Harry Potter and the Plot of Pure Evil

A Ball and a Beast

All the Hogwarts students who could go to the ball (the fourth years and up) were eagerly anticipating the event. Most of the girls and some of the boys chatted excitedly about their costumes and how they would dress their hair. They chatted everywhere, in class, at supper, everywhere. The teachers, rather than encouraging quiet, were supportive, eager to keep the fragile happiness alive.

Finally, it was Halloween. For breakfast, the Great Hall had been festooned in streamers and banners, each proclaiming in one way or another “HAPPY HALLOWEEN!”

The Gryffindor Gang plus Selena (who had recently given up sitting with her housemates despite the whispers that she was a traitor) were talking happily about the ball.

“It’s going to be amazing!” Hermione gushed. “Callista, you’re doing my hair right?”

Callista nodded happily. “Of course, Mione. That’s what BFF are for.”

Hermione beamed. Then she palmed her forehead. “Stupid me! We forgot to show the guys! Girls? Let’s show ‘em.”

All the girls pulled up their sleeves to show Harry and Ron matching friendship bracelets. Each bracelet was pink and blue, had ‘BFFL: Luv u girls!’ written on and had that specific girl’s nickname on it. Hermione had ‘Mione’, Ginny had ‘Ginny-belle’, Callista had ‘Calli’, Willow had ‘Willlo’ and Selena had ‘Selly’.

“They’re really cool,” Harry smiled.

“Dat’s right. Hip, that’s what I’m talking about,” Ron nodded fervently. He was practicing for the ball. He attempted to make the gang sign for the Crypts. He resulted in giving the staff table the finger.

Hermione giggled and winked at Harry. “Really?”

Harry nodded. “Really.” And then he paused, for a thought had crossed his mind. “Oh! I just realized: It’s a ball right? So, we need dates right? So, we should really get dates right? I mean, it’s today right?”

Ginny gasped. “DATES! I nearly forgot.”

Willow examined her nails and smiled. “We didn’t. We personally checked all boys in the school over the age of 16. We assigned each ‘hotness’ numbers. We looked at which boy would best match our outfits. We gave it intense thought and pondering and finally discovered this: Our group is made up of the hottest people in Hogwarts. So, we’d have to use each other as dates. Otherwise, there would be totally chaos, it would be terribly off.”

“Exactly,” Callista chimed in. “There has to be harmony, like yang and yang.”

Everyone nodded. This made perfect sense. “So,” Ginny said, arching one perfectly plucked eyebrow quizzically. “Who’s gonna go with who then?”

Selena pulled out a piece of paper with a superior air. “You’ll see. We three girls are excellent matchmakers you know, and personally weighed each of the three factors (hair, eyes, muscled bod and style) to see which couples would work.”

Callista giggled a little. She took the paper from Selena and paused to collect her thoughts. “And the Oscar goes to…” she began in a deep voice.

Everyone laughed very hard, Harry and Ron the hardest. Callista was so witty!

“But seriously. The couples are:

Harry and Callista,” and here she blushed rosily and smiled shyly at Harry. “That’s me. I hope you don’t mind.”

Harry blushed too, only much harder. “I-I-I no-no I think we’ll m-manage.”

Callista beamed at him “Good. To carry on-

Willow and Ron,” here Willow grinned cheekily and planted a kiss on Ron’s cheek. Ron yelped in astonishment and flew off his bench and landed with a loud squelching noise. Callista continued:

“Ginny and Hermione and lastly-”

“WHAT? WHY ME AND GINNY? I LIKE BOYS! A
LOT!”

Callista looked up from her list, annoyed at the interruption. “I did say that people in our group of friends could only go out with each other, since everyone else is simply not hot or cool enough. We’re out of guys, so you have to go with Ginny.”

“But really,” Callista carried on, blind and deaf to Ginny’s stuttered protests and Hermione’s balled fists. “If it is Ginny’s ahem…figure you are worried about, I know an excellent charm, perfect for enhancing and enlarging…”

Hermione looked considerably happier. “Oh well in that case, no problem. Thanks Callista.”

Callista opened her mouth but Willow beat her. “Actually, now that I’m actually looking at the two of them, they’re not so hot together as we had previously believed.”

“I noticed that too,” Selena added.

Everyone thought very carefully when Harry got a brainwave. “I KNOW! Fred and George are coming to the ball. Dumbledore invited them specially. Why doesn’t Fred go with Hermione and George with Selena?”

Heads nodded. “Brilliant idea Harry,” Hermione exclaimed. “They’re both gorgeous hunks. But what about Ginny?”

“She could go with Blaise Zabini,” Selena mused. “He’s breathtaking.”

Ron rolled his eyes. “He’s a Slytherin, ya dig? He’ll have a Slytherin hoe, ya dig?”

Selena shook her head so hard; her lovely hair fell out of its elegant bun and cascaded down over her shoulders. Audible gasps were heard all over the hall.

“He broke up with his girlfriend. She was so depressed, I think she snorted something and died.”

“Oh,” said Harry, looking relieved. “Well, in that case, it’s all good. There’s a clear path to him for you Gin.”

Ginny exhaled slowly, obviously relieved that such a suitable candidate had been found. “All right. I’ll ask him.”

~*~

At lunchtime, Ginny asked Blaise Zabini to the ball. Blaise was so astonished that such a gorgeous beauty was asking him anywhere, his mouth dropped open and remained that way for twelve minutes and six seconds. It was only when Ginny asked him a second time, tapping her foot impatiently, that he closed him mouth and nodded his head vigorously.

“Good,” Ginny smiled. She looked at her watch and pushed an imaginary strand of hair back into place. “Must go. Pick me up tonight right at the entrance of the Great Hall, at EXACTLY seven-thirty. Got that?”

Without waiting for him to agree, she nodded her head and briskly set off for class. Blaise stood stock-still. He blabbered on about how grateful he was for a few seconds, then pulled himself together and strutted off to tell his mates.

Not a single student was really paying attention during the afternoon classes. Instead, everyone was looking out the window or staring into space, dreaming of beautiful dates and beautiful gowns.

FINALLY, classes were over for the day and the students shot back to their dorms to get ready.

“How much time do we have?” Willow asked frantically, checking her watch. “Four hours? PERFECT.”

Selena had brought her things over from the Slytherin dungeons to change with the other girls in the 6th year dorms, so they all dropped their stuff on Hermione’s bed.

A routine had been set out: Everyone would help everyone to get ready. Hermione would be beautified first, then Ginny, then Willow, then Selena and lastly Callista.

Hermione took the seat of honour in front of the mirror as the other girls bustled around her. Ginny dumping assorted products on the floor and then stood back and let the other three take over, adding only the occasional compliment.

Callista fussed over Hermione’s skin, adding blush and foundation until Hermione was an angelic white with just a hint of rose. Willow did her hair, adding blonde highlights, straightening it and finally arranging it so it fell over her bare shoulders. And Selena fixed her gown, added gold and silver powder everywhere on her body and adjusted her halo and wings. Hermione was ready.

“You look gorgeous!” Ginny crowed. Hermione blushed while the others nodded their approval. “Your turn now Gin,” Selena grinned.

Ginny sat down in ‘the chair’ and prepared to be dolled up. Selena did hair this time, teasing and twisting Ginny’s hair into a complication of braids and loops. Willow and Callista focused on make-up, giving Ginny blood-red lips, pale skin and dark eyes. Ginny laced up her sandals and looked into the mirror in shock.

“Wow.”

Willow’s costume was actually simple rather than deceptively so. Her wild and unruly hair was left to hang down to her back and her crown of ivy slid in at the top. She slipped on her outfit, added a dash of kohl and nude lipstick and was ready.

Selena’s witch outfit caused a few problems: When trying to put it on, it got stuck on her head and shoulders and in her struggles, ripped down the back.

Selena was mortified and would have never stopped sobbing had not ingenious Willow made a place. She tore out a whole square in the back of the dress, so instead of looking torn and worn, the dress once again looked sexy and alluring.
Selena was so grateful, she started crying once again, ruined her mascara and had to start her make-up all over again.

When she finally finished, they all turned to Callista expectantly. She was the last to go and there was only half an hour until the start of the ball.

Callista was sitting on her bed, wearing her dress, cape and jewellery. She looked lovely, even though she hadn’t been beautified yet, but she was crying.

Willow and Selena exchanged looks but Hermione and Ginny hurried to her side. “Dearest Calli,” Hermione murmured, brushing a strand of hair off Callista’s face. “What’s wrong? You can tell us sweetie, what is it?”

Callista bent her head to hide her tears and said in a wavering voice, “Oh Hermione. I have a terrible secret and so badly want to tell you all, and use it, but…b-but I can’t!”

And with that, she buried her face in her pillow and sobbed even louder.

“Callista darling,” Selena said, sitting next to her best friend and stroking her hair soothingly. “Tell them. Tell them and use your power. The time for secrets and fears is over. Tell them. They’ll understand.”

“Understand what exactly?” Ginny broke in questioningly.

Callista looked at her, her crystal blue eyes still swimming with tears. “Oh Ginny and Hermione, I should have told you ages ago. You see, I-I’m a Metamorphagus.”

Silence filled the room. Outside, the crickets chirped.
Hermione was the first to speak. “Oh, Callista…Oh, honey you could have told us! We would have understood!”

Ginny nodded energetically. “Yes, yes, we would have. That’s what soul sistas are for!”

Callista looked at all of them and smiled through her tears. “You guys are right, I should have told you guys and trusted you. I’m really sorry, can you ever forgive me?”

Ginny and Hermione grinned and nodded, then hugged Callista warmly.

Callista hugged them back, then jumped to her feet and grinned. “All right ladies, beautify me. Let’s get this party started!”

~*~

The boys stood at the entrance to the Great Hall waiting for their dates. Harry, Ron, George, Fred and Blaise were all wearing their costumes and talking and laughing nervously. Blaise had come dressed as an incubus and looked devilishly attractive.

FINALLY, the girls came down, giggling and fluffing their hair. Each boy felt his jaw hit the ground. The girls were breathtaking.

Harry couldn’t take his eyes off Callista. She was grinning widely. Rich-red gold hair fell down her back and shoulders and grey eyes gleamed.

“Callista,” Ron choked. “Your hair…your eyes…”

Callista explained to them all about how she was a Metamorphagus. They all accepted it well enough.

A clink of glasses was heard in the hall and Fred beckoned to them all. “Let’s go guys, ball’s starting.”

And linking arms with their lovely dates, they all went off inside.

~*~

The Great Hall looked amazing. Lighted pumpkins stood everywhere and streamers and banners festooned the place. Celestina Warbeck, the most famous singer in the entire wizarding world, was standing on stage, crooning into a magicked mic.

Harry didn’t think he had ever grinned so widely in his entire life. He had a beautiful girl on his arm, his best friends at his side and the entire world at his feet. Life didn’t GET any better than this.

Over the summer, Harry had not only developed a body of steel, he had also learned to dance. He made good use of these abilities now, as he twirled a laughing Callista around. The dance floor cleared for the two. Harry could see that Callista was an amazing dancer. Celestina Warbeck was singing an incredibly fast song and yet Callista never stumbled or tripped. She was very skilful, an excellent match for Harry.

Unfortunately, it was directly at that moment when an attack was made.

Professor Evangestes ran into the Great Hall, panting and gasping for breath. She collapsed on the floor, directly in front of the stage. The music and the dancing stopped abruptly as everyone stared at her.

“I…I…was just…visiting…Severus…dungeons…MALACLAW!”

The last word was screamed right before she collapsed in a dead faint.

Heads turned to Professor Dumbledore, who looked very grave.

“Prefects, lead your respective houses back up to their dormitories. Teachers…follow me to the dungeons. Hopefully Severus is still alive. Replacements are so hard to find.”

The Hall sprang into actions. The frazzled prefects untangled themselves from their dates and began shouting to the members of their houses to follow them. Harry saw Ron and Hermione frantically beckoning to the Gryffindors when he was pulled aside by Willow and Callista.

“Harry,” Willow whispered urgently. “We should go to the dungeons. You’re a hero. You can defeat the Malaclaw! And…I’ll help!”

“WE’LL help,” Callista added. She grasped Harry’s arm. “Together, we can defeat this great and terrible evil!”

Harry looked deep into Callista’s eyes. He saw fear but deeper still, he saw courage and resolve. His brave Callista…

“I can’t let you,” he choked out. “The risk…it’s too great a risk and I can’t lose you…”

Callista smiled at him tenderly. “You won’t lose me,” she whispered and then pulled him into a kiss.

It was the most amazing kiss Harry had ever experienced, despite the fact that he’d only ever kissed Cho. Actually, he’d also kissed Buckbeak by accident last year…but that was irrelevant.

Heat surged through him as they kissed and when they pulled apart, Harry felt ready to defeat a thousand Acromantulas and a spork-wielding Voldemort as well.

He looked at Willow and Callista and then grinned suddenly.

“Let’s go kick some Malaclaw ass.”

~*~

Harry, Callista and Willow shot to the dungeon at top speed, managing to beat the teachers. When they arrived, they saw Selena, who had apparently snuck down from her Common Room to help sustain the Malaclaw. She was overjoyed to see her friends.

“The Malaclaw is in the Potions classroom.” Selena whispered to them. “I heard Snape brought two in to study their blood. I can only hear one in there now though.”

Putting their ears to the door, the others found that they could indeed hear the creature. “All right,” Harry whispered, alive with anticipation. “I have a cunning plan. On the count of three, we’ll all burst in and stun the beast.”

The three girls nodded their approval. “That is indeed a cunning plan,” Willow murmured.

“Ready?” Harry muttered. “One…Two…THREE!”

Wands raised and sleeves rolled up, the four burst into the room, screaming war cries. However, they could not see the creature anywhere.

“Search everywhere,” Callista ordered.

The four turned over books, cauldrons, and shelves but could not see the Malaclaw anywhere. Upon venturing into Snape’s private rooms, Selena saw that he was lying in his bathroom. He had fainted away. He was also green.

Selena’s keen and penetrating mind pieced the facts together. “Snape probably accidentally ate the other Malaclaw, mistaking it for a lobster,” she told the others when she returned to the main Potions room. “He turned green and when he saw himself in the mirror, fainted.”

The others stared at her admiringly. “You’re so clever honey,” Willow smiled.

Selena smiled back.

Callista would have smiled too but at that moment the Malaclaw jumped on her.

The Malaclaw was twelve inches long and was an unsightly grey colour, with deep-green spots. It tangled its claws in her hair and tried to bite down on her scalp. It had apparently been hiding inside the one cauldron the four had forgotten to look inside.

Callista shrieked and screamed as the others panicked. “J-Just breathe deeply Calli!” Selena called frantically. “Breathe in, breathe out, breathe in…”

Callista’s cried intensified when one of the claws messed up the string of jewels in her hair.

The sight of his one true love in pain put Harry himself into the deepest pain imaginable. “Callista…” he whispered.

“HARRY!” she yelled, struggling to knock the creature off her head. “SAVE ME HARRY, SAVE ME! I NEED YOU! SAVE MEEEEEEEE….”

Her voice died away as the Malaclaw bit down ferociously onto her neck. It tore its teeth into the perfect ivory flesh and Harry felt himself go numb. Finally, the terrible creature pulled its head back and Callista collapsed onto the floor. Her eyes were shut and Harry, fixating his eyes on her chest, couldn’t tell if she was breathing or not.

The Malaclaw hissed and Harry tore his eyes off her chest. He glared at the creature as his rage built up inside him.

Every chance at happiness has been ripped from me. I cannot let this one get away too. I’ll avenge you Callista. I’ll avenge you.

The Malaclaw began to advance. Harry’s mind was numb; he couldn’t think to raise his wand. Time seemed to stand still as he raised his hand. Harry focused, channelling all his anger, sadness, power, despair, horniness and grief into that hand.

And suddenly, from that hand, a jet of bright blue light was emitted. It shot from Harry to the Malaclaw which shrieked and screeched with pain. Harry focused harder and harder and the energy only intensified.

The entire classroom was lit up by this light. Selena and Willow, who had run from their corner to Callista’s side, stared at Harry in awe. His entire face was set, his eyes never moving from Callista’s still features.

Finally, enough energy was released and the Malaclaw exploded in a flash of blue and yellow light. Harry reeled back on his feet and retracted his hand. He fell back against a desk, gasping for breath. A few blue sparks fell to the floor and landed on Callista’s upper body. Willow and Selena were still staring at Harry, open-mouthed in amazement.

Harry finally forced himself forward and fell at Callista’s side. He stroked her face tenderly and whispered her name before falling backward and escaping into blackness.

~*~