CHAPTER 12 – HALLOWEEN NIGHT
October. Autumn night. Hogwarts Castle was raining with red, orange, yellow and brown leaves coming from the Forbidden Forest. The trio had their fun in the evening running around the field, yelling and cheering as they tried to collect every different coloured leaves and stomp and crunch the brown leaves on the green grass. They were probably the only ones who were the autumn maniacs there because they had to be dragged away by their respective house teachers.
Jude has taken the news of her being the daughter of the world’s greatest, most evil wizard of all time. It was as if she had embraced this destiny of hers as easy as drinking water. It was surprising to most of her girlfriends, but nevertheless, they were happy that she wasn’t as moody as they expect her to be, especially after that incident with Prof. Snape.
“Training’s been pretty intense,” Becka complained as she stretched herself out of her tired bones. “I hope that it doesn’t destroy my mood for the incoming Halloween party.”
“Halloween party? When?” Rach was surprised that time had passed so fast. She checked her pocket calendar to check the date.
“1st October, somewhere next week. I hope a nice guy would ask us for a dance, he he he!”
“I doubt it,” Jude said in a pretend-serious tone.
“Teachers are allowed to dance with students,” Becka tried to hint Jude that she might have hope with Prof. Snape.
“Yes, definitely! I mean he saved you a number of times, including the last inferno incident. There’s no reason why he won’t dance with you. Indirectly, I think he digs you!” Rach also joined in the hinting.
“Impossible. He doesn’t dance,” Jude replied doubtfully.
“How would you know?”
“Just look at his attitude.”
“I’m sure it’s just a phase or somewhat. He will dance with you! I’m sure of it!”
Jude didn’t reply. She didn’t want to argue and she didn’t have any intention to ask or hope for a dance with Prof. Snape. She wanted to just stay away and avoid him as much as possible.
Somehow, she began to consider Tony Brixius.
“BOO!”
“Hi, Ron.”
Ron looked annoyed as he put away the jack-o-lantern he held up to his face to scare Jude. He thought he was scary. Looks like Jude had proved him wrong.
“Hey, Jude! Why the glum look? You’re supposed to be happy! It’s Halloween Party Night tonight!” Ron tried to cheer Jude up. She was sitting at the table drinking juice. The food wasn’t really appetizing to her; she only ate a tiny portion of everything. Once a while, she glanced at Prof. Snape sitting at one corner, silently listening to other teachers chattering merrily with each other. She sighed.
“I’m not in the mood right now, Ron. Training gives me the lags,” Jude made up a silly excuse, Ron wasn’t buying it.
“Come on! Forget about training! It’s the day all witches and wizards have been waiting for! It’s time to dance! Let’s go!” Ron said enthusiastically. Jude groaned at Ron’s stubborn persistence.
“Yeah, come on, Jude,” Harry agreed, patting her shoulder. “Don’t be so tragic! Look at Rach. She’s having a good time. Come on, let’s dance!”
“I don’t know…” Jude hesitated but Ron dragged her up.
“Come on, Jude! Don’t be such a party-pooper! Go and dance with Harry! You’re gonna have fun, trust me!”
“Yeah, right,” Jude muttered as she forced herself to go with Harry into the middle of the Great Hal to dance. She saw Rach constantly changing partners with her male housemates and had a great time with each and every one of them. She couldn’t find Becka though. She groaned silently when Draco cut in to dance with her. She did consider wanting to give either Draco or Tony a chance, but she found herself that she was too late to wrench herself away from her cold, silent beau anymore. She was too deeply in love with him to do so. Besides, Tony tried to rape her. There is no way she was going to let Tony have her! Not for the Galleons in the world!
Becka strayed out of the Great Hall and out into the open fields that separates the castle and the Forbidden Forest. She didn’t exactly enjoy the party, although she had a couple of dances with Harry, Ron and Darren. She took a stroll around the vast field, inhaling the sweet autumn air. She was about to turn back to the castle after reaching the border line of the Forbidden Forest when she saw a boy with dark-brown hair and a pair of silver eyes. She recognized him immediately.
“Cedric! Oh, Cedric, I missed you so much!”
“Me too, Rebecca. I missed you too,” Cedric smiled as he held her in his arms. “It’s been a while since I’ve seen you.”
“It’s been a long while! Where have you been?” Becka was really thrilled to see her dream prince.
“Around,” Cedric replied briefly. “I heard that Dumbledore had told you everything.”
“Yes, including our real parents. I was so surprised that my parents were actually the descendant of Gryffindor! Unfortunately, Jude is…”
“Voldemort’s daughter. That’s inevitable. I hope she is taking this news well.”
“Oh, yes, very. It’s as if she just heard a fairy tale or something. She had no complaints, not even once.”
Cedric looked at the direction of the castle and said, “You know, from here, we can still hear the music. Would you like to dance, my little Dark Witch?”
“It’ll be my pleasure,” Becka giggled as she curtsied at Cedric. He took her hand and started dancing according to the music. Yet secretly, he stole a look at Becka’s left wrist.
The burnt mark was getting more visible.
The music changed. It was the last dance of the Halloween Party Night, and the Hogwarts staff was in a mood to dance. Some unlucky students were dragged into the middle of the hall to dance with the teachers. One was even unlucky to have Prof. Dumbledore as a dance partner. Those who were lucky to escape hollered and laughed at those unlucky ones.
Jude sighed. She sat back at her corner trying to finish her juice. She saw Prof. Snape coming back into the hall from somewhere. Judging by the wand in his hand, Jude could tell that Prof. Snape had went to what Harry would call ‘one of his love hunts’, hunting down sneaking lovers behind the bushes and burnt it, catching them red-handed, before deducting their points.
Jude continued musing about her misfortune. She felt as if she had no spirit to live up for the whole party thing. She couldn’t enjoy herself, not when she had Prof. Snape’s rejection still fresh in her mind and the incoming mission she was going to perform for Harry. She may be cool about being Voldemort’s daughter but she wasn’t cool about other things.
Jude was about to leave when she heard a cold voice behind her, “Leaving so soon, Light?”
She spun round. It was the ever ice-cold, expressionless statue, Prof. Snape.
“S-S-Sir! What are you doing here?” Jude practically stammered at upon seeing him. She regained composure and said, “Why are you here? I don’t recall you coming here!”
“What did I teach you about always being on your guard?” Prof. Snape replied. After a momentary silence, he spoke again, “Still keen to dance, Light?”
“Nope. I’m neither interested nor in a mood,” Jude replied gloomily.
“Why not? You have a dancing partner who is speaking to you right now.”
“You? You?!” Jude was startled. “You want me to dance with you?!”
“Don’t you like it? Well, I’m not inclined to make your life easier now, am I?” Prof. Snape asked silkily.
Before Jude could react, Prof. Snape grabbed her elbow and half-dragged her into the dancing crowd. Everyone (except Prof. Dumbledore) was shocked.
“Prof. Snape’s dancing with her?”
“Oh Merlin, have mercy on her!”
“She’s in for it!”
“This is suicidal! I can’t watch!”
“She has to be crazy to dance with the Potions Master!”
Everyone commented on the unlikely couple, but none of them spoilt the party fun. Jude never felt so awkward yet blissful: his hands on her and her hands on his. She was surprised to learn that he danced pretty graceful for a cold statue like him. She wished that this moment would never end.
Rach snapped her fingers and said, “See? My intuition is always right!”
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