A Halloween at Hogwarts
---
“Um… Hermione.” said Ron cautiously, “What are you doing?”
Hermione looked up- with a rather scathing look on her face, “What do you THINK I’m doing?”
“Er… homework?”
“No! You’ve been peering over my shoulder for the last ten minutes,” snapped Hermione, “Which may I remind you is rude… And I’m planning a Halloween party.”
Ron frowned.
“Oh honestly Ron!” said Hermione irritably, “I’m Head Girl so I’m planning a Halloween night for Hogwarts. I’ve already got Professor Dumbledore’s approval.”
Ron frowned even further, “So theres not going to be a Halloween feast?”
“Honestly!” Hermione said loudly, “Do you ALWAYS think with your stomach?”
“No!” Ron protested, “I was just wondering.”
Silence.
“So, what is the Halloween thing going to be about?”
Hermione opened her mouth to snap, but then sighed and said, “I wanted to have it muggle themed. So all the teachers have to be in their classrooms and people can trick or treat them, dressed up in costumes and stuff. Then there is going to be-”
“Trick or treat?”
“It’s a muggle thing.” Hermione said exasperatedly, “You go to houses in a costume on Halloween and knock on the door and say trick or treat. Then the person is supposed to give you sweets.”
“And if they don’t you trick them?” Ron guessed.
“Well,” said Hermione, “Mostly you just leave and mutter stuff about them being grumpy old gits… But some people do egg houses… Not that we would be doing that or anything.”
Ron nodded, “Anyway, sorry, I interrupted, so, go on.”
Hermione looked slightly pleased that Ron was being polite and so said in a half breathless voice, “I thought we’d have a sort of competition. We can plunge all the lights out and you have to make your way from the Great Hall through the castle to the Room Of Requirement which will be turned into a Haunted House. Then you have to go through the even spookier Haunted House and find your way to the attic or something where there will be a prize for the first people there.”
Ron nodded slowly, “And Dumbledore’s agreed and everything.”
Hermione nodded enthusiastically, “I just need to finish planning at get the banners out.”
There was a slight pause as Ron fought an inner battle.
“You want some help?” he offered.
Hermione looked pleased, “Of course… You can do loads…” At the look on Ron’s face however she said, “But I’m quicker at this sort of work, so maybe you could help me design some flyers.”
Ron nodded, “But you better do the writing, mines sort of a scrawl.”
“Get some parchment and do a draft of what I could write then.” Hermione suggested. She handed him a small piece of spare parchment, “Here.”
Ron nodded, “Okay.” He got out his quill and dipped it in ink, setting it on the parchment. Then he began to write. Hermione meanwhile was planning even more.
“Er… Hermione.” said Ron tentatively, “I’m done.”
Hermione looked up, “Oh, good.”
She took the parchment and began to read.
Ron’s ears went red, “It might not be very good.”
Hermione finished reading, “No. it’s great. Just a few spelling mistakes…” She crossed them out and put the correct words down, “And you’re done.”
Ron grinned, “Well. I’m glad I could help. Is there anything else I could do.”
Hermione paused, “I suppose you could write down a list of ideas. Like things you find scary.”
Ron grabbed another piece of parchment and wrote down the first word that came to mind.
Spiders.
-
“Have you seen this?” Dean said excitedly as Harry walked passed him in the corridor. “Look, a Halloween Party.”
Seamus butted in, “Where you can trick or treat… And all that muggle stuff. Come on Harry, take a look.”
Harry found himself being dragged over to a flyer which read;
Hogwarts Own Halloween Festival.
This year at Hogwarts it’s going to be spooky, with a muggle styled trick or treat (which involves going round to classrooms and saying ‘Trick Or Treat’ to the teachers who will dress themselves and their classrooms up!) and collecting sweets. After this round everyone will be required to go to the Great Hall where a competition will be announced!
Everyone is to dress up as various different (and possibly scary) things or people and make their way round a dark and gloomy (and frightening) Hogwarts. So start planning your costume today because it’s going to be a night to remember!
“So, Harry. Any ideas about your costume?” Seamus asked.
“Seamus is going as a leprechaun.” Dean sniggered, “He wouldn’t need to dress up then.”
“Oi!” Seamus yelled, and Dean sprinted off down the corridor, and the irritated Irish teenager chased him.
“So, Harry, what ARE you going as?” came another voice from behind him.
Harry whirled around to see a petit red head standing behind him. He instantly felt a pink tinge come to his face so pretended to check the banner.
Ginny came to stand beside him, “Well?”
“I dunno…” Harry said truthfully.
Ginny laughed, “You really are stumped, aren’t you?”
“Well.” Harry said defensively, “What are YOU going as?”
“I’m deciding between a Nymph, a ghost, or a famous person.” Ginny told him.
“What sort of famous person?” Harry asked.
Ginny shrugged and then said in a casual voice, “No idea. I heard some people talking though…” she trailed off.
“What?” Harry said instantly.
“Well.” Ginny said slowly and quietly, “Some people want to go as you.”
“What?!” Harry spluttered, “Me? No way.”
“Well you are famous.” Ginny teased.
Harry looked around noticing he was attracting stares so he lowered his voice, “You are kidding, aren’t you?”
Ginny held a sombre and serious face, “I’m not kidding.”
Harry began to panic when he heard laughter and discovered that Ginny had collapsed with laughter.
“The look on your face!” she wheezed, falling into him, so he had to grab her arms to keep her upright, “I was kidding you big dope. It was just so funny.”
Harry opened his mouth to tell her that he didn’t think so, when he saw the funny side and started to laugh as well.
“Oh, look what we have here. Weasel Junior and Potty head.” came a scathing voice.
Ginny and Harry both stopped laughing and turned around to see Draco Malfoy flanked by his two cronies.
“Oh look.” Ginny shot back, “It’s the three Musketeers.”
Draco ignored this, and then jabbed his pointy head towards the banner, “You aren’t seriously considering going to this… I mean, it’s muggle… but small wonder since a mudblood cooked it up.”
Harry was about to hex Malfoy when Ginny laid a calming hand on his arm, and gave him a look which clearly read, ‘I can handle this’. Harry relaxed instantly.
“Jealous Malfoy?” Ginny asked.
“Jealous?” Draco spat, “Why would I be jealous of a mudblood?”
“Well.” Ginny taunted, “The whole school seems to love Hermione’s idea except for you. Are you jealous that perhaps she can plan things your tiny little brain can’t even comprehend?”
“I-” Draco began.
But Ginny cut him off again, “Or is it because you fancy her?”
“Fancy a mud-” Draco began in a voice that suggested that it was ridiculous.
“No wait.” Ginny interrupted, “You fancy Harry don’t you. After all, I was you who sent him that Valentine in your second year.”
“Valentine?!” Draco protested, “What Val-”
“Well.” Ginny said kindly, “When you’ve come out of denial, I’m sure if you just speak to him you can work things out.”
Draco’s mouth opened and closed like a goldfish.
“Bye then.” Ginny said gently, and she steered Harry off.
When they rounded the corner Ginny broke into giggles again, and Harry was soon laughing with her.
“The look on his face…” Ginny laughed.
“That was priceless.” Harry agreed.
Then Harry suddenly realised how close he and Ginny were, and he immediately flushed again, “Anyway…” he coughed, “I’ve got to go… I’ll get back to you on the costume idea… Anyway… Bye.”
And he sped off leaving a confused and disappointed Ginny behind.
-
The castle was in a major bustle. Hermione had to surrender the completion to Dumbledore so she was allowed to participate in it, and the whole school was in a buzz. Lavender and Parvati were in their prime, taking in mass orders for costumes and making them themselves. Hermione however, had agreed to make costumes for Ron and Harry considering they were finding themselves at a loss of what to wear and how to make it. After her initial spill of what she might wear, Ginny had been very secretive about her costume and only consulted with Hermione about it.
-
The night itself finally came, and as it was a Friday they had their usual lessons, but at six o’clock sharp the trick or treating began. It was decided this would go on till seven and then they would have an hour for dinner until the competition was announced.
In the end, Hermione had dressed as a woman warrior in a suit of rather flexible armour. She told the boys she was Joan of Arc, and she wasn’t going to wear a helmet because it would be very stuffy. She did bring out along to put her sweets in.
Ron was dressed as a vampire, with white stuff on his face that Hermione has insisted was chalk, though Harry had decided was make up. She had got some lipstick (which she said was paint) and drawn what looked like some very realistic blood on his lip. Ron was wearing some magical fangs so hey looked very realistic as well. He was also dressed in a black cape with a high collar that he kept itching.
Hermione had made Harry a much more revealing costume. At first he had protested, but then Hermione had threatened him with no costume at all. Harry was dressed in a toga and was a roman emperor. Ron had sniggered for about ten minutes about this until Hermione threatened to curse him so his teeth stayed fang shaped forever.
Not only the teachers had a stall, as after they left Professor McGonagall (who was dressed as a Scotswoman with a kilt and a bagpipe.
“Dobby!” Ron said, in shock as they reached the next classroom through a crowd of people (Ron had made them go straight into the crowd to avoid some spider decorations which were crawling up and down a nearby wall).
Harry, Ron and Hermione entered the room and saw Dobby properly. He was covered from head to toe in… socks. And so was the whole classroom. The sweets were all in wrappers and stuffed in socks as well.
“Harry Potter!” Dobby squealed, “Miss Granger! Mr Wheezy.”
“It’s Ron.” Ron reminded him.
“Yes, Ron Wheezy.” Dobby said excitedly, “Miss Granger came to Dobby to ask him to open his own trick or treat place! Dobby agreed at once and made thousands of socks and filled them with sweets so everyone could have one each!”
Hermione bit her lip, “Dobby, I think you’ve done a bit much… I mean, this must have taken ages.”
“Is Miss Granger not happy with Dobby’s trick or treats?” Dobby said, looking crestfallen.
“Oh no!” Hermione insisted, “I love it. I just didn’t mean for you to do so much…” When Dobby still looked downcast she gave up and said, “It’s the best I’ve seen so far!”
“Really!” Dobby said, bouncing up and down while Harry and Ron watched on, rather amused. “Dobby is so honoured that Miss Granger herself likes his work…”
“Yes.” Hermione said, “We better go soon Dobby though-” Dobby’s ears drooped “-because,” Hermione added hastily, “We’re blocking the doorway and we want to tell people to come visit you.”
Dobby’s ears perked up, “Of course Miss Granger! Dobby will give you your socks. Dobby makes you them specially!”
He hopped over with four socks, “For Mr Harry Potter-” He handed Harry a sock with snitches all over it not unlike one of the pair Harry had work at the Yule Ball, “And Mr Wheezy…” Ron’s was orange for the Chudley Cannons but was littered with maroon jumpers, obviously a tribute to the only non-sock piece of clothing that Dobby was wearing, which was the jumper Ron had given him in his fourth year, “And Miss Granger.” Hermione got one with books all over it.
“Thank you Dobby… Er, whose that for?”
The remaining sock was blue and covered with what appeared to be Quaffles and lightning bolts.
“This is Miss Wheezy’s sock!” Dobby said excitedly, “Miss Wheezy comes to visit Dobby all the time at night!”
Hermione looked slightly disapproving that Ginny had obviously snuck out of bed to the kitchens, but then she said curiously, “Why are their lightning bolts on it?”
Dobby froze, “Dobby mustn’t say! Miss Wheezy trusts Dobby with her secrets! Dobby cannot tell… Bad Dobby!”
Before Dobby could whack his head on the wall, Harry grabbed him and said, “Don’t worry, Dobby, we weren’t asking.”
“Oh.” said Dobby, “Well, Dobby must be careful.”
Ron was now trying to hide sniggers at the sock, as if he had worked something out. Hermione was shooting glares at him.
“Well Dobby, we better go.” Hermione said, dragging the boys out of the door. “Bye!”
“Bye Miss Granger! Mr Harry Potter! Mr Wheezy! Dobby hopes to see you soon.”
“Why do you think it has lightning bolts on?” Harry asked Ron and Hermione, baffled.
Ron opened his mouth, and Hermione stamped on his foot.
“What?” Ron yelped at Hermione, “I was only going to say, Harry, you are thicker than me mate.”
Hermione gave him a look, “I don’t know about that.” she muttered.
-
They met up with Ginny near Potions, though they weren’t exactly expecting anything from Snape. However, Ginny and her friends were there, and Ginny waved them over.
Harry instantly blushed, as Ginny had indeed dressed as a wood nymph so was also wearing rather revealing clothes. Harry forced himself to stare at certain areas or her long creamy legs and tried to focus on her face. She too looked a little flushed when he approached.
“Hey Harry.” Ginny said, “We were about to go see what Snape’s done… Coming?”
“Sure.” Harry managed.
“Oh yeah, this is Penelope,” Ginny pointed to the tall, thin brunette with a cat suit on, “And this is Isabelle.” Ginny told him, indicating a small, cheery, plump blonde who was wearing a long flowing dress and a pointy hat like an old fashioned Princess
Isabelle smiled warmly at Harry, and so did Penelope, but Harry felt rather uncomfortable around the latter because she appeared to be eyeing him up.
Apparently Ginny noticed this too as she said rather sharply, “Izzie, Penny, come on.”
Penelope snapped out her trance, grinned (and winked) at Harry and followed Ginny in.
-
The dungeon was very dark. There were no lights on.
“Maybe he isn’t here.” Ron suggested.
“Well…” Ginny said dejectedly.
Suddenly there was a flash of light and a very sour Snape stood in front of them, with candles now dimly lighting the room.
“Hurry up and get out.” he said nastily.
Obviously he had been forced into this, and didn’t look very pleased. He also hadn’t dressed up, and was in his usual black, gloomy robes.
“So,” Ron joked, “What are you meant to be, the evil Potion Master from hell?”
“Detention Weasley.” snapped Snape.
Ron immediately shut up, though Harry, Ginny, Isabelle and Penelope were laughing. Hermione was looking at him in a way that suggested she thought he deserved it.
Then, quite suddenly, there was a loud bang. Then:
CRACK!
And suddenly, Snape was wearing a pink tutu, and even Hermione couldn’t control her laughs.
“What the-” Snape began. “Who did this?”
No one could answer, as Snape looked so entertaining in his tutu. His greasy hair had also been swept up into a high ponytail.
“Answer me!” Snape barked. “Or you’ll all get detention!”
“That would be us.” said a smooth voice.
“What? Who?” Snape said, spinning so the tutu flared out.
“Us.”
“Hogwarts Finest.”
And there was a drum roll from thin air (which actually came from the wand of one of the speakers) and Fred and George Weasley stepped forwards.
“Hello again Severus.” Fred said kindly.
“Enjoying life?” George asked.
“Never mind,” said Fred, “We jus thought we’d pop in-”
“And play our yearly Halloween prank on you…” George told him, “And as we couldn’t do it last year-”
“We thought we’d pay you back in full this year.” Fred said decisively.
“Like it?” George finished.
Snape was lost for words. Ron wasn’t.
“Bloody hell-” he ignored a glare from Hermione “-What are you doing here?”
“Yeah.” said Ginny, moving in to hug them, ”I thought people who left school generally didn’t come back. Not that I’m not pleased to see you.”
“And you little sis.” said George fondly.
“Anyway.” Fred said, “We’d love to stay and chat-”
“Well,” said George, “Actually, we wouldn’t but-”
“Things to do.” Fred finished, “Pranks to play.”
And they both dropped some powder on the floor, and vanished in a puff of smoke. The effect was slightly spoiled however as they had left the door open.
“Alright!” Snape said furiously, waving the little pink, glittery fairy wand which appeared to be stuck to his hand, “Get out! Out! NOW!”
And laughing, the company left.
“Well, they sure made my day.” Ginny said.
Hermione made a disapproving tutting noise.
“Come on Hermione.” smiled Ron (It was rather strange to see a vampire smile) “Live a little!”
To everyone’s surprise, Hermione didn’t retort something nasty about rules, and she just gave him a half-smile and said, “Well, I suppose pranks are a part of Halloween…”
“Exactly.” Ron said firmly, now grinning.
“Come on.” said Harry, “I want to see Dumbledore’s stall.”
“Me too.” Isabelle said happily, “I heard he’s done something very strange to it.”
And the group headed off.
-
Dumbledore had indeed done something strange to the Defence Against the Dark Arts room. It was not in spooky Halloween décor, but rather had baby pinks and blues all around and had white fluffy clouds floating in it. It also had birds chirping and little animated paint bunny rabbits running along the wallpaper.
“Hello there.” said Dumbledore joyfully as they entered, “I decided that people’s perspective of scary is always different, so I tried this for a change.”
Dumbledore himself was dressed a hippy, and they all stared for a second before responding.
“Um, yeah…” Ron said, “But I like it, no spiders.”
“I’m sure I can deal with that problem.” Dumbledore said, idly flicking a wand so several paint spiders now ran along with the bunny rabbits on the wall.
“I think it’s scary.” Ginny said firmly, “It’s too cuddly to be true.”
“Exactly my point.” Dumbledore said. “Now, take a bag of sweets… And what do you think of my costume? I was going to come as a giant potato, but that idea was already taken by Professor Spout, though in the end she came as a giant Brussel Sprout to scare the students… So I could have been one… But never mind. I find this outfit much more preferable.”
“Yes. It’s very good.” said Hermione.
“Brill.” said Penelope.
“Very bright.” added Isabelle.
And they said goodbye and left- but not before looking in the bags and discovering they were packed full of sticky sherbet lemons.
-
Seven o’clock came quickly and all the students headed for dinner, which was the usual Halloween feast, with ghosts performing and the decorations including lighted pumpkins and little bats.
However, most students were eager for the meal to end so they could get onto the competition. Some however, weren’t. Draco Malfoy and several Slytherins had refused to participate and turned up in school uniform. Goyle looked out of place in their crowd as he had unwittingly dressed up, not realising the rest weren’t. He however, didn’t look very good as a pink fairy.
At the end of the feast, Dumbledore did not announce the completion straight away, instead he said, “Now, I have the awards for the best dressed boy and the best dressed girl… And they go to… Gregory Goyle and Sarah Davis!”
Goyle looked bewildered, but then stumbled up to the front of the hall to collect his prize. A third year girl dressed as a frog also hopped up.
“And now.” said Dumbledore, as the food disappeared, “You must find your way through Hogwarts to the Room of Requirement.” At this, previous members of the DA looked rather excited as they knew all to well where it was. “I’m sure many of you have absolutely no idea where this is, so I will tell you that is a room which appears when you need something, however Dobby the House Elf is already in there with what he wants, so a heavy, metal door should be in place on the seventh floor opposite a picture of Barnabas the Barmy. The one where he is being clubbed by trolls infact… However, this will be made slightly harder by the fact that there is scarce light in the corridors, mostly candles and the Lumos Charm will not work out there. Once you get to the Room of Requirement you shall find it is a large haunted manor. You must find your way to the attic and Dobby will hand you a prize if you get there to get the first, or runner up prizes. Obviously travelling in groups is best, but it is not necessary. Now, to avoid an scuffles, the first years shall go first.”
He then allowed the second years to go, and then all the others years up to seventh. When their year was called, Hermione, Harry and Ron joined the scramble to get out the Great Hall. When they got into the Entrance hall they heard someone call their name.
“Harry! Ron! Hermione!”
Ginny pushed over to join them, “I lost Izzie and Penny. Can I come with you?”
“Of course.” Hermione said, “Now, which way?”
“This way.” Harry said. He practically knew the way off by heart.
-
But it wasn’t as easy as it seemed, as it was almost pitched black, and things kept jumping out at you. Harry tripped over some trip wire, Hermione got cobwebs mixed into her hair, Ginny got several ghosts passing through her and Ron leapt about a mile when some spiders descended upon him.
However, they were surprisingly fortunate, and managed to make their way to the Seventh floor quickly.
“Here it is!” Ginny said triumphantly, and they pulled open the door and entered, shutting it firmly behind them.
“Now we need to find the attic.”
“Well,” Hermione said, “We can only go up. Just watch out for trap doors and invisible walls and stuff.”
And with that she grabbed a broom by the side of wall preparing to poke the floor and air in front of her. But by doing it, a skeleton popped out, grabbing her. Hermione screamed as she was pulled down with it, and Ron dived in the cupboard after her. Harry and Ginny dived after them, but door slammed shut and locked.
“Alohomora!” Harry muttered, but it was still locked.
“They’ll be okay.” Ginny insisted confidently., “Nothing here would actually hurt you. So, guess it‘s just you and me.”
“Yeah.” Harry said, suddenly aware he was alone with a haunted house with the girl he seemed to blush every time he was near her, and neither were wearing very much clothes. He picked the broom Hermione had dropped and they made their way cautiously towards the stairs.
-
“Ouch!” Hermione yelped as something heavy landed on top of her, “Who is it?”
It was very dark and dim. They had landed on the stone hard floor in the cellar- except for the fact that it had a cushioning charm on it so they wouldn’t hurt themselves.
“Hermione? It’s Ron.” said the voice.
“Oh.” Hermione blushed and she was glad of the lack of light, “Well, you’re on top of me.”
They could see enough to separate, and Ron hauled Hermione to her feet. They stood very close.
“Um… Ron…” Hermione said shakily, as neither made to move.
“Yeah?” he said in a dazed sort of voice.
And suddenly the gap between them closed, and they were involved in a long, hard, passionate kiss.
They broke apart, gasping for air.
“Hermione?” Ron breathed.
“Uh huh.” she replied.
“You look so sexy with wild hair.”
-
Harry and Ginny had made their way to the first floor without any tricks, except for the fact the staircase was like an escalator and even though you couldn’t see it actually moved down, so hey had to run up it to get to the top. They walked alone heading for another staircase when…
“Argh!” Ginny screamed.
Harry chucked down the broom as a trapdoor opened beneath Ginny. She was holding on by her fingertips. Harry grabbed her wrists and managed to pull her up. |The trapdoor swung shut as she climbed out.
“That was close.” Harry said.
“Yup.” Ginny breathed.
And they continued on.
“What do you think the prize is anyway?” Ginny asked.
“Dunno.” Harry said, startled.
“Maybe it’s a mound of chocolate.” Ginny said dreamily.
“More sweets?” Harry laughed, as he poked the floor cautiously in front of them. They heard a yelp and a small bang, which sounded like someone discovering the trick stairs.
“You can never have enough sweets.” Ginny said firmly.
“Guess not.” Harry said, inclined to agree with the red head.
Ginny nodded and smiled charmingly, “See, knew you’d see it my way.”
Harry raised his eyebrows, “Whatever you say.”
“Yep.” Ginny said, not letting him have the last word, “I’m the boss now.”
They continued to walk on and up another flight of stairs.
“So Harry.” Ginny said conversationally, “Did Hermione pick that outfit? Or did you pick it to impress someone?”
She appeared to enjoy watching him squirm, as Harry did that, and went bright red too.
“Hermione made it.” Harry muttered.
Ginny nodded, “So-DUCK!”
And Ginny shoved Harry’s head down as a skeleton came flying towards Harry’s head, but instead sailed over the top, and then vanished into thin air.
“That was closer.” Ginny told him. “And here are the stairs.”
Making sure there weren’t any trick stairs they poked their way up three floors… And emerged through a dusty cupboard into the…
“Attic!” Ginny said triumphantly.
“Miss Wheezy! Mr Harry Potter!” Dobby squealed, “Dobby knew you would come!”
“Did we win?” Ginny asked.
Dobby’s ears dropped, “No. You have fourth place! Winky… Can you get the prize for Miss Wheezy and Harry Potter?”
Winky (who was standing next to Dobby) turned around and fetched the fourth prize.
“It also has a portkey that Professor Dumbledore made to take you to the Great Hall so you can go back to your dormitories.” Dobby held out the prize.
“Chocolate!” Ginny said triumphantly. “That’s half for me and half for you.”
Harry and Ginny shared out their chocolate then said their farewells to Dobby, then grabbed the portkey, which immediately activated.
And they both felt a jolt at their navel before they were whirled off.
-
Harry fell on the floor and closed his eyes in pain. He had landed on something hard.
“Um… Harry…” Came a nervous voice, “I don’t think this is the Great Hall.”
Harry opened his eyes. He and Ginny appeared to be in some sort of muggle setting.
“This has to be some sort of trap.” Harry said, “The portkey…”
“Like your fourth year?” Ginny said, her chocolate brown eyes widening in fear.
“How astute.” came a cold drawl from behind them.
Harry knew that voice.
“Stupefy!” Lucius Malfoy yelled.
“Protego!” Harry was ready. He and Ginny stood up facing the Death Eaters which stood behind Lucius Malfoy.
“Potter.” Lucius spat, “And Weasley. Nice of you to join us… With such flattering clothes.”
Harry and Ginny both flushed red at this, Harry in embarrassment and Ginny in anger as Lucius gave her the once over.
“Aren’t you supposed to be married?” Ginny demanded coolly.
Lucius gave a cold laugh, “Don’t flatter yourself.” He paused, “But if you didn’t come from such a muggle loving family I think I would suggest you to Draco-”
“Batius Bogius!” Ginny yelled, and Lucius shrieked as flying bat bogeys hit his face and engulfed him. “RUN!”
Harry didn’t need any further warning and they abandoned the pile of chocolate that had been transported with them and ran.
“Accio broomstick!” Harry yelled.
“Harry, you don’t know where we are!” Ginny yelled as they ducked into some nearby trees to avoid flying hexes, “How can you summon your broomstick-”
She was cut off by the soar of something flying towards them.
“Not my broomstick.” Harry said, “Any broomstick. Get on behind and fire some hexes if they try following.”
And Ginny was forced to put her arms round Harry as he put on a spurt of speed on the Nimbus two thousand and two which had come from someone’s house nearby.
“I don’t think they’re following.” Ginny breathed in Harry’s ear, and he flushed again, and felt suddenly aware of her physical contact. “They weren’t prepare for this… Hey, look, we’re near the Burrow!”
Harry frowned, “What?”
“Keep going over there.” Ginny pointed.
Harry obeyed.
Ginny was right and they found themselves breaking into the empty Burrow (as the Weasleys currently were staying at Grimmauld Place) and heading for the floo powder.
“Well you can’t say this wasn’t an interesting Halloween.” Ginny said, grabbing the pot, “Incendio!”
“Yes.” came another sneering voice, “Rather.”
Both Ginny and Harry slowly turned.
“We meet again Mr Potter.” said the unwelcome voice of Voldemort again, “Ah, and Miss Weasley.”
Ginny seemed to be rooted to the spot, but Harry had his wand out.
“It’s going to end here.” Voldemort told Harry, “Just you and me… Without your girlfriend…”
“Ginny!” Harry yelled, “Run!”
And as Voldemort fired the killing curse Ginny leapt behind the sofa and the cruse blasted a whole through it.
“Or with her too.” Voldemort seethed, “It doesn’t matter. I’ll kill her in the end.”
“Get off her!” Harry yelled, and he could have sworn he heard someone mutter something.
“Argh!” Voldemort had flying bogeys attacking his face. “Finite Incantatem!”
“Stupefy!” Harry yelled while he was distracted.
“Protego!” Voldemort snarled, as the bogeys disappeared, then he jabbed his wand at the sofa, which exploded, and sending a stunner at Harry (which Harry ducked) he fired some sort of curse at Ginny, who was crouching there, unprotected. Immediately she slumped to the wall.
“Avada-“ Voldemort began.
“No!” Harry yelled again, leaping in front of Ginny, “Leave her alone. It’s just you and me.”
Voldemort snickered, “You know, this rather reminds me of another situation… Ah, yes. With your mother protecting you when you were helpless… But she died didn’t she…”
And suddenly, Voldemort was assaulting Harry’s mind. It was so rapid that Harry’s occumency shields broken and he was reliving the veil… Sirius falling through the arc… An enormous dragon… A graveyard…
Think positive… Harry thought, You have to think positive thoughts.
Ron and Hermione… Studying by the lake… Playing Quidditch… Ginny…
And Voldemort was out, clutching his head.
And Harry suddenly remembered the Prophecy… but he will have power the Dar Lord knows not…
My power is love… Harry realised, But how can I use it? Unless…
“What’s the matter?” Harry taunted, “Can’t read my mind? Too useless to do Legimency? Can’t even-”
“Shut up Potter!” Voldemort snapped, still clutching his head.
“You couldn’t even use Legimency on a fly.” Harry sneered, “Let alone me. Oh, can you… Well let’s see you then?”
It was a matter of pride, as Voldemort forced his way into Harry’s head, but this time Harry didn’t let him out.
Think about Ginny… Think about Ginny…
And Harry’s eyes blurred desperately as Voldemort screamed, and pain shot through his scar…
But Voldemort appeared to be smouldering… Wait, burning?
“AAH!” was the final scream, as Voldemort burst into flame. And then ash… And then Harry felt something move behind him, and Ginny had woken up, and was peering over him.
“Oh god… Harry…”
“Ginny.” Harry slurred. She was all blurry… But she was glowing… Like an angel… “I think I like you Ginny.”
“I like you too Harry. We’re friends, right?” Ginny said desperately, “Harry, stay awake!”
But she was blurring more violently now.
“No.” Harry insisted, “I think I like you more than that Ginny… Ginny?”
And then he saw black.
-
The next thing Harry saw was the bright white of the hospital wing at Hogwarts. He blinked once, twice then things began to come into focus, but he still needed his glasses. He blindly groped for them and managed to find them, putting them onto his face.
“HARRY!” came a familiar shriek, and Mrs Weasley was hugging him tightly, ”Oh we thought you might be gone for a moment or two back there…”
Also beside his bed sat Ron, Hermione, Dumbledore and Ginny. All were in school robes now, and he was in hospital ones.
“You had many people try to visit.” Dumbledore said in way of explanation. “But they could not all be allowed in.”
“What… What happened?”
“I was hoping you could tell me that.” Dumbledore said lightly, “All I know is what Ginny told me about the Death Eaters and then Voldemort at the Burrow… And of course Winky’s betrayal.”
“Winky?” Harry blinked.
“She changed the Portkey, Harry.” said Professor Dumbledore calmly, “It appeared that she met with the Malfoy’s and agreed to become their house elf, thinking Dobby had been exaggerating. Then when they ordered her to do it she had no way out. She killed herself in distress shortly after you left with the Portkey.
“Oh.” said Harry quietly as he absorbed this information, “Well…”
Harry proceeded to tell Dumbledore everything- except for the fact that he had thought of Ginny as his happy thoughts.
“So does that mean I’ve vanquished Voldemort?” Harry asked.
“It sounds that way.” Dumbledore said, “And you did have the power that Voldemort didn’t know too. He cannot bear even the idea of love and that is what is hidden in the Department of Mysteries, Harry. When I told you there was a door which held vast power which you also possessed. That was love and that is your power. Now, if I may excuse myself...”
And Dumbledore swept out of the Hospital Wing.
Ron looked rather bewildered, Hermione looked satisfied, and Ginny had a faint smile upon her face.
“I don’t know why you two are here.” Harry told Hermione and Ron suddenly, “I had to fight Voldemort in a toga because of you!”
Ron’s confused expression turned into a smirk.
Hermione however looked slightly worry, “Oh Harry-” she began.
“Hermione.” Ron said gently, “He’s joking.”
Hermione’s head perked up, “Oh, of course.”
Ginny grinned.
“So what happened to you two after you fell down with the skeleton?” Ginny asked abruptly, “You never told us.”
Both Ron and Hermione went bright red.
“Um…” muttered Ron.
“Well…” Hermione started.
“You see…” Ron began.
Ginny and Harry burst out laughing.
“I can’t believe it.” Harry said, “So are you going out?”
Hermione glanced at Ron, “We never really discussed it with you gone and all…”
“Well go discuss it now.” Ginny said, “Shoo!”
And two very red seventh years left the Hospital Wing.
“What happened after I passed out?” Harry asked Ginny, as Ginny looked determinedly at the floor.
“I stuck my head in the fire and flooed Dumbledore’s office. Then I stood guard over you.” Ginny said, now eyeing the ceiling as if it had something interesting on it. “Luckily no Death Eater’s found us…” She suddenly grinned, though refused to look at Harry, “You saved the world, Harry.” she softened, “And me.”
“Ginny.” Harry said awkwardly, “I meant what I said you know…”
Ginny’s eyes spun onto him and Harry felt even more awkward.
“When Voldemrot was in my head…” Harry continued, “The happy memories I thought about… They were of you…”
Ginny’s jaw dropped. Then she leant in and pulled Harry in a hug. Blushing, she pulled back.
“So I was wondering whether maybe you wanted to go to the Christmas Hogsmeade trip with me…?” Harry mumbled.
“We can do better than that.” Ginny said decisively and she suddenly leant in and Harry realised she was about to kiss him.
And it was no Cho kiss, or no kiss any other girl had given him. It was everything, and Harry was practically glowing when they broke apart.
Ginny smiled, “Well, I’m guess I’m glad we faced Voldemort then.”
“Yeah.” said Harry, because now it was all over and he had the guts to tell Ginny how he felt. Then he froze, “What am I going to tell your brothers?”
“Leave that to me.” Ginny assured him, “If they even think about doing anything to you they’ll be on the end of one of my Bat Bogeys.”
And suddenly she was leaning in again, and Harry closed his eyes.
That had to be the best Halloween ever.
---
A/N- The spellings in this fic are the correct English spellings and not the American version. Hope you liked it. Think I got everything.