Chapter 731: Halloween, Slughorn’s Ball
Halloween arrived just after the first Quidditch match of the season. The pumpkins Hagrid had planted in the field by the gates were brought into Hogwarts. No one knew exactly what he'd done to them, but they were enormous—easily six feet tall. If they had been fitted with wheels, they might have passed for carriages.
Once the pumpkins were delivered to the Great Hall, Professor McGonagall took over, expertly transforming them into a variety of shapes: soaring eagles, regal lions, coiling snakes, dignified badgers, and even a few famous ghosts. Professor Flitwick added his own magical touch, enchanting the creations to float gracefully through the air.
Nearly Headless Nick stood proudly beside his pumpkin likeness, happily posing for photos with young witches and wizards. Meanwhile, the Fat Friar from Hufflepuff wandered nearby, grinning in delight at the festive atmosphere. However, students from the remaining two houses didn't get the chance to enjoy their ghosts in the same way.
The Bloody Baron, true to his nature, had no interest in the festivities and didn't bother appearing in the Great Hall. Helena Ravenclaw, the Grey Lady, was nowhere to be seen either. She had vanished a long time ago, and despite repeated searches, no one had been able to find her. Kyle had looked for her more than once, as had Dumbledore and even the enchanted portraits in the Headmaster's Office. They had scoured the castle from top to bottom, but their efforts were fruitless.
Eventually, Kyle gave up the search. If Helena Ravenclaw didn't want to be found, there was little anyone could do. After all, the castle itself had been designed by her mother, Rowena Ravenclaw. If the Grey Lady wanted to remain hidden, Hogwarts would willingly keep her secrets.
"Hey, this looks great," Mikel said, admiring the decorations as he made his way from the common room to the Great Hall for the Halloween feast. "It'd be perfect if The Weird Sisters or the Skeleton Dance Troupe were performing this year."
"There's nothing we can do about that," Ryan sighed. "Everyone's too busy hiding from the Death Eaters to come all the way to Hogwarts for a Halloween dinner."
"But the Skeleton Dance Troupe is made up of skeletons," Mikel said, frowning in confusion. "Can the Killing Curse even work on them?"
"Er..." Ryan faltered, clearly stumped by the question. After a moment's pause, he finally replied, "Maybe the Death Eaters have some other way."
It was the only explanation they could come up with.
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