Harry had struggled all evening attempting to convince Ron that going to the Trophy Room was a bad idea. Half an hour before midnight Ron was still stubbornly refusing to stay and Harry realised the consequences of not going to the Trophy Room would be their tentative friendship.

I am beginning to regret ever being amused at your house placement if this is what it results in. I find myself wishing you could go get resorted into Ravenclaw. Are you even sure Draco Malfoy is going to show up? Any Slytherin with half the brains of an owl would just report you to a teacher and let you get caught.

I hadn't thought of that.

You should start thinking like that. Just because you aren't in the house of the snake or raven doesn't mean you need to lose the few brain cells that made you interesting enough to talk to Harry Potter.

I will take that as a compliment that you think I have brain cells.

I am beginning to think wearing gold and scarlet drains brain cells. Do be careful to hold onto the few you still possess.

Toms' remarks haunted Harry as he crept down the staircase with not only Ron Weasley but also a tag-along Hermione Granger and Neville Longbottom towards Trophy Room.

They tiptoed across the third floor hallway to where the trophy room lay. Malfoy and Crabbe weren't there yet or they just weren't coming like Tom predicted. Cups, shields, plates, and statues winked silver and gold through crystal trophy cases in the darkness. Harry spotted the Quidditch cup right at the front of the room. They edged along the walls, keeping their eyes on the doors at either end of the room. The minutes crept by.

Ron began to theorise that Malfoy had chickened out. Harry let his eyes drift over the nearest trophy shelf to alleviate his boredom, only to gape in utter disbelief at a trophy in the corner of the cabinet.

Awarded to,

T. M. Riddle

For Special Services to the School

A noise in the next room made them all jump.

"Sniff around, my sweet, they might be lurking in a corner." Filch and Ms Norris. Marvellous.

Damn. Why was Tom always right? He pulled out his wand only to recall he didn't know any distraction or hiding spells. If Harry didn't get expelled tonight he was knew what Tom was teaching him for the next few weeks.

Harry gestured frantically to the others and praying they would follow him, began to shuffle towards the far door. Not looking back as it would only slow him down, Harry got through the door and quickly began to quietly walk across the next room. There was a squeak from Neville behind him and Harry felt time slow down as he turned around to see Ron and Neville topple into a suit of armour.

The clanging and crashing was probably enough to wake the whole castle thought Harry a tad hysterically. Hermione, Ron and Neville all looked at him. What did they expect him to do? "Run." He told them simply before turning away and sprinting out into the corridor.

They ran. Eventually after ending up near the charms room they stopped and gasped for breath. Hermione was repeating "I told you." between inhales.

"We've got to get back to Gryffindor tower," said Ron, "quickly as possible."

"Malfoy tricked you," Hermione said to Harry. "You realize that-"

"Yes I realise." Harry snapped back. He knew this whole situation was his own fault. He should have never come out in the first place. What had he been thinking?

That was the problem, said a snarky voice in his head that reminded him of Tom, you didn't think.

Of course the night didn't get any better from there. As they moved down the corridor back in the direction of the Gryffindor tower they came across Peeves floating out of a spare classroom.

"STUDENTS OUT OF BED!" Peeves bellowed, "STUDENTS OUT OF BED DOWN THE CHARMS CORRIDOR"

Harry was never ignoring Tom's advice again. Or following Ron anywhere.

I'll begin by teaching you a simple self-silencing charm and a smoke charm this weekend.

Great

Moving back to your earlier 'adventure'. A fully grown Cerberus was on top of a trap door, in the middle of a school and was guarded by a single door which you only had to cast a first year door-unlocking charm on to open?

I didn't think of it like that at the time. I was busier trying not to get caught by Filch or eaten, but I suppose so?

We haven't even finished your second week at Hogwarts. Please reassure me this is the last of your Gryffindor stunts for the term. Surely it is all out of your system now.

I haven't done any Gryffindor stunts, I'm just in the house with Gryffindors. They lead me into these situations.

Denial is not just a river in Egypt.

He was not a Gryffindor. Not really. He wasn't brave, daring or chivalrous. Harry still didn't know what the sorting hat had been thinking. Harry closed the diary and put it under his pillow and place the inkwell and quill on his bedside table. Cancelling his light charm, he lay down and curled up in his bed staring at the curtains. Why hadn't he asked Tom about the trophy? It was probably some trivial- No. Harry cut off that train of thought. You had to do something pretty big to have a trophy dedicated to you in the Hogwarts Trophy room. Special services? Why did Tom never talk about his previous owner? Hopefully Harry would be able to use this to resolve the mysteries around his diary.

It was Friday morning. Harry was tired and not looking forward to double Potions that afternoon. Ron was cheerfully waving, while shovelling down breakfast, at a disbelieving Draco Malfoy staring at them in surprise from the Slytherin table. Harry was just as surprised it had all worked out as Malfoy was. Ron had apparently gotten over how terrifying the night was and had decided it had been an excellent adventure.

"I wonder what was beneath the trapdoor. It would have to be something really valuable-" Neville and Hermione seemed just as disinterested to what lay under the trapdoor as Harry was.

He held his temper in check all day between Ron's theories and Snape's insults but fled to a spare classroom to practice spells with Tom as soon as the classes of the day were over.

I keep getting a loud noise from my wand whenever I complete the last hand flick movement to self-silencing spell. Afterwards the spell seems to work just fine.

That would suggest you are once again putting too much power in the charm. It's amusing really, most children have the opposite problem - they never put enough magic or concentration into their spellwork.

So this is like how I blinded myself a week ago with Lumos Maxima?

Exactly. It's a simple spell trying to account for the strength of your magic. You have to let your magic flow as you say the charm and do not force too much magic into it. It's not supposed to have a large amount of magic, it is an easy spell.

So a harder self-silencing charm would work better and be easier for me to cast? Can I just learn the harder self-silencing charm instead?

Do you want to burn down a house every time you try a simple fire-lighting charm? Don't question your elders brat.

Point taken.

Harry woke up on Halloween and stared up at the scarlet ceiling. He couldn't believe he had been at Hogwarts for two whole brilliant months. Between training for Quidditch, classes, homework and all the extra study he was doing with Tom he had no spare time, which was perfect. He had drifted away from Ron over that time, but they were still typically partners in class.

Harry had a sunny mood that matched the weather as he practically skipped down to breakfast much to the amusement of Neville who accompanied him. They chatted about Herbology and Harry asked a few questions about snivelling reeds for their latest essay. Neville was by far the best at Herbology and when not talking about their projects and assignments it was always good to learn about the deadly plants to avoid.

In Charms he was partnered with Seamus Finnigan in what looked to be a very awkward lesson in charming feathers to float. For two main reasons, firstly Ron and Hermione were partnered – something which had been avoided for the last two months. Secondly, because Harry had already taught himself the levitation charm Professor Flitwick was teaching two weeks earlier.

The second problem had been happening a lot recently but Harry agreed with Tom. The pace of the curriculum was extremely sluggish. Harry always just wanted to skip ahead when practicing by himself. The main problem with this was that Ron got grouchy whenever Harry got the spell perfect on the first try in class, no matter how much Harry assured him afterwards that he had practiced it beforehand. Due to this, Harry had been purposefully getting spells wrong in class to try keep Ron happy. Although they were not close, Harry still liked having him as a friend. Nobody seemed to have noticed apart from Professor McGonagall who arched a single eyebrow at Harry every lesson but didn't comment.

Bringing himself out of his musings he helped Seamus put out the feather he had accidently set on fire. In the background Ron and Hermione started arguing and Harry silently mourned his 'peaceful lunch' as it turned into an 'angry Ron lunch'. He decided to skip lunch completely and go finish his Herbology essay in the library.

Hours later with all homework completed Harry was on his way down to the Great Hall for the Halloween feast when he overheard Parvati Patil telling Lavender that Hermione was crying in the girls' bathroom and wanted to be left alone. Maybe Ron said something to her in Charms? Harry wondered, he hadn't been nearly as much attention as he probably should have. Walking over to sit with the Gryffindor first years he was distracted by the Great Hall's incredible Halloween decorations for the feast.

Harry was discussing Quidditch strategies with Ron when Professor Quirrell came sprinting into the hall, his turban askew and terror on his face. Everyone stared as he reached Professor Dumbledore's chair, slumped against the table, and gasped, "Troll - in the dungeons - thought you ought to know."

He then sank to the floor in a dead faint.

The Great Hall erupted into a noise so deafening it was like none Harry had ever heard.

Harry had a nagging feeling, like he had mislaid something, as the first years followed Percy back to the Gryffindor common room. He stopped on the stairs against the railing in horror as the rest of his classmates walked by. How had he forgotten? He turned to go back down the staircase.

"Where are you going Harry?" Ron hissed and grabbed his robes.

"Hermione."

Ron stared at Harry like he had grown a second head. "What about Hermione?"

"She doesn't know about the Troll. She was crying about something in the girl's bathroom."

Ron instantly looked guilty. Harry did not even want to begin to unearth whatever stupidity Ron had done earlier in the day.

"I have to go tell her. Now." Harry tore out of Ron's grasp and began hurrying down the staircase.

"Wait, Harry! Oh fine."

Harry would have stopped to yell at Ron but he was preoccupied trying to remember his way to the girl's bathroom. As they hurried towards it Harry's mind was a mess thinking about Hermione, nevertheless, one thought prevailed above the others. What if they did run into the Troll? Harry prayed it was still in the dungeons. Trolls... What had 'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them' said about trolls?

Suddenly, he heard footsteps behind them and yanked Ron by his robes behind a stone statue in the next corridor. Then of all people, Professor Snape walked by.

"Why…" Harry trailed off as he watched Snape speed-walk down the hallway. It didn't matter. He had much more pressing issues.

They turned and took the next corridor quietly as Snape's footsteps faded in the distance.

"He's heading for the third floor," said Ron.

Harry's nose had discovered a much more urgent problem than Snape's whereabouts as they rounded the next corner. Harry smelled something foul, a revolting cross between off milk and an unflushed toilet.

Harry suddenly remembered with clarity exactly what 'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them' had to say about trolls. They were stupid, had no magic powers other than their naturally enhanced strength, were handily equipped with thick skin that absorbed most basic spells and most importantly they smelled absolutely terrible.

Harry pulled Ron back into the shadows of their previous corridor just before they heard grunting and thudding footsteps. The troll passed though the hallway as they cowered in the shadows of the corridor, it was a horrible sight Harry knew he would remember and a smell that would take him days to be rid of. The Troll continued down the hallway dragging behind it a massive club. It stopped at a doorway with its head tilted and walked inside the room.

Harry's stomach dropped in horror as he recognised the doorway. He pleaded with any deity above that Hermione had left the girls bathroom. There was a high, petrified scream. She hadn't.

"That's the girl's bathroom!" gasped Ron.

If the situation had not been so dire Harry would have rolled his eyes. Maybe even said a witty sarcastic one-liner thanks to Tom's influence. Instead he dashed down the hallway to the bathroom and ran inside, pulling out his wand. Harry ran through the mediocre list of spells he could perform but he knew none of them would get through the Troll's thick skin anyway.

Hermione was curled up in a ball in the far corner of the bathroom, the Troll was walking towards her, knocking the sinks off the wall with its club as it advanced. So Harry did the most ill-advised but logical action. He yelled at it.

"Oi!" The Troll turned to squint at Harry, decided he was more irritating than the girl in the corner and started to lumber over to him. Brilliant. Now what? Harry began to back away slowly, then a metaphorical light bulb switched on in his head as he saw the Troll's eyes following him. It's eyes weren't protected. A plan began to form.

He nearly tripped over Ron who had been standing right beside him as he turned around. Harry grabbed Ron's robes and pulled him back out the doorway.

"Wha-"

"Close your eyes!" Harry yelled as he continued to drag Ron down the hallway. He pointed his wand back at the Troll which had dragged itself around the doorway to chase them. Harry double checked the troll had its eyes open and closed his own eyes.

Harry took a deep breath and gathered his will. Flick, draw hand back, flick. "Lumos Maxima!"

A bright light flashed across his eyelids, searing even through his closed eyes. The Troll wailed and Harry cancelled the spell. He opened his eyes to see the troll wobbling unsteadily before falling over with a thud which shook the floor. Sitting down against the hallway wall it rubbed its small eyes with giant fists and letting out an ear-piercing wail.

Harry felt a little sympathetic, he had blinded himself the same way when he first performed the spell. But it wasn't over yet, the blindness wouldn't last for long. Harry pointed his wand at the fallen club.

Swish and flick. "Wingardium Leviosa!" The club lifted off the ground and obeyed Harry's command to drift high above the Troll's head. Harry ended the spell and the club fell with a cringe-worthy crack onto its owners head. The Troll swayed for a moment before falling sideways completely onto the marble floor.

There was silence.

Ron made a flabbergasted noise from beside him. Hermione stumbled through the doorway from the wrecked girls' bathroom. She stared at the 12 foot mountain troll lying a metre or so from the doorway with gallon-sized eyes.

She spoke first. "Is it dead?"

"Don't think so," Harry admitted "Don't get too close I think I just knocked it out."

Hermione took a step backwards. Then took three more. Then five more to be safe.

"What was that light spell?" Ron asked in awe.

Harry for a moment of amusement, deliberated explaining to Ron how he had learnt Lumos Maxima just so he could to write to a diary after the dorm had gone to sleep at night, not to battle mountain Trolls.

Harry heard loud footsteps and looked up from the Troll. It hadn't even occurred to him that people would have heard the racket they had been making. Professor McGonagall led the group of teachers down the hallway to them. Harry took one look at the furious expression on her face and gulped.

Harry sat in the common room at three in the morning explaining yet again the latest drama.

So Hermione lied to a teacher. Ron and I ended up earning 5 points for Gryffindor and Ron has already completely forgotten that it was his hurtful actions that got us three into the situation in the first place. Hermione has warmed up to Ron now so I suppose there will be less mutual glaring around meals.

Have you finally accepted that you were put in Gryffindor for a reason?

What?

I am suggesting that this is a sterling example of you being a Gryffindor. The sooner we can move past the fact you do have Gryffindor traits we can hopefully work on harnessing them and prevent you from having any more ridiculous exploits in which you decide to not tell a teacher, but instead run off with another idiotic first year to go battle a mountain troll.

Harry shut the diary and rubbed his eyes. Tonight had been just like the Remembrall incident. Why had he run into danger again? Regardless of his own safety or any forward planning?

Because you are a Gryffindor, a section of his mind whispered, the hat let you choose between those houses only because it thought you belonged in all of them. They were both right, Harry realised, pushing his own emotions on the matter aside. He was a Gryffindor, but was that such a bad thing?

Albus Dumbledore had been a Gryffindor.

No. Harry decided firmly, one person did not represent a house. He had been thinking very childishly about it all. He had Gryffindor traits and by acknowledging this fact, he could use it. Harry felt like a big weight had been lifted off his chest. He had a lion inside him along with a snake, a raven and probably even a small badger. Hogwarts had a mentality that people were defined by their houses and that mentality had been adopted by him over the past two months. It was wrong.

Harry lifted his head from his hands, staring down at the common room fire as it burned merrily, outlining the bold scarlet and gold colours of his house. He couldn't help but grin. People would expect him to be a Gryffindor all the time. Even Tom seemed to think Harry was more Gryffindor than Slytherin. Harry could work with this.

AN: So a few questions I should answer.

Firstly, Draco not offering friendship to Harry? So originally in the first book Draco offers his friendship on the train after hearing (probably from Hermione) that Harry Potter was in a certain compartment. The reason I didn't have Draco offering friendship in this series is because: Nobody knew where, if at all, that the boy-who-lived was on the train - Draco didn't know what he looked like - Harry gets sorted into Gryffindor. Personal opinion is that Draco wouldn't want to offer friendship to a Gryffindor (despite probably getting asked to by his father) due to the reaction of the Slytherin house. Further backed up after seeing his godfather mocking Harry though his first potions lesson. I recall Draco really looks up to Snape and believe would follow his example.

(Sorry about the word vomit.)

Secondly, how long I will follow cannon? I can say is that a general adherence to cannon will be followed for a while. Of course with some changes but the true divergence will not begin in the first year.

I should broadcast this – The story will be skimmed (like it has been to a point) while I am following a cannon-like path. Once it diverges properly will be when I expand my writing.

Last point for this chapter is that I imagine when beginning to use magic with a wand you would repeat the hand motions in your head as you performed a spell. That's what all the swishing and flicking was about when Harry was casting at the troll. ^^;

Thank you everyone for your kind reviews, follows and favourites!

Tal