Halloween

On Halloween morning the dining tables were loaded up with pumpkin-based breakfasts and beverages. "Goodmorning Selena," David greeted cheerily. "Terry! Chew with your mouth closed."

"Morning to you too, Davey," Terry replied, chewing bits of pasty.

Selena picked a pasty of her own and began to nibble on it. "Pumpkin juice?" David asked ready to pour.

Selena nodded, "Yes, thank you."

"Terry-winkle?"

"Shove it!" He cried, mouth yet again filled with food.

Their bickering was halted by owls overhead delivering parcels. A large, tawny one swooped down and dropped a brown box in front of Terry. It was tied up with white string. He read out the attached tag.

"Terry, some of your favorites. Love, Mum." He untied the glossy string and ripped the paper up. "Mars bars!"

"Wizards have Mars Bars too?" she asked, eyeing the red-lettered wrapper.

"No," He shook his head. "Dad's a muggle. He used to take us out trick or treating every Halloween. Mars were always my favorite."

Suddenly Selena caught Harry and Ron quickly fleeing the Great Hall with a large parcel in hand. "See you in class Terry-winkle. I've gotta go check something out." She said, speedily rising from her seat and stuffing the rest of the pasty in her mouth.

"Whatcha got?" Selena called out as soon as she was out into the hall.

Harry and Ron both turned around and sushed her. "Follow us up to the common room, we'll tell you there!"

They found their way to the stairs barricaded by none other than Draco Malfoy. He ripped the package from her brother's hand and felt it up. "This is a broomstick." He stated, clearly surprised. "You'll be in for it this time, Potter, first years aren't allowed them. "

Ron donned a proud smile, "It's not any old broomstick, it's a Nimbus Two Thousand. What did you say you've got at home, Malfoy, a Comet Two Sixty?" Ron turned to them to explain the difference. "Comets look flashy, but they're not in the same league as the Nimbus."

"What would you know about it, Weasley, you couldn't afford half the handle," Malfoy sneered. "I suppose you and your brothers have to save up twig by twig. "

Suddenly Professor Flitwick interrupted, "Oh! Selena dear, excellent work on the levitating charm homework."

"Thank you, Professor," She replied awkwardly.

"Not arguing, I hope, boys?"

"Potter's been sent a broomstick, Professor," Malfoy explained venomously.

"Yes, yes, that's right," Flitwick said looking up at Harry with gleaming eyes. "Professor McGonagall told me all about the special circumstances, Potter. And what model is it?"

"A Nimbus Two Thousand, it is," Harry answered wearing a satisfied smile. "And it's really thanks to Malfoy here that I've got it."

As soon as Flitwick walked off Selena couldn't help but laugh. She laughed loudly and fully.

"What're you laughing at? It's not like you've got one." He spat.

"Put a good word in for me then? Apparently it works wonders!" She hollered following Harry and Ron up the stairs.

In Charms, Professor Flitwick split them into pairs. The small, white-haired professor cleared his throat, "Alright the pairs are as follows: Boot and Zabini… Brocklehurst and Davis… Corner and Crabbe… Cornfoot and Greengrass… Goldstein and Goyle… Li and Nott… Patil and Parkinson… Potter and Malfoy… Rivers and Moon… Turpin and Bulstrode." Selena's heart thumped hard against her chest. She glanced at Malfoy. He was glaring at her.

The class rearranged their seating so that partners were next to each other. Flitwick placed a white, wispy feather in front of each pair. Once he had returned to his pile of books he instructed them, "Now, don't forget that nice wrist movement we've been practicing! Swish and flick, remember, swish and flick. And saying the magic words properly is very important, too - don't forget Wizard Baruffio, who said 's' instead of 'f' and found himself on the floor with a buffalo on his chest."

Selena lightly practiced the wand movements. Draco fixed his eyes on the feather, "Wingardium Leviosa," he said. It didn't budge.

"The book said you have to really emphasize the ar," Selena said helpfully. As much as she disliked him, she wanted to get this assignment so that she could go back to laughing at Terry's silly doodles.

He sneered at her, "the book says," he mimicked shrilly.

She rolled her eyes at him. She held her arm above the feather. She tried to picture it in her head floating up towards the ceiling. "Wingardium Leviosa…" She said in a light, airy tone making certain to emphasize the correct syllables. Suddenly the feather lifted off the desk and fluttered above the class.

"Excellent!" The Professor squeaked, "Miss Potter's done it!"

"See?" She said to Draco in an 'I told you so' sort of voice.

He rolled his eyes and pointed the wand at their feather which had floated back down onto the table. "Wingardium Leviosa…" He said, this time properly extending the gar. This time the feather did budge. It floated up into the air.

"Mr. Malfoy!" Flitwick cried, "Well, done."

Selena and Terry were on their way to the Great Hall for the Halloween feast when she stopped.

"What?" He asked.

"I've got to use the loo. I'll meet up with you when I'm done." She passed Parvati Patil and Lavender Brown on her way in the bathroom. They were muttering about something but she couldn't catch any words.

When she left the stall she heard sniffling. It was coming from the very last stall. Selena hesitantly made her way to the source. She knocked on the door. "It's occupied," A familiar voice answered in a whimpering tone.

"Hermione?" She asked softly. "What's wrong?" Selena pushed on the door. It wasn't latched. Inside, Hermione was crouching on the ground, hugging her knees. Tears stained her cheeks.

"If you must know, your brother and his friend are very mean." She muttered.

Selena frowned. Harry was only ever mean to the Dursleys. Then again, he had been quite rude to her the other day.

She sat on the floor next to the bushy-haired Gryffindor. "Boys can be mean sometimes because they're stupid."

"Ron… he-e said 'No wonder she's got no friends'" Hermione wailed.

"Well, he's wrong about that."

"He is?" She asked in a small voice.

"I'm your friend."

Hermione glanced at her through glassy eyes. She was about to say something when the ground shook. A horrific scent wafted through the air. There were loud bangs that sounded a great deal like footsteps. Then, there was a grunt. The two girls shot up and darted out of the stall to investigate.

In the bathroom with them was a thing. Selena didn't quite know what it was, but it was tall, lumpy, and grey. Its head was shaped a bit like a pear. It had flared nostrils and a puffed out upper lip. The expression it wore was utterly dimwitted. A club the size of Hermione was swinging from its lengthy arm next to its elephant-like leg.

It turned its attention toward them. Hermione screamed. It was high, loud, and full of terror. "What is it?" Selena asked, alarm clear in her shaky voice.

"It's a mountain troll!" She squeaked.

"What do we do?" Hermione didn't answer. She simply inched closer to the back wall. The great beast began smashing sinks and stall doors with its club. Selena joined Hermione in her backtracking.

From behind the troll, Selena saw Harry and Ron run in the bathroom. "Confuse it!" the black-haired boy yelled at his red-headed companion.

The lumbering monster turned its attention to the boys. "Oi pea-brain!" Ron called out. It stalked toward him. He narrowly missed its shoulder with a broken pipe.

Harry stated toward them. He grabbed Hermione around the arm and pulled at him but she was planted in place. "Come on Hermione, run!"

"Yeah, come on, let's go!" Selena joined Harry in his plea.

The troll had backed Ron into a corner and raised its club. "Ron!" Harry called taking off in a run. He leapt up and grabbed the beast around the neck.

"Harry!" Selena cried out. He had shoved his wand up its left nostril. It was thrashing him about wildly. Hermione was sitting on the floor hugging her knees. Selena ripped her wand from her robe pocket but couldn't think of what to do. She too was stunned with fear. One wrong choice could spell a very bad end for Harry.

"Wingardium Leviosa!" Ron's voice cried out. The club lifted from the troll's grip into the air. It rose above its head and crashed down with a satisfying thunk. The mountain troll crashed onto the ground and Harry landed safely on the ground.

"Ron! That was brilliant!" Selena praised running over to him.

Hermione was slowly rising from her place on the ground. "Is-is it dead?" she questioned quietly.

"I don't think so. I think it's just fainted," Harry answered, pulling his wand out of the cavernous nostril. It was thickly coated in a yellow-green slobbery substance. "Ergh, troll bogeys!" He cringed, flicking it off what he could and then wiping there rest off on the mountain troll's tattered pants.

A chorus of footsteps sounded outside the bathroom. A group of teachers walked in. Professor Snape was the first in his black cloak floating behind. He bent over the troll to assess the damage. Professor McGonagall was behind him looking upon their faces with shock and anger. Professor Quirrell came in last. He made a rather dramatic display by draping himself over the nearest toilet, whimpering, and placing his hand over his heart. How anyone could be that animated in fear was beyond Selena's reasoning.

What on earth were you thinking of?" Professor McGonagall sputtered hotly. Selena recoiled and gazed at her peers. Harry was gawking at Ron who was still standing with his wand at the ready. Hermione stood under the shadows of a bathroom stall. "You're lucky you weren't killed. Why aren't you in your dormitory?"

Professor Snape leered at all of them. Selena felt more of a desire to disappear under his gaze than she had under the murderous troll's.

"Please, Professor McGonagall - they were looking for me." It was Hermione. She had inched forward from the shadows.

"Miss Granger!"

"I went looking for the troll because I - I thought I could deal with it on my own - you know, because I've read all about them. If they hadn't found me, I'd be dead now. Selena tried to pull me to the door while Harry stuck his wand up its nose and Ron knocked it out with its own club."

"I followed her here!" Selena said suddenly.

"Miss Potter!"

"I'd also read about them. I wanted to help." She explained. Selena didn't want Hermione to get all the trouble. "Harry and Ron ran in just at the right time. They must've noticed we'd gone missing."

"That was very foolish of you girls! I am in disbelief that the two of you thought to tackle a mountain troll on your own. Five points will be taken from Gryffindor and Ravenclaw. If neither of you is hurt, you'd better hurry on along to your common rooms to finish the feast." McGonagall ordered looking dreadfully disappointed.

Selena shared short eye contact with Harry before following Hermione quickly out of the room. Once they were safely outside the Gryffindor girl turned to her. Before Selena knew what was happening, Hermione had wrapped her arms around the Ravenclaw's neck. "Thank you, Selena,"

Hermione broke away shortly and hurried off down the corridor, bushy brown locks bouncing behind her. Selena exhaled deeply and headed off to her own common room.

After a tiring stroll through the castle, she reached the Ravenclaw door. Gently she lifted the eagle knocker and tapped the door. The bird spread its beak, "There's a one-story house where everything is yellow. The walls are yellow. The doors are yellow. The house has yellow beds and couches. What color are the stairs?"

Selena didn't hesitate. She had learned thinking out loud was the most efficient way to get the door to open. "There aren't any stairs. It's a one-story house." The great door swung open to let her in.

As soon as she walked in, a voice called her name, "Selena!" It was Terry.

"Thank god!" Another voice sounded. "Selena where were you?" David asked in a concerned tone. He picked a plate up from the lounge table and handed it to her. "Here, have something to eat."

She took it and sat at the table next to Terry. "Well, it's a really long story…" Suddenly other students were looking at her expectantly. "It all started when I caught Hermione Granger trying to take down the mountain troll." She launched into a slightly edited version of the previous hour's events.

When she finished her housemates were gaping. "Excuse me, it just occurred to me that I never got to use the toilet." She leaped up from her seat and hurried away from the crowd. She made a mental note to never do anything like that ever again.