"ISIS, WAKE UP!" Isis bolt up in her bed holding her pillow
to her head. Through her groggy thoughts she cursed the
voice who had woken her, and the fact that a pillow would do
her no good with someone talking, or in this case yelling, to
her in her mind.
She hissed as sweetly as possible to her sister, "Yes Darian, you SCREAMED!"
"Come on, wake up, do you know what day it is?"
She pulled back the covers on her bed and got out of bed. As she pulled her bathrobe on she answered. "Yes, as I recall that today is Halloween."
"YES," yelled Darian, "Party time, now get your butt down to the dining hall before I start eating your food."
Isis ran her finger through her hair and grumbled as she headed to the bathroom, "Hard to eat my food when it doesn't materialize till I get there."
Half an hour later she emerged into the dining hall and upon seeing her sister waving to her headed over to one of the long tables and sat down. Isis looked at the top of Darian's head as she sat down. "Nice horns," she said sarcastically, "I knew they would grow in some day." She was speaking of the two small demon horns that protruded from the top of Darian's head. They were black with an entwining silver strip going up from the base.
"'Bout time slow poke, "Darian said, "You don't need that much time to make yourself beautiful, you're a lost cause."
Isis quietly scoffed as she ate the eggs on the plate that materialized before her. "How long will the spell last," she asked between mouthfuls.
"Till tomorrow morning, I made certain when I did the spell that they weren't permanent."
"Too bad, they seem natural on you," mumbled Isis. She was rewarded by a playful elbow to her side which made her spit out the toast that she was chewing on. Darian laughed triumphantly in response. "Now hurry up or we are going to be late for Herbology," whined Darian.
Isis stopped and looked hard at her sister, "I knew it, who are you and what have you done with my real sister?"
Darian stuck her tongue out at her sister and replied. "Hey I don't care about the class, I just want to find Richard Epone, he dared me that I wouldn't cast a spell on myself for a pair of horns."
"Ah I see," Isis said as she finished her meal and stood up, "he hasn't figured out that you don't dare Darian Greymalkin to do something thinking she won't do it."
"Exactly," Darian replied with a huge smilw as they headed to the main greenhouse.
Isis got a kick out of Darian's obvious enjoyment of peoples' reactions to her horns. She was beginning to wonder if Darian would extend the spell indefinitely. The day was exceptionally nice. The sky was clear and the air crisp. A small breeze blew around the expansive lawn causing Darian's hair to blow in her face. She tugged it behind her ear and suddenly jogged ahead of Isis.
"Hey Richard, check it out," she yelled pointing to her horns. A slightly older Hufflepuff walked over to meet Darian laughing. His face was a mixture of shock and amusement.
"Man," he said running his fingers through his blond hair, "I really didn't think you would do it. Remind me never to doubt you again."
Darian turned as Isis caught up with her, "You would think that they learn, but they never do," she huffed with a fake sigh.
Isis raised her eyebrows to meet her sister's eyes and then Richard's. "I thought you didn't want to be late for Herbology."
Suddenly deflated Darian pouted, "Oh yeah, I guess I did say that." Not missing a beat she grabbed her sister by the arm and pushed her in the direction of the greenhouse. "Well, I see it this way, the quicker we get to class; the quicker it gets over with, so move."
Richard only shook his head as the three walked into the greenhouse just shy of Prof. Sprout entering as well and starting class.
The party that was to take place that night was all anyone could talk about and one was hard pressed to find a student that didn't have something to say about what would happen that night and what the surprises would be in store. Several of the older students convinced many freshmen that they would see the professors switch heads and that students could pick their midterm grades. Others were convinced that the ghosts were going to do something. Isis even heard a student from Ravenclaw talking about Peeves and what he was threatening to do for Halloween to ruin the dinner. With all the excitement Isis and Darian completely forgot about there meeting with Professor Errol and the fact that they had meant to speak to their father about him.
Classes went by quickly due mainly to the energy of the coming night. Before Isis and Darian knew it, it was time to go down to the dining hall for dinner. Isis and Darian had both, before the new school year began bought dress gowns for the formal occasions and they, like the other students, donned them before coming down to the dining hall. Darian waved to Isis across the room from her house table and then sat down next to Rainer who was chatting with another Gryffindor. Isis sat down at the Slytherin table and began talking with Minya. Thankfully Minya had finally realized that Isis had not done everything that the others in Slytherin accused her of and had been as of recent talking to her again. It was definitely nice to have someone to talk with again at the formal functions since Darian and Isis could not physically sit together. The chatter of the students filled the great hall. The hall was festively decorated with the traditional orange and black colors. The enchanted ceiling shown through to the clear night sky above and the cascade of stars that glittered in the massive darkness. A full moon was visible and combined with the candlelight cast an appropriate eerie glow on the room. It was the perfect Halloween weather.
Overhead the ghosts sailed back and forth, some had fixed themselves up for Halloween in their best clothes. Others chose to emphasize the season by dressing to make them look scary or at least more dead. The only ghost that did not join in the festivities was the Bloody Baron, but this was not unusual behavior for the Baron.
All the professors were sitting at the main table decked out in their finest robes. They chated merrily between themselves about the festivities and the relief that the grading of mid-terms was finally done. Professor Dumbledore stood up and raised his hand for silence. The hall became quiet within seconds and Dumbledore began to speak.
"I'm so glad that we could come together on such a festive occasion. I wish all of you well for the rest of the semester and hope that tonight you have come with empty stomachs and full minds. However before we begin to feast, I have an important announcement to make. The professors at Hogwarts have decided to expand the curriculum to better educate you. Keep in mind this new class with only be required for the six year students and lower levels. The seventh year's students are more than welcome to take it but not required to have it to graduate. We have created a new History of Witchcraft class and with a new class comes a new professor, so without further ado I present your new teacher, Professor Erroll."
On that note the main doors of the hall came open and a man walked briskly inside. It was him. The same man that Isis and Darian had run into. Darian and Isis looked toward each other in shock and recognition. They realized that they had forgotten about him and their meeting. Now the fears of what he had heard ran through their minds. Professor Erroll walked into the hall with an air of elegance and determination. His red hair was once again pulled back into a low ponytail at the base of his neck. His robes were a ruby color which brought out the green in his eyes. He confidently walked the length of the hall and placed himself at the end chair of the main table. A chair that Isis and Darian had failed to notice was empty before. Darian called out to Isis but immediately they felt the same pain as they had before. Both in union put their heads in their hands as they tried to see past the white light of pain. The discomfort effectively scattered any thoughts they had a moment ago.
Dumbledore continued, "I hope that you will all give Professor Erroll the welcome and respect that any of the other professors would deserve and on that festive note let the feast and celebration begin. At the same time as the meals burst onto the table ghosts dived over the tables shrieking loudly and throwing black and orange confetti into the air. In the noise and celebration, Isis and Darian momentarily forgot the pain and more importantly the questions. They also failed to see the flicker of fear and anger that crossed the face of their father.
She hissed as sweetly as possible to her sister, "Yes Darian, you SCREAMED!"
"Come on, wake up, do you know what day it is?"
She pulled back the covers on her bed and got out of bed. As she pulled her bathrobe on she answered. "Yes, as I recall that today is Halloween."
"YES," yelled Darian, "Party time, now get your butt down to the dining hall before I start eating your food."
Isis ran her finger through her hair and grumbled as she headed to the bathroom, "Hard to eat my food when it doesn't materialize till I get there."
Half an hour later she emerged into the dining hall and upon seeing her sister waving to her headed over to one of the long tables and sat down. Isis looked at the top of Darian's head as she sat down. "Nice horns," she said sarcastically, "I knew they would grow in some day." She was speaking of the two small demon horns that protruded from the top of Darian's head. They were black with an entwining silver strip going up from the base.
"'Bout time slow poke, "Darian said, "You don't need that much time to make yourself beautiful, you're a lost cause."
Isis quietly scoffed as she ate the eggs on the plate that materialized before her. "How long will the spell last," she asked between mouthfuls.
"Till tomorrow morning, I made certain when I did the spell that they weren't permanent."
"Too bad, they seem natural on you," mumbled Isis. She was rewarded by a playful elbow to her side which made her spit out the toast that she was chewing on. Darian laughed triumphantly in response. "Now hurry up or we are going to be late for Herbology," whined Darian.
Isis stopped and looked hard at her sister, "I knew it, who are you and what have you done with my real sister?"
Darian stuck her tongue out at her sister and replied. "Hey I don't care about the class, I just want to find Richard Epone, he dared me that I wouldn't cast a spell on myself for a pair of horns."
"Ah I see," Isis said as she finished her meal and stood up, "he hasn't figured out that you don't dare Darian Greymalkin to do something thinking she won't do it."
"Exactly," Darian replied with a huge smilw as they headed to the main greenhouse.
Isis got a kick out of Darian's obvious enjoyment of peoples' reactions to her horns. She was beginning to wonder if Darian would extend the spell indefinitely. The day was exceptionally nice. The sky was clear and the air crisp. A small breeze blew around the expansive lawn causing Darian's hair to blow in her face. She tugged it behind her ear and suddenly jogged ahead of Isis.
"Hey Richard, check it out," she yelled pointing to her horns. A slightly older Hufflepuff walked over to meet Darian laughing. His face was a mixture of shock and amusement.
"Man," he said running his fingers through his blond hair, "I really didn't think you would do it. Remind me never to doubt you again."
Darian turned as Isis caught up with her, "You would think that they learn, but they never do," she huffed with a fake sigh.
Isis raised her eyebrows to meet her sister's eyes and then Richard's. "I thought you didn't want to be late for Herbology."
Suddenly deflated Darian pouted, "Oh yeah, I guess I did say that." Not missing a beat she grabbed her sister by the arm and pushed her in the direction of the greenhouse. "Well, I see it this way, the quicker we get to class; the quicker it gets over with, so move."
Richard only shook his head as the three walked into the greenhouse just shy of Prof. Sprout entering as well and starting class.
The party that was to take place that night was all anyone could talk about and one was hard pressed to find a student that didn't have something to say about what would happen that night and what the surprises would be in store. Several of the older students convinced many freshmen that they would see the professors switch heads and that students could pick their midterm grades. Others were convinced that the ghosts were going to do something. Isis even heard a student from Ravenclaw talking about Peeves and what he was threatening to do for Halloween to ruin the dinner. With all the excitement Isis and Darian completely forgot about there meeting with Professor Errol and the fact that they had meant to speak to their father about him.
Classes went by quickly due mainly to the energy of the coming night. Before Isis and Darian knew it, it was time to go down to the dining hall for dinner. Isis and Darian had both, before the new school year began bought dress gowns for the formal occasions and they, like the other students, donned them before coming down to the dining hall. Darian waved to Isis across the room from her house table and then sat down next to Rainer who was chatting with another Gryffindor. Isis sat down at the Slytherin table and began talking with Minya. Thankfully Minya had finally realized that Isis had not done everything that the others in Slytherin accused her of and had been as of recent talking to her again. It was definitely nice to have someone to talk with again at the formal functions since Darian and Isis could not physically sit together. The chatter of the students filled the great hall. The hall was festively decorated with the traditional orange and black colors. The enchanted ceiling shown through to the clear night sky above and the cascade of stars that glittered in the massive darkness. A full moon was visible and combined with the candlelight cast an appropriate eerie glow on the room. It was the perfect Halloween weather.
Overhead the ghosts sailed back and forth, some had fixed themselves up for Halloween in their best clothes. Others chose to emphasize the season by dressing to make them look scary or at least more dead. The only ghost that did not join in the festivities was the Bloody Baron, but this was not unusual behavior for the Baron.
All the professors were sitting at the main table decked out in their finest robes. They chated merrily between themselves about the festivities and the relief that the grading of mid-terms was finally done. Professor Dumbledore stood up and raised his hand for silence. The hall became quiet within seconds and Dumbledore began to speak.
"I'm so glad that we could come together on such a festive occasion. I wish all of you well for the rest of the semester and hope that tonight you have come with empty stomachs and full minds. However before we begin to feast, I have an important announcement to make. The professors at Hogwarts have decided to expand the curriculum to better educate you. Keep in mind this new class with only be required for the six year students and lower levels. The seventh year's students are more than welcome to take it but not required to have it to graduate. We have created a new History of Witchcraft class and with a new class comes a new professor, so without further ado I present your new teacher, Professor Erroll."
On that note the main doors of the hall came open and a man walked briskly inside. It was him. The same man that Isis and Darian had run into. Darian and Isis looked toward each other in shock and recognition. They realized that they had forgotten about him and their meeting. Now the fears of what he had heard ran through their minds. Professor Erroll walked into the hall with an air of elegance and determination. His red hair was once again pulled back into a low ponytail at the base of his neck. His robes were a ruby color which brought out the green in his eyes. He confidently walked the length of the hall and placed himself at the end chair of the main table. A chair that Isis and Darian had failed to notice was empty before. Darian called out to Isis but immediately they felt the same pain as they had before. Both in union put their heads in their hands as they tried to see past the white light of pain. The discomfort effectively scattered any thoughts they had a moment ago.
Dumbledore continued, "I hope that you will all give Professor Erroll the welcome and respect that any of the other professors would deserve and on that festive note let the feast and celebration begin. At the same time as the meals burst onto the table ghosts dived over the tables shrieking loudly and throwing black and orange confetti into the air. In the noise and celebration, Isis and Darian momentarily forgot the pain and more importantly the questions. They also failed to see the flicker of fear and anger that crossed the face of their father.