"Are you sure you want to do this? It is quite a big responsibility. The entire school..." Padma asked as they walked through the dim hallways towards the Headmistress' office.
Her sister nodded in reply.
"Hogwarts hasn't had a chance to celebrate, really celebrate ever since the War. What with the people we lost, the destruction, all the new laws, and the chaos of the Eighth Years coming back, everything has just been too hectic. Besides, I don't think we've ever celebrated Diwali properly, here at school. We always used to do it back home, but with our friends, it'll be different."
Padma smiled back and reached up to knock on the door that now stood in front of them, guarded by the stone gargoyle.
"Come in," Professor McGonagall called, and they entered to find a room stacked with papers and a very exhausted looking Headmistress who was looking at them questioningly.
Parvati took a deep breath and began to tell the Professor about her plan. As she spoke, the older woman's frown slowly turned into a relieved smile. She nodded when Parvati had finished.
"Yes, Miss Patil. I rather think that is a good idea. It will be a welcome break from everything that has been going on here. You have my permission to go ahead,"
Parvati nearly squealed with delight on hearing that, and both sisters thanked their Professor and excitedly rushed to the Great Hall, which was now empty, all the students having gone to bed.
Parvati immediately cast the summon all their decorations from their rooms, but Padma looked around first, mentally visualising everything they could do to light up the place.
They began with the fairy lights, that they strung across the entire ceiling, giving the night sky that it was charmed to show, a much more colourful effect.
Next, Padma moved the tables slightly, to create some space in the centre for the rangoli the pattern that they would make on the floor in the various shades of fuschia, crimson, cobalt, and emerald, with the coloured powders they had brought along.
It was at this moment that a strong wind blew through the open window that they had negleected to close, causing the colours in the rangoli to blur together. Parvati looked at it aghast, while Padma ran to close the window. But it was too late. Their work had been ruined.
"We'll have to make a new one," Padma sighed half-heartedly. They both knew it would take them too much time.
"A new what?" asked a voice from the doorway.
They hadn't noticed Hermione and Luna standing in the doorway.
"We...err.." Parvati began, but Padma laid a hand on her shoulder and began to explain the entire situation.
"We could help," Hermione said, and Luna agreed. "It sounds like fun. Maybe we should get some more of the Eighth years to help too. It could be a great time to bond with our friends."
Padma shrugged, but Parvati looked excited at the prospect of it, so she agreed.
And so when the next day finally rolled around, the Hall certainly looked far brighter than the twins had ever thought it could. Sure, some parts looked like a medley of many different styles and themes, but in they end, they had all had fun, and if there was some silly dancing and broken diyas along the way, nobody was complaining.
Notes: Written for the Diwali Event at TGS
Prompts:
Light
Fuschia
Sister
new
Bond,
Destruction,
