May 18th, 1888 - Hogsmeade Ballroom at this event

Lucille hadn’t been about to turn down the opportunity to attend a fashion show as the beginning of the Season took off even with Bella missing. It might be callus for Lucy to think of it in such terms, but no one had heard from Bella and Lucy’s letters had gone unopened. Her mother told her not to think the worse and Lucy was much more inclined to believe that Bella was quite alright and happily married to some young man - despite what the rumors had indicated in the papers. She just knew that Bella was okay.

She had arrived in Hogsmeade dressed in one of her newest gowns, a confection of soft pink with hints of raspberries and turned her ticket in when a mask was handed to her. Oh, how mysterious! With a smile the mask of a doe was placed over her face, the satin ties arranged elegantly into her updo in the back by her maid.

Entertaining the room it was louder than she expected and while normally confident in such a situation she suddenly felt shy, edging around the crowd almost as if backing away - and backing right into someone! The impact had Lucy startled and she jumped, turning to see who had intruded in her space. Or had she intruded in theirs?

  

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Thank you MJ for an amazingly Lucy set!

Jameson loved a good party and rarely turned down an opportunity to attend one. A fashion may not have seemed up the man's alley, especially considering he was middle class, but that didn't stop him from going. He was fairly certain his family's wealth rivaled that of even some of the upper class folk. But what drew him there, was the prestige of something new. It was what his family was after, after all. They'd made a name for themselves introducing new flavors of firewhiskey to the wizarding world and any chance to further spread that was always a bonus. Plus, the designer on exhibit was from somewhere else. Surely he could pick some brains for ideas on their local types of flavors.

It didn't take him long to make his way into the crowd after donning a mask that looked to possess the features of a wolf. It was a perfect match to go with his almost wolfish grin, flashing pearly white teeth to the room beyond. Before long, he was well into character, lurking along the outer edges of the dance floor once a drink had been procured. It would surely be the first of many but who would be counting? He found himself moving along the edges, simply watching and waiting.

And then he saw her. A darling but shy little doe that seemed to be fearful of the dancing masses in the center of the room. While he had started out on the opposite of the room, he had quickly and stealthily stalked his way to come up behind her. The collision, though easily looking as though it had been a happy accident, was far from it as he reached his hands out to grasp her wrists in the pretense of making sure she didn't fall.

"Steady miss," he said, flashing that wolfish grin once again. He hadn't released her but at least was no longer holding tightly to her wrists. After all, it was more fun to play with prey than it was to devour it instantly. "Care for a dance?' he quickly asked before she had a chance to turn tail and flee.

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Something warm grasped Lucy's wrists as she startled and she spun, looking to see who it was interrupting her solitude. Bright teeth place in a charming smile both enchanted her and told her to run at the same time. She was all too much aware of the warmth of his hands circling her wrists still and her heart beat pounding in her chest. "Thank you." Lucille demurred.

Part of her rather thought she should dart away from the crowds, to slip into some corner and observe, but the gentleman was so commanding in his tone, even if it had been a question, that Lucy nodded mutely and allowed him to lead her onto the dance floor.

  

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Thank you MJ for an amazingly Lucy set!

Jameson's grin only widened when she thanked him and then allowed him to easily lead her out to the dance floor. He found she was quite pliant and moved fluidly, very much like having the grace of the doe she was masked as. And even while they danced, a simple silence seemed to envelope them though his gaze never once left her own except when the dance required it to.

And just like that, their dance came to an end though he was loathe to release his catch so quickly. "Perhaps you'd care for a drink?" he asked politely as they began to leave the floor.

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The gentleman led her through the steps of the dance in an effortless manner, Lucille for her part rather felt that she had never quite danced so gracefully, hardly thinking of the steps at all. She was an accomplished dancer and as such she thought little of it. Instead she kept her eyes locked with the gentleman’s. His gaze almost never strayed and she watched, almost worried that if she looked away…. Well she wasn’t quite sure what would happen.

The music ended and Lucy found herself captivated with the gentleman, wondering who he might be. Surely if he were dancing and asking her to drink she could come to no harm in the ballroom with him? “Yes, thank you. I'm quite parched.” Lucille smiled as they began to move from the dance floor. Perhaps she might find who this mysterious man might be as they sipped on champagne.

  

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Thank you MJ for an amazingly Lucy set!

They easily found their way off of the dance floor and Jameson had quickly gotten his hands on two glasses of champagne. He handed one to her with a wolfish grin before making quick work of his own. The empty glass was handed off and he attentions were drawn back to the doe once more.

"You appeared to be fleeing earlier," he stated as he watched her, "What had you running little doe?"

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Sipping on her champagne Lucy felt calmer, bold enough to answer, in what she hoped was a coy voice, “Why, I suppose it was because I spotted a wolf.” He still made her nervous and want to shy away, but she wouldn’t let that deter her, one never knew what would come out of such exchanges such as this one, and really it was quite unlike her to shy away from conversation of any time.

  

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Thank you MJ for an amazingly Lucy set!

That wolfish grin remained and Jameson found himself having to fight the desire to lick his lips at her words. So she'd noticed his stalking. "But running from a wolf never does anyone any good," he said with a playful sort of tone, "Besides, it's much more fun to play than to flee."

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Lucy considered his words for a moment, a playful smile slipping over her lips. “And pray tell, what does one do if not run from a wolf?” She asked, tilting her head to the side. “Last I knew wolves didn’t play.” She added as she took another sip of her champagne, resisting the urge to step backwards at his toothy smile.

  

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Thank you MJ for an amazingly Lucy set!

Jameson couldn't resist the licking of his lips as she spoke. He was quite enjoying the banter between the two of them, even if she still seemed rather timid. It made it all the more fun. "Oh wolves certainly play," he said with a smirk, "And they always catch their prey." He dared then to trail a finger up her jaw to tuck a curl back behind her ear in that moment. "How would you like to play?" he asked, eyes watching her every move rather closely.

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Lucy wasn’t quite sure how she felt about the forward gentleman. His words certainly made her want to step back, but at the same time he intrigued her. The man reached forward to brush a stray strand of hair away and Lucy froze, eyes widening slightly. Now she really did want to run. But there was always the allure of a man who was dangerous, she knew as much from her stories and so she remained where she was, cocking a small coy smile. “Depends on what a wolf might mean by play.” Neither a refusal nor an agreement, a good neutral answer.

  

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Thank you MJ for an amazingly Lucy set!

Jameson chuckled, a deep and heart sort of sound. He could see the fear in the little doe's eyes behind the mask but she was trying to be brave, trying to stand her ground and perhaps even pose a challenge. Grinning still, he slowly glided around her and dared to trail a finger across a shoulder as he went. "Perhaps you could try running again," he said softly, having ducked close to her ear to say it as he passed around her, "And we'll see how fast I can catch you again."

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As the gentleman stepped around her, his finger trailing across her shoulder, everything in Lucy screamed to run. To flee as he suggested, but she had to keep her wits about her. She would not fall prey to anyone or anything. "That, sir, seems quite inappropriate when we haven't even been properly introduced." She bravely put forth, turning to look behind her and catch his eyes. A practiced coy smirk on her lips despite her inner turmoil.

  

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Thank you MJ for an amazingly Lucy set!

Coming to stand back in front of her, Jameson etched a rather formal bow in response to her words. When he stood straight back up, he had quite the smirk on his features. "Well little doe," he started, eyes dancing over her features again, "A little bit of mystery is never a terrible thing. But if you really must know, Mr. Jameson Jewell at your service."

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The man once again returned to face her and that smirk did little to comfort her. But Lucy had determined she would stand her ground no matter how much she wanted to run away. Although running only meant he would follow, so perhaps staying was the lesser of the two evils. “It is a pleasure to put a name to the wolf, Mr. Jameson.” She replied with a pleasant smile. “I’m Miss Lucille Flint.” She curtsied and looked back up at the two eyes boring into her from his mask. This was more of a game she knew how to play than whatever he had been getting at.

  

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Thank you MJ for an amazingly Lucy set!

"The pleasure is all mine, Miss Flint," Jameson said, still smirking and still watching her every move and feature. A movement caught his attention, however, and he noticed a man that could only be his older brother motioning for him. "Ah..Looks as though our little game will have to continue another time, Miss Flint," he said as he started to move around her once more, his direction evident, "I'm being summoned." He left then, but not without one last wink thrown over his shoulder back to her before he disappeared into the crowd.

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