DISCLAIMER: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
As Halloween approached, Harry felt both better and worse. Justin didn't return to Hogwarts, despite rumors that he'd mostly healed. There hadn't been any other attacks after Justin, and yet each day that passed seemed only to make Harry more certain that the next attack would come that much sooner.
He'd tried to explain his fears to Ron and Hermione, but they argued just as strongly that he was simply being paranoid. It wasn't that they didn't think there would be another attack, rather that they simply couldn't know when the next attack might be.
Harry knew that Hermione secretly worried almost as much as he did, though for different reasons. Despite outward appearances, they both knew that Halloween had usually been a day of interesting occurrences. Harry hoped this year could be as uneventful as the last.
While no one had seen any evidence that Ron had actually done anything to get the costume he claimed he'd thought of. Hermione had started to voice her doubts that he had any idea at all. With Harry, however, she was already certain that he had no idea. She'd even offered to help him find ideas, and part of him wanted to take her up on it.
Harry simply wanted to avoid the whole thing. It wasn't like they would be required to go to the Halloween Mask. He could just as easily spend the night in the Gryffindor common room watching the Marauder's Map for anything strange. The only time he'd mentioned this, Ginny had nearly attacked him.
She was quite adamant about him going to the Mask, even if he had to be wearing the worst costume there. She'd eventually stared into his eyes and pleaded with him to go. He'd reluctantly agreed to try to attend at least some part of the party.
That seemed to be enough for Ginny. Harry still had his reservations, but now the argument for him to go to the Mask was just as strong as the one to stay in the Tower.
The day of the Halloween Mask eventually came and while Harry's doubts and fears had not lessened, Hermione had been reminding him constantly that there was nothing he could do to protect anyone if he hid in his bed all evening. He knew that in these situations Hermione was almost always correct, but he nicked some sandwiches from the kitchens and hid them in his room just in case he changed his mind later.
Hermione had also been nagging him about not waiting until the last moment to pick a costume. She had been bothering Ron as well, but gave up as he was steadfast in his claim of already having a costume.
Eventually Harry had decided on a suitable costume. He would be going to the ball as Nicholas Flammel. Unlike so many other possibilities, Harry liked his choice because of its simplicity. While others were spending time finding special clothes and trying new charms (and often failing), he only had to simply turn his hair grey and find a suitable robe and hat.
Luckily, he didn't have any trouble accomplishing both of those tasks in the lone day he had before the Mask. After convincing Ron to allow him to transfigure some of his old robes, he spent an hour trying to turn a used inkwell into a facsimile of the philosophers stone. Most importantly, Harry made sure that he would be able to carry both his Mirror and his wand.
During the day's classes, the professors as a group were trying to encourage the students to attend the celebration despite the events of the last Hogsmeade weekend. Few professors were assigning any work to be done, and even Snape assigned only reading without the customary essay.
As Harry left Potions, he noticed that many of the students were already starting to make preparations for the evening. The Great Hall was closed off and the staff was busy decorating it. Even the Aurors tried to get in the spirit. As soon as the last class let out, the Aurors began transfiguring their noses and ears to look like goblins or pigs or horses. As Harry walked past one with a long multicolored beak where his nose should be, he remembered Dumbledore explaining to the D.A. how important he thought it was to keep morale up.
Unfortunately for Harry, the coming Mask only made him more anxious. All the students in costumes and milling about the Great Hall sounded too tempting for Voldemort to pass up. Without knowing how Justin was attacked, he was beginning to have doubts about the security of even Hogwarts. At least the Aurors will be there, he thought. He had already talked to the D.A. about this night and how, should anything happen, they should immediately find each other and try make sure no one is off by themselves. Everyone agreed this was a smart plan, but Harry felt that most of them were just looking forward to a night of enjoyment without classwork.
Soon, everyone retreated to their dorms to dress for the mask. Harry was back in the common room almost immediately. He sat nervously on the couch near the fire, waiting for the others to join him.
As he stared at the fire his mind wandered back to the previous year and how Sirius had talked to him from that very fireplace. Sirius was gone now, and it was Harry's fault. He'd let himself be tricked. He wondered if he simply disappeared if his friends would still be in danger.
But the flames brought back another memory, a memory of burning photos and a family killed by Voldemort. Harry was even more certain that they died because he had disappeared to the Dursleys' for the summer. Perhaps that was the key. Voldemort had told him, though he was trying to hide it. Voldemort couldn't attack him. Not yet, at least. Not at Hogwarts. Voldemort saw him as a rival and so must the Death Eaters. He would have to be killed as a rival, not simply poisoned by some mindless follower.
Harry pondered the implications of this as he stared into the flames. Voldemort would not come to Hogwarts. Not while Dumbledore was here. He would send his servants and had probably sent at least one already. His mind stumbled across an important conclusion: He was safe for now, if the Prophecy was to be believed at all. The Death Eaters wouldn't attack him.
So long as he put himself between danger and his friends, they would be safe. Despite reaching this conclusion, he was still troubled. His eagerness to protect Sirius was the thing which brought about his death. As the flames danced, he imagined them forming Sirius' smiling face, and he imagined the great black dog watching a Quidditch match, and then a cloaked Sirius walking through a tunnel, on his way to capture Wormtail.
"So you did actually decide on a costume?" Ron asked from behind him. Harry had only jumped a little, and he turned to look at his friend.
Or at least, what should have been his friend. The space where Ron's voice had come from was occupied by the large shape of a person covered in aged linen bandages from head to toe. However, from the top of its head, stray bunches of red hair poked through the wrappings.
Forgetting his previous thoughts, Harry laughed out loud making Ron grin. "That's brilliant, Ron. Your brothers helped you with that, did they?"
"Yeah, Bill got the wrappings for me, and the twins helped me figure out how to make them wrap themselves around me." Then he looked at Harry with a bit of confusion, "And...er...your costume is..."
Harry held up his used inkwell, which now looked quite like the philosopher's stone.
"...Nicholas Flammel!" Ron finished. Harry thought he caught him rolling his eyes. "Right! Well, hopefully Hermione doesn't take much longer. I'm famished."
As they waited some of the other students started appearing out of the dorms, some waiting in small groups and eventually leaving for the Great Hall. Finally, a girl appeared at the foot of the stairs. She had on a large, old-style hat that was failing to cover her bushy blonde hair. In one arm she held a large book.
Ron cocked his head to the side and turned to Harry, "You figure that's Hermione? Who else would pick a costume that involved books?"
Harry was nodding, and it was obvious a moment later when the girl walked over to them and flopped down in a nearby chair. Ron turned and gave Harry a worried, puzzled look. Harry was just as baffled as Ron was. Perhaps if he had paid more attention in Binns' class he would have had a clue who she was supposed to be dressed as. Harry simply shook his head and shrugged.
Ron looked back at her. "Great costume, Hermione."
Hermione seemed pleased and beamed as she replied politely, "Thank you, Ron." She looked a bit surprised and eventually added, "Your costume looks good, too. I'm sorry I doubted you and your brothers. I admit I feared the worst." Then she turned to Harry. "And Harry, your costume is...er..." She turned and gave Ron a look very similar to the look Ron had given Harry.
"Show her the stone Harry."
As soon as he held it up, Hermione made a face as if someone had just told her the punchline to a bad joke. "Of course. Mind if I make some minor changes, Harry?"
With a couple flicks of her wand Harry's robes were changed to a style with shorter sleeves and pants. Harry had to admit they matched the new leather boots and hat Hermione had given him. He gave his improved costume an appraising look. "Thanks, Hermione."
"Can we go now?" Ron asked standing.
"Err. I was going to wait for Ginny," Harry said with a bit of uncertainty.
"Fine. You wait for her, and we'll save you a spot." Ron replied already making his way to the door.
Hermione was covering her mouth to keep from laughing. Ron and Harry both gave her questioning looks.
"I—" Hermione started, then paused to control her mirth, "I think I'll wait for Ginny as well."
Ron looked sidelong at Hermione. "Why do I get the feeling that there is something important I haven't been told?"
But Hermione wouldn't say anything else, other than smiling and shaking her head at Harry on occasion. It confused Harry, and Ron was simply annoyed at the delay in getting to the Great Hall. Eventually they took their seats by the fire again.
"Hermione," Ron said with some impatience, "Would you go and check on my dear sister?"
"I'm right here." a voice said from nearby.
Out of the corner of his eye, Harry saw Hermione's eyes light up, and again she covered her mouth, though this time it only served to quiet the escaping laughter.
"Ginny!" Ron exclaimed. He'd jumped up, unintentionally blocking Harry's view.
He was terribly curious what outlandish costume Ginny had found to cause such a reaction, so he too stood up and walked around Ron to stand in front of Ginny.
"Hi, Harry," Ginny said with a playful smile.
Harry stood paralyzed as he looked at her. He couldn't move and he wasn't sure if he could think or not. Ginny's hair tumbled from her head in haphazard waves and curls onto her shoulders, which were bare. On her chest were two pale green shells, and her body from her hips down was a single tapering shape covered in small shiny scales and ending a pair of large fins which seemed to rest lightly on the floor.
"Well? Do you like it?" Ginny asked, as she spun around.
"Y-Yeah," Harry stammered. "I like your—er..." he started. He was about to say "shells", but remembered that Ron was standing next to him, and tried to find something less suggestive. "...your tail".
Ron's head snapped to look at Harry and Hermione dropped her book as her laughter echoed across the common room. Harry could feel himself blushing furiously.
Ginny was working hard to keep from laughing, and succeeded in only smiling at him.
"How did you convince Mum to let you wear that?" Ron asked.
"I didn't, Ronald." she said teasingly. "It was your idea. I asked Fred and George for help. They helped me find everything I needed." She blinked innocently at Ron. "As for Mum, she can't do anything about it. I know too much, and Harry and I are getting to be quite close friends. She'd hate it if any more of their secrets were to slip out."
Ron looked shocked, and Hermione tried to give Ginny a stern look but fell back to laughing at Harry's embarrassment.
"And the twins were willing to let it be their compensation for the new taffies from Zonko's," she said. "They just wanted to be able to see the reaction," she added with glance toward Harry. "That's what the Omnioculars over there were for. Hermione, would you hold them for me? I don't really have much room in this for them."
Hermione summoned the Omnioculars from the table they were on and put them in a bag she was carrying. "Come on," Hermione said, still smiling, "we should go." She stood and walked to the portrait hole, with Ron following her.
Ginny and Harry followed Ron and Hermione into the hallway. As the portrait closed with a click Harry was forced to blink by a flash of light. At first he thought it had been Colin taking one of his pictures, but it was followed by another flash. He tried to blink the spots from his eyes, and fell back against the wall.
Ginny was by his side immediately. "Harry, what's wrong?" Harry was dazed and his eyes seemed to follow things which didn't exist.
Harry could just barely make out the shape of a person in the shadows in his mind. They were climbing through some small hole in a cave. The image faded as the shape started walking toward a crack of light in the distance. He closed his eyes and tried to see more, but it was gone.
"What is it, Harry?" Hermione asked.
"I—I don't know," he responded, "but you should all get your wands. We'll need the Map as well."
"I'll get my wand," Ron said as he dashed back into the common room.
"And I'll get the map," Hermione said as she went to follow him. She stopped and frowned at Ginny. "Are you going to get your wand?"
"I've already got it."
Hermione's frown was replaced by a curious look. She shook her head and then disappeared. After the portrait closed behind her, Ginny walked over to Harry. His stomach seemed to flip and twist and he started to feel a little shaky.
"What was it, Harry? What did you see?" she whispered, "You look like you saw something really horrible."
But it wasn't what he saw that was making Harry so anxious. Having Ginny that close to him made him feel distinctly uncomfortable, yet he hoped it wouldn't end.
"It was nothing, I think," he said quickly. "It felt like one of the flashes I'd get during my dreams. I couldn't really see anything. Just someone walking." Harry looked to the portrait wondering how long it would take Ron and Hermione to get back.
"I hope so," Ginny said with concern. After a pause, she smiled at Harry and leaned close to him. "So you like my tail, do you?"
"Well, I didn't mean— I— er... yeah, I guess," he said, "But er... How do you walk?"
"Oh," she giggled. "Hermione taught me a charm to make my feet invisible. They're there, you just can't see them."
Harry looked down trying to see her feet, but found himself staring at her sleek, glistening legs. The realization hit him suddenly.
"Wait— The postcard—"
Ginny laughed, "That's right, Harry, the postcard," she said laughing. "When I heard we'd need to find costumes it was the first thing I thought of." Ginny stepped closer to Harry. "You know, the Obscuring Orbs act oddly at times. Mine seemed to choose some strangely appropriate ways of hiding my letters. I wonder what you were thinking about when you sent that letter? The mermaid did look a lot like me."
Harry felt his face growing warm. He tried to look away, but kept turning back to look at Ginny's smiling face.
"I thought so."
"Ginny, are you sure you want to do this?" Harry asked, "This year... It's not going to be easy, and—"
Harry's warning was cut short by Ginny's lips pressing against his. At first he was shocked, but soon discovered that it was quite pleasant. He instinctively put his hands on her sides. She shuddered and pressed against him, and the whole world dissolved. Harry forgot where he was and didn't know how long they had been kissing before he was jolted back to reality.
"Come on, Ron, I thought you were hungry?" Hermione shouted.
"I am! This bloody cat of yours won't get out of my way!" Ron hollered from the common room.
Ginny leaped back from Harry, her face slightly flushed and a dazed look in her eyes. Hermione was looking at them strangely. Harry couldn't tell whether she was annoyed, amused, worried, or happy. She seemed to be a bit of each.
"It's a good thing I'm the one with the map," she whispered.
Harry gave Ginny a relieved look. "Thanks, Hermione."
Ron finally stumbled out of the portrait and closed it. He glanced from Ginny to Harry and then back.
"Are you okay, Ginny?" he asked. "You're shivering."
"I'm fine, Ron," she replied as she pretended to straighten her tail.
Ron frowned. "You should have known you'd be cold in that."
"I'll be fine," she said with a dismissive wave. "I'm feeling warmer already."
"Good. I'm famished. Let's get some food."
The four of them walked to the stairs to head down to the Great Hall. As they walked, Ginny took Harry's arm and held it as if he was escorting her to a ball. She flashed him an jubilant smile. Hermione noticed and gave them both a look that was an odd mixture between happiness and warning. Harry was still having trouble swallowing, and wasn't concentrating enough to worry about what Ron or anyone else might think of it.
When they reached the Great Hall, Hermione threw them another look, this one seemed more of a demand than a warning. Ginny reluctantly let go of Harry's arm.
The Great Hall was fully decorated for the night. The ceiling far above them mimicked the night sky not of the clear sky tonight, but of a eerie clouded sky with a bright gibbous moon poking through the fast moving shreds of clouds. Bats were wheeling about the room above their heads, dodging between floating pumpkin lanterns, and everywhere a dense fog hung about their heels on the floor.
They walked to the Gryffindor table and searched for a place to sit. In the middle of the table there was an opening on either side, and the four of them made their way to it.
"Oi! Neville!" Ginny called out, "Are those taken?"
Neville, who seemed to be separated from the other sixth years, nodded happily. Ron and Hermione went to one side and Harry and Ginny went to the other.
"Hello, Ginny, sit down!" Neville said excitedly. "You look amazing. You're sure to win."
"Thanks, Neville," she replied, as she sat down near him. "I'm glad you like it."
"Yeah, thanks for the seats as well, I was afraid we were going to be sitting with the first years," Harry said as he sat down between Neville and Ginny.
"No problem, Harry," Neville replied coolly.
The feast went as well as usual, and the students spent equal amounts of time eating and looking at each others costumes. Harry was trying to keep a close eye on Claire over at the Ravenclaw table. She was dressed as a water nymph, and luckily her large translucent wings made her easy to spot.
In the meantime, several boys had taken note of Ginny, and this seemed to annoy Ron quite a bit. He scowled at them. "They'll end up in the Hospital Wing if they aren't careful."
"I know some roots we can put in their food that'll make them so sick they won't even know where they are," Neville offered. He seemed annoyed as well.
"You thought it was funny when it was Harry," Hermione huffed. "Is there something different about other people looking at Ginny?" She glanced at Harry. Harry caught the purpose in her question. Did Ron suspect there was anything between him and Ginny?
"Ginny's my sister! I'm supposed to be protective of her!" he said as he reached for another chicken leg. "And besides, Harry's— well... Harry. He's practically family." He took a quick drink of pumpkin juice then continued. "You and Ginny are like his sisters. Those blokes are just leering at her."
Harry felt a pang of guilt. Either Ron didn't have a clue or he had become talented enough at lying to impress Cornelius Fudge and Gilderoy Lockhart. It wasn't helped by the giddy excitement he felt as Ginny's invisible foot rubbed against his in contradiction to her brother's words.
"Not like it matters. Harry's more interested in the Ravenclaw table," Neville said, a faint harshness in his voice. "Have your eye on someone with a better costume than Ginny? Did you even complement her on it?"
Ginny interrupted, "He did, sort of. Don't worry, Neville, I got the reaction I was hoping for."
Ron had turned to look at the Ravenclaw table. He turned back smiling. "You know Harry, after our second year, I didn't think you'd ever prefer a pixie to a mermaid."
"I think it's a water nymph, Ron," Harry replied with a smile, "and I think I still prefer the Mermaid costume." Under the table he squeezed Ginny's knee to reinforce the message. Ginny began to blush.
"Maybe it's the person and not the costume that you prefer?" Neville argued. He saw Ginny's face reddening. "Are you upset, Ginny?
"No, I'll be fine." she replied trying not to look at anyone.
The conversation drifted off to other topics and soon the food was cleared away and the tables were moved aside to make an open space for games to be played in.
Some of the games Harry had never seen played. Frog racing seemed simple enough to understand, even if he didn't understand the amount of enjoyment some of the students got from it. There were games of exploding snap and even a couple of Muggle born wizards attempting to teach the others how to play cards. Ron had walked around for a while, but eventually split off to play a game of chess with one of the seventh-years.
Harry had been sticking close to Hermione and Ginny with Neville tagging along with him. As they wandered, he kept an eye out for Claire. For a while she had been going from friend to friend, talking to each for a short time. Harry was starting to get a feeling that something odd might be happening. He looked around the room, and noticed that only one Auror was left in the room. There had been four earlier. If Claire knew something was going on, she would have told him. Harry hoped he was right, but his doubts grew.
When the Weird Sisters finally started playing, he leaned close to Hermione and pointed out the lack of Aurors. They decided to find Ron. Unsurprisingly, he was still at a table, currently playing a game of chess against a Ravenclaw who was dressed as a Quidditch referee.
"Well, the professors are all still here," he replied on hearing the news. "If something were going on, they would have told the prefects." He nudged a pawn forward, and it began taunting a nearby bishop. "I'd guess the Aurors just figured nothing is going to happen."
Hermione was sitting beside him and while satisfied with his answer, she still looked annoyed. "Are you just going to spend the night in this corner playing chess," she asked. Harry and Ginny recognized the tone of her voice.
"It looks that way," Ron replied nonchalantly.
"But you can do that any night."
"I guess, but tonight I get to beat Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs, and they don't know to avoid playing chess with me." His Ravenclaw opponent looked up and gave Ron an accusatory look.
"Well," Hermione replied, "That sounds terribly enjoyable." The sarcasm in her voice was unmistakable. Ginny groaned and her head slumped.
Ron hadn't missed the comment. "By the way," he said not looking up from the board, "who are you supposed to be?"
Hermione looked annoyed, "I'm Hyppolyta Stonewell! From—"
"From 'Hogwarts: A History'," Harry finished for her. "Yes, of course. I thought you looked familiar." Ginny looked up and smiled at him. Of course he'd never read the book, but he knew Hermione well enough to know what she was about to say.
"Hyppolyta Stonewell?" Ron asked, looking up from his game. "Who's that?"
"She fought for the rights of magical creatures." Hermione responded. "I'm sure Harry knows why you, in particular, should be interested in her."
Ginny laughed and looked at Harry. "I bet he does." Her invisible foot was touching his leg again.
"Er...Yeah, well...I mean— I did read about her and how she...er—" Harry said as he stalled for time.
"Right, well it's still not much of a costume, is it?" Ron interrupted.
"Oh, and what would you have suggested?" Hermione asked.
"I seem to remember a fairly convincing cat costume..." Ron said with a smile as his knight tossed an opposing rook to the floor.
"Thank you, Ron," Hermione said bitterly.
Harry and Ginny gave each other weak smiles and accepted that Harry's attempt to prevent this had failed. Neville simply looked disgruntled.
"Well, it's better than some costumes," Hermione said, casting a quick glance toward Harry. "Crabbe and Goyle are both ghouls—"
"It's hard to tell how much is a costume, really," Ginny added with a laugh.
"—And Pansy, what is she supposed to be?"
"One of the Hog's Head bar witches," Ron responded without looking up.
Everyone at the table turned to look at him, even Neville who had turned away from everyone else. The table was silent as they stared at in surprise. Ron finally noticed, and looked up to see everyone's questioning looks.
"Oh, come off it! You can't think I'm the only one who's noticed them!"
"You're the only one who recognized one from across the room while in the middle of a chess game," Harry said between laughs.
Ron turned on him. "Don't you have a third-year to flirt with?" Harry just laughed and several others nearby joined him. Hermione shook her head and looked away.
"Come on, Harry," she said, "let's let Ron finish humiliating the poor Ravenclaws. You can come, too, Ginny."
"Actually, Ginny, I wondered—" Neville started to say, but Ginny had already stood and was walking off.
"I'll see you later Neville, have fun!" Ginny called out. Neville just sat where he was and watched Ginny's hair bounce and her tail shimmer as she walked to catch up to Harry.
It was getting close to the time when the costume contest was going to start and Ginny was hopeful that she might do well. Hermione led them through the crowd toward the head table where the contest would be.
As the three of them walked out toward the center of the Hall again, by habit Harry started looking around for Claire. He didn't find her immediately, and asked Ginny to help him look for her. As they looked, Ginny grabbed his arm.
"Harry, Hermione," Ginny whispered. "Look around. I can only find Professor Sinistra. The Aurors are all gone."
Harry's stomach tightened into a ball. Was something happening? Would he see anything if something was? Harry tried to think as hard as he could. Who would be in danger? It could be anyone, but Harry's thoughts focused on just one person.
"Claire," he whispered to Ginny. "We have to find Claire."
Ginny agreed. After some weak excuses, Hermione warily agreed to helm them find her. The three of them started scanning the Great Hall for the translucent wings of Claire's costume. Harry's heart beat faster as he hoped that Claire was still in the Great Hall, but the longer he looked, the more his fear started to invade his mind.
No, he told himself, don't let it be her.
"Harry, I see her!" Hermione whispered. "She's just in a corner with her friends."
Harry's knees buckled with relief. He would have ran over to her if Ginny hadn't held him back. Instead, the three of them made their way over to the corner where Claire was. Her friends stared at him as he walked up. None of them seemed overly surprised by his presence, and yet they all kept quiet.
"Hello, Potter," she said with a smile. "I see you brought two girls with you. Quite impressive."
"Well, I am famous," he said returning the smile and feeling somewhat more relaxed.
"Oh? You're here looking for a third, are you?" she said innocently. "From what I hear, you're already planning on asking me to the Ball." Ginny and Hermione smiled.
"Really," he said with a thoughtful look. "Does that mean you're interested?"
"No, Harry, I don't think I am," she responded with a laugh. "I don't think I'd want to compete with anyone brave enough to date you. I'm only a third year, you know." Ginny looked at the ground, and Claire laughed again.
"I suppose you're right. It might get a bit violent. I remember how it was in my fourth year."
A few of the girls standing nearby could remember the stories about the Yule Ball that year and how the famous Harry Potter barely found a date. They joined Claire in her laughter. Behind them, the noise in the hall lessened, but it was filled with murmurs and whispers. Hermione turned to see what was going on.
"Thanks, Harry," Claire said. "You're always cheering me up. Why do you do that?"
"It's my job," he replied with a joking tone, though it was closer to the truth than she would have guessed. "Why do you need cheering up? You looked worried earlier." he asked, turning serious.
"Oh. It's probably nothing. I was looking for Celeste Warrenton. We don't know where she is."
One of her friends piped up. "Actually, we do now. She just walked in." Claire signed in relief and then smiled. Behind them the murmurs grew louder.
"Whoa..."
"Wicked!"
"She'll win for sure..."
"How'd she do that?"
Celeste Warrenton walked toward Claire, dodging tables and students. "Claire!" she called out once she past the last table, then paused as if she didn't know what to say next. "I...I have to talk to you."
Claire was as surprised as everyone around her. She stared at Celeste in awe. "Great costume, Celeste!"
Celeste gave her a funny look, which went from confused to scared. "Costume... but I didn't get a chance... er... No, wait, there was something— Where am I?" She looked dazed and talked as though she barely knew what she was saying.
Claire looked over at Harry before walking over to her friend. "What's going on?" she asked, suddenly worried by her friend's behavior.
"I don't know... I can't remember."
Harry immediately tensed. He glanced at Ginny and saw the concern in her face. He didn't like the odd way she was acting and the fact that she couldn't remember where she was or what she had meant to be doing. He turned to Hermione, and whispered the only question which didn't seem to fit in.
"Hermione, her costume— how is she doing that?"
Hermione gave a baffled shrug. "I have no idea, Harry."
Something was wrong. He could feel it. How had he missed it before? How long had it been there? He stood next to Claire and slowly addressed her friend.
"Celeste, what do you remember?"
Celeste turned to answer Harry, but as soon as her eyes met his, she recoiled as if she thought Harry was going to attack her.
"No! I— You..." she stammered in a high pitched voice.
Harry took a step back and held up his hands as he tried to calm her down. "It's just me. You've seen me before. What happened? What did you see?"
The girl seemed to relax a little, but there was still fear in her eyes and she didn't take them off Harry. She tried to speak, but her voice was faint and shaky.
"I though you were... He was..." Her voice trailed off as her eyes seemed to glaze over. "It was you... except he— He was angry. He didn't want me to go. He said I couldn't..."
"Its okay, now. You're safe. Did someone attack you?" Claire asked her, giving Harry a sidelong glance.
"He told me I couldn't go. I had to stay..." Celeste started, finally taking her eyes off Harry to look at Claire with genuine concern. "He said you were in danger. He had messages for..." she trailed off, then opened her eyes as if a memory was returning. Her eyes showed her fear. "He said only I could stop it. And then he attacked me."
"Where?" Harry asked frantically. "Where was he?"
"I'll show you!" she said urgently. With that, Celeste turned and started running to the door. After running less than twenty feet, she came to an abrupt stop.
Next to Harry, Hermione's jaw dropped open. "How—" she gasped in confusion.
"Hermione," Harry said sternly, "get Dumbledore. Now."
Celeste had stopped in the middle of a large group of people, who were now staring at her with expressions similar to Hermione's. Harry could barely believe he was seeing it, but he immediately understood what it meant. She was standing in the middle of a table. She reached down to touch the table, but her hand passed right through it.
A tortured scream broke out of her throat, filled with panic, fear, and an empty, despairing sorrow.