chsdbacks Chapter 318 Halloween Dinner
Chapter 318 Halloween Dinner
Chapter 318 Halloween Dinner
Time flew by in Hogsmeade. Sophia watched with smug satisfaction as her plan progressed, while Hermione's tension gradually eased through her conversation with Shaun.
As dusk fell and the cool breeze began to feel biting, the lights in Hogsmeade gradually came on, and a warm festive atmosphere filled the streets.
"We should head back, or we'll miss the Halloween dinner," Hermione said softly, glancing at the time.
Ron was swallowing the last bite of the candy he'd bought from Honeydukes when Harry nodded in agreement with Hermione's suggestion. Sophia then stood up, turned to Sean, and smiled, saying, "Uncle, let's go back together."
Sean nodded and smiled, "Of course, we should go back now, otherwise it won't be good once the banquet starts."
They left Hogsmeade and returned along the Peacock Path leading to Hogwarts. The cold night wind whipped at them, making them quicken their pace.
The outline of the castle gradually appeared in the darkness of the distance.
As you enter the Great Hall of Hogwarts, the Halloween atmosphere is already overwhelming. Giant pumpkin lanterns hang from the ceiling, emitting a soft glow, and the magically created night sky on the ceiling displays a sky full of stars, while countless bats swirl and flutter in the Great Hall, adding to the mysterious and eerie atmosphere.
The long table was piled high with all sorts of Halloween treats, including pumpkin pies, candy apples, chocolate frogs, honey candies, and mouthwatering roasted meats and steamed vegetables.
The students had taken their seats one after another, and the auditorium was filled with laughter and cheerful conversation.
Unlike the Halloween dinners of the previous two years, none of the faculty and staff, including Dumbledore, dressed up this year.
In other words, certain worries prevent them from fully immersing themselves in the holiday celebrations.
However, for a Halloween dinner, costumes are just a side dish; the food is the main attraction.
The overwhelming array of delicious food attracted every hungry student.
The warm glow of the pumpkin lanterns spilled onto the long table, illuminating the tempting dishes.
Pumpkin pies, chocolate frogs, and candy apples piled up on the table like autumn's bounty, while the perfectly stewed roast meat and fragrant steamed vegetables were even more tempting.
The four children—Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Sophia—had already eaten their fill at the Three Broomsticks and Honeydukes candy shop, but faced with such a lavish Halloween dinner, they couldn't resist taking a little of everything.
Ron was always the first to fill his plate to the brim, his gaze intently sweeping over the various delicacies, his stomach and his thoughts completely at odds. "This is the last pumpkin pie," he said, his eyes sparkling.
It was as if they were afraid someone would steal it from them.
Harry smiled and took some chocolate frogs, Hermione chose some lighter steamed vegetables, while Sophia leisurely savored candy apples.
She glanced at the other three, secretly planning her own story, already anticipating what would unfold in Sean's office that evening.
Sean, sitting in the faculty section, was content to enjoy this rare moment of peace.
He picked up a glass of pumpkin juice, took a small sip, and his gaze casually swept over the long table where the students were, lingering particularly on the four little ones at the Gryffindor table.
His gaze paused slightly as it swept over Hermione, softening his expression. Hermione was sitting with Sophia, seemingly calmly eating their food, appearing respectful to each other, yet each harboring their own thoughts.
Sophia occasionally glanced at Hermione out of the corner of her eye, seemingly lost in thought, while Hermione appeared somewhat reserved, probably contemplating "after-school tutoring" after the dinner.
Sean couldn't help but smile slightly. He quickly looked away and focused his attention back on his dinner.
However, Snape behaved completely differently next to Sean.
Snape still wore that gloomy expression, but today he seemed even more uneasy.
His self-illumination kept flashing towards Professor Lupin, who was sitting on the other side, so often that Sean noticed it.
Snape's eyes revealed a complex emotion, a mixture of indifference, distrust, and even a hint of hostility. Whenever Lupin spoke with other professors or ate with his head down, Snape's gaze would become even more somber.
Is it a full moon tonight?
Sean silently counted the days in his mind—he always felt that compared to Lupin, who was behaving normally, Snape was more like the "bat" who was about to become a werewolf.
As always, the highlight of the banquet was a special performance by the ghosts of Hogwarts. As the dinner drew to a close, the air above the walls and tables suddenly began to vibrate slightly, accompanied by a slight chill. The ghosts of Hogwarts then floated out from the walls, tables, and ceiling.
They formed various bizarre formations and glided through the air.
Among them, Gryffindor's "Nearly Headless Nick" once again became the focus of the entire audience.
As usual, he recounted his "beheading experience" to all the students and teachers in the school.
When he demonstrated again that most of his neck had been chopped off with an axe, the students burst into laughter and applause, especially the younger students, who were still amused by the slightly terrifying yet comical performance.
“Nick does this every year,” Ron said to Harry with a laugh, as he ate the last piece of pumpkin pie from his plate. “But I find it quite amusing every year.”
Harry chuckled. "Yeah, this program has become a Halloween staple."
Nick's performance was a success as always; his somewhat comical "beheading show" received unanimous praise from the students.
Laughter erupted from the audience. Above the table, other ghosts slid and changed shapes, turning the entire auditorium into a ghostly spectacle.
Although the food at the dinner was as plentiful and delicious as ever, a certain underlying tension still permeated the entire Hogwarts.
The existence of Dementors, Black's escape, the animosity between Lupin and Snape—all these undercurrents flowed quietly on this festive night.
After dinner, the four little ones followed the other Gryffindor classmates and walked towards the tower along the familiar route.
Along the way, they were still immersed in the afterglow of the Halloween dinner, their minds filled with the sumptuous food and the ghosts' comical performances.
However, as they approached the corridor leading to the portrait of the fat lady, they found it crowded with people.
"What's going on? Why isn't anyone going in?" Ron asked, his brow furrowed.
Harry stood up and looked over the heads of the students in front of him, only to find that the portrait's entrance was tightly closed and no one had gone in. "The portrait seems to be locked," he whispered to the others.
"Excuse me, let me through!" Percy's voice suddenly came from behind the crowd. He looked serious and deliberately pushed his way through, clearly annoyed by the chaos. "Why are you all blocking the way? Did you all forget the password?! —Excuse me, I'm the student council president, make way—"
Just then, the crowd suddenly fell silent, and a chill, like an invisible wave, slowly spread from the front row to the back.
The air in the corridor seemed to grow colder, and Harry felt a chill run down his spine.
Then they heard Percy's voice, which had become shrill: "Someone go and call Professor Dumbledore, quickly!"
The four children exchanged a tense glance and squeezed to the front to see what was happening. Whispers arose from the crowd, and those at the back stood on tiptoe, trying to get a better look. Ginny, who had just approached, asked in a worried voice, "What happened?"
Professor Dumbledore arrived quickly, his steps hurried and his expression grave.
The Gryffindor students made way for him, and the four little ones followed suit, a sense of unease rising in their hearts.
When they saw what was happening before them, Hermione couldn't help but scream and grab Sophia's arm, while Sophia wrapped her arms around her waist.
No wonder she felt like she'd forgotten something important while eating—her mother probably wouldn't be able to go to her father's office tonight.
Yes, the Fat Lady is gone, and her portrait that once blocked the way to the Gryffindor Tower has been viciously destroyed.
The canvas was torn into pieces and scattered on the ground. A large piece of the canvas was simply ripped off, leaving the ground littered with messy debris.
Professor Dumbledore's gaze lingered on the shattered portrait for a moment before turning to McGonagall, who was hurrying towards him.
Lupin, Snape, and Sean grew increasingly serious.
"We need to find her," Dumbledore said calmly, turning to Professor McGonagall. "McGonagall, go to Mr. Filch immediately and have him search every painting in the castle for the Fat Lady."
Just then, a familiar voice, laced with mockery and sarcasm, came from above: "Good luck!" The voice belonged to Pipi Ghost, who was jumping around on everyone's heads and seemed particularly happy to see this scene, as gloating as ever.
Dumbledore tilted his head back, his gaze still calm and unwavering, his voice gentle: "What did you say, Peeves?"
Peeves' laughter stopped abruptly; he clearly dared not continue his mockery in front of Dumbledore.
His expression softened somewhat, replaced by a fawning smile, though his tone remained grating: "She's shy, Headmaster. She doesn't want to be seen. She's in a terrible state! You saw her run past that landscape painting on the fifth floor, sir, hiding in the bushes, crying her heart out." The mischievous boy spoke smugly, as if he had just witnessed a captivating drama.
Dumbledore nodded slightly, his gaze remaining gentle: "Did she say who did it?"
Peeves grinned smugly. "Oh, of course she did, Professor. She wouldn't let him in, and he got furious. He has a really scary temper—it's Sirius Black."
These words echoed like thunder in the corridor, plunging the entire student body into shock and fear.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione looked at each other, their eyes filled with disbelief and panic.
Blake entered the castle—and he was so close to them,