Chapter 21

Skeletal Reminders

"Just hold still one more moment," Sophia said to Daisy. She was tracing lines of eyeliner across Daisy's face, in a pattern Daisy couldn't recognize without a mirror.

Project Halloween Party had failed, but as rumors had spread, most of the first years had decided to dress up anyway.

"Are you sure we should be doing this, Sophie?" Daisy asked.

"Of course. Look," Sophia held out a hand mirror for Daisy to view her reflection in.

Daisy held the copper handle and looked into the glass. Sophia had drawn the outlines of bones all over her face, and had insisted on using makeup to make Daisy's face paler herself instead of getting an older student to do it with magic. Daisy had agreed, realizing it would make her photos to Emma even more believable.

"It looks good," Daisy said hesitantly. It truly was a good illustration, just not what she had been expecting. She continued to look at her reflection as Sophia tied both her own, and Daisy's hair up into matching buns. Both girls were wearing their normal Hogwarts robes their only decorations being Daisy's skeleton makeup, and Sophia's cat accessories.

"This is going to be great," Sophia squealed, resulting in a groan from Daisy as she followed her over-exuberant friend out of the dormitory.

Already at the Gryffindor table for breakfast were Lily and her friends, Jonathan, Hugo, and Jasper, all in costumes. Jonathan and Hugo wore bat costumes, Jasper and Gracie were in vampire costumes, Wyatt dressed up as Harry Potter, to everyone's amusement.

"You jinxed Halloween!" Lily said, laughing, "Bad stuff always happened to my dad on this day!"

Lily hadn't dressed up as anything, but had instead convinced James, to lend her the Potter family invisibility cloak. She had taken to walking around with only her head sticking out, startling everyone that had not seen someone in an invisibility cloak before.

That was the limit to the celebration for most people. But a few people, James and Fred II along with a few followers, decided to start a prank war. Unfortunately, the two fourth years were given a detention after their third prank, giving students candies that turned their ears into those of a variety of animals. Daisy spotted a girl with cat ears, a boy with ears like a hound's, two girls with mouse ears, and a boy whose ears seemed to have vanished altogether, leaving only greenish-tinged slits.

Jonathan leaned over and whispered "Fred told me they're supposed to be toad ears!" Unfortunately another fourth year girl was sporting rabbit ears, and unlike the others who had taken it in good fun, had burst into tears and then became angry! She and her friends shot glares at the boys and anyone else who dared to laugh. It was assumed that one of them had gotten the James and Fred in detention.

It was a strong reminder of family for Daisy. Although her mother was quiet, she could never refuse a good prank war, which was always lead by Poppy. Dudley and Daisy herself never got too into it, but when Poppy and Anna got the whole neighborhood involved, no one got away with never pulling a prank, or at least assisting in one, themselves.

Daisy could only laugh at the things she pictured Poppy being able to do with magic. She would have been right there in detention with Fred and James, but still smirking out of view of the teacher, pleased with what she had done. She would definitely fit in here.

Emma had always taken part in the prank wars as well, and was usually the reason Daisy was pulled in. Even though Emma didn't live on their street, she lived close enough to walk the distance between their houses, and take part in any event that was going on. Unfortunately, Emma would never see the magic of wizard pranks.

"Ready to go up to the feast?" Sophia asked, pulling Daisy out of her thoughts from home, and back into Hogwarts.

"I guess so. Want to go for a walk first, though?" She asked.

"Sure, that sounds pleasant. Will you come, Jasper?"

Jasper jerked his head up from his book of crossword puzzles, and took a few seconds before answering, "No, don't think I will. I'll meet you at the feast though."

So, Sophia and Daisy left the common room through the portrait hole, and headed up the staircase to the rest of the castle. Daisy didn't say much as they walked - she was still thinking about home - but Sophia kept a constant monologue about the Hogwarts Halloween decorations going on her own, leading Daisy up and down staircases in seemingly random directions, and occasionally doubling back and retracing her steps.

"I think they could be improved, though. What about some live spiders? I hear they have some pretty big ones in the forbidden forest. If Hagrid could just train them to be friendly it would be amazing! It would go well with the bats, and owls. Hogwarts should just have a zoo. But in a way it already is one, with the forest and - did you see that? I'm definitely sure that door wasn't there two seconds ago."

Daisy looked, expecting to see nothing out of the ordinary. She was met with her expectation - the door didn't look to be anything grand, but something about it captured Daisy's curiosity, as well as Sophia's.

They Daisy's brown eyes met Sopia's. "Should we go in?"

"Most definitely," Sophia said. Yet neither moved to open the door.

"Ladies first!" a figure whisked past them and held open the door. Somehow, Sophie and Daisy didn't question the appearance of Jonathan, but went in together, holding hands.

"Oh," Daisy sighed as the entire room came into view. It was her living room. Her family's house. It looked exactly the same, plush grey carpet, bright green rug, a fireplace… all of it made her wish for home even more.

"What is it? Why does Hogwarts randomly have a sitting room in the middle of nowhere?" Sophia asked, carelessly lifting a glass vase from a side table.

"I don't think it's just a sitting room, Sophie," Jonathan told her. He was looking at Daisy's shocked expression thoughtfully. "You recognize it, don't you?"

"Yeah. It's my house."

Sophia raised an eyebrow.

"Well, it looks like my house. Except," Daisy added, finally realizing what made the room different, "It's missing all the pictures of me and my family."

"Thank goodness it is," Sophia said. "Would be kind of creepy if the castle knew everything about you."

"Let's go down to the feast," Daisy said abruptly. Somehow, even though it wasn't really her home, she felt like someone had invaded her privacy.

"But -" Sophia protested.

"-That sounds like a fantastic idea," Jonathan said, before Sophia could get anywhere with her words. "We don't want to miss all the food."

Daisy sent him a grateful look, and he nodded slightly in response.

When they arrived at the dining hall, Daisy was still in a haze that seeing that strange room had left her in, but she did her best to pay attention as Professor Mcgonagall announced some guest performers.

The real live band of skeletons did wake Daisy momentarily. Although they did little singing, the band had members that could play all of the instruments Daisy had ever hear of. They strummed a few original melodies that Daisy had never heard, but then took a few requests from students, resulting in a wild mix of songs from the magical world, those from the muggle world, recent, and old. Laughing, and singing to the songs she knew, humming to the ones she didn't, Daisy joined in. The skeletons were funny too - they performed a few skits as other skeletons played music. They got to see skeleton dramas to a love song, and scary stories where skeletal limbs were removed and then reattached when scary songs played.

Daisy still couldn't fully enjoy the food afterward, even though her favorite pastries and tarts were out for the taking. She didn't take part in conversation like usual, but thought about what she could be doing if she hadn't been forced to go to Hogwarts between gaps in conversation. Not that Hogwarts was a bad place - it was brilliant - but it wasn't home. The homey enclosure of the Hufflepuff common room wasn't the same as a place with her true family.

The only thing that managed to capture her attention during the meal, was Jonathan, who sat just behind Daisy at the Ravenclaw table. At one point he leaned back, his dark hair sweeping across his face as he did so, and tapped on her shoulder.

"I think I know what that room was," He said. When Daisy didn't respond, but turned to face him, he went on. "There's a room here that turns into whatever a person wishes for. It's called the room of requirement. I guess you were wishing to be at home, then?"

Daisy nodded.

Jonathan smiled sympathetically, "Sorry. I guess you wouldn't have really had a choice in coming here since you are muggleborn. I didn't think about that."

Daisy shrugged. It was an unavoidable truth. She enjoyed being at Hogwarts, but it would never be home to her.

To: asilentwhisper*

From: mylifesprotagonist

Subject: Our plan for the future

Sent: October 29

Here it is, like I told you. Don't talk about our plans except through this email. It isn't safe, and that's why I haven't mentioned anything since summer. Don't use your school email account. I'm not sure how much of that information is tracked by the school. I am very sorry for the delay, but I'm still not sure how to continue. Ideas?

To: mylifesprotagonist

From: asilentwhisper

Subject: Re: Our plan for the future

Sent: October 30

I don't see what all the secrecy is about. We haven't done anything wrong, and I was under the assumption that whatever our plan becomes, it will be legal. Hope you haven't changed your mind. No, I don't have any ideas about continuing. You're supposed to be the brains in this, get to it.

Justabird . org?* Really? Couldn't you make it more official sounding? We're not kids.

Love, 'a silent whisper'

To: asilentwhisper

From: mylifesprotagonist

Subject: Re: Our plan for the future

Sent: October 31

Just because I'm supposed to be 'the brains' doesn't mean I won't need help from you. We are related, so I'm assuming you have at least a tiny bit of intelligence. I don't see what the downside to illegal would be as long as we keep everything humane, and the plan succeeds. If it makes you feel better, I won't make you do anything you don't feel comfortable with.

The website name is irrelevant, and if anyone does see it, they won't suspect a thing. As for your 'we're not kids' statement, I suppose it's true to a point. You're definitely not an adult you little fourth year.

Cheers. My next correspondance should have some instructions for you.

To: mylifesprotagonist

From: jem1

Subject: History Project

Sent: October 31st

There's been a major breakthrough on the topic and I think I can get us more than a good grade. I've found something spectacular, you see, or at least I think you have. Maybe you would like to come with me to confirm? We'll be famous for sure for this discovery, and it's all thanks to your idea. Let me know when you want to meet with me.

What's with the new email though? Just curious. It would be easier to talk in person or by owl - this whole computer thing is really confusing. Contact me as soon as possible.

-Jonas

*These are fake email adresses, but the site doesn't allow the at symbol, so I just left it as the first part. They were all at justabird . org.

Sorry It's been so long guys! How many of you did something exciting for Halloween? I didn't do much. Sat on my couch and watched Coraline while doing some homework.

...BUT I also published this chapter, so that was cool.

I might end up going back and fixing some things in this chapter, but I don't think it will be enough for you to have to re-read, just some minor details. I just had to get this up on Halloween, even if a lot of my story followers are out celebrating, not reading.

Happy Halloween!