A Different Halloween

Chapter 64

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It was dinner time before the group of first year Slytherins returned to the great hall. Madam Pomfrey had allowed Dan and Dudley to leave but wanted them both to remain in the castle for another twenty four hours, no one was going to complain about that. Where Dudley went, Luna was sure to follow and their youngest member would attend classes with them tomorrow, along with Dudley.

Hermione was holding on to Harry's arm, unsure of the reception she would receive from the rest of the school. The other first year Slytherins weren't slow to show their support, relaxing Hermione's fears until the twins showed up.

"Dudley, we're really sorry about what happened this morning."

"Same with your father Hermione."

"You were right, we just didn't think."

"I was wrong for attacking you both, and for that I'm sorry too."

Susan could see this turning mushy and wasn't about to let that spoil a perfectly good dinner. "Yeah Hermione, it should have been that perfect, sorry prefect brother of theirs you and Luna should have set about."

This drew a few laughs, prefect Percy wasn't well liked even in his own house.

Pansy though had another complaint. "Hey, how about apologising to us. Because Dudley's stuck inside the castle under Pomfrey's orders, we're missing movie night."

Harry had a surprise for them. "Actually, you won't miss anything. My dad is going to Crawley and will put on a movie before he has to take care of some business."

Hermione never could resist not knowing something. "Why's Uncle James going to our house tonight?"

Harry appeared embarrassed to answer because of the present company. He finally relented as it would be all over the castle by tomorrow anyway. "He's stopping there before going to visit the Weasley's. He apparently wants to talk to these two's mum and dad."

The twins releasing whoops of joy and high-fiving each other was not the response any of them expected. They returned to the Gryffindor table in great spirits to finish their dinner, before practically skipping to their detention.

The movie James chose was also unexpected, but went down a storm. Disney's 'The Sword and the Stone' had everyone laughing and cheering at the on screen antics and cartoon portrayal of magic.

The headmistress though showing Merlin teaching the young boy was a stroke of genius, as was the so-called transfigurations shown in the movie. Merlin changing himself into a bug to make the dragon ill was very funny, impossible but it got the children thinking on the possibilities. That's why Minerva thought these screens were such a great educational tool, anything that could inspire the children think for themselves was worth its weight in gold as far as she was concerned.

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James was leaving the Burrow while trying to hold his laughter in, at least until he got away from the Weasley parents. This was the first time he'd met Arthur and Molly since the days of Dumbledore's old Order of the Phoenix, apart from listening, along with the rest of the school, to those loud and rather frequent howlers the twins' received from their mother. After Dumbledore's manipulations had become public knowledge, distancing yourself from the self appointed leader of the light was a priority. Not that the Potters were ever really close friends with the Weasleys, more like acquaintances with mutual enemies.

James still knew them well enough to understand that rendering Molly Weasley speechless was a marauder worthy achievement, and the main cause of his current hilarity.