"So, tell me, why are we including Draco Malfoy in our group as we go to
the ball?" Ron grumbled as he shuffled his Wizard of Oz robes around
irritably. Harry the angel, dressed all in white with a magically conjured
halo just above his head, snorted in a most un-angelic manner. "Because
he's our friend, Ron. Besides, Hermione is up this way, too, and I want to
get a peek at her before everyone else does!"
"Harry, Ron, is that you two?" Draco called from the top of the stairs, wearing a fake beard that covered most of his face. They wouldn't have recognized him if they weren't headed for his rooms. "Who are you?" Ron asked, his eyes popping.
"Some call me Tim. I am Tim the Enchanter!" Draco held up a large stick and made illusions of fire flare up and go out in random places. Harry laughed, "I knew we shouldn't have let you watch muggle comedy. You're going to be a Monte Python freak!" Draco just laughed and ran to get Hermione. "Believe me, you won't recognize her when you see her!" he called back to them.
Finally, an incredible sight materialized at the top of the stairs. Hermione was dressed in a dazzling white gown which moved with her as she walked. On her head was a sparking crown, and her face was covered by a shimmering silver mask. Her hair was smooth and tamed, her eyes were- strangely enough-green, and the way the dress hugged her curves made even Harry drool a little, although Ginny was waiting for him downstairs. No one would have suspected that it was Hermione.
"Oh, Merlin! Hermione!" Harry gasped. "You look smashing!" blurted Ron. Then, he heard a strange sound from Hermione's room. "Miao-woof!" A black Crookshanks trotted to Ron, although he now looked strangely like a dog. Hermione shrugged. "He wanted to be Toto." Everyone laughed, and headed down to the common room where Ginny was waiting. She was dressed as a devil, and her bright red robes and horns went well with her hair. In one hand she carried a pitchfork. Her mask was black. Harry put his own white mask on, and Ron donned his green one. They headed to the Great Hall murmuring, "You look so good! No one will be able to recognize you!" to various friends.
The Hall was already packed when they arrived. Dumbledore was the only one not in costume, and the rest of the staff were already part of the crowd. Hermione shuddered excitedly when she realized that she didn't recognize anyone. Then Dumbledore addressed them all-except he didn't sound much like Dumbledore. He sounded curiously like Flitwick! Hermione smiled. Only on Halloween..
"Students, I'm afraid the real Dumbledore is too busy enjoying himself to address you-so I will do it for him! Let the festivities begin!" Some skeletons in the corner of the Hall began to play, and everyone soon began swaying to the music, dancing with whoever was nearest to them and reveling in the excitement of not knowing the true identity of their partners. Hermione was much sought-after, but as she was taking a break she scanned the room to see her favorite costume of all. Red Death. His fine scarlet robes moved elegantly with him as he stalked silently, intimidatingly, across the room. His face was a death's head, much like the costume in "The Phantom of the Opera." As he glided across the room, Hermione gulped as she realized who Red Death was heading for.
"May I have this dance, Queen of the Night?" The silky voice murmured behind the mask. Hermione nodded dumbly, then realized she knew that voice. "Severus?" she whispered, her eyes widening. "Yes, my green eyed Hermione? Been masquerading as a cat lately?" She smiled and took his hand and allowed him to lead her to the dance floor.
"How did you know I was the Queen of the Night? I didn't even manage the right dress!" His deep laugh attracted the attention of surrounding students. "You had the attitude down all too well." They stopped speaking as he held her close and whirled her around the Great Hall in time with the music. Hermione noted with some satisfaction that Snape was an excellent dancer.
"I would like to tell you that you look ravishing, Hermione," he whispered to her as they rested and looked around at the other dancers, who were paying them extra-close attention. They truly must have looked strange together, but Hermione knew they weren't recognized. She had even heard people whispering things like, "Where's Snape?" and "I hope I haven't danced with him without being aware of it." Even professors seemed curious as to his whereabouts.
Suddenly, there were screams from various students on the dance floor, and everyone whipped out their wands. Hermione felt Severus tense behind her. Now standing in the Great Hall were two figures dressed in dark cloaks and wearing the expressionless white masks of Death Eaters.
"Harry, Ron, is that you two?" Draco called from the top of the stairs, wearing a fake beard that covered most of his face. They wouldn't have recognized him if they weren't headed for his rooms. "Who are you?" Ron asked, his eyes popping.
"Some call me Tim. I am Tim the Enchanter!" Draco held up a large stick and made illusions of fire flare up and go out in random places. Harry laughed, "I knew we shouldn't have let you watch muggle comedy. You're going to be a Monte Python freak!" Draco just laughed and ran to get Hermione. "Believe me, you won't recognize her when you see her!" he called back to them.
Finally, an incredible sight materialized at the top of the stairs. Hermione was dressed in a dazzling white gown which moved with her as she walked. On her head was a sparking crown, and her face was covered by a shimmering silver mask. Her hair was smooth and tamed, her eyes were- strangely enough-green, and the way the dress hugged her curves made even Harry drool a little, although Ginny was waiting for him downstairs. No one would have suspected that it was Hermione.
"Oh, Merlin! Hermione!" Harry gasped. "You look smashing!" blurted Ron. Then, he heard a strange sound from Hermione's room. "Miao-woof!" A black Crookshanks trotted to Ron, although he now looked strangely like a dog. Hermione shrugged. "He wanted to be Toto." Everyone laughed, and headed down to the common room where Ginny was waiting. She was dressed as a devil, and her bright red robes and horns went well with her hair. In one hand she carried a pitchfork. Her mask was black. Harry put his own white mask on, and Ron donned his green one. They headed to the Great Hall murmuring, "You look so good! No one will be able to recognize you!" to various friends.
The Hall was already packed when they arrived. Dumbledore was the only one not in costume, and the rest of the staff were already part of the crowd. Hermione shuddered excitedly when she realized that she didn't recognize anyone. Then Dumbledore addressed them all-except he didn't sound much like Dumbledore. He sounded curiously like Flitwick! Hermione smiled. Only on Halloween..
"Students, I'm afraid the real Dumbledore is too busy enjoying himself to address you-so I will do it for him! Let the festivities begin!" Some skeletons in the corner of the Hall began to play, and everyone soon began swaying to the music, dancing with whoever was nearest to them and reveling in the excitement of not knowing the true identity of their partners. Hermione was much sought-after, but as she was taking a break she scanned the room to see her favorite costume of all. Red Death. His fine scarlet robes moved elegantly with him as he stalked silently, intimidatingly, across the room. His face was a death's head, much like the costume in "The Phantom of the Opera." As he glided across the room, Hermione gulped as she realized who Red Death was heading for.
"May I have this dance, Queen of the Night?" The silky voice murmured behind the mask. Hermione nodded dumbly, then realized she knew that voice. "Severus?" she whispered, her eyes widening. "Yes, my green eyed Hermione? Been masquerading as a cat lately?" She smiled and took his hand and allowed him to lead her to the dance floor.
"How did you know I was the Queen of the Night? I didn't even manage the right dress!" His deep laugh attracted the attention of surrounding students. "You had the attitude down all too well." They stopped speaking as he held her close and whirled her around the Great Hall in time with the music. Hermione noted with some satisfaction that Snape was an excellent dancer.
"I would like to tell you that you look ravishing, Hermione," he whispered to her as they rested and looked around at the other dancers, who were paying them extra-close attention. They truly must have looked strange together, but Hermione knew they weren't recognized. She had even heard people whispering things like, "Where's Snape?" and "I hope I haven't danced with him without being aware of it." Even professors seemed curious as to his whereabouts.
Suddenly, there were screams from various students on the dance floor, and everyone whipped out their wands. Hermione felt Severus tense behind her. Now standing in the Great Hall were two figures dressed in dark cloaks and wearing the expressionless white masks of Death Eaters.