Chapter Twenty-Nine
Snow had began to fall as students got up early to look out their windows. As dozens of students gathered at every window. Inside the common rooms and outside the commo rooms as they came out in their nightgowns and slippers (some wearing nightcaps). Lucy looking out her dormitory room window with a smile as she watched the thick snow fall down upon the grounds. This small bit of excitement however would soon be ruined. As the prefects began calling everyone to get dressed as the headmaster has another important announcement to make in the great hall. Sounds of groans and nervous chatter was soon heard as sounds of students getting quickly changed could be heard in every common room. Ruth muttering under her breath about the fun being over. The hallway was filled with disgruntled and nervous students walking into the great hall. They knew it was something serious as all the staff members were sat at the front. Ogg, Oakleigh Burton and Argus Filch were sitting at the side. Sounds of more confused groans came as they noticed the hall was unusually bare for October. Where were the Halloween decorations? It was Halloween in just under two weeks. More gasps came when the muggle-borns picked up the 'Muggle War News' of the day. Bombs have been dropped on British territory. Lucy sitting down at her table with one as the headline read...
Muggle bombs dropped on our British isles in Scotland. More islands have been made unplottable as a result. Pure-bloods and some half-bloods living in major cities have temporary relocated to these islands.
"Animals!" Walburga shouted out as she picked up a copy herself.
Referring to muggles, her loud remark made some muggle-borns feel very uncomfortable. The pure-bloods and half-bloods began to rant to each other as owls began to fly into the hallway. Dropping letters down towards each table to let some students know if they were among those being temporary relocated to avoid bombs. Eileen Prince caught a letter as her father's black owl swooped in before leaving such as a quickly.
"And to think we let their nasty offspring in" Nott hissed as he caught his own letter.
"Of cause we relocated! Some old aunt lives on one of these islands" Druella spoke up in further outrage.
Some more owls swooped in before leaving. The whole room filled of students holding up letters, letting them know their new address. A lot of them angry at the idea of having to be taken away from their home comforts over a muggle war. Though the parents of these children didn't want to share bomb shelters with muggles. Hence a lot of them moving in with family members who lived in isolated areas or moving to one of the unplottable small islands. Albus Dumbledore stood up as he clapped his hands, making the room go silent. He sat back down to allow Headmaster Armando Dippet to stand up at his pulpit. Horace Slughorn giving a brief stern stare at his table which made them be quiet as well.
"I understand children that this is a shock. Though please refrain from blaming our friends. I have got some rather unfortunate news. The 'Halloween Feast' has to be abandoned this year and likely for the years ahead" Dippet began.
More gasps and angry insults were heard. As some students began shouting at the nearest muggle-born. Argus Filch nervously getting up as he stood by Lucy and made sure nobody would dare say anything to her as he made sure his cane was visible. His hand on her chair.
"Oh so now we can't enjoy Halloween? That's ridiculous. I don't see why we have to suffer because of muggles" Olive Hornby spoke up to her friends.
"Don't be so spoilt, Olive" one of the fourth-year Gryffindor boys replied.
"I'm not being spoilt!"
The sound of the headmaster clapping made everyone be quiet again. As he stood to attention to explain further. The students looking back over at him with annoyed or scared faces. Tom being one of the few calm faces as he looked on with little emotion in his eyes. He didn't care about any of this, he didn't care about the muggle war and he certainly didn't care about the 'Halloween Feast'. He looked at his closest acquaintances. which calmed them down in turn.
"This is purely down to rations. As you know, if food is sparse in the muggle world, it becomes sparse in ours too. Due to this new development, our menu has been changed slightly. Professor Beery has began to grow his own vegetable patch which he hopes you all will join in with from time to time. Our 'Gamekeeper' Ogg will provide the meat as he is running a very small farm on the edge of the 'Forbidden Forest'" Headmaster Dippet further explained.
This got a less vocal response as the students calmed down. Though there were still sounds of mutterings under certain students' breaths. Walburga included as she spoke quietly to Druella. Argus removing himself from behind Lucy's chair as it was calm again as he sat back down next to Oakleigh.
"So we aren't getting a Halloween Feast due to rations?" Ruth asked in disappointment.
"Looks like it. Surely they can still put decorations up...why can't we call our normal supper the feast? It's daft" Victoria chimed in with a sigh.
"I'll ask later"
...
The recent news had made the mood go down. Lucy was sat in 'Charms' as Professor Burke wrote down 'Dancing Feet Spell - Tarantallegra' on the blackboard. Which did cause some students to perk up as it sounded like a fun spell. The second-year students began to write down the notes. Burke began to explain how the infamous 'Mount Vesuvius' erupted after the misuse of the so-called dancing feet spell on this volcano. Which made the likes of Avery and Nott look up as the spell suddenly got more interesting. He began a small demonstration as he pointed at a chair and said...
"Tarantallegra!"
Which resulted in the said chair bouncing around. Lucy watching with a smile as she wrote down more notes. Burke pointed his wand again as he said "Finite Incantatem". The chair stopped moving almost as quickly as it began to dance, making him move it to the side again. He looked up at the students and began to pair each student up. Much to Lucy's horror, she was paired with Tom Riddle. Due to them being the best in this class at 'Charms', Burke thought it was the only thing that made sense to do. They were sent to the middle of the classroom as he asked them to try it on one another. Showcase their impressive charms skills, Eileen had the smallest smile on her face as she turned her eyes to watch them. Tom placed his wand out. Lucy finally saw how bony his wand was as the boy gripped onto it by the thick handle. She breathed in before taking her own wand out as she began to focus solely on him and him alone...
"Tarantallegra!" Lucy and Tom shouted; more or less at the same time.
Though sadly, Lucy didn't say it fast enough as her legs began to move uncontrollably. Tom placing his wand back down in small victory as he watched Lucy suddenly dance on the spot. Laughter could be heard from most of the students. Any other student in this class, Lucy probably would have won but Tom had a natural gift and was difficult to beat, even by older students. Tom recalled the next spell as he said...
"Finite Incantatem"
Making her stop as she breathed in again. Feeling slightly cross at herself for failing. Lucy got out her wand again but only to be stopped in her tracks as Tom quickly shouted..
"Expelliarmus!"
Her wand falling to the ground quickly. He was making her feel like a dunderhead to be quite frank. Charms was up there as one of her best subjects and she felt like she suddenly didn't earn that title. She just didn't quite understand that Tom Riddle was powerful by birth. Nobody did really in 1939, he was a good student but one of the most powerful? Nobody could have predicted it here. Burke giving a small clap as he gave Slytherin twenty house points. Burke looked towards the rest of the class and assigned them to different areas to practice on one another. Most students were equal to one another as everyone seemed to have gotten at least one over their partner. Lucy however didn't even get one as Tom either blocked the incoming spell or said it faster.
"Tom. How are you doing this?" Lucy asked after he blocked her spell for the umpteenth time.
"You're too slow and weak, Lucy. That's all" Tom insisted.
"I got outstanding in my charms exam"
"Blind luck perhaps. Charms we are taught are very easy in these lessons" Tom responded.
"Do you know more complex charms?"
"Of cause. Though I don't use them as often as I would like. You're always being watched here, aren't you?"
Lucy giving a nod in response. He seemed so normal to her here that it was difficult to see the boy she saw a year ago in the hallway. Why were the Slytherin students so scared of him? Maybe he really did have a change of heart? She was thinking all these questions and Tom could read every single question she had in his mind.
"I'm a good student" Tom spoke up casually; making her mind go blank.
"Yes you are very skilled. I wish I could be as good as you in my lessons" Lucy answered.
"A good person too I hope" Tom spoke in a tone that was almost mocking her good nature.
She just gave a nervous giggle.
...
To make up for having no 'Halloween Feast'. Hogwarts planned a small Halloween party instead. As students were told to improvise slightly with their costumes and outfits. For the muggle-borns, it was very strange to decide what to wear as witch costumes were out of the question. Why would anyone want to dress as themselves? Lucy was in her dormitory with her friends as they had to decide among themselves who was dressing up as what. Poppy being the more artistic out of the four was given the task of thinking of some outfits for next week. She wrote down some suggestions, Walburga Black being top of the list made them all burst out laughing. Merpeople, werewolves, vampires, hags, fairies and banshees were some of the more serious suggestions for outfits.
"Vampires and werewolves may be a bit boring. Aren't they just normal people most of the time?" Ruth asked as she went down the list.
"Be creative, Ruth. We can add hairy hands or blood on our lips. I don't know" Poppy responded.
"I really want to dress as a veela" Victoria admitted.
Lucy was thinking about her outfit currently. The girls had their 'Fantastic Beasts' books open too as they all looked at it for more ideas. This was the most exciting thing to happen in a long time at Hogwarts. A 'Halloween party' with fancy dress. No doubt the brainchild of Horace Slughorn.
"I'm dressing as a banshee. I decided" Lucy announced with a smile.
"Oh that's wonderful Lucy. Be prepared for hair growth and for your skin to be painted green" Poppy replied.
"And a skeleton face" Ruth chimed in while turning to the 'banshee' page in her book.
Halloween was all about looking frightful so Lucy didn't mind. Poppy got up from her bed as she opened the wardrobe. She got out a black robe as she chucked it towards Lucy and asked her to put it on. Making the girl remove her Hufflepuff robe and try this plain black one on instead. She put the hood up and looked in the mirror with a laugh.
"Perfect banshee outfit is that, Luce. Though you won't need the hood. I've learned a few things from 'Witch's Weekly' about growing your hair long. Your hair will be floor-length, do you understand?" Poppy asked.
"Oh but people might step on it"
"I'll make sure it's just above the floor" Poppy assured her.
She gave a shrug, she could live with that for one day. The girls were really excited generally as were most students. The boys were thinking more about dressing like old-fashioned warlocks, dementors, trolls or goblins. The Hufflepuffs kept asking each other about their outfits to avoid dressing the same. One of the boys claimed the 'house-elf outfit'.
"Nobody else is going to want that anyway" one of the third-years boys called out to him.
"Well no because I got it" came the response.
The girls poking their heads out to listen. The boys were arguing about which one was dressing as the warlock. The Hufflepuff girls shaking their heads before returning to their own rooms again. Poppy sat back down on her bed cross-legged while going through more creatures.
"Oh! All this reminds me...how is magical creatures?" Lucy suddenly asked them.
"It's really fun. Professor Kettleburn is such a lovely man. Though he's as mad as a box of nifflers. I would say that you should take it in your third-year, Luce. It's really helpful if you come across any of these creatures in the wild or if you want to keep any as pets" Ruth responded.
"I think I will just stick with Mr Filch" Lucy said as her cat laid on her lap.
"How is the real Mr Filch?" Victoria questioned.
"He's good. Just cleaning away as always. He's been in a bad mood though since his brother's broomstick got broken. I heard Archibald will have to use a school broomstick now" Lucy explained.
"Yes he does. Which should give our team a better chance at winning at least but I honestly do feel bad for him a bit. Those school broomsticks are as old as Dumbledore I think" Victoria said.
...
TBC