June 24th, 1890 — Hertz estate — Ruskin-Hertz wedding

Dunstan did not know why, but the closer father's wedding day loomed, the less Dun was able to think about it. This need to wipe his mind of the crucial matter at hand lasted all the way through the ceremony, and now the young Ravenclaw found himself at the reception, an empty glass in his hand, staring blankly at one of the pictures on the wall.

It was a painting of the ocean, slowly churning. He didn't know which of his wishes were stronger — the wish to be right there by that ocean, or the wish that he didn't keep thinking like this.

  

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Maxima decidedly did not want to come to this reception. The Goshawk family had not been invited to the more elegant affair that the Pendergast and Lestrange families were hosting, and mother had wanted to respect the class mates of the Goshawk children. It was the polite thing to do. But Maxie did not want to mingle with half-vampires. It was something that certainly put her on edge. What, with their homicidal blood and all.

All things considered, it was a nice reception. Enough food for all, she got to wear something nice. She wandered around and looked at the paintings - goodness sakes, there were so many! - before finding herself standing next to the son of the groom, the youngest half-vampire. Her breath caught in her throat as she tried to think of something nice to say. Oh my, was he going to notice her throat?

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Magic by MJ

Dunstan felt the young girl's presence before he saw her — and even as she lingered in his peripheral vision, he didn't turn to acknowledge her. For quite like the girl herself, Dun was feeling lost and didn't know what to say. It was unfortunate that this key thing they had in common couldn't merely result in a comfortable silence; she was an invited guest, and he was the son of the groom. They had to socialise.

And so he turned gracefully to regard her, still holding his empty glass. This was Miss Goshawk, a very pretty Slytherin. She was not in his year, but she couldn't have been much older than him. In fact, given that the young half-vampire had been forced back a year, there was even some chance he was older than her. A vaguely interesting but dull possibility that just reminded him of how the school had treated his kind.

"It's quite something, isn't it", he managed, gesturing towards the painting of the ocean at which he'd been staring. "My sister Acacia painted it."

  

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The silence was anything but comfortable. Why would she want to talk to him willingly? But this really wasn't willing. Simply social etiquette. Her twin would be much better at handling this uncomfortable event, but she was actually talking to someone, which left Maxie here.

Age was not something that Maxie really thought about at this moment. Part of her kept thinking about her throat. Should she have worn a tasteful scarf. The thought of 'tasteful' made her go a shade pale. Wait, had he said something? She noticed his gesture. "Um, yes. Pretty painting." Ugh, did she really have to sound like an idiot?

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Magic by MJ

The awkwardness in the air was tangible, but as a gentleman Dunstan knew he was obliged to keep the small-talk going as best he could. And it was only fair, after all — she'd gone to the trouble of initiating their... "conversation".

Yes, it was a pretty painting. Dun turned to look at her with his midnight blue eyes, and began — "do you —" intending to ask dully if Miss Goshawk enjoyed painting just as Acacia did. But as he looked at the girl he noticed that she appeared slightly panicked and unwell.

"Are you alright?"

  

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Was awkwardly standing there considered 'initiating'? Perhaps she should have demanded to stay home and avoid this unpleasantness all together. Other families didn't take their children to half-breed weddings. Why was her mother making her go?

Did she what? Go good with red wine? He wouldn't act as his mother certainly would at such a public event, would he? Perhaps she was being overdramatic, but Merlin did she just want to go home. Clearing her throat - ugh, again with the throat! - she nodded sheepishly. "Yes, fine. Thank you." She managed to choke out.

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Magic by MJ

He'd done the best he could — which currently wasn't much, given the emotional complexities that had been tormenting him today. But his father was happy, and his new... mother-in-law was happy too. It was a wedding, not a depressing affair. And yet here these two children stood with absolutely no desire to be around one another, and nothing to say to each other, and not a single sparkle of happiness about them.

Dunstan was devising an exit strategy from the "conversation" when suddenly the painting they'd been looking at chose this moment to fall loose from its hanging and land on the floor with a resounding THUD.

  

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As one with experience with an unwanted step-parent, Maxie would typically be rather sympathetic to someone in Dunstan's situation. But this wasn't a typical case. A human step-mother might even be good for him and his siblings. Not that she would know or dare to find out. Goodness, if she married into such a family, she might have had a heart attack before they could have her for dinner.

The painting that fell had sent a shock through Maxie and she gave a shriek. Perhaps a little louder than she normally would have. It did cause a few eyes to land their way. How embarrassing!

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Magic by MJ

Dunstan resisted the urge to take a step back, not being the type to flee from danger — not that this was danger exactly; just a very peculiar thing to have happened. He picked up the landscape of the ocean, which was still churning and swirling gently within its frame; but the corner of said frame had been damaged by the fall — and, yikes, there was now a small dent in the floor where it had landed.

A few guests had looked round at the thud and the shriek, but for now were mostly distracted by their own far-more-merry interactions.

"I know the spell, but..." Dun murmured half to himself. He'd be able to repair both the frame and the floor in a flash... but he was fourteen. Underage. To do so would be to break the law, and for the silliest of reasons too.

  

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Goodness sakes, it was like this family was a bad luck charm! Not only was the paintings frame damaged - oh, would the older half-vampire be mad? - but the floor was as well. Perhaps the shriek was justified.

Underaged magic didn't help Maxie calm down in the slightest. It was illegal, for starters. And to see a half-vampire wield such power.... "Perhaps you should go ask your father to do it." Yes, the human father. Bad decision aside, at least the man didn't have an instinct to eat her.

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Magic by MJ

Although Dunstan wished he could whip out his wand and fix this in three seconds flat, he was a lawful boy and had no intentions of doing so. He agreed with the Slytherin, and stifled a slight sigh as he obliged, placing his empty glass on a nearby table and glancing here and there for his father, who hopefully would not see the mysterious incident as being too troublesome.

OOC: Can wrap here if you want. :)

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   Acacia Darlington

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