Halloween

"You wanted me, Professor?" asked Harper. Snape stood in the corner, picking at a manicured nail. He had a smug look on his face.

"Yes, have a seat. Would you like a lemon drop?" Professor Dumbledore held a bowl of lemon drops towards Harper.

Harper sat down and took a lemon drop. "Thank you. Did I do something?" she asked.

"No, no, of course not. I just wanted to know how you're adjusting to a magical life. Professor Snape, would you like to take a seat?" Snape shook his head at Dumbledore's offer. "No? Okay. How are you classes? Is everything going well with them?"

"I like my classes," said Harper with the utmost respect for Dumbledore.

"Good, and you're getting along with everyone?" Dumbledore prompted.

"No, well, once in potions, but Professor Snape broke that up," Harper said with a glance to Snape.

"Professor, please explain."

"It was nothing. Just Malfoy teasing her," hissed Snape before he remembered whom he was talking to.

"Oh. And what about quidditch?"

"I like quidditch. I might even make keeper."

"Ah, I see. Then you and Mr. Wood are getting along?" smiled Dumbledore, and Snape frowned.

"Yes," Harper blushed.

"And…you like you house?" asked Snape slowly.

"Yeah, Gryffindor's great. I'm glad I'm there."

"Well, Harper, thank you for coming and talking to me. I believe both you and Professor Snape have places to go. What class do you have?"

"Defense against the dark arts, with Professor Lupin." Lupin had decided to, one, come teach at Hogwarts again, and two, help Sirius Black protect Harry.

"Ah, yes, that reminds me, Lupin," muttered Snape, and he left, probably to make Lupin a serum, because tonight would be a full moon.

***

In the common room the famous trio and Harper sat in a circle near the fire. Ron and Harry were talking about quidditch; Hermoine and Harper were talking about the Halloween ball.

"You wanna borrow my black for tonight?" asked Harper as she ceremoniously painted her finger nails orange and black.

Then the prefect came in, handing all the Gryffindors envelopes.

"Okay, listen up. DO NOT open these! After the feast instead of a ball, we're going to have a scavenger hunt. On the outside of your envelope it has your partner's name." Harper's name sat next to Harry's.

The feast was grand. Everyone was stoked because of the upcoming scavenger hunt. Harper had a bad feeling about the night, but even through that she was stoked.

"Ron, relax. Nothing will happen," whispered Hermoine to Ron.

Finally the feast came to an end, and the scavenger hunt began.

"Will come on this clue says something about bark, let's go," said Harry shrugging. Finally, reluctantly Harper and Harry searched the Whomping Willow. Inside they found the next clue.

"Okay, something about a ghost roaming the halls. Nick is at his deathday party, I'm sure. Peeves," groaned Harry. After much searching they found Peeves. Reluctantly Peeves gave Harper and Harry the next clue, then sprinted off screeching "99 bottles of fizz on the wall."

"The dungeon, great," cursed Harry. Harper rolled her eyes.

When they finished walking down the stairs to the dungeon Harper felt like she had walked through a ghost, but she hadn't. It was more like a warning shiver. A sharp, burning pain shot through Harry's scar.

"Oh, no," Harry breathed.

Harper shuddered as a dark figure appeared in front of them. The figure muttered a few well-selected words, and a beam of red light shot out of his wand.

Harper glanced at Harry, where the beam was headed. Harry realized what she was going to do. Before Harry could mutter a reflecting spell of take the shot for himself, Harper stepped in front of the beam.

"No, Harper!" shouted Harry. But it was too late. Harper slumped to the floor with a thud. The figure cursed, and ran off into the dark.

"Harper? Wake up. Oh God, why'd you do that?" Harry ran to get the teachers.

Another dark figure came out of the shadows, and kneeled over Harper's still figure. Harper's skin was pale, her breathing hardly detectable, and her heartbeat was less and less frequent. He muttered a few selective words, and gently poured a potion down her throat. Footsteps came rushing down the stairs. The figure left, and in the dark Snape's door creaked to a close.

***

When Harry reached the dining hall the teachers were talking merrily. Everyone but Snape. Snape was missing. No time to wonder where he was, though. Quickly Harry told the story. The teachers rushed to the scene.

When Professor Remus Lupin saw Harper's still body, he turned paler than when he had seen the moon that night.

"Oh God. I let you down again Holly. Holly's girl, Holly's girl," he said mostly to himself. Lupin sniffed back a stray tear.

"She would have died, but someone saved her. It's a Black Curse," said a teacher. The other teachers hung their heads. A Black Curse, almost immediately fatal, but not with Harper.

"Professor Flitwick, would you get the students into their common rooms? Good. C'mon let's get her to the hospital wing quickly," Professor McGonagall barked out the orders. No one questioned her.