Selene looked at herself in the mirror one last time to make sure she looked alright. Her costume was amazing! The outfit consisted of a black tunic with a light black cloak. It also came with a fake dagger that hung on her belt and a bow and arrow(s). She even got to wear big leather boots!           

“Sel, come on its time to go!” Ron shouted from outside the door.           

 “I’m coming!” Selene grabbed her cloak and ran to catch up with her friends.           

 “Lets go. Gramma expects us to be there at 5:10.” Hermione said as she finished putting on her whiskers.           

“Why?” Ron asked.           

“I told her floo powder was fast.” Hermione shrugged and opened the door. “Are Draco and Blaise meeting us at the office?”           

“Last I heard.”Sel said while helping Ron finish tieing his mummy tie.           

“Whats the password?” Ron asked.           

“Reeses pieces.” Selene said as they came to the gargoyle.           

Hermione, completely exited now, ran up the stairs and knocked on the headmasters door.           

“Come in Miss Granger.” Dumbledore said kindly.           

The kids entered to find the Slytherins already there.           

“Now, after you all have your fun Professor Snape will be bringing  you to his home in London. Tomorrow he will bring you all back. Any questions?”           

“No sir.” The children answered.           

“Very well. Off you go.”           

Severus stepped forward and handded the children their floo powder.           

Hermione stepped forward first. “Aggie Granger’s Home!” then she was gone.           

Selene watched as each of her friends followed Hermione and dissapeared.           

“You next Selene.” Dumbledore said when she was the last to go.           

Selene turned to face her Professors. “Thank you sirs. For everything.” Then she too left for Mrs. Granger’s home.

********              

Selene fell out of the fireplace with a loud thump!           

“And this must be young Selene.” An elderly woman stood before her. She was short and thin with short round curly dirty blonde hair with some silver hairs here and there. Aggie Granger had to be in her seventies but she seemed to be full of life. Age  definitely was on her side.           

 “Hello Mrs. Granger. Thank you for having us.” Selene stood and shook the woman’s hand.           

“Oh think nothing of it deary.” Aggie pulled Selene into a firm hug. “And please call me Aggie.”           

Selene smiled. She definitley liked this woman!           

Severus suddenly appeard in all his glory. And without missing a step walked out of the fireplace.           

“Grandma,” Hermione said smileing. “This is my Potions teacher Professor Severus Snape.”           

Aggie smiled and held out her hand. “Welcome Professor. And I must say thank you for letting my granddaughter and her friends come to my little party. I’ve missed Hermione terribly.”           

Severus bowed his head as he shook her hand. “It is no trouble Mrs. Granger.”           

“Please call me Aggie, everyone does.” Aggie turned and smiled at her guests. “I’m afraid you’re the first to arrive. Everyone else will be here shortly though so do not fret. Would any of you like some punch?”           

 “Yes please Ma’am.” Draco and Ron said together.           

 Aggie smiled and led the children to her kitchen where all the food and drinks were. “Just take whatever you like dears. There’s more than enough.”           

Sel laughed. “Be careful Mrs. Granger. Ron might just eat more than you think.”           

Ron glared though a smirk threatened to appear.           

Draco laughed and clapped Sel on the shoulder.           

“Grandma!” a new voice shouted.           

“Sophie! How’s my little angel?” Aggie smiled and hugged her youngest granddaughter.           

“Hermy!” The 6 year old wiggled out of her grandmother’s hold and ran over to her cousin.           

“Hi, Sophie!” Hermione hugged her cousin tightly.           

“How you?” Sophie asked quickly.           

“I’m good.” Hermione laughed.           

Sophie looked over to Hermione’s friends. “Who you guys?”           

Selene smiled and knelt down so she was at eye level with the small child. “I’m Sel, who are you?”           

“I’m Sophie Williams. I’m six years old.” She held up her fingers to prove it.           

“Wow. You almost grown up, aren’t you?”           

“Yeah!” Sophie laughed.           

Draco came to stand beside Selene. “Hi Sophie. I’m Draco.”           

“Hello.”           

Hermione pointed to Blaise and Ron. “These are my other friends Ron and Blaise. "Guys this is my cousin Sophie.”           

“Hi Sophie!” they said in unison.           

Sophie laughed again and clapped her hands.           

“Hello Hermione.” Another girl, older than they by a few years, stood in the doorway. She eyed them silently for a moment before breaking into a grin. “I’ve missed you cousin.”           

“Jessie!” Hermione raced over to her cousin and embraced her.           

“Now the party can really get started.” Aggie smiled and led the adults to the parlor for coffee, leaving the kids to do what they wished until they could go trick or treating.           

“So how are you?” Jessie asked as they all sat down on the grass in the back yard.           

“I’m fine.” Hermione turned to her friends. “This is Sophie’s sister Jessie.”           

“Hi, Jessie.” Selene shook the older girls hand.           

“Hi. I’m glad to meet you all. Hermione couldn’t stop talking about you all last summer. The way I hear things you guys are pretty good friends to have around.”           

Blaise smirked. “Thanks.”           

Jessie sighed and sat back. “So are we going to do the same thing we did last year or are we doing something different?”           

 “I don’t see why not. But my friends might not know any rhymes.”           

“Rhymes?” Ron asked.           

“Yeah scary stories or rhymes. That’s what we do while we wait to go out.” Hermione told them.           

Selene smirked. “Why don’t you two start and if we know one we’ll go?”           

Jessie smiled. “That sounds good. Do you want to go first Herm?”           

“Sure.” Hermione was silent for a moment. “Oh! I know one,” she took a deep breath.

‘One, two, Freddie’s comeing for you. Three, four better lock your door. Five, six wear a crucifix. Seven, eight run don’t wait. Nine, ten never sleep again.”           

“I’ve never heard that before.” Draco said.           

“Never?” Jessie didn’t believe it.           

“Its a rhyme thats in a horror flim. Freddie was a guy/monster who killed people. Mostly kids.” Hermione explained.           

“Oh.” Draco still didn’t get it. ‘What was a film?’           

Jessie smiled. “I know one:

“Beware the stare of Mary Shaw, She had no children only dolls.If you should see her in your dreams, be sure to never ever scream.Or she’ll rip your tounge out at the seam.”           

“What was that?” Draco asked Sel quietly.           

“Another Horror film. That one was about a woman who was a ventriloquist. She got her tongue cut out because a boy disapeared and they thought she did it. So the story goes that she became a vengeful spirit and would haunt people’s dreams. And if you screamd she’d rip your tongue out.” Selene whispered back.           

“Gross.Muggles are nasty.” Draco shuddered.           

Sel smirked. “I know one.”           

“You do?” Hermione asked surprised.           

“Yeah. When I was younger Dudley told me it. He was trying to scare me.” Selene took in a breath.

“Can’t even shout, can’t even cry.The Gentlemen are comeing by.Looking in windows,knocking on doors.They need to take seven and they might take yours.Can’t call to mom, can’t say a word.You’re gonna die screaming, but you won’t be heard.”

“And your cousin told you that one?” Blaise asked.           

“Yeah. A brother of one of his friends told him and he told me.” Selene didn’t go into specifics.           

“Wow.” Ron wondered why Muggles came up with this stuff.           

Jessie sighed. “How about a real horror story?”           

“Sure. You know one?” Draco asked.           

“Yeah. It’s called…”           

“Hermy!!!!” Sophie ran outside and hid.           

“Sophie whats wrong?”           

“There’s a vampire here!”           

Selene burst out laughing.           

“Whats so funny?” Ron asked.           

“I…I bet… you anything…t..that she means SNAPE!” Selene burst out laughing again.           

The other kids laughed too.           

“Sophie, are you taking about tha man in black?” Hermione asked between laughs.           

Sophie nodded while lookin frightened.           

Sel stood up. “Come with me.” She held out her hand. “I’ll be right back guys.” Sel then led Sophie back into the house.           

“Professor, may I speak with you for a moment?”           

Severus looked up from where he was seated and stood. “Is there a problem Miss Potter?”           

“Sort of.” Selene pointed to the small girl hiding behind her legs. “Young Sophie here thinks you’re a vampire.”           

Severus raised an eyebrow.            

“Would you mind reassuring her that you are not?”           

Severus sighed. He knelt down so he was at eye level with Sophie and said. “So, you think I’m a vampire.”           

Sophie nodded and tried to stay behind Selene.           

“Well as Miss Potter here has told you, I am not.”           

“But you look like one. And you’re dressed in black.” Sophie said quietly.           

“But I walk around during the daytime.” Severus pointed out.           

“True.”           

“And as you can see I haven’t any fangs. See.” Severus smiled which forced Sel to giggle. Severus never smiled.           

Severus shot her a look that clearly said, ‘you’ll pay.’           

Still smirking Sel turned to Sophie. “See, he’s no vampire. This is just for Halloween. If he wants to he can pretend to be a vampire.”           

Sophie nodded her head eagerly. “Yeah! And you’d scare all the kids.” She giggled.           

Selene nodded. ‘Is this what I would have been like when I was her age?’ Sel couldn’t help feeling envious of Sophie. She had nothing to worry about. She had loving parents, a grandmother, a cousin who loved her and an older sister. She had everything Sel didn’t and most likely never would have.           

Severus saw Selene’s change in demeanor. “Are you alright, Selene?”           

Sel shook her head as if to clear it. “Yeah I’m fine. Thanks.” She smiled at Sophie. “Are you feeling better now?”           

“Yes. Thank you, Selly.” Sophie hugged Sel tightly.           

“Your welcome.” Sel hugged the child back. ‘Hopefully you’ll never know a life of pain.’ Sel saw that Aggie was watching them and told Sophie she should go tell Aggie she doesn’t have a vamp in her house.           

“Ok.” Sophie ran over to her grandma to tell her the news.           

“Selene, are you sure you are alright?”           

“Yeah Severus. I’m fine.” She lied. “I’ll be in the back if you need me.” She then turned and headed out to see what the other kids were up too.           

“She thought Professor Snape was a vampire?” Blaise asked smirking.           

“Yep.” Sel sat on the grass.           

“Figures.” Ron said while shaking his head. “So what happened?”           

“I just told her Severus wasn’t and asked him to prove it.”           

“A-huh.” The students burst out laughing again.           

“So Jessie,” Hermione said once she was calm. “What was the story you wanted to tell us?”           

Jessie smirked. “The story of Bloody Mary.”           

Selene and Hermione froze. They knew the story of Bloody Mary. Most muggle’s did.           

“Whose Bloody Mary?” Ron asked.           

“Whose Bloody Mary?” Jessie’s eyes widened. “You don’t know who she is?”           

The boys shook their heads.           

Sel leaned back. “Go ahead Jessie. Tell them.”           

“You know this story?” Draco asked.           

“Most girls do.” Sel smirked. She remebered how girls would often dare each other to go into the bathroom and say Bloody Mary in the mirror.           

“Alright then;“

50 years ago a girl your age, Mary Worth, became known world wide as Bloody Mary. There are many  interpretations of this story. But this is the real one.           

“According to the newspapers, Henry Worth tried to kill his youngest daughter, Mary. No one knows why he did it, only that while the police were arresting him he ran into the street shouting that he’d sired a demon and his family would suffer. Two months later he killed himself. Mary and her family wanted to distance themselves from this and moved as far as they could.           

“For a year the family seemed to be fine. But then things began to happen.” Jessie eyed the kids. “As time went on the people in the vilage they now lived in were seeing less and less of the Worth family. Until finally they didn’t go to town at all. For reasons unknown the Worth’s never left their house. Then the Worth Fire happened.           

 “A passerby said that the house just seemed to all of a sudden burt into flames. Nothing and no one could have survived. Yet they did. It is said that Sarah Worth, Mary’s mother, came running out of the house on fire screaming ‘She’s not human! She’s not human!’ Mary came out dragging her older sister out of the house completley unharmed. Neither girl was hurt. But for some unknown reason Mary was covered in blood that wasn’t her own. And she didn’t seem to care. To this day no one knows whose blood it was. It wasn’t Mary’s, or Sarah’s or even Charlotte’s, her sister.           

“When the fire was finally put out the house was black and rotten. It smelled of death. However, somehow Mary’s room was untouched. Her roomwas covered with mirror’s.           

“Sarah was sent to an Insane Asylum and Mary went to live with her father’s brother. While in the asylum Sarah died. The report said she’d killed herself, but the story leads others to believe Mary somehow killed her.”           

“How?” Blaise asked.           

Jessie smiled. “After her father’s arrest rumors began to circle Mary. Rumors like Mary being able to see and do things. People claimed that was why she had all those mirriors. They said she could see and kill anyone. It’s said that her father had hurt her in ways that forever scarred her and made her vow to get revenge on anyone with Darkness within them. So they couldn’t hurt another soul ever again.           

“Another rumor was that she’d talk to herself in the mirror. Some people who knew her said she lost her mind when her sister abandoned her and called her Bloody Mary.” Jessie eyed the students before her. “It is because of this that it is said that if you look into a mirror and call out her name three times you can summon her vengeful spirit. And if she’s darkness in your soul…she’ll kill you. But if there isn’t any darkness within you…she’ll kill the one whose hurt you the most.”           

Everyone was silent.           

“Having fun children?” Aggie and Severus were standing in the doorway.           

“Oh yeah.” The kids smirked.           

“Well children its time to start ToT.              

“YAY!” Everyone stood and raced into the house. This was going to be GREAT!

**********             

“Thank you for having us over Mrs. Granger.” Selene said as the kids prepared to leave two hours later. It was 10:oo now and they were all exhausted.           

“It was no trouble dear. “I enjoyed having you all.” Aggie hugged each child.           

“Are you all ready now?” Snape asked.           

“Yes sir.” Selene took the floo powder and steped into the fireplace.           

“Just say, Severus Snape’s Home at Spinner’s End.” Severus instructed.           

Selene nodded. “Bye Mrs. Granger.” She took in a deep breath. “Severus Snape’s Home at Spinner’s End.” Then she was gone.           

Once all the children had followed Severus turned to the older woman. “Thank you for your hospitality Mrs. Granger. The children enjoyed it immensely.”           

“I’m glad to hear it.” Aggie sighed. “You have good students Professor. You must be a good teacher.”           

Severus shifted, uncomfortable. “I hope so, Madam.”           

Aggie smiled knowingly. “You know…If you care about Miss Selene so much you really should to let her know.”           

Severus stiffened.           

“I’m old Professor not blind.” Aggie laughed. “Never fear though, your secret is safe with me.” She patted the Potions master’s arm gently. “Good night Professor, it was a pleasure meeting you.”           

Severus nodded. “Likewise, Mrs. Granger.” He spun on the spot vanishing instantly.            

 “Happy Halloween.” Aggie smiled and went to go tuck Sophie into her bed.            

*********** 

Selene lay awake trying hard not to think about the story Hermione’s cousin had told them.           

“You alright?” Draco asked from beside her.           

Sel turned in her sleeping bag and said, “Yeah.”           

“Thinking about that story?”           

“No.”           

“Liar.”           

“Ok, ok I was. But its just a story.” Sel tried to convince herself.           

“Based on true facts.” Hermione sat up. “I went online while we were at my Grandma’s house and a lot of the story was true.”           

“Such as?” Blaise asked without openeing his eyes.            

“Such as Henry Worth hurting his daughter. It turns out that Charlotte, who was 18 when her father died, was pressing charges on him for assault.”           

No one said a word.           

“Also I found a report,”           

“How?” Rona asked.           

“The internet is a wonderful thing.” Selene said while motioning for Hermione to continue.           

“Anyway it said that Mr. Worth was alone in his cell when all of a sudden he starts screaming, begging for mercy and saying he’s sorry.”           

“So what happened?” Draco asked.           

“He died.”           

“Just like that?”           

“Yeah, his heart burst.”           

“What a way to go.” Ron said while making a face.           

“I also found out that her mother was well known for being a Lady of the Night. Which was frowned on. To Mary that could have been a darkness.”           

“But Sarah did suicide.” Blaise pointed out as he sat up.           

“The report claimed she did. No one actually knows how she died.”           

“What do you mean?” Sel asked.           

“I mean unless  she  was sick or something, which she was not, there no reason for her to die the way she did. She died the exact some way her husband did. Her heart…” Hermione couldn’t bring herself to finish.           

“What happened to the sister?” Selene asked.           

“She left Mary with their uncle. The article I was reading said that she said she never wanted to see her again. She called Mary a freak, evil and…Bloody Mary.” Hermione sighed. “So she went to live with their father’s brother who was worse than their father. Mary, if it was even Mary killing all these people, didn’t spare him the way she did her father.”           

“What happened?” Draco asked.           

“They said a bear or mountain lion somehow got into his room.”           

The kids gulped.           

“Anyway, Charlotte blamed everything on Mary and put her in a home. As the years went on more and more people started to die until finally someone killed her when she was seventeen. You don’t even want to know what the details. All I can say is Bloody Mary was now a perfect name for her.”           

“What happened to Charlotte?”           

“She died a month later, along with her husband.”           

“Who killed Mary?” Ron asked.           

“No one knows. They blamed it on suicide. They said she’d seen so much death she was unstable and took her own life. No one wanted to believe otherwise so they just accepted it.”           

Sel sighed, she felt sad for Mary. “I think that’s one of our greatest flaws. If we don’t understand something or someone is different we just push it aside or find the easy way out. Eventually forgetting about it.”           

They all agreed.           

“I dare you.” Draco said suddenly.           

“What?”            

“I dare you to go say her name three times.”           

“No way.” Sel lay back down.           

“I thought you werent’ scared.” Draco smirked.           

“Look at it this way Draco, a year ago I didn’t even know magic was real, and it is. How do I know she isn’t?”           

Draco raised an eyebrow. “I dare you.”           

“Draco,”           

“Double dog dare you.” Ron said.           

Sel sighed. Everyone was watching her. “Fine.”

“Sel,” Hermione began.

“It’s fine Hermione. I’ll do it.” Taking a deep breath Selene stood and crept toward the stairs. Unfortunatley the bathroom was upsatairs. ‘You can do this. You can do this.’ Swallowing she quietly went upi the stairs. Praying Severus was asleep.

Creak!           

Sel froze and prayed no one heard that.           

“Keep going.” Blaise said.           

With a sick feeling in her stomach, Sel continued up the stairs. ‘I’m almost there.’ Once she reached the last step she sighed in  semi-relief. The hall was completely dark. She couldn’t see a thing. Speedily she practically ran to the bathroom and shut the door. “Ok. Now’s the hard part. Oh joy.” Closing her eyes she turned to face the mirror which was lit up by moonlight from the window across from it. ‘You can do this. You can do this. You can do this!’ “Bloody Mary.”           

A branch hit the window making it screech a little.           

Biting her lip Sel said again. “Bloody Mary.”           

The wind seemed to pick up momentum.           

Selene looked herself in the eye. “Bloody Mary.”           

The mirror remained blank. Accept for Selene’s reflection. “Oh god.” Sel sighed in relief. “Face it Selly, you’re loosing what little sanity you have.” She looked back and froze.            

Staring back at her wasn’t her reflection, but someone else’s. a girl with black eyes and black hair. Her face was veiny and smeared with blood. As was her shirt. It was Bloody Mary!           

“AWW!” Selene opened the door and ran strait into Severus.           

“What in Merlin’s name is going on?!”           

“In the mirror! No lie!” Sel gripped him hard not wanting to look back.           

“You saw her?!” Ron and the others had raced upsatirs when they’d heard her scream.           

Sel nodded.           

“Saw who? What are you all still doing up? I told you,” Severus was in a very bad mood now.           

“We dared Sel to say Bloody Mary.” Draco said sadly.           

“She didn’t want to but we made her.” Hermione added.           

Severus sighed. “Stay here.” He went into the bathroom with his wand out at the ready. “There is nothing in the Mirror Selene.” Severus came back out. “All of you are to go to sleep you are not to tell any more stories, talk or walk around. You are to go to sleep.” Severus eyed his students. “Understood?”           

“Yes sir.” They all ran back to there sleeping bags not in a hurry to anger their sleep deprived Professor.”