As I walked to breakfast the next morning with Ron and Hermione, Oliver Wood stopped me, putting a hand harshly on my shoulder. I gasped and whipped around to face him.

"Holy shit, Wood!" I breathed in fear. "Don't scare me like that!" 

"Sorry, Chloe. But it's a serious question."

I narrowed my eyes, curious to know why he wanted to talk to me all of a sudden. 

"Go on?" 

"I just talked to Professor McGonagall not too long ago, and she suggested that we should have an extra back-up Seeker just in case something happens with Harry and he can't make it."

"Why do you think that?" I asked, alarmed.

"I dunno. I just had a gut feeling last night that Harry might not be able to make it for a couple of games. So, do you want to train to become a Seeker?"

"Well . . . I dunno, Wood," I answered with a heavy sigh as I glanced over to where Ron and Hermione were. They were waiting for me at the Great Hall doors, watching curiously. "I've already promised Ron and Hermione that I'd hang out with them this morning and study with them. Is there a way we can practice another day?"

"Of course, Chloe! Just let me know when you're available. We'll try to work out something. You know how being a Seeker works, right?"

"Absolutely," I answered, nodding. "Charlie and Bill used to teach me when they had the time when they weren't at work, and then Fred and George would train with me during school holidays."

"Excellent! Well, I'll see you around, Chlo."

He patted me gently on the shoulder before walking to the Gryffindor Quidditch meeting room to have his meeting. I walked over to Ron and Hermione who were still waiting patiently for me. Ron looked confused when I had joined him.

"What the bloody hell did Wood want?" he asked as we made our way to the Great Hall. 

"Well, Wood wanted me to become a substitute Seeker. You know — in case Harry doesn't want to play Quidditch?"

My sentence turned into a question as I wondered why Wood would need a substitute Seeker. I promised to give it some thought. 

"Well are you going to do it?" Ron asked, interrupting my thoughts.

"I'm thinking about it," I replied, frowning. "But it doesn't make any sense. Why would Wood think that Harry might not be able to make it to a couple of games?"

Ron shrugged.

"Beats me, mate. But it's Harry. He's going to be busy at some point during the school year."

I knew that Ron was right, but that didn't stop me from thinking that something might go terribly wrong with Harry during the year. 

We grabbed breakfast and made our way to the courtyard to do our homework. As we got set up, the Gryffindor team came around, along with the Slytherin team. Ron's eyes immediately went wide.

"Uh-Oh. I smell trouble," Ron commented. 

We all got up, putting our books down, approaching the two teams. Wood was reading some sort of message. Unsurprisingly, it came from Professor Snape. What the hell was going on?

"You got yourself a new Seeker?" said Wood, who sounded pissed. "Who?"

I was not surprised when Draco Malfoy came through the crowd of older Slytherins. Harry stared in shock, disbelief, and disgust.

"Malfoy?" he asked.

"That's right," he bragged. "That's not all that's new this year."

Our eyes wandered to their brooms. And I realized —

"Those are Nimbus 2001's! How did you get those?!" Ron exclaimed in shock.

"Gifts from Draco's father," Flint drawled in answer. 

Seriously? Bribing won't always help you get everything you want. 

"You see, Weasley?" Malfoy taunted. "Unlike some, my father can afford the best."

"At least no one on the Gryffindor team has to buy their way in," I butted in, using my smart mouth. I smirked proudly at him, keeping my head held up high. "They have got an all-pure talent."

The Gryffindor team gave me praising looks. Fred and George looked particularly proud that I stood up to my team. Unfortunately, the proud looks on the Gryffindor's faces didn't last for long. Malfoy's eyes narrowed and he turned to face me with a disgusted smirk on his face.

"No one asked for your opinion. You filthy, dirty little Blood Traitor." 

My body immediately tensed, and I felt hurt. Never in my life have I been called a Blood Traitor. Not even by my own family. And, while I tried to not show it, his words really did sting me. Hard. And it hurt. 

Tears threatened to come. But before they could, Ron's voice rang from next to me as he stood up to defend his sister. He took out his wand, aiming it at Malfoy.

"You'll pay for that one, Malfoy!" he spat. "Eat slugs!" 

But instead of the curse going at Malfoy, it rebounded onto him instead. It knocked Ron back with such force, he landed on the ground. His face immediately turned purple. Me, Hermione, Harry, and the rest of the Gryffindor team hurried anxiously over towards him. I was proud of Ron for sticking up to me, but I was scared that this curse he'd placed upon himself would not become undone. 

"Are you okay, Ron?!" I said anxiously, shaking his shoulder. Ron got on all fours, looking incredibly sick. "Say something!"

Instead of an answer, a slug came from his mouth, splattering onto the floor. We all groaned in disgust. I looked up to see that Fred and George, Ron's brothers, looked very scared and sympathetic for their brother. 

"C'mon," said Harry as he took Ron by one arm. I took him by the other arm. The two of us helped lift him up. "We'll take him to Hagrid's. He'll know what to do." 

***

Once at Hagrid's, the half-giant placed a giant bucket in front of Ron, who immediately leaned up against it, waiting for another slug to belch up. 

"Nothing to do except wait it out," he said as he sat down across from us. 

Now Draco Malfoy's words really sank in. And I could feel the tears rising again. The insult that he called me whirled around in my head. 

"Who was Ron trying to curse, anyways?"

"Well . . . . Malfoy called Chloe a —" Harry immediately jumped in. He looked confused, glancing over at me. "Well, I don't know what it means, really."

While his eyes were still on me, I forced myself to my feet, turning away from my friends. I crossed my arms over my chest, and my eyes were blurred with tears.

"He called me a Blood Traitor," I finally whimpered.

Hagrid gasped, sounding furious.

"He did not!" he growled. 

"What's a Blood Traitor?" Harry asked. Clearly, he didn't know what a Blood Traitor was. And, as much as I didn't like explaining what it meant, Harry had the right to know. He hasn't known the Wizarding World terms for too long. So I had to step in at some point and offer him help. 

"A Blood Traitor is a foul name for someone who has betrayed the Dark Side," I rambled on, my voice shaking. "Someone who has taken a liking for Muggles, and Muggle-borns. Something that the Pure-bloods find very offensive. Someone like me." I paused, slowly sitting back down again. "It was the worst insult Malfoy could think of."

I went silent. Hagrid began to explain to Harry what the whole ordeal was. Harry looked shocked and disgusted at the end.

"That's horrible!" he exclaimed in shock.

Ron belched out another slug. His face was still purple, and he looked sick.

"It's disgusting," Ron whimpered.

"And it's codswallop to boot," Hagrid pointed out. "Why, there ain't no witch or wizard today who are Half-Blood or less. And there ain't a spell that they can't do and our Chloe Ellis can. Come here!" 

I slowly made my way to Hagrid, relieved to hear that he was on our side. He took my hands in his big, warm ones. He got me to look him in the eyes. 

"Don't you listen to him, Chloe. Don't think about it for one moment. You're smart, brave, and intelligent. You have to be proud of that. Don't let anyone change your mind, otherwise. Okay?"

I nodded, immediately feeling better by Hagrid's words. Maybe life would be okay after all.