AN: Hey... um.... guys.... How ya... how ya doin'? Good? That's, ahem, er... good...

Look, I'm sorry! I know I disappeared for a while. And as awful as it is, I'm gonna have to do it agai – stop it! Don't look at me like that! Not the puppy-dog eyes!

I felt so bad about going on hiatus that I typed this up. It was originally a oneshot, but it was a bit too long, and I though, "hey. My glorious readers deserve more than a whimpy little oneshot." By the way, check my profile for updates on the other stories I've got.

Well, anyways, enjoy!

***

Everywhere else, as the fall leaves crackled down to the ground, merry children laughed and tossed them about. At Malfoy Manner, however, any leaf that fell onto the ugly lawn was immediately zapped to a pile of ashes by a magical laser, eliminating the need to rake. It should be noted that bunnies, puppies, and merry children are counted as "leaves" as far as the magical laser was concerned.

Thus, the lawn in front of Malfoy Manner remained empty of happy shrieks and giggles. This didn't mean the happy shrieks and giggles from the neighbors didn't carry into the open window of Voldemort's Lair O' Doom™.

"Yagh!" the Dark Lord yelled, a pillow clamped firmly to each ear. "The happy shrieks burn!"

Snape, standing dismissively by the door said, "I'm sorry, my lord."

"Why are they shrieking so loudly now? The magical laser normally keeps them quiet the rest of the year."

Dully, Snape sighed. "I suppose it's because this is their favorite time."

"Of what?"

"The year."

"But the laser is still working..."

"They can put that aside for now, sir. You see," Snape went over to the window and motioned to the children in the street. "It's Halloween, sir."

"Holla' what?"

"Halloween, sir." Snape corrected, clasping his hands together quite tightly.

Voldemort thought for a moment. "Never heard of it," he said finally.

"If it would help jog your memory, sir, I believe that is the same day that you murdered Harry Potter's parents."

"Really? You mean that date actually had significance? I just did it that night because a lot of other people had big, dark cloaks on and I thought it would be fun to do that too." The Dark Lord gave a bit of a chuckle, grinning brightly. "Who knew?"

"Just about the rest of the world, sir." Snape managed through a jaw clenched with exasperation.

"Well, we all learn something new every day, hm, Minion?"

"Yes... sir."

"Come to think of it, why were all those people in big, dark cloaks?"

"... Halloween, sir."

Voldemort's eyebrows shot up. "Really? Wow! All sorts of things happened that day, didn't they?"

Snape gave up. "Yes, sir," he said, and started speed walking to the door. "I'm just going to make some more pumpkin bread crumpets, if you don't mind..."

His robe whipped greasily out of sight.

Voldemort waited until he was sure Snape was out of earshot, then cackled.

"My plan is in action!"

With steepled fingers the Dark Lord paced the room, slightly hunched. "My Death Eaters would never forgive me if I joined in the festivities of 'Halloween'... so I devised a devious scheme to pretend as though I am clueless to the holiday... but am I?"

He swept a hand up, pointing triumphantly to the ceiling, "No! Tonight, I shall sneak very, verrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrry sneakily out, frolic about the streets, and harvest all the free candy my pillowcase can hold! MWAHAHAHA!

Voldemort glanced around to make sure he hadn't been heard. Seeing that he hadn't, or perhaps the Death Eaters were just used to his erratic bouts of cackling, he continued, but at a much softer, more devious volume.

"And, the genius of my plan, is to wear.... a costume!" He pulled from his closet a black robe and a plastic gray mask, with red eye-holds and two slits for the nose-hole.

"That's right!" he cackled to the surrounding audience of spiders and bacteria, "Lord Voldemort is going trick-or-treating as... himself!"

There was a crash of thunder and a flash of lighting. Or perhaps a bunny had just met the magical laser.

***

AN: Well... cross your fingers! I hope to the next installment up soon! Hang in there!