Luscious Pumpkin Jam (dated to Halloween night)

[ugly-old-hat.livejournal.com]

The party was not intended to celebrate Halloween, actually, but to celebrate the existence of pumpkins. It just seemed Halloween would be a good time for that kind of a celebration.

Wizarding culture had a special regard for the pumpkin, making it into tarts and juice and savories, forcing it down the gullets of every magic-user from such a tender age as to form a lifelong habit. The Sorting Hat, being steeped in magic, had also steeped itself in many a vessel of pumpkin juice over the centuries of its storied existence. Pumpkin juice, pumpkin ale, pumpkin hooch. Gooey pumpkin-gut strings, luxurious nutrient-rich slime studded with pale seeds. Oh pumpkins, glorious gourd of wizard's delight!

The Hat had dubbed this party after one of its favorite recipes: the LUSCIOUS PUMPKIN JAM.

The huge doors of the Great Hall were open. While magic kept the chill seasonal drafts from the Great Hall itself, party-goers who wished to enjoy the crisp autumn air could do so from the luxury of a pumpkin carriage. These were quite literally hollowed pumpkins that the Hat's magic had transfigured into full-size carriages, capable of carrying several occupants. Each was lit from within by enchanted candles, and studded with gleaming black jewels, with carved faces in lieu of windows. Several of the enchanted wonders were lined up outside the doors, with their house-elf coachmen ready to whisk students around the school grounds in slightly-gooey, pumpkin-scented comfort.

Indoors, all was warm and merry, and candlelit, and mostly orange. Instead of bobbing for apples, guests could bob for miniature pumpkins, the sort Martha Stewart might have used to decorate a mantelpiece, their tub filled with pumpkin juice in lieu of water. A pumpkin-carving station took prominent position near the doors, with paints and yarn to bedeck uncarved gourds for those students uninterested in pulling out pumpkin pulp. Tables had been moved to accommodate a dance floor, with a karaoke machine placed nearby. Golems inspired by Arcimboldo, wholly composed of autumnal fruits, did duty as waiters and DJs.

From the vantage of the head table, elevated above the main body of the hall, the Hat could take in all at once the entire spectacle. Satisfied, it rapped a self-congratulatory pastiche/homage:

"There ain't no party like a Sorting Hat party 'cause a Sorting Hat party don't STOP!"

The Hat felt most coolio itself, extending a strap to caress languidly the sequined sombrero that lay beside its place at the Great Hall's head table. The sombrero did not respond, of course. It was rather like the hat-equivalent of a RealDoll. Inert though it might be, the sombrero was velvety AND blingy, and that was what mattered.

Comments

KARAOKE UP IN HERE!

[theregothedrums.livejournal.com]

The Master was in no mood to sulk. Really, he wanted to do something spectacular and vicious, but right now a good vigorous song would be a good start. Nothing mopey, not tonight... the ubiquitous pumpkin theme brought a snippet of lyrics to mind, and he dove into an energetic rendition of "The Curse of Millhaven".

Re: KARAOKE UP IN HERE!

[ariemorytwo.livejournal.com]

The wicked humor of the song tickled Ari's fancy. She was on edge tonight — fluxed, Ari One's notes would've suggested, and Ari Two knew the condition damn well — and it made her want to act out, just for contrariness' sake, even though there weren't any minders or Security here to scold her. There was no one to shock or send into fits of worry. There was nothing against which to rebel.

She'd inflicted a gaudy orange corsage onto a perfectly innocent cocktail dress, creating a look (http://www.monsoon.co.uk/monsoon-originals/sydney-corsage-dress/invt/92308203/) she deemed suitable for a Hat pumpkin party. Damned if she'd dress like Ari One tonight. She'd do what she pleased.

Pumpkin carving was ... not her speed. Unconcerned about the dignity befitting The Ariane Emory, Ari bounced up to the machine and the man who'd just finished his song. "An inspired choice. Nick Cave, it says? Hm, there's another from him, but —" the magic-powered catalogue twinkled a warning at her — "it's for two voices." She gave the man her most winning smile. "Might I prevail upon you to join me? Or I'll be singing two parts and that'd just be odd."

Re: KARAOKE UP IN HERE!

[theregothedrums.livejournal.com]

Well, why not amuse himself with a little socialization? The Master flashed her a broad grin and looked at her selection.

"Oh, I think I might be persuaded. I rather approve of the sentiment, after all." Killing faithless lovers? Now there was a concept he could get behind, even if it was a bit morose in places.

Re: KARAOKE UP IN HERE!

[ariemorytwo.livejournal.com]

She'd never sung for an audience before. Oh, she'd given speeches and press conferences since she was a little kid, but singing? That would've been frivolity, and possibly also an embarrassment to Reseune. What was more, the song was definitely not a socially responsible song.

All in all, she felt ready for another go, and since this fellow was game — and, incidentally, a fantastic singing partner — ((with his mun's oocly given permission, of course)) they tried out another of the Nick Cave catalogue.



When that one was over, she turned to her partner, flushed and giddy. "I think we're on a roll," she suggested gaily. "But we should try a third. Once is an accident, twice is coincidence, as they say."

And three times was enemy action, but maybe at Reseune that saying had a different ending, or maybe it was an azi-bodyguard joke. Whatever the case, Ari seemed to be ascribing a positive meaning. She didn't bother hiding the fact that she totally wanted to sing more, and she also didn't give a damn whether she hogged the karaoke machine, apparently.

Re: KARAOKE UP IN HERE!

[theregothedrums.livejournal.com]

"A 'roll', indeed," he said, taking her hand and kissing the knuckles lightly, with a sly wink. "I don't know if I'd go so far as to call it enemy action." He knew the expression quite well. "But perhaps if you're in the mood for something a touch more adversarial..." He smirked and pointed to another song in the catalog.

Re: KARAOKE UP IN HERE!

[ariemorytwo.livejournal.com]

After all these songs, Ari's throat finally cried mercy. She needed something to wet it — not alcohol; she'd learned long ago that it did her no favors, and it'd just dehydrate her more. Breathless, she curtsied to her duet partner. "I think I'm done, for the moment," she said, beaming. "You know, that was the most unambiguous fun I've had here in ages. And I don't even know your name."

Re: KARAOKE UP IN HERE!

[theregothedrums.livejournal.com]

He gave her a cheerful grin, the sort that had helped him (along with planet-wide subliminal messages, of course) be elected Prime Minister. "I'm the Master, he said, lightly enough to be gently self-mocking. "And now you have the advantage over me, my dear...?"

[thefuturemrpond.livejournal.com]

Rory was... doing his best not to be mopey. And he'd resolved that tonight he was going to a. stay away from any dubiously coloured beverages and b. not get drunk or stoned or otherwise incapacitated with the Master again.

But he did applaud after the karaoke, even as disturbing as it was.

[theregothedrums.livejournal.com]

Pleased to be applauded (even over something as low-stakes as karaoke), the Master gave Rory a wry grin. "Going to do a number yourself?"

[thefuturemrpond.livejournal.com]

"...might be." He wouldn't have, usually, until Amy decided to 'encourage' him. But Amy wasn't here, because she was off being perfectly fine and having mad adventures, and if she was here, she'd no doubt be telling him to get up there and enjoy himself and stop worrying about her not being here...

...interesting logic of that aside, he was probably going to end up doing karaoke.

"Just need to think of a song."

[theregothedrums.livejournal.com]

Interesting. He hadn't really expected Rory to sing; the question had been meant as subtler-than-he'd-have-bothered-with-most-people teasing. "Stay away from the soulful love songs," he suggested, "Unless you want to make yourself maudlin and upset."

Voice of experience speaking.

[thefuturemrpond.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, that'd defeat the point, wouldn't it." So of course, now everything he could think of was soppy love songs. "Maybe I'll try the pumpkin-bobbing instead."

[theregothedrums.livejournal.com]

"If you enjoy dripping orange goo," he said with a barely-supressed chuckle. "i've heard of themed parties, but for anything short of a religious celebration this is ridiculous."

[thefuturemrpond.livejournal.com]

Rory nodded. "The Hat's always been mental, but even for him this is a bit over the top. I've never seen so much orange."

[theregothedrums.livejournal.com]

"What, you've never been to a world where chlorophyll never really evolved? Forests of carotenoids and xanthophylls, anthocyanin... well, you can even see a little of that on this planet, but it's not the same. There are planets with meadows like living flame..." He shook his head, clearing away certain memories he'd rather not dwell on. "This is just tack interior decorating."

[thefuturemrpond.livejournal.com]

"...impressively tacky, though. Real effort been put into the ...tackiness level."

[theregothedrums.livejournal.com]

"Oh, but this planet does tacky so well," he chuckled. "It's one of the fun things about it."

[thefuturemrpond.livejournal.com]

"Is that something we're known for, then, out in the great wide universe? Vast amounts of sequins?" He was looking at the high table as he said this, wondering whether the Sorting Hat's companion up there was actually another sentient being, or just... a hat. And rather regretting that he'd let that train of thought get started.

[theregothedrums.livejournal.com]

"is that a serious question, or an offhand remark?"

[thefuturemrpond.livejournal.com]

Rory shrugged, averting his eyes from the table. "Not that serious. How've you been, anyway?"

[theregothedrums.livejournal.com]

He tried not to let surprise register on his face; it was far more comradely a question than he'd have expected from a sober Rory. He smiled grimly.

"Is that an actual question or social noise?"

[thefuturemrpond.livejournal.com]

It took him a moment to answer. "It's a proper question. Except I suppose what I mean is how were you after, you know..." He gave a slightly less grim smile. "I'm guessing you weren't as sick as I was."

[theregothedrums.livejournal.com]

"Superior metabolism," he said, grinning. "Much better at filtering out poisons. I doubt you'd survive what it'd take to give me a hangover."

[thefuturemrpond.livejournal.com]

A sigh. "Thought so. Definitely very - distracting, though, hangovers, so..." ...thanks for that, was the unfinished thought. "Did I really keep going on about potatoes?"

[theregothedrums.livejournal.com]

"We went on about a lot of things, I think. I should have tried to get a sample of what was in that pipe for analysis."