NOVEL NEXT Chapter 21: Halloween Spirit
This year, Dracula took charge of planning the Halloween party at Hogwarts, and let's just say… he didn't hold back.
On the final evening of October, as groups of excited young witches and wizards flocked to the auditorium, they froze in their tracks at the sight before them.
The grand door to the Hogwarts auditorium had transformed into a monstrous mouth, complete with sharp fangs gleaming in the dim light. It looked hungry, as if waiting to chomp on anyone brave—or foolish—enough to step inside.
Halloween, of course, holds a special place in the hearts of wizards. Even the youngest students had experienced at least ten magical Halloween celebrations by now. This display didn't scare them—it left them stunned in awe. But the first-years from Muggle families? That was another story. A few of them looked one scream away from sprinting back to their dormitories.
The tipping point came when a giant spider dangled down from the "fangs." A group of jittery first-years let out shrieks, and one or two almost dove for cover.
Inside, the auditorium had undergone a spine-chilling transformation. The thousands of floating candles that usually lit up the hall had vanished, replaced by a swarm of bats flapping their wings wildly. Above, a thick layer of enchanted storm clouds churned, thunder rumbling and lightning cracking in dramatic bursts.
Yet, amidst the gloom, a small break in the clouds revealed a crescent moon, its silvery glow casting an eerie light over the scene.
The long house tables looked nothing like their usual selves. They had turned into twisted black deadwood, with bony branches stretching outward like skeletal hands. Some bats had taken to hanging upside down from the branches, snoozing—or maybe just plotting something sinister.
At the front of the hall, Hagrid's famously oversized pumpkins had been carved into wicked, grinning jack-o'-lanterns. The largest of them had been enchanted to swallow up the professors' table entirely. The professors now sat inside the glowing pumpkin's "mouth," their chairs replaced with pumpkin thrones.
Dumbledore, seated in the middle, had fully embraced the Halloween spirit. Dressed in flowing white robes that occasionally floated like ghostly mist, he looked more like a spooky specter than the school's headmaster.
Professor Flitwick, ever the tiny but mighty wizard, wore a pumpkin helmet that was almost bigger than he was. Perched atop his oversized pumpkin chair, he resembled a cheerful little pumpkin knight.
Even Professor McGonagall had let her serious demeanor slip for the night. She had enchanted her usual hat into a black one, complete with a small black cat perched on top. The cat occasionally flicked its tail, as if bored with the whole affair.
Snape, of course, refused to dress up. But his usual scowl and bat-like appearance blended so perfectly with the Halloween theme that it felt like he didn't need a costume anyway.
As for Dracula? He looked exactly the same—sharp suit, sharp smile, and even sharper teeth. But when the first-years hesitated at the door, their wide-eyed terror only made him grin wider. His laugh echoed through the hall, revealing his signature fangs as he chuckled.
"Well," he said with a playful smirk, "welcome to my humble creation!"
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Fred and George, as always, were the first to dive headfirst into the Halloween chaos.
With faces crudely painted in black and white to resemble skeletons, they burst into the auditorium, howling like banshees and startling the other students. Using the dim lighting to their advantage, the twins weaved through the crowd, mischievously lighting up their wand tips to flash their spooky skull faces at unsuspecting classmates. The shrieks and yelps of surprise filled the hall, much to their delight.
Up at the professor's table, Dracula sat lounging in his chair, swirling a glass of crimson wine in one hand. His sharp eyes could see perfectly through the gloom, and he seemed to be thoroughly entertained by the antics of the Weasley twins—that is, until they upped the ante.
From their robes, Fred and George triumphantly produced a collection of dung bombs and stink bombs. Their wicked grins promised nothing short of mayhem.
Dracula's expression immediately darkened. With a flicker of his red and black cloak, he disappeared from his seat in an instant.
Before the twins could even begin their plan, they felt the icy weight of their "weapons" in their hands. Startled, they realized that every dung bomb and stink bomb had been frozen solid. Slowly, they turned to see Dracula looming behind them, his piercing gaze as sharp as his fangs.
"Ah, Professor! Weren't you just sitting at the table? How do you move around so quietly?" Fred stammered, trying to hide the frosty contraband behind his back.
Unfortunately for him, the ice was unbearably cold. The frozen dung bomb slipped from his hands and plummeted toward the floor.
Dracula's eye twitched, but with a casual wave of his hand, he caught the icy projectile mid-air. With another flick, he confiscated the rest of their stash, vanishing it into what could only be described as a bottomless pocket of doom.
"Professor, you can't take those! They're our… hard-earned savings!" George pleaded, his skull-painted face twisting into what he thought was a pitiful expression. Instead, it came across as hilariously grotesque.
Dracula gave them a long, exasperated look. "I appreciate the festive spirit," he said dryly. "But do you really think it's wise to release a stench so foul it would ruin the feast for everyone? Or did you plan to make everyone lose their appetite before they even took a bite?"
The twins had the good sense to look sheepish, their mischievous grins faltering.
"I'm confiscating these for now. You'll get them back when I'm in a better mood," Dracula added curtly. Without another word, he vanished again, reappearing in his chair at the professor's table as if nothing had happened.
For a brief moment, peace returned to the Halloween celebration. But Dracula underestimated the Weasley twins.
Minutes later, two grinning skull faces popped out of the massive jack-o'-lantern at the head of the auditorium. Somehow, Fred and George had sneaked into the giant pumpkin and were now crouched near the professor's table, looking as guilty as a pair of cats caught raiding the pantry.
Dracula didn't even flinch. "If you're here to beg for your dung bombs back, save your breath. It's not happening," he said, his tone heavy with annoyance.
"Professor, we're not here for the bombs!" Fred protested, holding up his hands in mock surrender.
"We're here for something much more important," George added, his eyes twinkling with mischief. The twins exchanged a quick, devious look before shouting in unison:
"Trick or treat!"
For a second, Dracula just stared at them, then a sly smile spread across his face. Without a word, he grabbed a handful of lollipops from the table and tossed them to the twins.
"Thanks, Professor!" the twins chirped as they eagerly unwrapped the candy and popped the lollipops into their mouths.
The next moment, identical looks of horror crossed their faces.
"Ugh! Why does this taste like rust?!" Fred sputtered, his face contorting.
George gagged, clutching his throat. "What kind of monster are you, Professor?!"
Dracula's laughter echoed through the hall, rich and unapologetic. His sharp fangs gleamed in the dim light. "Well, boys, it is Halloween. I had to stay in character, don't you think? And honestly, isn't that flavor just perfect for a vampire?"
Fred and George exchanged a glance, then sighed in defeat. "Alright, Professor. Full marks for commitment," Fred admitted.
"You win this round," George added.
Meanwhile, Dumbledore, who had been watching the entire exchange with twinkling eyes, beckoned the twins over. "If you've had enough of Professor Dracula's… creative candy, come here, boys. I have something sweeter."
From his robes, Dumbledore produced two enormous bags of Honeydukes' finest collector's edition sweets. The twins' jaws dropped as they accepted the treasure trove of candy.
"Now this is what we call a treat!" Fred said, practically in tears.
"Long live the Headmaster!" George declared dramatically.
Dracula, watching the scene unfold, smirked and raised his glass. "Enjoy it while it lasts, boys. Just remember—I'll always be watching."
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