By Halloween evening, Hogwarts had completely transformed.
Hundreds of living bats drifted through the corridors, clinging upside down to candleholders and suits of armor. Every so often, wings fluttered, releasing soft, papery sounds.
The walls were lined with grinning jack-o'-lanterns, magical flames dancing inside them and casting all sorts of strange, comical shadows.
The air was thick with the sweet scent of baked pumpkin pie, mixed with a restless magic that belonged only to festivals.
The younger students were buzzing with excitement, gathering in small groups to talk about the feast to come and speculate about what bizarre desserts Dumbledore might conjure up this year.
Laughter echoed through the corridors.
Regulus was among them.
Tonight, he had no intention of burying himself in the library or slipping off to some secluded corner to practice magic.
Instead, he strolled unhurriedly through the main castle, taking in the dense holiday atmosphere.
When he reached a third-floor corridor hung with enchanted tapestries that shifted and changed their patterns, a bright voice called out to him.
"Hey! Black! Over here!"
It was Eleanor Bones. She looked troubled, clearly stuck on how to decorate one corner near the entrance to the Hufflepuff common room.
When she spotted Regulus, her eyes lit up and she waved him over without hesitation.
Behind Regulus were Cuthbert, Hermes, and Alex.
They had been moving together more and more often lately, forming a small but noticeable Slytherin group.
Cuthbert followed with deliberate pride, shoulders straight, as if announcing his allegiance to the world.
Alex walked a step behind and to the side. He knew that staying close to Regulus meant fewer people picking on him, and perhaps even a hint of respect. It was survival instinct, plain and simple.
Hermes brought up the rear. His expression was still dark, his gaze frequently settling on Regulus's back.
It was less following and more close observation, as though he were constantly searching for any flaw or weakness.
Hearing Eleanor call out, Regulus stopped.
Cuthbert immediately tugged Alex back before he could wander closer, then shot Hermes a look.
The three of them stepped aside in silent agreement, pretending to examine a nearby tapestry depicting an animated duel between knights.
Regulus walked over to Eleanor alone.
Standing beside her was another Hufflepuff girl with short brown hair. When she saw Regulus approaching, she instinctively drew her shoulders in, curiosity flickering through her eyes along with a trace of nerves.
The name Regulus Black had been spreading fast among the lower years lately. Pure-blood and even overpowering fifth-years. Favored by almost every professor.
All of it wrapped him in an aura that made people instinctively wary.
But with Eleanor at her side, the girl straightened a little, though her fingers still twisted nervously at the edge of her robe.
"Bones," Regulus said as he came closer, giving her a polite nod.
Then he turned to the girl beside her and inclined his head as well. "And you are?"
His manner was calm and even, without the slightest hint of disdain or arrogance, regardless of her background. That alone made her pause.
"Oh, this is Susan Payne, my friend," Eleanor said cheerfully.
"Susan, this is Regulus Black. I told you about him. The Slytherin who's really sharp in Herbology."
"H-hello, Mr. Black," Susan said softly.
"Hello, Miss Payne," Regulus replied, his tone unchanged.
He genuinely did not care about blood status. The Black bloodline was already pure enough. He had no need to cling to superiority, much less belittle others to prove it.
"Having trouble?" Regulus asked, glancing at the pumpkins and scattered materials on the floor.
"Yeah. We wanted to do something special here. Just lining up jack-o'-lanterns feels kind of boring."
Eleanor pointed to a recessed alcove beside the Hufflepuff common room entrance.
"Professor Sprout said we could be creative as long as it wasn't too scary. Hufflepuff's symbol is the badger, so I was thinking about combining pumpkins with badgers, but we obviously can't hang an actual animal specimen here…"
She scratched her head, clearly stuck on how to make the idea work.
Susan nodded beside her. "We tried Transfiguration, but either it doesn't look right, or it reverts after a while."
Regulus studied the alcove, then the pumpkins of various sizes on the floor, thinking for a moment.
"If you lean into the badger's traits and keep the Halloween feel, it might work," he said.
He crouched and picked up one of the already hollowed, carved pumpkins.
Eleanor and Susan leaned in, watching closely.
"Badgers are known for being brave, even reckless. They don't scare easily," Regulus said, examining the pumpkin as he spoke.
He drew his wand and tapped the jack-o'-lantern lightly.
Magic flowed.
The pumpkin's shape began to change. Two short protrusions formed at the top, resembling rounded badger ears.
The comical carved face on the front grew bolder, the lines rougher. The wide grin gained a fierce, fearless edge.
At the eyes, magic traced two small, sharp points of white light, like a badger's eyes gleaming in the dark.
Regulus tapped the wand again. The steady magical flame inside shifted from warm orange to a cooler, silvery white.
The flame's rhythm became stronger, more irregular. Beneath the lantern, faint shadowy marks appeared, like the traces of clawed scratches.
A unique decoration was born, blending Hufflepuff's symbol with Halloween flair.
It looked cool and playful at the same time, carrying that unmistakable, stubborn badger spirit.
"Wow!" Eleanor exclaimed. "This is perfect. Exactly what I wanted. It's cool and it fits so well."
Susan stared wide-eyed, her earlier nerves forgotten. "That's amazing. Even the flame changed color."
"Glad I could help," Regulus said calmly.
He flicked his wand again and again, repeating the process on the other prepared pumpkins.
Soon, five or six jack-o'-lanterns stood before the alcove, each with a slightly different expression, all unmistakably badger-like. Silvery flames danced inside them, lighting the area with a lively, mysterious glow.
"What are you all working on here?" a gentle voice asked.
Professor Sprout approached, looking as though she had just come from the greenhouses. She carried a small pot of softly glowing mushrooms.
"Professor, look! Regulus helped us make badger pumpkins!" Eleanor said excitedly.
Professor Sprout stepped closer, clearly intrigued as she examined the lanterns.
Then she looked at Regulus standing quietly nearby and smiled in approval. "Very creative, Mr. Black. The Transfiguration is stable, the intent is clear, and it balances the festive mood with house identity nicely. Five points for your ingenuity."
"Thank you, Professor. It was nothing," Regulus said, dipping his head slightly.
After a brief exchange about flame stability, Regulus excused himself and left.
Watching his retreating figure, Susan finally murmured to Eleanor, "He's not really like the rumors, is he. His magic is incredible. That Transfiguration alone feels like something a lot of third-years in our house couldn't manage. And he's polite too. Not like some Slytherins…"
Eleanor smiled as she looked at the badger pumpkins. "Of course he's different. I told you before. He thinks differently from most people. As for his magic…"
She lowered her voice. "Some of the things I've heard might be even more impressive than what he shows."
Elsewhere, Regulus and his dormmates returned to the Slytherin Common Room.
Halloween decorations were underway here as well, but the style was entirely different.
Upper-years took charge, using magic to make silver-green silks slither along the walls like living snakes.
Conjured bats gleamed with a metallic sheen. Jack-o'-lanterns were carved into the heads of beasts and venomous serpents, their interiors burning with eerie green flames.
The entire common room radiated a sense of cold elegance.
Most of the younger students lingered at the edges, handing over materials, running errands, or watching the older students work with open admiration as more complex magic unfolded.
Regulus observed quietly, understanding settling in.
Hufflepuff favored warmth and inclusiveness, with a touch of grounded creativity.
Slytherin prized refinement and separation, its displays heavy with symbolism and competition.
Neither was better or worse. They were simply reflections of different house cultures and values.