CHAPTER 21
HALLOWEEN INTERUPTED
That Friday lessons were cut short for the 6 and 7th years, in order to prepare for the Halloween dance that night. While it was true that the Great Hall could not be decorated until after the rest of the school had their dinner, the girls quickly disappeared to their respected dorm rooms. Hermione, Ginny Aeryn and Luna went to the Head Girl's room, Aeryn's room, to get ready since Luna was in Ravenclaw and not allowed to be in the Gryffindor tower. Ron and Harry spent their free time playing chess.
Since coming back from New York, Harry had agreed to study his new found power. While you couldn't practice the ability to heal, Hermione had figured it was the reason for his repaired vision. He was asked many times over the past week where his glasses were. Unfortunately, Harry could do what Aeryn could. He had tried numerous times to move objects with out a wand, but couldn't. Aeryn however had no problem. Her ability in telekinetics, as Hermione graciously put it, was growing every day. They seemed to evolve in their power in the last week then they had in the past month.
Their telepathic link had grown tremendously. They had learned to stay out each others minds. But also with that the found that they could project images of what they could see around them, to the other's mind. It was almost as if new powers were being known to them when they felt that they were ready for them, when Harry and Aeryn became open to them. Yet for some reason, they choose not to tell anyone, other then Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Draco, about their new power. Hermione had read in the book Aeryn gave her that some of the founders had unique powers, such as telekinesis and the ability to heal, as well at astral projection and the ability to speed or slow down molecules, causing things to freeze or explode.
"Checkmate." Harry said. He could tell from the look on Ron's face that he was shocked.
"How in bloody hell did you beat me." Ron said still stunned.
"I didn't," Harry simply replied tapping the side of his head, "You just got beat by a girl mate."
"That's not fair, that downright cheating. I want a rematch."
And fair enough Ron won the next few rounds.
"You would happen to `see' what the girls are doing?" Ron asked. Harry just gave Ron a look. "What? I had to ask."
"You can trust me when I say we won't be seeing any girls in the next few hours. Why they take hours to get ready is beyond me." Harry said making his next move in chess.
"Are we going to have practice tomorrow?" Ron asked. The Gryffindor/Slytherin match was that Sunday.
"No, Slytherin managed to book the pitch for all day, somehow they managed to argue the fact that we have had more practice then them."
"Well no matter how much they practice they are still going to loose." Ron said and Harry nodded in agreement.
"Hey can I join you guys for a while." A new voice was heard, Aeryn was coming down the stairs, "They rest of them still have a lot of work to do." She said referring to the rest of the girls. Aeryn's hair and make-up where done, but she had changed from her school uniform to a pair of jeans and a sweater.
"You're not going to the dance like that are you?" Ron asked.
"No," she replied, "like I going to wear my dress when it's hours away from the dance. Something could happen to it, then what? I was hoping to actually play a game of chess, in the flesh this time."
"It was probably a fluke." Ron said sounding sure that he was going to win. "The only person to beat me at this game was Bill. He is the one who taught me of course." Aeryn said nothing and played her game in which she won. The next game however Ron won.
"Let's just say" Aeryn said ending the third game "that between the two of us, no one is better then the other, stalemate." And with that she retreated up the stairs once again.
Later at around eight o'clock, many of the guys were dressed in their dress robes waiting by the entrance to the Great Hall. Malfoy joined them shortly after. For the dance the guys had to be in their dress robes, where the girls had the option for either a dress robe, or a muggle style dress. It was decided that, while they had their separate dates, they would go as a group, with Harry and Hermione, Ron and Luna, Ginny and Neville, Aeryn and Draco.
Luna was dressed in a dark blue dress robes. Her blonde hair was down, but it was tame with just the right amount of curls. Ginny was in a dark green dress, which complimented her pinned up fiery red hair, with a square neckline, no sleeves, and flowing fabric that reached the floor
Aeryn and Hermione were in identical dresses themselves, except for color. They had v-necks and long pointed sleeves and just as the other dresses, they reached the floor. Hermione was bold when she bought her dress in red, whereas Aeryn bought her dress in one of her favorite colors, black.
As they entered the Great Hall, they could see the starry sky above them with the enchanted ceiling. Orange pumpkin floated in the air and music was playing from a Wizard Wireless that had been enchanted to be loud enough for all to hear. The center of the room was made into the dance floor and tables were scattered around the room, large enough to seat ten. They found a table near the front of the room where the Slytherin table should be. The two vacant seats were taken to another table so in was just the eight of them. The Head table had been made smaller as there were fewer teachers there. Professors McGonagall and Dumbledore were dressed up in their dress robes talking to each other quietly and Professor Spout was talking with Flitwick by the punch bowl on the other side of the room.
Dinner was the same as the Yule Ball two Years earlier, where you just had to look at the menu, say want you want, and then it would appear on your plate. But Harry could care less about dinner; he couldn't help but be mesmerized by Hermione. She was absolutely stunning. He didn't care about anything else at the moment. What Harry ate, he could not remember and was over before he knew it.
Ginny and Neville were the first of their group to go and dance. Ron and Luna decided to get some punch.
"You know you two compliment each other, almost perfect." Aeryn said admiring the couple in front of her.
"What do you mean almost perfect?" Hermione asked looking at Harry smiling.
"I was just saying, not as perfect as us." Aeryn said looking at Draco. Draco smiled. Harry realized it was probably the first time he had ever seen that ferret smile, usually he just smirked. Draco then whispered something into Aeryn's ear, she nodded and he stood up and left.
"What was that about?" Harry asked.
"Don't know, he just said he would be right back." She replied, "You know you go and dance, you don't have to wait here for me."
"No it's ok, we're just…" Hermione paused.
"…taking in everything." Harry finished. "It was just that last year everything was just so horrible and this year…"
"…is less dark." Hermione said with Harry nodding in agreement.
"Look at that, you two are all ready finishing each other's sentences." Ron quirked as he and Luna came back to the table with drinks for everyone. Neville and Ginny came back shortly after that and they began discussing the event of last year with Umbridge as if it were all a big joke. Aeryn was sitting with her back to the entrance and every so often she would look over her shoulder to scan the room and the door. Harry wanted to say something to Aeryn, but didn't know what. Hermione squeezed his hand as if to tell him that everything would be ok and not to worry.
The Wizarding Wireless channel was having a muggle request night so they had been listening to song, most of the students never hear of.
Aeryn had just about enough of waiting, "I think I am going to see what's keeping Draco." She announced getting up from the table. As she turned a rose materialized hovering above Aeryn's plate, she didn't see it.
"Aeryn," Harry called, she turned around and spotted the rose. It wasn't a red rose, but a grey one. The stem was a vibrant green, yet the petals we grey. There was a note attached to in and Aeryn sat down and read it smiling. Draco seemed to appear out of no where behind her.
"I believe there is a song coming on that I'm sure you would love to dance to." He said taking her hand leading her to the dance floor. Harry took the note attached to the rose and read it.
"What's it say?" Hermione asked. He gave her the note; it said `Kiss from a Rose.'
"Is there anything that Ferret can't do?" Ron asked.
"Yeah," Harry said, "He can't catch the snitch before I can." They all laughed, they stopped when a song started. They all sat there in silence listening to the song, while Aeryn and Draco were in their own world, dancing to their song.
There use to be a graying tower alone on the sea
You became the light on the dark side of me
Life remained a drop that's the high and not the pill
But did you know that when it snows
My eyes become large and the light that you shine can be seen
Baby I compare you to a kiss from a rose on the grey
Ooooooh the more I get of you it's strange how it feels yeah
Now that your rose is in bloom, a light hits the gloom on the grey
There is so much a man can tell you, so much he can say
You remain, my power, my pleasure, my pain
Baby, to me you're like a growing addiction that I can't deny
Won't you tell me is that healthy baby
But did you know that when it snows
My eyes became large and the light that you shine can be seen
Baby I compare you to a kiss from a rose on the grey
Ooooooh the more I get of you it's strange how it feels yeah
Now that your rose is in bloom, a light hits the gloom on the grey
I've been kissed by a rose on the grey
I've been kissed by a rose on the grey
And I should fall in love on the way (I've been kissed by a rose on the grey)
I've been kissed by a rose on the grey
There is so much a man can tell you, so much he can say
You remain my power, my pleasure, my pain
To me you're like a growing addiction that I can't deny
Won't you tell me is that… healthy baby
But did you know that when it snows
My eyes became large and the light that you shine can be seen
Baby I compare you to a kiss from a rose on the grey
Ooooooh the more I get of you it's strange how it feels yeah
Now that your rose is in bloom, a light hits the gloom on the grey
Yes I compare you to a kiss from a rose on the grey
Aeryn and Draco hardly notice the song was over as they continued to dance to the next song. Harry and Hermione soon joined them.
About an hour later all eight of them were chatting away at the table. Snape had entered the Great Hall however and made his way to the Head table. After he finished talking with Dumbledore he left. Dumbledore got up a ventured over to where Harry and the others were sitting.
"I am truly sorry to have to do this to you," Dumbledore started, "but something has come up and I would like those who went to New York last weekend to go to my office. I'm afraid that this cannot wait."
"Sure Professor," Hermione said. They left the Great Hall and Ron said goodnight to Luna, and Ginny said good-bye to Neville. And the six of them headed to Dumbledore's office.
"Does anyone know the password?" Ron asked.
"Lemon drop"
"Smarties"
"Twix"
The last one made the Gargoyle spring to life, they all traveled up the stairs. They found six chairs waiting for them. As they sat Dumbledore and Snape walked into the room. Snape stood quietly at the back of the room and Dumbledore sat in his own seat.
"As it will be in the Daily Prophet tomorrow, I will tell you now that the Death Eaters that came to the school have escaped once again."
"My father?"
"Yes including your father Mr. Malfoy. But that's not the point of this conversation. Twenty American Death Eaters have turned themselves in to their Ministry. Upon questioning, they said that the Dark Lord in the end is going to be defeated and they'd rather not go down with him. Now I wonder what made them think that." Dumbledore was now smiling, peering over his half-moon spectacles. "Now it appears that Aidan Bray was the only one without a wand."
"Sir, if you don't mind me asking," Aeryn said, "Why don't you just come out with it, let's not beat around the bush and just get down to the point. I for one am not in the mood for cryptic talk."
"My point is, is that as Headmaster of this school, it is my responsibility to make sure that all student learn to use their magic responsibly. No matter their magic level. What I would like to know is why you let him go?"
Aeryn looked at the ground thinking of what to say. Why did she let him go?
"She let him go because that is the kind of person she is," Draco said, "She is one for giving second chances and makes it know that you shouldn't cross her again."
Dumbledore smiled at Aeryn reassuring her that she was not in any trouble, "This kind of magic hasn't been seen in over a thousand years, so it is even a mystery to me. I knew that this was to happen, but what I didn't expect was that the both of you were to burden this power. I would like for you to keep practicing any new powers you may discover."