A Future Halloween Night

With the first snowfall, Hogwarts once again welcomed a Halloween filled with scares and candy.

Muya, now the headmistress, was shopping in Hogsmeade Village with Snape, the deputy headmaster and Potions class professor, for things like slimy green-glowing slimes; jack-o'-lantern heads that let out terrifying screams; horrifying versions of teru teru bozu that floated about while making eerie baby cries...

It was worth mentioning that Fred and George had opened a branch of their joke shop here, and as one of the owners, Muya enjoyed a fifty-percent discount.

"Oh, Professor, I'm afraid we'll need to prepare more candy. Harry and the others wrote to say they want to spend Halloween at Hogwarts this year." Muya adjusted the pumpkin hat she had chosen to suit the festive atmosphere.

Normally, Snape would certainly have said that such a ridiculous hat made a wizard look questionably intelligent.

But the witch wearing that ridiculous pumpkin hat was not only his favorite student and successor, but also Hogwarts' youngest headmistress.

The shopping trip passed quickly.

Muya called Tom over to help give the castle a complete makeover.

"Senior, move that jack-o'-lantern a little farther to the right. Yes, just like that. I'll replace all the candles with severed-hand candles. Professor, please take everything out of the bags..."

Considering that some young wizards might be too scared to walk through the corridors at night, Muya only hung a row of small jack-o'-lanterns there.

While the decorations were being set up, some curious young wizards inevitably sneaked over to check on the progress. Whenever Muya caught them, she bribed them with candy so they would not spoil the surprise too soon.

As night fell, Muya took the stage, wearing a white long-haired wig, a dark gothic gown, and carefully applied makeup.

"Blood, fresh blood. Let this vampire