It was Halloween, Andromeda and Ted's favorite time of year. Ted had made it to the Quidditch team and was immensely pleased.

Andromeda quickly wrote a note to her uncle when she woke up that morning. Her dormmates, Lucretia Goyle and Miraphora Lowindew, weren't awake yet, or were too drowsy to register her. She didn't even change out of her nightgown while writing the letter:

Dear Uncle Alphard,

Happy Halloween! I hope you have a marvelous Halloween. Thank you for the advice, it really helped me.

Sincerely,

Andromeda Black

She quickly changed into her Hogwarts and went to the owlery and sent her letter, after giving Aster a treat. She almost skipped to the great hall before remembering she was in public and had to blend in. So she sat between her sisters, not listening to them as she looked up at the school decorations trying to keep the smile off her face.


Ted ate breakfast and wrote a letter to Jim at the same time. He was shoveling food into his mouth with his left hand,(getting food everywhere and earning disapointed looks from Mason), but he just had to write the letter immediately,(and he was right-handed):

Dear Jimothy,

Did you know that ghosts actually exist? I actually just talked to one this morning, so if you hear creaks and cracks while in bed tonight, it could be a ghost. I hope your sleep is affected by that for the worse.

Love,

Terrifying Teddy

He went to the owlery after eating to send his letter. Hungry was in a good mood so he didn't get bitten. It helped that he got him a treat.


Andromeda got to potions class and sat next to Gwen, they had double potions that day.

"How was Transfig?" asked Gwen.

"Oz Sherman blew up a glass, he was in front of me so the glass got in Inaya and I's hair."

There was a pause.

"Ugh, Oz Sherman," they said together.

"I have no idea how he even did that, normally he is one of the best in the class."

"Stop chit-chatting everyone, it's time for class," their Potions Professor said, "Today is Halloween, so, in the spirit of the season, I'm letting you make whatever potion you like. I'm excited to see what you'll be choosing.I will be grading each of your concoctions at the end of the lesson. It's very critical with your O. coming up to…"

Andromeda and Gwen let his voice fade out, they'd gotten the O.W.L speech so many times now from all their teachers that they were getting sick of it. Their Potions professor, Professor Slughorn, was head of the Potions Departement and of Slytherin house. He only taught the 5th years and above so this was their first year having him.

Edith and Ted were sick of him too. Ted wished that he didn't have to take potions anymore, it was his worst subject. He was messy ordinarily but with potions being so detailed any minute error was ten times more important. He let Edith do most of the work so that they could at least manage to have an A.


Inaya looked Gwen in the eyes, through weeks of constant practice they were finally able to communicate through their eyes, telepathically. They did this in front of Andromeda and she never noticed.

We have to find out today, said Naya telepathically.

Yes definitely, replied Gwen.

"So, Andy, how are you today?" Gwen said.

"Well, today is Halloween, so I am very excited."

"Cool… Don't muggles celebrate Halloween?" asked Inaya, casually.

Good move , said Gwen.

Thanks, Naya replied, through their eye-contact telepathy.

"Yes, but wizards celebrated it first. Muggles stole our traditions."

"Have wizards stolen any muggle traditions?" said Gwen, oozing nonchalance.

"We merely adopted their traditions to blend in and not be burned at the stake."

Okay we need to find a way for her to clearly choose a side, said Inaya.

This beating around the bush is getting us nowhere, let's ask directly, said Gwen.

Are you sure that's a good idea? She could think we're insulting her, Inaya said with a look.

It'll be fine, we're her friends after all, she answered by rolling her eyes.

"So, hey, Andromeda-Andy, if there's… uh… a war, which side do you think you'll be on?" asked Gwen.

Smooth, said Inaya.

Shut up! Gwen replied.

"Depends on the war,"said Andromeda.

Inaya and Gwen sighed.

"If there's a war on whether muggleborns and muggles should be allowed to live or not."

"I do not think that a war is neccessary," Andromeda said.

"So you think we should all live together, and be happy about our differences." Gwen said, optimistically.

"No, of course not, we should all live separately. Muggles should never interact with wizards, someone is bound to end up in flames, and I know I will not let that happen to my family. If war comes to pass, I shall not fight, but I know which side I hope will survive and which is more likely to die through stupidity. "

Andromeda didn't notice her friends expressions.

"See you after dinner, I love the Halloween feast!" she said, with a small smile she couldn't resist any longer.

I guess we sort of got our answer, said Gwen.

But it wasn't the answer we hoped for, said Inaya.


Andromeda ate the feast happily, she had had a great Halloween. She'd spoken to the Bloody Baron, and hadn't run into Peeves or all day. She wasn't going to think about him at all anymore, he was just some muggleborn Hufflepuff wannabe Quidditch player who didn't matter at all.