Born From Madness (Harry Potter Fanfic)

51

Hermione and Harry followed behind Filch down to Filch's office. It wasn't a place Hermione had ever seen, actually it was a place most students try to avoid. It was a dingy and windowless room that was wall to wall in filing cabinets with tons of labels on it that it made the room even more smaller and crowded with the small desk that was also cluttered with things on it. Hermione's eyes scanned around room to see Fred and George Weasley had their own file and right beside their own caught Hermione's eyes. It was another file that was marked Betty White/Rose Nylund. She remembered how Draco said something about his father actually was friends with her. Her staring was stopped when her ears caught Filch's voice. 

"Dung! Great sizzling dragon bogies... frog brains... rat intestines... I've had enough of it..." Filch mumbled furiously, "...make an example... where's the form... yes..." 

He grabbed hold onto a parchment and quill and began writing them down. However, as he was about to finish one, a loud boom caused the entire room to shake violently. 

"Peeves!" Filch roared as he stood up and hurried out of the room without even remembering they were in his office. Hermione waited a few minutes before she jumped out of her seat and made her way to Betty White's file. 

"What are you doing, Hermione?" he asked her as she pulled out the Betty White file. Hermione quickly proceeded to scan through the file as she noticed some of the pranks she was punished for. While Hermione proceeded through, she noticed Betty seemed more like someone Fred and George would hang out with and not someone like Mr. Malfoy. She was reaching the end where she found the only one with Rose's name on it. 

"Hermione look at this?" Hermione quickly pulled out Rose's write up and slipped it into her pocket before putting the file back. She hurried over to find Harry pointing at Filch's desk as she peered down to find a letter that read: 

KWIKSPELL: A Correspondence Course in Beginners' Magic 

"It's a school for people, who aren't very good at magic like Squibs." Hermione explained to Harry. Harry opened his mouth to say something when Hermione heard footsteps rushing over towards the office. Hermione pushed the letter back in the envelope and set it back on the desk. Harry and Hermione quickly took a seat as Filch hurried into the office. Filch's eyes landed right on the letter and hurried and grabbed it and slipped it into the drawer. 

"Did you-- Did you read---" he asked them. 

"No," Hermione and Harry lied in union. 

"Just-- just go! Don't breathe-- not that-- just go! I have to write up Peeves' report--" He ordered them. Hermione and Harry didn't waste a moment and rushed out of the office. They were a few corridors away when they ran into Nearly Headless Nick. 

"Harry! Hermione! Did it Work?" He asked them floating in front of a broken cabinet, "I persuaded Peeves to crash it right over Filch's Office." 

"Thank you, Nick!" Hermione told him. 

"I wish there was something we could do for you Nick." Harry suggested to him. Nick surprised them when he seemed to jolt in a sudden joyful mood. 

"But there is! I mean... maybe you don't want to--" Nick started. 

"What is it?" Hermione asked. 

"Well, this Halloween will be my five hundredth deathday. I'm holding a party down in one of the roomier dungeons. Friends will be coming from all over the country. It would be such an honor if you would attend. Of course, Mr. Weasley is most welcome too, of course." Nearly Headless Nick said, "But I'll understand if you don't want to come." 

"No, we would love to come." Hermione told him. 

Halloween soon arrived and at seven o'clock, Hermione, Harry, and Ron hurried down the corridors towards the passageway leading to the party. It wasn't a normal party. It was more gothic with ghostly lights and it was freezing cold. There was a sound like fingernails scraping an enormous blackboard. 

"Is that supposed to be music?" Ron whispered to them as they walked towards a doorway with black velvet drapes. 

"My dear friends, welcome, welcome," he said mournfully to them. The whole room was filled with hundreds of pearly-white, translucent people that drifted around around, waltzing to the dreadful melodies. 

"Shall we have a look around?" Hermione asked them as they hurried around, careful not to go through anyone. They walked through, spotting some of the school ghosts and...

"Oh no! Turn back, turn back. I don't want to talk to Moaning Myrtle--" Hermione whined as she watched Myrtle floating gloomily around the dance floor while turning to the side. 

"Who?" Harry asked. 

"She haunts one of the toilets in the girls' bathroom on the first floor," Hermione explained. 

"She haunts a toilet?" Ron asked. 

"Yes. It's been out of order all year because she's been having tantrums and flooding the place. I never go there anyway if I could avoid it. She's a really sweet person but she's always depressing." Hermione told her, remembering all the times she ran into Myrtle, who would groan and cry every time. 

"Look food!" Ron mentioned. Hermione peered over her shoulder to watch Ron hurrying over to the table. Hermione nearly felt her insides about to come up when she realized the food was rotten and old. It didn't take long before Ron came scurrying back, nearly gagging. As they were walking, something came across their path. 

"Hello, Peeves." Harry called out. Peeves turned and became nervous at the sight of Hermione. She lifted up her hands. 

"It's okay, Peeves. You don't have to be frightened of me." Hermione stated to him. 

"Nibbles?" he ask, holding a bowl of peanuts covered in fungus. Hermione bit her lips, trying to not vomit. 

"No thanks." she said. 

"Heard you talking about poor Myrtle. Rude you was about poor Myrtle." Peeves said, "OY! Myrtle!" 

"No! Peeves don't tell her what I said! She'll really be upset-- er hello, Myrtle," Hermione said as Moaning Myrtle came floating over towards them. 

"What?" she asked in her usual depressed tone. 

"How are you, Myrtle?" Hermione asked, nervously, "It's good to see you out of the toilet." 

Myrtle sniffled. Peeves opened his mouth to tell Myrtle whatever and fearing what he was going to say, Hermione said the first thing that popped into her mind. 

"Myrtle, would you like a dance?" Hermione asked. Everyone looked at her in shock. 

"You-- want to-- dance with-- me?" Myrtle asked. Hermione carefully reached out and grabbed (attempted to) take Myrtle's hand as they headed towards the dance floor. For the first time, Myrtle was actually grinning and had tears of not sorrow but of joy. Hermione and Myrtle began to dance around the floor. She didn't think she would, but she enjoyed dancing with Myrtle. 

The dance soon came to an end when a loud horn echoed through the room and suddenly a dozen or so horses came galloping through the walls ridden by headless horseman. Everyone (except for Nick) clapped in excitement. 

"Who are those men?" Hermione asked as watching one walking over towards Nick and Harry and Ron. 

"That's Sir Patrick if I'm correct. Nick and him are old rivals because Patrick won't let Nick enter the hunt because he isn't entirely headless." Myrtle explained to her. Hermione noticed how Nick was sulking as he attempted to give his speech which was overtaken by Sir Patrick and his Headless Hunt game of Head Hockey. Hermione felt it was quite rude of Sir Patrick to take over Nick's party. She also felt it getting too cold and hungry. She apologized to Myrtle as she explained about her hunger and coldness, which Hermione was surprise that Myrtle was understanding. Soon she joined back with Ron and Harry and the three of them headed to the door, leaving the party.