Okay, so I guess you're going to ask, what's the excuse this time? Well, it's schoolwork – I have it every night, and I've already had to do three pieces of coursework in rough. Also, I was babysitting last weekend and I hadn't been inspired. Not really been inspired this time either, but I hope this is adequate. It's not really long enough, but there you go!

Transitional chapter following right where the last one left off. Nothing much happens, but I hope it's all right!

And thank you to everyone who has reviewed. You're all awesome!

Chapter 11: Preparations

Unfortunately for Ginny, seconds later, Madam Pomfrey appeared.

"You're awake! Good. You've both lost a lot of blood, take these potions." She thrust cups of Blood-Replenishing Potion at the two time-travellers.

Grimacing – they both knew the taste well by now – they gagged the disgusting mixture down.

"Ugh! Can't they do something for the taste?" Ginny complained.

"It is not my fault the two of you lost so much blood!" Madam Pomfrey snapped at them.

They winced, looking embarrassed. In truth, they should have recognised the signs earlier, but still...

"Will we be okay for the dance this evening?" Harry asked. "We've got to chaperone."

"You should be. I'll let you out later. With plenty of rest, you should be all right. Do nothing strenuous today." Madam Pomfrey responded. "That Lanydadd gave more of a beating than you expected?"

"Yeah. And then we got lost and attacked by something else. Left us for dead." Harry gave the lie. Madam Pomfrey knew about them, but he was all too aware that the werewolf in the next bed might hear something. Or wake up.

"You're both lucky to be alive. Here. I want you both to take these before you go to bed tonight." She handed each of them a small vial of inky-blue liquid. "Dreamless Sleep Potion. And I'd recommend a nap at some point as well."

"What's the time?" Harry asked.

"Just after ten." Madam Pomfrey explained. "Your lessons have been cancelled and work like that which you set yesterday has been set again."

"Hallowe'en significance to Dark and Light, wasn't it?" Harry mused.

"Something like that." Ginny sighed. Suddenly she became acutely aware of something. "Umm, do you have any clothes for us?"

Madam Pomfrey smirked, and flicked her wand. The curtains around the two beds snapped shut, and she handed them each a pair of pyjamas. As he opened the curtain between them, Harry couldn't help but appreciate the way the light cotton hung over Ginny's chest.

"Why, Professor, I do believe you're perving on your so sweet, innocent and young assistant!" Ginny gasped in a mock-scandalised tone.

"Why, Assistant, I do believe I am!" Harry responded, then looked at her seriously. "It's hard not to when you're so gorgeous."

Ginny blushed the famous Weasley blush.

Just then, they heard a moan. "Please! Someone make those curtains sound-proof! I don't want to wake up to hear professors flirting!"

Harry ripped open the curtain and glared at the young werewolf, who smirked.

"Mr Lupin, kindly keep your smart-arse comments to yourself." Harry informed him, climbing back into bed with a sigh.

Remus shrugged. "Hey, I'm not the one mentally scarring my students."

Harry grinned ferally. "You will some day."

"What?"

"Your marks in Defence Against the Dark Arts are only equalled by James Potter and Severus Snape. You would be perfectly capable of teaching the subject to others, as I know you do tutor some of the lower years."

Remus blushed and nodded.

Ginny sighed. "Harry, leave the poor lad alone. He's had a rough night."

Harry gave Remus a wink. "I can tell, he's as tetchy as you at that time of the month."

Ginny gasped, went red and began to explode with expletives about men who made 'time of the month' jokes.

Madam Pomfrey walked into the room, and looked scandalised as she heard the string of words pouring from the pretty young assistant's mouth. Remus was in awe, and Harry watched in amusement, counting how many things he'd heard escape from Ron's mouth as well.

Finally Ginny ran out of breath.

"Wow, I'm impressed. I'd only heard twenty of those from Ron. He certainly never threatened to castrate me with a wooden spoon without anaesthetic." Harry grinned at her.

Ginny gasped as she realised that he had done it on purpose. "You... You..."

"What? Monster? Beast? Ravishingly attractive DADA professor?" Harry offered.

"All of the above." Ginny smirked in a way that disturbed the young werewolf.

Harry smirked right back. "I thought so."

"If you don't mind, I intend to keep my patients' minds intact. Both of you, get to your rooms now! I'll deal with Mr Lupin without your help."

Harry and Ginny eagerly hopped off the beds, pocketing the vials of potion.

Remus grinned. "If you go outside like that, I'm sure the other students will appreciate it!" He called as they ran to the door.

Harry sighed, and lazily conjured some dressing gowns with a hand.

Remus watched in awe as his DADA teachers left the Hospital Wing.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Let's add something to the list. Wandless magic." Remus informed James, Sirius and Peter when they entered the Hospital Wing that lunch.

"What?"

"Professor Potter. Conjuring. Without a wand." Remus explained. And then grinned. "Also, Miss Westley has an extreme dislike of 'time of the month' jokes and a very filthy mouth and inventive collection of punishments. Also, they're either in love, or seriously in lust from the way they were flirting before."

"Love. They're mates." James answered.

Remus looked up sharply. "What?"

"Last night, in the Forbidden Forest." He said in a low voice. "You don't remember?"

"Only the presence of demons whom I had to obey at one point. Why?"

"Professor Potter and Miss Westley are Moonlight Vampires and mates."

XXXXXXXXXX

"James!" Lily gasped as she saw him that afternoon in the library. Their last lessons were free because of their professor's incapacitation.

He frowned and looked at her flushed face. "What's up?"

"I've just discovered something important." Lily explained, and then whispered in his ear. "Potter and Westley are Moonlight Vampires."

James' eyes widened. "What? How did you know that?"

"They've been noticed coming out of the Hospital Wing twice now on the morning after the full moon. They could barely keep their hands off each other in the couple of days running up to it. And neither have much of a toleration for anything that isn't meat in the run up to the full moon. Not to mention the gossip I got off our perverted portrait."

"What?" James gasped, wondering how that damned portrait with the merpeople could be of any use.

"They're incredible gossips and a similar portrait is in their bathroom. They had some interesting tales." A light blush rose in Lily's cheeks, suggesting she'd been told some things she would have rather not been.

"So you know?" James asked.

She nodded. "Did you?"

"I deduced it. I believe they've mated."

"Why?"

"I, er, have my sources." James responded, blushing a little as well. Having realised he had seen the two teachers naked, he felt very embarrassed about it.

"Oh?"

"I'm not going to tell. There's something weird about those two, Lils. I can feel it. And all that talk about lines and being sent back and the timeline... I'm half-believing Sirius' madcap theory."

"What? That we have a son?" Lily looked a little freaked.

"No, that they're time-travellers. In which case..." He gave a grin. "Maybe we can find out how the stocks are doing in the future."

"James!"

"What? I'm being practical. I could have said found out who was teaching, and setting up pranks triggered by their magical signature, couldn't I?" James responded.

Lily snorted.

"So, my fair flower, looking forward to the ball tonight?" James asked, changing the subject.

Lily gave a smile, surprising anyone who had heard – she always reacted violently to James' flowery names for her. "Yes, I believe I am, good sir knight." She grinned. "I think it'll be very good fun. The full moon was last night, so it'll still look good. Will Remus be able to come?" She lowered her voice for the last.

James looked at her surprised, then shook his head. "I should have known you'd have guessed Remus' secret as well. Yes, he's going to take a Strengthening Potion. It'd be too suspicious if he weren't there. He can't use too many Strengthening Potions lest he gets addicted, but he can use it this once."

Lily nodded, smiling. "That's good. I'm glad he can. He deserves some fun. He's so hard-working."

"Are you saying our pranks aren't fun and I'm not?" James demanded, mock-hurt.

"I meant normal fun. Besides, you have to work hard in different ways. Like Quidditch and Head Boy duties. Your schoolwork comes more naturally." Lily replied.

James nodded, and flipped over a page in the book he was reading.

Hallowe'en can give incredible power to Dark Spells, due to the frailty of the veil between our world and the spiritual plain. The Evil Energies from Tartarus can be channelled to make a weak spell much more powerful.

He nodded thoughtfully. That would explain why there were so many attacks on days like Hallowe'en and the various Celtic sabbats, all of which had some magical significance for witches and wizards. Midsummer and Midwinter were two other examples, as were May Day, or Beltain, and the Spring and Autumnal Equinoxes.

He skipped ahead to see the significance for the Light spells and suchlike.

On the other hand, Hallowe'en, the old Celtic New Year known as Samhain, also has many Light-aiding abilities as well. The most significant of which is the surging of power of young children, giving brief appearances of their adult strength. It also adds power to any protection given, particularly ancient spells, because of the power of rebirth and the Blessed Isle in the spiritual plain. Any spell, ancient or modern, fuelled by love, is increased in strength ten-fold because of this.

That was very interesting! James frowned. He wondered if he'd ever had magical surges at Hallowe'en to show his adult power. He knew his was not fully grown yet. As a Potter, he would get a particular mark telling him when he had reached magical maturity. Usually it happened about now.

"Hmm?" He asked, dragged back to Lily.

"Is that so very interesting?" She asked.

He nodded. "It is, actually. Have you done yours yet?"

"Some. Well, at least it's not like that blasted collection of all the spells we knew. Mine was so long!"

"Mine too." James grinned, smiling at her.

"What's the time?" Lily asked suddenly.

"Um, quarter past three. Why?"

"Ack! I need to get ready!" Lily gasped.

"What? Why so early?" James wanted to know.

"Do you have no idea about girls getting ready for balls?" Lily asked him sympathetically, as she rapidly packed her work and belongings away. "Just wait at the bottom of the stairs to the tower at twenty-past. Then you'll understand."

Frowning, the Head Boy watched the girl leave. "Mental." He murmured, bending over the book once more. "Absolutely mental."

XXXXXXXXXX

"I'm so tired." Ginny moaned.

"Then sleep."

"Can't."

"Why not?"

"Don't know."

Harry sighed, and pulled her into his room, surprising her a little.

"Harry, what...?"

"Nothing like that, Gin. Let's sleep, together in the bed." Harry told her.

Frowning, she climbed in bed with him and felt his arm slip around her shoulders.

"Close your eyes, and just sleep." Harry whispered into her ear, causing her to shudder delightedly.

But she closed her eyes, feeling his warm arm around her protectively. Instinctively, she snuggled into him, her side against him, a hand resting lightly on his chest. And as she slowly breathed, she fell into slumber.

Harry smiled down at her, before taking her excellent suggestion and allowing himself to do the same.

XXXXXXXXXX

Harry shot up in bed. He blinked rapidly, and then looked at the clock beside him. It was quarter-past four! He knew Ginny would be furious with sleeping so much, but shrugged it off.

"Ginny." He murmured.

She merely snuggled into him further in response.

"Fire." Harry tried again.

She moaned in her sleep and clutched him harder.

Steeling himself, Harry murmured, "Ickle Gin-Gin."

Instantly Ginny was up. "FRED! GEORGE! WHAT HAVE I SAID ABOUT COMING INTO MY ROOM?" She fumed before realising she was in bed with Harry. "Harry?"

"Sorry, but it's quarter past four and I figured you wanted to be ready in time for Hallowe'en." He explained.

"Shoot! Yes, I do! Crap, Harry, why didn't you wake me sooner?!"

"I only just woke up myself. Stay calm. All will be fine. I'll use the bathroom in my trunk."

"I knew there was a reason I loved you."

XXXXXXXXXX

And so in all parts of the castle, every girl was swiftly washing and dressing, making herself suitable for the Masquerade Ball that night.

And some boys were about to get some very big shocks.

Maybe I didn't treat you


Quite as good as I should have


Maybe I didn't love you


Quite as often as I could have


Little things I should have said and done


I just never took the time


You were always on my mind


You were always on my mind


Tell me, tell me that your sweet love hasn't died

Give me, give me one more chance


To keep you satisfied, satisfied


Maybe I didn't hold you


All those lonely, lonely times


And I guess I never told you


I'm so happy that you're mine


If I make you feel second best


Girl, I'm sorry I was blind


You were always on my mind


You were always on my mind


Tell me, tell me that your sweet love hasn't died


Give me, give me one more chance


To keep you satisfied, satisfied


Little things I should have said and done

I just never took the time


You were always on my mind


You are always on my mind


You are always on my mind

The words floated through male heads as they waited anxiously for their counterparts to appear.

Yes, the girls were definitely on their minds at that moment.

XXXXXXXXXX

A/N: Well, I hope that's okay. I just wanted a song in there somewhere. Okay?

Well, please review and tell me what you think. Lots of flirting in it, yes I know.