Halloween Arrives

Cold sleet drifted on the bitter wind, lashing against the frozen windowpanes. In the blink of an eye, Halloween had arrived.

Hermione stood outside the Muggle Studies professor's office. Before raising her hand to knock, she instinctively glanced at the little follower behind her.

The House-elf named Winky stood quietly beside her, carrying a gift for the professor. His posture was courteous without being excessively deferential, making him very different from other House-elves.

He was even thinner than he had been a few years ago. His neatly pressed black-and-white tailcoat hung loosely from his slender bones. There was hardly any flesh on him, and beneath his loose skin, there was even less, as though he were a doll pieced together from firewood.

Yet no one would have considered him weak. His slightly bulging eyes were astonishingly bright, clear and brimming with life.

"Knock, knock, knock..."

"Come in."

After entering, Hermione immediately sat down before the desk. With brisk movements, she leaned over to look at the essays Charity Burbage was grading. Neither of them showed the slightest restraint. Over the past few years, they had spoken here hundreds of times.

"Trick or treat!"

"Wizards don't have that custom."

"But you're a Muggle Studies professor."

"But you aren't even wearing makeup."

"I'm dressed as a Witch."

"Then that really is true to character."

"Then hurry up and give me some candy..."

"After spending so long with Mr. Morgan, it seems even the dignified Miss Granger has learned to be mischievous."

The blonde Charity Burbage smiled as she placed her quill in the ink bottle, closed the stack of student essays, and took several treasured Muggle boxed chocolates from a drawer to hand over. Catching sight of the House-elf behind her, she looked mildly surprised. It was the first time she had