Chapter 294: The Halloween Feast

Halloween Eve, second floor of the castle.

Cedric sat in an empty classroom, covering his face and whispering, "Kyle, I don't think this is going to work. Let's just forget about it."

They had been coming here for days now, but their efforts had turned up nothing… well, at least nothing useful.

Instead, they'd become famous.

Nearly half the school knew that the top students from the third and fourth years had been lurking in the library, acting suspiciously. No one knew what they were up to, and rumors had started to fly. Some said they'd discovered a secret study technique, using ancient magic to absorb all the knowledge in the library as their own.

It sounded absurd, but surprisingly, plenty of people believed it… and believed it passionately.

Lately, more and more students had started gathering in front of the library, meticulously imitating their every move. They were doing a pretty good job, too—now it was practically a group effort.

In fact, the library had become a bit of a spectacle, drawing crowds every day. But as a result, Madam Pince's glances in their direction had grown increasingly hostile. The commotion was disrupting the usual quiet of the library, and she had tried multiple times to shoo people away, but to no avail. She couldn't guard the entrance constantly, and as soon as she stepped away, the crowd would return.

Needless to say, Kyle and Cedric, being the ringleaders of this unintended fiasco, weren't exactly in Madam Pince's good graces. Cedric figured they'd probably have to avoid the library for a while.

Kyle sighed and nodded in agreement. Things had indeed gotten a bit out of hand. Just today, they'd barely managed to get inside the library because of the crowd. It seemed only a matter of time before the professors would step in to break things up.

Leaving the classroom, the two made their way down to the first floor, avoiding the main corridors to steer clear of the crowd as they headed for the Halloween party.

The Great Hall had been transformed with festive decorations. A dozen massive pumpkins carved into lanterns lined the space, the smallest of which was large enough for two people to sit inside—add a Thestral, and it could even pass for a pumpkin carriage.

At the entrance to the Great Hall, Kyle happened to spot the Gryffindor trio.

"Promises are promises," Hermione was saying to Harry. "You said you'd go to the Deathday Party, so you can't back out now. Nearly Headless Nick would be so disappointed."

"But Hermione, I didn't promise anything," Ron complained, looking miserable. "And Scabbers is missing. I have to find him."

"Your rat?" Hermione frowned. "Don't you usually keep him in your dormitory?"

"Yeah, he was there at noon, but by the afternoon, he'd disappeared," Ron muttered. "Neville must've left the door open when he left… I don't even want to think about what could happen if Mrs. Norris finds him. He'd be a goner."

"Don't worry," Hermione reassured him. "Mrs. Norris doesn't eat students' pets… in fact, she only eats what Filch gives her."

"Are you headed to the Dungeon?" a familiar voice asked from behind them, startling all three. They turned to see Kyle and Cedric standing there.

"Hello," Harry greeted them, and then, with a resigned look, nodded. "Yeah, you're right. We're off to the third dungeon. That's where Nick is holding his Deathday Party."

He was already regretting it—that much was obvious.

"I suggest bringing some snacks," Cedric advised. "There won't be anything there for you."

"But it's a party," Hermione said, sounding confused. "How can there be no food?"

"It's a party for ghosts," Kyle explained. "They have… different tastes from us." Hearing this, Harry looked even more reluctant.

But as Hermione had reminded him earlier, he'd already given his word to Nick, who had once helped him avoid Filch's wrath. Backing out now would be ungrateful, so they had no choice but to go.

Worst case, they could slip away early. If they were quick, they might even make it back in time to catch the tail end of the school's party.

After exchanging a few more words, Harry, Hermione, and Ron hurried off. They still had to help Ron search for his rat, and time was running out.

Kyle and Cedric, meanwhile, strolled into the lively Great Hall.

...

Ten minutes later, the Halloween party officially began.

As expected, Dumbledore had indeed invited the Skeleton Dance Troupe to bring some extra excitement to the festivities. True to their name, they were actual skeletons—a different kind of spirit altogether from ghosts.

With music filling the hall and flashes of lightning illuminating the enchanted ceiling, they materialized suddenly in front of the head table, prompting gasps from the young wizards. Then, as the tempo changed, they launched into a rhythmic dance.

At that moment, Kyle understood why Nearly Headless Nick had been so dismayed at the troupe's arrival at Hogwarts. Though the sight of animated skeletons was eerie at first, any sense of fear melted away as they moved in perfect harmony with the music.

Kyle had never thought skeletons could embody such grace. Every motion was elegant, every step powerful. Their skeletal forms clashed brilliantly with the precision of their movements, and this striking contrast sparked thunderous cheers throughout the Great Hall.

From that point on, the applause seemed endless. When they reached their final dance, the troupe chose an even livelier song: Wicked Witchcraft, one of The Weird Sisters' most famous hits.

As the music picked up with spirited drumbeats, some students couldn't help but start dancing along. Initially, it was just Fred, George, and a few Gryffindors joining in for fun. But as the beat carried on, more and more students rose to join them.

Even Professor Lockhart got into the spirit, leaving his seat in the VIP section to dance. His teaching skills might have been questionable, but he was surprisingly graceful on the dance floor. He even attempted to coax other professors into joining him, though Professors McGonagall and Sprout politely declined. However, Professor Charity Burbage, who taught Muggle Studies, happily accepted, stepping onto the floor to dance alongside him.

Dumbledore looked on, delighted, tapping his foot to the beat.

The song ended, but the joyful energy lingered, and the students clamored for more. Dumbledore rose from his seat and motioned for silence.

"Dancing," he said with a smile, "speaks louder than any words. But it's also wise to fill up on food!"

As he finished speaking, the empty dinner plates before them filled instantly with an array of delicious dishes: roast pumpkin chicken, grilled steak with pumpkin sauce, pumpkin pie, pumpkin soup, pumpkin pudding… nearly everything was pumpkin-themed, celebrating the season's harvest.

"Thank goodness we didn't go down to the Dungeon with Potter and the others…" Cedric said to Kyle, catching his breath after dancing for a while. His excitement hadn't faded. "This Halloween party was amazing. Do you think Headmaster Dumbledore will invite them back next year?"