Disclaimer – I don't own Harry Potter
Out of the blue, I woke up this morning and decided to write a Halloween special for this prank fic I wrote long ago. When Halloween rolls around, I tend to want to make time to write some spooky story, but in this case, it's a prank fic with the spooky theme of Halloween.
If you have not read my previous fic, "The Mishaps of the Mini Ministry " it's best if you read it beforehand, but you can get the gist of what happens here if you don't. Also, there is a sequel following written by la z boy called "The Chaos of the Kinder Class". Make time to read that as well. It's a lengthy fic with more kids and more humiliating pranks for Hermione. Till then, here's a special fic for this time of year.
Chapter 1: Treats
Hermione stood in the center of the room of the ministry's famous daycare, The Mini Ministry, looking around the room with a somewhat troubled expression. It was Halloween, and the place had been done up to match a child's favorite holiday.
Paper bats of purple, orange, and black flapped in the air, creating a decoration like hung garland. Every now and then they'd change their pattern and even zoom down close to her as if to give her a fun scare before zooming back up to hover above. Grinning Jack-o-lanterns placed in corners of the room winked at her or imitated laughing. Hermione turned away from them, feeling they were somehow foreshadowing her time with the young witches and wizards she would be taking care of for the day. There were fun Halloween banners on the walls with greetings like "Happy Halloween" or "Have a Spooktacular Day" written in color changing ink. A nearly transparent toy ghost floated around moaning softly as it dropped a few black and green sprinkles about the place that disappeared not long after touching the ground.
Hermione sighed at the entire display, not feeling the kids deserved such an engaging atmosphere; not after some of the pranks they'd pulled on her. But the ministry insisted that the kids should have a Halloween party. They had gone as far as to set a table in the corner with lots of food and candy. Next to it was a stack of a few board games, but Hermione was sure they'd be drawn to the bucket of green apples on a stool for the bobbing for apples game.
She shook her head at the whole matter. Of all the times for the parents to find themselves busy, or good excuses not to be present, it was on Halloween. It had been agreed that now only would she treat them to a party for the day, but take them out for muggle trick-or-treating. The manager of the daycare, Wicka Stats had insisted Hermione was perfect for taking the kids out as the parents understood very little about the muggle tradition involving trick-or-treating.
"It's not that hard to understand," she had been bold enough to say. "All the parents have to do is take them around the neighborhood and let them stock up on candy." At the thought, Hermione had felt a slight twinge of jealousy. Halloween hadn't been a great celebration at her house when she was a child; not with her father being a dentist.
She was snapped out of her thoughts at the sound of feet marching down the stairs. Hermione moved over and grimaced at the sight of the seven little nightmares coming down, each carrying a long white box. This had also been a treat from the ministry. To further entertain the kids and keep them out of the way as they decorated downstairs, they hid their boxed costumes upstairs as part of a game. Hermione had only arrived to hear them giggling and running about above her as the ministry's daycare staff finished the final touches below.
They lined up before her, grinning happily as they took in the sights of Halloween all around them. It had been a few days since she'd seen them last, and had been in no hurry to return to their cruel sense of humor.
"Alright," said Hermione as she pulled out a clipboard. "Let me take attendance. Barrin Jones."
"Here!" cried a brown haired, soft cheeked boy.
"Sammy Stephens."
A black boy with big brown eyes and a pointed nose simply raised his hand.
"Lori Becker."
"Present," cried the young blonde girl with rosy cheeks.
"Aggy Neimer."
"Present too, obviously," said the brunette who was standing next to Lori who laughed. She was giving Hermione her typical scrutinizing gaze.
"Right," Hermione muttered in annoyance. "Miles Jinks."
The reserved looking boy pushed his glasses up on his face and waved his hand dramatically. Everyone laughed except Hermione.
"Benjamin Thomas."
"Right here beautiful," he said with a wide grin as he brushed back his wild red hair.
"Torics Melver," said Hermione with a roll of the eyes.
A freckled faced, sandy haired boy jumped up on the tips of his feet and cried, "Here."
"Alright then. Now that that's taken care of—"
"We wanna open our costumes!" said Torics as he raised his box.
"That can wait until later," said Hermione firmly. "You're not going trick-or-treating right now."
"Oh, trick-or-treating! I can't wait," said Lori excitedly.
"I know," said Sammy, grinning. "Getting loads of candy the way muggle kids do."
"And what's funny is they won't know real witches and wizards are among them," said Miles with a laugh.
"Then maybe we should all dress like how they think wizards and witches look," Ben suggested. "Oooh! We could ride toy brooms around!"
"That's great!" said Barrin.
"We need to take wands too!" Aggy informed them.
"You'll need no such things!" Hermione practically shouted as she placed her hands on her hips. She was determined not to let them get the better of her today. Not on a day designed for children to run amok, tricking people. "I will be in charge of you lot for the rest of the day, and evening, unless you cause any trouble for me."
"What do you mean, and evening?" Torics asked, mocking Hermione's voice to make the others giggle.
"Well, unfortunately your parents insisted I take you all out trick-or-treating." At this news, the kids started jumping up and down, cheering. Hermione waved her hands for silence. "Alright, alright, calm down. Now, as you can see, the ministry went to the trouble of setting up a little Halloween party for you, and as a final treat, I'm to take you out in your costumes. But if you don't behave, there will be no trick-or-treating. Got it! I will take down these decorations and have you all sitting in corners. You will do as I ask with no pranks. Do I make myself clear?"
A few of the kids struggled to keep quiet, but in the end, they nodded in surrender.
"Good. Now. There's food and candy over there, and board games…" The kids had quickly rushed off to the table before Hermione could finish. Some of them still carried their boxes while others tossed them aside to explore a beautiful offering from Honeydukes.
"Wow, look at it all," said Aggy.
"We can have candy now, and candy later! We'll be rich in the stuff!" cried Miles.
"Honeydukes offers magical sweets," Hermione said as she wandered over to them. "The muggles won't when they give you candy."
"Well giving out any kind of candy is the least they can do," said Barrin as he reached for a chocolate frog that was hopping away from him.
"No no no!" Hermione said with a wave of her finger. "There will be no consumption of sweets before lunch."
"Or before seeing what we got for our costumes," said Lori.
"Yeah!" Barrin agreed as he abandoned his hunt for the chocolate frog in favor of returning to his discarded box. The rest followed his example and began to tear into their gifts.
Despite explaining how children usually picked out their own Halloween costumes, the ministry as well as the parents, mixed it with the tradition of gift giving like Christmas. As far as she knew, the parents had asked their children to make a list of which costumes they'd like to wear, then decided to surprise them. Hermione didn't care either way, and was silently hoping they would all end up getting awful, humiliating outfits. Would serve them right, after the things they did to me, she thought viciously.
There was no such luck.
Benjamin was the first to get his opened. His lips widened into a huge grin, while Hermione's dropped.
"Cool!"
"What is it?"
Benjamin pulled out a suit that appeared to be made up entirely of gauze.
"I'm going to be a mummy!" Ben stated proudly. "What you get Sammy?"
Said boy turned to him with his mouth wide open to show off his fangs. He even raised his fingers which were bent in a claw like fashion to add to the effect.
"A vampire. I'll suck everyone's blood."
"That's gross Sammy, and I order you not to do it," Lori said in an authoritative manner.
"You can't order me around," he argued.
"Yes I can." She paused to pull a crown from her box and place it neatly upon her head. "I'm going to be the princess."
"Queen would be better," said Aggy with a nod at Lori's large, puffy pink and white dress.
"Yeah," Lori agreed, "then I'll be Queen Lori."
"And the queen can overthrow Hermione," said Torics with a laugh.
"I don't think so," said Hermione boldly. "According to you lot, I'm the only queen around here." But none of them took her seriously. Barrin rolled his eyes.
"What did you get Aggy?" Lori asked.
Aggy pulled out a thin blue outfit covered partially by a dark blue top and skirt, with silvery wings on the back.
"Cornish pixie," she said with a soft smile. Hermione had a flashback to her first meeting with such creatures.
"Looks like someone's found a match to their personality," she told her. In response, Aggy stuck her tongue out at her.
"Whoa…Barrin, are you what I think you are?" asked Ben.
"Yeah," said Barrin as he too held up a blue colored outfit. Unlike Aggy's, it was bumpy looking and it came with torn pants, and a club. "Mountain troll. Didn't know they were blue."
Hermione shook her head.
"I spoke too soon. Looks like there's two people who have costumes matching their wicked personalities."
"It fits you," Torics complimented, and Barrin beamed.
"What you get Tor?"
Torics pulled out magnificent looking robes of green and gold with stars and moons printed across it. The kids gathered around expressing their amazement.
"OOooh, it's so pretty," said Lori.
"That's so awesome Torics," said Sammy.
"I'm going to be a great wizard for Halloween, just like I will be when I grow up. Look, it even comes with a wand."
Hermione tensed as he raised it and pointed it at her.
"Who in their right mind would give you…" She stopped when she realized it was just a toy wand that couldn't do anything but blast off a few harmless red sparks. Torics's delight dropped to disappointment.
"What! It's not even real. What an insult."
"Don't feel too bad about it mate," said Ben. "There's still Hermione's wand. I'm sure she'll let you borrow it."
"Not if you were the last wizard on earth," Hermione declared. "Now, I think it's time for you to put these costumes away and get ready for lunch."
"Wait!" said Aggy suddenly. "We didn't see what Miles got."
Upon the mention of the boy they looked around to see him walking away from the area of board games and the bucket of apples towards them.
"Sorry," he said sheepishly. "I wanted to see what kind of games we got."
"Hurry and open your box," said Barrin.
Miles did so quickly as they all gathered around. His costume appeared to be a set of ghostly pale Gryffindor robes that were slightly tattered. Upon closer inspection, Hermione saw there were what was clearly supposed to be bloodstains dotting certain areas. It even came with a gag bloody cleaver that Miles placed sideways on his head, making it look as though someone had come from his right and struck him there.
"Cool. You're a Hogwarts's ghost," said Torics.
"A murdered Hogwarts's Gryffindor student," said Miles as he examined the blood. "Wicked."
"I'm not sure wicked is the word," said Hermione as she stared down at it. "I don't think that is an appropriate costume for a seven year old.
"What! It's perfect. What are you on about?" Benjamin.
"I can wear it!" Miles argued. "It's what I wanted to be."
"I don't really give a flying fig what you wanted to be. That is not an appropriate costume for someone your age," Hermione stated.
"Well obviously his parents' think it's okay," said Lori, "Otherwise they wouldn't have allowed the ministry to give it to him."
Hermione considered this for a moment before shaking her head.
"I don't know. I believe I may still have to talk with them about it. Some people in the neighborhood might have a problem with it."
Of course none of the kids accepted what she was saying. There was a barrage of words coming at her from all except Miles. After a moment he broke the arguing.
"Well, can you at least think about it, after we play a few games?" he asked innocently.
"We are having lunch first."
"We want to play games!"
"Just a quick one!"
"Won't take long!"
"Come on, please!"
"Please!"
Hermione gave a heavy sigh and shook her head. Despite how angry she was with them, and certain they weren't going to act like the angels they always pretended to be, she gave in.
"Fine. But just one game. Then it's lunch time."
"Well, I've already found a game that involves both," said Miles slowly.
"Let me guess," said Hermione slyly, "bobbing for apples."
At that, the kids cheered and hurried over to it. Hermione rolled her eyes at the whole thing.
"Me first!" cried Barrin.
"No, me!" Torics cried as he tried to push Barrin out of the way.
"I want a turn first!" yelled Sammy.
"No, let me try!" said Lori.
"Stop that fighting. You're acting ridiculous," Hermione snapped as she marched over. "Now, if you're going to do this, line up properly and take your turn. After three tries, it's time for the next person."
For one of those rare moments, they followed her instruction. Hermione moved over to the large bucket. There were several green apples rising in and out of the water.
"I suppose they did charm it so we wouldn't have to worry about germs being spread," Hermione muttered to herself.
"Come on, come on, we want a go," said Barrin impatiently.
"Just a minute," Hermione said as she continued to eye the game. After a second of considering it, she pointed her wand at the bucket and muttered a spell that caused the water to briefly bubble. "There. Now you can play."
"What did you do to it?" asked Torics suspiciously
"Protecting you that's what. Go on then."
With a few shrugs and looks passed between them, the kids took part in the game. Barrin ended up being first. After three tries, he wasn't able to catch an apple. Sammy was next and he managed to get one. Torics came up, and much to Barrin's annoyance, he caught two in his mouth. Lori came afterwards, but she was hesitant to try it. In the end, she was unwilling to stick her head in enough to touch anything at all. Aggy bypassed the game altogether. Ben came next after quickly ending a private conversation with Miles. He managed to get one briefly before it fell back into the water. Torics then decided to claim himself the winner, which caused a bitter argument between him and Ben as well as the others. Annoyed, Hermione moved over to smooth it out without realizing Miles was not among the bickering bunch.
Once she had settled them down, she clasped her hands together.
"Alright. Miles still has a turn like I said. Go on Miles."
Miles grinned at her as he made to dunk his head in. To Torics's frustration, he managed to get three.
"No way, you cheated," cried Torics.
"How can I possibly cheat at bobbing for apples?"
"I don't know, but somehow you did."
Ben laughed and shook his head. Hermione groaned.
"Alright, you've had your fun. Now it's time for-"
"Your turn," Lori interrupted! "You need to do it too!"
"I don't think so."
"Oh come on, with that big mouth of yours, I bet you'll beat even Miles!" said Barrin, causing the others to break out in laughter.
"She'll suck them all up alright," said Torics who had clearly forgotten his anger.
"I am your care-taker, therefore I do not participate in kiddie games. My job is to supervise."
"And entertain," said Miles. "Come on, it's Halloween. What have you got to lose?"
My dignity, she thought bitterly.
"Fine, but only once, and because it's Halloween."
She stepped up to the bucket and looked down into the small sea of bobbing apples. It wouldn't hurt to have a bit of silly fun once in a while. She pushed her hair back and dived in, attempting to reach for the closest apple. After some fishing and difficulty, she managed to get her teeth around it. That was right at the moment she felt a few pairs of little hands on the back of her head. Before she could fully comprehend it, they pushed her head further under. The apple in her mouth was pushed further in when it touched the bucket's bottom upon their push.
Panicked, Hermione began flailing her arms, thinking they were actually attempting to drown her. But their hands were quickly lifted away. Hermione raised up immediately. She was soaked as her mop of hair had managed to sop up loads of water. She rounded on them immediately, ready to wail on them with every curse she could think of, but for some reason she couldn't.
Hermione had tried to spit out the apple but found it lodged in her mouth. She tried to pull it out with her hands, but couldn't. In the mist of laughter and confusion, Miles raised a small tube of something light green.
"What is that?" Barrin asked curiously.
"A kind of edible glue," Miles explained happily.
"So that's how you did it," said Torics in awe.
"Yep. While you and Ben were arguing, I quickly rubbed this on the apples that were left. It won't stick too well in the mouth unless really in there." He pointed at Hermione's mouth as an example. "And it doesn't wash off. Great plan of mine isn't it, even though I had it planned for something else."
"You mean our plan," said Ben. "It was a team effort. Both he and Miles waved their wet hands, showing Hermione they had been the ones to push her head in.
Hermione growled and let out the best inhuman scream she could muster behind the fruit while waving her hands frantically. Then she went into a rant no one could understand.
"What's that Hermione? Can't quite understand you with that thing in your mouth," said Barrin as he cupped his ear. "You might want to learn how to chew."
"Yeah, it's not nice to talk with your mouth full," said Lori, causing a whole new round of laughter.
Hermione fumed and stomped, furious that the day's tricks had started off so early.
Well there was the first chapter, which turned out to be longer than I thought it would be. But that's a good thing. Anyways, in case you didn't know, "The Mishaps of the Mini Ministry" started off as my response to la z boy's challenge long ago where a character needed to be pranked by kids, as you've read.
On a side note, I did have one of the kid's costumes as a werewolf, which would cause Hermione to get into a bit of a lecture on how offensive it would be or rather her thinking of Lupin and discussing it somehow. But then considering something to come later at the end, I decided to change the costume. Also, if there is some trick-or-treating going on in the wizarding world, well here, it's pretty much unheard of.
So, I hope you'll tune in for more and review if you enjoy wicked kids pranking their care-takers. This group of kids has no mercy when it comes to Hermione, lol ;)