.</sup>

[Mark Alméida]

Mark more or less live for making people laugh, and he felt a smile come on his face when he made Ari laugh. "Arabella huh?" He said in thought, "Pretty name" He sat down next to her and watched as Maxi dragged Ashton over to Alexis, and he knew his sister, she wouldnt be happy about Maxi doing that, "That blonde girl is my sister. Probably one you wouldnt really want to cross words with. She can be a right pain" He laughed, "But Belle i think you would get along with... Though she doesnt seem to be here just yet..." Mark looked at everyone, "That blonde guy, is my best friend Maxi and the guy stood with him is Ashton, Maxi's boyfriend" He smiled as he pointed out everyone so she knew them all.

[arabella]

<sup>Arabella nodded as he pointed out the others in the room and gave her their names. "I'm sure your sister is only a pain because your her brother," she said with a smile. She cleared her throat, "I mean, I didn't mean that as an insult," Arabella paused, "At least I don't think I did."

Arabella looked at Maxi and Ashton, "So Maxi is your best friend and the boy standing next to him is Ashton, his boyfriend?" she asked, "I just need to make sure I got it right," she said with a smile.

"So, Mark, what about you? You don't have a girlfriend or boyfriend? I mean, someone with your charm would have girls and boys alike all over them," she said with a smile and light sarcasm in her voice.</sup>

[Mark Alméida]

"Ow that hurt" He said with a smile, "No, she's just a pain in general. She thinks she's bigger, better than everyone else. Some form of high and mighty queen or something i dont know" Mark shrugged, "She's the type that unless you actually know her from when she was once nice, like me and Maxi, you wouldnt like her... She is a pain though" He laughed, she was a pain because of the way she was with other people, "Anything less than pure is not a good thing in that girls eyes" He shrugged, "Funny, i always thought family were supposed to be alike, though you wouldnt find a more disalike family than ours is"

"Yes, Max and Ash. Never find a better couple" He said with a smile, he knew Maxi and Ashton doted on each other and were completly loved up. Mark at first was a little wigged when he found out Maxi had a boyfriend, it wasnt like Maxi usually.

"Me? Nope" He said simply, "Just plain old Mark on his lonesome" he laughed as he looked back out over the room, "To be honest i dont mind, if soeone comes along they come along, if they dont they dont. It doesnt really bother me and its certainly not top of my priority lists. What about you? Surely a good looking girl such as yourself must have one?"

[arabella]

<sup>Arabella laughed, "I went to a school full of girls and I was second in my class, I didn't really have time for boys. Plus there was the lack of them to begin with," she said with a grin, "But I have the same outlook that you have; If it happens, it happens. But I'm in a new school, that's actually coed... so who knows right?"

Arabella looked at Maxi and Ashton and smiled, "Well I'm glad that there is actually love around the school. My father would go nuts if everyone hated eachother," she said looking back at him, "He's kinda obsessed with love," she said with a laugh, "he's just a little weird."</sup>

[Mark Alméida]

"Yeah, like Durmstrang, there was kinda a lack of girls" Mark siad nodding, but he couldnt say he was the second in his class, he was never in class. Neither was Maxi, the two were always too busy playing jokes on people, which made Mark wonder how Maxi had been made a prefect. "Well there's plenty of boys to choose from in this school, im sure you'll find one with no trouble at all"

"You'll be surprised just how much love is in this school" Mark spoke, "Its a school of love" he laughed, it wasnt all like that, you got the Slytherins who despised just about anyone, and the Hufflepuffs who thought they were the best, but Mark had come to realise nobody is better than anyone, they all have equal standing, it just might be in different places. "A father that likes love, must be nice" he smiled, thinking of his own who preffered to lock himself in his study, not talk to his three children and his newborn son or his new wife.