Chapter 698 - Halloween Arrangements Ⅴ (1/2)
Quickly the hour passes by as Rowan and Severus shepherd their housemates out of the Slytherin quarters and into the Great Hall. With the last of the first years and transfer students finally accounted for Rowan and Severus gladly take a seat at their house table. Seeing the tired faces of Rowan and Severus, none of their friends speak to them as they chat amongst themselves. On the other hand, the first years and transfer students marvel at the marvelously decorated Great Hall and whisper that there was supposed to be a Ghost Waltz performed by the Hogwarts ghosts before the end of the night and a musical troupe that was to perform named the Fiery Maidens.
The Great Hall falls silent as Dumbledore rises and says, ”Welcome! And enjoy our traditional Hallowe'en feast!”
The students let out a cheer as food appears on their golden plates and pumpkin juice or cider appear in their golden goblets. On the plates, before them, there are candy-filled pumpkins, candy apples, black cauldrons filled with lollipops, carrot cake bats, orange streamers, goblets made of colored candy, and so much more to feast the eyes.
The joyous nature is broken by Rowan and Severus, who sternly warn the first-year and transfer students. ”Do not eat more than you can stomach, we would hate for an ACCIDENT to occur due to such a poor lack of judgment. However, that being said, Sweets can be pocketed for later and enjoyed at your leisure,” Rowan and Severus said, before firmly adding, ”but within reason.”
With the lecture now finished, the Slytherin first-year and transfer student's faces brighten up as they eagerly begin to dig into the food before them. Bethanie, Sylvia, and Tiffany shake their heads ruefully at Rowan and Severus, while Terry makes a face at them. ”But that's part of the whole feast experience,” he protested.
Rowan and Severus send him dark glowers as Severus growls, ”In that case, you can clean up their bile afterward and accompany them to the infirmary.” Terry hastily backpedaled to the obvious amus.e.m.e.nt of Bethanie, Sylvia, and Tiffany. Especially Sylvia, who can only roll her eyes at her courting partner.
Laughter, chatter, and the sound of silverware can be hard until at long last those fade away. Many of the first years and transfer students have round bellies, but none of those from Slytherin had fierce aching bellies. Though the same could not be said for the other three houses. Those unfortunate Prefects would be forced to accompany students to the infirmary and clean up strewn bile.
With dinner finished the food disperses from the table as shouts of excitement can be heard especially from the male population of Hogwarts. Emerging from the Great Hall entrance are seven breathtaking gorgeous women. Their skin shines moon-bright with white-gold hair that lightly fans out behind them despite a lack of a breeze.
”Might I present the lovely ladies troupe known as the Fiery Maiden,” Professor Dumbledore hummed as various males in relationsh.i.p.s are viciously kicked and pinched by their female counterparts as they are painfully awakened from their stupor! The seven females' enchanting smiles cause most of the male population to stupidly gawk, while one of them blinks teasingly at her male cousin, Terry Greengrass, and causes the weaker-hearted boys to faint.
Terry smiles innocently back as all his friends shiver at his smile. No doubt, it had been planned. They said that Veela are akin to hawks, but in retrospect, they acted far more like black widows spinning their terrible, tangled webs to pry on dazed, entrapped victims.
All too soon, the Fiery Maidens are seated and begin to play a bewitching, haunting melody that pulled at the heartstrings of those that listened. From the walls, ghostly figures emerge and begin to dance information as they waltz above the heads of the students, who observe down below. With a loud round of applause, the waltz ends, and the ghosts bow, before drifting through the walls to enjoy their own festivities.
After a rousing round of music begins as Terry rises to his feet and bows to Sylvia. ”Might I have this dance, milady?” Terry gently teased causing a coy flush to appear on Sylvia's face.