A Witching Hour Proposal

(One-Shot)

Disclaimers: I don't own anything apart from some DVD's/books for this series.

AN: This is a short drabble prompt for "The Houses Competition" set in 'Marauders Era' time. As I am old (ish), my views of them may vary from the young ones, including the fact that I am TeamCharlus/Dorea, have Sirius/James as distant relations through Black blood, as well as TeamTrans (as an ally). I do not accept any new stuff by Rowling.

House: Gryffindor

Class: Astronomy

Category: Drabble

Prompt(s): [Event] Halloween

Word count: 1,000 EXACTLY according to AO3 (3 pages)

Summary: In which Lily decides: trick or treat?

(Won the Judges's pick award!)

Halloween. The night when the veil was thin, allowing the dead to visit the living, so people said.

Being a huge festival at Hogwarts, the castle was decorated from moat to turret in colours of orange intertwined with black. Jack-o-lanterns floated everywhere. Bats fluttered about, dodging the black candles drifting below the ceiling of the Great Hall where the four House Tables were piled with food. Large pitchers of pumpkin juice stood ready in rows along the center of every table.

Hogsmeade, a little town near Hogwarts, was similarly decked out. It was here that the older students were having their own parties.

Or at least, four young men were trying, without much success. The Marauders were visiting all their favourite places tonight. Sirius was dressed as the biker he was. Peter was impersonating the ancient wizard, Merlin. Remus, who had muggle background, was a Starfleet Captain from Star Trek.

James was a hag currently crawling about on the floor of Honeydukes.

"Did you seriously lose it, again?" Sirius asked.

James flipped his head up, making his hag's wig fly off. Snatching that back, he glared. "If you try that joke on me just ONE more time, tonight," he warned.

"But I'm," he made air quotes. "'Sirius'."

"That's it!" James jumped to his feet. "I'm turning you into a flea."

"You're a very spooky-looking hag when you're upset, Jim," Sirius remarked, quickly turning to run away, only to end up crashing into Peter. Sirius fell back onto the floor.

Peter grabbed Sirius's collar. Looking up at James, he asked, "Is he doing it, again?"

"Yes!" James snarled.

It was their seventh year. By now, the serious Sirius joke had gotten so old, yet he never stopped using it.

Remus walked in, glancing over at Peter holding Sirius. He shrugged before looking at James. "Don't tell me you're looking for it, again?"

James rolled his eyes in exasperation.

"It's in your hag's cloak, remember?"

"Right," James sighed, marching past Sirius, still being held by Peter. "Wait, where is that?"

Remus stared at him. "Seriously?"

"Shut up, Moony!" James snapped.

"Fine, but I know where it is." Remus walked away.

"Wait, hang on!" James followed. "Remus. Moony? Halloween is her favourite! Help me."

Remus made some silent gestures.

"Please?" James begged.

"Well, how can I answer? You told me to shut up!"

James glared. "Remus! I'm not in the mood."

Remus flipped open his communicator. "Security alert. Angry hag on the bridge." He pulled out his phaser, aiming it at James.

"Whoa. Whoa! Whoa!" James yelped, putting his hands up as he back-peddled a few times. "I'm sorry. I'm just panicking a bit, ok? Big night for me. Maybe. Don't shoot me!"

"Relax," Remus gaped at him. "It's a toy."

"But they kill on that T—thing of yours," James pointed out.

Remus lowered the phaser. "Why do I have purebloods for friends, again?" Perhaps he should explain to James once more about how television shows work, but now wasn't the time. In fact, they were running out of time.

James blinked at him. "So ... this is a trick, right?"

Remus nodded as he put the phaser away. "It's at the Quidditch shop."

"Thank you!" James gasped before running to the shop.

The other three took their time to catch up. They caught James just as he was leaving the shop, his dark grey hag's cloak now firmly tied around him. He put a hand on the wig, making sure it was in place.

"You got it now?" Sirius groaned.

"Yeah," James said, patting the cloak down. He could feel it in his pocket.

"Alright, we have about half an hour before we have to head back," Remus said. "Let's get to the Hogs Head."

Remus led the way, his gold shirt easy to see in the darkness. They settled around a table in one corner next to a gang of ghouls on one side. A partition separated them from another group of various individuals in costumes. Remus wasn't the only one with a non-magic costume but he did seem to be the only one with a Star Trek personification. Sirius ordered a round of drinks, making sure James had a little extra. He was going to need it soon.

Sirius leaned back in his chair as he overheard someone at the next table say, "—wonder if those spirits will show up tonight?"

"What spirits?"

"You know," the first person who spoke began. "Those ones. In that shack. They were there two weeks ago."

"Might be cool to hear."

Remus shared a look around his table. "Sorry to disappoint."

Sirius sat straight, again. "I might have an idea of how to make that shack of yours," he leaned extra close to breathe against Remus's ear. "shriek."

Remus turned red as he hurriedly downed the rest of his drink.

"Guys, serio—oh!" James swore under breath, clapping both hands to his mouth.

Sirius was already halfway out the door. Remus hurried to follow, knocking his chair over in the process. He quickly righted it before turning to run after Sirius.

James looked at Peter. "Why do we have a pet werewolf, again?"

"I do not know," Peter smirked into his drink.

"Well, let's go," James said.

He hurried back to Hogwarts, carrying a rat in one hand. At the entrance, he placed the rat behind a statue before going inside.

"There you are."

James glanced around. "Wow!"

Lily stood in a black vampire-style dress. She had long fangs. A silver spider clip pinned up her hair. "Hi, Jim."

"If you want to bite me, go right ahead," James said as he took her hand.

"Maybe."

"It's almost midnight," said James. "Come with me. I have something for you."

"Trick or treat?" Lily asked.

"You decide," said James, leading her into the garden by the large fountain. He got down on one knee as he pulled out a little box. "Lily, will you marry me?"

"Oh, Jim!" Lily gasped. "Of course, I will!"