the cadence of part time poets

Chapter 36: Halloween, 1976

Don't go into the woods tonight,
'Cause underneath the sticks and stones;
Are lots of little demons enslaved by Annabella,
Waiting just to carry you home...

- "Wicked Annabella" The Kinks, 1968

Sunday 31st October 1976

As always, Halloween at Hawkings became a school-wide affair. The whole student body came together to plan various events—everything from the annual pumpkin carving contest to haunted houses set up by the drama club and organised apple bobbing outside the Great Hall. There was even a themed dance being held in one of the Agricultural barns with a costume to boot. There were so many things going on at once that Remus and his friends could hardly decide what they should do first, a fact Sirius made good use of while trying to convince the girls that it would be much more fun to do their own thing.

"It's a bonfire!" He reasoned. "Just hear us out, no screechy seventh years, no stupid ghost costumes or twee little dances playing nothing but tosspot David Cassidy LPs."

"For your information, I've already arranged to meet Mickey at that 'twee little dance'," griped Lottie. She was dressed up as the Cowardly Lion with her noise painted black and her huge blonde curls done up like a puffy mane around her head. All the girls had decided to stick with a theme that year and it had converged around Lily's Dorothy costume she'd worn the Halloween before. The part of the Good Witch was being played by Mary, done up in all pink with a little tiara and enough sparkles in her hair that Remus had nearly sneezed when she'd done a little twirl in front of him. Marlene was her counterpart, face painted a slime green for the Wicked Witch and complete with a black pointed hat and a broomstick that she'd borrowed from her dorm cupboard.

"Mickey's gonna be there, actually. He'll be over after he's finished doing his hair—or something," Sirius said to Lottie, lying through both his actual teeth and the white choppers Mary had painted on his face that afternoon for his skeleton costume.

"We have stuff for s'mores too," James sang while reaching over to gently pluck at one of Lily's red braids. She pretended not to notice at first but then gave his hand a little smack and tucked her cheek into her other shoulder to hide a smile.

"That's all well and good," Mary started, waving her magic wand around, "but do you have alcohol?"

" 'Course," Sirius snorted, "what sort of fire would it be without the chance of falling into the pit while hammered off your arse? Moony, you got the stuff?"

From inside the dark cloak he'd been supplied with, Remus pulled out a large bottle of gin. So far he'd been relatively quiet, mostly because he was sure he was a shitty actor and didn't want to give away the prank, but also because talking around the plastic vampire teeth Lily had procured for him made him spit like a lawn sprinkler.

"Then I'm in," Mary said automatically, and Marlene gaped at her, fake warts and all. "Oh, don't look at me like that, Marls. You think they're bobbing for apples in tequila? It's Halloween, I want to be pissed."

And you will be, Remus thought sarcastically, just not that kind of pissed. 

"That's one on board!"

"If Mickey's coming then why not?" Lottie said with a shrug. "I like s'mores."

Peter glanced at his sister through his clown mask, turning his torchlight on her. "I thought you said you were on a diet?"

"It's Halloween, you dolt, the calories don't count. Now stop shining that thing in my face!"

Everyone looked to Marlene next, and Mary grabbed hold of her arm, giving an exaggerated pout. "Fine!" She snapped. "We'll spend the night in the woods with the midges. What fun!"