Title: Designated Harbinger – Secrets Chapter 17: Party Time
Author: Lia Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: I do not own HP. No money is being made from this story. My plot and original characters are mine. Do I need to go on?
Reviewer Response:
Psyfan- Thanks for the review. I like Jessica too. Her psychic powers will be developing over the next few years. This year will be mostly about psychmetery and learning to move objects. Over Christmas, she'll be having a very different lesson.
Madam- Interesting review. I know that my spelling isn't the greatest, but it must be decent if you read it this far. The books have a fantastic plot, so I don't want to tamper with Rowlings creation too much. Hopefully, I've kept her vision intact.
Silver-girl1- Hey, it's nice to see ya again. I'm not sure if I made it clear, but I tried to keep Snape in character. My reasoning for his behavior here is that he is tired of secrets. If I was him, I would too. So, Snape's disappointed that yet another set of lies and secrets are being again a part of his life. Does that make sense? If other people don't like how I wrote him, tough. Snape is human with feelings. He just doesn't show them. I kinda hinted at what she likes and hangs out with. Jessica likes Transfiguration best. Her main friends at school this year are Alex, Carol, and Zoey. Some of the others are friends of her friends. The ghost plotline inspired me to wrap up a plot hole in this story. Plus, it shows how psychics and wizards sometimes see things differently. I'll try to check dates.
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Disguises and deceptions. Are they both one and the same? If you are in disguise, does that mean you are to deceive? It's all a matter of perspective. Or, perhaps, that's motive. Whatever it is, both have one thing that's clear. You are not as you appear.
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Later that week the news came out that people had the option of either wearing their robes or costumes to the Halloween Party. From the amount of talk going around the tables it appeared little more than half were planning on dressing up.
Some of the younger students received packages from home while older students combined their skills of shopping, imagination, and magic for their outfits. Third years and up were fortunate enough to have a Hogsmeade weekend the week before Halloween.
Soon enough time past and the holiday arrived.
"Come on, Carol! Let me look at you." Jessica madly hopped around, waiting for her to come out of the loo.
"Hold your broom, Jess. I'll be out in a moment." Carol's voiced sounded muffled from the other side of the door.
Jessica huffed and sat down on her bed. She started to fiddle with her ears nervously. Helen giggled from her area of the room.
Rolling her eyes at her friend, she continued to play with her long ears, this time standing in front of the mirror that hung inside the door of her armoire. "Whatcha think Miss Hood?"
Helen cleaned her glasses off with the edge of her bed curtains then looked Jessica up and down. With a small smile, she said, "No. Still not scary. Where'd you place your carrot?"
Shrugging, Jess replied, "Under my bed last time I checked. Sassy seems to think it's her new toy." She smiled then shook her head. "Anyway…how many people do you think will recognize the phrase 'What's up, doc?"
"About the same number that will guess what my red cape and picnic basket means. Fewer, perhaps." Helen looked at the door to the loo, sighed, and then turned back towards Jessica. "Shall I call you Bugs or Bunny tonight?"
Another's voice interrupted them. "How about Crazy Rabbit?" Carol glares at the two girls waiting on her.
Jessica and Helen bite back their laughter and exchange it for an admiring look.
Carol frowned. "That bad?" She rushes to a mirror.
"No, you look that good! Very good," exclaims Helen.
Jessica agreed. It wasn't an outrageous costume, but it suited her. Carol had been one of the hardest to convince into wearing a costume. Finally they'd gotten her to wear something in between a fairy and a fairy godmother.
"Are you certain?" Carol asked, not feeling very comfortable in the outfit.
"Doll, it's you to a T." Jessica received an odd look, but smiled. "With your hair and eyes combined with the dress, tiara, wings and wand…."
"Well, it's simply lovely." Helen added.
"Yeah. You look nothing like a bookworm now." Jessica said, and then dodged a pillow. She laughed.
"Just kidding. Me, the kidder, remember? Now come on, Alex is waiting down in the common room. The other girls have already left. We were waiting on you, you slowpoke."
Carol growled something unladylike under her breath, but went to the door. Helen followed close behind. Jessica, for her part, beamed. She hops madly once again off the bed and through the door only to dash back in, grab her carrot, and rush back out.
Jessica whistled when she saw Alex and Seth in the common room. "Damn Alex. Where did you get that? Who did your makeup?"
Alex shrugged. It was hard to judge his expression because of the face paint. On his face were wavy stripes in shades of gray ranging from white to black. His costume consisted of a similar pattern.
"My brother and Dad helped me get it. They're military. I did the paint." He said then looked away uncomfortably.
Jessica decided against pushing… for now. Carol was gaping at his military fatigues. Helen nudged her, bringing her back to reality enough to glare in retaliation.
"Great costume, Alex. You are all starting to make me feel underdressed," Helen said looking at all of them as a group. Seth was dressed as a famous wizard. Although, who, she couldn't guess.
"Interesting. Seth, I approve. Alberic Grunnion?" said Carol.
Everyone looked at Carol. Seth surprised; the rest of them, confused. She blushed and muttered, "Never mind. Ready, then? Let's go!" and headed for the door.
"Alberic Grunnion?" Helen whispered, following behind Carol.
"Don't ask me! It must be a wizard thing." Jessica responded back.
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I gazed from my seat on the Slytherin-Ravenclaw side of the Great Hall. The tables had been pushed as far against the walls as possible. Unfortunately, this left Ravenclaw pushed up next to the Slytherins.
Normally this wouldn't have been such a big deal. Tonight, however, it was. See, since I started the petition, I was able to recruit most of them into wearing costumes. Two fifth years had already argued before the fight was broken up by a perfect. Only a small group of Slytherins chose to dress up. Surprisingly, three of them were from my year. After that scene with Raul, I doubted any would try.
The area in the middle of the hall became an informal dancehall and a common area for the students from all houses to mingle. The dancing skeletons centered themselves around there. Every once and a while one would wander off towards a table. A perfect or professor would run up and turn them back before they crash into a table. Blazing torches and humongous jack o' lanterns floated overhead providing light.
I danced with Helen before coming back to rest. Helen was still out there talking pleasantly with Melia. I didn't like her much, but Helen seemed like she was having fun.
On the other side of the hall were mostly Gryffindor and Hufflepuffs. As I looked over there, Zoey noticed me and waved me over. She was talking with Chloe and a few older students.
"Jess! Having fun? Guess who we are." She put her arm around Chloe. Both of them were wearing colorful yellow robes.
"Uh, okay. Quidditch players. Sorry, no idea what team."
Chloe shrugged off Zoey's arm. "That's alright. We are Catriona and Meghan McCormack of the Pride of Portree."
"Oh, cool! Who?"
A nearby older witch laughed. "Not a fan? I'm Katie. This brat's older sis." She pointed to Chloe. I had no clue what she was dressed as. Her outfit was a red dress; her fingernails were like long sharp claws. Some kind of charm must have been used on her teeth because they were all sharpened to points.
I smiled. "Nice to meet ya. I grew up in America, so mostly Muggle environment for me. What are you?"
"I'm a Keres tonight. There's no blood being served here, so I'll have to make do." Katie grins evilly. /Well, I guess that explains the teeth./
Chloe rolled her eyes. "Of course when she heard, she wanted to come as a monster. She even got Fred and George to help her with the costume. Oh, Kat, this is Jessica Bradley from Ravenclaw."
"Oh? The blokes were wondering who you were. Why aren't you in Gryffindor?" Katie started to look around the room. Though for who, I didn't know.
"Duh…I'm smart. Plus, the hat said that my mouth was big enough already. I guess it didn't want to create a monster."
"Speaking of monsters, what kind of costume is that? A rabbit, Jess?" Zoey asked.
"Hey, I'm Bugs. Well, sort of. There's nothing wrong with it!"
"Sure." Zoey and Chloe said simultaneously.
Figuring that Katie was a Gryffindor, I asked, "Have you seen Ginny?"
"You know Ginny?" Katie sounded surprised.
I nodded. Chloe and Zoey looked amused. /I'm not a den mother, right? I hope not./
"Well…She was here earlier. Might still be around. How do you know her?" Katie sounded a little confused. /Why wouldn't I know her?/
Zoey explained, " We all met up on the train. Then she kind of drifted away. Haven't talked to her in a month."
"Oh, well. I know that Fred and George said that she's been tired lately. They think its homesickness. When she's not resting, she studies, reads, or writes a lot. If you find her let her know I'm looking for the twins. I can't seem to find them."
Katie sighs. "I smell another prank. Watch out. You're targets. Not even Gryffindors are safe with those two." She smiles and walks off towards the Gryffindor table.
"So, Zoë and Clo. Did you see Alex's outfit? It's awesome."
They shake their heads no, so I try to spot him. It's difficult because the camouflage makes him blend in against the castle's walls.
"Let's try to find the others. I can't describe it for you. You'll just have to see it. Oh, and I got Carol into one too."
They spot Ginny as they walk towards the common area. She is moving in between the hag, a Vulcan, and a fairy. I turn to go towards her.
/Something's wrong./ I focus on seeing her aura colors. They are bright sienna, a large amount of gray, and viridian. At least that's what I think I see. Something must be bothering her, but what? A ballerina and a vampire walk right into my line of sight, obstructing my view. Shaking my head, I take note that she was headed for the door.
"Jess! There's Carol! What is she? However did you guys convince her to wear that?" Zoey says.
"Hmm?"
"Was that Ginny? She looks tired. Kat must have been right. It looks like she's going back to her house." Chloe says thoughtfully.
"Yeah. Carol took major negotiations. Hey, is that a Jedi?" I ask them.
"What's a Jedi?" Both of them question.
I grin, then explain what a Jedi Knight is and the meaning of Star Wars. By the time I finished, we had found Carol, Alex, and Helen at the Ravenclaw table. They were trying to stop Helen from laughing. It seems that she had drunk some spiked punch.
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"See you tomorrow on the lawn?" I call out over the noise of the other students as we walk down the hallway. The professors and perfects had rounded them up and out of the Great Hall. Everyone was now going back to his or her house.
"Definitely. I still wish we could bring our own brooms," Chloe says pushing back a blond loch away from her face.
Zoey gives her a sympathetic look. "I know, Clo. It isn't fair."
"Actually, in a way, it is fair. After all, none of the other first years were allowed brooms," Carol states. We all stare at her until deciding to ignore the comment.
Zoey looks at her sadly before she says, "Here's our turn. Remember tomorrow at ten."
"Check. G'night!" I wave as she and Chloe walk through the crowd to the stairs opposite of us.
Up the stairs and a short time later, students stopped short. Noise decreased among them. Instead of talk, whispers were exchanged.
"Hey! What's going on?" Jessica stood on her toes trying to see.
Carol shakes her head and whispers to a nearby Hufflepuff.
"Hey! Watch it!" A slightly larger figure had forced his way between them. She rubs her shoulder.
"Who was that?" Carol glares at his back. The boy continues to push to the front of the crowd. /Well at least Carol doesn't look dazed anymore. What's going on?/
"Enemies of the Heir, beware! You'll be next, Mudbloods!" Draco Malfoy shouted.
Jessica starts, recognizing him as the boy who'd shouldered by them, and looks at Carol. She looks pale and frightened. Confused, Jessica overhears two students murmuring about a bloody message and a dead cat. Then she looks questionably at Carol, and receives a shaky nod.
"What's going on here? What's going on?"
Argus Filch comes shouldering his way through the crowd. This time, Carol and Jessica are fortunate not to be in his path.
"My cat! My cat! What's happened to Mrs. Norris?" he shrieked.
/Oh, my. His cat! Makes me feel sorry for him, even though he's a meanie. I would hate to have anything happen to my Sassy./
"You!" he screeched. "You! You've murdered my cat! You've killed her! I'll kill you! I'll…"
"Argus!"
Dumbledore had arrived, followed by a number of the teachers.
"Who was Argus threatening to kill?" Jessica whispers to Carol.
"Harry Potter, Hermionie Granger, and that Weasley friend of theirs. I forget his name," she whispers back as Dumbledore talks to Filch and that prat Lockhart.
The silent crowd parts to let them pass. McGonagall, Snape, and Lockhart follow Filch, Granger, Weasley, Potter, and Dumbledore.
Jessica leans forward and stares intently as the three students pass. Carol pulls her arm, trying to get her attention. Jessica shakes her head, looks less dazed, but terribly confused.
/It doesn't make sense. None of them could have done it. Unless I'm reading their auras wrong… But that's not possible. Auras can't lie! /
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AN: Hello again. Sorry for the late update. I had most of this typed, but then had some computer problems. Then other events happened in lives that were more important than this story. Obligations to my family
My parents just retired and needed help organizing and searching for a new home.
My father discovered that he needed to have heart surgery. For a time we didn't think he'd survive it. He has now been in the hospital for half a month and is estimated to spend the rest of the month there as well. We have been going there to see him every day. (Needless to say moving plans are on hold now. After we had already put a bid on a house in Florida.)
My brother and his wife have delivered their first child (my first niece). She is a beautiful little girl. However her head was too large for her mother's body and so a C-section was performed. My mother and I drove to visit them the next day. Then drove back that same night because my father was listed in critical, yet stable condition.
So, you can see that my life has been an exhausting series of ups and downs lately. It is all very tiring. Wish me better luck. I'll try not to be so late again, but that's life.