Sorry it's been a long time. This chapter is start of a new twist, so the next few chapters will be good, I hope. Thanks, as always, to my beta FragonKnight01 to Dray-Kun
Chapter 25: Halloween Shopping and Creepy Books
Time passed much too fast for Harry's taste. It was almost Halloween and everything was going fine. Sin and Theo had managed to fight only twice, he and Draco were doing better then ever, and Ron and Hermione's relationship was going rather smoothly.
One annoying side dilemma was the School's Halloween Masked ball.
"Agh, I hate balls." Theo complained when he and Harry were informed by Hermione about the ball.
"Why? Can't dance?" Hermione asked curiously.
"No! I can dance; at least I can when I'm completely wasted. I hate them because they suck. The only good part about them was getting drunk, now I've got nothing." Theo
sighed, a mock sad look on his face.
Hermione chuckled. "This one is supposed to be fun. You have to wear a costume and mask."
Theo raised an eyebrow. "Is this some excuse so the students can hook up randomly with complete strangers in order to release some sexual tension then thankfully don't know who they were with the next morning?"
"No!" Hermione looked positively scandalized as she stared in horror at the now giggling Slytherin.
Harry laughed. "Well we're safe from having to go through that."
Theo grinned mischievously. "You never know, Har."
"Never know what?" Sin asked as he walked up behind Theo and wrapped his arms around him. Draco stood beside them, glancing at Harry only once.
"We were discussing the possibility of anonymous hook-ups at the Halloween ball, and whether or not we'll be participating in Dumbledore's great adventure." Theo smirked.
"Hey! I am your boyfriend, remember?" Sin pouted.
"Oh yea, right you are. I forgot for a second." Theo teased.
Draco sighed, interrupting another possible fight. "Can you two, for one minute, stop fighting?"
Theo and Sin smirked at each other. "Sure thing, Little Dragon." Sin nodded before pulling Theo closer and began thoroughly ravishing him.
Draco paled. "Oh crap! No, no, NO! There is something called public decency!"
The two Slytherins just carried on ignoring Draco's outburst which had attracted a few curious eyes and continued their less than private and totally indecent kiss.
"Oh for the love of Merlin!" Draco groaned, covering his eyes with a horrified expression.
Harry and Hermione were trying hard not to laugh at the distressed blond who looked about ready to claw his eyes out. Not being able to stand it any longer, Draco yanked Theo away from his cousin.
Theo pouted. "So not fair, Little Dragon."
"Agh, stop calling me that!" Sin and Theo laughed at the blonde's outburst, who glared back.
Once they'd calmed down, and the surrounding curious students had drifted away, Hermione spoke up, turning their attention back to the ball.
"So, any idea as to what you're coming as?"
They all considered the question and Theo spoke first. "Bored person who doesn't wanna' go?"
Sin smirked at him and whispered loud enough for everyone to hear, "You can always dress up as a hooker and I can pimp you out for shots of tequila."
Theo's honey colored eyes glared daggers at the harpy. "Only if I get to drink the tequila myself!"
Before Sin and Theo could do any further damage to the situation Harry suggested, "Why don't we just go shopping tomorrow? It is a Hogsmeade weekend."
Theo smirked, which always made Harry nervous. "How about we make it interesting? Hermione, Harry and I can go together, shopping that is, and Sin and Draco can go, and then we don't know the others costume."
"So it's like a mystery?"
"Exactly. It'll make the night actually fun."
They all agreed and decided to meet at the entrance hall tomorrow at eight.
The trio of Hermione, Harry and Theo made their way down the busier streets of Hogsmead where all the clothing stores were located. That night Draco had warned Harry Theo was clothes-crazy, but Harry had already seen that side of Theo and just laughed it off.
Most of the students had decided to go shopping the same day so the streets were crowded with students, Draco and Sin missing, deciding to hang back and let the three go ahead.
They found the perfect store, large and crowded, and set about finding what they wanted.
Harry was flipping through a rack of classic magical-creatures costumes when Theo appeared beside him.
"I found you the perfect costume." Theo grinned proudly, holding it behind his back and out of view of Harry.
Harry raised an eyebrow. "It isn't something girly, right?"
"Well, depends how you look at it." Theo ushered him towards the changing rooms at the back and shoved him in with the mystery clothing. "Remember to come out and show us." He winked before clothing the curtains.
Harry looked down at the clothing he held and felt his cheeks burn. Theo had chosen what were possibly the most revealing clothes he could find. Deciding defeat, since Theo would never let down until he had at least seen the clothes, Harry pulled off his blue sweat shirt and skinny-leg jeans and pulled on the clothes.
"You done yet?" Theo called and Harry could hear Hermione smother a giggle beside him. Of course Theo had told the Gryffindor girl, now he was sure to never live this down.
The mirror to his right growled. "You look great!" It purred, sounding like a tiger eyeing up its prey. If the mirror was supposed to instill in him a sense of confidence, it just failed miserably.
"Yea." His voice sounded a pitch higher as he opened the curtains timidly.
Theo grabbed his hand and lightly tugged him out. "Wow, you look hot."
Hermione nodded, eyeing him up with the same look of amazement Theo himself wore. "Yea, if you weren't gay I'd so be onto you."
Harry turned and looked into the larger mirror that covered the back wall of the dressing room. The clothes were white, soft leather that clung to every curve of his body. The pants hung low on his hips, accompanied by a thick silver belt. They were similar fit to skinny-leg jeans. His top was in the style of a corset, the silver ribbon crossing up his front. It was
designed to cling to his body, and show a strip of his pale skin where the pants should meet the top. The sleeves were purely for decoration; the same silver ribbon as the lacings were draped loosely over his shoulders.
"With your wings out you'll look like a fallen, damned angel." Theo added, turning Harry around so they could see every angel of the outfit.
"I saw a mask that would look great with that." Hermione disappeared into the throng of people, a few of who were staring opening at Harry mouths agape. She returned holding a silver eye mask, the design simple, with a creeping vine pattern around the edge and eyes.
Harry added the mask and looked back into the mirror. "Are you sure about this? It feels too…revealing."
"Harry, you're one of the most beautiful creatures on Earth, why wouldn't you want to show yourself off?" Theo argued. "You are buying that outfit right now!"
Seeing no way out of it, Harry went and changed. "What are you guys wearing?" He asked once he'd reappeared after putting his street clothes back on.
Hermione held up a beautiful deep blue dress made of a shimmering material that caught the light around it. It was low cut with a simple skirt, complete with an eye mask, similar to Harry's, only gold.
Theo held an outfit similar to Harry's, only his pants were ripped at the knees and at the cuffs and his top had the look that it had been ripped at, thus showing more skin then Harry's. His was complete with a white mask, which looked like it had been sown together using all the bits torn from him costume.
"Now we need is shoes and we're good." Hermione smiled. "Let's get these things paid for and get on with the shopping!"
"I'll pay," offered Theo. He grabbed the clothes out of both their arms and made his way toward the counter where an eagle-eyed clerk lurked in wait.
The two Gryffindors followed. "You shouldn't pay." Hermione insisted.
"Don't worry about it." Theo smirked. "I stole some of Sin and Draco's money to pay for all this."
Harry and Hermione shook their heads in amusement and waited while Theo paid for their purchases before the three headed out. Hermione and Harry exchanged looks of total disbelief as they watched him.
The next stop they bought shoes, Theo and Harry opting for white, pull-on shoes of similar design. Both boys were pleased to find shoes that had a nice dress heel in a closed-toe design. They both whistled appreciatively at the gold stiletto heels Hermione picked to match her dress.
"So what next?" Theo asked, as they headed back down the street. He then ruined his innocent act by inquiring, "Do you need to pick up a pair of fishnet hose to go with the hooker heels, Herms?"
As Hermione looked scandalized, Harry lifted his nose in the air. "Nothing so slutty as that, dear boy! She will be borrowing my new French heavy silk thigh highs."
Theo, not knowing whether to believe them or not, gave both Gryffindors an incredulous stare. He finally closed his mouth when Harry thumped him on the back and muttered, "Breathe damn it before you pass out." He finally took a few choking breaths and began to cough.
Hermione, acting like nothing at all had happened, finally interjected, "Well I need a new text book for class." She left the boys to scramble in her wake as she sauntered toward her favorite old bookstore.
It was small and pressed between two houses, looking out of place with its dusty windows and chipped sign. The bell above the door tinkled ominously in the half light and the three treaded lightly across the scuffed boards. The shelves held empty gaps between books, despite the outside, the inside was very clean and all the books kept in good condition.
Hermione went in search for her book while Theo and Harry skimmed over the books. Harry moved deeper into the room, his eyes roaming over Latin, Greek, Japanese, Italian, French, Polish and more, titles. He stopped on a particular book.
The book itself was interesting, completely black with no title, the pages were gold lined and when he opened the book, in hand writing with gold ink, was the phrase: Exsisto cautus ut insisto in hortus of Vita quod Nex.
"What are you looking at?" Harry jumped a little when Theo spoke.
"Just this book I found."
Theo nodded and looked at the writing, his brow creasing as he read aloud. "Exsisto cautus ut insisto in hortus of Vita quod Nex." He read. "Be cautious when treading on the grounds of Life and Death. Is this a fighting arts book or something?"
Harry shrugged and flipped through the pages. Theo scanned one and snatched the book from Harry's grasp.
"What's wrong?" Harry asked in concern.
"This book is dangerous." At Harry's confused look Theo explained further. "It's a Dark Arts book about getting into contact with Life and Death."
"How can you get in contact with Life and Death? And more importantly, why?"
"Life and Death are elements with forms. I don't know what they look like, but they look like something. I don't know how you get in contact but this book helps I guess. Why? So they can bring back the dead, cut deals to have life reborn."
Harry blinked. Bring people back from the dead? His mum, dad, Sirius, Cedric, he could save them?
"I need that book." Harry demanded, holding out his hands. If there was any way to bring back his loved ones, he would not pass it up.
Theo looked him in the eye, a firm look that held Harry's attention. "I know what you're thinking, Harry. I have loved ones I would do anything to bring back, but this is Dark Arts. Nothing comes at a simple price. And even if you do manage to bring back the persons body, the soul will be tainted with evil from their after-life. It would be best for you to leave the necromancy garbage alone."
"I would pay anything." Harry said with feeling. It was true; he would give up just about anything to have them back.
"Really?" Theo sounded disbelieving. "Would you give up your life? The life of another?"
Harry hesitated. He could sacrifice himself, but another?
"You're playing with lives, Harry. This is the stuff Voldermort is an expert in." Theo held out the book. "You sure you wanna' risk it?" He leaned closer to Harry so that there would be no chance of anyone overhearing them. "What will you do when the demon you summon demands your mate or your child after you summon it?"
Harry reached out and took the book. "I'll only read it." He promised. "I won't try anything."
Theo nodded. "I know, I trust you."
Harry's stomach clenched at Theo's words. The problem was that he did not trust himself.
Ember: Thanks for the review! No, I have lots more ideas so you'll just have to put up with it, hehe. Thanks, I try to make it cute. Thanks for the offer, around the Christmas chapters I might ask for your Harpy. Please review and enjoy!
Please REVIEW!
With love,
Harpy Wings.