((A/N)) Starting now, I won't be writing the disclaimer, summary, etc. in every chapter since you guys know the drill… Thanks. But there's an additional disclaimer: I don't own Disney and all related characters, insignia and stuff of it. Thank you.

Chapter Eight

Joan and Halloween

Hermione's search was interrupted by Saddy's squeaky voice.

"Miss -!"

"I'm Joan, remember?"

Hermione quickly stood up thus hitting her head under the shelf where she currently was. "Ow!"

"Mom? Is that you? Where are you?" Joan called out from the first floor.

Hermione rubbed her head. "I'm in your father's childhood room, honey."

She heard Joan and the house elf conversing in low tones.

Joan's footfalls were heard thumping on the stairs. "Mom! Mom! You know what; Snape is such an insufferable pri-." She cut herself as she saw a blonde man in the room. "Good afternoon, sir." She quickly covered up.

"Good afternoon." Devon responded.

"Joan," Hermione introduced Devon to her daughter. "This is Devon Black, the Prophet's new photographer. Devon, this is Joanna Leticia, my daughter."

Joan curtsied as how she was taught by her father when she was about four years old. "I'm pleased to meet you, sir."

Devon kissed the hand of Joan. "Same to you."

Hermione smiled to herself as she saw the scene unfold before her.

If only Devon was Draco…

Joan went to her mother and kissed her on the cheek as a greeting. "You know, Saddy gave me a fright when she said that Master Draco was here. I thought she was really hallucinating or something," She faced Devon. "Come to think of it… Cut off a little chin here and some there, chisel that chin, wear gray contact lens, pull those cheekbones higher, flop blonde hair a bit… and voila! You look like Draco Malfoy!" She pretended to take a picture of Devon using her fingers.

Hermione was speechless and Devon was smirking, but still shocked.

"You practically altered my whole face." Devon reacted.

"Yeah," Joan smiled and shook her head. "Ignore Saddy; I'm sorry if she, you know, mistook you for someone else. If I didn't clear out that I am Joan a while ago, she almost called me Young Mistress Narcissa again. Puh-leeze!" She rolled her eyes. "Can't she see the difference?"

"So, Mom," Joan faced Hermione. "Aren't you going to ask me why I'm here?" She smirked at her mother.

Hermione snapped back to herself. "As a matter of fact, yes. Young lady, what are you doing here?"

Joan sat on a pile of books "I'm off for a mission for Professor Snape, the git…"
"Language, Joan…" Hermione said warningly.

"Well, he is." Joan insisted. "Anyway, he doesn't want to believe me that a kappa is from Japan, he says it's from Mongolia. So, he told me to get the exact book where I read that. But, Mom, that was Dad's book. He told me not to get the book from the library and so he sent me here." She showed her mother the special pass that Snape had given her.

"I think I came across that book awhile ago," Devon said and he delved into one of the many piles of books. "Here." He held out a slightly tattered red book with the title "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find them" to Joan.

"Hey," Joan took it. "Thanks a lot." She smiled. "What about you, Mom? What are you guys doing here?" She raised her eyebrows and smirked.

Hermione stared at her daughter with the 'don't-give-me-that-look' glare. "We are here to hold a photo shoot hands-on for Devon and also to help him trace his family tree – there's a possibility that he is related to your father."

Glancing at Devon, she commented. "I see you're already seeing someone." Facing Devon, she said to him. "So, you're the man she ate breakfast, lunch and tea with, huh?"

Hermione was mortified and Devon just kept his cool and nodded.

"No, seriously – I like you for my mother." She did not notice Hermione flushing crimson. "Just please, don't dump her or hurt her or anything like that, ok?"

Devon smirked and nodded.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you or anything, sir."
"It's ok, call me Devon."

Hermione finally found her voice. "Joan! I'm not exactly seeing him -."

"But you did eat out with him?"

"Yes, but-."

Joan clapped her hands delightedly. "Then, you are going out with him! Splendid!"

Her mother's eyes showed horror mixed with exasperation. "Joan! You're not my mother! You're completely reversing the whole thing!"

Joan's eyes glinted with mischief.

Devon watched with interest the banter between mother and child. He did not mind that the reason why they were debating was him. He actually enjoyed it.

"Oh," Joan looked at her pass, which was blinking red. "I've got to go." She rushed to kiss her mother once more. "Bye, Mom, love you." She shook hands with Devon. "Thanks –and take care of Mom for me." She winked at him.

"Joan, behave." Hermione called out before Joan was apparated away using Snape's pass.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "There you have it, my beloved daughter, Joan. She got too much of her father's genes, I guess."

At that, Devon laughed. "You really blame him for the stubborn streak, eh?"

Hermione thought for a while. "Now that I think about it, I suppose I shouldn't."

Devon smiled. "Charming kid, she is."

Hermione nodded in agreement. "Yes, but not always, she can be a handful if she wants to." She changed the topic. "Well, I can't seem to find the compilation of for the family tree but…" She sighed. "I think Draco hid it without me knowing it."

Devon's face was crestfallen. "Oh. I'm sorry to have caused you the trouble. Thanks for trying anyway."

"Oh well." Hermione smiled weakly.

Had Devon and Hermione looked around, they would have noticed that there was a dustless space on the floor. Joan had taken several books without them noticing it.

---

"Argh! Fifty points to Gryffindor for Ms. Malfoy's information and proof, but twenty points from the same house due to her impertinence." Andrei made another of his spirited Snape simulations during dinnertime.

With that, he received a round of applause and laughs from the rest of the Gryffindors in the Gryffindor table. Snape kept on glancing and shooting malevolent glares at their area but did not say anything.

Joan was a heroine in the eyes of the Gryffindors – few had dared to challenge the Potions Master's teaching style and gain thirty points for it.

Various upperclassmen had congratulated Joan upon knowing that she stood up to the cold-hearted Gryffindor-hater Professor.

Joan was truly beaming at them for she finally felt welcome in the Gryffindor house. She was reminded of the conversation she had with James and Andrei the day before and the Sorting Ceremony.

---FLASHBACK---

"GRYFFINDOR!" There was a tense silence in the air after Joanna Leticia Malfoy was sorted into the Gryffindor house. Whispers soon permeated the air. True, everyone knew who her parents were. It was also true that she will be the first Gryffindor Malfoy in all Hogwarts and Malfoy history. Dumbledore started to clap and soon the Great Hall was filled with hesitant applause. Joan made her way to one end of the Gryffindor table, barely looking up and keeping her eyes on the floor. She did not want to meet the eyes of fellow Gryffindors who she had seen earlier looking at her with distrust. As she sat down, she wanted badly to cry because of the aura around her but Malfoy/Granger stubbornness kept her from doing so. "Potter, James." "GRYFFINDOR!" There was immediate applause and even hoots from the Gryffindor table.

Joan clapped appreciatively for her friend but was, deep inside, wallowing in desolation.

"Why do they discriminate me for my ancestry? My parents weren't even Deatheaters…" She bitterly thought to herself.

Moments later, James joined her at the end of the table.

"Hey, Joan," He asked concernedly as he sat beside her. "You ok?"

Joan nodded her head a little bit too enthusiastically.

"You're not fooling me, Jo." James responded seriously. "Talk to you after dinner?"

"No," Joan replied. "I'm really ok. No problem." She attempted to put on the infamous Malfoy mask of passive feelings. "If they want a traditional Malfoy, they'll get it." She thought to herself.

"Whatever." James said. "Andrei and I'll talk to you before we go to bed, ok?"

Joan did not respond.

------

Joan sat in a secluded yet well-lighted chair inside the Gryffindor common room curled up with a book when Andrei approached her.

"Hey, Jo."

Joan looked up from the book. "Yeah?" She answered in a monotonous voice.

"Joan," Andrei started as he fidgeted. "Um, I would just, you know, like to tell you that despite what other students say, Jo, um, I'll be here as your friend. Don't mind their bloody prejudice."

Joan's face slightly softened.

James came to join them.

"James and I will always be here," Andrei continued. "To support you."

James spoke. "Yeah, Jo, remember that." He put an arm around Joan's shoulders and Andrei followed suit. "If they don't welcome you, it's their loss. They sure are missing a lot, I tell you."

---END OF FLASHBACK---

Joan excused herself from the table, earning a few more applauses from her housemates, feeling very happy and tired at the same time and headed to her dorm.

She changed into her nightclothes and began to fold her robes when she realized that there was something bulky in the pocket of her robes. She pulled the pockets inside out and out tumbled the miniature books that she had taken from the Manor. She muttered a spell that changed them back to their normal sizes. She placed the books on the side table.

Joan got the yearbook from her side table and got comfortable on her four-poster. She opened it to the pages of her parents to watch the "portrait selves" move. This time Hermione and Draco were at Hermione's page, Hermione was reading a book from the table with Draco reading over her shoulder.

Joan smiled sadly as it dawned on her that she will never see her parents in that position again. Her face clouded when her eyes saw once more the text 'Death – Not Applicable' on both of her parents' pages. Then she remembered – she had seen the Malfoy tapestry, her father did not have any year of death yet.

She shook her head and got down from her bed and took the yearbook along with the Manor books to the common room, where she decided she would read the Manor books; she didn't feel so tired after all. One of which is the Dark Ages scrapbook.

---

Weeks quickly flew past and it was finally Halloween.

Joan is currently the top student in practically all her classes. She was easily the favorite of Professor McGonagall, Head of their House and Transfiguration professor. It was no doubt that she will soon become a prefect in her fifth year. She has the brains for academic excellence and the charisma for social status –even the Slytherins like her, despite her identity as a Gryffindor. Nevertheless, she still had fun and grabbed the opportunities for her to exemplify the Malfoy audacity in her and in those moments, the Granger studiousness would lie low.

Devon was still working for Hermione, but they were already sort-of seeing each other – eating lunch together, being seen in fancy restaurants on weekends, and the like. In any case, practically all of her friends now knew Devon. Hermione had a certain Mrs. Potter to thank for all the introductions. Joan, meanwhile, was thrilled – it was the first time that her mother was seeing the same person for almost one month. She hoped that they would take the next step into their relationship.

Today was Halloween and Hermione was quietly going over her work when suddenly an owl came rapping at her windowsill, thus stopping her work.

After being let in, the owl dropped several letters on Hermione's desk and promptly left. It was the mail from her house since she practically ignores her mail at the porch; Hermione requested the company to send an owl there daily to bring to her office all her letters.

She rapidly threw away junk mail and finally came upon a letter from the Weasleys.

Hermione tore open the envelope and read the letter, and slumped into her seat.

OH NO! It's Halloween… I forgot about that Annual Halloween Party… Crud…

Every year since the war ended, the Weasley Twins hold a Halloween Party. Every year the party has a crazy motif. They would invite friends and family alike and through the invitation, tell them the motif for the year's get-together. To Hermione, it was more like a dare. This year it was: "Go to the party as a costumed pair with the first person of the opposite gender who enters the room where you read our invitation."

Hermione inhaled.

Well… Last year was weirder… Bring your parents and/or children to the party and dress up as a fairy tale family.

Hermione shook her head as she recalled going to the party with Joan in a (©Disney) Little Mermaid costume. Though since they bought the costumes from the wizarding branch, it turned Hermione's hair in Ariel's red hair and Joan's into the black hair of Melody, the mermaid's daughter. The costume would also turn into a mermaid's tail once in awhile, which caused much delight on Joan's part and frustration on Hermione's. Until finally, Hermione muttered a spell that ruined the costume and so she remained to be a mermaid in the lake at the back of the twin's house for the rest of the night. The Potters, meanwhile, had come to the party as the Darling family from Peter Pan and Ron's family came as the family of Hansel and Gretel.

Hermione groaned and wished that whoever the man who was going to come in the door would be quite bearable.

She held her breath as someone knocked at the door.

"Come in."

"Miss Hermione?" It was her secretary, Jeanette. "I'll just ask permission if I can have an early lunch now. My boyfriend promised to pick me up."

"Sure, Jean, you may."

"Thank you, Miss Hermione."

Hermione sighed. It was not her 'date' yet.

Knock-knock-knock.

"Come in."

"Um, Hermione? I-."

Hermione almost choked on her saliva in relief.

It was Devon.

---

"Do I look ok? Oh my, I just know I'm going to trip on these stupid shoes…" Hermione kept on rambling as Devon led her to their transportation.

"Relax… You look," Devon pretended to scrutinize Hermione. "Stunning. I've never seen a Cinderella as beautiful as you are."

Hermione slightly blushed at the compliment. "Thank you. Devon! Oh my! You actually -?" She was speechless when she saw the transportation that Devon had prepared for the night.

Devon smiled at her. "Yes, I arranged that – complicated magic, I tell you." He explained, tapping the pumpkin stagecoach. "Made from quality pumpkin and fine bred lab rats as the horses, what do you think?"
Hermione hugged Devon. "I've got a feeling that this is going to be the best Halloween party that I'm going to. When you said you wanted to travel in style, I didn't think you had this in mind…"

Devon flashed his "Prince Charming smile". "Only the best for this Cinderella. Shall we?" He offered his hand to Hermione to help her get in the pumpkin stagecoach.

Once they had both gotten comfortable in the stagecoach, Devon took out his wand and flicked it. The horses began to move – upwards into the night.

"Devon!" Hermione cried as she felt them being inclined as they first started their flight. She clutched her escort's arm. "I-I forgot to tell you: I'm afraid of heights."

Devon looked at her and held her hand. "Don't worry, I promise, it'll be alright." He smiled as Hermione shut her eyes tight. He once more flicked his wand to make sure that the stagecoach remains invisible while on air. "This flight is on autopilot, I had configured it already so that it heads to the Weasley twins home." He tried to take Hermione's mind away from her fears as he conversed with her.

Hermione opened her eyes slowly. "Are we there yet?"

"Nope."

"Then why is the flight smooth now?"

"What can I say? This stagecoach is perfect." Devon smirked back at her.

Hermione smacked his arm jokingly. "Whatever."

"Come on, look outside the window – the stars are shining tonight."

"Not now, I'm just getting used to the ride with my eyes open."

"Please?"
"Maybe later, when we're going home."

"Promise?"

"I don't want to be rash…"

"Pretty please? With a cherry on top?"

"No."

"Pretty, pretty please with a cherry on top?"

"No."

"Pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty –."

"Enough already!" Hermione laughed at Devon's puppy dog eyes. "Ok! I promise we'll enjoy the view later."

Soon, they have arrived at the Weasleys.

Devon removed the invisibility enchantment on the stagecoach as it unhurriedly landed in front of the house. Costumed people hurried to meet them. Devon got down first and helped Hermione out of the stagecoach.

"Hermione!" Fred and George simultaneously greeted her.

"How's our little mermaid?" Fred waggled his eyebrows at her.

Hermione rolled her eyes mockingly. "Never been better."

At this point Devon was making enchantments on the stagecoach to that it shrunk and became stationary and lifeless for the time being.

"How about you two? It's unfair," Hermione teasingly pouted. "Why do you two get to come as a pair while we have to go with the opposite gender?"
George imitated Fred's waggling eyebrows. "Well, you see, WE are the hosts here – Tweedle Dee." He bowed.

Fred bowed. "And Tweedle Dum." He patted the back of Devon. "Hey Devon, how's it going mate? When do you plan to court your princess?"

Devon could only mumble. "Umm…"

Hermione cleared her throat. "Fred, George…"

"Cinderella and Prince Charming: welcome to Wonderland." They both greeted as Devon offered his arm to Hermione as they entered the house of Fred and George.

"Wow, the twins sure overdid themselves this year," Hermione murmured as they entered what was once the abode of the twins but was currently Wonderland as they had said.

Devon nodded in agreement.

There was the Mad Hatter's tea party where the dining room used to be, filled with refreshments, and there even was a stretch of lawn with heart shaped trees with dripping red-painted white roses.

"Hermione!"

Hermione spun around to be met by a hug from one Ginny Potter, who was followed by Harry. "Hi Devon." She acknowledged Hermione's escort.

"Hi."

As Harry and Devon shook hands, Hermione inspected Ginny. "Ginny! You look great!" Ginny was wearing a gold colored gown, which sparkles whenever light hits it. Harry, meanwhile, was wearing black slacks the usual ruffled top of princes. "Erm, who are you guys supposed to be?"

Ginny beamed. "Beauty and the Beast – it his transformed form though." She leaned on Harry, their arms intertwined. "Ron and Lavender are at the Tea Party, watching over Sirius and Angel – they're partners tonight."

"What about Lily?" Hermione conversed with Ginny as the four of them headed towards Ron and Lavender. "Andrei isn't here, right?"

"Nope, but Edward Jordan is. You know, the son of Lee and Alicia Jordan? His sister Mariel is at Hogwarts with Joan, James and Andrei."

"How come you all got paired exactly the way you should be?"

"It was during Sirius' birthday party that we received our invitations. Harry had an idea and did not let the owls except Hedwig; he read the conditions and told me to come in the room. And so the girls arranged themselves in given rooms and Harry instructed the owls where to go and the boys were all outside the rooms waiting to be called in." Ginny beamed at her.

"Oh." Hermione said. "Where's your sense of adventure? Why? Don't you want to go to the party with your brother if ever he enters the room for you?"

Ginny pretended to vomit.

Hermione laughed. "That answers my question."

"Hi Ariel!" Ron called out to them as they neared the table. "Where is your tail? Want to go for a swim?" He grinned at his best friend.

Lavender smacked Ron. "Real sensitive, Ron. Real sensitive." She turned to their friends. "So, what do we do now?"

"Eat." It was all Harry could say and then his stomach rumbled.

The rest of the group laughed as Harry flushed and they sat down.

---

Meanwhile, at Hogwarts, Joan was inside a broom closet with James.

"What? Why did you pull me in here for?" James asked, confused.

Joan placed a finger on James lips. "Shh…" She pointed her wand on the door and muttered a spell. The door became transparent. "They can't see us but we can see them."

"What? Who?"

"Just wait."

James groaned. "Why me? Why me and your crazy plans?"

"Shut up, James."

Just then, Filch and her cat Mrs. Norris came into their view as they passed the corridor.

"Really, my dear? Are you sure you heard someone come here? It seems deserted…" The caretaker was talking to his cat once again.

Joan swiftly cast a silencing spell on the broom cabinet before either of them is found. Good idea too for James suddenly burst into laughter. Out of the blue, Filch was wearing a daisy costume, complete with the white petal-like props around his neck. Mrs. Norris, meanwhile, is in an earthworm costume – she looked like a brown hotdog with legs, actually.

"Mrs. Norris!" Filch exclaimed as he picked up his transformed pet. "What happened?" He looked around. "Students! But no one is around…" He shook his head. "I have to report this to the Headmaster." He rushed out of the corridor, unaware of the almost smirking face of his cat.

James finally caught his breath after laughing so hard. "What happened? How did you do that?"

Joan smirked smugly at her black-haired friend. "I got the enchantment from a book of my Dad. It was one of those that I have gotten from the Manor."

"What is it called then?"

"The book was called: 'Triche af Inimicus', or, roughly translated 'Trick of Enemy.' The enchantment itself did not have a name but it was designed to be most appropriately used on Halloween."

"What exactly does it do, Jo?" James was clearly interested, as it was one of the rare moments that Joan loosens up from her usual stick-to-the-rules personality.

"The enchantment is used at a certain place, in this case, the corridor. Anyone who passes it would be costumed differently. Those who are not very much favored by the person who had cast the enchantment would look definitely ridiculous. But those who are favored, well, they would look good. For those that I don't know, or are neutral, they'll appear pleasing enough for themselves."

"And the catch is?"

"The person would not be able to feel or see any change at his or her appearance. Only on-lookers could see that."

"Oh… So that's why Filch didn't react about his daisy costume."

"Yep. That's right. To him, he is still wearing his normal clothes."

"Cool!" Then James brow furrowed into a frown. "But why didn't you call for Andrei?"

Joan smirked. "I would like him to pass here and see his costume."

James stared and Joan laughed.

---

"Mother! Father!" Hermione got up as she hugged her parents, who were led by George to their table. "What are you doing here?"

Mr. and Mrs. Granger acknowledged the greetings from Hermione's friends. They were both wearing their dentist garb.

Fred came by. "Mr. and Mrs. Granger!" He jovially shook their hands. "Glad you could come! I trust the Portkey and invitation reached you?"

Mrs. Granger beamed at him. "Yes and thank you going through all the trouble so that we may be able to come here."

Fred and George bowed.

"We must be going now." George said. "We have to meet more guests at the door."

Fred continued. "Ok, enjoy everybody!"

Mr. Granger looked around. "So this is the Weasley Halloween party that we've been hearing about for about half a decade now."

"Um, so," Hermione slowly said. "Mother, who are you supposed to be?"

Mrs. Granger smiled. "Ourselves – in our 'dentist costume'. The invitation only said 'costumed pair' didn't it?"

Hermione nodded, wondering what possessed the Twins to send an invitation to her parents and what more, what made her parents come.

Harry conjured more seats and enlarged the table as he offered the Grangers seats.

"No thanks, Harry dear," Mrs. Granger declined. "We won't stay long, besides, we'll be seating with Molly and Arthur in the other room."

Mr. Granger faced his daughter. "I don't suppose you're going to introduce us to Devon Black?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Oh." Hermione flushed. She had written to her parents about Devon and also told Devon about her Muggle parents, but both parties have not met each other yet.

Devon immediately stood up.

"Um, Mother, Father, this is Devon Black. Devon, these are my parents, Helena and Harold Granger." Hermione introduced.

"Pleased to meet you, Ma'am and Sir." Devon shook the hand of Mr. Granger and kissed the hand of Mrs. Granger.

"So… You're the famous Devon Black." Mr. Granger smiled at him.

Hermione held on to her smile but deep inside, she was melting.

Mrs. Granger piped up. "Yes, you know, our dear Hermy has spoken nothing but good things about you in her letters."

Don't get me wrong, Hermione loved her parents and are proud of them but when they use her childhood nickname and tell a guy that she had been writing to them about him – well, that's a different story.

"I'm glad that my daughter finally found herself a steady boyfriend," Mr. Granger started. "Devon," He placed a hand on Devon's shoulder. "I entrust to you her happiness, nevertheless, she couldn't have made a better choice." He placed his hands in his pockets.

"Um," Devon shifted uncomfortably. "Sir, thank you for your trust, but I'm not Hermione's boyfriend."

Hermione's parents shared a look.

Hermione swallowed, ignoring the stares of her friends who were very much engrossed in watching this little family scene. "Uh, yeah. He's telling the truth, Father."

Mrs. Granger clapped her hands. "Splendid! You're engaged!"

Devon's mouth dropped open. Hermione blushed red. The way her parents approached the situation made Joan look like an angel. Ron sniggered but was immediately quieted by a jab from Lavender's elbow.

Devon found his voice. "No, Ma'am. We're not engaged either."

Mr. Granger's face darkened.

Hermione's mother's eyes widened. "You're married!"

Harold Granger murmured disappointedly. "And you didn't even invite your mother and me."

Hermione, if possible, flushed a deeper red while Devon simply smirked.

Ginny decided to interrupt, since neither Devon nor Hermione appeared to be capable of answering back. "Um, excuse me? Mr. and Mrs. Granger, they aren't in a relationship other than professional one right now."

"Oh." Mr. Granger responded to the news quite calmly. "Well, then, Devon, don't dilly-dally too much – I want to be able to attend our Hermy's second wedding."

Mrs. Granger giggled. "Yes, oh, by the way, Devon, she happens to like dark chocolate and white roses –when you decide to court, I hope that advice comes in handy." Helena kissed her daughter's cheek. "Bye, honey, we'll be joining Molly and Arthur now." She waved at Hermione's friends and Mr. Granger patted Devon's back before they went to the other room.

Hermione was left standing agape with a similarly stunned but smirking Devon at her side.

---

"Five points for having such a wild imagination and ten for defying me." Snape irritably told a second year Ravenclaw whose appearance, from the hair to the shoes, was striped with different colors, thus looking suspiciously like a rainbow. "Change your attire now!"

"But Professor! It's true!" The girl insisted. "There's an enchanted corridor at the second floor!"

"You want me to believe that you could not see how different you look like now?"

The girl nods.

"And that everyone who passes the corridor is, let's say, phenomenally, costumed and everyone except the person could see the outcome?"

The girl nods again.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Davies, it doesn't seem believable at all -another five points from Ravenclaw. But I'll see for myself." Snape walked on to the said corridor, leaving an incredulous student.

Professor Severus Snape kept his thoughts to himself as he encountered queerly dressed students. He was beginning to believe the Ravenclaw the nearer he got to the corridor. Luckily, by that time, James and Joan were not in the broom closet anymore. Once he got there, silence ensued. Content with being the authority figure that stopped chaos, he barked at them. "What are you all staring at you lot? Go to the Great Hall now! The Feast would be starting in a few minutes!"

---

The Great Hall is once more designed for Halloween, complete with floating pumpkin lamps and creeping spiders on webs that are on the walls. James and Andrei headed towards the Gryffindor table to sit beside a smug looking Malfoy.

"So, Jo," Andrei muttered as he sat down. "Happy now?" He is wearing a vampire costume and unknown to him, sporting two fangs.

Joan vigorously nodded. "You bet." She is wearing a fairy-like dress with two sparkling wings.

"I don't get it," James scratched his head. "Tell me again how I look like?"

Andrei answered. "You look like Uncle Harry when he was probably eleven years old."

James touched his forehead. "I don't feel a scar."

"Duh," Andrei rolled his eyes. "Joan said you won't feel anything changed, remember?"

True, enough, James, to everyone except him, currently has green eyes framed with broken black glasses and a lighting bolt scar at his forehead.

BAM!

All the students, who were all in costume, faced the doors.

James gaped.

---

Damn bloody students… Ingrates! Gits! Miserable ticks on earth! I swear I'll do something bad –EVIL – to the person who did this…

Professor Snape was hurrying to the Great Hall, ignoring all the stares he was receiving from students around the school.

This student would PAY for what has been done… Who would DARE do this to me? I haven't been humiliated since the time of Pott-! That's it! Damn lunatic brain passed on to his grandson!

BAM!

The terrifying eyes of the professor scanned the wave of students until he landed on the faces of three certain Gryffindors – one gaping, one red in the face and one smirking.

---

"Hey, Hermione?" Ron placed more food on his plate. "Have you heard from Joan lately? Andrei isn't much of a correspondent."

Hermione nodded after her sipped from her drink.

Conversation after the Granger family incident had been rather casual, as though nothing transpired. Well, that was after Hermione glared at Ron as if daring him to start teasing her.

"Actually, all I ever hear from her is," She paused, not wanting to share the fact that Joan has been constantly pestering her about her love life.

"What?"

Hermione remembered a safe topic. "Oh, yeah, how much an insufferable git Snape is to them."

Just then there was the sound of sizzling flames as the fireplace at the other room.

"POTTER! WEASLEY! GRANGER-MALFOY! I NEED YOU RIGHT NOW!"

"Bloody hell…" Ron cursed as he, Harry and Hermione hastily got up.

"Speaking of…" Harry murmured as they saw the Potions Master's head bobbing at the fireplace.

Hermione suck in her breathe and Ron stifled a laugh.

Snape was wearing a vibrantly colored clown wig with matching face make-up.