The Hogwarts Hocus Halloween Hextravaganza, Before Midnight.

[pumpkinpatchsir.livejournal.com]

((Okay, the party will be divided into two parts, one taking place before midnight, and one after the Halloween spell is starting to work. This is the first part, obviously. The other will be posted immediately afterwards but takes place roughly five hours later or so, in game time. Remember, this post is for partying only, and no people-turning-into-their-costumes crack!))

ASK NOT FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS, IT TOLLS FOR THEE

Jack watched the words that were magically carved above the door to the Great Hall, in plain view of everyone entering it, and he smiled secretively. Everything was set. Tonight was going to be interesting. Who would have known magic could prove to be so useful? He made a mental note to investigate this even more for next year. Now that Sally was here, he'd be able to discuss it with her at great length. She always had such lovely ideas.

Since Jack was not exactly a beginner in the scaring people business he had carefully checked out the atmosphere of Hogwarts and gotten a distinct impression of what was considered frightening here. Outside the Great Hall the lights were out and shadows lurked in the corners. At irregular intervals (but always when one was least expecting it) the mad cackle of a deranged evil clown echoed through the Entrance Hall. Small cats black as midnight stroke around the walls, not speaking to anyone but constantly smiling evilly at anyone passing them, showing gleaming, pointed teeth. Also, because Jack never had it in him to resist the absolute classics, bats were hanging upside-down near the ceiling.

Inside the Great Hall, it was less dark and spooky, but still obviously Halloween. Cool white mist was trickling along the floor. Jack-o’-lanterns hovered in the air around an area cleared for dancing. Along one wall stood a large table with various Halloween treats: pumpkin pie, candy corn, toffee apples, hot cider, mini-cakes and a large bowl of punch.

The Halloween party could begin.

Comments

[worldly_monk]

'Genjyo' raised an eyebrow at Gojyo, but didn't comment on the use of his name as he accepted the punch. "Kama Sutra. Very clever." He took a drink, smiling a little at the taste of the alcohol. "And what's your Buddhist name, oh exalted Priest Sanzo?"

He turned to greet Hakkai, staring curiously for a moment at the fake fangs. Hakkai made a pretty good vampire. "Actually I'm not sure what I'm supposed to be." He pointed towards Gojyo. "Ask him."

[perverted-kappa.livejournal.com]

"Being a vampire suits you, I think." He gave Hakkai a once-over as he approached, gaze lingering on his mouth for perhaps a moment too long. It was the fake fangs. Really. "My name? Huh. Gojyo Sanzo does sound a bit strange, I guess. Like we're married."

Gojyo also offered Hakkai a pre-poured cup of punch, then took one for himself and sampled his work. The punch was a little too fruity for his tastes, and there wasn't nearly enough alcohol in it, but it would do. "He's a rentboy," he explained, barely able to stifle a laugh. With Hakkai there, hopefully Sanzo could be kept from going homicidal, assuming he'd even know what a rentboy was.

[polite-sinner.livejournal.com]

"Do you really think so?" Hakkai said, mildly flattered, though he still chuckled a little self-consciously when he noticed the two of them giving his fake fangs some attention. Looking over Gojyo's costume again, he grinned widely. "I wish I could say being a monk suited you, as well, but I'm not sure if you would take that as a compliment or an insult." He took the cup from Gojyo and, well aware of how utterly cheesy he was about to be, asked them teasingly, "There's not something in my teeth, is there?"

He was about to take a sip from his punch when Gojyo stated what Sanzo's costume was, and after that, he was glad he didn't. "Oh, my. Is that what--" He examined Sanzo's outfit a little more closely this time and held back his laughter. Giving him an awkward smile, he attempted to say a bit more seriously, "You look very nice in that make-up, Sanzo. Did you do it yourself?"

[worldly_monk]

Sanzo narrowed his eyes at Gojyo. He'd spent enough time outside of a temple to know exactly what Gojyo meant. He should probably be furious, but after the first flash of anger he decided it didn't really matter. That was the whole point of dressing up in a costume after all, to pretend to be someone else. Besides, it could have been much worse.

Instead he gave Gojyo a slow smile. "Rent boy huh. Is that one of your sexual fantasies Gojyo?" He ran one hand down his leather-clad thigh. "Since I'm pretty sure most street hustlers can't afford leather pants, I must be a pretty expensive one. You probably couldn't afford me."

Hakkai's question made him laugh again. "Gojyo did the makeup. I wouldn't have had any idea how to do it. Where did you get the fangs? They look very realistic."

[perverted-kappa.livejournal.com]

It was very tempting to make a comment about how Hakkai could get something in his teeth, but Gojyo decided he should probably keep the innuendo light so Hakkai and Sanzo'd be less inclined to try escaping immediately. "As if I have to pay for sex," he said, glancing from Hakkai to Sanzo and rolling his eyes. "I'm your pimp anyway, idiot. I get to sample your wares for free. If I want to, which I don't." He further made his point by leering at several attractive women (little did he know one was actually a man in costume) as they passed by.

He turned back to the table and looked over the desserts set out, chose one of the ghost mini-cakes and bit its head off. "These are pretty good. Goku'd love this set up." He gave Sanzo a look that would've made anyone else feel guilty, then eyed Hakkai's fangs again. "Yeah, the fangs look nice. I wasn't sure how well they'd work when I saw 'em in the shop." It was good to know he'd gotten his money's worth, at least, since he'd spent almost everything he'd had left from when he first showed up at Hogwarts. Unless he could figure out a way to swindle some wizards out of their money, the trip home might have to happen sooner than planned.

"Hey, think wizards know what poker is? I haven't seen anyone playing cards at any of the taverns. Or here."

[polite-sinner.livejournal.com]

"My, that's certainly a surprise," he replied lightly. "I wasn't aware that Gojyo knew how to apply eyeliner."

Hakkai really should have asked just exactly where Gojyo and Sanzo were buying these costumes and, more importantly, where they were getting these ideas for them from, but at the very last second decided against it. What he said instead was, "Now, now. I'm not entirely sure if an exalted Sanzo priest should really be anyone's, er, procurer."

He smiled (and it was an unintenionally toothy smile -- blame the fangs), before sipping a little awkwardly at the spiked drink; it earned Gojyo a low level glare when he finally discerned the light taste of alcohol, but it was soon forgiven and just as quickly forgotten. "I'm not entirely sure," he said with a shrug. "I don't see why they wouldn't know about poker, though. It's a fairly universal game, after all." But not a lot of universes had people like Hakkai playing the game, luckily for them. "You could teach a few people, if you really wanted?"

[worldly_monk]

Sanzo was about to comment on Gojyo's alleged poker skills, when the clock struck midnight, and everything changed.