✓ | Constellations; Fred Weasley [Book One]

Chapter 6

Halloween Night

Like every previous Halloween that Venus spent at Hogwarts, this time, too, the Great Hall was decorated with hundreds of candle-filled pumpkins, a cloud of fluttering live bats and many flaming orange streamers, which were swimming lazily across the stormy ceiling as if brilliant watersnakes. The girl met her best friends before heading for the feast. The four waited for everyone to be in the Hall and hid in the corridor, near the entrance to the Hall.

They had taken a prank from her mother's diary and added a few things to it or rather, perfected it. Soon the bats were flying down and stealing food off the student's and teacher's tables alike. The streamers were transfigured into small airplanes that swept down and picked at the students' heads. The floating pumpkins above the Slytherin table exploded and the Slytherins were soon covered in pumpkin bits. As a final strike, the enchanted ceiling started raining glitter. The Great Hall was in chaos; some were yelling the names of the four best friends in rage while the ones who appreciated their courage to pull off such a prank laughed.

"I think that's enough," Dumbledore's voice was as calm as ever. With a swish of his wand, the glitter, airplanes and bats were gone and the food on the table was replaced. While Dumbledore only smiled knowingly when the twins, Lee and Venus entered the Hall, Minnie was furious and her face showed it very clearly as she marched towards them.

"You four are not going to Hogsmeade on the next visit." 

"Aw but Minnie, you love us," Venus winked at the Professor, who simply rolled her eyes, clearly tired of their antics and walked away. The friends smirked at each other. It would not be their first time to sneak into Hogsmeade. They saluted each other before going to their respective tables.

The food was delicious; most of the students managed more than second helpings of everything. However, Venus had a bad feeling in her gut, which made her glance multiple times at the staff table. Professor Lupin seemed in very good spirits as he chatted animatedly with the Charms teacher, Professor Flitwick. A few weeks ago, she had come to a terrible conclusion about Professor Lupin and the visit to the Shrieking Shack had only proved her right. It was no coincidence that his Boggart would take the form of a moon, that he would fall sick only on full moons and most importantly that Venus had seen him, through the map, going to the Shrieking Shack on the previous night. Remus Lupin was a werewolf and she was not sure what she thought about it.

After the feast, everyone went up to their common rooms, which meant that Venus did not have enough time to meet the twins or Lee before going up to the Ravenclaw Tower. She cursed herself for not having brought the two way mirrors with her and made a mental reminder to write to a letter to her aunt, asking for her to send them through post. Just as Venus was going up to her dorm along with Grace, Hope Anderson, the Ravenclaw prefect burst in the common room.

"Everyone, to the Great Hall now," she ordered.

"Now," she said again, more authoritatively, when she noticed some of the students still standing about. Like that, without even an explanation, all the Ravenclaws rushed in the corridors, hurrying to the Great Hall behind Hope. The tables in the Hall were replaced with sleeping bags and students from all the houses were present. Venus rushed over to her best friends.

"Sleep well," Professor Dumbledore said and closed the door behind him.

"What happened? Why are we here?" Venus asked, turning her attention back to the twins and Lee.

"Black broke in-" Lee started but was cut off by Venus who took a sharp intake of breath.

"What? Black? He what?" Venus was in a state of panic. She let her gaze wander and find Harry, who did not seem as bothered by the news. Of course it may have had to do with the fact that he had been in a lot near death experiences and probably was immune to it, but Venus was troubled; she had never been in a lot of detentions that involved going in the Forbidden Forest at night but never had she been in a life threatening situation. The fact that Sirius Black may be after her terrified her.

"Hey, it will be okay. No one's going to hurt you while we are here," Fred comforted her, giving her hand a small squeeze. As Venus blushed from the light interaction, she did not fail to notice George and Lee snickering behind Fred.

Soon, Percy ordered everyone to go to sleep; the candles went out but the whisperings still filled the hall. Venus was in her sleeping bag, between Lee and Fred, with George on Fred's other side. The four were still talking when Professor Dumbledore came in, around three in the morning. They quickly pretended to be asleep as the headmaster looked for Percy.

"Any sign of him Professor?" Percy asked in a whisper.

"No. All well here?"

"Everything under control, Sir."

"Good. There's no point moving them all now. I've found a temporary guardian for the Gryffindor portrait hole. You'll be able to move them back in tomorrow."

"And the Fat Lady, Sir?"

"Hiding in a map of Argyllshire on the second floor. Apparently she refused to let Black in without the password, so he attacked. She's still very distressed, but once she's calmed down, I'll have Mr Filch restore her."

The door to the Hall creaked again and a new pair of footsteps were heard.

"Headmaster?" It was Snape, the Potions teacher, "the whole of the third floor has been searched. He's not there. And Filch has done the dungeons; nothing there either."

"What about the Astronomy Tower? Professor Trelawney's room? The Owlery?"

"All searched."

"Very well, Severus. I didn't expect Black to linger."

"Have you any theory as to how he got in, Professor?" Snape asked.

"Many, Severus, each of them as unlikely as the next."

"You remember the conversation we had, Headmaster, just before the start of the term?" Snape asked, lowering his voice.

"I do Severus," Dumbledore said, a slight warning in his voice.

"It seems, almost impossible, that Black could have entered the school without inside help. I did express my concerns when you appointed-"

"I do not believe a single person inside this castle would have helped Black enter it," Dumbledore and his tone made it clear that the subject was closed.

"I must go down to the Dementors," the Headmaster said, "I said I would inform them when our search was complete."

"Didn't they want to help, Sir?" Percy asked.

"Oh yes, but I'm afraid no Dementor will cross the threshold of this castle while I am Headmaster." Dumbledore said coldly before leaving the Great Hall, Snape following him.

Venus glanced at her friends. Lee and George were still pretending to sleep. Fred noticed her restlessness, grabbed her hand and gave it a comforting squeeze. She shuffled closer to him and ended up sleeping cozily next to him.