Happy Halloween

After noon, a thick bank of dark clouds drifted in from nearby, hanging over Hogwarts and turning the sky gloomy in an instant.

A strong wind began to rise, sending yellowed leaves swirling with a rustle.

While Anna and her two companions were asking the professors for candy, a person in black robes was making his way to Hogwarts.

Looking at the castle in the distance, a trace of ruthlessness flashed in his scarlet eyes, but even stronger was his determination to get what he wanted.

The three made their way up into the castle. Professor McGonagall's office was on the second floor, and with the whole school off for Halloween, the teachers had plenty of free time too.

After knocking and being invited in, sharp-eyed Anna spotted a closed book on her desk. Judging by the title, it was about Quidditch.

Perhaps after making the rounds today, she would soon have some ideas for Christmas presents for the teachers.

"Happy Halloween, Professor McGonagall."

Beside her, Lily plucked up the courage to say it, holding out her basket a little shyly.

Mischievous but endearing students had often come to ask their head of house for candy on Halloween. Smiling, she grabbed two large handfuls from a nearby drawer and put them into Lily's and Anna's baskets. Her usually stern face softened considerably.

"Happy Halloween to you too, girls."

The two walked out of the office and continued toward their next destination. Snape, who had stood outside the office without going in, followed them silently with his arms crossed, listening as they happily discussed what they had just received.

The Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher's office was on the third floor. Since Voldemort had cursed the position a few years earlier, this year's teacher was another newcomer. He was said to have been an Auror with the British Ministry of Magic.

Unfortunately, this accomplished former Auror had no candy in his office. He looked a little embarrassed, but someone soon came to his rescue.

"Happy Halloween, Professor."

As Anna spoke, she pulled some candy from her storage ring and placed it in the new professor's hands. He didn't know whether to laugh or cry and promised to have some ready next time.

You probably won't be teaching at Hogwarts next Halloween.

Anna added that in her mind, but sensibly refrained from voicing the false prediction.

After that, the three collected plenty more spoils from the other professors. Notably, Professor Flitwick gave them not candy but some delicate little cakes. He even cast a spell on them in front of the girls, letting the two see the cake tap dance spoken of by Ravenclaw students.

Having fleeced the professors, the three walked along with their haul.

Anna had originally intended to take Lily to the Headmaster's Office with her, but suddenly noticed that something seemed amiss with the portraits on the corridor walls. She gradually slowed down and listened to their conversations.

"He's here."

"Heavens, I can hardly believe it. He didn't look like that back then!"

"Is he still in the Headmaster's Office?"

"What on earth are Headmaster Dumbledore and he talking about?"

"He wouldn't make a move at school, would he?"

"Dumbledore's here. He wouldn't dare."

"Oh, he used to be so outstanding. How did he end up like this?"

"Lily, I just remembered something. You and Severus go back first."

Anna still had a smile on her face, and her tone was perfectly natural, as though she really had remembered something she had forgotten. She waved goodbye to them and headed alone toward the third floor, carrying her basket full of candy.

Before she reached the stone beast statue, she heard someone's footsteps behind her. She turned to see that Snape had followed her.

"Where's Lily?"

"She went back to the dormitory halfway there."

He had only followed after seeing Lily return to the Gryffindor Common Room with his own eyes.

"Voldemort has come to Hogwarts."

Anna stopped in the empty corridor, only a few dozen meters from the stone stairway leading to the Headmaster's Office, and went no farther.

It was as though she had stopped there specifically to wait for someone to appear from it.

"You don't have to stay here. Headmaster Dumbledore is in his office. He wouldn't dare do anything to me."

"So you're going to approach him openly like this? Should I praise your courage?"

Snape was baffled. He couldn't understand why Anna had come here to wait for him. He hadn't come looking for her, yet she was walking right into Voldemort's path.

"I suddenly wanted to verify a few things. Since he's here today, of course I won't pass up the opportunity."

Anna had never looked forward to meeting Voldemort. She had always taken a let-things-happen-as-they-may attitude toward it.

The last time, she had planted false memories in Bellatrix to take the initiative in gathering information. Besides, deceiving Voldemort was rather interesting to her, and she was happy to lay a trap for him.

The girl wore a black cloak that covered her entire body today. With a touch of mischievous humor, she pulled its hood over her head, concealing most of her face and leaving only her faintly upturned, cherry-colored lips and the silver strands of hair drifting over her chest visible.

It was the most classic Grim Reaper costume, and it couldn't have been more fitting for her first grand meeting with Voldemort.

"By the way, if you're not going back to the dormitory, stay farther away. Don't let him spot you."

Anna calculated the time and figured Voldemort should be nearly done talking with Daddy. So she pushed Snape around a nearby corner, where he would be hidden from view and wouldn't give himself away in front of his former boss.

After Dumbledore once again refused to let Voldemort become the Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor, and he failed to obtain the legendary Sword of Gryffindor, he abandoned the idea of turning a Gryffindor relic into a Horcrux and withdrew from the Headmaster's Office with a cold sneer.

Voldemort stood on the moving spiral staircase, seething with anger. Once it descended to the third floor, he stepped out before it had even come to a stop.

The new Dark Lord then saw a student in a black cloak walking toward him with a basket full of candy in her hand.

The student's face was almost entirely hidden beneath her wide hood. A strand of silver hair that had slipped out at her collar fluttered in the wind, and she hummed a somewhat eerie tune. From her voice, he could tell she was a girl.

Voldemort paid the young first-year no mind, assuming she was going to the Headmaster's Office. But at the very moment they passed each other, the girl suddenly stopped humming and offered a flat greeting instead.

"Happy Halloween, Mr. Tom Riddle."