October 31, 1994:

Harry found that after two hours, the loud rock music played by a band called Merlin's Head was starting to grate on his already raw nerves. As he had told Katie, Halloween was always miserable for him, ever since he had learned it was the anniversary of his mother's and James' deaths, he had always felt a hollow bitter feeling in the pit of his stomach, for what had been lost and what might have been. He tried to enjoy himself, but even the magnificent feast the house elves had provided, loaded with sugary sweets and fried foods, did little to cheer him up.

Beside him, Ron gorged himself upon fried chicken and mashed potatoes with gravy, ham with applesauce, and tons of sweets, plus a pitcher of pumpkin juice. Lately Harry had noticed that Ron was ravenous, and if he didn't know better, he would have worried that his friend had tapeworm, the way he put food away. But Ron had already grown an inch since the summer and seemed intent upon growing another two before the year ended.  Harry sometimes envied his friend his height and his happy-go-lucky attitude.

On Ron's other side, Hermione nibbled upon some ginger cake and read a book called Surprisingly True Spooky Stories while sipping a cup of Bloody Fruit Punch.

Harry ate sparingly of the crunchy chicken and potatoes and wished he felt more like the other students around him, all of whom were chatting and laughing, dancing and having a good time. Draco was having a discussion with Blaise over at the Slytherin table and suddenly he felt stifled and too hot.  He needed air, needed to get away from the press of people.  He pushed back his chair and stood up.

Katie, who had been talking to another of her yearmates two spots down the table, noticed Harry's sudden departure and followed.  She knew he shouldn't be alone on this night, it was the shortest night of the year, known on the Celtic calendar as Samhain, and all the maleficent creatures roamed at will from dusk till dawn.  Hogwarts, because of its background and magical aura, frequently attracted dark spawn, and Katie feared that in his current depressed state, Harry wouldn't be able to defend himself.  Plus, she knew he needed someone to talk to, and she had promised him a walk beside the lake to test out her summoning potion.

She quickly located her boyfriend, he was walking with his head down and his hands tucked into his sleeves, down the path towards the lake.  It was just twilight, and the sky was a deep midnight blue tinted with a purple haze, and the first stars had just appeared beside the pallid moon.  It was chilly, she clutched her robe closer to her, glad she had not listened to Angelina and worn her lightweight sparkly shirt, she would have been frozen in such an outfit out here.  Instead she had a fluffy orange and black pullover with a black cat and a cauldron upon it paired with a sensible black wool skirt and leather boots. 

"Hey," she called softly, running to catch up.

He turned and gave her a sort of wan smile. "Hey, yourself. How come you're out here?"

"Figured you needed me," she answered.

"I just . . .couldn't stand it in there anymore. But you don't have to leave the party, Katie," he said, feeling guilty he had pulled her from the festivities.

"I'd rather be out here with you, under the stars," she said quickly.  "It was getting stuffy in there." She took his hand, it felt cold in her own.  "Come on, let's go to the lake. I've got a potion to test."

"Right," he liked her holding his hand, her fingers warmed him to the core, and just knowing she was beside him helped him chase away the doldrums. 

They reached the lake and stood staring out over the water for a few minutes.  Small ripples ruffled the placid water and the wind hissed and moaned through the trees like a clichéd adaptation of a Hitchcock horror film. 

Shivering slightly, Katie removed the vial of potion from her pocket and carefully unstoppered it. "Okay. Here goes.  Hopefully, the grindylow won't be too mad at being summoned here tonight."

"And if it is, I know how to get rid of it," Harry said, his wand out. Lupin had taught them how to defeat grindylows their third year.

Katie tossed the potion into the water with a quick flick of her wrist.

The elixir glowed an icy aqua as it arced across the water and landed in the lake.

Then the water began to glow and swirl, spinning around and around in a giant vortex.

Harry and Katie watched, rapt, as the water swirled and then a large black head thrust through the surface, snorting sharply.

It was followed by a long thick black mane and a body gleaming like polished satin, shimmering with ebony scales.  The horse-like creature had four hooves and a long tail and its eyes were the color of a banked fire, a smoky crimson.

Harry gasped and Katie stumbled backwards in astonishment.

"Harry! That's not a grindylow! The potion was only meant to summon a grindylow. I don't understand."

"Uh, Katie, just what is that creature?"

The water horse turned his head and stared directly at Harry. "I am a kelpie, sometimes known as a water horse." He stamped his hooves upon the earth and shrilled.  "Why did you summon me, girl?"

"I . . .I didn't.  How did you come here instead?" Katie asked.

The kelpie snorted.  "I was called from my rather pleasant rest in my home beneath the waves by your potion. And now you tell me it was a mistake?" The crimson eyes glittered angrily.  "Fool child, playing about with things you don't understand! All of you mortals are the same, reckless and foolish and bound to come to a short undignified end."

"I'm sorry," Katie said contritely.  "I didn't mean to disturb you. You can return to your home now."

The kelpie squealed angrily.  "Sorry? Mortal child, I don't need an apology. I need satisfaction.  Mistaken or not, you have summoned me." The kelpie drew nearer, and the satin coat gleamed wetly and he shook himself all over, unmindful of the chill. "Know you not the penalties for summoning a creature of faerie without the proper rituals?"

"You don't understand.  All I did was make a potion, it was supposed to summon a grindylow, not you!" Katie said, suddenly feeling terrified. The kelpie was beautiful, in an eerie otherworldly fashion, his coat shimmered in the moonlight as the water streamed off of him.

The water horse reared, stamping both hooves down until water arced and splashed over both teenagers, soaking them to the skin.  His crimson eyes burned with a strange seductive fire and he turned and looked directly into Katie's blue eyes.

A shudder went through her then, and she felt a strange urging to ride the kelpie through the waves. 

"It matters not," the kelpie said dismissively.  "Intent and deed are one and the same to me, especially on this night of all nights." He snorted, his breath hanging in crystalline streams in the air. 

"Why can't you just chalk it up to a mistake and go back where you came from?" Harry demanded, getting irritated at the fae creature's attitude.

The kelpie swung his head and blew sharply, spattering Harry's glasses with droplets.  "Because I don't wish to, boy.  Since the little sorceress has summoned me without safeguards, it is my choice whether to stay or go, and also my choice to demand recompense for my inconvenience."

Harry dragged off his glasses and rubbed them on the inside of his robe.  "Inconvenience? What are you talking about?"

The horse gave a short whinny, it sounded mocking even to Harry's ears.  "I do not like being summoned to the mortal realm without a good reason, I am no minor imp or garden fairy.  Therefore, I am annoyed and only one thing shall relieve my annoyance with you and yours, little child."

The kelpie abruptly shifted his gaze to Katie and exhaled very softly.  A soft mist smelling strongly of salt and oddly of flowers wafted over her and she felt herself start to drift.

"Come, little magus, do you not want to take a ride upon my back? I shall carry you wherever you wish to go, at a speed you have only dreamed," the water horse crooned, his voice a soft sweet rasp. 

Katie swayed, reaching out a hand to steady herself.

Quick as a flash, the kelpie thrust his head beneath her hand and she touched him.

The kelpie was like silk and a jolt went through her. There was a soundless thunder and Katie gasped, her eyes unfocused and filled with the desire to mount and ride the magnificent black stallion. 

"Come, little girl, and I shall take you on a ride beyond your wildest dreams." The kelpie sang, his voice rich and musical, weaving an age old spell, luring the innocent young maid onto his back.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing?" Harry cried, glaring at the water horse, who had a sly smug expression upon his face. 

"Taking what I am owed," laughed the kelpie.

Harry spun upon Katie and grabbed her shoulder.  "Katie! Katie, listen to me. He's enchanted you, don't listen to him. Don't!"

But she did not appear to hear him.  She jerked free of his hold and walked into the water as if in a trance. 

"Stop! Katie, stop!"

The kelpie moved then, like a swirl of liquid lightning, he appeared at Katie's side. She placed a hand upon his back and then she was astride him, her hands twining in his thick mane, which was braided with seaweed and shells and three glittering scales.  "Now, my sweet magus, we shall visit my home beneath the water."

"NO!" Harry screamed, drawing his wand. "Leave her alone!"

The kelpie swung about, water frothing over his hooves.  "Are you challenging me, little wizard?"

"You bet your scaly horse's arse I am!" Harry snapped, and for some reason, he reached under his shirt and drew forth his Amulet of Inheritance.  The amulet glowed with a soft blue light, protecting its heir from the beguiling wiles of the sly water horse. 

The kelpie half-reared and tossed his head.  "So! You are one of the Seelie Court, are you?"

Harry nodded tightly. "I'm the Heir Apparent to Prince Manor."

"Old blood, youngling.  You come from an illustrious heritage."

"Yeah, and I want my girlfriend back. You have no right to take her away, Unseelie monster!" Harry's eyes were burning with a cold reckless fire.

The kelpie laughed.  "I? Unseelie? Young wizard, I am neither Dark Court nor Light, but go my own way.  I serve no master save myself.  And right now it pleases me to have a young maid upon my back." There was a wistful note in the fae horse's voice. "It has been centuries since a comely girl has ridden with me beneath the waves."

"Find someone else then," Harry growled. "She's taken."

"Aye, little wizard, she is.  By me.  But I am feeling generous this night and I shall offer you a bargain.  I shall take her with me beneath this lake, there are mer people here, who were once allies of my kind, and who are holding a banquet and feast.  I shall hide the girl somewhere beneath the water and it shall be your task to find her before midnight.  If you do, you may take her back.  If not, she belongs to me for the rest of her days."

"But that's . . .that's insane! You can't take her into the lake! She'll die! She can't breathe water."

The kelpie snorted mockingly.  "While she remains upon my back, the water shall be as air to her.  Be warned.  Try and remove her without my consent or kill me and my protection over her will end.  Well, little fae wizard? Are we agreed?"

Harry turned and gazed at Katie, who wore a smile of adoration upon her face. "Katie, get off him! Come back here, please!"

But she remained deaf to his entreaty, wholly under the water horse's spell.

"Time grows short, boy. I am not possessed of endless patience. What is your answer?"

Harry looked into the kelpie's eyes and said, softly, "All right, I agree. But if I find you before midnight, you agree to let us all go and not do anything to harm or prevent us from leaving by any means."

"Done!" the kelpie trumpeted. He reared up on his hindlegs, standing over seven feet in height, power and grace and magic incarnate. 

Then he spun on his hocks and leaped out into the water, Katie clinging to his back. They disappeared beneath the water with barely a ripple to mark their passing.

Harry stood on the shore and cursed softly.  Then he turned and ran up towards the castle at a dead run.  Dad, have to find Dad.  He's the only one who can help me fix this mess. 

Both Smidgen and Phil were absent from Hogwarts on this night. Smidgen had returned to the Seelie Court to make her weekly report to Titania, as she kept the queen informed about pertinent doings in the mortal realm.  And Phil had gone to the small cottage near Cornwall to be with his family, for Halloween was a sacred holiday among the vampires and Severus had assured him they would manage without him for one night.

Little did he know the mishap his son and his intern would be getting into.

Harry lowered his head and ran faster, his wet sneakers slipping on the grass.

* * * * * *

Severus Snape would have told anyone if they had dared to ask him that Halloween was his least favorite holiday.  It had pride of place as the worst memory of his life, as a matter of fact.  For that was the night that his beloved Lily had left him forever, going to dwell beyond the Veil in heaven, sacrificing herself for her child.  Severus had gotten there too late to stop her from being killed, all he had been able to do was to clutch her lifeless body close and tell her that he had always loved her and cry, the hopeless tears of a shattered heart. 

That image, the image of her beautiful face forever still in eternal repose, the light gone from her emerald eyes, was engraved upon his mind, never to be forgotten. Even now, years later, he only had to close his eyes and he could see it over and over again.  Sitting at the staff table, pretending to enjoy the ostentatious feast the Headmaster was so fond of giving, Severus longed to simply curl up in a corner with a Sleeping Draught and pretend Halloween were over. 

The cacophony of loud music and children's voices, laughing and screaming, grated upon his sensitive ear drums, making his head throb.  He had barely touched his dinner, his stomach would not have tolerated the greasy rich food that was being served.  He never ate much on Halloween anyway.  He sipped disinterestedly at a cup of Black Bohea tea, his eyes hooded, showing nothing of the pain he felt.

He scanned the room, seeing Draco dancing with Hermione.  He hid a smile.  Odd as that couple was, somehow they fit together. As he and Lily had, so long ago.  He then looked for his other son and his girl, but could not find them anywhere in the hall. Frowning, he stood up.  Where had they gone? He prayed they were not doing something impulsive and reckless-such as flying in the moonlight or, Merlin forbid, making out in some private place outside the castle.

He set down his tea cup and walked out onto the floor, the students dancing parted for him like he was Moses, scattering from his path so quickly they nearly tripped and fell.  Only Draco and Hermione remained where they were, unperturbed by the Potion Master's appearance. 

Severus tapped Draco on the shoulder.  "Draco, where's your brother?"

Draco looked up.  "Uh, I don't know. Last I saw he was headed somewhere with Katie.  Why?"

"I need to speak with him." Severus replied.  "I will see you later. Try not to gorge yourself sick on sweets and don't stay up too late."

"Yes, sir," Draco rolled his eyes at the typical parental litany. Then he turned back to dancing with Hermione, who was smiling in amusement.

"What's so funny, Mione?"

"He sounds so much like my dad."

"Oh." Draco shook his head.  "Guess it come with the territory."

Severus continued on through the double doors and into the Entrance Hall.  He prayed the two Gryffindors had just stepped outside for a breath of fresh air, not an illicit romp in the moonlight.  He was just about to go outside when the door to the castle burst open and a disheveled dripping wet Harry came in.

"Dad!" he cried, panting.

"Harry, what happened? Why are you all wet?" Severus reached out and took his son by the shoulders.

"It's . . .from the kelpie.  Dad, you've got to help me!" He looked up at Severus with wide frightened eyes, like a little child waking from a nightmare, desperate and needing comfort.  He clutched Severus's hands and said, all in a rush, "Please, Dad, I've got to save her.  The kelpie's stolen Katie away!"