HP Star Shining

"I know you didn't. I told Lockhart you didn't need to do that, and you're already more famous than him."

"I guess he wasn't too pleased to hear that." Harry sat up straighter and rubbed his chin.

"Not very happy, I suppose." Hagrid's eyes sparkled. "Want to come and see what I've grown?"

In the vegetable garden behind the cottage, there were twelve large pumpkins. Harry and Su Xingchen had never seen pumpkins this big before, they were half a person's height.

"It looks pretty good, doesn't it?" Hagrid said happily. "It's for the Halloween party. It will be big enough by then."

"What kind of fertilizer did you give them?" asked Harry.

Hagrid looked around for anyone.

"Well, I'll give them a little help..."

Harry found Hagrid's little red umbrella leaning against the outside wall of the hut. He had suspected that Hagrid's old school wand was hidden inside.

Hagrid was expelled from Hogwarts in his third year. He never understood why Hagrid couldn't use magic, and every time he asked Hagrid, he pretended to be deaf and dumb and deliberately changed the subject.

"Is it the Swelling Charm?" Hermione said, somewhat dismissively, yet also finding it quite amusing. "You did a good job."

"Your little sister said the same thing," Hagrid said, looking at Ron. "I just saw her yesterday."

"She said she was just strolling around." Hagrid glanced at Harry. "I guess she was hoping to meet someone here." He winked at Harry. "I wouldn't say no to an autographed photograph."

"Don't talk nonsense." Harry said anxiously and quickly glanced at Su Xingchen.

Su Xingchen was still circling the pumpkin curiously.

Ron burst out laughing, and a slug sprayed onto the ground.

They said goodbye to Hagrid and returned to the castle. As soon as they stepped into the cool hallway, they heard a voice.

"You're back, Weasley, Potter." Professor McGonagall came over with a stern face, "You two will stay here for detention tonight."

Harry had almost forgotten that he and Ron had to go to detention for injuring the Whomping Willow.

At eight o'clock in the evening, Ron was going to help Filch clean the trophy, and Harry was specifically asked by Lockhart to help him write replies to book fans.

The two walked into the auditorium dejectedly, with Su Xingchen and Hermione following behind. The expression on Hermione's face seemed to say, "You have already violated the school rules."

Harry had lost interest in dinner. Both he and Ron felt that they were worse off than the other.

It was almost eight o'clock when Harry had to drag his heavy feet to Lockhart's office and endure Lockhart's endless chatter.

The next day, Harry told several people that he heard strange noises in Lockhart's office, but Lockhart didn't hear them.

Su Xingchen was stunned. Did the basilisk come out so early?

October came quietly, and the damp chill spread and penetrated into the castle.

Madam Pomfrey, the school nurse, was very busy, as many people were suffering from colds. Her stimulant had an immediate effect, but it caused smoke to come out of the ears of those who drank it for several hours.

Bullet-sized raindrops pounded against the castle windows for days.

Wood's enthusiasm for regular training was unaffected, which was why Harry returned to Gryffindor soaking wet and covered in mud on a windy and rainy Saturday.

He was in a bad mood, for George and Fred had been spying on the Slytherins, and they had come back to say that the Slytherins' brooms were whizzing by like jets.

It was late when he stepped into the lounge.

"Harry, where have you been? I mean, George and Fred are already back?" Ron asked.

"I met Sir Nicholas and was caught by Filch."

Ron wanted to continue asking, but Su Xingchen saw Harry's disheveled appearance and quickly interrupted him, "Harry, go take a shower and change your clothes first, or you'll catch a cold."

Harry came out of the shower and told everyone that Sir Nicholas had invited them to the Deathday party.

"Deathday party?" Hermione was very excited. "I bet there are few people alive who have ever been to such a party. It must be amazing!"

Su Xingchen's face turned pale for a moment. This banquet was full of ghosts...

"Why would anyone celebrate the day they die?" Ron said angrily, as he was working on his Potions homework. "Sounds unlucky to me."

Su Xingchen particularly agrees, so can she choose not to go?

It was still pouring rain outside the window. Harry was just about to tell Filch about the Speedy Spell correspondence course when a salamander shot up into the air, sparks popping and banging from its mouth.

Percy scolded George and Fred in a hoarse voice, and the salamander fled into the fire with a series of explosions, making Harry forget what he wanted to say.

On Halloween, other students went to the Halloween dinner happily, but Harry was regretting that he had agreed to attend the Deathday party so easily.

"A promise is a promise," Hermione reminded Harry domineeringly. "You said you would go."

So, at seven o'clock, Harry, Ron, Su Xingchen, and Hermione walked straight through the doorway, which happened to lead to the Great Hall. It was decorated with lights and candles, and there were tempting golden plates on the table. Hagrid's pumpkins were made into jack-o'-lanterns, and there was enough space for three people to sit inside.

But the four of them had to walk towards the underground classroom.

Su Xingchen hated the basement classroom the most. He lit candles on the road leading to the classroom today, but the effect was not pleasant at all.

They were all black, thin little candles that emitted a glowing blue light and looked eerie.

The temperature dropped with every step they took.

Harry trembled and wrapped his clothes tightly, while Su Xingchen held Hermione's hand tightly.

There was a creeping sound, like a thousand fingernails scratching on a huge blackboard.

"Is that music?" Ron whispered as they turned the corner and saw Nearly Headless Nick standing in a doorway with a black velvet curtain behind him.

"My dear friends," he said with infinite sadness, "welcome, welcome... I am so glad you can come." He took off his feathered hat, bowed and invited them in.

The sight before me was unbelievable.

The basement was filled with hundreds of milky, transparent ghosts, who swung around on the crowded dance floor, waltzing to the terrifying, trembling sound of thirty musical saws.

The four of them seemed to have walked into a cold storage room, exhaling puffs of white air.

"Let's go for a walk," suggested Harry, who wanted to warm his feet.

"Be careful not to pass through anyone," Ron said nervously.

They walked slowly around the edge of the dance floor, past a group of sullen nuns, a ragged man wearing a necklace, the ghost of Hufflepuff talking to a knight with an arrow stuck in his forehead, and Harry caught a glimpse of the Bloody Baron.

"Oh, crap." Hermione stopped short. "Turn around, I don't want to talk to Moaning Myrtle."

"Who?" Harry asked as they hurried back the way they had come.

"She's in the girls' bathroom on the second floor, in a toilet."

"Flush toilet?"

"Yeah, she's always throwing tantrums and splashing water everywhere. I try not to go there if I can avoid it. It's horrible to have her screaming and crying when you go to the bathroom."

Su Xingchen had never seen Moaning Myrtle before. Could it be that she had no directionality and had never gone to the toilet on the second floor?

"Look, food," said Ron.

At the other end of the basement was a long table also covered with black velvet.

Several people walked forward impatiently, and then stopped in horror because the smell was too bad.

Huge chunks of rotting meat were placed on shining silver plates, blackened, charred cakes were piled on the plates, and there were also large amounts of maggot-infested stuffed sheep tripe and cheese covered with green hair.

In the middle of the table was a huge gray cake in the shape of a tombstone, with the words "Nicholas de Min - Sir Porpington, died on October 31, 1492" written on it.

Harry was stunned. Su Xingchen was very glad that his stomach was empty, otherwise he would have vomited out the food he had eaten the night before.

"Let's go, I'm feeling sick," said Ron.

Before they could turn around, a small ghost emerged from under the table and stopped in mid-air.

"Hello, Peeves," Harry said cautiously.

"Want some?" Peeves said with a wicked grin, handing them a bowl of moldy peanuts.

"No, thank you," said Hermione.

"I heard you were talking about poor Myrtle," Peeves said, his eyes twinkling. "Talking about poor Myrtle, how rude!" He took a deep breath and shouted, "Hey! Myrtle!"

"Oh, no, Peeves, don't tell her what I said, she'll be upset," whispered Hermione anxiously. "I was only joking, I don't mind her being like that - Hi, hello, Myrtle."

The ghost of a short, plump girl floated in. Her face was the gloomiest Harry had ever seen, half hidden by her long, straight hair and thick glasses.

"What?" she asked sullenly.

"Hello, Myrtle, nice to see you outside the bathroom," Hermione said in a fake cheerful voice.

"Miss Granger was just talking about you." Peeves whispered cunningly in Myrtle's ear.

"I was saying...I was saying...you look so beautiful tonight." Hermione glared at Peeves.

Myrtle looked at Hermione suspiciously, and suddenly appeared in front of Su Xingchen. The two of them almost touched noses, and Myrtle stared at her.

"You are so beautiful, the most beautiful girl I have ever seen at Hogwarts."

"Thank you...thank you." Su Xingchen's whole body was stiff. Anyone would be scared if they saw a ghost suddenly appear in front of them and stare at them, right?

"I hate pretty girls the most!" Myrtle yelled, frightening Su Xingchen, who was standing right next to her. She shuddered and then began to sob again. "You're making fun of me."

Peeves chuckled behind her.

"No, really, didn't I just say Myrtle was beautiful?" said Hermione, nudging Harry and Ron with her arm.