Something Wicked This Way Comes!

Something Wicked This Way Comes!

CHAPTER ONE

A figure, clad in deep navy blue robes, opened the carriage door slowly, her long navy fingernails brushing the window curtains as she went. A long, slender leg appeared out from beneath the billowing navy robes, dressed in a sharp navy boot. The figure stepped out of the carriage, stroked the skeletal Thestral with one hand, and turned to look up at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Celestina's carriage went on, but three more pulled in behind her, each carrying two burly, muscled wizards dressed all in navy. The six bodyguards surrounded Ms. Warbeck on three sides (the back, left, and right), and she took her gaze away from the golden lights of the castle and into the long wooden gateway-like bridge in front of her. The lights hanging from the inside of the bridge were not lit, so Celestina and her bodyguards could see nothing in the depths of it. The wizards pulled out their wand and were about to Lumos them when suddenly the lights flickered on, one by one down along the bridge. Now that they could all see through the bridge, they saw an old man, about 6 foot in height with a long silver beard so long that he could have tucked it into his belt, standing with his arms open, beckoning them forward with a smile on his face, his green robes dangling cheerfully around him while a fountain in the courtyard behind him splashed merrily.

"Welcome!" called the man, who was actually the headmaster of Hogwarts, Albus Dumbledore. "Welcome to Hogwarts, my dear Ms. Warbeck! We are delighted to have you here to perform for us on this Halloween night! But let us not fret about on opposite ends of a bridge. Come! You are our guest!"

Celestina started walking forward, across the wooden bridge, which wasn't exactly straight. It was old and rickety, curving and nearly lopsided, but was held together by magic, so there was no need to be scared of it collapsing. Not yet. She turned her head and saw a small, splashing waterfall, winding and curving its way down to the small stream beneath the bridge and on to the enormous lake in front of Hogwarts Castle.

Celestina and her guards finally reached the end of the bridge, to meet the now beaming Dumbledore. "Hello," she said politely. "I'm absolutely thrilled to be here for this special charity event."

"Let us go on inside, I'm sure the students are ecstatic about you being here. I mean, they have practically grown up with you, have they not, Ms. Warbeck?" asked Dumbledore, starting a polite and interesting conversation.

"Most of them, I suppose. In the summer's mostly, so I am sure that most of the students will be acquainted with my music," answered Celestina, now walking alongside Dumbledore through the courtyard and up a short flight of wide stone steps. They passed a huge swinging pendulum that nearly hit one of her tallest guards, but they all made it through there all right.

They continued walking through the halls of Hogwarts, past the library, where several lingering Ravenclaws were still studying (Dumbledore promptly told them to hurry on to the Great Hall), past many classrooms, through the Trophy Room, where several suits of armour burst out into various songs sung by Celestina Warbeck, and past the Hospital Wing, where five students lay in beds, being nursed by Madam Pomfrey. Dumbledore stopped and walked into the Hospital Wing, past one moaning student who had tentacles for hair and another who was completely wrapped up from head to toe, like a mummy. A slit was cut for the mouth, and a faint smoking was coming from inside it. He reached Madam Pomfrey and asked her, "What are these five children doing in here? I was under the impression no one was in need of your services at this time. Ms. Warbeck is here, can't these students be released to hear her sing?"

"I'm afraid not, Professor," answered Madam Pomfrey in a stern voice. "This boy over here tried to change his hair color with a spell, but got the wrong spelled and hit himself in the face. His hair turned into tentacles, but something else is wrong with him too, I think it is the after-effects of the spell. He's been screeching like a banshee non-stop until just five minutes ago! And this young lady over here went and got herself beaten up by the Whomping Willow. Said the wind caught her scarf and blew it into the Willow. She's in a right state, she is.

"And these three!" said Madam Pomfrey in an aggravated tone, pointing to the rear of the ward to a young man with untidy black hair and round glasses, another with longer flaming red hair and many freckles, and a young woman with bushy brown hair, who was sitting up, drinking a green potion. They all looked rather scratched and bruised, and the girl was nursing a slightly injured wrist. "These little rascals were down at Hagrid's, helping him with another one of his Care of Magical Creatures classes. He's got Porlocks, headmaster, and as they were gathering them up, they went wild and started bucking, kicking, and biting. Hagrid managed to get them all rounded up at the end and put away, they said, but when they came in here, they looked like they had just survived a Manticore ravage!"

Dumbledore smiled faintly and walked down towards the trio of friends. He sat on an empty bed and looked at them quite seriously. The trio kept shooting furtive glances at each other, afraid they were going to be told off, but then a strange thing happened. Dumbledore, old grey Dumbledore in his thin green robes, started to laugh. He chuckled jovially while staring at the three students. He finally stopped laughing, long enough to wipe a tear of laughter from his eye, and spoke to the three:

"You three have ended up in the hospital wing more times than Fred and George Weasley combined! And that is saying something special."

He turned toward Madam Pomfrey questioningly. "Poppy," he said simply, "do you think that these three can be released to the Great Hall? I know the other two can't, but all three of them seem to be in good enough condition to be able to listen to music."

"Well," answered Madam Pomfrey, bending over to re-wrap a couple of loose bandages on the mummified student, "I don't see why not. Miss Granger, you should finish your potion though, in the least. And Mr. Weasley, that is a nasty cut you've got on your elbow. Let me doctor it and you can all three be on your way."

Dumbledore smiled at Madam Pomfrey. "Excellent," he said simply, readjusting his hat, which had fallen into place perfectly, to a more lopsided way. "We will begin the feast in ten minutes time. Try not to be late!" he called to the trio as he shut the Hospital Wing's door behind him. As he closed it, the boy with untidy black hair and round glasses (Harry Potter was his name), could have sworn he saw Celestina Warbeck slide something that looked suspiciously like a wand back into her pocket as Dumbledore sidled back towards her.

Something Wicked This Way Comes!

CHAPTER TWO

"I can't believe it! Celestina Warbeck! The Celestina Warbeck is going to be here tonight!" said Ron excitedly as Madam Pomfrey nursed his cut. "Mum'll be so mad when I tell her, if she doesn't already know. She loves Celestina Warbeck. Listens to her program all the time!"

Harry smiled at Ron, not really knowing what to say, because even though he had been in the Wizarding world for little over six years now, every now and then he came across something new and unexplained. Sure, he'd heard about Celestina Warbeck before, and even had heard a couple of her songs at the Weasley's house over the summer holidays on the Wizarding Wireless Network, but still. He was quite excited as well, because he had never listened to a wizarding singer except once before, but that was at the Yule Ball in his fourth year. There he had "listened" to the Weird Sisters play, but not really paying all that much attention to the words or music having been rather bothered and preoccupied at the time. He wondered what wizards and witches sang about? Spells? Potions? Broomstick rides in the moonlight after a date from a Quidditch game?

"Well," interrupted Hermione, sipping her potion noiselessly, "I don't find her all that good. I bought a wizarding radio with the money Mum and Dad gave me for my birthday, and have been catching up on all the latest bands and solo artists in the wizarding world. I quite liked Arithia Tassaeo, that French witch. Her songs were beautiful. But Celestial Warlock, or whatever her name is, didn't appeal to me much. Her songs were too mismatched, like she couldn't find a style of music that fit her well."

Ron looked shocked. His jaw was literally almost touching the floor in amazement. His eyes were round as sickles as he stared at Hermione. "What do you mean, you don't find her all that good? Everyone likes Celestina Warbeck! Everyone! She does charity work for St. Mungo's all the time, I thought that would impress you!"

Hermione, who had finished her healing potion, slammed it on the small white table next to her bed. "What are you meaning by telling me that you thought it would impress me, Ronald? Are you implying that I only care for stuck up singers who only do charity work just so they can secretly gain access to gold? Because if you are, then you're absolutely right! Oh yes," said Hermione breathlessly, "yes Celestina Warbeck does charity events only when something is in it for her! And that doesn't sound very charitable to me! And not everyone likes her Ron, just because you and your Mum do doesn't mean everyone has to agree with your opinions!"

"Yeah?" hollered Ron back at Hermione, who was growing red in the cheeks. "Where did you learn that bit of information about Celestina Warbeck, eh? Did you read it in a book? Oh wait, I forgot, you never read those old things! Who would want to read a book!"

"JUST STOP!" screeched Harry, making Madam Pomfrey, who had finished with Ron's cut and was administering a potion to the tentacled student, jump and spill the potion all over the floor. "Now really!" she said irritably, while she cleaned up the mess with Evanesco and went to get another bottle.

Harry looked at the both of them, Ron and Hermione, who were both staring the other one down with beady, angry eyes. "For two people who are dating, you sure do fight a lot!"

"Oh shut up, Harry!" said Hermione. "Let's just forget it. I don't care anymore, anyway. Let's just all go down to the Great Hall to hear miss Perfect Lovely sing her heart out!"

The three of them got up and Harry quickly ran to tell Madam Pomfrey that they were leaving for the event. Her face lit up in excitement when she heard these words, and she shooed them all out the door, a smile on her face now that she could have some peace and quiet to treat her remaining patients.

Ron and Hermione continued to bicker all the way toward the Great Hall, stopping now and then when either one of them caught Harry's glaring eyes, but only to start again a few minutes later. Bye the time they had reached the Great Hall, Harry had counted 7 small arguments the two had had since their departure from the Hospital Wing. As Ron reached to open the Hall's doors, Harry told them both, "Just stop fighting and have a good time nonetheless, okay? I know you don't care for Celestina Warbeck, Hermione, but come on. It is only a singer. And Ron, just because Hermione has a different opinion than you doesn't mean she is wrong."

Hermione and Ron stared at Harry, and then turned to each other. They silently agreed not to bicker for quite a while, just for Harry's sake. At least not until the next morning. Hermione turned back around and smiled at Harry. "You could be a fair psychologist, Harry," she said winking at him. Harry smiled and winked back and they both went into the Hall, which was decorated with numerous floating jack-o-lanterns instead of the usual candles and a cloud of live swooping fruit bats, followed by Ron and his question of "A psycho what?"

The three found seats at the Gryffindor table in between Neville and Dean, who were having a small rift of their own. Harry didn't know all the details about the silly fight, but he thought it had something to due with Trevor, Neville's deeply loved pet toad, and a painting spell cast by Dean. Apparently Dean had gotten the spell wrong, misaimed, and hit Trevor. Trevor was currently bright florescent red with deep blue spots, and one orange eye and the other purple. The colors kept changing every now and then, and Harry had seen Trevor only this morning white as snow with the webs in between his four feet a puce color.

Harry sat by Dean, and Hermione sat by Neville. Ron sat in the middle, a large growl from his stomach making itself heard by anyone within the perimeter. Hermione, who had been in conversation with Neville, turned sharply around and stared at Ron's stomach. "You can't be hungry already, you just ate a whole half box of Bertie Bott's Beans down at Hagrid's!"

"Hey, Hermione, I'm a growing man all right?" said Ron forcefully. "And let's not get started, remember what we promised to Harry just a few moments ago?"

Hermione gave up the prospect of an argument gracefully, and turned back around to talk with Neville, who was going on about Trevor.

"And now look at him!" Neville said desperately, pulling the actual Trevor out of the deep pocket in his robes. Hermione gasped in surprise. Trevor was now inky black, with eyes the same red color as blood. His toadish mouth looked like it had been stitched together, but it wasn't really. It was just thin white stripes, running over his mouth. He let out a croak and his throat swelled. As it swelled, it changed color to orange dotted with green specks. "And it's all his fault," said Neville, nodding in Dean's direction.

Dean, who had heard Neville and Hermione talking and had seen Trevor when Neville revealed him, shot back at Neville. "Look, Neville! I said I'm sorry, all right? I didn't mean to hit Trevor with that spell, but it happened! It's not the worst thing in the world, I could have hit him with a jinx or something and he could be dead."

Neville, who acted as if he didn't hear a word Dean had just said, went on defiantly, his longish brown hair wiggling as he shook in anger. "You haven't even looked for a counter-spell to cure him! Even Hermione hasn't found something to turn him back all right! You haven't even lifted a fing-"

But Neville stopped in mid-accusation. Dumbledore had stood up and walked to a large golden podium featuring an owl on a green crystal. He was beaming at the students as though it was the first day back, his arms raised in welcome. Professor McGonagall, the Transfiguration teacher and deputy headmistress, rapped loudly on her glass goblet with a golden fork to beckon the few remaining students that weren't listening (mostly Draco Malfoy and his gang of Slytherin cronies) to pay attention. They gave away their conversation reluctantly and gave Professor McGonagall cold looks when she turned her head away and fixed her peer on Dumbledore once again.

"Welcome all, to Hogwarts' annual Halloween feast. We will be eating soon, but first, we have a very special performance planned for us all tonight. I am delighted in announcing that Celestina Warbeck, the nationally famous singing sorceress that has been featured numerous times on the Wizarding Wireless Network's popular segment 'The Witching Hour' will be performing one selected song from her new range of singles that will not be presented on 'The Witching Hour' until next spring!"

At this, most of the students gasped and started whispering excitedly amongst themselves, forgetting they had a famous singer who was watching them in their midst at the moment. Ron himself turned to Hermione, forgetting that she didn't care, and said in a hyper-active way, "Wicked! We get a sneak preview! Wait until I tell Mum!"

Professor McGonagall rapped her goblet again, and stared the Hall down with one piercing, sweeping stare. Everyone quieted, and Dumbledore continued.

"It is exciting isn't it?" he asked and agreed with the students at the same time. Hermione made a sharp clicking noise with her tongue and mouth. Dumbledore went on. "Now, without wasting anymore of our precious time, I am proud to bring you, Celestina Warbeck, singing her new and unreleased song, Something Wicked This Way Comes!"

Dumbledore backed away from the podium, arms still raised, and took his seat at the staff table. Half of the lights in the pumpkins and in the torches along the wall went out, creating a soft, musing mood in the Hall. Medieval instruments, played by Celestina Warbeck's band, sounded in a cheerful, bouncy, yet faintly sinister tone, and Celestina Warbeck herself had taken Professor Dumbledore's place. The music continued to play a few seconds longer, and then Celestina started to sing:

"Double, Double, Toil and Trouble
Fire burn and cauldron bubble
Double, double, toil and trouble
Something wicked this way comes!"

Hermione turned around in her seat, staring past Ron and into Harry's face at shocked amazement. "What is this garbage?" she whispered sharply. Ron scowled loudly.

"Eye of newt and toe of frog,
Wool of bat and tongue of dog,
Adder's fork and blind-worm's sting,
Lizard's leg and owlet's wing."

Harry praised himself silently in his head. She was singing about potions. He scanned

The staff table absentmindedly. Professor Snape was looking particularly vindictive. He obviously didn't like Celestina Warbeck either, even though she was singing about his class, Potions. Professor Flitwick, the midget Charms teacher, was smiling jovially and bouncing along to the tune of the music, and Hagrid, the half-giant gameskeeper and Care of Magical Creatures teacher, was drumming his fingers politely along the table with the song. Professor McGonagall was simply smiling politely, and Dumbledore had his chin rested on his fingertips. He had a wide smile on his face.

"Double, Double, Toil and Trouble

Fire burn and cauldron bubble

Double, Double, toil and trouble

Something wicked this way comes!"

Now the tone of the music became deeper and more wiry. Harry felt a small, odd shiver pass over the back of his neck, and he couldn't understand why. He glanced at Ron, and saw that he too looked uncomfortable and questioning. Harry reached out his hand and tapped Ron on the shoulder. "You too?" he asked. Ron's eyes widened and he nodded.

"In the cauldron boil and bake

Fillet of a fenny snake

Scale of dragon, tooth of wolf

Witches' mummy, maw and gulf"

"Harry!" gasped Hermione as the music took a definite turn to an even more sinister tone, "Harry look at the teachers!" She pointed worriedly up at the staff table. Harry looked from Hermione and toward the professors.

Snape had stopped looking vindictive and was sitting quite as still as before, but with a smile on his face, his hands rested neatly on his legs. Flitwick had stopped bouncing along with the music and was sitting and staring exactly the way Snape was. McGonagall's smile had gotten wider, and Hagrid's hands were not drumming anymore. In fact, all the teachers seemed to be in the same position, except for one. Dumbledore, who was sitting in the middle of the long table, was slowly looking at each professor in worry. He waved his hand in from of Professor McGonagall's face, who did not react in the least whatsoever. Celestina, however, was still singing.

"Double, Double, toil and trouble

Fire burn and cauldron bubble!"

Harry wasn't listening to the music anymore. In fact, more than half of the entire Great Hall were looking at the professors, pointing and whispering anxiously. One Ravenclaw called out "Professor Flitwick!" but was silenced immediately by a wave of fellow students and Celestina's piercing glare at being interrupted. She didn't even turn around to see why the student had called out. It was like she knew what was happening, like she was causing what was happening!

Harry stood up quickly. "Professor Dumbledore!" he called. He too was badgered to be quiet, but he refused, wrenching out of the grips of some students who were trying to pull him back down into his seat. He started to walk towards the staff table.

"Double, Double, toil and trouble

Fire burn and cauldron bubble

Double, Double, toil and trouble

Fire burn and cauldron bubble!"

"Dumbledore!" Harry called desperately, ignoring the stares being thrown at him and Celestina's voice, growing louder and louder to try and block him out. Nearly every eye in the hall was looking at him. Some die-hard Celestina fans were still rapt with attention, listeing to her. "DUMBLEDORE!" he positively shouted as he broke into a run. "DUMBLEDORE! DUMBLEDORE!"

Celestina looked sharply behind her at Professor Dumbledore, who had stood up and raised his hand at her, but was now rigid as a board with a smile on his face. She turned back around to finish her song as Dumbledore fell back into his chair.

"Something wicked this way comes!"