Harry Potter's Chaotic Twin (Ch 5)

It's been two weeks since Clarity has transferred to our school, and it's been fun. Dudley tried a few more times to get close to Clarity, but she would revert to what I'm calling her 'Ice Queen mode’ whenever she bothered to pay attention to him. It wasn't just with Dudley, though he did get the worst of it. She would go Ice Queen whenever she interacted with anyone who wasn't me or Harry. Mainly because the other kids are a bunch of suck ups because her dad has a good job.

The three of us have gotten pretty close due to our shared experiences with bullies and have spent a decent amount of time bonding on how we’ve dealt with them. After trading a few tricks and teaming up to make their lives more difficult, the Vapids have even begun to leave us alone at school! Though that might also have something to do with angering Clarity’s father. She’s a good friend.

But now it is time for one of the most vaunted holidays across the world.

Halloween.

A time of the year where children of all ages are left to their own supervision and given free reign to wander the town in order to harass random people for candy. And woe to those who try to get away with giving these children ‘healthy alternatives’, for they will undoubtedly find themselves stranded upon the darker path of 'trick-or-treat'.

Oooor that's what we've heard, at least. Me and Harry haven't actually gone trick-or-treating on Halloween before. The Dursleys kept going on about how they aren't going to give us any chance to do our ‘misdeeds’ and get away with them. Usually we'll just be forced to sit in our cupboard the whole day, then the next be forced to watch Dudley put his best efforts into trying to make himself explode by eating a few pounds of candy in a single sitting. It’s completely baffling that he hasn’t had to be admitted to a hospital yet.

Anyways, this year is different. It's different due to a single thing Harry and I have never had before. A friend! Although I did have Mewotzer, but he always made sure that nobody saw him. Something about needing to train himself in secret for the final climactic battle. Whatever that meant.

Clarity wanted to go trick-or-treating with us, and Vernon's desire for connections apparently outweighed his desire to make our lives miserable. He cut some eyes out of a couple of old bed sheets he was going to throw away so that we could have a pair of costumes to use. Well, he actually made us cut the eyes out and forbid us from complaining about them because it would make us ‘ungrateful little guttersnipes’. Which, he says that’s what we are anyways, so we’ll still complain about them to Clarity since it won’t change anything.

On the bright side, the ratty-tatty nature of the ‘costumes’ adds to our authenticity when compared to other trick-or-treaters in similar outfits.

A couple hours before sunset, the doorbell rings, and behold, another miracle has graced Privet Drive! Vernon isn't yelling at our twinliness to hide in our cupboard! He can't be sure if whoever is ringing the doorbell is just some kids, or Mr. Insania here to bring his daughter to hang out with us.

Unlike the previous times, Vernon isn’t bombarded with a chorus of “trick or treat” when he pulls open the door, but instead the sight of a man in a fancy suit. Indeed, he beholds Mr. Insania, Clarity’s father! Mr Insania’s suit isn’t just a suit though, it’s accompanied by a short red cape! I think it’s weird, but when he grins at Vernon and shows off his teeth, I see a pair of fake fangs poking out, clueing me in to the fact that he’s supposed to be a vampire. I kind of filter out Vernon's honestly creepy show of pandering, it’s gross. He’s practically broadcasting how desperate he is to get on Mr Insania’s good side, not even bothering to try and avoid looking greedy.

Mr. Insania seems to be the type to get into the holidays going by the depth of detail his costume went into. Meanwhile, Vernon is the complete opposite in his business suit, completely unsuited (ironically) for Halloween. Though I suppose dressing up as a businessman would count as a Halloween costume for a kid, but for an adult it just seems low effort and uninterested.

It’s only once Vernon guides Mr. Insania out of the doorway and into the hallway towards the kitchen that Clarity steps into view, having been hiding behind her father for her dramatic costume reveal. She's dressed in a classic witch outfit; complete with a short black dress, a ragged black cloak, and a large pointy black hat. In her hand she carries a broomstick with a pumpkin bucket hanging off a hook at the end.

Harry and I stand from our sitting position on the stairs and approach her. "Boil and toil," I begin, "double the fubble. Let those of no holiday spirit, be cursed by the holiday siris!" I stumble as I reach her, my legs briefly going unsteady, and she catches me, both of us giggling at the clumsy action. "Sorry about that, I felt weak for a moment. But I'm all good now!" I flex my arms to show off my energy.

She giggles again but still looks at me with a bit of worry in her eyes. "Are you sure? We can stay inside tonight if you need the rest…"

""NO!!"" Me and my twin shout at the same time, causing her to jerk her head back at the burst of noise so close in front of her. Clarity blinks at our twin shout, but simply nods her head without inquiring - enquiring? - further. She knows by now that we don’t talk a lot about what goes on at the house. Well, apart from how Dudley bullies us, since that’s obvious.

"Very well, then if that is the case, would the both of you come with me? We can see who gets the most scared by the decorations people have posted! On the way over here it seemed like someone had turned their front yard and driveway into a maze!" None of us bother saying goodbye to the parents, simply walking out the front door as Clarity continues to talk more about some of the decorations she saw some of the other houses put up.

Once we're out the door I give the Dursley’s house a quick once over. It looks… the same as ever. I guess that's to be expected, the only interest they show in the holiday is when they occasionally check on Dudley and the bowl of old people candy that they have on hand so they aren’t as at much of a risk of suffering pranks from disgruntled trick-or-treaters. But ignoring how utterly dull these people are, it's time for Harry and I's first Halloween adventure!

`~`

Or not.

The houses around the Dursley's are just as boring as theirs, and all their lights are off. A few have even posted signs saying that trespassers will be shot, which is idiotic considering even we know how strict gun laws are, and we’re only ten! Then again, Harry and I have cleaned their houses, so we know that a few of them do have crossbows. But there’s no way they’d be willing to go to prison just because a kid decided to try and get candy from them!

…Probably!

The sole exception to the drab neighborhood is Mrs. Figg, the lonely old lady that watches Harry and me whenever the Dursleys don’t want to deal with us. She has a few pumpkins laid out around her lawn, and I can see that she’s decided to put a witch’s hat on one of her cats, though it’s smaller than the others. My eyes narrow as I catch sight of one other addition it has.

 ...Glasses? I shake my head, dismissing the oddity. Mrs. Figg has always been strange, just not in a fun way. Still, seeing as her house is the only one available we walk up to the front door and knock. It takes a few minutes, but eventually the middle aged woman reaches the door. She's replaced her usual bonnet with one that resembles a spider web, and is wearing a black dress that I think everybody would prefer to reach down below her knees. Actually, her ankles. Her ankles would be better.

The three of us shiver as she blinks at us. "Why, what a surprise! I hardly ever get any visitors, even during Halloween. Usually the only ones to knock on my door this night are little Dudley and his friends, and only on their way back home. Now who might the three of you be?"

She peers at us, as if staring more intensely will allow her to see through our twin sheets or allow her to discern Clarity's name. Clarity takes the lead in replying.

"I am a powerful witch who has come to obtain sacrifices for myself and my ghost companions!" She waves her broom in a circle above her head, the empty pumpkin swinging with the motion. "But fear not, for we consume not the blood of the living but simple sugary treats! Might you have the sacrifices we need?"

Mrs. Figg blinks at her.

I blink at her.

Harry… I'm pretty sure blinks at her. I’m not looking at him so I’m not sure, but he probably is.

I think even the cat blinks at her.

Feeling three (four counting the cat) eyes staring at her in bemusement, Clarity's face slowly turns red. At first it's just a tinge, but soon enough it stretches across her cheeks, and then it reaches her eyes. Before we can see just how far it can progress though, she pulls her hat down to cover her face and turns away. "Um..." she mumbles awkwardly, "trick-or-treat?"

That snaps the three of us out of our stupors, and while Mrs. Figg just chuckles, Harry and I are full blown laughing. Clarity pulls her hat down further and mumbles something we can't quite hear.

"You seem to be having fun tonight dearie." Mrs. Figg chuckles. "Oh, and it seems like you've just started your, um, ‘sacrifice collection.’" She glances around at the other houses and their lack of decorations. "I would hate to think that you wasted your time in this area for nothing, so please oh powerful witch and friends, accept my offerings and spare this neighborhood your wrath. Ah, but do leave some for any other treaters that come by please."

She holds out a large bowl filled with chocolate candy, and Harry and I each grab two handfuls at her prompting. Clarity simply lowers her bag while still covering her face so I grab hers for her.

Seeing as Clarity is too embarrassed to say anything, I take over as spokesperson for our group, playing into Clarity’s previous performance by speaking like ye’ old old person. "We thank ye for thy tithe, and thou hast our word that we shalt bring no harm to those who dwell in yonder homes. But the fate of those who lack of spirit hast already been ordained."

Mrs. Figg looks through the holes in my sheet and sees my green eyes staring back at her and freezes, getting a far off look in her own eyes. I tilt my head curiously and wave a hand in front of her face. Getting no response, I slowly reach for the bucket of candy only for Clarity to slap my hand down and give me a stern look from where she’s peeking out from under the hat’s brim. “No.”

I shrug my shoulders and whistle innocently, turning on my heel and striding away. “Onward! To more sugary treats!”