He could have attended Mrs. Lestrange's ado, reportedly the party of the year (of 1890 or 1891? That much hadn't been clear). The notion of ending one year and beginning the next at a ball, though, seemed oddly laughable to the man pleasantly meandering through the more subdued festivities in Padmore Park with the aid of a cane. Even when he had had full use of his body, Aldous Crouch had been a hair too reserved to properly enjoy himself at such an event. No, this was decidedly more his speed.

There was a sense of anticipation and a smell of bonfire smoke in the air as folk from every walk of life made their way about the festivities. Light flurries fell from the sky—not enough to be a nuisance, but they certainly added to the ambiance of the evening.

"Pardon me," he voiced as he navigated—with a bit of effort—around a cluster of school-aged youths on his way to the edge of the pond.

Ice skating had been a pastime Aldous had enjoyed immensely as a youth and even after his time at Hogwarts, he had continued to see it as an enjoyable winter diversion. That had also flitted away after his accident, but as he stood at the ice's edge, part of Aldous wondered if it had to...

He was shaken abruptly from this musing when a woman skated into the shore, colliding with him and sending them both into the snow-dusted grass.