Chloe shrieked as an oversized bat grabbed her long hair and yanked. Halloween was coming up, and the castle was alive with the preparations. The smell of cooking pumpkin wafted through the halls, bats resided in every corner, the ghosts were rehearsing a musical number, and the floating candles in the Great Hall had been replaced by hovering jack o' lanterns.

She was on her way to Potions class again, when she saw Malfoy in the hall. He was talking to a little first year. As she drew nearer, she heard Malfoy talking.

"That'll teach you to call me a 'slimy Slytherin'," Malfoy spat. The first year looked terrified, and his eyes kept flicking down to the tip of Malfoy's wand, which was pressed to the side of his throat. Chloe tiptoed up behind Malfoy, and then pointed her long, elegant wand (eleven and a half inches, unicorn hair, ebony wood) at his wand and muttered, "Expelliarmus."

Malfoy's wand flew into the air, and Chloe reached out a slender hand and caught it. Everyone turned to the tiny girl holding two wands. A few people applauded, but Malfoy glared.

"What did you do that for?"

"It wasn't nice of you to threaten that first year. He didn't mean it."

"Maybe he did. I don't like being mocked. Or shown up by a girl."

Chloe gritted her crooked teeth and then whispered, "Petrificus totalus!"

Malfoy went stiff as a board and then hit the floor. Then she gathered her things, flipped her long Slytherin scarf over her shoulder, and stalked off to Potions class.