Between Shadows and Sparkles [Open]

[Nautica Anderson]

The Great Hall was alive with the shimmer of magical lights and soft laughter, but Nautica felt more like a spectator than a participant. Her white dress was lovely—she’d spent hours picking it out—but she couldn’t shake the feeling that she didn’t quite fit in.

The music swirled around her as students danced and chatted, but Nautica just stood at the edge of the dance floor, drink in hand, looking around with an air of disinterest. It wasn’t that she didn’t like the ball—it was just that it was hard to enjoy it when Rhysln was the picture of composure, working the room as if she didn’t have a care in the world. As usual, the spotlight seemed to follow her sister wherever she went.

“Maybe I should’ve stayed in the common room,” Nautica muttered under her breath. “Not my kind of night.”

From across the room, Rhysln spotted her and made her way over, her eyes scanning the crowd before landing on her younger sister. Despite the official duties hanging over her as an Auror-in-training, Rhysln was mingling with the other staff, all while maintaining her usual confident air.

"Are you just going to stand here all night?" Rhysln asked with a teasing smile, the kind she wore when she was clearly more at ease than her sister.

“Why not?” Nautica shot back. “I’m not the one running around like the life of the party.”

Rhysln smirked, shaking her head, “It’s a ball, Nautica. You’re allowed to have fun, you know.”

“Yeah, well, when you’re constantly compared to the ‘golden child,’ it’s hard to get into the spirit,” Nautica muttered, glancing over at Rhysln, whose calm, collected composure made everything look effortless.

Rhysln gave her a soft look, but her smile didn’t waver. “Look, I’m not trying to make this about me. You’re here to enjoy the night. And I’m technically on duty, so I do have an excuse to stay on the outskirts,” she added with a wink, as if reminding herself she wasn’t here just for the party.

Nautica rolled her eyes. “Right, sure. But don’t worry, I’ll keep my distance so I don’t ruin your ‘duty’ vibe. I’m sure everyone here is just thrilled you’re mingling between important tasks.”

Rhysln nudged her sister’s shoulder. “You’re impossible. Why are you so incessant about sulking over here?" she put her hands on her hips.

"Well, no one asked me to come with them, so it's not like I have anyone to dance with," Nautica huffed.

"Ah, I see, that's what the sour mood is about. Well," she directed her sister's attention, "There are some fine young chaps over there that will at least make this more interesting for you than watching everyone else have fun, right?" she said, "I would have never been able to approach them," she said, laying a challenge at her sister's feet- to do something that Rhysln hadn't been able to.

Nautica looked at her, well aware of the challenge, before handing her sister her drink, "Fine," she said before starting to cross the room.

Rhysln smirked, watching her walk away, "Much better," she said to herself before going back to walking the room.