A/N – Hey, I think I'm back for another multi-chaptered malarkey. Hopefully I should be posting weekly (ish… Don't quote me on that). I think it will probably be 6 (possibly 7 if you're really lucky… or something) chapters. I hope you like it.

"Reedy!" James called, his eyes wide with excitement.

The old elf appeared next to the boy with a deafening crack, bowing deeply.

"Yes, young master?"

"Reedy, I want a pumpkin," James ordered. "Please," he added as an afterthought, despite the elf having already disappeared.

Reedy returned momentarily, staggering under the weight of the large pumpkin. With the help of James, he just about managed to heave it into the table.

Reedy hovered for a moment but, seeing James was preoccupied by the pumpkin, bowed and left quietly, tottering out of the room in preference to drawing more attention to himself by disapparating.

James climbed up onto the smartly-covered dining room chair, tracing his fingers in a variety of shapes. Whatever he was going to do, he wanted to do it well. If he wanted his parents to be proud, it would have to be incredible. Maybe it could be a hippogriff, someone on their broom, Hogwarts?

Picking up the knife he had spirited out of the kitchen earlier, James set about carving his pumpkin. However, he quickly realised that he should have scooped out the insides before he had begun. He sighed deeply. He knew the Diggorys gathered as a family to carve their pumpkins.

Oh well, he could do it himself. Amos may have been quite a few years older and much bigger, but James was sure he could do better than him. Amos was just a show off anyway.

Wielding the knife once more, James began again.

Half an hour later, his design was finally taking shape. True, it didn't look quite how he had imagined, but still, better than anything anyone else his age could do.

He felt remarkably smug as he heard the sound of the large oak front door swinging open and his parents returning.

"James, honey?" He heard his mother's voice.

"IN THE DINING ROOM," he yelled, turning his pumpkin to face the door.

After a few moments of muffled noise, his parents finally walked in.

"Merlin," his father gulped.

James looked around. Perhaps he should have got Reedy to do something about the pumpkin splattered across the wall. He smiled cheekily and saw his mother's face soften. She glanced at his father.

"We'll get this sorted in no time," he smiled. "Scourgify!" He shouted, pointing he wand at the offending entrails. Giving the wall another glance, he reconsidered. "Reedy!"

An hour later, the family sat down to a Halloween dinner, their plates piled high with food. In just an hour, Reedy had been able to produce a feast fit for kings. A large array of different platters filled the table and despite there only being three diners present, there was enough food for a great many more. James' pumpkin took pride of place, hovering above the table, enchanted to bare its teeth every so often.

James smiled happily as he sat between his parents, hiding his sliced fingers from them. They might have forgiven him this evening, but even he knew he wasn't allowed to steal the knives, not after last time.

Perhaps it was time to think of some Christmas presents, try and get their minds off his mischief. His eyes twinkled cheekily as he thought of all the trouble he could get into before then.

Lily watched eagerly as her father carefully eased his knife through the skin of the pumpkin. A pile of pumpkin innards sat in a bowl to her left, balanced precariously on the edge of the table.

"So, what do we want? A happy pumpkin?" Her father grinned.

Lily planted her hands on her hips and shook her head decisively, her vibrant red hair whipping through the air.

"Don't be silly, Daddy," she said in a no-nonsense manner. "It's Halloween. It's got to be a scary pumpkin."

"Of course, my pumpkin," her father laughed, ruffling her hair.

Lily screwed up her nose at her father's messy hands but a small giggle soon slipped out. Teetering on the edge of her stool, she strained he neck to look further at what her father was doing.

"Daddy," she said indignantly. "It's got to have bigger teeth than that." She continued to give further advice, freely criticising his technique. Her father smiled, his forehead furrowed in concentration. Finally he straightened up.

"Done?" Lily asked eagerly.

"Done," he nodded.

Lily scampered across the kitchen to fetch the tea lights they had bought earlier. Bringing them to the table, she jumped up onto her father's knee. He opened the packet with ease and handed the candles to her one by one and she placed them carefully inside the carved pumpkin.

Lily left out a noise of indignation as she was lifted off her father's lap and placed on the chair.

"Just getting the matches, pumpkin," her father said with his head in the cupboard.

"They're in the drawer, Daddy," Lily prompted. "You put them in there after Tuney's birthday."

"Right you are, darling," her father replied, shaking the box of matches.

"Can I do it, Daddy?" Lily asked, smiling innocently at her father.

"Go on then," he smiled, putting his arms around her. "Now remember, you have to strike it-"

"Away from you," Lily finished, smiling.

"Of course. Now: Three... Two... One..."

They moved their hands together and the match lit successfully. However, as her hand hovered over the opening of the pumpkin, she wavered slightly and the flame licked her hand gently. She let out a sharp yelp. Pulling back quickly, she dropped the box of matches on the floor, scattering them everywhere.

"I'm okay! I'm okay!" She reassured her father, her face turning a bright scarlet.

As her father picked up the fallen matches, Lily scowled at the pumpkin. She hated getting things wrong. Gritting her teeth, she looked over at her father who had collected the last of the matches. Glancing back she did a double take; the pumpkin was now glowing, the candles inside alight. Lily gaped.

"Okay pumpkin, second time lucky- Wait, what happened?" Her father looked just as confused as she did.

"Maybe... I... Maybe I just lit them before I dropped it?" Lily asked, struggling to find an explanation.

"Maybe..." Her father shrugged, scratching his head. "It's the only explanation."

"Or maybe..." Lily pondered. Her father cocked his head. She smiled wickedly. "Halloween magic!"

Her father laughed and ruffled her hair again.

"Come on pumpkin, let's show your mother and your sister."

"TUNEY!" Lily bellowed.

"Ouch," her father laughed. "I might need some new eardrums."

Lily smiled sweetly, her eyes wide, a look of pure innocence on her face.

A/N – Well, thanks for reading. Bye… (Sorry I always feel like I should end this but I don't know how.)