Elffire: Volume One - Secrecy and Sorcery

2nd Year - Happy Halloween

"This Halloween is gonna be brilliant!" George called over the hall.

"I don't see the fuss-" I said, moving my goblet away from George's bag which he had launched onto the table.

"Don't see the fuss?" Fred gasped.

"What about the feast?" Lee rushed

"-And the ghost performance!"

"I just don't see the point... yeah, I guess the feast is sort of exciting, but I just don't suppose it compares to other holidays."

"Well... yeah, nothing beats Christmas, but Al... we've been looking forward to the feast for weeks!" said Fred.

"And I bet you wouldn't say no to sneaking to Honeydukes, Hogsmeade is this Wednesday instead of Saturday because of Halloween."

"No lessons! Brilliant!" Fred hissed.

"Well... we still have today and tomorrow." I said, "We have our Elf History essays due today... I'm so glad that I don't have to be partnered with Carter anymore."

"I barely got it finished." groaned Fred. "Bloody Warrington made me do all of the work... I mean, I'm usually the one chucking my load of work on someone else."

"Yeah..." I nodded, "You mean me."

"But you don't mind." he grinned, sticking out his tongue.

"Oh really!" I gasped, dramatically, "Just see how you guys do without me."

"Now, Al... no need to be drastic."

"Oh shut up Weasley." I laughed, "Come on, or we'll be late for History."

Fred and George spent all morning in lessons planning our trip to Hogsmeade on Wednesday, talking about what they needed from Zonko's and how they planned to obtain the money for the day.

"People are going to be able to tell that we're not third years." I said quietly in Defence Against the Dark Arts "And you don't have any money."

"Listen, Al... that's for us to worry about," said Fred, holding up his hands.

Fraser was pacing the room as we all practised the body binding curse that we were focusing on for the week, with multiple attempts I was still unable to freeze Fred or George, Fred however had caused George to be temporarily paralysed, lying frozen on the floor of the classroom. Professor Fraser was pacing the room uttering counter curses as people practised.

"Come on, let me try again." I said ignoring Fred and as Professor Fraser again, I attempted the spell once more on Fred.

"Petrificus Totalus." I said quickly, waving my wand and focusing on the correct wand movement. Again, the light formed at the tip of my wand, yet nothing happened. Fred stood on the same spot with his wand still in his hand.

"Come, come Elffire," said Fraser, walking broadly over to our group. "Your words need to be smoother, your wand cannot fathom what you are trying to say. You need to instruct your tools clearly otherwise they will falter. Now, try again, do not rush. Talk slowly and clearly."