The highly anticipated Halloween Bash! Woot. Sorry to the creators of Aaron Reyes, he's actually a seventh year and it's my mistake! D:

So AARON REYES, RAVENCLAW, IS IN SEVENTH YEAR. I changed the other chapter to match.

A THOUSAND PARDONS, PLEASE

Review and Enjoy!

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Aaron waited patiently for Ariadne in the Great Hall. He was dressed as Count Axel Ferguson, and she was dressed as Marie Antoinette. Both were Muggles, sure, but their message and meaning were why they chose matching costumes. Marie Antoinette represents rebellion and carelessness, which is what Ariadne was going for when she decided to go with Aaron to the ball. Aaron liked being "the other guy" and bothering Draco, so he chose Axel, Marie Antoinette's adulterer.

Ariadne entered, her white-blonde hair styled in a curly half-updo. A messy bun sat at the nape of her neck, with the remainder of her hair tumbling down in curls. She bewitched a pair of white dress robes to look like a French-made evening gown. Aaron complemented the lacy, low-cut dress with a slimming black tuxedo, top hat, and dress shoes. He took her hand and kissed it just as Malfoy walked in with Parkinson. She had a disgustingly pink pair of dress robes on, finished with glittery wings stuck to her back. Draco came as a vampire—he did nothing to change his appearance but rub some dark makeup under his eyes and transfigure his teeth so they'd become pointy for awhile.

He made the mistake of looking over at Ariadne and watched her be swooned by a Ravenclaw. A Ravenclaw! It was already bad enough he couldn't go with Ariadne—he had to listen to Blaise and take Pansy. She gripped his forearm like a lifeline and whispered in his ear. Her breath was hot and sour and it pooled on his neck. He resisted the urge to wipe the spittle away.

"Drakie! I want to go dance!" she whined. He could feel his blood pressure rising as he led his date inside. The Great Hall was unrecognizable. Fog covered the floor and the ceilings were black and endless. Floating pumpkins, ghouls, and candles alike gave the hall a soft, eerie glow. They served pumpkin pastries, cauldron cakes, and countless types of candy. A large ice punch bowl served many—and Madame Rosemerta from the Three Broomsticks manned a miniature version of her tavern by the eastern wall.

There were rumors that The Weird Sisters were playing at the ball—which turned out to be true—but they weren't the only performer onstage. Warming up for The Weird Sisters was none other than Slytherin's own Wyvern Slivers. She had dropped the punk chic garb for a nymph's costume. Her dress was short and brown—textured to look like bark. Real blooming flowers breathed in her silver hair and vines gently coiled around her pale limbs. She cleared her throat once and began singing a very popular Muggle song: "Someone Like You" by Adele. Her voice was soft at first, but soon grew in strength and emotion.

"I heard that you're settled down, that you found a girl…and you're married now." The quick tempo the ball previously held slowed down into a slow dance. Aaron pulled Ariadne gently to the dance floor and rested his hands on her waist. They swayed to Wyvern's gentle serenade.

"Old friend why are you so shy? Ain't like you to hold back or hide from the light."

Tentatively, almost hesitantly, Ariadne leaned her head on Aaron's chest. She listened to his strong heartbeat. She knew Reyes was a half-blood. That didn't make his heart sound any different than hers. It pumped the blood that was "diluted" by pureblood standards just the same as hers did. She looked up into endless blue eyes and she felt her stomach twist wildly. She barely knew Aaron, so why was she reacting so shyly? Childishly? Was she afraid?

"I hate to turn up out of the blue uninvited..
But I couldn't stay away, I couldn't fight it.
I had hoped you'd see my face and that you'd be reminded
That for me it isn't over…"

Across the dance floor, Draco had positioned himself so he could see Ariadne and Aaron at all times. The song Wyvern sang was downright beautiful, in Draco's opinion, but it hung in his heart like an iron weight. He sunk inside as she leaned into the Ravenclaw. He felt defeated and cheated—like his opportunity was leaving.

His worries completely blocked out Pansy, who was latched onto Draco's midsection. Her cheap perfume reeked, and fogged the Slytherin Prince's train of thought. He glared down at her involuntarily. He was surprised he hadn't gotten the urge to vomit yet.

"Never mind
I'll find someone like you
I wish nothing but the best for you too
"Don't forget me," I begged
"I'll remember," you said
"Sometimes it lasts in love
But sometimes it hurts instead"

Wyvern repeated the last few choruses with an amazing vocal range. She winked at her date—Theodore Nott, from onstage. He was staring at her, mouth agape, unable to believe that the same Wyvern he asked out of desperation was up singing the sad love song. His eyes grew wide and his pupils large—he couldn't get enough.

Once she finished, she took a bow as the upperclassmen of Hogwarts screamed for more. She shrugged and handed over the limelight to the main singer of The Weird Sisters, who dissolved the heartbroken air with a fast-paced club song. Soon students broke from the giddiness (or pain) of love and lost themselves in the music. Ariadne and Aaron were having a good time together. They received many compliments on their costumes, albeit a couple of teachers scolded them for breaking dress code.

Throughout the dance, Draco's mood spiraled downward.

How could she have so much fun with him? Doesn't she realize what's right in front of her? He asked himself angrily. I mean, I fought so hard to be sitting near her in every class. I've done everything I can.

A smaller part of him, the more rational side, bristled in discomfort.

You git! It snarled. You've been nothing but an arse to her!

"Well, isn't that supposed to attract them? Like a chase?"

Stupid. You hurt her feelings. You annoy her. What kind of girl wants negative attention?

Draco looked down to the girl draped over his arm in answer.

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Staring intently at Ariadne Nocturne and Aaron Reyes was an irritated Ravenclaw. She felt as if the bitchy blonde from Slytherin was stealing Aaron away from her. Sure, perhaps she had never presented herself to him in the past, but bloody hell, she was going to! Miss Blondie just got there before she could make a move!

Charlie Mitchell sat at a table, alone, with her arms crossed tightly over her chest. Her black cat Noir sat in her lap, fast asleep despite the booming music. Charlie was fuming at the two of them. They looked so good together, so sappy and flirtatious. It sickened her. She leaned back to stretch her neck and got her ponytail stuck in a bowl of caramel sauce. With an enraged face, she wrung out her long blonde hair and narrowed her green eyes at the pair of them. She hoped Aaron didn't witness it.

A group of Fifth Years came to steal the table she sat at, but one wry glare from Charlie warded them off. With a satisfied smirk she dipped her finger in the caramel sauce and had a taste. It was quite good, even though it would probably destroy her hair.

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Ariadne and Aaron slid breathlessly into a red leather booth. They split an ice cream sundae, complete with chocolate sauce, chopped nuts, and a big red cherry on top. They idly talked of how fun the ball was and how tired they both were.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't London's hottest couple." Draco sneered. He walked by with Parkinson and pretended as if they were busy at the punch table.

"Do you have a problem, Draco?" Ariadne hissed. Draco turned around with a bemused look and rolled his eyes.

"Please don't fraternize with me, Nocturne. Not while you're talking to the half-blood."

"Hey, jackass! Just because you're Pureblood doesn't mean you're any better than me at Quidditch, school, or just being a good person." Aaron shot back.

"Is that a challenge then, Reyes? Do I have to embarrass you in front of our classmates? In front of Miss Nocturne over here?" Ariadne's face was scrunched and taut. She was pissed. Draco ignored her expression and pulled his wand out from underneath his robes.

"Let's duel." he challenged. "Outside in the courtyard." Reyes instantly agreed, producing his 11 ½ inch Ivory wand from a pocket in his tuxedo.

The moon was full that Halloween night—illuminating the courtyard as well as lamps wood. The light was bright blue and brilliant, throwing the contours of Ariadne's livid features into sharp relief. She stood by the door of the Great Hall with disdain. The two wizards, whose real reasons for dueling were painfully obvious (cough, Ariadne, cough) as they took their ten paces. Reyes turned on his left foot but Draco had cheated and was already on him.

"Reducto!" Draco screamed. Reyes found himself flying in the air until he connected hard with the stone floor.

"Avis!" Aaron countered. A flock of lethal-looking birds were conjured from thin air. He followed the charm with, "Oppugno!" Malfoy found himself swatting at the birds, who tried to peck his eyes out and eat him raw.

"Confringo!" and just like that, the birds Aaron produced were burning into ash.

Aaron then cast Deprimo, a powerful wind that strips the object of anything that covers it. He would have hit Draco if the flaming birds he had conjured hadn't hit his arm at the last moment. The spell flew toward Ariadne faster than she could react, and in an instant, her clothes were ripped to shreds. Ribbons of blood burst from her olive skin—the wind was so frigid and harsh that it cut her.

She screamed—partly in pain—but mostly because she was naked.

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