The Reluctant Wallflower

(Partially continued from Politics in Sheeps Clothes; Charisma Zolnerowich only)

Instead of making her way toward the wizard her father had spotted practically a mile away, Charisma decided something to drink was in order. Seeing the age line around some beverages, she wondered if her father would allow her to drink. She was an adult, after all... Not wanting to get into that too soon, though, Charisma selected a cup and filled it with what she thought was fruit punch.

Catching a brief glimpse of even more guests filing into the foyer, moreso hearing them than anything, Charisma took a seat at one of the tables in the ballroom. It was near the doorway in yet close to the wall. A small scowl lined her face as she tried to watch or listen to her father socialize with everyone and anyone except his family.

"I am not selecting a boyfriend..." she muttered with conviction into her glass. 'And you had best not try and pick out another step-mom...' Charisma mused darkly. Her father's last choice in a wife had been horrible at best, in her opinion. "Oh wait... who am I kidding? He's here for the politics of it all," she added aloud with a huge roll of her eyes.

Placing down her drink, Charisma smiled a little at the beauty of this place. Unlike her father, muggle establishments did not bother her. In fact, some of them were gorgeous! The witch wished her father would be a little more tolerant. Perhaps this summer she would forego the return home to her father and simply start traveling the world to these places. There was no way in Hades that her father would join her, or even allow her to wander off to such locations if he knew.

Glancing around and not sure what to do next, Charisma attempted to find a familiar face in the crowd. Or, at least, a friendly one to strike up a conversation with that had not been sent over by her father. Despite her earlier statements, the witch was not at all introverted. In fact she was quite the opposite, normally. 'A reluctant wallflower...' she mused, silently snickering at how absurd that might sound.

Annabelle looked around the room and marveled at the beautiful architecture of the place. She rather liked a lot of muggle buildings because they all seemed to be different from each other. Like a fingerprint, she mused. Each of them has their own unique style that makes them stand out in the eyes of people. She and her brother had parted with their parents after the brief introduction with the other Ministers. And then she and Dimitri had gone on their separate ways after grabbing a drink.

She took a sip of her punch and silently wondered where she would go next and what she'd do. Catching sight of a woman who looked to be a few years older than her, she decided to make use of this gathering as a means of making new friends as well. She walked on over to her, a kind smile on her face and a polite air around her.

"Hi," she greeted. "I'm Annabelle, what's your name?" She asked, offering her hand and a soft smile. She took another sip of her drink, lessening its contents to one-fourth of what it originally was when she got it.

With all of the people here, Charisma found it very difficult to pick out a familiar face. She did spot Berlynn, but she was no doubt busy. In fact, she was well into a conversation with another which could very well be at least in part a cover. Being the Minister's bodyguard now, it was obvious the older witch she saw as a combination sister/unofficial step-mom-type figure would be on security detail tonight.

Charisma's attention was diverted when a witch slightly younger than herself approached the table. She smiled at her soon-to-be comrade to let it be known she was approachable despite how she might have appeared prior. Considering the direction from which she came, Charisma deduced she was the child of one of the politicians much like she was. "Hi," she replied, standing to greet her potential new friend. Charisma left her half-empty glass on the table, forgotten. "I'm Charisma. Pleasure to meet you," the witch answered, taking Annabelle's hand and giving it a firm but not too firm shake.

"Enjoying the conference thus far?" she asked curiously.