Happy October, everyone! It's my favorite season of the year.

Thanks as always for the awesome reviews. It both surprises and thrills me every time someone new stumbles across this story and STILL decides to read it after seeing how many chapters in it already is. Like, that's some real dedication. And of course I love my longtime readers who have been there with me since the beginning.

Some of the chapters might be a tad on the short side for a bit, just sort of preoccupied with Halloween prep at home. I go all out...well as much as my budget will allow. So pumpkin carving (both real and fake pumpkin; you can keep the latter for years), crafty a witch house out of cardboard, making pumpkin sugar cookies, and decorating the house in fake autumn leaves.

If Someone Cared Enough

Chapter 128: Spooky Party Plans

Compared to the ever-looming goal of snatching the Hallows and locating the last horcruxes, Severus could honestly say the mundane duties of a teenager—and a prefect—were a walk in the park. Scolding rowdy third years or escorting sniffling, homesick first years to their head of house was preferable to fighting a basilisk or taking on an army of undead.

Cooped up in the castle, there wasn't much Severus could do in either of his quests aside from research and wait for the right time to make a move. Dumbledore had assured him that it would probably be sometime before they journeyed to Gaunt's abandoned house and Simone and Thea had yet to bring him confirmation that they'd found Helga's cup.

With the cloak Hallow safely within the school so long as James was there, Severus did not yet have to worry about prying it off the boy, not until Christmas at least when the boy would go home and the cloak would be unprotected outside Hogwarts' walls.

As frustrating as it was to sit around and do nothing, it was a relief not risking his life every other day. Too many near death experiences were probably bad for the body. Being able to spend some time simply relaxing or enjoying himself was as blessed as a five star vacation at this point, especially any time he spent with Lily.

Sometimes it was nice just being a student instead of an integral player in a high stakes game for the fate of everyone else.

Which is why Severus was looking forward to a rather low-key Halloween celebration at Slughorn's party. Having seen the error full-fledged costumes and the anonymity it provided last year—thank you Potter and company—Slughorn had opted out of an all-out Halloween themed bash or masquerade. Instead, he had chosen a Victorian themed party, inspired by the gothic undertones of artistic pieces hanging in a particular London smoking room he'd visited. The blacks and midnight blue satins and lace, the corseted waists and ruffled shirts beneath tailed jackets intrigued him and he was most excited to see what his guest came up with for a costume.

Seeing Lily giddily plan her dress out with Mary and Nesme certainly brought a smile to Severus face.

"Tuney is letting me borrow the corset Simone bought her last year," she explained to her equally upbeat friends, "and a few spells should make it big enough to fit me."

"We can transfigure your red comforter into a long skirt," Mary conspired, "Ooh, and we must give you long tight sleeves that flare out at the hands."

"You should curl your hair," Nesme advised, "and wear it in a high ponytail. Transfigure a hat with some spider web designed netting hanging over one side of your face."

Mary was doodling down a design, "Did they have bustles in the Victorian era or hoop skirts? They at least carried parasols right? We could add some lace to my umbrella and transfigure it into one. Severus, you're a dark and morbid fellow, is this right?" Mary showed Severus her drawing.

Severus rolled his eyes, "Just because I like the color black does not mean I know anything about Victorian fashion."

Mary frowned, "Oh poo, what good are you then?"

Severus made a face at her.

"You still haven't told me what you're wearing, Nesme," Lily pointed out, eyeing her friend, "Mary is doing a dress like Morticia Addams, but I haven't heard your plans."

"Morticia Addams isn't Victorian," Severus pointed out.

"No but she's gothic, so bite me," Mary said, sticking her tongue out.

Lily waved them off, her attention on Nesme, "Ignore them. So what are you wearing?"

Nesme shrugged, "My dad is sending me something. Knowing him it will be expensive and he'll demand a million pictures of me in it to send out to the whole family."

Lily chuckled, "He dotes on you so much."

"Eh, he never had kids of his own," Nesme explained, "So he latched onto me pretty hard when he married mum. Mum says he held me nearly the entire wedding when they got hitched. Wouldn't even put me down for their first dance as a married couple at the reception."

Mary cooed, "That is so sweet!"

"You know what isn't sweet," Nesme said sardonically, "Being invited to the Slug Club party simply because Slughorn found out just how rich my dad is."

"You should have seen him when he realized who my mum is," Severus said with a scoff.

Mary tsked, "Slughorn is all about rubbing elbows with the rich and famous."

"Well it was rude and he's lucky I'm going at all," Nesme snapped, arms folded over her chest, "Fortunately I can bring a guest, so at least Davis gets to suffer with me."

"At least there will be great food and music," Severus pointed out to help Nesme find a silver lining, "You should enjoy that when Slughorn isn't sucking up to you."

Nesme huffed, "I'm just waiting for the perfect chance to smear fondue cheese on the underside of one of his cushions so his quarters stink for weeks. That will teach him."

Severus snickered, "That would be amusing. I would love watching him spend time trying to locate where the smells coming from."

Nesme grinned, all teeth, "He'd never find it either, because he can't bend over far enough to look beneath the seats."

"You know, it isn't exactly nice to be talking that way about a man we concussed last years," Lily pointed out.

Severus rolled his eyes, "Simone concussed him…I think. Perhaps it was me; in all the fuss that came after with Peter being missing the run in with Slughorn seems a little trivial."

Lily gave Severus a flat look, "Attacking a teacher is trivial?"

"Compared to a giant snake and someone's soul being nearly drained out of them by a possessed book?" Severus challenged, "Yes, quite."

"So does Slughorn just not remember that incident," Mary questioned, "Or is he really that forgiving of his two favorite students?"

Severus waved a hand flippantly, "He was pretty snockered when we paid him a visit; it seems he can't remember anything of the encounter and has blamed the blanks in his memory on his overindulgence of brandy."

"That's pretty fortunate," Nesme said with a snort, "Given how badly he's tried to hide his guilt over telling Riddle about Horcruxes, he would probably be dogging our steps if he knew that we knew."

Severus nodded with a grimace, "And last thing we need is to be impeded by a man trying to wring promises of secrecy out of us just to ease his own conscience."

"Still, I feel a little bad for him," Lily said pityingly, "His intentions weren't malicious; he was only trying to educate what he thought was a harmless curiosity on Riddle's part. He just trusted one of his students a little too much."

"Yes, well that's the harm that comes from you trust being bought by gifts and favors," Severus quipped sardonically, "Just because a student remembers his favorite snack doesn't mean they are being sweet to him out of the kindness of their heart. It's academia; the entire history of this career set is students sucking up and using their professors to further their own thesis in order to make a name for themselves in the field."

Mary frowned sadly, "I guess that's just one of the possible downsides to Slughorn being one of the 'good slytherins'. He's not shrewd or distrusting enough to look for ulterior motives. He's ambitious, but he's also incredible naïve."

"Ignorance to the deviousness of others is both a blessing and a curse for him," Severus said wisely, "He's spared the pessimism, but he loses awareness for potential dangers."

"Which also means he'd never suspect you guys knocked him out last year," Nesme said with a chuckle.

Lily glared disapprovingly at Nesme, "It's not something we're proud of."

"I might be a little bit…" Severus mumbled.

Lily kicked Severus in the shin. She redirected her attention to Nesme, "Wipe that smirk off your face. It's wasn't funny; he could have been seriously hurt."

"But he wasn't," Nesme countered, wagging a finger, "So it's fine, and therefore funny."

Lily huffed, "You just find it amusing because you're mad at him for fixating on your father's connections."

"Damn straight I am," Nesme admitted, "I'm nothing extraordinary in his eyes; I'm not a prefect or straight O students, not captain of any team or 'destine' to do great things. He never looked twice at me before meeting my dad last year when he came to check up on me in the hospital wing after the basilisk incident. Before that I was just another unremarkable student among many as far as Sluggie was concerned."

"Davis got recognized enough to come to a Slug Club party or two," Nesme said petulantly, "but I hardly warranted an invite. I mean, I wasn't particularly heartbroken about missing a stuffy party full of showboating doofuses, but knowing the only reason I wasn't invited was because I wasn't 'special' enough…it hurts. Now that he knows the size of my dad's wallet, he suddenly wants to include me. I'm not some oblivious cow that leech and suckle dry!"

A thump brought their attention to the entrance of the Hufflepuff common room.

"Which is why I said we should not go as a protest," Davis said to Nesme as he continued to set down all his books and parchment.

Nesme blew out a puff of hair, making some of the messy hair hanging over her face sway slightly, "And miss out on the chance to ruin his fancy furniture? Fat chance."

"You do realize you're going to have to put up with him trying to rub elbows with you all night, right?" Davis asked pointedly, "Are you really willing to put up with that just for a chance at petty revenge?"

"Better believe it," Nesme chirped with a shark toothed smile, "And don't try to talk me out of it; I know you simply don't want to go because you don't want to wear a corset."

Severus was thankfully that for once none of them were drinking anything when shocking statements came out of Nesme's mouth, "What?"

"A corset?" Mary asked, eyes wide in confusion and possible excited amusement.

"I never said that," Davis denied, heat rushing to his cheeks.

Nesme gave him a pouty glare, "You promised. You lost the bet."

Davis glared back, "I wouldn't call it losing considering you cheated!"

"Street rules, toerag," Nesme declared heatedly, "I ate the most pumpkin cakes; loser has to do what I say."

Severus turned to Davis, eyebrow raised, "You honestly wagered your dignity on an eating contest."

"S-she usually loses!" Davis tried to defend himself, pointing a finger at a smirking Nesme, "She hates the taste of pumpkin. How was I supposed to know she'd cheat?"

Nesme rolled her eyes at him with a huff, "Oh please, all I did was pinch my nose close."

"Taste relies heavily on smell!" Davis insisted, "It's the very reason our tastebuds are affected when we have a cold. By plugging your nose, you altered the smell—and therefore the taste—of the cakes. You hardly tasted them at all."

Nesme shrugged, "I used a useless tidbit you taught me about the body. You should be flattered."

"W-why in Merlin's name do I have to wear a bloody corset?" Davis sputtered.

"Because you'd look good in one," Nesme shot back, "And come on, you've always wanted to wear one secretly. Don't try and deny it."

Davis flushed, arms crossed over his chest as he looked away, "I'm not even going to dignify that with a response."

"If it makes you feel any better," Lily said sympathetically, "I hardly think you'll be the only man wearing one. Slughorn has mentioned squeezing himself into one to look slimmer."

"Going to take a girdle meant for an elephant to contain that girth," Severus muttered. Truthfully he had no ill will against Slughorn's size; Simone's father was equally as portly. It was just an easy thing to take a cheap shot at and Severus was honestly feeling a little resentful himself that Slughorn seemed to have increased his interest in Severus because he realized he was the 'lost' heir to the Noble House of Prince. Slughorn wasn't a bad or unkind man; but it really was irritating how easily he became star struck.

Davis sighed, throwing himself down into the nearest chair, "Great, me and Sluggie can trade secrets on proper lacing."

"He's not the only one," Mary jumped in, "He has invited a few Vampires in past years and their fashion usually includes corsets regardless of gender. And since girls always go ga-ga over those pasty blokes for being so 'refined'," she made a face, "Then I bet a few guys at school will be imitating the look just to catch girls' attention."

"And you'll look better than any of them," Nesme said happily.

Davis still didn't look too sure, "I don't know..."

"Hey, Sev could wear one if it will make you feel better," Lily suggested.

Severus would have liked to say he was shocked, but something told him this had been coming ever since men in corsets was first mentioned and he saw a wicked gleam in Lily's eyes.

Still, he leveled her with a blank look, "I beg your pardon?"

"Oh come on, Sev, please?" Lily begged, "I think you'd look great in one."

"Men with shape look good in them," Severus corrected, "I am built like a broomstick. You'll hardly get an alluring figure out of me."

Lily pouted, "Oh, none of that. You've filled out in muscle over the last two years. You're not a stick anymore. And I think a corset would make you look very distinguished."

"Remind me to get you a dictionary," Severus drawled, "So that you can look up what that word is. I don't think you quite know the meaning."

"Please, Severus," Nesme gave him the puppy dog eyes, hands clasped together pleadingly, "Davis won't feel so self-conscious if you do it too."

"He won't be self-conscious is he simply doesn't do it and says to hell with your lousy bet," Severus replied, unmoved, "The answer is no."

"You sure?" Lily asked, "I think you'd look sexy."

Severus opened and closed his mouth, drawing a blank as he regarded her warily.

"…How sexy?" he asked finally.

Lily grinned deviously, "Very sexy."

Silenced reigned as everyone watched the couple stare challengingly at each other.

Nesme leaned over to Mary and whispered, "He's never going to say yes—"

"I have some conditions," Severus announced, staring Lily down as if she were a crime negotiator and he a criminal with a room full of hostages.

Lily grinned innocently, "And what conditions would those be?"

"Number one," Severus began, "Under bust only. A regular corset could put cleavage on a twelve year old boy and I will not be sporting a bosom at this party."

"Agreed," Lily said simply.

Severus put up two fingers, "Number two, no corset over my clothes. Either it goes underneath or is built into the jacket or vest."

Lily lazily examined her nails, "Built into your suit is fine."

"And number three," Severus went one with finality, "No bright colors, no sparkles, no flowery patterns. Black, gray, or white; those are you options. That's nonnegotiable."

"Understood," Lily consented agreeably. She grinned like the cat who got the cream, "I'm glad we could come to an agreement."

Mary snickered, "More like you seduced him into it with your feminine wiles."

"No," Severus insisted hotly, "That's not what happened. I'm merely doing this to support Davis."

"And to get laid by a naughty Victorian aristocrat," Nesme joked, "Now there's a roleplay for you two; going to pretend to be a naughty noble housewife fooling around with the corset salesman?"

It was Lily's turn to blush, though she didn't seem embarrassed, "That's between me and the corset salesman, now isn't it?"

Nesme cackled.

"Too many of you here think with your genitals," Davis groused, opening a book.

Mary snorted, "Seriously, Davis? You can say dick."

"Or vagina," Nesme added, "Or you could say cun—"

Lily slapped a hand over Nesme's mouth, "Sorry, I really just don't like hearing such language come out of such an adorably innocent face."

Nesme licked her hand and Lily pulled away with a grimace.

"True I am deceptively innocent looking," Nesme conceded, "But alas, I am a teenager; nothing we think is innocent."

"You're trying too hard," Davis said, unimpressed, "Everyone knows you're more attracted to a nice nap and a pillow fort full of sweets than you are to any person."

"Pillow forts are amazing," Nesme stated firmly, "And naps are better than sex."

Severus cocked a brow, "That's up for debate."

Lily nudged him, "Though naps with you are very enjoyable."

Severus allowed himself a soft smile; the two of them curled up in the afternoon was very peaceful.

"Okay, back to the matter at hand," Mary said, recapturing everyone's attention, "Lily's dress is nearly designed, we still need to get something corset-y underway for Severus, Nesme's outfit if apparently a surprise even to her, and Davis is still up in the air. I'll see what I can whip up for him that won't make him feel uncomfortable." She set to work on sketching out some ideas for Severus and Davis.

"You know this is one of the first parties we were all invited to," Davis pointed out.

Nesme perked up, "Hey yeah, Davis only gets invited to the Slug Club once in a great while and I've never been asides as his plus one."

"My first time going was last year because Severus invited me," Mary joined in, "This year I'm expected to go."

"And spend the evening keeping your Head Boy out of trouble," Severus teased.

Mary sighed, "Do not remind me. I can only hope he'll bring some poor girl as his date and she can keep him out of my hair."

"He's more likely to bring Black," Severus said quite matter of fact, "Who—given his penchant for breaking the rules—I am actually looking forward to causing some mayhem this year. Might liven up the party some."

"Knowing him he'll find a very tiny loophole around the dress code and wear something absurd," Lily said with a laugh.

Mary chuckled as well, "He better not go dressed as Dracula or the vampire guest might take offense."

Severus crossed his fingers, "Please let him come dressed as Frankenstein's monster."

The rest of them burst into laughter, Lily pushing Severus off the sofa they shared.

Halloween was certainly looking promising.

Have I always wanted to put Severus in a corset? Yes...yes I have.

So the chapters are going to be Halloween oriented until, you guessed it, Halloween. So next chapter is the day of the costume party and the chapter after that will be the actual party. Yay!

Not much to say here, so review please :)