Harry was about fifty-fifty on whether or not Oliver was trying to train them to death or was just that determined. Krinos had jokingly said that it was a little bit of both.
Now, All Hallow's Eve was approaching yet again. The trio had spent their free periods leading up to their sacred day gathering up the materials for the alter when they weren't doing their homework. Melody and Krinos had already gotten permission from Flitwick and Sprout to not have to attend the feast. The two even used their positions to give Harry permission. Since they were both heads of houses, their combined abilities enabled them to do so even with the animal wizard not being a member of either of their houses.
McGonagall had confronted her two colleagues when she had caught wind of what they had done. She was told, quite bluntly I add, by Flitwick that they wouldn't have had to do it if she had listened to Harry's reasoning last year.
"Happy All Hallow's Eve, guys," Harry happily greets the Weasleys and Neville. "Or Samhain, Day of the Dead, literally anything but Halloween."
The three siblings sat at the Gryffindor table with their four friends.
"You three really hate Halloween, don't you," Percy asks them.
"We despise Halloween," Melody answered. "All Hallow's Eve, along with every other country's version of it, is meant to honor the dead. Help you reconnect with those that you have lost."
"There really should be a class here to teach about magical culture," Harry says. "These Sabbaths are part of what makes us who we are. What makes us witches and wizards. To even think about abandoning such ancient and sacred traditions is an insult to Lady Magic."
Between their four friends, they got three different reactions. Neville, being a pureblood, grew up hearing a lot of his grandmother's rants about the current ministry "trying to turn us all into squibs by making our most sacred traditions illegal." And from what these three were saying, he was finally starting to get what she had been talking about.
Percy was quite curious. The more he heard the three talk about their holiday, the more he wanted to know. And to be honest, he remembered hearing similar reasoning from his older brother, Bill. It had been a few months into Bill's training with the goblins to be a Curse Breaker. He had been home one day and had an argument with their mother about something none of the other kids in the house knew how it started. From the twins' snooping, they did know there had been yelling about the old ways.
Fred and George were thinking along the same lines as Percy, but with slightly more understanding. Which would be surprising for those that didn't know everything about them. Since they are magical twins, they had certain abilities few knew about. Like how they can telepathically communicate with each other as well as merge their magical power. It made them more open to the things the siblings were saying as it was different like the were.
"Your old ways are different from ours right," Percy asked.
"Well, we are from one of the most traditional magical communities in the mystical world," Harry says. "We honor our gods every day. Lady Magic is our Lady Hecate, the goddess of magic."
"Plus there is also the gods that we treasure based on our own talents," Melody explained. "The goddess of nature, Demeter, for Krinos and his gardening talent."
"You also have animal gods like Pan and Artemis for Harry and his love of the animal kingdom," Krinos grinned.
"And, of course, Melody's musical talent are very well in-tune with music god, Apollo," Harry finished off.
"Pun intended," the twins stated, making the three of them laugh.
"We're just happy for the one night a year where we can communicate with loved ones that have moved on," Harry said. "Like my Potter roots. I learned some quite nice things from my grandmother, Dorea Potter, last year. She seemed like a sweet lady."
"She was a member of the Black family, so sweet is not exactly the first word that would come to mind," Percy says.
"Black family," Melody was confused.
While they knew things about the layout of the country and a few families, such as the Potters, they didn't know everything. If anyone thinks they know everything, they need a slap on the head and a reality check.
"Probably the most well-known dark family in Britain," surprisingly explained by Neville. "I think their reputation for dark magic is outdone only by the Gaunt family. Rumor has it that family was about as delusional and crazy as a magical family can get."
"Wouldn't want to run into any members of that family in a dark alley," Krinos commented.
"Even though I know you're kidding, I would still like to point out that the Gaunts have all died," Percy said. "Although, I think there might be one left in Azkaban. But I'm no expert on the family."
"Why would you be," Harry asked, to which Percy shrugged in response.
"What else do you guys know about this Black family," Melody asked.
There was a nervous shift the four British wizards went through. As if there was something about her question that they didn't want to answer. Or rather, maybe something they didn't want the three of them to hear. Neville, they noticed, kept stealing glances at Harry.
" English people," the trio thought, dismissing their odd behavior and nearly rolling their eyes.
"Well, they are known to be very traditional," Percy said.
"By that, Percy means..." Fred started.
"That they're blood purists," George finished.
"Those bigots that believe that only 'purebloods' deserve to have magic," Krinos raised an eyebrow. "Idiots, the lot of them."
"Anyone that didn't fit their 'standards'..." Fred started.
"Was either disowned... or simply disappeared," George finished.
"Well, that doesn't sound creepy at all," Harry stated sarcastically.
"Our grandmother, Cedrella Weasley, had been born a Black," Percy added. "But because the Weasley's are considered 'blood traitors,' she was disowned."
"Terms like that have never made sense to us," Krinos says. "Blood traitor, especially. You literally can't betray your blood. People, traditions, your government and country, yes. But not blood."
"You've never caught any of us Greeks calling British people logical," Melody said.
"Nor anyone from Japan, America, Africa..." Harry started listing.
"We get it, already," Fred and George halted him, making the animal mage smirk at the two.
"You guys are free to join us if you want," Melody offered the boys.
The four actually looked to be considering her offer. And it was fifty-fifty between curiosity and the fact that is was most likely also part of their pureblood traditions.
"Maybe next year," Percy says, the other three nodding in agreement. "You three deserve a quiet night to honor your own traditions."
"Alright," Harry said. "But feel free to change your minds anytime. Come find us if you do."
The siblings walked off to set up what was left of their All Hallow's Eve preparations. They had almost made it to the Ravenclaw common room when Nearly Headless Nick, the ghost of Gryffindor Tower, floated by.
"Hello, hello," said Nearly Headless Nick, starting and looking round.
He wore a dashing, plumed hat on his long curly hair, and a tunic with a rough, which concealed the fact that his neck was almost completely severed. He was pale as smoke and they could see right through him. He was mumbling something about heads and being an inch short.
"You look troubled, Sir Nicholas," Melody noticed.
"Ah," Nearly Headless Nick waved an elegant hand. "A matter of no importance. It's not as though I really wanted to join. Thought I'd apply, but apparently I don't fulfill requirements..."
In spite of his airy tone, there was a look of great bitterness on his face.
"Uh... Sir Nick," Harry tries.
"But you would think, wouldn't you," he erupted suddenly, pulling the letter back out of his pocket. "That getting hit forty-five times in the neck with a blunt ax would qualify you to join the Headless Hunt?"
"Oh... yeah," said Harry, who obviously knew he was supposed to agree with whatever this was.
"I mean, nobody wishes more than I do that it had all been quick and clean, and my head had come off properly, I mean, it would have saved me a great deal of pain and ridicule. However -" Nearly Headless Nick shook his letter open and read furiously:
" We can only accept huntsmen whose heads have parted company with their bodies. You will appreciate that it would be impossible otherwise for members to participate in hunt activities such as Horseback Head-Juggling and Head Polo. It is with the greatest regret, therefore, that I must inform you that you do not fulfill our requirements. With very best wishes, Sir Patrick Delaney-Podmore ."
Fuming, Nearly Headless Nick stuffed the letter away.
"Half an inch of skin and sinew holding my neck on, Harry! Most people would think that's good and beheaded, but oh, no, it's not enough for Sir Properly Decapitated-Podmore."
"Anything we can do," Krinos asked.
The nearly headless ghost sighed.
"It is my Deathday soon, the same day as Halloween," he ignored the scowls the three had at the mention of the mundane holiday. "Been five hundred years since I died and became a ghost."
"And you figured to give this Headless Hunt group a try," Melody asked.
"I stayed on this plain to watch over the students of Gryffindor Tower and have been for a hundred years," Nick says. "Does that matter to those supposed great warriors? NO!"
The three jumped at the sudden yell. They did understand. Any ghost that stays on Earth is because they have unfinished business. The ghosts at Hogwarts can never move on because all of their unfinished businesses have no real way of being finished. Sir Nick watching over the students of Gryffindor, Peeves causing chaos as a poltergeist, even the ghost that haunts a bathroom that they heard about probably has a reason.
"You had a family, didn't you," Harry asked.
"I did," Sir Nicholas answered. "A wonderful wife and son. I loved them more than anything, but they understood what I had to do to help this school."
The siblings all shared a look, sympathetic towards the ghost. He was normally so cheery, but this was also the man that has now spent five hundred years without his family. They could never imagine anything as horrible as that.
"I may make a suggestion," Harry asks.
*****This Is Halloween (Nightmare Before Christmas Time Skip)*****
The siblings lit all the candles around their altar. They added a few more offerings than they did last year to see if this new take on their ritual would work.
"Sir Nick," Harry says. "We don't want to get your hopes up. We have never done the All Hallow's Eve ritual with a ghost before. While it is meant to connect us to loved ones that have passed away, ghosts are part of very uncharted territory."
"I am willing to take the chance on being disappointed if there is the slightest of chances I could see my family again," Nicholas said.
"We can't promise anything," Krinos tells him. "We hope this works, but don't know if it will."
"Just the fact that you three are trying would mean the world to any ghost," Sir Nick told them.
The mystic soul trio all joined hands, the connection glowing.
" We call on the dreams of creature and mortal.
To heal the wound that worlds divide.
From now on, we each can create a portal.
And each of us our own path decide.
Hear these words.
Hear our cry.
Spirits from the other side.
Come to me,
We summon thee.
On this the night of All Hallows' Eve .''
Their amulets and eyes glowed and a mystical mist surrounded them. As if coming from the candles. As the ritual continued, their glowing eyes seemed to just over. The sign that they were communicating with the other side. Nick also got all glassy-eyed.
"Mom," Krinos mumbled.
*****
"I have never seen a ghost cry before," Melody says, a small smile on her face.
"Didn't know ghosts could cry," Krinos thought out loud. "I can't tell if it was ghost tears or ectoplasm. My guess is a little bit of both."
"We can't force him to move on, or do anything for his obsession, but we can brighten up his... afterlife," Harry said.
The ritual had been more of a success than they thought. Since ghosts are already between life and death, Sir Nick could do more than just talk to his family. He could interact with them, actually touch them... hug them. While they couldn't see what occurs with other people's rituals, his face when they came out told them everything they needed to know.
"I might be jumping the gun a little bit, but this might be one of the best All Hallow's Eves we've ever had," Krinos stated.
And then Harry heard it.
"... rip... tear... kill ..."
It was the same murderous voice he had heard a few days before. He stumbled to a halt, clutching at the stone wall, listening with all his might. He looked around, squinting up and down the dimly lit passageway.
"Harry, what're you..." Melody was interrupted.
"It's that voice again," Harry told the two. "Shut up a minute."
"... soo hungry... for so long ..."
"Listen," said Harry urgently.
"... kill... time to kill ..."
The voice was growing fainter, moving away.
"This way," he directed his siblings as he began to run up the stairs.
"Harry, what're we..." Krinos was interrupted this time.
"SHH," Harry shushed them.
"... I smell blood... I SMELL BLOOD !"
"It's going to kill someone!" he shouted.
He ran down the hall and the three turned into an empty corridor.
"Harry, what are you talking about," asked Krinos. "We can't hear anything."
But Melody suddenly gasped, pointing down the corridor.
"Oh dear gods," she swore.
Something was shining on the wall ahead. They approached slowly. Foot-high words had been painted on the wall shimmering in the light cast by the flaming torches. And it certainly wasn't street art.
THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEEN OPENED.
ENEMIES OF THE HEIR, BEWARE
"What... what is that... hanging underneath," Melody could barely get out, a quiver in her voice.
As they edged nearer, Harry almost slipped on a large puddle of water on the floor. Krinos and Melody quickly grabbed him. They inched their way toward the message. All three of them realized what it was at once, and leapt backward with a splash.
Mrs. Norris, the caretaker's cat, was hanging by her tail from the torch bracket. She was stiff as a board, her eyes wide and staring.
"I am not a cat person, at all, but that is messed up," Krinos backed away.
The three then heard the pounding of a giant herd of feet coming their way. It was like the roaring thunder of a storm approaching them. The siblings quickly realized how bad it would look if they were the first ones there. Especially since they had not been at the feast.
"We are so not gonna be caught as the first ones here," Harry said.
He quickly grabbed both of his siblings.
"Harry, what..." Melody didn't get the chance to finish.
"Jungle soul, chameleon," Harry cast.
The spirit of the lizard came out of his amulet and sat on Harry's shoulder. The reptile's camouflage ability moved over him, blending him into the corridor. Krinos and Melody were confused as to why he was doing this, as he isn't able to use his powers on other people yet. At least, that's what they thought until the camouflage started to move over them as well.
They shared a shocked look with each other before their faces also disappeared into camo-mode. Harry was definitely growing stronger by the day. It is rare for animal mages to do things like this with their powers, as most of their types of magic revolve around shapeshifting in some shape or form.
"This is so cool," Melody looked at where her held-up hand would be. "I wish my magic could do this."
"Shh," Krinos shushed her, hearing the students coming.
Soon enough, the corridor was filled to the brim with students all coming out of the Great Hall and on their way back to their common rooms. There was a large collection of gasps and whispering instantly started up.
"Enemies of the heir beware," they heard Draco Malfoy repeat. "You'll be next, mudbloods."
"Why I outta..." Harry was about to pounce on him.
The Gardna twins quickly each put a hand over his mouth and pulled him farther back into the corridor and away from the students. They prayed that no one had heard those three words.
Luckily, only one petite looking blond girl looked their way. They could see that she was in Ravenclaw robes, but Melody could not place her name to her face. What she was sure of was that she was, at least, a first year. They most likely would have remembered her name if she was in their year. But what was strange, and a tad bit disturbing, was that she smiled directly at them.
"Did she just..." Krinos trailed off.
"How did she..." Melody lost her voice as well,
"Are my powers on the fritz," Harry wondered, looking at their still camouflaged forms.
There was a commotion as the professors and headmaster made their way through the crowd.
"M...my cat... my cat," Filtch stuttered.
Dumbledore was immediately muttering strange words under his breath and tapping Mrs. Norris with his wand but nothing happened. She continued to look as though she had been recently stuffed.
"...I remember something very similar happening in Ouagadougou," Lockhart said, making the siblings roll their eyes. "A series of attacks, the full story's in my autobiography. I was able to provide the townsfolk with various amulets, which cleared the matter up at once."
The three mystic souls twitched. Now he was claiming to have created amulets. That was greatly insulting to those who all wore powerful amulets of their own. At last, Dumbledore straightened up.
"She's not dead, Argus," he said softly.
Lockhart stopped abruptly in the middle of counting the number of murders he had prevented, much to the relief of the siblings. And even to the relief of a lot of the older students, that they saw.
"Not dead," choked Filch, looking through his fingers at Mrs. Norris. "But why's she all... all stiff and frozen?"
"She has been Petrified," said Dumbledore
"Ah! I thought so," Lockhart blurted out.
"But how, I cannot say..." Dumbledore tried to continue.
"Why don't you ask Potter or either of his supposed siblings," Snape insulted and suggested at the same time. "I do not recall any of them at the feast."
"How... how dare you accuse one of my badgers," Sprout looked ready to burst in anger.
"How dare you accuse any of them," Flitwick was just as angry. "Mr.Potter-Gardna and the twins are model students. None of them would even think about doing anything like this."
"Then where were they," Snape continued to press on. "The feast is mandatory for all students. Or is Potter too arrogant to think that he actually has to follow the rules."
"They were celebrating All Hallow's Eve," Flitwick informed him.
"What's that," Madam Pomfrey asked.
"It's the sacred holiday magicals from Greece celebrate," Sprout explained. "We gave the three of them permission to hold their own quiet ceremony so that they could honor their sabbath."
"You can't even blame Mr.Potter-Gardna for not wanting to celebrate Halloween anyway, can you," Flitwick asks.
Most of the teachers gained looks of realization on their faces and nodded in agreement. Snape just sneered, as usual.
"No second year could have done this," stated Dumbledore firmly. "It would take Dark Magic of the most advanced practice."
"Let's get out of here," Krinos insisted, not wanting to hear anymore.
The three quietly, but quickly, left into another empty corridor. Harry nearly fell to his knees as he canceled the camouflage and they became visible again. Krinos helped him toward the nearest wall for him to lean on.
"Harry, that was incredible," Melody said. "Not even a mystic soul has ever been able to move their magic onto other people at twelve years old."
"It was a moment of desperation," Harry reasoned. "Like a mother lifting a car off her child."
"Always one to be humble," Krinos chuckled. "No matter the circumstances, it was still an incredible feat of magic."
"Yes, it was," a small voice said.
The three looked up with almost whiplash-causing speed. It was the same blond Ravenclaw that had somehow smiled at them while they were camouflaged. She was a bit of an odd sight once they got a good look at her.
Her long blond hair was platinum, but not as bright as Malfoy's most likely dyed locked. She was in a regular Ravenclaw uniform but had her own type of jewelry. Which were, weirdly enough, a pair of radishes for earrings and a Butterbeer bottle cap for a necklace pendant. Her eyes also had this dreamy look in them, as if she was there but also a million miles away at the same time.
"What in the name of Zeus," Harry swore.
"The nargles told me you were there," she tells them. "They also told me that I can trust the flower, the jungle beast, and the siren. They haven't steered me wrong, yet."
"Nargles," Melody raised her eyebrow.
"Yes," the girl responded. "They are much more informed than the hicklepuffs."
"I... uh... don't know how to respond to that," Krinos admitted.
"You don't have to," the girl giggled. "Be careful of the Golden Idiot. He will make things worse before they are better."
She then simply walked away.
"Wait," Harry called after her, making her turn around. "Who are you?"
"Luna," she answered. "Luna Lovegood."