A/N: Sorry, my internet access has been down for the few days. I'll have another chapter up tonight.

The Second Chapter

"What do we do about Hermione?" asked Ron as the entered to Common Room. He looked around nervously.

"What about me?" The boys jumped at Hermione's voice behind them. They slowly turned around and met her expectant face, crossed arms, and tapping foot.

"Er ... "Ron trailed off and shot Harry a desperate look.

"He wants to know if you got an invitation, too," Harry simply said. Ron groaned.

"Harry! It said not to tell anyone." Harry rolled his eyes.

"Oh, honestly," Hermione said impatiently. She pulled a thin envelope – identical to the ones Harry and Ron had received that morning – out of her robe pocket. "This thing is ridiculous. You can't actually being taking it seriously."

"What is with the two of you?" Ron looked at his best friends' faces. "Can't either of you ever loosen up and have a little fun?"

"Since when is illegally breaking out of school fun?" Hermione retorted.

"It has been fun to every student who has ever attended Hogwarts!"

"Not to me, Ronald Weasley!"

Harry winced at their raised voices. He gotten used to their almost daily bickering. It was time for him to play the moderator again.

"It could be fun, Hermione," he suggested. She glared at him hostilely, but her gaze softened as he winced and took a step back. Hermione had been worried about Harry ever since the last battle with Voldemort – he still refused to talk about what happened that day.

"I guess so," she sighed and gave in. Then she brightened. "And we get to wear costumes!"

"I can't believe you talked me into wearing this!" Ron complained as they walked down the long deserted passageway to Honeydukes. He tugged at the green tunic distastefully.

"That'll teach you to let her pick out your costume, now won't it," Harry responded. Hermione whacked him across the head. "Hey! I wasn't the one complaining about my costume!"

Ron pouted. "That's because you got a nice, manly, one."

"I happen to think Peter Pan is very manly," Hermione said loftily, her voice slurred slightly by the fangs she had charmed in earlier.

"Maybe in the prissy Muggle world!" Whap! "Ouch! Come one, Hermione, tights just are not a guy thing!"

Harry chuckled as Ron was smacked again. The red-head was right about one thing – Hermione knew what she was doing when she picked Harry's costume out. The long green cloaked perfectly accented his kingly crown.

But on Ron's other complaints – well, Harry was of the opinion that Ron looked very dashing in tights.

They reached the end of the tunnel and carefully snuck through the sweetshop, out into the town above. As it was Halloween night, the streets were packed and the group blended into the crowd perfectly.

"I'm telling you, Ron, you are going to thank me for helping you one day – " Hermione drifted off as a short blond woman walked by them wearing the exact same Peter Pan outfit. "Never mind."

Ron opened his mouth to protest some more when Harry cut him off.

"Quiet!" he hissed. "We're here."

The Shrieking Shack loomed before them, decked out in cobwebs and festive orange and black streamers.

"How are we supposed to get in?" Hermione whispered into Harry's ear. "It's a well-known fact that this place is sealed shut – "

"Er, guys?" Harry and Hermione looked over at Ron. He pushed against the door gently and it slowly creaked opened.

"Oh."

"Well, here goes nothing," Harry said and they stepped inside.