Dark Dynasty || Tom Riddle

xiii. halloween

Four days after her birthday it was finally Halloween. Since it was Saturday, she'd slept in and was now having a late breakfast at the Slytherin table. As usual it was laden with enough food to feed them for an entire week. Victoria filled her plate with oatmeal and berries and set it down on a newspaper with the headline in bold letters, "Canterbury in pieces — the Germans or Grindelwald?"

Tom, who was seated opposite her, asked a fourth grader to pass him the eggs. Victoria rolled her eyes, when the girl blushed and giggled as she handed the food to him. Selwyn and Mulciber were arguing over some stupid thing. All in all, an ordinary morning at Hogwarts.

The only suspicious thing was the cluster of Slytherin students of all ages huddling together at the end of the table.

Victoria leaned over to Gemma next to her. "What's happening over there?"

Gemma, who was shooting lighting from her eyes in Caius Malfoys's direction, answered curtly, "Planning their secret party."

"A secret party?" frowned Victoria.

"Well, not secret. If they'll be any more obvious, the teachers will bust them." Gemma glared at them. "They do it every Halloween. I reckon since it falls on the weekend this year, they're going all out."

"Hmm," was all Victoria said and ate the last of her oatmeal. She'd never been to a real party. Sure her parents had taken her sometimes when they'd met up with people, but that had been less of a party than a spectacularly boring evening for her. Most often she had spent her time with William and other pure blood families' children, which was not exactly her idea of fun.

-

After she'd finished breakfast, Victoria spent her day studying and visiting Nyx in the Owlery. When she noticed the sun going down, she hurried back into the castle.

Victoria changed into nicer clothes and brushed her long hair. Then she put on the new silver necklace Gemma had gifted her and was ready for the feast. She'd been anticipating it for some time now. The food on special occasions at Hogwarts was always extraordinarily delicious.

She was running a little late, but Gemma and Isadora waited for her by the entrance to the Great Hall. It was wonderfully decorated, with black and orange confetti everywhere and bats flying over their heads. On the tables waited carved pumpkins filled with sweets, gummy snakes slithering about and cookies that looked like gravestones and skulls.

Victoria, in an unusually good mood, talked with the other students, drank pumpkin juice and 'blood' (or grape juice), ate cauldron cake and was just trying to have a good night.

The Slytherins, doing a rather bad job at being discrete, left early, eager for the awaiting party. But the teachers who noticed turned a blind eye to their antics, remembering what it was like to be students at Hogwarts themselves.

The common room, like the Great Hall, had been decorated for the occasion. Not as lavishly of course, but they had green and silver paper garlands and torches with black fire. Someone had brought a record player and played music from the new wizarding band that was popular at the time.

Victoria was the last to enter. She spotted Phillipe by the fireplace and waved her fingers at him when she saw him already staring at her. Straightening her skirt one last time she disappeared into the crowd.

-

A few hours in she joined Isadora and watched as Vassa Zabini shamelessly flirted with a seventh year boy, who's been in love with her for ever. "Well, she's at it again," Isadora laughed. "Bet she's going to break his heart?"

"Let her have her fun," Victoria shrugged. "What else are men good for?"

"I hope that doesn't include me," someone said from behind.