October 31, Halloween Eve.
Before the Halloween feast began, Scott and his roommates arrived at the Great Hall.
Hogwarts' Great Hall had already been completely decked out.
The candles floating overhead had turned black, and swarms of bats flapped between them.
Pumpkins as large as carriages had been carved into jack-o'-lanterns with strange expressions.
Some were set around the Great Hall, while others floated in midair, casting a warm orange glow from within.
The Great Hall looked completely different from usual, filled with a bizarre, fantastical atmosphere.
"Wow."
Eddie let out an unconscious cheer at the sight.
The students were all excited, but Scott found it hard to join in the festive mood.
The thought of a deadly Basilisk roaming the castle corridors later made him feel uneasy all over.
At that moment, they passed through a doorway at one side of the Great Hall and walked beneath a gigantic jack-o'-lantern.
A shower of brightly colored sweets immediately burst from its carved mouth.
Scott caught one without thinking.
It was a creamy peanut toffee from Honeydukes.
He casually put it in his pocket, then sat down with his roommates at the Ravenclaw table. Nearby, he heard first-years exclaiming over the golden plates on the table.
"Oh, even the plates are different today!"
A group of younger students were scrambling for sweets near the jack-o'-lanterns.
Many little wizards ate Fizzing Whizzbees and slowly floated into the air. Blue bubbles blown with Drooble's Best Blowing Gum drifted around them.
Eddie excitedly called out to everyone, "Did you know? I heard Headmaster Dumbledore invited the Skeleton Dance Troupe to entertain us at the Halloween feast tonight!"
The students around them perked up at once.
"The Skeleton Dance Troupe? I've wanted to see them for ages!" Milton said, just as excited.
Scott, however, figured