Annabelle ♡ Regulus Black ♡

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO

It had been a few weeks since Hugh returned to school, and I could see that he was slowly healing. Though a touch of sadness still lingered in his eyes, he seemed to be getting better with each passing day. We were all just hangin' out, having a good convo. I looked over at Hugh, and even though he was joining in, I could see some sadness still in his eyes. But he also seemed to be laughing more easily lately, so that was good. It was nice to see him healing bit by bit.

The rest of us were jabbering away about that crazy essay we had to write for Charms class and how much Transfiguration homework we had. Standard stuff, you know? Complaining about teachers, saying we should skive off class, then realizing we actually cared about our grades, haha.

.The Great Hall was starting to fill up as everyone came in for dinner. There was definitely this excited kind of buzz going around. I saw my brother James walk in with his usual trouble-making crew. They had these sly little grins that told me they were up to no good. Typical! I couldn't help but smile, knowing their antics were about to unfold. "Uh oh, what prank are they gonna pull now?" whispered Hugh. I just smiled and said, "Wait and watch". They tried acting all nonchalant, just strolling over to the Gryffindor table. But I knew my brother, and I could see that gleam in his eye. Sirius had that classic casual smirk he always got right before a prank. And there was Remus pretending to look disapproving but low-key amused. Oh man, dinner was about to get interesting!

Everyone was sitting down and getting ready for Dumbledore's usual speech before dinner. He stood up at the head table, about to get things going. But all of a sudden, there was this huge POP and the sound of balloons bursting! Out of nowhere, these colorful snowflakes just started cascading down from the ceiling!It was so wild - one minute everything was normal, the next it was like a winter wonderland snowstorm inside!

The mood in the room instantly changed to just pure excitement. Everyone was jumping up, students cheering and laughing as they tried grabbing the magical snowflakes. It was total lively chaos, in the best way. People were standing on top of the tables and benches with their arms out trying to catch the falling flakes. Some looked like they were trying to catch snowflakes on their tongues. Others were waving their wizard hats through the flurries like nets.

The scene looked straight-up magical, with all those colorful snowflakes twirling around the air. It was so enchanting, I couldn't stop staring at how the vibrant flakes danced and sparkled as they floated down. The Great Hall was just filled with laughter and happiness. Everyone was having the time of their lives, playing in the surprise indoor snowfall. There was this awesome atmosphere of pure fun and delight. It was beautiful to watch but oof, it's going to be a real pain to clean up later, ha.

Of course, Dumbledore seemed totally amused, his speech was interrupted by complete mayhem! He had this twinkle in his eye watching the chaos unfold. Even the headmaster couldn't resist enjoying the spur-of-the-moment fun! Eventually, the magical blizzard died down, and people started calming back to their seats. The Great Hall looked crazy beautiful, though! All the vibrant colored snowflakes had piled up on the tables and floor. It was such a breathtaking view, seeing those pops of color contrasting with the white tablecloths and stone walls. 

I glanced over at the Gryffindor table where my brother James was sitting with the Marauders. James caught my eye and gave me a little wink - our signal that we were both in on this epic prank together! I couldn't help but crack a smile. Seeing the pure amusement and joy on their faces as they watched the snowy chaos unfold, I totally got why they loved pulling these big stunts. Watching everyone get so much delight out of their prank, I realized why James and his friends were so into causing some mischief and mayhem sometimes. Seeing that great hall full of laughter and excitement because of their idea, I got why it brought them so much enjoyment. Moments like these helped me understand the appeal for them. Seeing that huge wave of happiness they created, I could tell orchestrating this delightful magical chaos gave them a major thrill.