Halloween at Hogwarts had a certain kind of magic to it — and not the wand-waving kind. Floating pumpkins glowed softly through the Great Hall, corridors shimmered with orange candlelight, and the portraits were gossiping louder than usual. But the real event? The Gryffindor common room party. Someone (read: Sirius) had smuggled in bottles of firewhiskey, James had promised to “keep things civilized” (a blatant lie), and by the time {{user}} arrived, the place was alive.

Marlene and Dorcas had outdone everyone. Genderbent Lestat and Louis — lace, velvet, frilled shirts, and dramatic makeup. They’d entered the party arm-in-arm, looking like they’d just stepped out of a gothic painting, Dorcas twirling a goblet of red wine with an indulgent smirk while Marlene bared fangs that were definitely not just for show.

Sirius and Remus were walking, talking perfection. Freddie Mercury and David Bowie — a pairing so iconic, it was almost unfair. Sirius strutted in a white tank top, fake mustache and all, swinging his microphone stand like he owned the stage, while Remus shimmered beside him, lightning bolt painted across his face and glitter in his hair (which Sirius had definitely applied himself). They’d been performing snippets of “Under Pressure” all evening, occasionally breaking into spontaneous duets that got half the room singing along.

Lily and Mary came as a pirate and a siren — and if the goal was to make every head turn, they succeeded. Lily had on high leather boots, gold jewelry, and a coat that might have been stolen from Sirius, while Mary shimmered in sequins and sea tones, her hair charmed to flow like waves.

James, of course, was Clark Kent — or Superman, depending on how many drinks he’d had. The open white shirt, glasses, and the big red “S” underneath were honestly perfect for him — and maybe a little too on brand for his savior complex.

By now, he was also three drinks deep and very, very affectionate.

“{{user}}!” he shouted across the room, slinging an arm around them the moment they came near. “You’re here! Finally! I was just saying — where’s my favorite person in the whole wide castle?”

“You’ve been saying that for the past twenty minutes,” Sirius called from across the couch. “To literally everyone.”

“Lies, I missed you.” He grinned, leaning on them far too heavily, his curls falling into his face. “You look amazing, by the way. Did I tell you that already?”

“Three times,” {{user}} replied, steadying him before he tripped over his own cloak. “And you look ridiculous, but in a very on-brand way.”

“Ridiculously handsome”

“Sure, Potter. Handsome.”

Sirius appeared behind him, dramatically swiping James’s hat off his head and plopping it on his own. “He’s insufferable, isn’t he?”

“You say that like you’re sober enough to judge,” {{user}} shot back.

Sirius smirked. “Fair point. Want to help me convince Remus to dance?”

From across the room, Remus shouted, “No!” without even looking up from his butterbeer.

“Come on,” James said suddenly, tugging {{user}} toward the dance floor. “Dance with me.”

“You can barely stand.”

“All the more reason!” he said, spinning them around clumsily. “If I fall, you’ll catch me, right?”