Transition

It was close to midnight by the time Harry returned to the Gryffindor Tower; he leaned on a pillar when his vision blurred. He transferred his school bag to his left hand and stifled a yawn. My head feels like an over-stuffed turkey, he groaned. It took a bit of effort to push himself forward and walk the last several steps to reach the Fat Lady.

"Lothlorien," he managed to croak the password and wearily climbed through the portrait hole.

"Harry!" a concerned-sounding Hermione exclaimed. "What on earth did Malfoy do to you?"

The emerald-eyed Gryffindor looked up in confusion. There, sitting on the floor in a tight circle, were his friends. "Why aren't you guys in bed?" he babbled, and dragged himself to an unoccupied chair. His circle of friends were not the only ones still hanging out in the common room; he spotted a gang of fifth-years who were all working on something and had not noticed his presence until he spoke.

"We're planning our costumes, actually," Ginny piped up.

"It's the masks we're worrying about," Hermione corrected. "It doesn't matter if I come in wearing jeans and a tank-top. The mask is important, so that no one knows who you are, unless you tell them."

"As if no one could recognize you," Ron muttered. Hermione ignored him.

"I may be talented, but how on earth can you conjure a mask fit for a masquerade?" she fretted.

I can't think any further. "I can't help you out now. I'm not sure if my overheated brain can think of anything sensible." He mustered the last bit of energy to get to his feet. "I'm going upstairs, shower and then I'm going to bed."

"My eyes are getting blurry too," Ginny agreed, and Harry saw that she had been drawing some fanciful masks on used parchment. "I'm going to sleep."

"Maybe we can come up with something tomorrow," Dean yawned, "when we aren't as tired."

Harry didn't wait for the group to break up, but Ron caught up with him. The redhead wordlessly took the dangling bag from Harry's tired arm and pushed the raven-haired teenager towards the bathroom.

"Go ahead; I'll bring in your pajamas as well as your towel," his friend said firmly.

"Thanks," Harry replied weakly. He pulled off his jumper and wished that he had worn a shirt with buttons. As he had told his friends, he showered quickly, and Ron was already waiting by the door with towel and sleeping clothes in hand.

"You're thinner," his friend observed as he brushed his teeth.

"I am?" Harry asked curiously after he had rinsed his mouth of the toothpaste.

"You're thinner here." Ron poked directly at his waist and he yelped, jumping quickly out of the way. "All those mock tests and exams are getting on your nerves, I think."

"Huh. Unfortunate," Harry agreed. "But stress is also a key to motivation and purpose." He made a face.

"Gah! You sound just like her," Ron said sourly.

Harry managed a weak chuckle and did not think about Draco or his own hormones for the first time in weeks, falling asleep as soon as his head touched his comfortable pillow. He woke up grouchy the next morning and his mood was shared by his dorm-mates. He had actually slept through the alarm and Hedwig had flown in to wake him up. She had clamped her beak down on his left toe, hard enough to make him yelp. It was a good thing he didn't kick her reflexively. Pig's inherent screeches ensured that the rest of the boys woke up in time.

They readied themselves for their morning lesson and trooped out of their room to be joined by their female counterparts on the spiraling stairway. Breakfast was rather subdued, and Harry was secretly glad that even Draco looked tired. The signs of weariness on the Slytherin were even more visible due to his fair skin. In addition, the blonde was as snappish as Snape was reputed to be, barking at Crabbe who was sitting too close for comfort.

Ron was nodding over his bowl of cereal when the rush of flapping wings woke him. "Post!" he cheered as owls rushed into the Great Hall.

A group of post-owls headed over to them, carrying very large parcels. Harry knew that some would be for Ginny and Ron, since they had written to their brothers about robes. Hermione too, had a parcel of her own. But he had not expected to receive any mail, especially a black-wrapped parcel.

"Who is it from?" Ron asked.

Harry was checking for some sort of note that came with the parcel. "I dunno," he mumbled absently. He tore off the wrapping and was glad he had done so; inside was a black envelope with beautiful silver writing on top of a box. It was addressed to him and, as he hoped, the sender had stated who he was at the bottom. There were two names scribbled on the envelope: Elaviel and Bluestone.

He felt a strange thrill travel up his back when he read the names again. There was no hesitation as he quickly fished the letter out of the envelope, unconcerned with the curious glances his friends gave. It wasn't a letter; what Harry had received was a black card, plain but designed with drawings done in silver ink. The handwriting belonged to Elaviel and Harry excitedly read what the half-Veela had to say to him.

Hello, Harry. It's Elaviel here; hope you're doing well. Don't get too depressed about schoolwork. I've heard that Hogwarts is holding a masquerade on Halloween. Shame that it's not open to the wizarding public; I would come to see you if it was.

Harry lifted his eyebrow. Where did he hear the news? The house-elves? He read on.

Now, I know that neither you nor the Weasleys could have conjured something … useful, for this ball, so I hope you don't mind that I've sent you something (mask included). Bluestone agreed with my choice and he helped to design your disguise. All of what's in the parcel will look good on you, Remarkable One. Hope you will use them for the masquerade.

On an additional request from my mate, he'd like you to be … secretive? about what you are wearing (if you are wearing what is in the box) from your friends. I know that you are single, and if you are looking for someone, then you will have a surprise on that very night. Hope your dorm-mates are willing enough to play along!

With love,
Elaviel and mate.

PS: If your friends are still wondering about masks, tell them to go to the kitchen and ask for Plain Krimp, and he and his fellows will give you what you need on the spot.

Harry read the message twice and sat back. "It looks like there's a solution as to how we can get masks in time for the ball," he said into the expectant silence.

In the late afternoon…

There was a large number of Gryffindors trooping down to the sub-levels, with the Trio leading the way.

"– I just don't get how the masks they create will suit what we are going to wear," Hermione was arguing just as they came to the portrait of fruits.

"I don't have any idea either, but let's just try our luck," Harry said sharply.

"The rest won't be too pleased if you send us on a fool's errand," Ron commented in an undertone. Harry kept mute and entered the school's kitchen.

The emerald-eyed Gryffindor approached Wimpy Winky who was busy wiping and drying plates. "Hello Winky, do you know where Plain Krimp might be at this moment?" he asked shortly. She sniffed a little and pointed her chin at a house-elf wearing a dark blue smock with fraying edges. Harry studied her for a moment before stepping towards the wrinkled-faced house-elf.

"Uhmmmm … sir? Are you Plain Krimp?"

"Contradicting, isn't it, Master Potter?" the house-elf replied without humor. Big, black, penetrating eyes looked up to face him. "What is it that Plain Krimp can help you with?"

"My friends need masks for tomorrow's event, Krimp. Professor Starkmind was the one who recommended that we go to you for aid." Upon hearing that, the creature smiled slyly.

"I understand. Do you need one?" Plain Krimp asked but Harry shook his head and pointed at the group trailing behind him instead. "Very well then," the creature replied, for all the world acting like a calculating goblin rather than a treated-like-vermin servant. He snapped his finger at Hermione and beckoned her to come forward. Five house-elves materialized by his side and scrutinized the bushy-haired witch with something like discontent.

At Plain Krimp's nod, they swarmed over the witch, forcing her to sit down on a shaky stool, and started taking measurements of her head and face. It took them less than two minutes to get the measurements, and the fifth of the house-elves stared blankly off to space. Harry felt a peculiar tingling, and suddenly there was a dark blue mask on the creature's palm.

Hermione looked as though she wanted to say something smart, but Plain Krimp spoke before she could. "It may not look like much, lady, but once you are dressed, the mask will transform itself according to what you are wearing and what you are feeling." A thoughtful look crossed his face. "Let's continue in one of the empty classes in the dungeons. Follow." Then he regally exited.

Two of the helping house-elves stared at each other. "We should get more help," one said, and the other four nodded. They disappeared and left the students to follow their leader to the dungeons.

"Well?" Harry demanded as he came to walk beside Hermione, who held her mask in astonishment. She shamefully remained silent and the raven-haired boy smiled in satisfaction. "Where's Ron? And Ginny?" he said abruptly when he noticed their absence.

"Probably somewhere in the front," a Gryffindor muttered. "It's a rather long queue."

"And I have the feeling that the queue will get longer once the Slytherins become aware of it," Harry reflected. "Hermione, tell the Head Prefects about this. The Gryffindors are in line first and I'll be pissed if the Slytherins jump queue."

"He's right!" several of the Gryffindors shouted.

"We need reinforcements!"

Hermione nodded grimly and put on her strict Prefect face. She tucked her mask in one of the hidden pockets of her robe and immediately went in search for Hannah Abbott and Ernie Macmillan.

"While you're at it, go to Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall and make sure they leave instructions that everything Snape tries will be overruled!" he shouted at her back.

"All right!" Hermione yelled in reply.

"Woah! Someone's really damned loyal to his House!" Dean's voice reached him and Harry grinned.

"First come; first served," he replied with a wink.

They passed Snape's classroom, and everyone tiptoed by silently and entered a brightly-lit dungeon. Four lines of students quickly formed and Harry moved to the front immediately.

"Hang on a moment! Let those who are prefects go first!" he told the rest and then took over an inconspicuous spot to observe.

Harry was glad that he and all the prefects created a roster for guarding the students, because right after dinner Slytherins barged in and attempted to displace the queue of Ravenclaws. Luna, who was in charge of the ‘guards', looked at them contemptuously.

"Don't even think of it, people," she said flatly. "You don't want the students of the other three Houses to gang up against you."

The Ravenclaw ought to have felt scared about uttering such hubris, since Snape himself stepped into the dungeon at that moment. All she did was stare, and Harry felt that if the Potions Master was to be angry with anyone, it should be directed at him. After all, he was rather used to the man's harsh comments.

"And maybe it's time their mentor take note that his students are acting more like hooligans rather than witches and wizards who are supposed to be the next generation of highly-talented magical folk," he said quietly and as he hoped, he stole the Potions Master's attention from Luna to himself.

There was a brief flash of fury within those black eyes before Snape controlled his expression, and he gave the most measuring gaze Harry had ever been subjected to by the wizard. The teenage boy braced himself for the riposte that never came. He stared at Snape, tried to read the wizard's expression, then caught himself. I'm slipping, he thought wryly and slowly blanked his mind. He was not about to let the professor use Legilimency on him.

Finally, Snape nodded and to Harry's surprise, the professor joined the lines of students. The glare he gave to his students made them fall behind him weakly. The emerald-eyed wizard moved back into his unobtrusive corner and saw Hermione looking at him. She and Ginny had similar strained looks, and he wondered if the two were going to burst into hysterical laughter. He hoped they wouldn't.

I would never have expected him to queue up for a disguise! Harry thought shakily. Draco didn't come though. He felt oddly disappointed and wisely told himself to focus on another subject. His brain wouldn't cooperate, however. Ron noticed that he hadn't come, and joked that the Blond Devil was probably going to wear the infamous white mask. He smiled inwardly. But considering Draco's sardonic sense of humor, he probably would.

After ten minutes of tolerating his unwanted thoughts, he wondered just what his ex-lover had given him. He still hadn't looked at what was in the parcel. He had no worries about ill-fitting clothes; they would be just right anyway since Ron remarked that he had lost some weight. He recalled what the schedule would be like tomorrow. Hermione said that she would see all of us for lunch in the common room, and then she, Parvati and Lavender would kidnap Ginny and do a makeover for her. I have already told Ron that I'll be going off to dress up around five.

He scratched his elbow. Where should I change? The Room of Requirement? The Classroom? Or, should I wait for everybody else to finish in the dormitory? The Room of Requirement then, he finally decided, and saw that Snape was holding on to a pure-white mask, not that dissimilar to the mask he had worn before turning to Dumbledore. I hope that it will transform to something else before he induces bloodlust from the students, he mused cynically.