Story: A Halloween costume
A Halloween costume.
A/N: The charter Padriac is the reincarnated version of Sirius, the back story for which you can find here. He has no real memories of being Sirius, just flashes and odd dreams. Maxx and Rubie are the twin children of Hagrid and Madame Maxime. The twins are fourth years, Padriac is a second year. Rubie is in Gryffindor, Maxx in Ravenclaw, and Padriac is in…SLYTHERN!
This is part 1 of the final Halloween story arch. Next up thanksgiving.
Raiting: PG
Severus/Remus, Severus/Remus/OMC
"Paddy, I don’t think this is a good idea…" the large, but graceful, boy at his side whispered.
"You know, people keep saying that to me.......it gets old." The small dark haired child replied dismissively.
"Well…that’s because it’s not a good idea!" The tall awkward girl to his other side hissed, waving her hands in exasperation.
The trio walking down the hall were, perhaps, the first of their kind in uncounted generations.... different houses getting along easily. The Ravenclaw boy was tall, nearly twice the height of the other male, with sleek brown hair and a graceful dancer’s walk.
The girl, like another long ago Gryffindor, had bushy brown hair, flying in all directions no matter what charm she used to try and tame it. As tall as her Ravenclaw brother, but with a more awkward walk, as if she was used to stepping over fallen trees instead of gliding on a dance floor.
The last member of the trio was a boy of average height, though he did look rather undersized compared to his companions. Dark haired, dark eyed, and dressed in black school robes, he would have looked like a walking ink blot, if it were not for his silver and green Slytherin badge.
"But it’s perfect! I'll show him......not letting me go to the ball......" The Slytherin muttered angrily to his friends.
"Well, you are three years too young for it Paddy…besides, you just got out of detention for spiking the Hufflepuff’s lunches with nosebleed nougat!" The girl warned huffily.
"You’re such a kill joy Rubie! You’ll help me, won’t you Maxx?" The dark one pleaded with the other boy.
"Umm…well…you know, I don’t think this is a good idea. Even with the Doppelganger spell…err, I shouldn’t have said that." The taller boy said in dismay, blushing at his blunder.
The girl smacked her brother on the arm for his slip but it was too late, their friend was grinning with glee and a look of mischief was in his dark eyes.
"Doppelganger spell? That’s the one that copies another person? Awesome! Come on, I need to get ready for Halloween! Let’s cast the spell and get to the great hall." He crowed softly, rubbing his hands together in anticipation and picking up his pace.
Headmaster’s level in the castle.........
"All the children who are trick-or-treating are waiting in the main hall Severus. You’ll need to open the doors to let them out." Remus told the tall thin man at his side as he reached to open the door to the Headmaster’s office.
"Why am I allowing this again, wolf?" Severus Snape drawled as he stepped into the room.
"Chocolate…" Remus murmured in a whisper as he glided up behind his lover, wrapping his arms around Severus’s chest.
"Ah…yes…" He sighed softly.
Severus turned around within the circle of arms, eyeing Remus with a predatory grin. He ran his hands down the wolf’s chest, fingers creeping under the shirt. Remus leaned into those slim hands and gently kissed the Headmaster. Just as Severus’s hands disappeared up Remus’s shirt, the door opened.
"Well, well, what’s this? Starting without me again?" Jason Cox asked with a smirk, taunting his favorite couple.
"Quiet Yank or I’ll lock you out of the school again." Severus said with a growl.
"That’s ok, I’ll just fly in again. The owls have the most interesting passages around this place. Bit of a security risk really. Who knows what could fly into the school…we already have a bat here as it is." Jason said wittily.
"Very funny. Now leave, you’ve interrupted my dinner." Severus ordered, turning his head back to the object of his attention.
"Fine, then I’ll just tell the children that the Headmaster was eating the were-wolf studies teacher and couldn’t open the doors for them" The black man threatened, turning to go back out the door.
"COX!..... Insufferable Yank…we will be down in a moment.....happy?" The Headmaster huffed in annoyance, stepping back from his mate.
Smirking the black man went back out the door, winking at Remus as he did so.
"He is right Severus, we should get down there. Besides, I want to see what Paddy has on for his first Halloween." Remus cajoled his mate.
"Probably just a flea collar." Severus sniffed dismissively.
"SEVERUS!" Remus said sharply in shock.
Smirking, the Headmaster simply walked out the door and down to the waiting children, his mate following shaking his head.
Stairs to the main hall......
"Come on Rubie! You and Maxx are going to make us late. He won’t stay after he opens the doors and lectures us again about the rules. If he doesn’t see this it will be ruined!" Paddy yells back over his shoulder as he races up the stairs.
"It’s not my fault! Maxx is the one who keeps falling down!" Rubie snapped in irritation.
"Well, you try being the tail end of a Blast-Ended Skrewt and see how well you walk! I can’t believe you talked me into this! I don’t care if it’s dad’s favorite, being one is worse than trying to take care of one! Next year I’m going as a Lutins!" Maxx huffed as he tried to hurry.
"But you’re too tall for a Lutins Maxx." His sister said reasonably.
"Don’t care, at least I won’t be wearing this damn thing." Maxx snapped.
"Stop fighting, come on! I can hear him! He’s giving out the rules and he’ll be gone soon!" Paddy yelled, running up the last few steps.
As he appeared at the top of the steps, a few people were looking back at him, drawn by the yelling. At the sight of Paddy’s costume, they gasped loudly making those around them turn to look too, until the entire hall was focused on the boy. Unlike his age mates he was not dressed as a dragon or fae, but as something much more fearful.
Padriac’s long back hair, normally wavy, was, instead, straight as a pencil, hanging limply from his head. His petite, child like face had been transformed into a harsh one, with a beak like nose, mouth in a sneer and dressed in long, flowing Victorian robes. He was an exact copy of the Headmaster in miniature, right down to the potion stained fingers.
Behind them the Headmaster’s voice could be heard finishing his Halloween lecture.
".......lastly, any pranks will be punished with double detention and you will be fined for any property damage. Is this understood?" The Headmaster finished his lecture and was immediately startled when all the students began to turn to look at something at the rear of the group. Craning his head and squinting he tried to determine what had attracted their attention. Some of the children moved a bit and he beheld the most shocking thing. His face blanched then reddened with barely restrained anger, clenching his hands into tight fists and gritting his teeth.
"I’ll kill him! The little miscreant has gone too far this time, Remus!" Snape hissed furiously to his companion.
"Now, now, it’s just a prank, I’ll take care of it," Remus said soothing his mate, not quite able to hide the grin on his face as he walked toward his son.
"You know Headmaster, they say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery" Jason said straight faced but his eyes sparkled with amusement.
Turning abruptly Snape glared at the black man. If eyes could cast the killing curse, the American would be dead.
"Yes…well…I think I’ll go see if they need help decorating for the dance" Jason said casually, turning and making a strategic escape, walking quickly (not running) toward the ballroom.
"Uh oh! Now you’re in for it, Paddy! Here comes your Dad." Someone in the crowd around the boy warned as they parted for the amused instructor.
"Well Padriac, that is quite the costume. It’s just soo cute!" Remus said, grinning and acting for all the world like a gushing parent.
"I can expl......wait…cute?" Padriac started to stutter then stared at his father appalled.
"Yes honey. It’s so cute that you wanted to dress up like your daddy! I could find your little potion’s master set if you want to add to that! Actually, I need to take a picture of you before you leave! We can put it on our mantle. I’m sure people would love to see how much you look up and admire your daddy! I mean, dressing up like him and everything!" Remus said still grinning and clapping his hands together as if his son had just rode his first broom.
Behind the mortified, Paddy, Maxx whispered to Rubie, "You know, I used to think Paddy was in Slytherin because of the Headmaster, but now I’m not so sure anymore." Rubie merely nodded in reply.
"I…but…I do not want to be…but…" Paddy stuttered in rising anger at his failed plan, unaware of just how much like Snape he was behaving, making his costume choice even better. The other children turned away, giggling, smirking, or outright laughing as they began to race out the doors and to their waiting candy.
"Come on Paddy, let’s go before they get all the candy" Rubie urged him, gently tugging on the shirt sleeve of the sputtering boy.
"I am not dressing like him because I like him! I should have just dressed up as a big bat!" Paddy told his friends sourly as they walked away, pouting that his great idea turned into a flop.
Remus smiled as his fuming son went out the door. Severus glided up behind him, smirking.
"That was masterful!" He said in appreciation of his mate’s cunning.
"Yes, but it was a rather impressive outfit, didn’t you think?" Remus said tilting his head back toward his mate.
"I didn’t mean that, besides, I’m fairly certain Maxx cast a Doppelganger charm on him. I meant the way you handled the situation." He said admiringly.
"Yes, I thought it would be a bit more effective than a detention and loss of candy." Remus said, pleased with himself.
"You’re brilliant, my wolf and I am eternally in your debt. Ill do anything to repay you" Severus said suggestively, leering at his mate
"Anything.......?" Remus asked, leering right back.
.