long way to heaven || marauder ff

14- halloween blues

My soul is painted like the wings of butterflies.

Fairy tales of yesterday

Will grow but never die

- Queen, 'The show must go on'

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Elaine had never put much thought into the holiday that was Halloween. It wasn't widely celebrated in France, there was only a small festive banquet at Beauxbatons but nobody really did anything beyond that.

In Hogwarts however, Halloween seemed like a national holiday. Weeks before, Elaine heard from her friends how there was going to be a huge Halloween party thrown by Professor Slughorn for his favorite students, followed by a second, more informal one, held in the Gryffindor common room, organized by the Marauders.

The castle was soon decked in Halloween decorations, skeletons as well as green gibberish, spooky zombies next to real ghosts who very much enjoyed the attention put on them. As the 31st fell on a Sunday, the first period of Monday was even canceled for those wanting to enjoy the festivities properly.

While Elaine did somehow look forward to the two parties in the evening, as she was personally invited by the Potions professor nearly a month ago, she was definitely not looking forward to the huge Halloween prank that everybody expected of the Marauders. Apparently, they had done one every year so far, even as tiny first years. The stories which were told left and right must have been more than just over exaggerated, as the magical abilities need to perform such extravagant stunts definitely exceeded those of four pesky students.

"El, can we finally go down to breakfast? I'm starving", Luana whined from outside the bathroom door. The French only sighed loudly, not bothering to answer the cranky girl that had been bothering her for half an hour. Since Lily had blocked the bathroom for nearly an hour before disappearing, she was a bit behind schedule.

As the Blonde finally finished retying her bandage on her left arm, she pulled over an oversized red sweater that she was sure once belonged to her brother, before brushing her unruly hair into a somewhat acceptable hairstyle. "I'm coming", she exhaled, opening the door and letting her best friend fall into the newly created space. "Oops", she apologized sweetly, before breaking out into a laugh at the scandalized expression on the Gryffindor's face.

"You bitch", Luana exclaimed, looking at Elaine unbelievingly. "Are you ready to go downstairs finally?", the French answered sweetly, doing her best to move out of harm's way as her friend tried to hit her with a brush she found lying on the counter.

"Violence is never the answer", Elaine cried out dramatically, nearly pouncing on Mary as the third girl stood up from her bed.

"If you must hit El, please do it somewhere else so it doesn't concern me", the girl instructed Luana bored, making Elaine weep out in anguish. "And here I was, thinking you'd protect me from the beast! Oh, how I misjudged you, MacDonald!"

"Dramaqueen", the Gryffindor shrugged, closing the door behind her as she moved into the newly open bathroom.

"Partez et étouffez une bite, voulez-vous?", the French told her roommate sweetly, already making her way out of the dorm. "Can we?", she asked Luana in the same tone, enjoying the feeling of confusion on said girl's face. "I really should have paid attention in those damn French lessons", the Dolohov mumbled, nevertheless following suit out of the Gryffindor girls' dorm.