Henrietta had been taught the piano since the age of five, and considered herself a lover of music. This was far from the first orchestra performance she had attended, but it was the first to have dancers on stage. She had only seen them perform for a few moments, but she got the distinct impression she shouldn't be looking at them. It was no wonder people thought acting and singing such disreputable careers, she thought, if it was considered perfectly within their job description to engage in such displays right in the middle of a theater, where everyone might see. Henri didn't even like to cough where everyone might see.

Enduring four hours of sitting still and watching them move like that was too much to be endured, but the alternative was equally distressing; Henri had agreed to come tonight (and to help purchase the better seats in the gallery) because she thought she could take solace in the musical performance and mostly avoid the crowd in the lobby. Going out and mingling with a bunch of perfect strangers with only the Scamanders to look after her seemed a recipe for disaster. How could she be expected to comport herself well amongst so many? She wasn't even out yet!

But nevermind; she couldn't stand sitting alone in the gallery seats any longer, no matter how good the music was. Perhaps she could go find Helga and hang on her sleeve all evening, as she'd done at the dueling exhibition, and not be expected to talk except once or twice. She rose and headed for the nearest stairs, passing behind a gentleman who was loitering in the hallway. Just as she moved past him, however, something caught her foot (his cane, she would later realize) and sent her sprawling towards the stairs.

August Echelon-Arnost Cassius Lestrange