Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter
I flicked my wand in the air, causing small firecrackers to shoot from the tip of it into the air. They swarmed in tiny hoards for a moment before exploding in a shower of colorful sparks. In front of me, Margaret jolted awake and sat up quickly. "Wha's goin' on?" she mumbled, looking around with bleary eyes. Her hair was a tangled mess of dark curls.
"It's Halloween!" I told her, grinning at the sight. "Wake up already."
Margaret stared at me uncomprehendingly for a few seconds before dropping back in the bed and put her arm over her forehead. "Why me?" she moaned. I tugged the blankets away from her on the bed, dodging her attempts to grab them back. "Leave me alone, Ella. I want to sleep."
"Get up or else you'll miss breakfast."
The magic words had their desired effect. "Alright, alright. I'm up, I'm up." Margaret grumbled, swinging her legs over the side of the bed. "Why are you so damn cheerful?"
"It's my favorite holiday," I reminded her. "It only comes once a year, after all."
Margaret gave an enormous yawn. "Yeah, yeah. What time is it?" She began to shuffle towards the door.
I rubbed the back of my neck, suddenly sheepish. "7:00."
"Are you joking?! How am I going to be late?!" Margaret let out a growl as she slammed the door open and stalked towards the sixth and seventh years' bathroom. Satisfied that she was getting ready for the day, I left the dormitory and walked down the stairs to the common room. Will was gone, but Jasper and Austin were chatting with a couple of seventh years.
"Morning, Ella," Austin called when he saw me making my way over to them.
Jazz also turned around and smiled. "You look strangely cheery this morning."
"It's Halloween," I said, grinning. "I'm allowed to be happy on my favorite holiday."
"It's not allowed. You should get detention." Jazz smirked.
"Remember what happened the last time I was given detention?" I countered.
Austin shook his head, frustrated. "It's been a month and a half, but I still don't understand how you and that Ravenclaw snuck out of there. Southcott was furious, but of course he didn't remember who it was that he was watching, so he didn't bother to report it."
"Did Riddle know?" Jasper asked curiously. "He was the one who gave you the detention, after all."
My mind flashed back to the Potions lesson that following Monday. I could easily guess that he knew I snuck out of detention, but he didn't react to it. Instead, Riddle kept shooting me these calculating, cold looks, almost as if he was trying to figure something out. He didn't bother to use Legilimency, to which I was grateful. What would have happened if he had? Would I have been able to keep him out like last time?
I really need to learn Occlumency.
I put on a smile. "Naw. He never guessed."
"Ready for breakfast?" Austin asked, glancing at his watch. "Richard should be downstairs in a second."
"I'm waiting for Margaret. I'll see you down there though." I gave them a smile. Austin led a small conversation about Herbology before Richard appeared and they left. Small trickles of Gryffindors walked between the dormitories and the portrait exit as I waited for my friend. After about fifteen minutes, she appeared and we left.
"I still can't believe you woke me up so early," she mumbled, fixing her hair as we walked down.
"It's a shame," I agreed.
"Is Will already down there?" Satisfied with her hair, Margaret turned her towards me, waiting for an answer.
I shrugged. "I'm guessing as much. You know how he is with food."
"He's been a little different, hasn't he?" Margaret asked in a softer tone. "You know, ever since the detention."
"He's not as brash," I agreed, also lowering my voice. "He's quieter than he used to be." I smiled fondly. "At least Will is still keen on dueling Slytherins. Did you hear what he did to Nott the other day?"
"How could I not?" Margaret laughed as we entered the Great Hall. "He bragged about it for hours."
"So I guess not different in that area," I said, smiling. We halted our conversation as we approached our friends and sat down on the benches.
"Are you excited for the feast tonight?" Margaret asked Will, who was busy stuffing his face with toast.
Will nodded. "I'm eggsited fer da food," he said with his mouth full.
"Swallow," I said firmly. Will obeyed. "Now say what you just said."
He rolled his eyes but complied. "I'm excited for the food."
"Of course you are." Margaret fondly shook her head.
Breakfast passed quickly and I found myself in the library, working on an essay for Slughorn. Margaret, across the table, was examining her Charms essay with a critical eye. She sighed before dipping her quill in ink and scratching out a word or two. I paused in my writing, tugging the book I was using closer to me to examine the details.
A small, irritated sigh escaped me as I realized that I had already used all the information the book gave me. Snapping the book shut, I stood up. "I'm going to grab another book," I said softly to Margaret. She nodded, not looking up from her essay. I walked away from the table and through the many rows of bookshelves, looking for the one I needed. Near the back of the library I found the section on antidotes to poisons.
I skimmed the shelf for the book I needed. It caught my eye and I reached out my hand towards it. Out of nowhere, another hand enclosed on the book's spine and tugged it off the shelf. My hand brushed against theirs, and a jolt ran through me. Whipping my head around, my eyes widened in surprise. Tom Riddle stood there, a strange look on his face. He glanced at my hand, which still dangled uselessly in the air, before his eyes flashed to my face. "Miss Linden," he acknowledged with a charming smile. "Did you need this book?"
Wasn't that obvious? I thought indignantly, returning my hand to my side. Out loud I merely said, "No, it's fine. You can take it." I made to go around him, but he stepped in front of me, blocking my path. Surprise and unease shot through me. "What are you doing?"
"Are you sure that you don't need it?" Riddle asked, his eyes fixed on my face. "I'd be more than willing to give it to you."
My uneasiness was slowly starting to be replaced with irritation. "I already said that you can take the book."
Riddle's dark eyes captured mine. I sucked in a breath, feeling frozen to my spot as he took a slow step towards me. "Take the book," he said softly. The way he said it sounded like a request, but I knew better.
It was an order.
I was suddenly able to move. My eyes blazing, I took a step back from him, clenching my fists at my sides. "I've already said it twice, Riddle," I said coldly. "You can take the book." I brushed past him, half-expecting him to stop me again. He didn't, but merely watched me as I reached the end of the row and left his sight.
I returned to my seat, irritated. Margaret, who was squinting at her completed essay, didn't look up as I seated myself across from her. I stared down at my half-finished essay, running through the encounter in my mind again. I'm not a fool. I know that the conversation wasn't about who gets the book for their essay. The question is, why would he bother doing that with me?
The answer suddenly presented itself. I don't fawn over him like the rest of the school does. Was he just trying to see how I feel about him? Was that a test? The scowl on my face at present could give Will a run for his money.
Margaret, satisfied with her essay, sat back and glanced up at me. Her eyes widened. "What happened to you?"
"I'll see you at lunch," I muttered, gathering my things into my bag before taking off out of the library. Dodging first years who were huddled in clumps in the middle of the hallway, I headed towards Gryffindor Tower, intent on finishing my homework in the comfort of the common room. I was only halfway there when I ran - literally - into Jo.
"Ella!" she squeaked, surprised. "Oh, um, so sorry, got to go!" She tried to speed past me but I grabbed her robe, tugging her back. A guilty look was plastered across her face, which made me instantly suspicious.
"What'd you do?" I asked, sighing.
Jo eyed me for a second before deciding to trust me. "It's not about what I did; it's what I'm going to do."
"And what is that?" I frowned at the prankster, not sure if I necessarily wanted to know what she had planned for whatever poor soul that was on the receiving of her prank.
Jo leaned closer to me, her eyes sparkling. "At the Halloween feast, I'm going to release a horde of Cornish pixies!"
I stared at her blankly. "Where did you get Cornish pixies?"
She waved her hand impatiently. "Friend of a friend of a friend. Long story. Anyway, I was thinking that during Dippet's speech would be an ideal time. What do you think?"
I held up my hands, starting to regret stopping her. "Don't involve me in anything, I beg of you." Jo wilted with disappointment. Shaking my head slightly I started to walk forward, but paused and looked back. "That would be an excellent time to release them." I winked at her as her mood instantly brightened before I continued on my way.
Oh, the feast will certainly be interesting tonight.
Needless to say, it was.
The Great Hall was magnificently decorated with jack-o-lanterns suspended from the ceiling and live bats flying to and fro through the air. I sat with my friends at the Gryffindor table, glancing up and down for Jo. I saw her at the very end of the table, near the door. She waved slightly at me and I just shook my head, grinning.
It seemed like ages before everyone was seated. I tapped my fingers against the table impatiently as a gaggle of Hufflepuffs chatted with Gryffindors further down the table, making their way very slowly towards their seats. When they were finally seated, Dippet stood up, beaming. "Another Halloween has come for Hogwarts to celebrate it!" he called in his rather feeble voice.
I glanced down the table and saw that Jo had disappeared. Smirking, I turned back to where Dippet was still talking. "-and of course, you will continue to grow and learn for years to come-"
Something small and blue zoomed by my head. I blinked, glancing up in time to see a Cornish pixie darting over the heads of the students. Whispering broke out over the hall as other people started to notice the pixie. Will frowned, squinting at it. "What is that thing?"
I clapped my hand over my mouth, trying to muffle my laughter. The next second, pixies were everywhere. Several students screamed as they flew through the air, tugging at clothes, pulling hair, and pinching skin. Many were trying to bat them away with their hands, and I witnessed a couple of Ravenclaws attempting to stun them. The jets of red light missed the pixies and instead smashed against a couple of the jack-o-lanterns. They were released from their spell, and their remains splattered over the unsuspecting students below.
I slumped against the table, trying my best to contain my laughter, but I was failing miserably. Jo, I think this may just be your crowning prank. A quick glance told me that Jo was back at the table and blending in with the other students, pretending to look confused as she flapped her hands about, trying to ward away the pixies.
Out of the corner of my eye I saw Dumbledore stand up at the staff table. Bringing out his wand his pointed it at the air. Instantly, every pixie was immobilized, suspended in the air. With an almost casual flick of his wrist, they all flew neatly into a rather large pile in the middle of the hall, right next to me and my friends. The hall grew quiet as everyone turned towards the teachers for an explanation. I could see many students, including Jasper and Will, grinning as they appreciated the prank that was just pulled.
"A student's prank, nothing more," Dumbledore said calmly before sitting down, leaving a flustered Dippet to deal with the aftermath.
"Yes, well, the student shall be caught and dealt with accordingly." Dippet fixed his hat on top of his head, hiding his rather large bald spot. "As I was saying, Hogwarts shall continue to...house students for generations to come...and…" Dippet scrambled to remember his speech, but it was long out of his grasp. "And let the feast begin," he said, admitting defeat as he sat down.
Instantly, the tables were filled with delicious food. The pixie prank forgotten in the lieu of the feast, everyone began to stuff their faces. Will in particular grabbed everything in sight and piled it on top of his plate. Talk was minimal for a while.
I glanced back at the pile of pixies and found several of them twitching as the spell began to wear off. Grinning, I glanced up in time to see Riddle staring at me, a slight frown on his face. The smile slipped off of my face and I quickly turned around to face the table again. The scene from earlier in the library flashed through my mind, dampening my mood slightly.
Lydia leaned towards me. "That was Jo, wasn't it?" she asked quietly, her eyes gleaming with humor.
I nodded, a smirk on my face. Lydia just laughed before returning to her food. I followed suit, joining in a conversation with Margaret and Austin.
All in all, it was a memorable feast.
A/N
Wow. Leave for a couple months and they change everything! Did they get rid of the line breaks? I couldn't find them... All well.
Things start to really pick up in the next couple chapters. I have up through Chapter 13 currently written, and it will be posted here as I go along editing it, but be warned: College work is rather overwhelming, especially since I'm a creative writing major. I'll try to update as frequently as I can, but schoolwork always comes first.
Thank you to Kyoki no Megami and Zoey2019 for reviewing! I'd love to hear what all of you think of my story, and don't hesitate to tell me about suggestions that could happen or things that could be changed.
Until next time!
-Eva Sirico
