[D1, Early Evening] It's Time to View the Duel (Wampus Basement)

[Faith Cassidy]

"I- Okay." Faith muttered when Fitz insisted that he would do it, shifting back on her knees for the moment and shuffling back to get out of the way. "I don't-" she began as set his hand down onto John's upper arm, fairly quickly realizing what he was planning on doing and beginning to protest before shoving it firmly into place. She flinched slightly at the sight of it and the slightly unsettling sound, but all the same it had worked, at least well enough, and the spell would help fix the bone the rest of the way.

Faith let out a small sigh, getting up to her feet and, ignoring all of the yelling back and forth, turned. She walked past Cian with a small mutter of "I'm gonna go." and made her way to leave. She was frustrated, more at herself than anything; when it actually mattered she couldn't get out of her own head and be confident enough to do what needed to be done to help someone who was actually injured, an this wasn't the first time.

[Cian]

"Mmm," a low vocalization of assent from deep in the throat playing out just behind closed lips. Watching her as she went he leaned his head back against the wall. Wasn't a situation that seemed to call for a friend following up, seemed to him she'd need some time alone. Or maybe that's just him projecting his own thoughts onto it. Cian thought of it a little differently, perhaps, but he knew what he was about and he knew when he could help and when he couldn't.

So he stood there, up against the wall, rolling his eyes at the Thunderbirds who were graciously laying praise on someone who completely lost control of their spell as far as he could see it. Though, was Cian really any better? Not a thought he cared to entertain, so it never crossed his mind.

[Mischa Primakov]

He'd aimed high and fallen low, but Mischa didn't seem too worried or even the slightest bit upset as he rejoined the audience. A glance towards where John had been, but he'd been taken off to the medics now, so the youngest Primakov looked to see who would be duelling next.

[Grace Wilkinson]

He'd aimed high and fallen low, but Mischa didn't seem too worried or even the slightest bit upset as he rejoined the audience. A glance towards where John had been, but he'd been taken off to the medics now, so the youngest Primakov looked to see who would be duelling next.

After John was led away to the infirmary by the WICKED WITCH WHO VIOLENTLY ASSAULTED HIM Grace stepped away, her conversation with the dear Professor now interrupted. She sighed, grab another glass of butterbeer, and saw her favorite Russian-American Wampcat.

She waved to him and joined next to him. "Hey Mischa."

[Mischa Primakov]

He looked across at the sound of his name and smiled. It never took long for the Queen Cobra to find folks.

"Hey Grace. Good summer? Things ok back in the Old Country?"

[Grace Wilkinson]

He looked across at the sound of his name and smiled. It never took long for the Queen Cobra to find folks.

"Hey Grace. Good summer? Things ok back in the Old Country?"

"It has been good. Vusited England, Italy and France. How was yours?" She moved to stand next to him, and muttered disapprovingly. "This year starts off with a bang."

[Violet Lockhart]

"Mister Leloup, your form got sloppy there at the end, but nice work; keep up your practice." Violet said as she returned back to her position, calming herself down.

"Mister Primakov, same as with Miss Wilkinson, go with the pace you're good at. Nothing gained by trying to show off and punch up just to get lucky: that is how accidents happen."

[Xanthe Vanderwyck]

At some point, Xanthe slunk back in quietly, watching the rest of the duels, her eyes occasionally going toward miss Lockhart; hoping that she wasn't about to receive more of a chewing out; and some of the other students. Maybe they wouldn't notice she'd come back? That'd be nice. Then she wouldn't have to deal with more angry stares... or compliments she didn't quite know how to deal with.

[Mischa Primakov]

"It has been good. Vusited England, Italy and France. How was yours?" She moved to stand next to him, and muttered disapprovingly. "This year starts off with a bang."

"Spent most of it at my Aunt's estates with lots of the family. Even a few cousins over from Russia. Da, she . . . . "

Whatever he was about to say was cut off.

"Mister Primakov, same as with Miss Wilkinson, go with the pace you're good at. Nothing gained by trying to show off and punch up just to get lucky: that is how accidents happen."

He smiled and nodded to his Head of House, even though he had absolutely no intention of ever backing off and not showing off. That was what he did!

"What about your new addition? Another Angliski?"

[Grace Wilkinson]

"Ah, Layla? Yeah, she's also from England." She smirked as Mischa got the same warning.

"Yes, dear Mischka, you should try not showing off? I hear it can be exhilarating." She winked at him.

[Mischa Primakov]

"What do you take me for, Grace? One of your bookworm Serpents?"

He practically preened.

"Primakovs always reach as far as they can."

[Grace Wilkinson]

Grace let out a withheld chuckle. "Thankfully. Good to know your enthusiasm wasn't dampened over the summer." She glanced towards the people gathered. "Have any party ideas yet?"

[Cian]

None of his fellows were up to bat, and the others, one struck out like him and the other was both scored over and gone. Pushing himself off the wall with the sole of his foot he sauntered off toward the exit and out the door. Looking up as if he could see the thoughts he was having of where to go next. Looking like this is where he'd spit out the toothpick he'd always hold between his teeth, if he ever actually did that at least. Was a look he had, would seem right, but it wasn't actually a thing he did. Just, always appeared as if he should have been.

"Lame," he could be heard, saying to himself as he exited through the door.

[Mischa Primakov]

Grace let out a withheld chuckle. "Thankfully. Good to know your enthusiasm wasn't dampened over the summer." She glanced towards the people gathered. "Have any party ideas yet?"

Conspiratorial grin was formed.

"Well there are certain peoples we might be pushing together . . . cos they're hardly going to manage it on their own."

[Grace Wilkinson]

"Oh? Do tell dear friend. Tovarish?" She asked uncertain, and moved closer. "I already have an idea about a month from now..." Coincidentally, the time of her birthday. Same as last year.

[Mischa Primakov]

"Well they've left the room together now . . . so perhaps we don't need to push quite so hard."

He grinned and waited to see if she knew who he meant.

[Grace Wilkinson]

"Well they've left the room together now . . . so perhaps we don't need to push quite so hard."

He grinned and waited to see if she knew who he meant.

Grace frowned? "The Wonderwicked and John?" She asked tentatively. Oh no.

[Ondine Corbeau]

Ondine had enough of snacking, She decided to wander the basement in search for ratholes, cobwebs and other animal habitats.

[Mischa Primakov]

Grace frowned? "The Wonderwicked and John?" She asked tentatively. Oh no.

He rolled his eyes in time to an exasperated sigh.

"No! Am I the only one that sees it? Jay and Faith!"

[Grace Wilkinson]

"Oh? Oh!" She now eyed the pair. "Interesting...sorry, seeing one of my house mates assaulted dazzled me a bit." She followed the pair as they left. "So it seems there's something else to organize for the party." She smiled.

[Mischa Primakov]

"What did you expect? Xanthe's always been strange and nothing ever goes right around her. As for John, well I thought he might be into Melissa a bit to be honest, but that's for another day. How do you think we can give Jay and Faith a subtle shove . . . . or a very unsubtle one perhaps?"

[Grace Wilkinson]

"What did you expect? Xanthe's always been strange and nothing ever goes right around her. As for John, well I thought he might be into Melissa a bit to be honest, but that's for another day. How do you think we can give Jay and Faith a subtle shove . . . . or a very unsubtle one perhaps?"

"Not magical assault." She frowned, but then her brain started working haaaard. "Well, I am planning the party to be lake side. Bathing suits, butterbeer, music. Perhaps we can do some kind of paired activity...volley ball, or dunno."

[Xanthe Vanderwyck]

When Xanthe's name was *very loudly* announced by miss Lockhart, she thought that the time had come for more angry yelling. Instead she was the subject of 'praise'. Well, the announcement that she'd won, at least; with *some* disapproval. And then cheers. Probably with some disapproval there, as well.

She stood there, awkwardly, light shone at her and reflected back again by those strange eyes of her.

How did others deal with this sort of attention?

[Fitz Crowinshield]

Fitz whistles in support of his classmate.

"Way to go Xan!"

[Mischa Primakov]

"Not magical assault." She frowned, but then her brain started working haaaard. "Well, I am planning the party to be lake side. Bathing suits, butterbeer, music. Perhaps we can do some kind of paired activity...volley ball, or dunno."

Mischa listened to the announcement calmly. Weird-ass girl, but a win is a win.

"Lake party? Perhaps we can set up a scavenger hunt . . . for pairs. We select the pairs of course . . . "