A/N: For the sake of my story, let's pretend books 6 and 7 aren't written yet. Let's also pretend this means Ginny (now year 6) and Dean (now year 7) have been together since they were in years 4 and 5, well the end of those years. Which, in my little world here, will have them in a relationship that's been going on for one year and three or four months. Also, we'll pretend that one Harry Potter defeated one Lord Voldemort during his sixth year, which leaves us war free. Either way, I hope you enjoy it.
Disclaimer: I don't own any characters, places or spells you recognize.
A Halloween to Remember
Halloween was coming up this Friday and Dean, being the muggle born he is, along with Seamus, a half-blood, have insisted that this year we do Halloween like muggle teens our age. Including costumes, parties, something called "trick-or-treating" and basically all around silliness. They're acting like little kids and it's getting me all giddy too.
We have it all planned out really. I'm to snatch Harry's map and we're going to sneak into Hogsmeade. That part is simple enough. Then we'll hop on our brooms and fly to the closest muggle town. If that town isn't eventful enough we'll move on to the next one until we find a satisfying town. The boys are 17 so they can shrink our brooms and do any other magic we'll need to do. You never know when you'll need to have your wand handy for a good prank.
To make it even better we've been working on making a Polyjuice Potion that should be done the day before. It's complicated, but luckily we are all semi-decent in potions. Besides, if Hermione could do it as a 12-year-old we can surely do it as a 16-year-old and a pair of 17-year-olds. We're each going to slip in to the first years' dorm rooms and nick some hair when they aren't around so we can trick-or-treat at a more accepted age.
Of course this means we'll have to have a costume for when we're their size also. The beauty there is that, according to Dean, many kids dress up as witches or wizards on Halloween. We figure we can just nick their school robes and hats too. If we remove or transfigure the Hogwarts crests we'll just look like kids dressed in costumes. Plus, Dean says we can keep our broomsticks at normal size and they will go with the costume.
Today's Tuesday and Dean and I are heading to dinner. We're meeting Seamus there and afterwards are going to our secret room to check on the potion. We very well couldn't do it where people could see it. Right at the start of the year we owled Fred and George to ask for a hidden place we could work on it, taking care to be discreet in what we were doing. All they know is we're brewing a potion that we didn't want to be caught doing. That's all they needed to help us. I think they're a little proud their sister is being sneaky and mischievous.
We walk in and spot Seamus sitting with Neville, Lavender and Parvati and go to join them.
"Hey Ginny, Dean." Parvati greets us briefly before returning to gossip with Lavender, not even waiting for a reply. We sit across from Neville and Seamus and make small talk while eating.
"You guys going to the Ravenclaw vs Hufflepuff match Saturday morning?" Neville asks.
"Probably not. They aren't really a threat to our team for the cup, plus it's the morning after Halloween. We'll probably be sleeping in." Dean responds, sharing a quick glance with Seamus and me.
"Makes sense," Neville says. "What are your plans for Halloween? Must be good if you'll be sleeping in."
"Not sure yet, but I don't doubt we'll find something to do," I answer.
"Where the three of us go there's always a party, ya know," Seamus grins.
"Well let me know what you guys decide. I'm still looking for something to do," Neville adds while getting up. "I've got to get to the library. I'm supposed to tutor a few second years in Herbology. See you later," he says over his shoulder.
The three of us exchange another look before nodding to each other and leaving the Great Hall. We wander silently to the fourth floor where our potion is. Fred and George had informed us of a portrait there of an old wizard who conceals a small unknown chamber. Apparently they worked on perfecting their Weasleys' Wildfire Whiz-Bangs in there before they had set them off at Umbridge. They also informed us that if you asked, and gave him a time frame and acceptable reason, he'd let you create a password and wouldn't tell anyone what you were doing or that you were even there. Lastly, they advised we didn't lie about our reason for wanting the room. They said he was a right troublemaker in his day and, unless what we were up to was seriously dangerous, he should give us no problem. Once all was explained he let us choose a password and enter, promising to keep our secret as long as we promised to have good stories to tell him. He may be just a painting, but he likes to hear about good pranks as much as anyone else.
Arriving at the painting we look around to make sure no one is near by.
"Hello Nathaniel," I greet the portrait. "How are you today?"
"I'm fine young Ginevra. How have you been?"
"Wonderful, you know we're almost done in your room - only a few more days. Maybe we'll have to come up with some other sneaky ideas so we can continue to visit you," I grin at the idea.
"You men better keep an eye on this one," he says to Dean and Seamus chuckling. "She has quite the mind on her."
"Don't we know it," Seamus responds grinning broadly.
"Oh, come on now Seamus, she comes up with the more brilliant ideas we go through with. It's the Weasley blood I think," Dean jokes, tossing an arm around me.
I just shake my head at them, "Starkers," I say to Nathaniel. "Honestly, I still don't know why I let you choose the password Shay," I mutter walking into the room, earning a chuckle from all three males.
"Think about it love, how many people are going to walk up to a portrait and say starkers?" he reasons. "Besides, it's fun to see your cheeks tinge pink whenever you say it."
"Oh, shut it Seamus." After checking on the potion and adding the ingredients for today, we sit around on a few pouffes to talk, just enjoying the privacy we get in this room. Once settled I turn to Seamus. "Is your costume all ready then Shay?"
"Almost, I'm having a tough time finding the spell to style my hair. Once I have that everything is set," he responds frustrated. "How about yours and Dean's?" he asks - Dean and I have decided to dress as a couple.
"Everything is set mate," Dean answers instead. "And no, I still won't tell you what we're going as," he adds on before Seamus can even open his mouth.
"Well excuse a bloke for being curious."
"Shay, why don't you just use a minor hair lengthening charm and then style it the muggle way? Then you can just chop your hair back off the next morning," I ask before Dean can respond with some barmy remark.
"That's not a bad idea, but then I'd need you to help style my hair. We'll be doing this after the potion transformation wears off remember."
"Blimey, am I dating Dean or you? When are you going to get a girlfriend who can help you with these things?" I ask shaking my head.
"You know me love, settling down isn't my thing. I'm the Hogwarts flirt. I'm sure I'll find a nice girl at one of these parties though," he responds, waggling his eyebrows.
"You're such an arrogant prat sometimes, you know that?"
"Yes, but it makes you love me all the more." Seamus responds.
Dean watches the interaction between Seamus and me with an amused look on his face. We have a conversation similar to this often. Since Shay doesn't have a girlfriend, he acts like I am. He has become one of my closest friends since I started talking to Dean a year and a half ago. He's basically the big brother I don't mind having. He doesn't get over protective and bossy.
After a moment of silence passes Dean speaks up. "What do you guys think about bringing Neville along with us?"
"What?" Seamus and I ask in unison.
"Well, he said to let him know if we come up with something to do. He doesn't have anything planned yet. And you know he'll have a blast with us."
He's right. Neville usually enjoys hanging out with us. He sometimes gets involved in our schemes; this would be no different. And he would be less nervous around people he won't see again, causing him to loosen up and have even more fun. I guess if we were going to ask anyone in the school to come with us it would definitely be Neville. Though the three of us are unbelievably close, Neville is the only other person we even consider to let in ever. We have tons of other friends - we are quite the popular bunch between Seamus flirting with all the girls and a lot of the guys loving our pranks - but we don't let any one vey close, with Neville being the sole exception. He isn't quite as close to us as we are with each other, but he's bloody close.
"Okay," I say after a minute, "let's ask him to come. You know even if he doesn't want to, he won't tell anyone about us sneaking out." That's another thing with Neville, he's a fiercely loyal friend. If you trust him with something he wouldn't dare tell a soul.
We look to Seamus to see his answer. He just shrugs as if to say "Sure, why not?"
"It's settled then. We ask Neville to join us."
That settled we get up to go find him. Saying a brief good bye to Nathaniel as we leave. We find Neville in the library still, just finishing up his tutoring. We sit and wait until the second years leave the library. Once gone we approach Neville.
"Hey guys, what are you lot up to?" he asks.
"Just been lazying about, discussing Halloween plans," I answer nonchalantly.
"Did you come up with any plans?" he asks with interest.
"Now that you mention it," Seamus begins, "it just so happens that we have."
"Brilliant! What are ya doing then?"
"How about we go talk about this elsewhere Neville," Dean answers this time. "We'd like to keep these plans discreet."
Neville nods immediately and we lead him back to Nathaniel - who was surprised to see a new member to our group. After introductions are finished and we are once again sitting on pouffes, we tell Neville our plans and invite him to join. He readily excepts, knowing we are top notch at sneaking around, and asks what he can do to help and what he'll need to have ready by Friday.
A/N: First chapter's a bit boring, but it'll pick up.