Chapter 12: Trunk or Treat and Party
On a bright fall day in late October, Neville knocked on Ellie's door.
"Come in," said Ellie, as she opened the door. Neville bent his head to kiss her cheek, but then it turned into a regular, wonderful kiss.
"I'm glad you made it. You can help me decide something- which hat goes better with this? Ellie had a pointed black witch's hat and a flowery purple hat in her hands. She wore a simple, but very flattering renaissance style dress. She also had pointy ears.
"I'd go with the black one. Did I need a costume?"
"Don't worry," said Ellie, "I've got you covered. Your robe is over there. If you hadn't figured it out, I'm going as an elven witch, and you are going as a wizard. I figured it would be an easy costume for you."
"I am a wizard," said Neville.
"Yes, but no one you see will know that," said Ellie. "Plus, it matches my costume."
"I think you got the better end of the deal. These kinds of robes went out years ago," said Neville as he slipped the robe over his shirt. "At least it has stars and not just the moon. Only women wear robes with moons."
"Interesting," said Ellie.
"Here's your hat," said Ellie, handing him a blue, pointed hat covered in stars. "Don't worry. I'm ninety-nine percent sure that most of the people you'll see today will be muggles."
"Ginger," called Ellie, Come." Ellie pulled out an orange dog costume.
"Is Ginger coming, too.?" asked Neville.
"Of course. She's a pumpkin," said Ellie.
"So where is this party?"
"It's at a Pub but we have the church trunk or treat before that."
"What's a trunk-or-treat?"
"Instead of going around to different houses to trick or treat, everyone decorates their cars, and the kids come around and trick or treat there. Do wizards do trick or treating?"
"No, but we do love Halloween. It's one of our biggest holidays. There are parties, games, fancy dress, displays of magic, Quidditch games, and all kinds of other things. It's a lot of fun. It will be interesting to experience from a muggle perspective."
"You know you just sounded like a professor, there."
"It takes one to know one," said Neville, as he pulled Ellie close. As he looked at her in the mirror, he couldn't believe that this beautiful woman had agreed to date him. "You know we could stay here. . "
"As lovely as that would be, I promised I'd help out at this thing. Will that costume work or do you want something else? I can always turn a sheet into a toga or ghost."
"The robes match you. I think I'll survive."
"Good, now could you carry this bag of candy?" asked Ellie.
"Of course, my love," said Neville. They left the apartment and went down to Ellie's car. They drove over to Oak Grove and stopped at a church. Cars were parked around a small pasture beside the church. They stopped and got out. Ellie opened the back of the car, found small box and began decorating. She pulled out small beakers filled with liquid to resemble potions, and two plastic cauldrons full of candy.
"What do you think? Does it look like a witch's car?"
"It looks great, but if we are going to this, I might be able to improve it," said Neville.
"I thought there was that rule about muggles and magic."
"Not with magic," said Neville, "with a non-magical trick." He took a small box of baking soda and put it into a few of the bottles- "now it will bubble." (He also did a small spell to keep things bubbling with a flick of his wand.)
"Hi Ellie," said a woman also dressed as a witch.
"I'm Neville," said Neville as he held out his hand.
"I've heard a lot about you," said Sherie. "Don't worry it is all good."
"That's a relief," said Neville. "I hear you are a teacher, too."
"I am," said Neville.
"What age do you teach?" asked Sherry.
"I teach ages 11-18 at St. Swithun's," replied Neville. "What about you?"
"I teach kids with special needs in a self-contained classroom. So, I have ages 5-10. I'm only supposed to have 8-10, but they couldn't find another SPED teacher this year. So, I'm doing all or it."
"Kudos to you. I'm not sure I'm cut out for special needs work," said Neville. "Though I know it is interesting and rewarding."
"So, what subjects do you teach?"
"I teach Botany and earth science," said Neville.
"How interesting," said Sherry.
A bell sounded, "Ok, everyone. I'm so glad you are here. It looks like we've got all of our cars lined up, which means that kids can get started trick or treating. We also have a crafts table over here- you can decorate your own pumpkin. Our teenagers are cooking hamburgers and sausages over here. We also have some inflatables for you to enjoy. Let's say a quick prayer and we will get started."
Neville bowed his head as the woman began to pray. He'd never been to a church event like this. But then, his experience of church was limited to going with his grandmother on occasion and going to the chapel services at Hogwarts. As soon as the prayer ended, small children started making their way around the ring of cars. He estimated that there were at least thirty.
"Trick or treat," said a small blond boy who was dressed in a superhero costume. Neville grabbed the cauldron filled with candy and put a handful in his basket.
"You don't have to give much- a few pieces will do," said Ellie. "There are a lot of kids."
"Don't worry. I can promise that we won't run out," said Neville.
"I've made sure of that," said Ellie. "I've got two extra bags of candy in the back."
"And I've got other means," thought Neville.
"Hey, I know you," said a small boy. "You're my brother's favorite teacher."
"You're right, Jacob," said Ellie.
"Who is he? Is he your husband or your boyfriend?" asked the boy?
"I'm her boyfriend," said Naville.
"Cool," said Neville. "Miss Banks is really nice. I hope I have her for year 4 just like my brother."
"That's very sweet," said Neville, as he dropped extra candy in the kid's basket, and he moved on to the next car.
"What are you supposed to be?" asked a little girl dressed as an astronaut.
"I'm a wizard," said Neville, "can't you tell?"
"No, you're just a weird guy in a robe," said the child. "Everyone knows wizards don't exist."
"Yes, they do," said a little boy. "Dad said so."
"You don't know anything Malcolm. Wizards are just made up," said the girl.
"You never know- wizards might exist," said Neville. "Would you like it if people said astronauts don't exist," said Neville.
"That would be silly. You can see astronauts. There's footage of them."
"And how do you know that wizards don't exist?"
"Because magic doesn't exist," said the girl.
"I think it does," said Neville. "Without it, we wouldn't have Halloween or Santa Claus or any number of cool things."
"They are all made up stories," said the girl.
"No, Santa isn't made up," said her little brother.
"Then I guess you don't want candy," said Neville.
"I want candy," said the girl.
"Only believers in Halloween in get candy," said Neville.
"In that case, I believe it," said the girl, as Neville put candy in her bag.
"Children, stop fighting," said a man behind them. "Seriously, Jenny, stop tormenting your brother for five seconds or you will not get any more candy."
"Colin how are you?" asked Neville.
"I'm fine," he replied. "It's been a while. Good to see you."
"Yes, good to see you, too."
"Dad, Jenny took my mars bar."
"Stop fighting or we are going home," said Colin. "Good to see you, Neville. Bye Ellie."
Clearly, Colin wanted to get away from him as fast as possible. His child didn't even believe in magic. The big problem was that you could hide magic for a while, but not forever. In six years, the child would be 11, and if the kid had magic, would get their letter from Hogwarts.
"So, you went to school with Colin. Do you mean primary school or Hogwarts?"
"The latter," said Neville, as he handed more candy out.
"Interesting," said Ellie. "It's funny how entwined the two worlds are."
After they'd handed out candy to numerous children, it was time to go.
