Harry could scarcely believe that he'd managed to not pay one visit to the hospital wing for two weeks, aside from his daily meetings with Madam Pomfrey. He also couldn't believe that Halloween was on the next day, or today, Harry mused as he looked at his watch. The first years had been told that there would be a big feast containing sweets of all varieties and some secret entertainment. Harry had found himself getting excited about the feast, despite Halloween marking the 10th anniversary of his parent's deaths.
Harry laid in his bed, staring at the ceiling with tears in his eyes. His parents had died protecting him ten years ago. He could remember a flash of green light from that night and that was all. That flash of green light had haunted his dreams, awakening him at two in the morning with a pounding heart.
Harry let out a small groan and sat up, concluding that he wouldn't be getting much sleep that night. He grabbed his schoolbag and made his way down to the common room where he situated himself in the softest armchair next to the fire. He grabbed some parchment, a quill and his History of Magic textbook, deciding to at least do some work if he couldn't get to sleep.
However, soon the heat of the dwindling fire had started to weigh upon him, Harry found that his eyelids were starting to droop. He leaned back in the armchair, and closed his eyes for a second to give him some time to think about the essay he was writing.
"Harry, get up. We're going to be late for class!"
Harry sat upright and peered at Ron blearily. "What? Oh, right, just let me get dressed." Harry murmured, standing from the armchair.
Moments later he was rolling along next to Ron towards the Great Hall for breakfast. Ron and Hermione were in the midst of an argument which left Harry rolling his eyes and shaking his head every few seconds. While Harry had become friends with Hermione, Ron was a little more hostile with her, resulting in numerous arguments. Harry let his thoughts wander to the feast that would be happening later that day. Despite it being the anniversary of his parents' death, he found himself anticipating the feast now that the scent of cooking pumpkins was wafting through the castle.
He was pulled out of his musings by a sob. Hermione ran off down the corridor, her head bowed as she tried to hide her tears.
"Do you think we should..."
"No, I think she needs to be alone." Harry cut off. He looked at Ron in annoyance. "Can't you two at least try to get along?"
Ron looked suitably sheepish and the pair continued their way to breakfast, Harry decided to forgive Ron for his argument with Hermione, sure that she'd soon e okay.
Hermione, however, hadn't turned up to any of her classes, which had Harry worried. He'd heard from Parvati and Lavender, Hermione's roommates, that she'd been crying in the third floor girl's toilets all day. The thought made the spoonful of treacle pudding he was munching on taste bitter in his mouth and he swallowed it thickly, peering towards the entrance of the great hall almost as though he was expecting Hermione to come through it and join hem.
The doors to the great hall flew open with a bang, making Harry jump. He whipped around to see Professor Quirrel run into the Great Hall, his face white and his hands trembling.
"Troll! Troll in the dungeon!" He bellowed before fainting.
Chaos ensued. Students screamed and stood from their chairs, all rushing towards the exits. Harry sat still, fervently hoping that he wouldn't get trampled by the mass of panicking students.
"Silence! Prefects, take your students to your common rooms! Slytherin house make your way into the antichamber just off of this room. Teachers, follow me." Dumbledore ordered, power radiating off of him.
Harry left the great hall with the rest of his house. And was about to start going up a flight of stairs when he suddenly remembered that Hermione was in the girls bathroom all alone, not knowing that a troll was on the loose. He grabbed Ron by the arm and dragged him away.
"Hermione, we have to tell her!"
Ron's eyes widened and he gave a quick nod before rushing off with Harry. They ducked between streams of students, trying to blend in as much as a Weasley and a wheelchair user can. Finally they managed to escape and rushed up to the third floor.
The first sign that the troll wasn't in the dungeon was the pungent smell. Harry couldn't place what it smelled like, although he guessed it was somewhere between rotten eggs and cat urine.
And then they saw it.
It was a grey-green colour and was more than double the height of Harry. The troll plodded along, dragging a huge club along behind him. He watched in terror as the troll entered the girls toilets and a scream was heard.
Harry and Ron rushed into the toilet, just in time to see the troll smash through several toilet stalls.
"Hermione!" Harry yelled, comforted slightly when he heard her scream. "Oi!"
The troll turned just as Harry threw a plank of wood at it. The troll started towards him and in that moment Harry realised how stupid he'd been. He wouldn't survive being beaten up by a troll.
"Oi! Peabrain!" The troll turned again and started towards Ron, smashing its club through several sinks.
Then Harry did something truly idiotic. He crouched on his wheelchair and propelled it forward before standing and jumping onto the trolls back, accidentally thrusting his wand into the troll's nose.
The troll roared in pain and tried to shake Harry off of its back. Harry screamed as he felt his shoulders and wrists dislocate and before he knew what was happening the troll had grabbed Harry by his leg and he was now hanging upside down.
He watched as the troll started to swing the club towards him and then all of a sudden the club was gone. Harry looked up and saw the club hovering over the trolls head for a split second before it came thudding down.
The troll let go of Harry and he hit the floor with a thud, pain coursed through Harry's body as he felt more joints dislocate. Hands hooked under his shoulders and dragged him out of the path of the falling troll. The troll fell with a loud thud, missing Harry by a mere inch. Harry lay panting, his face scrunched up in agony as pain shot through his body. There was another bang as the bathroom door was flung open and several pairs of footsteps.
"Oh my... Potter are you all right?"
McGonagall and Dumbledore rushed towards Harry. Harry watched as they dropped down beside him and started to try to asses his injuries.
"What hurts?" McGonagall asked, her eyebrows were creased with worry and Harry noticed that her hands shook slightly.
"Everything." Harry gasped. "But I'm okay."
"Mr Weasley, get Madam Pomfrey." Dumbledore ordered. Harry watched as Ron nodded quickly and ran off. "Now Harry, where does it hurt the most?"
Harry frowned and concentrated on his own body. Everything hurt and Harry couldn't decide what hurt the most. "I don't know. I'm fine, I just have some dislocations."
"I-I'm so-sorry."
Harry turned his head and saw that Hermione was stood to the side, watching Harry with wide and tear-filled eyes.
"Not your fault." Harry gasped, flinching as McGonagall peered at his wrist.
"We will all talk about this later." Dumbledore instructed sternly, looking between Harry and Hermione. "For now, Mr Potter needs healing and rest."
The agony that Harry felt was to such an extent that he struggled to stay conscious. McGonagall's and Dumbledore's faces faded in and out of focus as Harry blinked sluggishly. Something nudged his leg and he let out a strangled shout. His eyes rolled back and he slumped into unconsciousness.
He came to with the sound of voices echoing around him. He opened his eyes and found that he was still on the bathroom floor. Madam Pomfrey was leaning over him and running her wand over his body. The pain was still overwhelming and Harry felt as though if he spoke the pain would only increase.
Madam Pomfrey looked up at McGonagall and Dumbledore. "Twelve dislocated joints, two of which fractured. He's also tachyardic and his blood pressure is too low."
"Is there anything we can do to help, Poppy?" Harry heard Professor McGonagall ask.
"Yes, if you go into my office there is a drawer labeled 'fluids' and another labeled 'cannula'. Please gather several from the cannula drawer and one from the fluids drawer."
McGonagall hurried off and Madam Pomfrey turned back towards Harry. She smiled upon seeing that he was awake.
"How are you feeling, Harry?"
"Pain." Harry gasped out, trying to move his lips as little as possible.
"I know, we're going to get a pain potion in you soon. I don't want to give you one now as they can increase your heart rate and yours is too high as it is." Madam Pomfrey explained. "I'll also sedate you while I relocate your joints as that is going to be too painful."
Harry had never felt so thankful for Madam Pomfrey than in that moment. Harry felt dizzy and weak and so he found himself drifting in and out of consciousness. What felt like only minutes, but was possibly longer, McGonagall returned.
"Okay, Harry, there are going to be a few sharp scratches." Madam Pomfrey warned, grabbing the equipment from Professor McGonagall.
It was testament to how much pain Harry was in that he didn't feel Madam Pomfrey prodding and poking him in an attempt to cannulate him. Soon he was hooked up to a bag of fluids and Madam Pomfrey seemed to be preparing to move him.
"Harry, this is a potion that will make you sleep." Madam Pomfrey said, holding the vial up to Harry's mouth. "Drink up."
Harry gulped the potion down as quickly as possible. Within moments he felt drowsy. He blinked sluggishly, his eyes gradually closing.
Harry was abruptly awake.
"Are you in any pain, Harry?"
He turned his head and gazed sleepily at Madam Pomfrey who was hovering next to his bed. "Yes," Harry replied, his voice hoarse. Several joints ached harshly and he felt shooting pains down his arms and legs - clearly his nerves had been irritated from the dislocation and relocation. He glanced around the room - it was dark and dingy and there were several candles lit around Harry's bed, suggesting that it was the middle of the night.
Madam Pomfrey seemed to have been prepared for this as she picked up a vial from Harry's bedside table and held it to his mouth. He gulped it down, ignoring the bitter taste. Madam Pomfrey placed the vial back onto the bedside table before picking Harry's glasses up and placing them on his face. Her lips were thin and her face was pale and tight - Harry knew he was in trouble.
"Harry, what made you think you could take on a troll all by yourself?" Madam Pomfrey asked sharply, taking the seat next to Harry's bed.
"We didn't! We were going to go back but Hermione was in the toilets and didn't know about the troll so-"
"Then you tell a teacher!"
Harry opened his mouth to defend himself but faltered - Ron and he really should have told a teacher.
"I-I... We didn't think about that." Harry faltered, fiddling with the bed sheets.
"Clearly!" Madam Pomfrey replied, crisply. "If that troll had fallen on top of you or hit you with its club I'm not sure whether you'd have survived."
Harry nodded. "I'm sorry." He wanted the lecture to be over as soon as possible as not only was he feeling beyond guilty for making Madam Pomfrey worry, but he was exhausted. His eyelids felt like they were made from lead and he had to concentrate on keeping them open.
"Apology accepted. Now you look as though you could do with a nice long rest." She blew the candles from around Harry's bed out. "Good night."
Harry let the lure of sleep sweep him away.