All Hallow's Eve 1971
All Hallow’s Eve 1971
On the 31st of October, I was finally beginning to feel like everything might be alright.
I had learned a lot about my family. Lily had helped me find the long history of the Fawley family line in at least a dozen tomes in the library. I was related to some of the most influential people in Wizarding history. An uncle had served as Minister back in the 1930’s. I also discovered that my family was wealthy. Buy the orphanage and build a skyscraper on top of it, wealthy. Lily offered to help me gain access to the funds prior to my 17th birthday so I won’t have to go back to St. Joseph’s.
My friendship with Lily hadn’t gained either of us any new friends, but along with Severus, our trio was enough.
Last Friday was Professor Slughorn’s dinner party. I hadn’t been able to convince myself to go. It was a slew of Slytherin’s and upper-year students.
Lily and I vowed to get Slughorn’s attention before the Christmas party. That way, we would have each other.
Severus went but he came back to the house common room early. Apparently Sirius Black had decided to crash the party.
The following morning at breakfast, I had watched Black recount his escapades for his friends.
James Potter seemed impressed and they ducked their heads together.
Peeves had already begun terrorizing students, celebrating All Hallow’s Eve the entire weekend like only a ghost can.
“Do you think first years can go?” Sadie asks Valeria. They are discussing the house party Slytherin had announced earlier in the week.
I rolled my eyes to myself, nearly certain the seventh years would hex any student under 15 from attending.
Valeria glares at me. “Some of us might be welcome. But I can be certain Connie isn’t invited.”
I ignore her and stand up.
“Perhaps you should skip the party and work on your transfiguration, Valeria,” I say. “With a little more practice I’m sure you will manage to turn the matchstick into a needle.”
Turning, I smile, thrilled at the silence behind me.
Even though I am not welcome at the house party, I do have All Hallow’s Eve plans. Lily had invited me to play gobstones with her roommate tonight.
So, after a long tedious History of Magic lesson, I head for my room, deciding to make a costume to wear later.
It only takes a few minutes for me to scrounge through everything I have and realize that none of it adds up to a costume.
Lily and her friends all have some connection to the muggle world, and I know they will recognize a reference to one of my favorite characters.
Wonder Woman.
Grabbing my wand from my robes, I cast a color-changing spell on my bed sheet and set to work, cutting and sewing fabrics together.
I work through dinner and smile when I look in the mirror. I’ve managed to cut together a red and blue bodice with a blue skirt. I even manage to create a gold lasso from the tassel that ties back my curtains.
I grab the box of crystalized pineapple Eleanor had given me last week and head out of my room.
As soon as I enter the common room I know something is wrong. For one thing, the air is filled with an absolutely horrible stench.
Girls are shrieking and boys are stripping off their robes.
“What happened?” I ask Severus when I spot him trying to cast a Scourgify.
“Potter and Black dropped dungbombs from the ceiling above the Slytherin table,” he growls.
What a pair of idiots. Although, watching Valeria cry about the smell is satisfying.
“You are so lucky you skipped dinner tonight,” Severus starts unbuttoning his shirt. “What are you wearing?”
“It’s a muggle thing,” I explain. “I’m supposed to go meet Lily. Maybe have someone try a windy spell. The whole common room is going to reek for days otherwise.”
He nods and I leave, hoping to escape the smell of rotten eggs.
Climbing towards the towers, I pass a bunch of students laughing about the prank on the Slytherins. I don’t get Potter and Black’s issue with the Slytherin house.
I find the portrait of the Fat Lady quickly, when I realize I don’t know the password.
Lily was going to give it to me at dinner, but I had gotten held up.
I don’t have to wait long for a Gryffindor to come along, but I am almost too nervous to ask them to let me in.
A young boy with mousy brown hair, Lupin, I think, looks at me as he stops in front of the portrait.
“Lupin, right?” I squeak out.
He nods. “Remus.”
“Remus. Right. I’m meant to be meeting Lily but I don’t know the password,” I say, offering a smile that probably looks more like a grimace.
“Oh sure, no problem,” he smiles back, turning to the Fat Lady. “Wattlebird.”
The portrait swings to the side and a tunnel appears.
“After you,” he gestures into the lion’s den.
I walk quickly into the common room and hold in a laugh.
It looks like the salon in an old lady’s house. All tattered cushions and worn rugs. Where Slytherin is clean and organized, Gryffindor is in chaos. Books, belongings, and brooms are scattered all over the place.
“Lupin, you let a snake in?” Black stands up from a cloth couch, popping a blue-colored bean into his mouth. From his face, I guess it was soap-flavoured. Serves him right.
“Leave her alone, Black,” Lily says descending the steps of the tower. “Connie! You look wonderful!”
I beam at the play on words. I knew she would know who I was.
“What are you supposed to be?” Black doesn’t leave me alone.
“She’s Wonder Woman,” Remus surprises me with the response.
Black glares at the boy, but gives up on teasing me, sitting back down in front of where James Potter is lounging.
“Come on Connie, Dorcas and Marlene are upstairs,” Lily takes the box of sweets out of my hand and then takes my hand, dragging me upstairs into the dorm room she shares with the other first years.
“Hello!” A thin black witch stands from the floor, pulling up a tan witch with blonde hair.
Lily stands next to them and I am reminded of Neapolitan ice cream. I don’t say that though. Lily is dressed as Nancy Drew, magnifying glass and everything. Dorcas is dressed as some musician I don’t recognize and Marlene is dressed as a quidditch player I’ve never heard of.
I smile and wave shyly.
“Connie, I love your costume! Lily tells us you are brilliant! I’m Dorcas, and this is Marlene,” Dorcas says.
Marlene smiles and we all sit back down.
“Are those crystallized pineapples?” Marlene asks.
I nod and pop the top off the box.
“Help yourself, they are one of my favorite things about being a witch.”
She takes one and I relax. These girls are lovely.
“So, Connie, are you psychic?” Dorcas asks, taking a bite out of a chocolate frog.
“What?”
“How did you know dinner was a bad idea tonight?”
“Just luck I think. The girls in my dorm aren’t exactly nice to me and I didn’t want to see them again. Plus, I had to make my costume.”
“You made that?” Lily asks.
I nod.
“Connie knows more charms than any other student in our year,” Lily sounds proud and it makes me grin. I suppose I have learned a lot in just a few weeks.
“Is that how you do your hair?” Marlene asks.
“Eleanor, my friend, taught me a couple of glamour spells. One for drying hair and another for treating zits.”
“You have to teach them to us!” Dorcas says excitedly, jumping up to retrieve her wand.
I do teach them the spells Eleanor has taught me. Then we listen to music and dance and I feel happier than I ever have.
Unfortunately, I was having so much fun talking about Langston Red, a third year Hufflepuff with incredible hair, I didn't realize how late it was.
I’ve missed curfew.
“There is no way I can make it all the way to the dungeons without a teacher seeing me,” I say after Marlene points out that it is midnight.
“Stay here,” Lily offers.
I look around the room. It is so homey here. All of them share one space, but none of them care. They get along. I’m envious.
“I can’t-” I begin to object but Dorcas is already pulling my arm and nodding.
“You have to spend the night! You don’t want to get detention,” she points out.
“And we have more than enough blankets,” Lily argues.
I can’t believe they are inviting me to spend the night.
They help me set up a fairly comfortable bed on the floor, stealing some pillows from the common room.
We don’t fall asleep for another two hours, laughing and talking.
Perhaps I should have asked to be placed in a different house.