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

[estebanmd.livejournal.com]

Stephen thought for a moment. "You could do so, yes, if you wished to reveal to him what you did remember. Perhaps it might be wiser not to let on what you do recall, so that he cannot tell what you do not."

[usethepoker.livejournal.com]

She considered this. "You mean, let him believe I recall nothing of my previous association with him?" Gods, that could get...sticky. "That might do more harm than good, if he thought my lack of memory might make me vulnerable...he'd likely double his efforts."

Beneath the veil she bit her lip thoughtfully. She knew that once she had had a contract with Teatime--a bodyguard contract, effectively pre-empting any attempts he might make on her life. She had no idea if she'd told Stephen about it, but for now she felt it best to err on the side of caution and not mention it.

[estebanmd.livejournal.com]

"Your lack of memory does make you vulnerable," Stephen said, simply. He did not know of Susan's contract with Teatime; but he would not have put much stock in it, had he known.

[usethepoker.livejournal.com]

"Perhaps it would be in my best interest to let him think I'm more vulnerable than I really am, then," she mused. "That way if he does...try anything, it likely won't be as oblique as it might be if he knew what I do recall. And the more open his attack, the easier it would be to defend against it." She sipped her punch. "Theoretically, anyway."

Except there was more to it than that, and she knew it, faulty memory or no--there was the angle and aspect that neither Stephen nor anyone else knew about, and never would. Oh, sod it all, she'd figure something out. She really didn't have much choice.

[estebanmd.livejournal.com]

"I do not know enough to speculate reliably upon what he might or might not do. I do know something of the Assassins' Guild from Lord Vetinari when he was here, and a bit more from an Edward d'Eath, who was quite forthcoming in the Sorting Room. My suspicion is that a species of professional pride might keep Teatime from any grossly obvious or inelegant attack." Stephen sipped his tea, finding it at least to have been brewed strong.

"I had thought only that what advantages you do have you might wish to retain as long as possible. Among them is the fact Teatime has never been in the popcorned condition himself -- has no personal knowledge of the experience, or what its aftereffects would be."

[usethepoker.livejournal.com]

"They do have their honor, however twisted it might be," she said dryly. "They're not supposed to kill without a direct contract, but I wouldn't trust Teatime to hold to that. It's possible to swear a preemptive contract on yourself, but I'm not sure I'd trust him to hold to that, either." After all, she couldn't quite remember just how well that idea had actually worked. "I think you may be right--let him believe I recall almost nothing, and then..."

And then what? She didn't know how he would react, given all the...other stuff...involved, but she imagined it wouldn't be pleasant, whatever happened. Bugger.

[estebanmd.livejournal.com]

It occurred to Stephen that Susan's costume had been sensible in more ways than one. Warding a conversation between them would have been conspicuous in its silence, as he often pointed out; the room was large and crowded with other partygoers, though by no means packed closely enough that someone could unobtrusively come close enough to overhear a quiet intimate discussion over the general din of conversation and canned evil clown laughter; and Susan, wise creature, was wearing a veil, which forestalled the possibility of an especially keen observer reading her lips. Stephen, of course, wore no veil, but was quite experienced at clandestine conversation in a world where warding conversations was unthinkable because impossible. In its own way, carrying on a discussion like this one was best done in a setting like this one.

"He also has a friend here now, this d'Eath, who tells me they studied together at this Guild, some sort of graduate work. Oddly enough, d'Eath said I reminded him of Teatime." Stephen still found this bemusing, not to say a bit insulting. "I do not recall your ever mentioning the fellow, but he will be one to watch for. There is, too, the matter of Mr Teatime's former lover, Mr C, the other caretaker. You may or may not have known before, or remember now, that they have had something of a publicly rancorous falling-out. Whether that means you have less to fear from him, or more, I cannot guess."

[usethepoker.livejournal.com]

Susan frowned. "I don't recall the name D'Eath," she said slowly. "Though if he really is another Assassin, I'm not surprised--I didn't exactly make a study of the Guild, back home. I can't imagine why he'd say you reminded him of Teatime, though--believe me, you two are nothing alike."

She pondered the rest of his words. "If Teatime and Johnny fell out, I should say I could possibly be in more danger, depending on Teatime's reaction. I have a hard time imagining him upset, but I can quite easily see him...annoyed. I don't want to think about what deviltry an annoyed Jonathan Teatime could wreak." She realized belatedly she'd said his first name...oh well, that was hardly odd, really. After all, he did have a first name.

[estebanmd.livejournal.com]

"Mr C has never been popcorn, either," Stephen observed.

[usethepoker.livejournal.com]

"Oh, bugger," she said, with feeling. From what she could recall, saying Johnny C didn't like her would be the understatement of the milennium. "I don't want to have to worry about him, too...before he likely refrained from going after my blood out of respect for Teatime's prior claim, but if they're no longer...together...I doubt he'll have such respect." Grand, two of them to worry about. "Oh well. I expect it keeps like from getting dull, at least."

[estebanmd.livejournal.com]

"I am so sorry, my dear," he said, meaning it. "There is no help for it. At the least you are not without your own resources, and you are not without friends here."

[usethepoker.livejournal.com]

She smiled, somewhat grimly. "Well, if I with my...unique parentage...can't elude two psychotic killers, I probably deserve what I get." She was Death's granddaughter, for gods' sake--it wasn't like she was unfamaliar with the concept of inhumation. "It is...a comfort, though, knowing I have friends. It makes it a bit easier to deal with." Even if she couldn't tell said friends all of what was going on, it was good to know they were there.

[estebanmd.livejournal.com]

"Speaking of your parentage, have you been able to contact your grandfather, at all?"

[usethepoker.livejournal.com]

"I haven't yet, though I really should. I need a bit of time to get my bearings back, but now that I more or less have I ought to owl him."

[estebanmd.livejournal.com]

Stephen regarded Susan with some concern, though the veil and costume made it rather unlikely he would glean any data. "You'll not have your bearings back for a while, I should think, not completely. What is most crucial you have regained already: your wits; and you will need them, every ounce. I shall teach you again what wards you do not recall, as soon as you like. Your grandfather, though -- do you fear to show him your vulnerability? Before Death, all men are vulnerable."

[usethepoker.livejournal.com]

Susan paused, digesting that. "I suppose you're right," she said. "It's just so frustrating--I'm not used to not having full control of my own faculties. As for Grandfather...well, I'll admit something in me doesn't like to appear to human to him. As far as he's concerned, human lives are so brief...he's always encouraged me to think the same way. Though you're the only person I'll admit that to, so please don't spread it about."

[estebanmd.livejournal.com]

"You need not worry I would spread anything about, least of all that. But, then, Susan --" a thought struck him, one that had never occurred to him before -- "what befalls you, personally, when you die?"

[usethepoker.livejournal.com]

"I...well, I don't know," she said. "On the Discworld, when you die you get whatever you believed in--for example warriors tend to go to the halls of Blind Io, to feast for all eternity. I'm not sure how it works here, but even if it were the same, being Death's granddaughter has warped my beliefs. I imagine, were I to die, I'd wind up a ghost--I don't think I'd want to see what's on the other side." She'd never given it much thought before.

"I'm not sure...it's been hinted that I could choose immortality, if I didn't mind giving up my humanity," she said slowly. "My parents were given the choice, and decided it wasn't worth it. I've never chosen, so I've spent the last six years waffling back and forth. I guess I'll have to pick someday, but I'd rather it not be now."

[estebanmd.livejournal.com]

The idea was theologically unsound, of course, from Stephen's perspective. No matter; just as he divided incompatible parts of his life from one another mentally, so too did he keep separate the faith in which he had been raised (which he could admit to be irrational in some respects) from the concepts and beings he encountered at Hogwarts, not even attempting to fit one into the other. So he did not quibble with the Discworld's notion of afterlife, or ask about Blind Io and his compatriots. Nor did he believe Susan to be deluded or mad. He only nodded.

"You do not wish Mr Teatime to make the choice for you," he said. He did not only mean the possibility that Teatime might kill Susan before she could choose immortality. He also meant the possibility that Susan might choose an immortality she did not want in order to escape Teatime.

[usethepoker.livejournal.com]

"Precisely. If and when I make that decision, it will be on my own terms." She shook her head, her veil jingling. "I really can't blame him for wanting to kill me--even if he weren't mad, the fact that I killed him is more than reasonable motivation--but it's...it's aggravating. I wouldn't be so worried if he didn't have--did I ever tell you about the sword? The one he's saving for me?"

[estebanmd.livejournal.com]

"You did tell me about the sword," Stephen said, treading cautiously. "It is a replica of your grandfather's, is it not?"

[usethepoker.livejournal.com]

"It's...similar. So far as I know, anyway. I don't know where he got the bloody thing, or how, but he's seen Grandfather's sword, and if he says it's the same I believe him." She sighed. "And if it is like Grandfather's, the normal rules don't apply. His can kill anything, anywhere...Teatime tried to use it on Grandfather himself, and would have succeeded, if I hadn't done...you know, with the poker." She made a throwing gesture. "Which is really what started this mess to begin with."

Susan wasn't sure just why she was telling Stephen all this...perhaps because she knew she could trust him, and because she felt a need to talk to somebody. Her frustration was going to reach a boiling poing sooner or later, and perhaps talking would delay that unfortunate occurrence.

[estebanmd.livejournal.com]

Stephen shrugged. "It is not as though he could not have taken you off campus grounds somehow and used a normal sword, really. For him to have such a weapon as you describe is disquieting, yes. Does it make such a substantial difference to your specific situation, though, in the end?"

[usethepoker.livejournal.com]

"Practically, I don't suppose it does. Impractically..." She shook her head. "It does my peace of mind no good, knowing he has such a thing in his posession, and even though he's sworn he'll only use it on me, I've little enough cause to believe him. Assassins generally keep their word, but in Teatime's case...I don't trust it. I'm almost sure that sooner or later the temptation will prove too great."

[estebanmd.livejournal.com]

"I should think many immortals would have reason to fear his possession of a weapon that could destroy them, given that they would be rather attached to their immortality." It was an oblique suggestion, and one not worth much, as there were few immortals at the school these days, and fewer that Stephen would account as worth much.