The Moon and Stars.

28- An Unfortunate Discovery

Sooner than later, October arrived, bringing a damp chill into Hogwarts. The Hospital Wing was always full of students and staff that had fallen victim to the common cold. Selena had to visit herself once or twice over the span of October, unlucky enough to get lightly sick multiple times.

The rain certainly didn't help either, as for days upon days; rain thundered down on the castle. Cass and Selena lay, lounging in an armchair together with Ron and Hermione in the Gryffindor common room.

Selena let out an incredibly powerful sneeze, causing Ron to jump in his seat on the couch.

"Merlin, Selena! Cover your mouth!" He said, his Potions homework tumbling to the ground as he scrambled to pick it up.

Harry walked in the common, soaking wet and dripping mud, his friends perking up at his arrival.

"I'm going to go change." he said, walking to his dorm room after motioning to his dripping Quidditch gear.

"Poor Harry," said Cass, "playing in this weather can't be much fun."

"Agreed." Said Selena, nuzzled into Cass's side.

Harry came back into the common room, at last, and flopped onto the couch. He seemed quite exhausted.

Harry then began telling them about a conversation he had with Nearly Headless Nick.

"A deathday party?" Said Hermionie enthusiastically at the news. "I bet there aren't many living people who can stay they've been to one of those—it'll be fascinating!"

"Why would anyone want to celebrate the day they died? Sounds dead depressing to me."

~~~~

Halloween arrived, and none of the five friends were happily anticipating the deathday party. The Great Hall was supposed to be decorated beautifully for the feast; from live bats, Hagrid's giant pumpkins turned lack-o-lanterns, to the rumors of a group of dancing skeletons. The Halloween Feast was going to be fantastic, but as Hermione kept reminding them, they had all made a promise.

So, at seven o'clock, they sadly walked past the doors to the Great Hall, and headed into the damp, dark dungeons.

The way to the deathday party was lined with candles that shine a dull, gloomy blue that made even them seem undead. Not only that, but the temperature seeming to be dropping with every step they took.

Teeth chattering, the five of them huddled close and tried desperately to rub the warmth back into their bones.

"Is that supposed to be music?" Ron whispered in disbelief, as an awful sound that sounded like ten thousand nails scraping down a chalkboard sounded faintly down the hall.

Turning a corner, they found Nearly Headless Nick floating at a doorway decorated with black, velvet drapes.

"'My dear friends, welcome, welcome. So pleased you could come..." he said, sounding incredibly mournful.

He removed his plumbed hat and bowed them inside.

The dungeon was full of hundreds of pearly white, translucent people; drifting around a dance floor, waltzing to thirty musical saws (which created a dreadful, hair-raising sound that is quite hard to fully describe), which was played by a ghostly orchestra on a raised platform. Worst of all, was the cold. It was quite like stepping into a freezer, and their breath rose in front of the second years in frozen clouds.

"Shall we have a look around?" Suggested Harry, shuffling his feet.

"Don't walk through anyone." Advised Cass as they walked around the rim of the dance floor.