The Great Hall was filled with noise. The floating candles were replaced by floating jack-o'-lanterns: grinning orange gourds floating and dancing lights giving their smiles and eyes more character. Violins and cellos played themselves, their strings sang melodies that made the skin crawl and the spine shiver. The ghosts flew here and there, regaling students with stories that made them gasp and shriek and laugh.
Lavender was enjoying the fun but she found herself wishing that Harry was there. Hermione had come to the feast with her and while she still looked and acted a little subdued, she was there. Lavender had a quick whispered conversation with Parvati and the other girl was nice to Hermione, something that Hermione was thankful for.
"Where's Potter?" Seamus asked, looking around. "I thought you said he liked candy since he bought a bunch and ate it on the Express."
Ron shrugged. "I don't know."
"I'm not surprised," Hermione said softly. She colored when people looked at her. "Why he isn't here."
"Yeah? Why?" Seamus asked.
She pointedly looked away from him. "I'm just a know-it-all, aren't I?" That made Seamus and Ron turn red and the others giggle and chuckle.
"Because it's Halloween," Neville said quietly.
"Yeah? Obviously," Seamus snorted.
"Oh no," Parvati gasped. She looked stricken. "No wonder he looked upset today. I didn't think about it."
"What do you mean?" Dean asked.
"His parents died on Halloween," Parvati said very quietly. A pall fell over the table. The first year Gryffindor students looked at each, save for Hermione and Lavender and Neville.
"He wouldn't want us not to enjoy the feast," Lavender said, trying to sound bright despite not feeling it. "Well, he told me that but he probably wouldn't want you others to not enjoy it so yeah." After another moment of quiet, they went back to eating and the atmosphere of the feast washed over them once more.
"Did he tell you?" Parvati whispered.
Lavender nodded, a little glum. "Earlier."
"Poor Harry. We'll try to cheer him up tomorrow," Parvati said.
Lavender smiled a little. "That'll be nice. We still have club this week too."
Parvati nodded. She looked across the hall for a moment. "Say, have you noticed Parkinson looks over at us more lately?"
"Actually I have." Lavender peeked across the hall and watched Pansy talking to Millicent, noticing how Pansy glanced over at the Gryffindor table. "I wonder why. Probably trying to think of other rude things to say." She munched on a biscuit. "Hmm. Now that I think about it, she hasn't been all that rude to us in class for a bit. Not like the beginning of the year."
"You think so too? I thought I was so used to it I started noticing it less," Parvati said and the girls snickered. "I wonder what's going on."
"Who knows," Lavender said.
.....
Lavender had hoped Harry would be in the common room when the Gryffindors returned to the tower but he was not. She thought about waiting or going to his dormitory but decided against it. When she walked into the dormitory that she and Parvati and Hermione shared, she noticed something sitting on her nightstand.
She lifted the metal cloche and she saw a small mug of stew there. It was still somehow warm and she breathed deep of the sudden release of savory meat and vegetables. Despite eating her fill at the feast, her stomach grumbled a little, wanting more.
A scrap of parchment sat beneath the mug and she pulled it out to read it.
Lavender,
Inky delivered this for me. She said she will keep it warm for you too.
Thank you for everything. You're the best.
Your friend,
Harry.
With a wide smile she put the cloche back on over it, hoping that it would stay warm. She hurriedly got ready for bed and once she was, she pulled the curtains closed around her and held the still warm mug in her hands. The first bite of the stew filled her with warmth. The meat fell apart between her teeth and the vegetables were soft but still had their form. The savory broth was rich and hearty and comforting.
"Mmm," she hummed happily.
She finished every single bite and drop of the beef stew and as she fell asleep, she thought of how happy she was that Harry was her friend. Her eyelids closed and she slept peacefully, warm and content.
.....
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