Silly Incantations

By Barbi Bee

Chapter 8

A/N: The characters are not mine, I only wrote the story around them.

It had finally arrived. The waiting was almost over and in less than an hour the curtain would rise for the Opening Night performance of the 'Hogwarts School production of MacBeth'

Six first and second year students from each house had been chosen to act as ushers. Dressed in freshly pressed school robes they waited patiently by the doors of the Great Hall. In the Foyer, the guests availed themselves of the Courtesy Bar set up for their benefit and serviced by members of Slytherin House. Resplendent in their finery, the various guests mingled with their fellow witches and wizards prior to being allowed entrance into the Great Hall.

Forty-five minutes before the curtain was due to go up, Head Boy Blaise Zabini gave the ushers the nod and requesting the bar be closed, said "Good evening Ladies and Gentlemen. My name is Blaise Zabini and I am the Head Boy at Hogwarts this year. I also have the somewhat dubious honour of being in charge of the front-of-house. It is in this second capacity that I ask you to please make your way to the Great Hall where our ushers are waiting to escort you to your seats."

Thirty minutes later, the 250 wizarding guests had been seated, programmes had been handed out and the ushers now sat quietly by the doors. Behind the curtain, last minute checks were being made on costumes, make-up, scenery and props. Those onstage for the first act took their places as they waited for those last few minutes to tick by.

The house lights dimmed, the spotlights hit the centre of the curtain and Albus Dumbledore appeared as if from nowhere.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, Witches and Wizards. It gives me great pleasure to welcome you all here for the Opening Night of our school production. Made possible by the hard work of students, staff and a few friends of the school I am sure you will find that this will be a night to remember. May I ask you to please put your hands together for the Hogwarts version of "MacBeth".

And on that note, the audience applauded as the curtain rose on a lonely Scottish Heath, to find three old hags huddled around a cauldron on a dark stormy night.

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Draco and Andy Trass were standing in the wings waiting for their cue when the Bloody Baron arrived, and giving Andy a glare to ensure his silence, took possession of Draco's body. The scene that ensued was one of the most powerful anybody had ever seen, including Professor Atkinson. It was as though the Baron's spirit had somehow swept through all those on stage and imbued them with greater strength and power, making the audience truly believe they were witnessing the actual events unfold.

The scenes that followed were all equally compelling as this new-found energy made its way through the rest of the cast, inspiring them to perform better than ever before.

The fight scenes were so realistic that those who had fought in the last war, on either side, shuddered as they remembered battles they had fought in. Madame Pomphrey was worried she might have to forego her role as a Weird Sister in order to treat the wounded, but there was no need as the fights were all well co-ordinated with Weasley Wizarding Wheezes fake blood capsules for added realism.

When the curtain fell on the last scene the applause was overwhelming. So much so, in fact that when the curtain rose again for the cast to make their bows they were greeted by a standing ovation.

And so it was that the first performance of Hogwarts Production of MacBeth came to an end. As the Witches and Wizards left by Portkey, Floo, apparition and the Knight Bus, they had smiles on their faces and joy in their hearts at having witnessed such a wonderful show.