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There was no one happier than Aster on the morn of November 1st, nor as refreshed, it seemed. Even compared to the unusually chatty breakfast crowd, whatever weight her shoulders carried the past months were gone in just a single night and it showed. Samhain was magical.
With an ever-present smile and a skip to her step, her mood was infectious, lightening even the strangely tense moods of her professors at the smallest interactions.
It was only on her way to lunch did it reach her ears, the Hogwarts rumour mill going faster than a Nimbus broom. History of Magic classes was cancelled in the foreseeable future, its ghost teacher unseen and unheard of since the first period by all fellow ghosts and surrounding portraits of his classroom. No student seemed all too sad at the loss of such a pillar of education. Celebrations weren't short-lived with his classes becoming free period, a perfect breeding ground for rumours to fester as to how were they rid of the bore. So much so that the absence of a certain Second Year Gryffindor went unmentioned.
Then came dinner with a show.
Barely anyone had piled anything on their plates when the doors to the Great Hall burst open, revealing a distressed Hagrid. The man lumbered straight to the High Table, brushing off the stares from the students half-expecting a rerun of last night's events.
He leaned over the table and whispered something in a flurry to Dumbledore, Aster was quick enough to cast for the wind to bring their conversation to her ears.
Aster refrained from smiling in the Hall's tension, but couldn't stop the sparkle in her eyes. She looked down at her plate avoiding the Headmaster's eyes as he roved over the student body.
All sparse conversations stopped when the old wizard took a stand.
"Apologies for tonight's disturbance but it seems our dinner must once again be continued in your common rooms. Prefects, please lead your Houses accordingly." He turned to the other professors. "Meeting in my office, now."
Murmurs were alit once again as everyone stood from their benches, some bothering to even pick up a muffin or two for the way. Aster didn't stop herself from plucking a few grapes.
What came as a surprise, though, was Zabini and Nott sidling themselves up on her left and right.
"It's a shame you weren't at the Halloween Feast last night, you missed out on Quirrel falling flat on his face," Zabini piped nonchalantly.
"Is that what I've been hearing about a troll?" Aster turned to him curiously.
Zabini hummed in confirmation. "Apparently, heroic Weasley somehow managed to save Granger from it in one of the girl's bathrooms. Knocked it out good with its own bat."
