Post by Deleted on Mar 14, 2022 16:31:26 GMT -7
September 25, 2026
Fall was three days old and gradually settling over Hogsmeade's placidly bustling atmosphere. Flourish & Blotts hadn't been as busy in the period that normally would've entailed start-of-term school shopping; Hogwarts remaining demolished meant that many parents shipped their children to schools not near even the outskirts of where the castle once stood. Many of the ghosts still floated among the great hill of rubble, while some took to the occasional traveling to Hogsmeade.
Namely Bludworth Bathory, the Slytherin ghost.
On this particular day, one would be aware of his presence at the sounds of the screams that floated into the sunset. Many heads flew in the direction from which the screams emanated, accompanied by Bludworth's unearthly moaning. His eyes were void of any pupils, sporting only two orbs of white sclera as he flew after the group of frightened children while flailing his spectral cutlass.
Some of the spectators gasped and covered their mouths, while others just rolled their eyes, shook their heads and went about whatever they had been doing prior to the commotion. The ones who had the latter reaction knew the ghost could cause no physical harm to the children.
Clearly the children hadn't been educated of that detail...
Eventually their fear reached a satisfactory level for the ghost, and he allowed them to escape with the memory of him to haunt their nightmares. Once they were out of sight, Bludworth broke character and unleashed a hearty round of guffaws while holding his sides where he floated.
His eyes returned to their normal state as he gleefully shouted, “Keep runnin', ye yellow-bellied sprogs! Tha'll teach ye t' mock Muggle-borns in me presence!”
