This Harry Potter story was written for fun. All rights belong to the wonderful lady (JK Rowling) who gave the world Harry Potter to read and enjoy.

Hedwig brings Harry the dragon scales but he becomes upset at the thought of leaving his friends behind if another troll appeared. At the observances for Samhain, the poltergeist Peeves reappears for the first time since the sorting. Harry and Hedwig argue about the portkeys and Neville mentions using a method that will let everyone escape future trolls.

Chapter 26: Portkeys and Halloween

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SCENE: Dragon Scales

When Hedwig flew into the Great Hall with the letter for her boy, she settled far enough away to be able to deliver a message before she offered the envelop on her leg. Caught off guard by his familiar's instructions, Harry recovered and nodded his head in understanding. He didn't open the letter but slipped it into a pocket to read later in the day when he was alone.

After potions class, Justin went with a group to the library and Neville headed to the greenhouses to work on a project with Professor Lupin for extra credit. This was a perfect time for Harry to slip into their dormitory room, read his letter, and talk to his familiar.

Opening the envelope, Harry pulled out the letter and found the two dragon scales.

"Did these come from one of the babies?" he asked and Hedwig nodded.

She hooted and sounded stern so Harry immediately opened his trunk and secured the two scales in a hidden compartment. Then he read the letter that mentioned the meetings in Gringotts and that Hedwig would share information with him as she thought appropriate. And there was the mention of a 'gift' from the 'babies' without mentioning the words scales or dragons.

"Is it a big deal for a dragon to give someone a scale?" Harry asked. "They shed the scales, don't they?"

Hedwig hooted an explanation and Harry nodded, "Swampy says when scales that are gifted to someone, they contain great magical power. Scales that fall off can be used in potions but don't have extra power."

The owl continued to hoot and Harry's face grew even happier. "The scales are a portkey! They can pull me out of any dangerous spot in the castle! I got to buy Swampy her own sheep carcass for Yule!"

With instruction from Hedwig, Harry learned how to make the destination for the port key to be one foot above his mattress here in the dormitory room. After he pulled the scales from his trunk, cast the spell and tested it, he moved from near the door to above his mattress instantly.

He laughed when he dropped the single foot to bounce on his fluffy mattress, and grinned at his owl.

"How do I carry this around?" he asked but then another thought occurred to him – a terrible thought that made his eyes grow wide as he turned back to his familiar.

"What about my friends? I couldn't leave them behind to face another troll!" insisted Harry.

Hedwig tried to speak but Harry ignored his familiar as he listed his friends who needed dragon scales. "I have to have portkeys for Neville, Justin, Susan, Hannah, Sally, Ernie, Zach, Hermione, Padma… maybe Padma's sister. Everyone in my year in the 'puffs and 'claws!"

Hedwig ruffled her feathers indicating that she was irritated with her wizard.

"I'm sorry Hedwig," Harry said. "I just can't leave people behind and escape the danger."

Hedwig continued hooting and Harry agreed, "I can ask the babies at Christmas for more scales. Even if I have to pay for them, I will get enough, but I won't use this until everyone can be rescued from the next troll."

The owl was very unhappy as her boy put the dragon scales back into his trunk, rather than his pocket. She stomped back and forth on her stand for ten minutes and hissed but Harry ignored her and left for the library to work on homework with his friends.

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SCENE: Observances for Samhain/Halloween

It was Halloween! The students of Hogwarts spent the day dressed as witches and wizards as usual but with more jokes and treats to share at each class. Chocolate frogs remained a favourite and the boys from Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff gathered twice to watch Hedwig hunt and eat chocolate frogs. The witches from all houses stayed away from the exhibition of Hedwig's hunting techniques.

Dumbledore made his way from one part of the castle to the next, sharing best wishes for a happy Samhain while the pureblood students whispered explanations to the muggleborn that Samhain was the day to remember the dead and the end of the growing season, not to exchange best wishes.

At dinner that evening, many older students from pureblood families freely talked with muggleborns around the hall about the meaning of Halloween and Samhain. The new class for Magical Traditions beginning in January for all muggleborn students would explain many of the ceremonies and traditions.

"The treats we share today represent the gifts witches and wizards once left out for ghosts to leave houses and barns alone. Long ago people would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off ghosts," Penelope Clearwater explained to the 'puffs and 'claws gathered at the end of one table.

"That's why muggles wear costumes today. It's in remembrance of the old times when they tried to hide from ghosts," agreed Hermione. "And the muggles used to do all the same things alongside the magical people."

"Really?" asked Penelope. "Why did everyone stop?"

"We'll ask Professor Binns in history class," Dora Tonks said. "He'll explain it to us."

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SCENE: The Return of Peeves

During desserts, the ghosts of Hogwarts appeared from out of the stone walls and danced above the heads of the students seated at the long tables. There were many more ghosts than usual for a meal – almost thirty ghosts of wizards and witches paired up and danced around the ceiling of the Great Hall.

"I don't hear any music," Justin observed. "Maybe they hear a song we can't hear."

All the students looked for a ghost playing an instrument or strained their ears for the faintest strains of music; the great hall was exceptionally subdued for a major feast. From the staff table, Remus Lupin announced, "Students, if you will look just at the top of the door, you'll see the source of the music that the ghosts hear."

Every student and adult looked above the door where they saw the faint image of Peeves, the poltergeist, playing a guitar. As his image grew denser, the faint strains of the dance could be heard. As they completed their Halloween dessert, the poltergeist had fully manifested after his month of rest. Now he began a new dance and sang along.

The poltergeist's voice was full of feeling as he sang the traditional English folksong 'Scarborough Fair' and played the tune on the guitar. All the while, the ghosts moved through a graceful dance of slow joining of hands and gliding around across the ceiling in time to the song. At the end of the song, Peeves paused for a moment.

Harry didn't know if he was first or not but it seemed every student in Hogwarts was suddenly on their feet applauding the performance with shouts of 'Hurrah!' and 'Encore!' for the mischievous spirit.

With his usual timing, Dumbledore rose from his chair to address the students, but everyone ignored him and continued to call for an encore. The headmaster looked at his staff for support but found none – Minerva, Pomona, Troutman, and Lupin had joined the students in their calls for an encore so Albus sat down and pretended to enjoy the performance.

From atop the door, Peeves shouted out, "Only if you sing with me!"

"Yes!" "Sure!" "Greensleeves!" were the replies shouted by the students. Now the Bloody Baron approached the poltergeist and Dumbledore expected the tough ghost to chide the poltergeist for his outlandish display and undignified behaviour, but instead, the baron enthusiastically endorsed the request for 'Greensleeves'.

Peeves began to play the song on his guitar and across the wall above his head, the words to the song began streaming so the children could sing as well.

Minerva, Pomona, and Flitwick watched in amazement as the Bloody Baron approached the ghost everyone called the 'Grey Lady'. He bowed and offered his hand before she curtseyed and allowed him to lead her into the centre of the room where they began a dance from the court of Queen Elizabeth I, four hundred years in the past.

"She's not spoken to him in centuries," Minerva whispered. "Tonight, perhaps..."

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SCENE: Elves!

The next day, Harry and Hedwig continued their argument – he wanted to give the port key to Sally Anne Perks or Hermione Granger, while the owl was adamant that her boy keep both scales on his person at all times. They tried to argue only when they were alone but Justin and Neville realized that something was wrong when Hedwig didn't go with them to history class.

When they returned to their dormitory before supper, Justin asked, "Harry, are you mad at Miss Hedwig?"

The boy who lived sighed and said, "We're arguing about something, that's all."

"Arguing with your familiar?" asked Neville. "That can't be good."

Harry closed the door to the dormitory and explained, "Hedwig brought back something from Gringotts that would… it's a portkey that will bring me back to the dormitory if we run into another troll."

"That's great, Harry," Neville said.

"But I told Hedwig I wouldn't leave my friends behind," Harry insisted. "How can I go be safe but leave everyone else behind?"

"That's very Gryffindor of you," Justin said. "A Slytherin wouldn't think twice about leaving everyone behind."

"No, I think some Slytherins would take their friends with them," Neville argued. "Greengrass, Davis, and Nott seem to be making real friends with other people and they'd help their 'em."

"So, what do we do?" asked Harry.

Neville grimaced and admitted, "I know a way we could get away from any troll and get everyone to safety."

"You do?" asked Justin. Then the muggleborn wizard grimaced and shook his head before saying, "Of course, you do… you know everything and we just have to learn to ask you the right question!"

Neville blushed to hear praise but didn't say anything else.

"What is it?" Harry asked. "What's the way to save everybody?"

"House elves," Neville explained. "We ask the house elves for help."

"The elves?" asked Harry.

"What are house elves?" asked Justin at the same time.

"Can I have an elf please?" Neville asked out loud to no one but instantly, there was a slight 'pop', and a little creature appeared before the three firsties. It was very short, had big ears and a long nose; and it was almost green in colour and dressed in a very clean pillow case.

"What's can Kandy do for Badger boys?" she asked in a high-pitched voice that for the moment was very pleasant.

"Kandy, my friends are Harry Potter and Justin Finch-Fletchley. Justin's never met a house elf before."

Neville explained more, "House elves take care of many wizard families. They clean the house, cook the food, wash the dishes, and make the beds."

The little elf nodded and grew excited as she added, "We also plants the gardens, paints the houses, washes windows, sweepes the floors…"

"That's a lot of work," Harry agreed. "But I met elves at Gringotts. They're really great and very powerful magically."

"Mr Plants is good wizard," the elf said but she stayed close to Neville and only glanced at the other boys.

When Neville asked if she was afraid, the little elf squeaked out, "Mr Speaker is scary strong and Mr Galleons to grows to be a dark-lord."

Harry and Justin exchanged glances and laughed. The elf shuddered but glanced again at the two dangerous wizards. Neville got down on one knee beside the elf to say, "Kandy, Mr Speaker is a good friend and Mr Galleons is very smart. They will not hurt you or any other elf."

The little elf nodded vigorously, though she didn't step away from Neville's side.

"We're scared Kandy," Harry explained. "The headmaster had a troll in the castle and it almost got free."

Nodding her head, the elf said, "Trolls be bad and Mr Whiskers knows this but he's not listening to head elf's who begs him to put troll away."

"Whiskers?" asked Justin. "Oh, Dumbledore's long beard makes him 'whiskers' to the little fellows."

Neville laughed. "Elves always name wizards and witches something. I've always been 'Master Plant' or something similar to our elves at home."

Harry and Justin both noticed that their friend didn't volunteer what the elves named his grandmother.

"Kandy, can the elves pop us away from danger in the castle?" Harry asked.

The little elf teared and began to cry as she explained, "Mr Whiskers orders elves to never, never pops any childrens or growns-up wizards and witches around Hoggiewarts."

"Why would he…" wondered Neville,

But Justin figured it out instantly and explained, "The Weasley twins… if the elves helped them, no one would be safe from jinxes anywhere in the castle."

Harry looked at Neville and asked, "You've got elves at home?"

The 'puff nodded and Harry continued, "Could they come and pop us away from danger here in the castle?"

Now Neville looked away and shook his head. "My gran… told the elves not to listen for me while I was at school. She thought I would have them bring me too many snacks or things…"

"Does Mr Plant need snacks?" asked Kandy. "Kandy always has snacks for students in 'puffs ready!"

The little elf popped away and then returned within seconds bearing a tray of sliced fruit and biscuits that she sat on a table for the boys.

"Gringotts has elves but they're far away and aren't really mine," Harry said. "I wish I had elves."

"You does have elves, Mr Speaker!" Kandy announced. "They's be here at Hoggiewarts since bad, bad fire in summer but can't's appear to you until you call them!"

"How do I call them?" Harry asked instantly.

"Says 'Potters elves to me,' and theys come," the elf explained.

Glancing at Justin and at Neville who both nodded enthusiastically, Harry spoke aloud saying, "Potter elves to me."

Immediately, there were pops in the room as six elves appeared and cried as they each hugged Harry's legs.

One elf cried and begged forgiveness. "Elves be bad! We didn't see Master Speaker for years! We didn't know to look for youse. Then you appears this summer but we must waits for you to calls. When fires be at Hoggiewarts, we comes to help with flames! Elves killed by flames!"

Hedwig began hooting loudly and the boys and elves turned toward her where she sat on the back of a chair.

"Yes, Missy Feathers, Potter elves help Hoggiewarts elves with flames and repairs and students and cleanings and foodies," explained one of the elves. "We hear cry for help from elves and comes to help."

"What's your name?" Harry asked this first elf.

"I be's Apollo. Mistress Lily gives all elves new names when she marries Master James." The elf pointed to each of the other elves and named them, "This be Juno, Neptune, Ares, Venus, and Mercury."

"I like those names," Harry said. "Do you like them?"

The elves nodded vigorously and finally Harry asked, "Now, can you help me?"

"Yes, Mr Master Harry Potters," replied Apollo. "What's you need?"

"When you pop from one location to another, can you take a student with you?"

Apollo nodded, "All Potter elves train to take two grown wizards away from battles so we can takes four childrens each easy but only inside Hoggiewarts."

"There are six of you and only sixteen kids in our first year in the 'claws and 'puffs so we can be popped away from the next troll," Harry said. "If any of my friends are in danger from trolls, giant dogs…"

"…or angry headmasters!" interjected Justin.

Nodding his head, Harry added, "Or angry headmasters, you are to pop them here and make certain they are safe."

"Bring thems all here's, Mr Master Harry Potters?" asked Apollo, looking around the dormitory room.

"How about popping each student to their own dorm room?" suggested Neville.

"It'll take a while to get all the kinks worked out," Justin added. "Once we work out which elf picks up which kids, we'll need to practice an escape."

"Like a fire drill at school?" asked Harry, nodding in agreement.

"Exactly!"

"What's a fire drill?" asked Neville. Muggles had many strange words to learn.

"Potter elves be good fighting fires!" Apollo insisted as the other elves nodded their heads.

"A fire drill is when you practice what to do in case of a fire or other emergency while you are at school. It's to let you know where to go, what to do if a fire breaks out in your school," Harry explained and Neville nodded in understanding. "But we won't have a real fire when we practice."

The six Potter elves each continued to take turns hugging Harry's legs, and Kandy smiled as the elves strengthened their bonds with their young master.

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As the other elves popped away to return to their tasks in the castle, and the boys left for dinner in the Great Hall, Hedwig hooted to tell Harry she'd join him later. Laughing with Neville and Justin about solving their problem, Harry nodded and hurried from the room.

Once the door was closed, Hedwig hooted once and Apollo reappeared to bow before the owl.

"Missy Feathers Hedwig Snowy Owl calls for Apollo?"

For twenty minutes Hedwig hooted and the elf responded with hoots and chortles in owl. Both creatures used their appendages to expand their conversation though the elf couldn't rotate his head as far around as Hedwig. When the elf left the room, Hedwig had a more complete story about the foray into Hogwarts by the Potter elves.

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