23

Deathday Party

October came and with it came the cold weather and heavy rains. Emily and Draco volunteered to help Severus brew Pepperup Potion as Madam Pomfrey's supply was being depleted quickly from all the colds the students and staff had caught. Emily had been delivering a fresh batch to the hospital wing when she had observed the Weasley girl be dragged into the wing by her brother Percy.

"I don't want to," she whined attempting to escape from her brother's grasp.

"You need it Ginerva, you look ill and mother will not be happy if you are not properly looked after," he scolded the first year.

Emily noticed that Percy was quite right, the little redhead looked extremely pale. The girl reluctantly took the potion before glaring at her brother and stomping from the hospital wing as the steam continued to come out of her ears making her hair almost appear to be on fire.

It was a Saturday afternoon, just a few days until Halloween, and Emily could be found with Draco and the Weasley twins in their abandon classroom turned private potions lab.

The room was very different from what it had been when Emily and Draco had first started using it with Fred and George. Along the back wall, the desks had been spread to make one long table with four brewing stations set up. Emily had ordered a few large pillows and blankets laying them out on the stone floor so they could all relax when waiting on potions to cool or working on ideas.

Today they were relaxing on their pillows and working on different ideas. Fred and George were going over a new prank potion they had thought up, Draco was taking inventory of their ingredients, making a list of what they needed to order and Emily was working on altering a spell. Bill's birthday was in November and she wanted to do something for it like he had done for her. She had kept in contact with Bill exchanging letters once a week since he had sent her the birthday gift. She looked forward to every letter, they were always a bright spot in her week.

"There you are, Emily," a voice said catching the witch's attention. Emily looked up to seeSir Nicolas, the Gryffindor House ghost, float into the room and glide over to her.

"Hello Sir Nicolas," Emily said inclining her head toward the ghost.

"Hi Nick," the twins chorused looking up for a brief second from what they were doing.

"Hello Nicolas," Draco added absentmindedly waving a hand in greeting while not taking his eyes off his task.

The ghost greeted the boys before turning his attention back to Emily. "Emily my five hundredth deathday is coming up on Halloween. I am having a large gathering down here in the dungeons to celebrate, with people coming from all over the country, including the Headless Hunt. I was wondering if you would do me the honor of attending."

"It would be my honor to attend Nicolas. Have you heard back from the Headless Hunt on your application?" The ghost huffed indignantly and raised his chin a bit as if defying someone.

"I have been denied, again!" Crossing his arms he floated towards where Emily had a potion simmering to look in the cauldron, giving him a moment to collect his thoughts.

"I'm so sorry Nicolas, I know you have wanted to join them for a while."

He turned to look at Emily once again, "It's not your fault, I just don't understand how they can continue to discriminate against me. Half an inch of skin… half an inch that keeps me from a completely severed head! But oh no, with that half inch the Hunt says I will be unable to participate in their recreational games so therefore I cannot be a member."

"Well if I see them at the party I will be sure to tell them what a wonderfully terrifying ghost you are."

Emily watched as Sir Nicolas' face relaxed into a smile. "Thank you, Emily."

"Anytime," she said returning his smile.

"Well, I will let you get back to your mischief. I am going to find Baron Williams while I am down here and inform him that it was at my prodding that Peeves crashed another cabinet."

All four students laughed at that. "And why did you convince him to do that?"

"Argus has been very grouchy since he has been sick and he was going to write up your brother because he had mud on his shoes after his Quidditch practice. I felt bad that it was my fault your brother didn't get to the tower before Argus came and lost his patience."

Emily nodded Filch hated the students and loved to use small excuses to try and get them into trouble. She was glad Nicolas had helped her brother escape the crazed man. "That was nice of you to help him. I hope you have a good day Sir Nicolas and tell Baron Williams hello for me as well."

"Will do. Try not to get into too much trouble, goodbye." Nicolas waved to her inclining his head before gliding from the room as Emily turned back to what she was working on.

0o0o0o0

The day of Halloween was turning out to be better than last year. Emily had Defense Against the Dark Arts that day and had talked one of the elves in the kitchen into helping her play a prank on Lockhart.

Ever since she had mentioned Lucius and Severus being close to her, Lockhart had been distancing himself as was her intention. He no longer randomly appeared in the hallways close to her other classes but unfortunately for her, she still had to listen to him spend hours talking about himself during DADA lessons. His classes were a joke and he avoided actually teaching them any spells, he just spent his time talking about winning the most charming smile award and the outfits he wore when he supposedly fought the magical creatures in his books. Frankly Emily didn't care what the color of his robes were and didn't see the importance of it, no matter what risky task he was supposedly facing.

So to give her some entertainment and pay the man back for her wasted time spent in his presence, she had an elf put the bubble potion, the twins had gifted her, into his afternoon tea. Normally the elves would refuse to help anyone in such a way but it turned out they seemed to have a strong dislike for the man as well. Emily was a bit foggy on the details but it had something to do with his demanding nature and some hair rollers that sparked the intense dislike from the ever eager to serve elves.

The students had entered the Defense classroom as usual, settling into their desks while Lockhart had taken a sip of his fresh cup of tea before stepping forward to begin his usual rambling. Today though when he had opened his mouth all that came out were different colored bubbles. He had tried for five minutes to talk before becoming beet red at the class's loud laughter, defeated he wrote on the board that they were dismissed before running out of the classroom his hand clasped over his mouth.

At a little before seven o'clock Emily, and Draco as her guest, headed to Sir Nicolas' deathday party. The path to the space Nicolas was using was lined with floating black taper candles that burned with blue flames and black rose petals were scattered beneath them on the ground. Emily found it to be hauntingly beautiful. The pair could tell there were many ghosts present as with each step the temperature dropped.

Nicolas was waiting by the door as they approached with a mournful look on his face.

"Emily and young Draco, welcome… It pleases me that you could join us tonight on this my day of death."

"Thank you for having us Sir Nicolas," Emily said smiling at the theatrical ghost.

Draco echoed his friend's words as Nicolas bowed deeply to them motioning for them to enter the room. The space was filled with hundreds of ghosts. The various chandeliers in the room were alight with the same black candles and blue flames that led their path there. A black platform was surrounded by black drapes on the opposite side of the room from the entrance where a ghost orchestra was currently playing. In the center of the room many of the ghosts were dancing to the music.

Draco escorted Emily to the side of the room so they could talk and observe the room better. They had only been there for about five minutes when Emily noticed her brother and his two friends, Granger and Weasley, enter. Weasley immediately spotted her and she watched as he started whispering to Harry quickly. Harry seemed to disagree with the redhead about something while Granger seemed annoyed with the boy's behavior. Emily nudged Draco to see if he had noticed them as well. Suddenly Weasley straightened up turning to leave the room with Harry running after him. Granger looked back over to Emily and offered her a wave mouthing 'sorry' before quickly following after the boys.

"Well that was rude," Draco said going back to examining the room. "Why do Granger and your brother hang out with Weasley?"

"I don't know. Weasley really gets on my nerves though, I have never done anything to him yet he still treats me like I'm evil. He even gets my brother to leave rooms that I am in…" she turned and looked at the door Harry had left through.

"You can't dwell on it. Weasley's behavior has been worse towards the Slytherins since Theo called Granger a Mudblood. If it helps I think you being here didn't bother your brother."

Just then a young female ghost flew past them in a hurry crying her eyes out as Peeves followed her throwing rotten peanuts and calling her 'pimply'.

"Poor thing," Emily sighed watching as the sobbing ghost disappeared through one of the walls.

"Who was that?"

"Oh, that was Moaning Myrtle, she haunts the girls bathroom on the second floor."

"What an odd place to spend your afterlife."

Emily shrugged, "I don't know why she haunts it but I know she gets lonely. I go in there once a week and say hello to her. People aren't very nice to her."

"How Hufflepuff of you."

Emily rolled her eyes at her friend, "Oh shut it, I can be nice sometimes."

"I'm sure the fourth year you hexed this morning agrees."

"She can't prove it was me. Plus it was only a stinging hex, it's not like I cursed her."

"Perhaps we could ask Lockhart."

"Again no proof, plus the man is not all that bright. I doubt he thinks it was one of the students."

As they were speaking Nicolas drifted towards the pair, "Are you enjoying the party?"

"It's lovely Nicolas," Emily answered the ghost with a smile. "I truly love the ambiance of the blue flames from the all candles you have burning, they were a wonderful selection."

"Thank you my dear. I am quite pleased with how many people have shown," Nicolas said gesturing behind him at the gathering of ghosts. "Can you believe the Wailing Widow is here, she rarely ever comes to these events you know… Well, I think I should give my speech now if you will excuse me so I may warn the orchestra."

Before Nicolas could move however the music stopped playing and the room was silent. The ghosts seemed to be filled with excitement as a hunting horn sounded through the room. "Wonderful," Nicolas said bitterly causing the two second years to look around curiously at what could have soured his mood.

Emily watched as see through horses burst through the wall being ridden by ghosts who were holding their heads under their arm. Applause filled the room at their entrance. Emily refrained from clapping as she knew these were the Headless Huntsmen that had denied Nicolas membership into their group. The ghost at the head of the Huntsmen jumped from his horse placing his head back on his body as he made his way towards Nicolas with a smirk upon his face.

"Nick! How are you? Still hanging in there I hope?" The ghost laughed at his own joke and many in the room joined him.

"I am so delighted you could make it Patrick," though Nicolas looked like he was anything but pleased. The ghost caught sight of Emily and Draco, and after proclaiming them to be 'live 'uns', he jumped letting his head fall to the ground causing widespread laughter through the room.

"Wonderfully amusing," Nicolas said sarcastically, looking away from the scene the man was putting on.

"Oh don't mind him!" Sir Patrick roared to the room. "He is just bitter he can't be like us in the Hunt. I mean obviously he cannot join, just look at him! His head is still hanging by a thread!"

"I think," Emily said raising her voice at the ghost, "that Sir Nicolas is a very frightening and impressive ghost. You obviously don't know him very well for you to be talking about him as if he was a joke. The man is the ghost for the House of bravery here at Hogwarts and that is an admirable quality for someone who is a Huntsmen. Just look at his head, it took forty five hits to kill him when it most likely only took you one. He had to live through much more pain and yet you mock him. He has manners amongst his peers while you, Sir Patrick, seem to be a joke, no more than a common jester."

Sir Patrick stared at her completely speechless but her words had the desired effect as Nicolas beamed at her praise. "Sir Nicolas I think you should be quite thankful not to be one of these people. You are no jester but a brave and frightening man to be feared. Now, I believe you were going to give us a wonderful speech that you had prepared for us…"

Sir Patrick quickly turned and went back to his horse as Emily winked at Nicolas before he floated to the podium by the orchestra. "My illustrious guests, I am honored that you have joined me this evening in what is my five hundredth deathday…"

When Nicolas' speech was finished Emily and Draco joined all the guests in a round of applause for him. Emily, being human unlike the other guests, was starting to get hungry and she thought that perhaps it was time to go for the evening.

"Hey Dray, I think we should go. We can stop by the kitchens to pick up some dinner and eat in your room. I think we have missed too much of the feast to make it to the Hall."

"Sounds good to me, I'm starving." Emily and Draco smiled and waved to many of the guests as they made their way to the exit. They looked to bid Nicolas farewell but he was surrounded by a group and seemed to be enjoying himself so they decided not to disturb him. As they were climbing their way up back up the stairs Emily heard it.

"must rip… must find and tear… kill…" Emily froze, that was the voice she had heard in Lockhart's office the night she had detention.

"Emily are you okay?"

"Shh, I can hear the voice…"

"hungry… so long… must kill…"

"Can you hear it?" she asked Draco who was staring at her with worry.

"No, what are you talking about?"

"… yes kill... must kill… so hungry…"

Emily felt that the voice was moving upwards and she motioned Draco to follow her as she raced up the stairs following the voice. When she reached the first floor she could still hear the voice though it sounded as if it was coming from above her. How was it moving so quickly and why couldn't she see it or feel a signature?

"… blood… I smell blood... must kill…"

"Blood…" Emily wondered aloud as she was looking around her. She ran up the next flight of stairs continuing to follow the voice. Draco followed her unsure what his friend was doing. She finally stopped when they came along a deserted hallway.

"Emily what has gotten into you?" Draco asked but all Emily did was point in front of her. Draco looked where she was pointing and froze. On the wall was a message painted in blood proclaiming the Chamber of Secrets had been opened and that enemies of the heir were to beware. The floor was pooled with water and there seemed to be something hanging motionless next to the massage. Emily grabbed Draco's hand when she realized it was Mrs. Norris, Flich's cat. She was hanging by her tail from a torch.

"We need to leave and quickly," Emily said taking a step backwards.

Draco nodded and they went to leave but the pairs path was blocked by the students returning from the feast. Their noisy chatter seemed to die quickly as they all took notice of the hanging cat and the message written in blood. Emily turned as she heard Theo's voice call out in the silence that the Mudbloods would be next. Theo was grinning at the sight before all of them looking smug while all Emily could feel was dread.