Half-Blood Means Two Things || Marauders Era | Percy Jackson ||

|| 23 - The Challenge of Halloween Night ||

I wanted to stay there and continue to explain that I wasn't the same impulsive girl that ran off in the middle of the night anymore. Instead I was the impulsive girl who ran off in the middle of class.

I closed my mouth and stared at her for a beat before I waved goodbye to Lily and Rowan and headed off to find Castro.

By the time I found the guy, strolling through the hallways, chortling with Luca, it was time for dinner.

When we got into the Great Hall, my breath was taken away. Someone had done a ton of decorating while Black and I had been running through the hallways.

I turned around, equally as stunned as every other first year. The walls were covered in decorations of orange and black, the magical ceiling depicted the nice autumn night, and a heavy scent of pumpkin hung in the air. The atmosphere was warm and welcoming. But the very best thing? Floating next to the candles in the air were dozens of jack'o'lanterns that let out creepy cackles or screamed BOO! at anyone who got close enough. There were even a few dozen live bats (which Emilia did not find as cool as I did) that fluttered over the tables periodically, shrieking before clinging to the walls.

Remus's job will be much easier than we thought, I thought as Castro, Ben, Luca, and I all found spots.

Just as we'd planned, the Marauders were sitting at the very head of the table, and I was sitting at the end, closest to the Great Hall doors. Once everyone had gotten in, Dumbledore gestured for the food to appear.

I stared at our headmaster for a little while, wondering how long it had been since he'd shown up. A while, I decided. I didn't know if he still hated me or not, but he was avoiding looking at the end of the Gryffindor table. I didn't let his appearance rattle me. I had too much to look forward to tonight to let our chaotic headmaster stress me out.

Supper appeared on the plates just like our very first feast, exactly as I knew it would. We ate and joked and everything seemed normal. Castro and I listened to the typical Ben-Luca debate over whether or not pumpkin-flavored mashed potatoes and gravy would be good or not.

By the time it came for us to start our devious plan, I was so full of mashed potatoes and roast beef that I didn't even know if I was going to be able to do my part in the prank.

Just as people were starting to get full, James let out a scream that sounded like a bird call and then proceeded to scream-argue with Black that he sounded more like an owl than the black-haired boy. To anyone else, it was a regular Marauder conversation (albeit loud) at dinner. But to me, it was a signal. So, I shoved an interesting-looking vegetable in my mouth to give myself an alibi.

Then I let out the a disgusted yelp, slapped a hand over my mouth and said in a voice loud enough for a good amount of people to hear but not loud enough to seem suspicious, "I'm gonna puke!"

Everyone was too disgusted at the thought of regurgitated potatoes to look at me as I ran out of the Great Hall, clutching my stomach.

When I burst through the doors and into the hallway, I kept running as if I was seriously going to puke until I skidded to a stop in front of the hallway to Aquila's secret room.

And then, according to the plan, I hooted like a barn owl. A moment later, Peeves floated out of the wall, grinning even more mischievously then normal.

"Got the forks, Crusty?" Peeves asked me, giggling maniacally.

I nodded. "As long as you can keep the professors busy long enough, then I can swamp them quickly, Ghosty."

Peeves was too excited for this prank to comment on my nickname. It was obvious from the intricacy of the plan that Peeves had been planning this prank for a long time. There was no way he could've come up with this in a week and there was no way we could've set everything up in less than a day without the poltergeist's help.