October 1992, 2nd year

"A Death Day Party!" Lynea insisted.

Draco rolled his eyes. "Yes, we heard you the first time."

"On Samhain! How much more fitting could it get?"

Draco sighed. "Only you could get excited about attending a feast for ghosts instead of the one for the living."

"You don't even like the Halloween Feast," Lynea huffed. "And this is a unique chance that won't present itself again in a hundred years."

"Uh-uh," Draco said unenthusiastically. "I'll still pass, thank you very much. A hundred years aren't even that long for a Necromancer – and even if you won't become immortal," Draco gave her a knowing glare, "wizards live up to several hundred years."

"I won't be attending Hogwarts in a hundred years, though."

"Just go with her, Draco," Pansy said in exasperation.

"Why don't you do it?" Draco snapped.

"I'm not her best friend," Pansy said with a smirk.

"Harry is her best friend," Draco returned.

"Harry has already agreed to come with me," Lynea said. "As did Theodore and Blaise."

Draco's head snapped back to her. "Then why are you pestering me?"

"Because this is a Death Day Party on Samhain." Lynea sighed in exasperation. "Why would you want to intentionally miss out on that? Besides, I already asked the others to save some food for us. We can eat during the Samhain celebrations."

"Guys," Pansy called. "We're about to reach the Entrance Hall."

Lynea raised her eyebrows at Draco, who sighed. "Fine. But you owe me a favour."

"Deal," Lynea said, grinning.

They emerged from the stairs to the dungeons and went straight to the doors leading to the Great Hall. It was, unsurprisingly, decorated in the same ridiculous way it had been the year before – with real bats flying above their heads, carved out pumpkins and ridiculously tacky little trinkets on the tables. Blaise and Theodore were already sitting in their usual seats and eating breakfast, when Lynea arrived with Draco and Pansy. By the time the rest of their housemates had joined them, the Great Hall was buzzing with excited students.

"Is it just me or does the pumpkin juice taste weird today?" Pansy asked, looking at her goblet with furrowed brows.

"Pumpkin juice always tastes weird," Lynea commented. "Just stick to normal juice made from fruits. Or tea."

She sipped at her own cup, which was already her third cup of tea, waiting for the others to finish eating. Millicent was shooting her dark looks, because Lynea hadn't eaten anything so far. But Lynea never ate breakfast, so she steadfastly ignored the girl.

"I didn't ask you," Pansy huffed.

"I don't think it tastes any different," Tracey commented, but then her eyes widened. "Pansy, your hair!"

Lynea turned around just in time to watch Pansy's hair change from its normal black to a vivid orange from the roots down to the tips. Pansy took out her little mirror and then shrieked in horror. She looked back to Tracey and shrieked again. All around the hall, people were starting to shout and laugh and point at each other as most of the students' heads turned a nice pumpkin orange.

At the Gryffindor table, the Weasley twins were laughing the hardest.

Lynea took Pansy's goblet and sniffed at it, then took a very small sip.

"They laced the Pumpkin juice with a hair colour changing potion," Lynea said, blinking.

She wondered how they had timed it just right, so that the majority of the school would be present when the potion took effect.

A grin spread across her face. "Well, that's what you get for drinking that horrendous stuff."

Pansy turned to her with a retort ready that died on her tongue. She gave Lynea a grin of her own and turned her hand mirror to her. A bright orange strand of hair had joined the white one in her fringe.

Lynea smiled. "I am not very fond of orange, but it does look rather fetching, wouldn't you say?"

"Now I'm curious what you would look like with completely orange hair," Pansy said.

"Yes," Draco said in a low tone, his own hair the same colour as the pumpkin floating above his head. "I would like to know that as well."

Lynea looked around at her housemates. "Well, either you convince Theodore, Blaise and Daphne to drink the stuff, too, or you won't get the chance."

"No way," Daphne said. "I am not drinking this."

"At least today is Saturday," Tracey said. "We won't have to go to classes looking like this. I'm sure it will be gone by Monday."

"Are you really?" Pansy asked in a high-pitched voice. "What if it isn't gone by Monday?"

Tracey shrugged. "We can go to the teachers for help."

"Professor Snape might let us brew the antidote ourselves in his next class," Lynea mused. "That would be fun."

"Only if he makes it exclusive to the Slytherins," Pansy grouched.

"What about the Gryffindors?" Lynea asked.

Pansy rolled her eyes. "Do I look like I care?"

o

The orange started to slowly fade over the course of the day. The Weasley twins were seen strutting around the castle, proudly accepting congratulations on a prank well done, while Pansy glowered at them whenever she spotted the two red-heads – or orange-heads, for today, as they had apparently not shied away of participating in their own prank. Lynea found that admirable. She found the whole thing admirable, if she were honest. Pulling off a prank of this scale was certainly no easy feat. She still thought they deserved the detention, though.

When it was time for dinner, Harry's hair was a warm brown and Draco's had retained an orange tint that contrasted oddly with his Slytherin colours. Lynea's own orange streak was barely visible anymore. Lynea and her friends did not accompany the others up to the great Hall and instead followed the black candles that were burning in a ghostly blue flame to where Sir Nicholas had set up his Death Day Party down in the dungeons. There was a spring in Lynea's step that neither of the others wanted to match.

Harry shivered and huddled deeper into his cloak.

"What is that horrific noise?" Draco whispered furiously.

"Music," Lynea said as they reached the entrance, where Sir Nicholas greeted them solemnly.

The air was very cold here, even Lynea had to admit that. All the ghosts of Hogwarts seemed to have gathered. There were saws playing something that barely resembled music, translucent people dancing and rotten food displayed on long tables covered with black cloths. There were no pumpkins here, no living bats or ridiculous Halloween decorations. Lynea thought the whole setup more fitting for Samhain than whatever they had done to the Great Hall.

She made her way around, greeting all the ghosts she personally knew, with the others trailing behind. Theodore looked around in fascination and then dragged Blaise off to strike up a conversation with a very ancient looking, ghostly scholar.

"How long do we have to stay?" Draco asked quietly, rubbing his hands. "I'm cold and hungry."

Lynea drew her wand and pointed it at Draco. "Calesco." Then she repeated the same with Harry.

"At least stay until Sir Nicholas has given his speech. It's the polite thing to do."

"And then you'll let us go?"

Lynea rolled her eyes. "If you insist."

"Hello, there," a female voice said. "I haven't seen you around."

The ghost of a girl that looked like she could have had died while still attending Hogwarts glided over to them. She had thick, long hair and large glasses that reminded Lynea of Harry's own pair.

"Hello," Lynea greeted the ghost. "I am Lynea and who are you?"

She didn't introduce her friends, nor did they introduce themselves.

"I am Myrtle," the ghost sniffed. "I haunt the girl's bathroom on the second floor."

There were actually several bathrooms on each floor, but Lynea had a feeling Myrtle wouldn't be very happy if she pointed that out to her.

"I see," Lynea said instead. "I can't say I have ever been to that bathroom before."

Myrtle sniffed. "Oh, yes, I can imagine why. Heard of me, have you? Miserable, moaning, moping Myrtle."

"Not at all," Lynea gave Myrtle a kind smile, ignoring the wary looks Draco and Harry were shooting her way. "We are only second years, so it is only reasonable that we haven't made your acquaintance, yet."

At first, it looked like Myrtle was going to argue her point, but then she paused and a bright smile started spreading across her face. Lynea inwardly sighed in relief. This was the type of ghost you were better off avoiding at all costs – if you didn't have the 'Necromancer charm' (or whatever it was that made ghosts amiable towards them). Although Lynea might have been able to just force Myrtle to leave them alone, but that would have just been rude.

The saw-music stopped and a hunting horn sounded. They all turned in time to watch a dozen ghosts riding horses burst through one of the walls to the applause of everyone but Sir Nicholas, himself. They were all headless, Lynea realized, and hadn't Sir Nicholas once complained to her about being refused to join the Headless Hunt? Given that his own head was not completely severed from his neck, Lynea couldn't fathom how he would participate in any of the Hunt's activities, but Sir Nicholas wouldn't see reason, so she had dropped the subject.

"Nick!" one of the headless ghosts called. "How are you? Head still hanging in there?" He barked out a laugh and clapped Sir Nicholas on the shoulder.

"Welcome, Patrick," Sir Nicholas said stiffly.

Sir Patrick looked around with a smile and spotted Lynea and the others. "Live 'uns!" He jumped in an exaggerated manner and his head fell off his shoulders.

"Ah, yes," Sir Nicholas said, brightening up a bit. "May I introduce –"

"A Lémure!" Sir Patrick exclaimed and Sir Nicholas' expression soured.

Lynea put on a friendly smile. "I am Lynea Fawley and this are my friends."

Sir Patrick gave her a puzzled expression, putting his head back on his neck. "But you are related to the Lémures?"

"Yes," Lynea said shortly.

"Blimey!" Sir Patrick clapped Sir Nicholas on the shoulder again. "I didn't think you had it in you, Nick! Inviting a Necromancer to your Death Day Party."

"Well," said Sir Nicholas. "I think it is time." He raised his voice and started gliding over to a podium. "If I could have everyone's attention, it's time for my speech!"

"Finally," Draco whispered and Lynea shushed him.

"My late lamented lords, ladies and gentlemen, it is my great sorrow …"

But the crowd of ghosts quickly lost interest in him and turned to watch the Headless Hunt, whose members had started playing a game of Head Hockey.

"Now, that's just rude," Lynea said, ready to intervene.

But Draco held her back and shook his head. "I'm freezing, Lynea. And so is Harry."

Harry nodded emphatically. "Let's grab Theodore and Blaise and go."

"But –"

"They're just ghosts," Draco interrupted. "They can sort out their problems without you. And the speech is a lost cause anyway."

The ghosts cheered as Sir Patrick's head went sailing past Sir Nicholas, who sighed in frustration and left the podium.

"Fine," Lynea muttered darkly. "I didn't even get the chance to talk to any of them, yet."

"You can let Theodore and Blaise tell you about their conversation," Draco said. "Besides, I believe it is almost time for the Samhain celebrations."

"Oh, do we have to leave already?" Theodore asked, when they approached him and Blaise. "My apologies, Professor."

The ancient ghost waved at him dismissively and vanished into the crowd.

Theodore beamed. "This was the most informative account of the life of a magical scholar in the Greek Dark Ages I have ever heard."

Lynea brightened up. "Really? You have to tell me all about it."

"Later," Draco said insistently. "Let's go."

Blaise arched an eyebrow at him. "Did you not cast any warming charms upon yourself?"

Draco shrugged and went for the exit. "Lynea did, but they wore off a while ago."

"And you didn't renew them, because you needed an excuse to leave," Lynea said, falling in step beside him.

Draco grinned at her. "That and I am hungry."

"Me too," Harry said.

"I'm not," Lynea said and earned herself a playful whack on the arm from Draco.

Harry suddenly stopped and braced himself on the wall of the sparsely lit corridor. He looked around, his eyes wide.

"Harry?" Draco asked. "Everything alright?"

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

Draco furrowed his brows in confusion. Theodore and Blaise exchanged a look. Only Lynea knew what he was talking about, because the first time Harry had heard the voice, he had been with Lynea, Daphne and Tracey and they hadn't told the others about it.

"Listen!" Harry said, but it was clear neither of the others could hear the voice.

"Sounds like the usual castle noise to me," Blaise commented. "No mysterious voice."

Harry craned his neck and looked at the ceiling. "It's moving. This way!"

He ran off in the direction of the stairs and the others followed after sharing bewildered looks. Harry went straight past the doors to the Great Hall, where the Halloween Feast was still under way, up to the first floor and the second.

At some point Harry even shouted, "It's going to kill someone!"

And then he stopped and they all seized the opportunity to catch their breath.

"What the hell, Harry?" Draco exclaimed.

"Guys?" Theodore said quietly, pointing down the corridor. "What is that?"

They approached slowly and there, between two windows, someone had written on the wall in large letters, 'The Chamber of Secrets has been opened, enemies of the heir, beware.'

"That's poetic," Lynea murmured and Draco glared at her.

"We need to go, now!" he hissed, pointing at something underneath the writing.

There, hanging by her tail from a torch bracket, was a seemingly dead cat.

"Is that Mrs Norris?" Blaise asked.

"Yes, let's move."

"She's not dead," Lynea remarked, grabbing a frozen Harry by the arm and dragging him with her.

"Doesn't matter," Draco said. "If we're caught here, they'll blame us."

"What?" Harry asked, coming out of his stupor. "Why?"

Draco shot him a sharp glare. "Because we are a bunch of Slytherins who haven't been to the feast and no business on the second floor."

"Oh," Harry said lamely.

They could already hear students coming up the stairs. Apparently, the feast was over by now.

"This way," Theodore said and led them to a nondescript door. "Alohomora."

They entered the empty classroom and closed the door behind them, listening intently to the students passing by. Then the noise suddenly died as the students, presumably, found the writing on the wall.

"Do you think we can slip out unnoticed?" Lynea whispered.

Draco shook his head. "But we could pretend that the commotion drew us in."

"What commotion?" Blaise whispered. "They are all silent."

"We can't stay here, either," Lynea said quietly. "The risk of being caught is too high." She paused. "It should be all Gryffindors and Ravenclaws on their way to their respective towers, right? Maybe we can pretend that we were looking for Hermione – to invite her to join the Samhain celebrations."

Which were most likely going to be cancelled. This just seemed like the perfect chance for Headmaster Dumbledore.

"That might work for you and Harry, maybe Blaise as well, but not for us," Draco shot back, gesturing to himself and Theodore.

Lynea shrugged. "You just came with us. Our housemates know we all went to Sir Nicholas' Death Day Party together and the feast was over anyway. There won't be any older Slytherins out there, who could tell on you."

"It's not like we have a better plan," Blaise said.

Draco closed his eyes briefly and then nodded. Theodore nodded, too, and then carefully opened the door, peering through the crack. He silently motioned for them to follow him and slipped out. They joined the assembled crowd of students just in time, as Filch, the caretaker, came bustling through the crowd.

"What's going on here? What's going on?" he said and when the Slytherins couldn't see him anymore, he shrieked. "My cat! My cat! What's happened to Mrs Norris? Who did this? Who murdered my cat? I'll kill you! I'll –"

"Argus!" came the booming voice of Dumbledore.

They were standing too far in the back to see properly, but they could still hear him clearly over the crowd.

"Come with me, Argus," he said.

And then Lockhart chimed in, "My office is nearest, Headmaster – just upstairs – please feel free –"

"Thank you, Gilderoy," Dumbledore said.

The crowd parted to let them pass and Lynea and the others hastily scrambled out of the way. Dumbledore was holding the petrified cat, Filch and Lockhart trailing behind him, as well as Professors McGonagall and Snape. The latter noticed them immediately and stopped.

"And what are you doing up here?" He drawled. "I do not remember seeing you at the Halloween Feast."

Lynea felt her housemates' eyes on her. "We were looking for Hermione, sir. We wanted to invite her to the Samhain celebrations … Which will probably be cancelled now …" She furrowed her brows, then shook her head. "And we didn't attend the feast, sir, because Sir Nicholas was holding a party for his five hundredth death day and we couldn't let such a unique chance pass by."

Professor Snape's eyes narrowed. "But why not go to the feast afterwards? You could have easily found Miss Granger there and eaten some supper."

Lynea shrugged. "We have asked the others to save some food for us. By the time we left the Death Day Party, the Feast was already over, so we followed the Ravenclaws up here in hopes to catch Hermione."

Professor Snape scrutinized them with narrowed eyes, his gaze lingering on Harry, and then nodded shortly. "Return to your common room. Inform the others to stay inside." His lips curled. "The headmaster has not yet made a decision about the Samhain celebrations, but he will certainly not forget."

The Slytherins all nodded in unison and then hurried off to the dungeons, where the rest of their house was already preparing to go outside and celebrate, not having heard about the writing on the wall, yet.

"Harry," Draco said on their way through the corridors, "if you hear a mysterious voice no one else can hear and it's talking about killing someone, then don't follow it."

"Self-preservation, darling," Blaise said, "is the first requirement for survival."

AN

Art for the pumkin hair:
something-rotten tumblr com/post/659676439591944192/a-halloween-breakfast-from-chapter-26-of-blue-of