As Halloween got closer however, with Hagrid's Pumpkins looking like they might set a new record on how big they were, and rumors of a famous wizard pop-group coming along, Harry was starting to have seconds thoughts.

"A promise is a promise," Hermione said to him in her nagging reminder voice when he said this to the rest of them in the library one afternoon "You said you would go to the party."

"Technically from what I learnt from my friends back home," Jack said clearing his throat "'A promise is only a promise if it is made in blood'. Besides I didn't say I would go."

"That's not the point." Elisa said rolling her eyes shaking off what Jack said "You were invited. Plus this is a special Deathday for Nick isn't it?"

"Well yeah but..."

"No buts Jack!" Elisa said determined "We are going. We don't have to stay for long, but we will go."

"Yes ma'am" Jack said sighing looking as depressed as Ron and Harry did.

o0o

On the day of Halloween Jack went to see Fred and George to say that he wouldn't be able to be there to see Evie this year.

Once he had done that he found everyone and suggested they get something to eat before going down to the party.

"Why? We won't be there that long will we?" Ron asked.

"We will try not to be," Jack said looking to the girls who were watching him carefully "But we never know, right?"

So agreeing, they all left getting the food to Jack seeing as he seemed to be the only one to know where the kitchens were.

o0o

At seven o'clock Harry, Ron, Hermione, Jack, Baby Tooth, Elisa, and Annie all walked past the doorway to the Great Hall, which was decorated for the 'One-Day-Holiday' with candles, decorations, and the golden plates normally used for holiday feasts, and instead all headed down to the dungeons.

The corridor leading to Nick's party was lined with candles too, but these were much more grim and spooky.

They were the palest white they could be, and all were carved to look like skeletons each bearing a black flame as the wick burnt.

The temperature must be dropping with each step too, Jack worked out seeing everyone shivering a little the further they went.

They had just reached the bottom of the staircase and were one corner away from the party room when they could hear something that sounded like thousands of nails on blackboards.

"What is that?" Annie asked covering her ears not liking it one bit.

"That is what ghosts call 'Music'," Jack said explaining "Now once we go in, there will be quite a few ghosts, and of course Peeves, so try not to walk through anyone, it's considered rude in paranormal society if you do that. Oh and try not to be too scared or freaked out by how they look, and don't ask them how they died. Unless they're alone, that's considered rude too."

"And how exactly do you know all this Jack?" Hermione asked raising an eyebrow.

"Well would you want people walking through you and asking how you died when there was an audience?" Jack asked firing a look back.

"He has a point," Elisa said agreeing with Jack.

After getting nods of understanding from everyone, they turned the corner and saw Nearly Headless Nick floating by a doorway which was hung with black velvet drapes.

"My dear friends" he said mournfully "Welcome, welcome... so pleased you could come..."

He swept off his plumed hat and bowed them inside.

It was a surprising sight, seeing all the pearly-white, translucent people, mostly drifting around the crowded dance floor.

Minus Jack, everyone's breaths were visible as the cold air swirled around the room.

"Shall we look around?" Harry asked wanting to get a little warmer.

Slowly they edged around the dance floor passing by a couple of gloomy nuns, a man in rags dragging chains and chests, and the Fat Friar, the Hufflepuff ghost, who was talking to a knight who had an arrow in his eye.

(I changed the descriptions a little to hopefully make these ghost Jacob Marley from Christmas Carol and King Harold of England)

Jack was looking around the room and smirked a little when he saw the Bloody Baron, the Slytherin ghost was being given way by the other ghosts.

"Oh no!" Hermione said stopping abruptly "Turn back, turn back, I don't want to talk to Moaning Myrtle –"

"Who?" the boys asked confused looking over their shoulders to see who it was that got Hermione so upset.

"She's haunts a bathroom on the second floor," Elisa explained rolling her eyes at how Hermione was reacting.

"She haunts a bathroom?" Ron asked.

"Yeah," Annie said "I don't like being mean, but it can be very off-putting trying to go with her in the next cubical crying and wailing at you."

"Well maybe something terrible happened to her while she was alive" Jack suggested looking around as Baby Tooth tweeted and pointed to a table.

"Food!" Ron said beaming and went over but stopped short at the sight of how bad the food was.

The smell was quite disgusting.

Everything was either rotten, moldy, or gone off.

In the center there was a cake in the shape of a tombstone, with tar-like icing saying:

Sir Nicholas de Mimsy – Porpingtion

Died 31st October, 1492

They all watched as a portly ghost came over and with his mouth open glided through the food.

"Can you taste it if you walk though it?" Harry asked curious.

"Almost," the ghost said sadly before drifting away.

"I expect they let it rot for a stronger flavor," Hermione said holding her nose and leaning closer to look at the food.

"Can we move? I think I feel sick," Annie said holding her nose too.

Agreeing they turned around to carry on looking around the room.

They were about to set off, when out from under the table, came Peeves, wearing a bright orange party hat, and spinning bow-tie, looking like he was having the time of his life.

"Hello Peeves," Jack said not sure why he was so happy.

"Nibbles, Frostboy? Or maybe your pretty date wants some?" he asked holding out a small bowel of peanuts covered in fungus.

"No thanks," Jack said trying to be firm, letting Baby Tooth fly into his pocket (she didn't like Peeves very much).

"And I am not his date," Elisa said confirming that "My sister and I were invited just like the others."

Peeves ignored her and turned to Hermione.

"Heard you talking about poor Myrtle," said Peeves grinning a little more "Rude you was to talk about poor Myrtle." He took a deep breath and called out "OI! MYRTLE!"

"Oh no Peeves please don't call her over here, she'll get really upset," Hermione said begging.

"Well then that's your fault for saying those things to upset her, then isn't it?" Jack said looking up when a sad looking 12 year old glasses wearing girl came over.

"What?" she asked sukily looking at everyone pausing at Jack but saying nothing.

"Um... Hello Myrtle," Hermione said nervously "It's nice to see you out of the bathroom."

Myrtle sniffed.

"Miss Granger, Miss Elisa and Miss Annie, were all just talking about you," Peeves said in a conversation like way.

"Yes, and they were just telling us how kind you are," Jack spoke up before anyone could ruin it.

"You came into my bathroom last year," Myrtle said focusing on Jack "Why haven't you visited me since then?"

Jack wasn't sure what Myrtle was talking about, yes he went into a girls bathroom last year but he thought it was Hermione he was talking to.

"I was caught coming to see you the next time I visited and told I would be in trouble if I tried again." Jack said surprising everyone at how great an actor he was.

"Oh, I get it..." Myrtle said sniffing "You just don't want to hang out with me..."

"No, that's not what I..." Jack began trying to find the right words, looking to the girls for help.

"Don't lie to me!" Myrtle sobbed, tears running down her face while Peeves silently laughed over her shoulder. "Do you think I don't know what people call me behind my back? 'Fat Myrtle!' 'Ugly Myrtle!' Miserable, moaning, moping, Myrtle!'"

"You missed out 'Spotty'," Peeves hissed in her ear.

"Peeves!" Jack said gritting his teeth.

"What, I'm just being helpful..." Peeves said shrugging before zooming off after a loud sobbing Myrtle who had turned and fled out of the dungeon.

"Oh dear," Elisa said wondering if someone other than Peeves should go after her.

Nearly Headless Nick floated over to them though the crowd.

"Having a good time?" he asked.

"Oh yes," they all lied.

"Not a bad turn out," Nick said looking around the room telling them where everyone came from. "It's nearly time for my speech; I better go warn the orchestra..."

As Nick started to leave however the orchestra stopped on their own.

The room fell silent, everyone looking around, and soon the sound of a hunting horn blew.

"Oh here we go..." Nick and Jack said together bitterly.

"What's wrong Jack?" Elisa asked unsure of what was going on.

Before Jack could explain about a dozen headless horsemen on ghost horses came bursting into the room.

Everyone there except Jack and Nick started to clap for them, but the students stopped themselves at the sight of Nick's face.

In the middle of the room, the horses came to a stop and the man in the lead, whose bearded head was under his arm blowing the horn, leapt down, lifted his head into the air to the laughter of the others present, and came over to Nearly Headless Nick squashing his head back onto his neck.

"Nick!" he roared "How are you? Neck still hanging in there?"

"Hello Patrick" Nick said stiffly.

"And where is you invitation Sir?" Jack asked importantly, pulling out a piece of blank parchment checking imaginary names "After all this is Sir Nicholas' 500th deathday and there for invitation only. Oh and I would need a name as well."

"Oh don't be silly boy, we don't need invitations," Patrick said clapping Nick on the shoulder "Nick and I are old friends."

"And I'm old friends with the Tooth Fairy and the Easter Bunny, but that doesn't mean I got invited to all their parties," Jack said sarcastically, smirking a little "So please can you show me your invitation and state your name. Otherwise I am asking politely for you to leave on behalf of Nick. After all would you wand party-crashers at you 500th?"

There was some murmuring and nodding as this was said.

Patrick looked around unsure what to do, he was normally the one with the upper hand but here was a boy, a Live boy, getting the better of him.

Patrick started patting his shirt but said he couldn't find it.

"But I should be on the list you have there boy," he said giving his name "Sir Patrick Delany-Podmore."

"Hmm... Can you see that name here Elisa?" Jack asked turning to her.

"Let's see... Sir Oliver, Madame Opal, Sir Peter," Elisa said making up names "Nope no Sir Patrick."

"Sorry sir, if you don't have an invitation, or on the list, I'd have to ask you to leave." Jack said taking the parchment back

Huffing, Patrick turned around got back on his horse and they all left.

Soon the music started again and Nick turned to Jack.

"I must thank you Jack," he said smiling "I believe that's the first time he didn't ruin my deathday party with his stupid jokes."

"But didn't you want me to talk to him about how scary and frightening you are Nick?" Harry asked unsure.

"No, no, this trick Jack and Elisa played was much better." Nick said happily letting the song play out before going to the stage to give his speech.

"Can we go now then, seeing Nick is happy?" Ron asked shivering a little.

Everyone agreed and carefully left going back up to the castle.

"Pudding might not be finished yet," said Ron hopefully, leading the way to the entrance hall.

Then Jack heard it, and so did Harry, if his face meant anything.

'... rip... tear... kill...'

It was the same voice as before.

Harry stumbled to a halt and Jack looked around flexing his hands in case he needed to fight something, looking towards every dark shadowy place the corridor had to offer.

"You guys ok?" Annie asked nervous.

"It's that voice again," Harry said.

"Voice?" Elisa asked but shut up when Jack waved at her to be quiet.

'...so hungry... for so long...'

"It's moving," Jack said looking to Harry to see if he thought the same.

"Come on we need to find it!" and they took off, with the others running after them.