A/N: Happy Halloween everyone! :D First off, I want to thank every single one of you who have stuck with me so far. You are all awesome, and I'm so grateful that so many of you enjoy my writings. ^.^ Secondly, I want to thank the 40 people who favorited and the 68 people who followed this story, as well as the 31 people who had reviewed over the entirety of this story. I would also like to thank the people who reviewed since the last chapter, including rb2312 (who reviewed twice), EndlessChains, anotherboarduser, and pianomouse (who reviewed twice). Thank you all, you are all great, and your replies will be in your inboxes. :)

I hope you all enjoy this chapter, despite its relative shortness. :)


Year Seven: Detention

The past six years had been more dangerous for Harry than the previous ten years spent at the Dursleys. First there was a troll, and Voldemort's attempt on his life. Then there was the basilisk followed by the dementors roaming the grounds. Then the forcible entry into the Tournament and the Ministry's intervention at Hogwarts with the threat of war looming above their heads. Last year had the death of Dumbledore at Voldemort's hand, the war starting on the very steps of Hogwarts.

Fortunately enough, the goblins knew much about the dark magic that kept Voldemort's soul anchored in the real world. By the end of Sixth Year, the goblins had already taken care of four artifacts that held pieces of soul magic in them. It could only be assumed that they belonged to Voldemort. Who else would have the audacity to split up a soul? By Harry's birthday, the Horcrux that was in his scar had been taken care of, which only left Voldemort to be taken care of. Assuming, of course, the Dark Lord hadn't made more of them during that time.

Once that last Horcrux was taken care of, it was time to speak to several friends overseas.

Within the first two weeks of August, the Ministries of Magic from France, Belgium, Spain, Germany, Switzerland, and Italy arrived and started hunting down Death Eaters left and right. All wizards on these hit squads wore badges of the ICW, sanctioned by the newest Supreme Mugwump, who had replaced Dumbledore days after the wizard's death hit the Wizarding Wireless. These wizards had no qualm about taking down anyone who used dark magic like it was a plaything, using curses and hexes that would incapacitate the Death Eaters but not kill them. Every single one of them would be tried before the ICW, and sentenced by the nations. It had been too long Britain had been left to rule on its own, making foolish decisions all for the sake of pureblood pride. Enough was enough.

Voldemort's head was severed from his body by the time the Supreme Mugwump appeared on the scene on August 17th.

Reforms swept through the Ministry, swept through Hogwarts, and everything outdated and outclassed was revised and updated. The British Wizarding World was getting changes for the good, and Harry was happy that he, in some way, helped these changes along.

At least they could have given me some reprieve for being a pseudo-saviour to the wizarding world, Harry thought as he suffered through one of Professor Biltrop's Advanced Transfiguration lesson. Since Professor McGonagall had taken over as Headmistress, a new teacher had been brought in for Transfiguration. Professor Slughorn still taught Potions, and with Voldemort's death, the supposed 'curse' on the post for Defense Against the Dark Arts had been lifted, but to everyone's happiness. Although Snape was a better Potions Master, he had been a better DA teacher than many they've had in the years past. New courses were added that all years could take, including cultural classes of both the Wizarding and Muggle world alike-Muggles Studies having been gotten rid of-as well as a new class about Shamanic magics that had nearly all third years and up scrambling to get into.

Now, Harry was glad that he would finally get to have a quiet year at Hogwarts with no strings attached, but he just wanted to be able to relax this year. Having everyone, including his girlfriend, breathe down his neck about his N.E.W.T.s was making him not want to do anything.

"Potter! Detention this Friday! Honestly, I would think you would want to learn more about a subject your father was adept in," snapped Professor Biltrop, shaking Harry out of his reverie. Scowling, Harry muttered a "Sorry Professor" before turning his attention to the board and staring blankly at it. He had no idea what any of it meant, and would have to ask Hermione later.

But Friday came all too quickly, and everyone was abuzz with delight. It was Halloween, the first Halloween not to have a heavy cloud hanging over it, and Harry was actually excited for the feast this year. Everything was going great. Except. . .

Everyone was acting oddly, Hermione included. For the past two weeks, whenever he came around people, they would cease talking and look at him until he had passed. It had worried him immensely, when he asked Hermione, and she would either skirt the issue or just wave it off.

"You became too paranoid with Voldemort coming back. Now that he's gone, we just have to get you to relax somehow."

Right after breakfast, Professor Snape headed them off as Harry, Hermione, and Neville left the Great Hall.

"Harry, you will be serving your detention from Professor Biltrop with me tonight. Meet me in the Defense classroom 104. Don't bother with dinner, I will have something prepared for us." At Harry's dejected nod about missing the feast, the Defense instructor headed away to his first class, while the trio both headed towards the greenhouses for Herbology.

Dinnertime came too quickly to Harry's distaste, and after they dropped their things off at the Gryffindor Tower, he waved off Hermione and Neville as they joined Ron and the rest of their House as they all headed down to the feast. Ron had improved in manners and temperament over the years, enough so that he had even apologized to Hermione for all of the nasty things he had ever said and done to her. His interactions with everyone had been pleasing so far as to have been included in their little group, so as Hermione and Neville joined the mass of students heading down the stairs, Ron greeted them pleasantly, separating from his girlfriend, Lavender, to hang back with Neville, letting the girls stick together and talk.

Harry watched them go for a bit before trudging up the stairs to the North Tower, where Professor Snape was waiting for him in the first year Defense classroom. He was meant to spend this detention cleaning the classroom without magic, not allowed to leave until it was done, and Harry had spent half an hour scrubbing the tabletops before a loud crash sounded outside of the classroom.

"That better not be Peeves again!" Snape snapped before rushing out of the classroom. "Harry! Get out here!" Dropping his rag in the bucket, Harry hurried to the corridor where he found Professor Snape with his wand out. Pulling out his own wand, Harry lit the tip of it to see better, the torches having been all extinguished. "Follow me," came his command, and Harry did just that, the two heading down the stairs to get back to the Seventh floor.

"Professor?" Harry asked as they made their way to the stairs leading to the Sixth floor, having gone through the entire Seventh floor. Everywhere was dark, no light coming from anywhere but their wands, despite Professor Snape's attempts to relight the torches with magic. "Where have all the paintings gone?" Bringing his lit wandtip near the painting on the wall across from them, all residents in it had disappeared. Replying in the negative to Harry's question, they continued on, passing by classrooms and offices. The hair stood on the back of Harry's neck, and he felt like he kept hearing voices every other step they took.

On the Fifth floor, they found out those voices were real. What sounded like a girl came screaming past them, literally screaming, and as quickly as she came, she disappeared. "What was that?" Harry asked, but again, Professor Snape could only reply in the negative. "What is going on?"

"I don't know," Professor Snape replied, using a strange tone. "Stay close to me."

As the two made their ways down to another floor, they had more encounters with these same apparitions as before, a sprinting screaming girl here, a zombie groaning noise there, and everywhere they turned, it was dark and none of the portraits had people in them. By the time they reached the First floor, Harry, the Seventh Year who faced all sorts of baddies in his early years here at school, was jumpy, his nerves frazzled. Professor Snape keeping his calm might have been the only thing preventing Harry from sending a hex at anything that moved. They reached the Great Hall, where everything was supposed to be out in full swing with the feast, but it was strangely dark and quiet. Skirting around it for now, Professor Snape checked the front doors to find them locked. Turning back to face Harry, he kept his eyes on the teen in front of him.

"Let's check out the Great Hall. Something is definitely amiss here." With a nod from Harry, the two cautiously entered the Great Hall. A few paces in, a noise behind them drew Harry's attention, making him whirl around just in time to see the doors swing shut. Turning around, he found Professor Snape gone.

"Professor?" Harry called out warily, lifting his want higher to try to see farther. All of a sudden, a shadow rushed him and collided with him. He felt familiar hair brush under his chin, and moving his light, he found Hermione snuggled into his chest. He wrapped his free arm around her to pull her close.

"Harry, I'm so glad you're alright!" she exclaimed as she clung to him.

"Hermione, what happened?"

"I don't know! We came down to the feast and everything was so dark! Anyone who went in disappeared!" Hermione exclaimed, distressed.

"Are you alright? How did you escape the darkness?" Harry asked, pulling away just enough to inspect her for any wounds. and finding none upon her, feeling relief rush through him.

"I'm fine. But everyone. . .NOW!" she suddenly exclaimed, and the Great Hall was suddenly ablaze in light as all of the floating candles lit themselves, revealing the entirety of the school, including Professors Snape and Biltrop, Headmistress McGonagall, and all of the school. The one wall opposite of the giant windows had a portrait that filled the entire wall, with several floors to allow all of the people in the portraits ample space to exist.

"What. . .what is this?" Harry exclaimed, extinguishing his light as he looked around at all of the Halloween decorations, flying bats everywhere, and candies of every type, muggle and magical, filling the tables which were pushed to the side, much like how they were for the Yule Ball. There was a buffet along the wall underneath the giant portrait, and as Harry watched, the House Elves began to fill everything up. Returning the smile Professor Snape sent his way, Harry turned his attention back to his girlfriend in his arms and focused on the beaming smile she aimed at him.

"I know this isn't anything like our original plans from First Year, but, well. . ." She hesitated before reaching up and brushing aside some of his bangs, revealing the place where his scar used to be. There was only a faint white line now, unnoticeable by those who didn't know where to look. "Happy Halloween, Harry." And with a smile so large as to put the Cheshire Cat to shame, Harry replied.

"Happy Halloween."


A/N: So, what did you all think? If you liked it, consider leaving a favorite, a follow, or even maybe even a review! :D Also, don't forget, I have a poll up on my profile. Should I do a Christmas version of this? Christmas, of course, would be much fluffier than this one :3 Let me know! :D

Happy Halloweeeeeeeeeeen!