"Alright, kids—because of the troll, dinner's been sent to your dorms. Head back and let the professors handle the rest."
"Have a happy Halloween… if you're still in the mood."
Dumbledore gave them a little wave as Alice and the others filed out.
Alice could hear Professor McGonagall behind them, not happy, grilling Dumbledore about something.
Harry, Hermione, and Ron all shrank a little at the sound of her voice.
"I thought we were done for," Ron said, clutching his chest. "I was this close to losing a hundred points. I'd never live that down."
Harry turned to Hermione. "That step you took forward—what were you about to say?"
Hermione hesitated, then admitted, "I was gonna take the fall. Say I dragged you two into fighting the troll and it was all my fault."
She sighed. "It was my fault. If I hadn't been crying in the bathroom, we never would've run into that thing."
Ron cut in fast, looking awkward but determined. "No, it's my fault. If I hadn't said those stupid things, you wouldn't have been crying. I'm the idiot here."
Hermione smiled—actually smiled—and looked at both of them. "Thanks for coming to save me, even if… well, you kinda didn't."
Harry's face went red. "Yeah, and we almost got you killed again."
Alice watched the three of them bicker and felt a little warm inside. Hermione finally had real friends in Gryffindor.
They reached the stairs, still laughing.
Alice took a deep breath and smiled. "Alright, ladies and gentlemen—this is where we part ways. See ya?"
"Bye, Alice," they all said, waving as she headed down to the dungeons.
Once she was out of sight, Ron suddenly said, "She's good."
Harry nodded. "Yeah. Cool under pressure, brave—she's got it all. Total badass."
Hermione added, "And even with all those professors staring her down, she stayed sharp. If she hadn't handled it, we'd be in detention, not getting praise from McGonagall."
Ron shook his head. "Weird… but cool Slytherin."
Harry and Hermione nodded in full agreement.
The trio headed up to Gryffindor tower—the opposite direction from Alice.
"Oh, and Granger?" Ron called over his shoulder. "You sure you don't need Madam Pomfrey for that stomach thing?"
Hermione's voice shot back, furious: "Weasley, mention that one more time and I'll rip your head off!"
Thump-thump-thump—the sound of three kids running and shoving each other up the stairs.
---
Meanwhile, Alice was almost back to the Slytherin common room, lost in thought.
She'd first noticed Ron's wand after their first Potions class. It was beat-up, clearly secondhand.
At the time, she figured it was a backup—but after seeing it a few more times, nope. That was his wand.
Weird. Wands choose the wizard. Could a hand-me-down really work properly?
She made a mental note to ask a professor about it.
Then again—thinking back to the Weasleys at King's Cross—they didn't exactly scream "loaded." A used wand made sense if money was tight.
The wizarding world has a serious wealth gap, Alice thought.
A shrill, cackling voice snapped her out of it.
"YOU! The weird ghost girl!"
Peeves.
Alice froze. Why is Peeves near the Slytherin common room? Doesn't he know the Bloody Baron will end him?
"Peeves! What are you doing here?" she hissed, cutting him off before he could spill anything.
He floated closer, giggling like a maniac. "Peeves goes where Peeves wants, little snake! Hee-hee! You're a funny one—so funny!"
Alice's stomach dropped. She could shut him up—she had the All Souls Banner—but using that in the middle of Slytherin territory? Hard pass.
"Peeves, leave," she ordered.
Thank Merlin—the Bloody Baron materialized, looking pissed.
His dead eyes blazed. "Peeves. Out."
Peeves flinched but kept whining. "You told me to come! Now you want me gone?"
"I asked if there were unusual things in the castle," the Baron growled. "Not for you to harass students."
Peeves started floating away, still yelling: "Unusual? The unusual's right—"
He spun around mid-sentence, locked eyes with Alice—and saw the death glare she was giving him.
He forgot what he was saying and zoomed off like a popped balloon.
The Bloody Baron turned to Alice. "All first-years are in the common room. Why are you still out?"
"I ran into the troll with some Gryffindors," she said calmly.
The Baron's ghostly face twitched—he clearly didn't buy that a first-year could survive a troll.
"The professors showed up in time," she added. "Saved us."
That made sense. He nodded.
"Go enjoy your Halloween feast, strange girl."
Alice gave a little bow and slipped into the common room.
The Baron watched her go, uneasy.
He'd called Peeves here because the poltergeist had been buzzing around the castle asking if anyone had seen a new ghost.
And now—Peeves' weird reaction, the way Alice had silenced him with a look…
He was pretty sure he knew who the "new ghost" was.
A first-year who could turn into a ghost?
What the hell is she?