228) Halloween is Here

Halloween was approaching, not to say it was right around the corner, and the lair was more lively than usual. The girls and I had decided to throw a party, so we were getting everything ready for the day. Each of us had assigned tasks, though in each team there was a copy of me helping—not out of my own volition, but because they insisted.

Susan and Hannah were in charge of the kitchen. They planned to make cupcakes shaped like haunted pumpkins, bat-shaped cookies, and other themed snacks. I also added a few "scary" ideas, like spaghetti with purple meatballs that looked rotten or poisoned. I just hoped no one actually ended up with food poisoning.

Another part of the party was a horror story show with shadow theater, a complex but exciting project. Lavender was leading it, with help from the Patil twins and Penelope. We collected stories from all over Hogwarts, from personal accounts to new creations, some written by Lavender and others by me.

The rest of the girls split up between decorating and costumes. Although we already had plenty of costumes, we wanted to create a truly frightening theme. The lair would be transformed into the "Lair of Horrors," which required shutting it down for a few days to work in secret.

All this effort came about because Hannah and I were leaving after Christmas, and we wanted to leave a good memory. It would be a spectacular event for our group, but we also invited any girl from Hogwarts to join in.

However, I didn't neglect my other responsibilities. Training with the girls continued; my goal was for them to master the Patronus charm by next year. Although, during this time, I made the training more fun by turning the practice dummies into werewolves or zombies and teaching them spells like Bat-Bogey Hex.

We worked non-stop, although since it wasn't the only party that night, Hermione was now sharing with the group what she had heard from Harry.

"Nick is organizing a death anniversary. Aren't you curious?" she asked while continuing to decorate.

"Death anniversary?" Parvati repeated with a look of disgust. "Is it like a birthday, but for dying?"

"It's disturbing," added her sister, Padma.

"But aren't you curious? What would a ghost party be like? It's an entire new world. Our party ends early; instead of going to the Halloween feast, we could swing by and see it. Nicholas said it was fine," Hermione insisted, full of excitement.

"Well, any of us could end up being a ghost someday," Lavender commented, somewhat thoughtfully.

"I wouldn't recommend going if that's what you're planning," I said, peeking out from the top of a small decorative castle I was finishing. "Ghost parties aren't pleasant for the living."

"Do you know anything about that, Red?" Tracey, who was making paper bats, looked up.

"Yes. For starters, the lighting is depressing. They use blue flames that barely illuminate and aren't healthy for the eyes in the long run. The party will be in the dungeons, with this cold climate, and the presence of ghosts only makes it worse. If you touch one, you'll feel a cold that'll freeze your bones. And then there's the food..." I paused, looking at them seriously. "It's rotten. The worse it smells and tastes, the better for them. They believe that, even though they don't have senses like we do, bad flavors help them 'feel' the food, even though it's pure suggestion." The girls made faces of disgust, but I continued. "The music isn't any better: usually loud and eerie noise. Although they'll change that for this party, I'm not sure the living will enjoy it."

My words dampened their enthusiasm. None of them seemed willing to endure something so depressing and uncomfortable. Hermione, true to her curiosity, seemed to be considering the idea, but she didn't voice it openly.

The night promised to be spectacular, at least for us. We stopped worrying about the death anniversary and stayed focused on our own "Lair of Horrors."

...

Halloween Day. A day like any other, but at the same time, more special than any other, especially in the magical world. I was excited; I had everything perfectly planned: morning training with the girls in the Lair and the Nest, a good lunch, preparing the party, enjoying the events, and finally keeping the promise I made to Ginny to go to bed... Maybe I should deactivate the protections still in place in my room in case she comes to check on me.

But that could wait. What was important now was visiting the Archmage and the Merchant. On holidays like this, they usually brought special, unique, and temporary items. If I didn't buy them today, they'd be gone until next year. I always took advantage of these opportunities, though the items offered weren't always valuable. In this main campaign, the variety of items was much greater than in the Marauder's campaign, where I could barely get one special item at a time, and it wasn't always useful.

I arrived at Merk's stall and began to look at the new items. I had more money than last year, so this time I could afford to spend a little more. Among the things that caught my attention were the pets, each with intriguing characteristics:

[Vampire Bat]

>Hematophagous: feeds on blood, either by directly sucking it or absorbing it from the environment.

>When it has sucked enough blood, it goes into a frenzy, dramatically increasing its speed.

>Nearby bats tend to follow it, forming a flock.

[Crow]

>Can imitate human speech, learning simple phrases.

>Allows sharing its vision with the owner.

>Changes the witch's Animagus form to a crow while it's her pet.

>Up to four crows can be owned at once.

[Jack O' Lantern]

>Moves by hopping.

>Emits an unquenchable light that dispels any visual obstruction in an area.

>Wearing it as a hat makes the wearer immune to mental powers.

>Repels malevolent spirits.

Each of them was fascinating, though maybe not all would be practical. Still, I bought them all. I planned to release them in my fief, just like I did with Frosty, the snowman I gifted to Tonks. The fief was too large for its current level of occupancy, and these creatures—along with all those I'd get in the future—would help bring it to life.

Next, I went to inspect the items.

[Flying Lantern Broom]

At first glance, it was a flying broom, but very different from the ones you'd find on the market. It wasn't designed for speed or efficient flight, but rather as an artistic piece. The shaft wasn't straight but intensely curved at the front, almost forming a "Z" shape. It had large bristles more decorative than practical. The materials were also noteworthy: the wood had a grayish-black tone, and the bristles were a deep purple. Hanging from the top was a lantern that added a unique touch.

Regarding abilities, it wasn't very impressive by usual standards. However, it could light dark paths and ward off evil spirits, in addition to providing an exceptional level of comfort for its rider. Its overall speed was quite low compared to other brooms, but it made up for it with instant acceleration, powered by magic, fireflies, candy, or other Halloween-related items.

Another interesting feature was its customizability: parts like the handle, bristles, and even the lantern could be swapped out, with options such as a skull, a pumpkin, or a hanging spider, among others. It wasn't a conventional flying tool, but its aesthetic and utility made it irresistible.

[Potion of the Dead]

A peculiar and slightly macabre potion. Its effect was simple: it left you clinically dead for 24 hours, even accelerating the decomposition of your body. However, after the time was up, you would come back to life as if nothing had happened. Of course, there was a major drawback: any damage your body sustained during this "temporary death" state would transfer with you when you revived.

[Exorcism Talisman]

This object immediately reminded me Ghost Sweeper Mikami. Its operation was simple but effective: by placing the talisman on a spirit, you could banish it from the world of the living. Against very powerful entities, it might not be enough to eliminate them, but at least it would damage them. It also worked against undead with physical form, though its effect was more limited.

None of these items were particularly expensive, so I decided to buy them all. I then moved on to checking out the costumes.

[Werewolf Costume]

This costume was similar to the deer one I had seen earlier, with the peculiarity that it turned you into a werewolf. It not only changed your appearance but also included additional effects: you would randomly howl, scratch your ear with your hind leg, and enjoy raw meat. During full moon nights, it even granted the abilities and attributes of a real werewolf, although without the power to transform others. However, there was one drawback: on those nights, you couldn't take off the costume unless you rubbed a silver object against yourself.

[Skeleton Costume]

This costume was somewhat unsettling. It literally turned you into a skeleton: your own skeleton, to be exact. Its effect lasted only during the night, but while you wore it, you didn't need to eat, drink, or sleep. Although that sounded practical, it had a disadvantage: at dawn, all those accumulated needs would hit you at once. It seemed you could also wear it in dark, enclosed spaces without access to sunlight, but in those conditions, hunger and sleep were not nullified and could still be felt, with the costume unable to satisfy them until you took it off.

[Ghost Costume]

This costume was, in a word, fun. Just like the skeleton one, it only worked at night or in dark areas, but it gave you the classic ghost appearance, including levitation. Additionally, it allowed you to pass through walls and other solid objects. However, it had a significant limitation: you couldn't stray too far from where you put it on, as you would be trapped within a specific area. The only way to leave that zone was by taking off the costume.

I bought all the costumes without hesitation. They were exciting, fun, and, in a way, useful. The last one, in particular, inspired some mischievous ideas, though I would need to think carefully about how and with whom to use it so as not to waste it.

After these purchases, I headed to the Archmage's Tower to see what was available. There, I found only four items for sale.

[Witch's Cauldron]

>Enhances the quality of all potions made in it, especially if exact recipes are not followed.

>Mistakes in use don't waste the ingredients but instead turn the failed potion into some kind of poison.

[Undead Essence]

>Used in the Lineage Chair, allows the transformation of lower-level creatures (muggles, animals, and other non-magical beings) into zombies that retain their intelligence and identity.

>When mixed with other essences, it can produce unknown effects.

[Spiritual Strength Potion]

>Greatly strengthens the user's spirit for 5 minutes.

[Midnight Temporal Stone (Lower)]

>Breaking it changes the local time to midnight for 4 hours. (Does not affect real-world time; during those four hours, the night remains constant in the affected area.)

These items were just as intriguing as the previous ones, but the Undead Essence, in particular, caught my attention. It was a shame there was only one available. The idea of experimenting with its effects intrigued me, especially when combined with other essences. I imagined endless possibilities if I could break that limit… maybe a zombie dragon? It didn't sound so bad.

I shook my head to push those thoughts aside. That would be a project for later. For now, I bought everything and returned to school, thinking about what I could use immediately. There was much to do, but a fun idea crossed my mind, and I decided to put it into action.

...

"Attention, mortals!"

A chilling laugh echoed through the castle halls, causing an absolute silence. The students turned, searching for the source of the sound. What they saw left them wide-eyed: a skeleton with a flaming pumpkin for a head, flying on a peculiar broom, glided through the air repeating those words.

"Fear...! For its arrival is inevitable..."

The solemn tone with which it spoke sent a shiver down even the bravest student's spine. As the skeleton moved forward, a growing group of onlookers followed, including some faculty members, who watched the scene in astonishment.

When a sizable crowd had gathered to see what was happening, the skeleton stopped in mid-air and, with a theatrical voice reminiscent of an announcer, declared:

"Its arrival is inevitable… the arrival of the grand party organized by the girls of the Lair! Don't miss it, it'll be to die for! What do you think happened to me? There will be food, costumes, and a phenomenal show. Don't miss it, from 16 to 19 at the Hideout. Oh! By the way, it's for women only. Farewell, mortals… spread the word!"

After its speech, the skeleton suddenly accelerated. The broom, with bristles ablaze in purple fire, left a trail of candy that fell to the ground as it sped away. The students' murmurs were immediate, and news of the party spread like wildfire throughout the castle walls.

As I walked away, I couldn't help but laugh to myself. Every second had been worth it.

---///---

3rd Additional Chapter

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