Ingress's Sixth Birthday Party

[smallestopener]

*It's eleven o'clock on Saturday morning, thanks to Millitime, and the stage is set for Ingress's birthday out by the lake. The House of Arch family has gathered around a perfect picnic spot under a tree. Right beside them is a playground Tom has conjured just for the occaision. There is a swingset, a slide, a merry go round, and a sandbox charmed with sand that's perfect for building.

Ingress is wearing a gown fit for a princess. It has been charmed against stains and ripping just for this special day. She is also wearing a blinking button which reads "I am 6!" She is very, very, very excited.

Tom, Door, Gavroche, and Megwyn are putting finishing decorating touches on the picnic tables set up with a gigantic cake, gallons of ice cream from Florean Fontescue's ice cream parlor, and punch. There is also a table with baskets of wizarding crackers. These are gifts for the guests - once the crackers are popped, the recipient will get a hat of some kind (maybe there will be a plethora of pirate hats!) and a wizarding toy or game like chess or gobstones. Or whatever else you'd like - the guest gets to decide!

There are several chairs under the tree as well, providing a good view of the playground.

Come, birthday with them!*

OOC: Summary forthcoming. However, very important (and menacing) Barty and Tom thread within.

Comments

[smallestopener]

*Ingress waves at Bill. He looks very nice. He'll be a friend soon.*

Hi!

*She looks at Fleur a moment and then remembers her.*

FLEUR!!! I haven't seen you in forever!

[leplusbeau]

*Fleur giggles and gives the little girl kisses on both cheeks.*

Joyeux anniversaire, Ingress!

I know! Iz so sad! But I see you now. Here, a present from both of us. ...okay, Bill mostly, but I am sure I inspired it some how.

[smallestopener]

Yay! Thanks!

*She takes the package and tears into it.*

[thecoolone]

Bill watches with great amusement. He remembers when his sister Ginny was six: it's such a fun age.

She looks delighted.

[smallestopener]

*She pulls out a pyramid.*

Wow... they have these in Cairo Below! Daddy told me about them.

[thecoolone]

"This one is special; I made it just for you." Bill kneels so he can be even with Ingress, a lesson he knows from his siblings. Face-to-face is always better.

"You match up the colours on the sides by twisting the pyramid pieces back and forth. And when it's done, you'll get a surprise visitor for a moment or two. Shall I show you, or would you like to figure it out for yourself? I'm sure you're a very smart girl, Ingress."

He's actually charmed the toy to grow with her; the better she gets at it, the more involved the solution becomes.

And Tom was right: she's so very adorable.

[leplusbeau]

*Fleur is watching Bill with a small child and...hm.*

Do you like it, cherie?

[smallestopener]

Let me try! Let me try!

*She moves around the layers of the pyramid, matching up the colors. Once she slides the last one into place, a hippogriff pops out of a hidden door, bows, and then disappears back into the pyramid.

Ingress gasps and then squeals in laughter.*

I love it! Thank you, it's brilliant!

Oh! I have presents for you, too.

*She brings over the basket of magical crackers.*

The sparkly ones have the best hats in them.

[thecoolone]

"Thank you, love."

Bill's smiling broadly; he's glad she likes the present. He gestures to Fleur to pick a cracker out of the basket first, then stands again, smoothing out his clothing.

"Ingress, someone ordered you up the perfect weather for a birthday party. How does it feel to be six? Any different from five?"

[smallestopener]

*She stands up straight.*

I feel bigger.

[leplusbeau]

*solemn*

You are bigger. Big as my nine year old sister. She would be very jealouz.

[smallestopener]

She would? Really? Wow.

[thecoolone]

Bill beams at her -- at both of them, really -- and squeezes Fleur's hand. He's only got younger siblings and though he's watched each of them grow up, really, he was too old to be close to Ginny or Ron.

"You watch, Ingress. You're going to be as big as Fleur soon."

[smallestopener]

And when I am, I'll be a Herald of Valdemar, and I'll fight the bad guys.

Now, open your crackers!

[thecoolone]

"All right." With a great flourish, Bill opens his cracker; he winds up with a large purple wizard's hat. "Oh, look! It's lovely: how does it suit me?" He puts it on, posing for both Ingress and Fleur.

He would never do this for an adult.

[leplusbeau]

*Fleur cracks her cracker open and gets...a fluffy piggy.*

Un cochon! Merci, Ingress!

[smallestopener]

Yay! You got good presents.

Okay, let's go have cake and ice cream now.

*She takes Fleur's hand and then Bill's hand, and they walk together over to the cake and ice cream*