Chapter 8
Halloween
Matt was standing outside the Hogwarts castle. The castle was on fire, and Matt could hear screaming. Matt wanted to run to the castle, to help the people that were screaming, but he couldn't. Despite his want to get to the castle, all he did was turn around and walk toward the forbidden forest. A voice inside his own head was saying Yes, just walk away and Matt had no choice but to obey. A sudden explosion from the castle and a shock wave shot out, making water from the lake wave out onto the shore, and the ground near the castle explode outward. The screaming stopped with a sudden coldness, and Matt could hear a high pitch laugh. He could see the person, silhouetted against the flames. He was a boy, several years older than Matt. The boy suddenly took notice of Matt. He raised his wand.
Matt awoke once again in the dormitory bed, covered in the now familiar cold sweat. Matt reached to a table next to his bed to find a quill. He lit a lamp and began to write the events of his dream. Matt stopped. His forehead felt different. He reached up and touched his forehead, and immediately put his hand down again. That's impossible he told himself. He moved so that he could see his own reflection in the dormitory window, and let out a breath of relief. For a moment he thought he felt a scar of some sort on his forehead, but, of course, that was impossible. Whoever heard of getting a scar from a dream? Matt continued to write down what he could remember from his dream, and then fell into sleep, which was thankfully dreamless.
"Not another dream!" Chris moaned. "Yeah, another dream. Except this one has a seams a bit more clear." Matt handed them the parchment he had written on. Chris read it then passed it to Lara. "So?" Chris asked. Lara read it. "You know, Matt. Maybe you should go to McGonagall." This seamed too much for Chris. "McGonagall?" He repeated. "Over a stupid dream? Do you really think McGonagall would care?" Matt agreed with this. "Well, there is really no need to think about my dreams right now. I think I agree with Chris, Lara." "Fine." She said, angrily. "And if your dreams are real. If people are dieing." She said. "Dieing?" Matt asked, thinking that this was getting out of hand. "It's just a dream. Come on. We have more important things to talk about then dreams that may or may not be real." Matt was quite impressed with this little speech of his. Lara, on the other hand, was unimpressed. "Well, think what you like. I've got Quidditch practice." And she got up and left.
Matt didn't see Lara for the rest of the day, which wasn't very long. Their conversation in the Library was close to sundown. Matt was eager to get the day over with, due to the fact that the next day was Halloween. People had told him that they have a feast on Halloween and they also have the whole day off. Matt still had a couple of people he wanted to meet. Those people who saluted the 'Wesley twins' for one thing. They were rarely seen in the common room, and when they were, they most often had a whole bunch of people around them. After sitting in the common room playing a game called 'Exploding Snap' with James and Johanna Matt went up to his dormitory. He had shared it with James and Arnold since the sorting, and they often stayed in the common room till ten or so. Matt had several problems, owing to the fact that when you want to sleep you find it most complicated. But eventually he did sleep. But, later on, Matt wished he hadn't.
This time, Matt was standing in a corridor at Hogwarts. This time there was no screaming. Matt could hear a lot of talk coming from somewhere below him. Matt could hear footsteps. He turned around to find a cloaked figure walking toward him. Before he could act, he was where Matt was and he walked strait through him. He turned the corner and went down another corridor. Curious to what was happening, Matt followed him. The cloaked figure went into an empty classroom. Matt entered as well. Before long a third entered as well. He wasn't completely cloaked. His head, large and round, was visible. Matt recognized him as a Hufflepuff. "Longbottom." The figure in the black cloak hissed. "Sir, I, uh," The person seemed terrified of the cloaked person. "Sorry I am late." He finally said. "Have you gotten rid of him?" The cloaked figure asked. "No, sir. He was too strong. Lucky he didn't see me, he…" Longbottom said. "Silence, you fool. With him still alive my plan cannot go forth." The cloaked man went closer to Longbottom. "Failure." The man chanted. "I don't appreciate failure, Longbottom. Do you know what happens to people who fail me?" The boy called Longbottom started squeaking, and then wildly ran for the door. "Crucio!" the cloaked man shouted. Longbottom let out a scream, and fell to the floor. He did not stop screaming, however. He was twitching with pain, screaming on the floor. The cloaked figure made no effort to stop his pain. He came and stood over Longbottom. Blood was now starting to come out of Longbottom's eyes. The cloaked figure raised his wand, and Longbottom stopped screaming. He was still feeling the pain, Matt could tell. He still lie on the floor, twitching. "I don't have use for people who fail me, Longbottom, as you will soon find out." The cloaked figure sneered. Longbottom let out a silent plea, as though knowing what would happen next. The cloak figure pointed his wand at Longbottom. "Avada Kedavra." He hissed. There was a flash of green light, a rushing sound, and Longbottom was no more.
Matt woke up, terrified. He couldn't move. He barely even noticed that he wasn't sweating. He knew he should write down the dream, although he wouldn't be forgetting that dream for quite a while. James peered down from the bunk above him. "What's up with you? You were twitching in your sleep. Ya' woke me." "Nothing, just a nightmare, I suppose." Matt said. "You suppose?" James asked. "Go back to bed Jim." Matt told him. James shook his head and pulled his head back to his own bunk. Matt tried to sleep.
At 7 in the morning, Matt finally slept. Not for long though. James woke him. "Come on. Up. It's a holiday. You can't spend the day sleeping." "Can and will." Matt said sleepily, pulling the sheets back over his head. James sighed and pulled Matts sheets off. "Come on, get up. Harrison has something to show us." James told him. "Who's he?" "Harrison Nevan. Co-founder of the Wesley group." James said. "The what?" "You'll see. Come on." James left the dormitory. Matt lay there for a couple minutes considering when he'd tell Lara and Chris about his dream, and then he too went down to the common room.
"All right, James. Why did I have t-" Matt started to say. He stopped when he saw that three people have set up a table in the common room. On the table were various treats, and a 3rd year was sitting at the table, selling the treats. "Okay everyone. Its 2 knuts a treat, and 7 sickles for a box of 2 dozen. Get the cursed food and get a free admission into the Wesley group!" the boy said. "Lemme guess. Harrison?" Matt said. Lara also had come down from her dormitory, and was eyeing Harrison with dislike. Matt ran over to her. "Problem?" He asked. "Well, I just wonder where he got the food. Hope he didn't steal it." "Why would he steal it?" Matt asked, with the obvious answer. "Because he probably didn't have the money to buy it." Matt shrugged. "Anyway, I had the most horrible dream last night."
"Avada Kedavra?" Lara looked shocked. "And Crucio? Are you sure?" Matt nodded. "Matt, I think your dreams have a higher possibility of being real." "What. Are those spells common?" Matt asked. "No. Dark wizards most often use them. They're called the Unforgivable Curses. These are the only curses that you cannot use on another human." Lara gave a slight shudder. "So, the person, Longbottom did you say?" Matt nodded again. Lara squinted her eyebrows in confusion. "Don't know anyone named Longbottom. Maybe that's a nickname. And you didn't see the cloaked figure?" "Lara, it was a dream. I don't even know if its gonna be real or not. Longbottom might not even exist. Anyway, got any money? I want to go buy a snack from Harrison." "I wouldn't trust that food. Who knows what type of curses they'd put in they're food." Matt considered this. "Good point."
Lara, Matt, James, and Chris did several fun things that day. Played Exploding Snap, bought food from Harrison (James got a cursed food, and instantly turned green and started vomiting bull frogs, but received the promised membership),. "Was that worth a membership?" Lara asked James. "No, definitely not. Those frogs were nasty. Still are." A frog suddenly belched out of James mouth. He wiped his face. Chris hadn't spoken the whole time James had his frog problem. Indeed, he looked quite ill. "Well," Matt said cheerily. "I'm hungry. Lets make our way down to the feast." Lara was glad to do so, but Chris wasn't so fond of the idea and James said "I don't thing I'll be hungry for the next few days." But the both came along.
The great hall was a fantastic sight. There were jack-o-lanterns the size of cars, live bats flying around the enchanted ceiling, and several orange and black decorations. Many students had already seated themselves at their tables. The four-some seated themselves near the front of the Gryffindor table. It didn't take long for the rest of the school to arrive. When everyone was here, McGonagall stood up and addressed the hall.
"Well, I'm sure all of you are following the Tri-Wizard tournament, this year being hosted at the Beauxbaton Academy in France. For all who are interested, Gina Morter has been chosen as the Hogwarts champion." The hall erupted with applause, and when it died down McGonagall said "Professor Dumbledore will not be seen here for the remainder of the school year, due to the fact that he volunteered to take the Hogwarts candidates to Beauxbaton Academy, and I will fill in as the replacement Transfiguration teacher." Several people throughout the Great Hall murmured about this. "Now that there is no other news, you may begin the feast." Instantly the tables were filled with food.
It took a surprisingly short time for Matt to finish eating. Lara, on the other hand, had the appetite of an elephant. And the stomach size of one too Matt thought, watching Lara eat another plate of Turkey, ham, and a dozen other foods Matt couldn't make out. It was at that time that a teacher, that Matt didn't notice wasn't at the head table, came into the Great Hall and went straight to Prof. McGonagall. He whispered something to her, and she stood up, looking alarmed. "Prefects!" She shouted to the assembly. "Guide your houses to your house common rooms immediately. Students are to go straight to their dormitories!" There was much muttering to these words, but the students did as were told. Matt exchanged a look of confusion with Chris as the Gryffindors passed the Ravenclaws. Lara was looking worried. Matt suddenly tripped. Matt got up to see Peeves, looking happier than ever. "Go away Peeves. In case you haven't noticed, a crises might be going on." "Isn't it wonderful?" Peeves cackled. "Well, I don't recon the teachers have told you what's happened, have they?" Peeves came resting to eye level with Matt. "No. I doubt you do either. Now get out of my way." Matt tried to go around Peeves. "Do I? Yes, absolutely dreadful. From what I heard, it seems a student has been murdered."