There are few things in the wizarding world that could convince me to wear something outright ridiculous, but Halloween? Oh, Halloween was sacred—a golden opportunity to turn the castle into our personal mischief arena. I wasn't about to let that slip through my fingers.
Our costumes? Unparalleled in absurdity. I adjusted my vampire cape with a dramatic flourish, my tousled blonde hair contrasting sharply with my deep golden eyes and the audacity of my dangling yellow tassel earrings. "Theatrical brilliance," I murmured to no one in particular.
Ellie, of course, was a sparkly witch in the most literal sense, glittering from her conical hat down to her shimmery boots. Her hat bumped into walls, chandeliers, and occasionally my ego, but she carried it off with unshakable pride.
Finnian, our eternal yes-man, was transformed into a troll. His face was painted green, a mossy wig perched precariously on his head. He looked oddly content.
Then there was Marlowe—the reluctant ghost. He wore a white sheet with eyeholes so crooked they screamed, I gave up halfway through this project.
"Behold," I said as we marched down the castle's corridors, "the pinnacle of Halloween brilliance."
Ellie spun on her glittery heels. "So, who's first?"
"Flitwick," I said confidently. "Guaranteed jackpot."
Marlowe groaned, a sound only slightly less ghostly than he'd probably intended. "Why am I doing this?"
"Because you love us," Ellie chirped, poking the sheet where she assumed his shoulder was.
"And because," I added, grinning, "you make an excellent ghost. Very intimidating. Scaring myself just looking at you."
"Liar."
Professor Flitwick
Flitwick's face lit up like a Lumos spell when we burst into his office, shouting, "Trick or treat!"
"Marvelous! Simply marvelous!" he said, clapping his hands together like we'd invented Halloween ourselves.
From his desk, he pulled out four tiny silver bells on strings, each one tinkling softly. "These," he explained, "will warn you of dangerous magic. Very handy, though I sincerely hope you won't have much need for them."
"Dangerous magic?" Finnian asked, his troll face contorted in a mix of concern and curiosity. "Like… curses?"
"Or cursed treasure?" I added, leaning in.
Flitwick smiled mysteriously. "Precisely. Happy Halloween!"
Professor Hooch
Hooch's reaction was, let's just say, less effervescent.
Ellie leaned forward, nearly upending her hat. "Trick or treat!"
Hooch sighed, the sound of a woman whose patience was hanging by a thread. She tossed each of us a tin of broom polish with the casual precision of someone who could hit a Bludger blindfolded.
"You'll thank me one day," she muttered.
Marlowe turned the tin over in his hands. "I don't even own a broom."
"Then maybe," Hooch said without looking up, "it's time you got one."
Professor Snape
"Snape?" I said when Ellie suggested him. "Ellie, he's not exactly… festive."
Ellie waved a sparkly hand dismissively. "How scary can he be?"
The rest of us exchanged looks that translated roughly to, Have you met Snape?
She knocked anyway.
The door creaked open, and there he stood, looking as if we'd interrupted his annual I-Despise-Joy convention.
"Trick or treat!" Ellie said, her voice faltering halfway through.
Snape's gaze swept over us: Ellie's sparkles, Finnian's moss, my magnificent cape. He raised an eyebrow. "What… is this?"
"Halloween spirit," I said brightly.
"Hufflepuffs," he muttered, as if it were a disease. He handed us each a small vial of murky green liquid. "Stomach-soothing draught. You'll need it after tonight's inevitable overindulgence."
Ellie hesitated, but I pocketed mine with a grin. "Thank you, Professor. Your generosity knows no bounds."
"Out."
Professor McGonagall
McGonagall greeted our unison cry of "Trick or treat!" with the same enthusiasm one reserves for a surprise visit from Peeves.
She surveyed us over her spectacles, lips twitching ever so slightly. "If you're expecting sweets, you're bound for disappointment."
"Doesn't have to be sweets," I said. "We're open to interpretation."
With a resigned sigh, she conjured four notebooks embossed with the Hogwarts crest. "For taking notes," she said pointedly. "You should try it."
Ellie clutched hers like it was a prized relic. "Thank you, Professor!"
Professor Dumbledore
Dumbledore, as always, was a delight.
"Ah!" he exclaimed as we entered. "What a magnificent gathering of creative spirits!"
We launched into our well-rehearsed, "Trick or treat!"
Dumbledore reached into a drawer and retrieved a small, intricately carved wooden box. He handed it to me, smiling warmly.
I opened it to reveal a single, unlit candle.
"It burns only when you truly need it," he said, his tone both whimsical and enigmatic.
Ellie leaned in, clearly fascinated. "Need it for what?"
He chuckled, his eyes twinkling. "That's for you to discover."
Professor Kael
Kael's office was our final stop. Finnian and Marlowe lingered nervously outside until I took charge.
The door flew open, revealing Kael mid-juggle with enchanted quills. He grinned broadly. "Ah, my favorite chaos makers! Come in!"
We chorused, "Trick or treat!"
Kael gestured dramatically. "Let me see. A sparkly witch! A rather green troll! A haunted… laundry basket? And…" He squinted at me. "Dracula's accountant?"
"Close," I said, swishing my cape. "Vampire."
"Solid choice. Practical, dashing, and just the right amount of terrifying."
From his desk, he produced a small, battered compass, handing it to me.
"What's it do?" I asked, intrigued.
"It points to… interesting things," he said with a mischievous grin.
"Define 'interesting,'" Ellie pressed.
Kael winked. "Now where's the fun in that?"
We left, laughing, and I couldn't shake the feeling that tonight's mischief was just the beginning.