The Shrieking Shack was unusually bright that Sunday. Every window was open, sunlight pouring across the floorboards that once creaked beneath the weight of ghosts and legends. Now, the old house had been reborn as the trio's secret workshop—tools, parchment, rune-ink, and bits of copper wire scattered across every surface.
Draco and Hermione had just finished the final enchantments on the massive Muggle television. It hummed softly with stored energy, glowing faintly at the edges where Hermione's stabilizing runes shimmered silver.
"There," Hermione said, stepping back and brushing a stray curl from her forehead. "The runic core is synchronized with the wardstone. It should work perfectly now."
Draco examined the glowing inscriptions on the back panel. "Power stabilization—check. Sound enhancement—check. Image clarity—check. Honestly, I think we've outdone ourselves."
Before Hermione could reply, a pulse of silver light filled the room, and Harry stepped through a portal carrying half a dozen boxes. "Alright," he said breathlessly, setting them down. "Before you ask—yes, I got everything."
He opened the first box to reveal a stack of VHS tapes, the glossy covers reflecting the sunlight. "Classic Muggle films," Harry said proudly. "A few dramas, a fantasy one called Willow, and—" he held up a black case with red letters "—Dracula. Figured it fits your aesthetic."
Draco's eyes gleamed. "Perfect. I like the title already."
In the next box were speakers, cords, and a compact projector. "Got this, too," Harry said, tapping the projector. "In case you want to test your runes on something smaller. And the speakers—good ones. They'll fill this whole shack with sound."
Hermione was already kneeling beside the television, inspecting the adapter slot. "You really brought Dracula? You couldn't find something less… violent?"
Harry smirked. "You two building a theatre in Hogwarts. Seems only fair the movie matches the mood."
Draco laughed. "He's got a point, Hermione."
They spent the next half hour setting everything up. Draco unpacked the cords, Hermione cast a few levitation charms to position the speakers, and Harry connected the power lines to the enchanted runic converter on the wall. The television flickered once, then steadied, its surface gleaming like polished glass.
"All right," Hermione said, straightening her robes. "Moment of truth."
Harry slid the Dracula tape into the VHS slot. The screen went black for a heartbeat, then came alive with color and sound. A storm crackled, thunder rolled, and gothic lettering bled across the screen.
"Success," Draco whispered, eyes wide. "Absolute success."
The eerie opening music filled the room. The flickering light danced across their faces as the story unfolded—misty graveyards, shadowed halls, and a count whose presence was as mesmerizing as it was terrifying.
Hermione sat rigidly at first, clutching her knees.
Harry smiled faintly. "For muggles, imagination is their magic."
Draco was completely entranced. "I never thought Muggles could capture a mood this powerful. The atmosphere, the tension—it's… haunting."
Hermione glanced at him, surprised. "You're actually enjoying it."
"Of course I am," Draco said. "It's art."
The movie played on—wolves howled, lightning flared, and the eerie silence between scenes kept them spellbound. When it finally ended, the room was silent except for the faint crackle of the cooling enchantments.
Hermione was the first to speak. "That was… unsettling. But brilliant."
Harry nodded. "Now imagine showing that in Hogwarts."
Draco leaned back, smirking. "Oh, they'd lose their minds. Perfect for our first screening."
Hermione hesitated. "Do you think we should really start with Dracula? Maybe something lighter—"
Draco waved a hand. "No. This is memorable. You don't start a legend with something ordinary."
Harry laughed softly. "You sound like Sirius when he talks about pranks."
Draco grinned. "Then I must be doing something right."
Harry looked around at the cluttered room and asked casually, "Speaking of Hogwarts, when exactly are we doing this? I've been waiting all week to see this Cerberus of yours."
Draco and Hermione exchanged glances—one of those wordless conversations that made Harry narrow his eyes suspiciously.
Hermione bit her lip before answering. "About that… we can't take you today."
Harry blinked. "What? Why not?"
Draco sighed, folding his arms. "Security's tight this weekend. The prefects are doing extra patrols because some Hufflepuff tried sneaking into the third-floor corridor to see what the 'gruesome death' was all about. They got caught."
Hermione nodded. "It's too risky now. But the coming Thursday is Halloween. Everyone will be distracted—the feast, the decorations, the ghosts roaming about. It'll be the perfect time to sneak you in."
Harry frowned. "Halloween? That's four days away."
Hermione gave him her best pleading expression, eyes wide and earnest. "Please, Harry. Just a few more days. We don't want to get caught. If we wait, we can plan it properly."
Harry sighed dramatically. "You're lucky those eyes of yours could melt a mountain."
Draco chuckled. "She's been weaponizing that look since last year."
Hermione flushed. "Oh, stop it."
Harry laughed. "Fine. Thursday it is. But if your Cerberus doesn't live up to the hype, I'm making you both watch Mary Poppins next time."
Draco grimaced. "Is that a threat or a punishment?"
"Both," Harry said with a grin, stepping into his shimmering silver portal. "See you Thursday."
As he vanished, the last light of the setting sun flickered across the television screen, still faintly humming from the magic within—a silent witness to the night when the wizarding world's first film theater born.
The morning after their movie night in the Shrieking Shack, Draco and Hermione were still buzzing with excitement. The success of their enchanted television had given them courage—now they wanted to make it official.
"Are you sure about this?" Hermione asked as they walked down the corridor toward the Muggle Studies office. Her hands clutched the parchment that held their carefully written proposal.
Draco gave her a confident smirk. "Of course. We've tested the system. It works. And if Professor Burbage approves, we'll have our own theater before Christmas."
Hermione sighed, half-nervous, half-determined. "Alright. Let's do it."
They knocked.
"Come in!" called the cheerful voice of Professor Charity Burbage.
The office was as colorful as always—stacks of Muggle magazines, photographs of cars and televisions pinned to the walls, and a half-taken-apart toaster sitting on her desk.
"Oh, Draco, Hermione!" Charity said warmly. "What a pleasant surprise. You look like you're on a mission."
Draco grinned. "We are, Professor. We've finished enchanting a Muggle television—successfully. It works even within Hogwarts' wards."
Burbage blinked in astonishment. "Truly? That's remarkable!"
Hermione nodded eagerly. "And now, we'd like to build something bigger. A Muggle-style theater inside Hogwarts, where students can learn through Muggle films. Educational ones, of course."
For a moment, Charity Burbage simply stared, as though trying to decide if she'd heard correctly. Then her eyes brightened. "That… that's brilliant! But the decision isn't mine alone. There's a staff meeting today, actually. You should come and present this to everyone."
Hermione's stomach flipped. "Everyone—as in, all the professors?"
Burbage smiled. "Exactly. If your idea is as good as it sounds, I'm sure the headmaster will approve."
Draco looked far too pleased with himself. "Perfect. We'll be ready."
That afternoon, they stood outside the staff room doors. The muffled sound of professors talking drifted through the thick oak panels. Hermione's heart pounded in her chest.
"Relax," Draco whispered. "You've faced a vampire movie last night. This is nothing."
Hermione shot him a glare, but before she could reply, Professor Burbage opened the door. "Come in, both of you."
The staff room was warm, filled with the aroma of tea and the faint chatter of teachers. At the long table sat Professor McGonagall, Flitwick, Snape, Sprout, and Dumbledore himself at the head, his half-moon spectacles twinkling as he glanced up.
"Ah," Dumbledore said kindly. "Miss Granger, Mister Malfoy. How unexpected. What brings you to our humble meeting?"
Professor Burbage gestured toward them. "They have an idea that I believe is worth everyone's attention."
Dumbledore motioned gently. "Go ahead, my dear students."
Hermione swallowed, then began, "Headmaster, Professors… we've been studying ways to integrate Muggle learning into the wizarding world. Our project involves using a Muggle device—a television—to display visual lessons about the non-magical world."
Draco continued seamlessly, his voice confident and clear. "Our goal is to build a Muggle-style theater inside Hogwarts, so students can experience Muggle stories and education visually. It would revolutionize how Muggle Studies is taught—and maybe even bridge the gap between our two worlds."
The room fell silent for a moment.
Then, to their shock, Dumbledore smiled—a slow, thoughtful smile that reached his eyes. "A fascinating idea. Wizards, after all, often misunderstand Muggles not from malice, but from ignorance. And what better way to understand them than through their own creations?"
Professor McGonagall pursed her lips, though there was a glimmer of approval in her gaze. "If it is done safely and respectfully, I see no harm."
To everyone's surprise, it was Professor Flitwick who leapt to his feet, his tiny eyes shining. "A theater! How marvelous! Moving images, sound, light—it's a perfect example of Muggle ingenuity! I'd be delighted to assist with the enchantments."
Even Sprout nodded in approval. "It would certainly keep the students curious. And perhaps stop them from blowing up greenhouses in their free time."
Snape merely folded his arms, his tone cool. "As long as it doesn't interfere with studies, I have no objection."
Burbage clapped her hands happily. "Then it's settled!"
Dumbledore looked to Draco and Hermione with pride. "A wonderful proposal. I'll assign a large classroom near the Astronomy Wing—it has enough space for your… cinema, I believe it's called?"
Hermione beamed. "Yes, sir. Thank you!"
Flitwick hopped down from his chair. "I'll bring my NEWT-level students this week. We'll begin the enchantments—stabilizing the area, improving acoustics, anchoring power runes. You'll have your theater in no time!"
Draco could hardly hide his grin. "Thank you, Professor. You won't regret this."
As they left the staff room, Hermione turned to Draco, her face glowing. "I can't believe that actually worked."
Draco smirked. "Of course it did. We're irresistible."
Hermione rolled her eyes but couldn't stop smiling. "Come on. We have a theater to build."
And somewhere in the castle, for the first time in centuries, magic and Muggle innovation were about to share a stage.
The chosen room was enormous—an unused lecture hall near the Astronomy Wing, with tall arched windows and a faint smell of old parchment and chalk. The floor was flat, the benches stiff and uneven, and the ceiling echoed every footstep.
That morning, Professor Flitwick arrived with half a dozen of his NEWT-level Charms students, their faces bright with curiosity and disbelief.
"So," said a tall Ravenclaw boy, glancing around, "we're building a… what did you call it again? A theatre?"
Draco smirked. "A Muggle theater," he clarified, hands behind his back like a foreman. "Think of it as a place where people watch moving stories together, on a large screen."
The students exchanged puzzled looks.
Even Professor Flitwick chuckled. "I've only been to one of those… oh, about twenty years ago. Quite fascinating! Popcorn everywhere. Terribly sticky floors."
Hermione smiled patiently. "That's why we're enchanting this floor to clean itself."
Flitwick's eyes twinkled. "Excellent thinking, Miss Granger! Now, everyone—wands out!"
For the first few hours, the students followed Draco and Hermione's directions, guided as much by Muggle imagination as by magic.
They began by reshaping the floor. Hermione drew a large rune circle, and with a whispered "Transmutare Planum," the ground trembled. Slowly, the floor shifted—stone tiles rippling like water—as it formed into a gentle slope, descending toward the front of the room.
"Perfect," Hermione said, smiling with satisfaction. "Now everyone in the back can see the screen without obstruction."
Flitwick clapped his tiny hands. "Splendid! The architecture of entertainment!"
Draco turned to the benches. "All right, next task—comfort charms."
The NEWT students spread out, pointing their wands toward the wooden seats. Blue sparks flickered through the room as each bench shimmered with soft magic.
"Cushionem Mollis!" chanted one of the students.
The rigid wood instantly puffed into plush comfort, the surface shimmering faintly like velvet. Hermione tested one by sitting. "Oh—oh, that's lovely!" she said, sinking into it with delight.
Draco nodded approvingly. "Good work. Now add Unbreakable Charms and self-cleaning runes."
They moved from row to row, enchanting each bench. Every flick of a wand made the space feel less like a classroom and more like a proper cinema.
By midday, the room looked completely transformed. The back rows stood higher than the front, the benches gleamed, and the faint smell of lavender cleaning charms filled the air.
Professor Flitwick beamed with pride. "Magnificent progress! My students have learned more today than in three weeks of standard theory."
One of the older Ravenclaws laughed. "Never thought we'd be using Charms to make people sit comfortably."
Hermione smiled. "Magic should make life better, not just powerful."
By evening, the massive screen was brought in and placed against the enchanted front wall. The NEWT students gathered around, marveling at the strange white canvas.
"So this… shows stories?" asked one girl, wide-eyed.
Draco nodded, unable to hide his pride. "Yes. Entire worlds, actually."
Professor Flitwick's eyes sparkled. "It will be a marvel of learning and leisure both. Perhaps Hogwarts is finally catching up with the Muggle world."
Draco wiped his brow, satisfied. "All right. That's enough for today."
Hermione nodded, tucking her wand into her robes. "We'll finish the sound runes later. Halloween's coming —no one's going to sit through charms work tonight."
Professor Flitwick chuckled. "Indeed. Even I'm looking forward to the feast. Rest well, all of you—you've built something extraordinary."
Author's Note:
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