Willow

C.16

Halloween soon arrives and Willow sits with her friends as they discuss the fact they're going to miss out on the feast, having heard that the Great Hall had been decorated with the usual live bats, Hagrid's vast pumpkins had been carved into lanterns large enough for three men to sit in, and there were rumours that Dumbledore had booked a troupe of dancing skeletons for the entertainment. "A promise is a promise. You said you'd go to the deathday party." Hermione tells Harry. "Just remember to bring food and earplugs." Willow tells them. "Why?" Ron asks. "The food won't be edible and the music isn't music." Willow responds.

That evening, the group of seven head past the Great Hall and into the dungeons. The passageway leading to Nearly Headless Nick's party had been lined with black candles, all burning bright blue and casting a dim, ghostly light. The temperature drops with every step they take, the sound of what sounded like a thousand fingernails scraping down an enormous blackboard "Is that supposed to be music?" Ron asks. "Told you." Willow tells him, putting her ear plugs in. the others copy her, finding that they can hear each other but can't hear the music "They're enchanted." Theo explains. They turn the corner and see Nearly Headless Nick standing at a doorway hung with black velvet drapes "My dear friends. Welcome, welcome ... so pleased you could come..." he tells them, bowing as he sweeps his plumed hat off.

Walking in, they see the dungeon full of hundreds of pearly- white, translucent people, mostly drifting around a crowded dance floor and waltzing to the dreadful, musical saws that were being played by an orchestra on a raised, black-draped platform. A chandelier overhead blazed midnight-blue with more black candles. Their breath rose in a mist before them, all of them feeling like they were stepping into a freezer. "Shall we have a look around?" Harry suggests, wanting to warm up his feet. "Careful not to walk through anyone." Ron says nervously, the group setting off around the edge of the dance floor. They pass a group of gloomy nuns, a ragged man wearing chains, and the Fat Friar, a cheerful Hufflepuff ghost, who was talking to a knight with an arrow sticking out of his forehead. Willow scans the room and smiles "Dad, Uncle Finn, Uncle Elijah, Uncle, Nik, Uncle Hen and Aunt Bekah are here." she says, dragging her friends over. "There's my girl." Kol smiles, pulling her into a hug. "What are you all doing here?" she asks. "Sir Nicholas invited us as we all knew him when he was... you know." Rebekah explains. "I came along to see you." Henrik smiles, hugging his niece.

"Oh, no, turn back, turn back, I don't want to talk to Moaning Myrtle-" Hermione starts, seeing a ghost nearby. "She's not that bad, she's actually sweet if you get to know her." Willow tells them. "Who?" Harry asks. "She haunts one of the toilets in the girls' bathroom on the first floor." Willow explains. "She haunts a toilet?" Blaise asks. "Yes. It's been out of order all year because she keeps having tantrums and flooding the place. I never went in there anyway if I could avoid it; it's awful trying to have a pee with her wailing at you-" Hermione starts. "Look, food!" Ron cuts her off. "I wouldn't." Klaus tells him. "It's why I told you all to bring food, it's covered in mould so they can 'almost taste it'." Willow explains, pulling out a bag of food she's bought with her, the others copying. 

Suddenly Peeves swoops down "Hello, Peeves." Harry greets cautiously. "Nibbles?" Peeves asks sweetly, offering them a bowl of peanuts covered in fungus. "No thanks." Draco tells him. "Heard you talking about poor Myrtle. Rude you was about poor Myrtle. OI! MYRTLE!" Peeves calls her over. "Oh, no, Peeves, don't tell her what I said, she'll be really upset. I didn't mean it, I don't mind her — er, hello, Myrtle." Hermione says as Myrtle reaches them. "What?" Myrtle asks sulkily. "How are you, Myrtle? It's nice to see you out of the toilet." Willow smiles. "Hello, Willow." Myrtle smiles slightly. "I'd like you to meet some of my family, Myrtle. This is my Dad, my Uncles, Finn, Elijah, Niklaus and Henrik, and my Aunt Rebekah. and these are my best friends, Draco, Theo, Blaise, Harry, Ron, and you already know Hermione." Willow introduces. "It's a pleasure to meet you, My Lady." Henrik bows, Myrtle's cheeks darkening slightly. Peeves goes to say something, Henrik subtly doing a spell that makes him yelp and speed off "Hm, I wonder what got into him?" Henrik hums, Willow and her friends grinning. 

Just them, Nearly Headless Nick drifts over "Enjoying yourselves?" he asks. "Oh, yes." they all respond. "Not a bad turnout. The Wailing Widow came all the way up from Kent... It's nearly time for my speech, I'd better go and warn the orchestra..." Nick say, about to head over. The orchestra, however, is cut off as a hunting horn sounds "Oh, here we go." Nick says bitterly. Through the dungeon wall a dozen ghost horses, each ridden by a headless horseman, burst through. The assembly claps wildly, except Willow, her family and her friends when they see none of the Mikaelson's are clapping "Of course they have to ruin Sir Nicholas' night." Willow all but growls. A large ghost with his bearded head under his arm leaps down and strides over, squashing his head back onto his neck "Nick! How are you? Head still hanging in there?" he asks, clapping him on the shoulder. "Welcome, Patrick." Nick responds stiffly. "Live 'uns!" Patrick says, giving a huge, fake jump of astonishment making his head fell off. 

The crowd laughs, making Willow step forward "Perhaps we should tell everyone how you lost your head." she smirks. "And you are?" Patrick asks. "This is my niece, Willow, Patrick." Elijah tells him, stepping forwards. "L-Lord Elijah." Patrick stammers. "Patrick. Now, if you don't mind, I believe Sir Nicholas was about to start his speech." Elijah says, noticing for Nick to start his speech. Nick steps towards a podium "My late lamented lords, ladies, and gentlemen, it is my great sorrow..." he starts. Patrick and the rest of the Headless Hunt starts a game of Head Hockey, making the crowd was turn to watch. Nick tries vainly to recapture his audience, but gave up as Patrick's head went sailing past him to loud cheers. Willow glares having had enough, storming up to the podium "Should we stop her?" Ron asks. "Best not in these situations, she's very protective over those she cares about." Kol responds. 

Will comes to a stop in front of the podium "If I could have your attention please." Willow calls out, making everyone turn and face her. "As I said earlier, I think we should discuss how Patrick here lost his head, you see I've heard that he keeps telling everyone that he lost it gallantly in a fight in the late fifteen hundreds. That, however, is very much a lie. You see the truth is he killed my Uncle's lover at the time because she refused his advances, my Uncle obviously thought that retribution was in order. Rightly so, if you ask me. He found Patrick hiding ion the basement of an elderly woman's house, that he killed because she wouldn't allow him entry. My Uncle killed him by taking his head off, ending his pathetic life. Now, if you don't mind, my friend Sir Nicholas is trying to do his speech. I suggest you all pay attention, after all it is his Deathday we are mourning." she tells everyone, giving Nick a polite curtsy before going and rejoining her friends and family.